Norma Maxwell, the creative sprite behind Connect Interactive, LLC asked me this great question recently: How do I determine my brand “voice?” Voice is so key to your brand communications. Remember the three-legged stool of brand: Visual, verbal and experiential? The “verbal” component – what you write and how you talk is a key component of a strong brand. Is it cheeky or irreverent? Is it … [Read more...]
Website audit: Putting myself under the microscope for you
Today, I've got a special treat for you. As I always say, getting an expert to give an unvarnished, unbiased view of your brand is always a good thing. You might know in your own pretty little head what you intend to communicate but you may be too close to your business to see that something's getting lost in translation. Well, today, I'm drinking my own Kool-Aid. Seth Leonard, web guru … [Read more...]
Keep it simple: how to define “brand”
This week's Slice of Advice Q comes from Bonnie Bradshaw, a motivational youth speaker. She writes "When someone asks me what is my Brand I don't have a clue what to say!" As I tell her in the video below, don't get all wrapped around the axle about defining brand. Brand is simply your reputation, it's what you're known for. It's your hook that differentiates you from the thousands selling what … [Read more...]
Two Tips for Saving Your Marketing Sanity
Welcome to the inaugural Slice of Advice column! This is where I take your questions and give you back answers on all things business, marketing, or branding (or, for fun, anything wine, food, or film-related) If I don't know the answer, I'll find someone in my network who does. So drop your Q's to info@red-slice with Slice of Advice in the subject line. And mention your biz and URL so I can … [Read more...]
Reboot and Reframe: Branding lesson for life #7: Find the Humor
Even when things are serious, it helps to find the humor. It helps us cope, deflates a tense situation, and helps you think more clearly and problem solve than if you were angry, frustrated or sad. Laugher helps you get out of the “red zone” and into a more calm, productive state of mind. As business owners, things will go wrong. You may piss off a client or you might not make your sales … [Read more...]