We. Are. So. Feeling. It.

Our five year business anniversary of making branding and marketing rock for our amazing clients has made us totally mad about the number five. FIVE. 5. Cinco.

And so, in keeping with our five obsession, we present Five Rockin’ Things We are Doing for Clients:

1. Development of the Todomodo Website: TodoModo is a consulting and investment firm. We were able to get in on the ground floor with them – we started with the branding process, defined their brand strategies and then translated it to this site. We loved working with them on this and are continuing to be the company’s marketing partner! We wrote and ran this release on the wire for them among other things.
2. Ellen Hoffman Designs at the Accessories Circuit: Ellen, the doyenne of Ellen Hoffman Designs, is a wildly talented jeweler that we are privileged to work with. We promoted her at the Accessories Circuit at the Javitz Center in New York.
3. The Gem Yelp Event: The GEM welcomed elite Yelpers to a mini “Day in the Life” event. Yelp promoted the program as an educational “how to” series.
4. Feizy Rugs Shows at High Point Market: At a champagne brunch at High Point Market, Feizy Rugs and the finalists in its Haute Trends^TM design competition revealed the initial designs for the collection. Each designer’s initial Haute Trends designs are featured on the Feizy website.
5. Vistage: For the past year and a half, our Chief Rocker has been a member of Vistage, which is a fantastic organization that brings together successful CEOs, executives and business owners and groups them into private peer advisory groups guided by expert executive coaches. These peer groups and coaching sessions help members solve their most pressing business opportunities.

We love our clients. We live for our clients. And there’s nothing more gratifying than helping clients rock their businesses!

Last week, the world lost another rock legend far too soon. Prince has always been hailed as music royalty, and with his death, we are learning just how much of a king he was.

Sure, you know his influential and memorable top hits, “When Doves Cry,” “Kiss,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Raspberry Beret,” “U Got the Look, “Purple Rain,” “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” … the list could go on and on. If you’re like me, each title brings back memories of my youth.

But perhaps you didn’t know that he also wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor, “Manic Monday” by The Bangles, “Stand Back” by Stevie Nicks, “Love Song” by Madonna and countless others? As a marketing and PR professional, it baffles me that his songwriting prowess is being praised in the media after his death.

Don’t get me wrong, Prince was a master marketer. From his name (or symbol) to his signature style and his flamboyant stage presence, there’s a reason Rolling Stone ranked him 27th on the list of the Top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. But the fact that he shared his talents with other musicians, including allowing others to cover his songs, makes him even more of a king in my book.

What are you doing – with your business or personally – that is outside of your main scope of work that others may find interesting and newsworthy?

Do you donate a significant amount of your time and/or money to a certain charity or cause? Are you aligned with other successful businesses or people? It may seem like a second nature to you, but you could be missing a valuable marketing opportunity. Take a look at your relationships and find a way for them to be mutually beneficial in garnering additional interest and awareness for both of you.

Can you imagine if Prince and Madonna had toured together? Apparently it almost happened, but Prince said “The world isn’t ready for this, it’s too big.” He was so right. Rest in peace, sweet Prince, rest in peace.

A few weeks back, our very own Rock Star, Vanessa Hickman, wrote a blog about how Photos Bring Your Brand to Life. She invoked the oft-used expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And she’s right. So right. Images make us feel something. Want something. Want to be something.

We emotionally connect.

Powerful, relevant visual assets are hugely important in any marketing plan. Whatever the medium – photographs, videos, or infographics – compelling imagery makes people connect more, remember more, and engage more. Powerful images can stay with you for a lifetime.

It made me think, what imagery have I found most compelling throughout my life? What has moved me, stayed with me?

And so, drumroll please….here are my Top 5 Imagery Moments:

Farrah Fawcett’s Iconic Poster. It was the 70’s. I was just beginning to become aware of beauty and what that meant, and this Farrah Fawcett poster exemplified it for me. That hair. That smile. I wanted to look just like her. This poster was my first memory of being influenced by an image and all that it suggested.

Janet Jackson’s Pleasure Principle Video. It was the 80’s and this early video of Janet Jackson dancing alone in a warehouse struck such a chord with me, I watched it over and over and over again. She was strong and talented and beyond cool. Storytelling imagery in the form of video was taking over the world.

The 90’s Supermodels. You knew them so well you need only use their first names – Naomi. Linda. Tatjana. Christy. Cindy. They were impossibly beautiful, they ran in a pack, and they epitomized glamour in the 90’s. Everything they endorsed benefitted from the association. It was print media gone mad.

Carrie Bradshaw. I don’t know many women who don’t identify with the Sex & the City ladies, and for me, Carrie Bradshaw was my spirit animal. The styling was pure genius and every outfit told a story. The designers and brands that she wore on the show got tremendous exposure, and the world of product placement in film and television was exploding.

Misty Copeland’s Under Armour Commercial. A new decade and a new sensibility. Strength. Tenacity. Belief. And a seriously genius commercial with a tagline: “I will what I want.” I made my daughter watch it, I loved it so much. Watch it here. I defy you not to become inspired by this new breed of spokesman that is now becoming a brand ambassador.

It’s a whole new world of brand imagery.

So tell us, what imagery has spoken to you and why?

After you have done the heavy lifting and spent the necessary time and effort putting together your brand identity, don’t fall short when it comes to your message and execution. Make sure your content is relevant and captivating and then proceed to shout it from the mountaintops.

This is the time to fearlessly spread your message.

And we mean fearlessly.

It is not the time to vacillate. Go big or go home! You have a story to tell. Getting your brand message out is critical. You must believe that in your particular niche, you are the voice of authority.

This fearless quality is what can be the turning point to success – or not. Even if it takes some time to penetrate your consumer base, this confidence and conviction is what keeps you moving forward. The delivery and construction of your message may be refined over time, but it needs to be confident and consistent. Because as our Chief Rocker always espouses; marketing is an art, not a science.

It’s hard and it’s scary when you put yourself out there. But, people will respond to your conviction and confidence. It’s inspiring. Tell your story.

Branding Rocks!

Duh! Of course we are going to say that. It’s what we do. It’s what we are passionate about! So you have your logo. Sweet! You have a vision. Fantastic! You have beautiful photography. Terrific! But do you have a brand? Not quite.

At the core of every marketer is a storyteller. We love to tell stories about:

• products
• places
• experiences
• … well we don’t really need a list – we just like to tell stories!

Digital media has opened up the communication lines for marketers. In the ‘old days’ (as my children say) you had a story to tell about your company, product, place or experience but you had to pay mightily for that story to be shared. Now there are several public forums that you can utilize to tell your story, which is a MARKETING DREAM.

So what does this have to do with your brand? Your brand is your story and vice versa. Why is it important to have a BRAND strategy in addition to your marketing plan? Here’s 8 reasons (we could give you 80, but we will save some for porch conversations):

#1 Your story makes you uniquely you! No one else is the same, which DIFFERENTIATES you from your competition.

#2 Consistent branding translates into RECOGNITION.

#3 Your brand is a PROMISE to your customers, your team and to the marketplace.

#4 Brands create an EMOTIONAL CONNECTION with your customer.

#5 Branding creates TRUST with all audiences.

#6 An established brand provides BUSINESS VALUE.

#7 A compelling background, history or brand strategy will MOTIVATE your staff and provide DIRECTION.

#8 Branding can FOCUS and guide your marketing efforts, saving time and money.

Sounds pretty good, eh? So what are you waiting for? It’s time to start rockin’ YOUR brand strategy!

You’ve gotta have a plan. And when starting a new business, everyone knows that you need a strong business plan. But for some reason, many times business owners forget about a marketing plan, which is just as critical to the success of a business.

A marketing plan focuses on how you are going to get the customers you need to survive. It’s your plan of action – what you are going to be selling, who is going to buy it and how you are going to reach those potential customers and convert them to sales.

Here’s how to create a marketing plan that works:

Who are you? Define your company, the products or services you offer, and what sets you apart from the competition. Positioning your product requires a complete understanding of the market segment you are entering. You must know what your competitors are offering and what makes your product or service unique or a better value.

Include an overview of your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths and weaknesses will be factors within the company while opportunities and threats are external factors.

Who is your target audience? Describe your prospective customer – this can be done in terms of demographics or by lifestyle. If you’re marketing B2B you may define your target audience by the type of business, size of the business, job title or any other factors that make them potential customers. It is important to know exactly who your target customer is in order to plan your marketing strategy.

What do you want to achieve? Write down a list of measurable goals.

Develop strategies and tactics. These are the guts of your plan! Focus on reaching prospective customers at all stages of your sales cycle, whether they are cold or warm prospects. Outline your primary marketing strategies, then include a variety of tactics you’ll use to reach prospects at any point in your sales cycle. This should be a combination of several tactics that can include social media, traditional print advertising, online advertising, blogs, customer events, loyalty programs and email marketing. It’s important to know which media your customers and potential customers will go to for information on the type of product or service you sell.

Remember, a great marketing strategy needs to be realistic and implemented consistently over time. Building brand awareness takes time and patience. If you need a guiding hand, we on the Porch can steer you in the right direction!

As our Chief Rocker continually espouses, marketing is not a science, it is an art. There is no one size fits all. It is a continual effort to fine tune your strategy including your message and its delivery.

Like an actor playing to an audience, there is a relationship – the transfer of energy and interaction from stage to audience is palpable. If an actor correctly reads the audience’s cues, the energy feeds on itself. The same holds true of marketing a product or service.

As an entrepreneur or small business, you’ve done your demographic research for your target market – your audience. Don’t fail to use it. This is your chance to tell the story of your brand and your value to potential customers and to let them know what makes your product stand apart.

Content and delivery are both important. And as new apps and technologies are continually evolving, it’s important to remain relevant. There is an element of trial and error. Pay attention to shifts. If it’s not working anymore – move on! Remember to know and address your audience.

Melissa McCarthy’s blunt and physical brand of comedy is a sharp contrast to Helen Mirren’s more serious and dramatic performance. While both are wildly talented and entertaining, they each have different “brands” and vastly different audience appeal. Bridesmaids plays to a very different audience than Queen Elizabeth. Both are great. But, there is an audience for each.

Know your audience. Remember, you are telling the story of your brand. Focus on the artistry of conveying your brand’s voice and message.

Plans are comforting. Satisfying to-do lists, orderly outlines, and pro-and-con comparisons are all tools that tame our anxiety and give us the feeling of being in control. As business people, we thrive on living this structure. assembling and assigning structure to a process.

Whether we are a part of a service-oriented business or one that is product-based, smart business people assemble structure to a process and put systems and procedures in place to maximize productivity.

Yet the natural order of things is chaotic.

So you’re a start up and are successfully launched. All systems are go. Products are distributed. You’ve diligently put systems in place and created a system of organization and productivity. Things are humming along smoothly.

Congratulations … but don’t get too comfortable.

Because inevitably, unforeseen circumstances and uncontrollable events will threaten to derail your hard-earned success. So how do you handle the chaos?

1. Stay focused

2. Stay true to your core concept

3. Stay true to your brand vision

4. Be agile

5. Be adaptable

6. Get back on track

As Deepak Chopra said, “All great changes are preceded by chaos.” Chaos is inevitable. Use it. Learn from it. And recognize that in the midst of the chaos lies opportunity.

I love it when people ask me about our brand and how the name came to be. We enjoyed our branding process immensely; and we as a team love it when start-ups come to us with their business concept and ask us to help them name, brand and market it.

Just yesterday we were presenting logo options to a client who commented that they were impressed by our process for naming, preparing a creative brief and then developing logo concepts. The leadership team had no idea how much time, energy and thought went into the process and were curious whether we thought other start-ups went through a similar process.

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

But they should! Naming your brand is an important process and must be tackled in a diligent, thoughtful way. Choosing a strong name requires that it:

1. Stands out from the competition (unless it’s more important to fit in)
2. Communicates the business you’re in
3. Reinforces your brand promise
4. Communicates your company’s distinguishing characteristics
5. Has long term viability
6. Is easy to read
7. Is easy to pronounce
8. Is simple to spell
9. Is short and concise
10. Is memorable

Do the work on the front end to analyze your brand, your business, your competitors and your promise to ensure that your identity represents all that you want and need. You will save time, money and energy down the road if you start off right!

When was the last time you looked up at the sky and really enjoyed the sunshine, being in the moment.

Felt the breeze on your face. Found shapes in the clouds.

If you stopped right now, went outside and looked up, how would you feel? What would you be thinking? Are you happy? Content?

Perhaps, like many of us, things are basically good, but you’re in a bit of a life rut. Same routine over and over, and you suddenly realize how quickly the years are slipping by. Or maybe things simply aren’t going the way you want. There’s a little too much rain on your parade, and it’s gotten you down.

We all feel this way at some time or another. In today’s busy society, no one is immune from getting swept up in the stampede of life. Or being occasionally trampled by it. So how do you break free?

One way, again, is to simply look up. It’s sunshine, folks!

Let me explain. The other day, I heard a client talking about an employee who wasn’t performing at her best. He noted, “All she needs is a little water and sunshine, and she’ll be great.”

That was an amazing observation, and it really struck home with me. Of course, he was talking about nourishment. Nourishment of a person based on who she is. The things that feed her soul. Things to help her grow and thrive and blossom!

Ok, I’m overdoing it a bit, but you get the idea.

Friends, what is your sunshine? What are the nutrients that will nourish the essence of who you are? What do you need in your core being to shine more brightly?

It’s easy to ask these questions but not always easy to answer. Try to discover the tiny inkling within that excites you. Something you love and are passionate about, deep down. Maybe it’s a hobby, like painting or gardening. Perhaps it’s philanthropic, like rescuing dogs or mission work. It could be a special career skill that you didn’t pursue in college. Something on your bucket list? Take a moment and really listen to your gut. What are you hungry for?

When you find it, FEED IT! Embrace it! Nurture it! And give it plenty of sunshine!

Before you know it, you’ll be following your own heart on your own journey instead of being fenced in, grazing with the herd. It may be new and different, and it may require taking a risk. But you are only you once.

Dare to be great!