Branding

  • are you dedicated to Twitter

    Using dedicated hashtags on Twitter

    This is day 15 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 14: “Inspirations to keep going”     Using a dedicated hashtag Most Twitter users know by now what a hashtag is, but many seem to use the tool as a joke instead of as a way to search, connect and position. I like the idea of a positioning statement or a slogan that instantly places your product or services in your consumer’s mind. What I like about it is the possibility to make a genuine impact. A dedicated hashtag is an opportunity to position a brand, product or service in others’ minds, but you have to stay sincere. I try…

  • could being a L.I.O.N. hurt your career?

    LinkedIn Open Networkers: marketing mistake

      Day 11 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 10 “Controlling creativity: 5 tips to managing inspiration”     I’ve made a more concerted effort lately to use my LinkedIn account for networking, and as a place to engage with others in my industry (I join groups about marketing, social media and journalism. I’m a top contributor in a group called Brand Journalism). And while I’ve had the account for a few years, I haven’t added just anyone.   Over the years I’ve accumulated more than 500 connections, but I’ve been cautious to only add people in my local area as well as people who work in the same fields…

  • How well do you know your friends?

    Social media limit secret: you only have 150 connections

      Day 9 of 30-day blog challenge: read day 8 – “Why Google Plus is No Joke”     We all know the importance of human connection and a sense of community, but many of us may not know that Robin Dunbar claims 150 is the magic number when it comes to just how many people we can maintain a meaningful connection to. Or, at least Dunbar means our biological programming has us naturally grouping in communities of about 150.   I read an article by Chris Street, “I Culled Half My Facebook Friends…,” where Street made the point about quality over quantity even in the face of our psychological…

  • content-marketing-infographic

    If content is king, I’m queen

      Content IS king, and I feel like its queen   Just a quick update here. I’ve been so busy lately taking clients and working with companies that I’ve sincerely been too busy to blog for myself. As I recommend all indie writers do, I am working my way up to higher-traffic websites. I’ve been invited to contribute to Lifehack.org so I plan to add some of my advice to that website in the coming weeks.   With the all that I do and the way everything in marketing seems to fall on the support of content (original blog posts, videos and infographics that drive traffic from search engine results…

  • Three of the worst LinkedIn profile photos you can have

      The idea of having a professional headshot shouldn’t be surprising, especially on the professional platform of LinkedIn. I’m amazed every time I see company owners—small business as well as corporate figures—with photos that betray too relaxed an attitude.   Putting a picture on a profile is a must for branding, and as part of a profile for an online resume. The first thought I have every single time I see a no-profile-image LinkedIn request is that it’s spam. I double-check to make sure I know the person to be sure, but is that the first thing you want anyone to associate with your networking request?   Without not only…

  • How long does it take to build a business?

      One thing entrepreneurs need to understand is that growing anything takes time. Unless you buy those dried sponge animals that expand in a tub of water…no, even those take longer than you’d expect to increase in size and resemble an animal. Many times, I’m still disappointed that the promised giraffe looks more like, well, a long piece of sponge.   I attended a couple of sessions at Digital Atlanta this week, and the idea that resonates is that building brand awareness and engaging an audience through social media simply takes time. Sure, many organizations and individuals exist to offer solutions for earning return on investment through social media, but…