As I sit down to write this, I am surrounded by a big mess… a very big mess. We are currently in the process of renovating our house. My washer and dryer are temporarily set up in my living room, my water is cut off for the day and I’m trying to figure out where in the already-crowded dining room to put the bathtub that is about to be delivered for the next month or so. My dog is barking at me because of all of the strange people working on our house and her restricted access to her yard, and my daughter wants to see what everyone is working on and try to figure out how she can “help.” Oh, and did I mention I’m almost 8 months pregnant?

Perfect timing, right?

When I feel like I’m literally on the verge of losing my mind in the chaos of change, I have to take a step back and realize that the mess is only temporary, and in the end, I’m going to have a beautiful home that is more spacious and more organized than it was before this mess began.

“Change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.” – Robin Sharma

Without change, there is no progress, and this is true in all areas of life – whether it be personal or business. Is there a change that you know you need to make to help your business grow, but you are avoiding because of the mess that comes along with it? Perhaps you need to grow your team or change your org structure? Or it’s time to move to a new or larger location? Or there is a process that you have had in place, but it is no longer working? Is it time to take your marketing to the next level, or really focus on branding your business?

Well, consider this your invitation! Come join me in the chaos of change. There is no better time to make positive changes than NOW! And believe me, your future self will thank you for it.

The beginning of a new year is always a great time to have a brand review and create a fresh approach to achieving your business goals. Growth is always a goal for any business, but as your business grows and develops, you need to check and see if your brand reflects the business as it is today – not what it was last year or the year before.

Here are some tips for checking up on your brand for this year: 

• Does your brand reflect the personality and values of the company? If you don’t think it does, customers certainly won’t either. While the mission, vision and values of your company shouldn’t change often, shifts in your business or marketing strategy may affect the brand. A brand review gives you the opportunity to align it with your mission and vision so that you are connecting with the right people and growing your business year after year. Integrate your brand into everything you do – from answering the phones to your website design to your business cards – every customer touch point needs to be considered.
• Get feedback from external sources and be aware of how your company is perceived. People make decisions based on emotions so you need your brand to emotionally connect with your audience and feel assured that they know the who, what and why of your business.
• Review your brand standards and make sure every element translates across all delivery channels to ensure your brand is consistent.
• Define your key messages and make sure every member of the team knows what they are so they are aware of and can effectively communicate your brand attributes.

Completing an annual brand review will ensure that you are staying true to your brand, which will help ensure customers come back again and again.

Come see us on the Porch if you are in need of a brand review. We can ensure that your strategy and activities are aligned with your brand to maximize success!

It will take you one minute to read this so why not do it right now?

Feeling overwhelmed by the busyness of the season or paralyzed by a long “to do” list? Can’t get started on that big project, or haven’t written your 2017 plan? Can’t find the time to read all of the books, articles, emails, and other information you want to know?

Stop what you are doing to take a minute, or five or ten, to set a small goal and get it done, right now!

There is one surefire way to pull yourself out of frustration and procrastination and it’s to quit thinking and start doing – in very small steps. These brief moments of action will force you to make quick and small progress, triggering a sense of accomplishment, reducing the size of that list in your head and training yourself to get things done throughout the day.  Some examples:

• Do one or two things that each take just a few minutes to accomplish at your desk at the start of each day, then tackle the big stuff. A few important calls, one brief key conversation, send a thank-you note, read a favorite blogger, schedule a future important meeting.
• Quit talking about all of that holiday shopping you haven’t done yet, pull out your smartphone and order one gift on your list. A few minutes of this daily and your shopping is done!
• Instead of trying to find a full day to clean out your garage, kitchen, closet, etc. take less than 30 minutes and tackle one drawer or section. You will create a habit of mini projects and the repeated small progress over time will keep you organized.
• No time to read that book or newspaper? Subscribe to one of many summary services available.
  • Summaries.com. Eight-page executive summaries from the latest business books.
  • Nextdraft.com. Quick, entertaining look at the day’s best news stories from Dave Pell.
  • Farnamstreetblog.com. Sunday’s Brain Food newsletter for increasing your knowledge.
• Need a rest or mental break? Set 10 minutes on your smartphone clock for a power nap or to sit quietly to recharge. Or download the Headspace App on your smartphone and start taking 10 minutes anywhere/anytime for a guided meditation that will positively change your brain and your day.
• Take a few moments and make a list of needs and goals as a start to the process of writing your 2017 plan – for yourself, your family or your business. Start small and you will develop good habits for writing down plans which is the first step to successful execution and achieving amazing goals. Even better, take a minute and call us because we have the folks on board that can help you write and rock your plan!

And now that you have taken a minute to read this, set a small goal! Stop what you are doing to order that gift, write a thank-you note, sign-up for a summary service, clean out that one desk drawer, or pick up the phone and make that one important phone call.

So set a small goal and get started. It takes just a minute.

I am always learning from my kids. While I try to guide them and nudge them in the direction I think is best for them, the truth is, being their Mother teaches me so much more than I could ever teach them.

Just this week, my high school age daughter was talking to my sons about the difficulties of middle school. Although there were tough days, she actually bore it pretty well, and came out of it with some very sage advice for her brothers on how best to navigate it. And I couldn’t help but notice that it sounded a great deal like the branding advice we give here on the Porch:

“Know Yourself” – It’s a broad, sweeping statement as it relates to being a kid, and the same is true of business; but it is the best piece of advice one can give in both instances. I sadly witnessed many kids trying too hard to be something they weren’t to gain acceptance from a particular group or person. Middle school sharks can sniff that behavior out, and savvy consumers can do the same thing! Embrace who you are and run with it. It is so much better than trying to be all things to all people.

“Be Consistent” – I almost got whiplash watching the roller coaster friendship ride, I can’t imagine how hard it was to live it. The one thing my daughter struggled with the most were girls who were friends in some circumstances but not in others. Friends need to know they can trust and count on each other, just as your customers need to know they can trust and count on you. Be consistent in your messaging. Be consistent in your interaction. Be consistent in your delivery.

“Be Original” – This advice may go against the survival instinct of any middle schooler, because fitting in is everything at this age; but I watched my daughter make original choices over and over again, and I think it served her very well. She chose electives and activities that truly interested her – not just those that “everyone else was doing.” As a result, she has a wide cross-section of friends, and she is a much more interesting person for having taken that route. Branding demands that your business also be original. You must stand out from your competitors. Make bold, original choices. You will be remembered for them.

“Have Depth” – This last one isn’t my daughter’s advice, it’s mine. My daughter has tremendous depth of character, and I admire it immensely. So do her friends. Your business must have the same layers of meaning and purpose to create a sense of emotion around your brand.

Know Yourself. Be Consistent. Be Original. Have Depth. Important branding choices for your business. Important choices for living your life.

Rock on, friends!

Have you heard? This year marks our five year anniversary of doing business on the Porch! And in honor of this milestone, we are keeping the “Five Train” rolling! So hop on board, we’re sharing five things we LOVE to do each and every day! 

So how DO we love to spend our time?

1. Branding – And more branding. It’s the cornerstone for every bit of marketing we do, branding is everything. We love taking clients through our thoughtful brand architecture development process, just as we did recently for Spa in the City. Getting clients started off on the right foot, with the right message, is a great passion of ours!
2. Marketing Plans – After the branding process has been completed, development of a creative and thorough marketing plan follows. Front Porch Marketing’s most recent plan development for The Younity Group was a completely rewarding exercise.
3. Email Marketing – Helping our clients reach their customer base with content-rich, targeted email marketing is critical to their success. Our client partnership with PeopleResults has yielded a highly successful email marketing program. See their latest email blast.
4. Social Media – An integral part of any marketing plan, social media is where we truly rock. Maximizing our client’s presence across multiple social media channels is downright fun. Take a look at The GEM‘s Facebook page for proof of our social media love affair!
5. Mentoring Future Marketing Rock Stars – Such as Sarah Kreuger, our Kid Rocker. Sarah spent the summer as one of our interns, and we loved having her on board. Check out her absolutely brilliant blog, “The Presentation: Marketing to the College-Bound Generation” – this girl just gets it!

We LOVE branding. We LOVE marketing plans. We LOVE our clients. We LOVE our business. We LOVE rocking’ it! Thanks for taking the ride with us!

And last, but not least, we would love for you to join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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!

Does your website have a personality? How evocative are the images? Is it current? The success of your website and brand rides on these three important questions. 

These days, when people are interested in a service or product, the first stop on their shopping trip is the web. Yet marketers, more often than not, fail to realize the influence their websites have on their overall success.

The goal of web content is to move buyers past the consideration stage and into the buying stage, where they are ready to invest, join, subscribe, etc.

The moment of truth is realized when visitors reach your site – will you draw them in or push them away?

Follow these three simple steps to jazz up your website and hook your visitors:

Establish a Personality

Is your company fun and spirited? Or is it serious and conservative? Whatever your company’s personality may be, your website should convey this clear picture of your organization through its web content. A website is more than just a page filled with words and pictures. It has the power to create a trusting relationship, like that of a familiar face of a friend.

Tell Your Story Through Images

We’ve all heard the infamous saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ Many consumers make choices with their eyes instead of their heads, so images are extremely important. The kind of image you use can mean the difference between success and failure, so choose wisely. Too many generic stock photos can send a fake and stiff vibe to web visitors, turning them away from your site. Real, original photography can help visitors develop an emotional and personal relationship with your organization.

Staying Current Is Key

Creating a website is the easy part, but keeping it relevant and up to date is where many struggle. A company’s web content is almost always the first impression they give their potential customers. I can’t count the number of times I’ve visited a website for one specific reason, and get so lost in all the clutter and useless information that I eventually forget what I was looking for in the first place. The Internet has significantly shortened people’s attention spans, so having an easily navigable website has become more crucial than ever before!

If its time to get your website rockin’ again, one of our rockers is here to help!

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.

Daylight savings time, warmer days and busy baseball fields are here, and when spring arrives, we usually feel another year is moving forward more quickly than a fastball! As we turn the corner to the second quarter of the year, it’s a great time to slow down a bit and think about how we can get more fresh air, brighten up our homes, and breathe some life into our one of our all-time favorite events – the business team meeting. Yes, I just said the dreaded word, meeting.                                                                                                                                           

It’s time to spring clean your meeting!

Why? Because none of us gets excited when hearing we have to attend another meeting, and most of us have heard or said it numerous times, “that meeting was a waste of my time!” Folks, if time is our most valuable asset, how can we stop spending it in unproductive meetings, and what will it take to change-up the agenda and make it worth it? If it’s time for spring cleaning, where do we start?

We start by changing our thought process to get rid of the old and start with the new. The traditional meeting that is set and run by a boss, who does most of the talking, and calls on individual employees to report their progress, does nothing to engage the team.  I have run these types of meetings in my prior work and learned the hard way that the bored looks, fidgeting, and glances at the mobile phones were caused by my failure to recognize the needs of the team.  I learned that I needed their help in changing everything about how we ran meetings, including thinking of them as “our meetings” vs. my meetings.

Once we are willing to think differently and engage with each other in change, it’s time to ask a ton of questions. Getting feedback is critical, so be persistent until the team is open to talking about the type of meeting wanted. If you have flexibility in date, time, location – put the question to the team and ask what works best. If you can involve everyone in setting the agenda – do it! Ask open-ended questions such as – what do we want to discuss, who do we want to hear from, what do we want to learn, who should we invite and why? Throw out old paradigms and bring in fresh ideas and perspectives from everyone on the team.

As the agenda starts coming together, someone on the team must organize it and everything else about the meeting so everyone gets the most out of the time spent. An advanced communication should be sent to all attendees to include date, start and end times, break times, location, dress code, names of attendees/guests, meeting objectives/agenda and if food or drink will be served. All of this information can be included in one final agenda document, and also available at the meeting. An organized meeting produces the best results, and everyone leaves feeling their time has been appreciated and well spent.

Spring cleaning isn’t easy, but we all know it’s worth the effort. As you consider thinking differently, engaging with each other to make changes, and organizing yourselves for more productive time spent, keep in mind two key things:

• If you are a leader, understand meetings are not all about you and engage others in helping you improve the time spent together. To have a successful meeting requires you to listen.

• If you are a participant, share your suggestions for the agenda well before the meeting and be willing to speak up during the meeting. To have a successful meeting requires you to contribute.

Finally, when you attend a meeting think about how many times you have asked a family member to put their technology aside at the dinner table or when speaking with you. We should all do the same in our meetings. Unplug and engage.

Your meetings will rock! Get to that spring cleaning friends, and we’ll see you later on the Porch.