The cat’s finally out of the bag on our new business, as we were interviewed and featured in an article today in Iowa City’s Press Citizen.

Here are the products we currently offer:

GlutenFreeHub.com - A gluten-free lifestyle website full of tips and how-to’s for people with celiac disease (or for those of us who just want to live a healthier life!).

GlutenFreeCosmeticsList.com - A website that lists hundreds of gluten-free cosmetics and self-care products (many shampoos, face soaps, lipsticks, lipbalms, etc. contain gluten — try keeping that stuff out of your mouth!).

CeliacSystem.com - This site currently offers a free 7-part e-course for living a healthier gluten-free life. We will soon be launching a training site to coach people with celiac disease to use our system so they can live hassle-free, worry-free, gluten-free lives!

If you know anyone who has celiac disease, I would appreciate you forwarding this information on to them.

I am still accepting new client work if the project and timeline is right for me.

Owning a business that fulfills me personally as well as financially is critical to how I want to live my life, so I took a business hiatus.

I first began taking hiatuses back in college under completely different circumstances. My guy friends and I, when we became tired of playing games with the fairer sex, would go on a hiatus to reprioritize our lives. This usually came at the end of a failed relationship or after a string of bad dates. (I actually met my wife when I was on hiatus from dating … it’s a good thing she asked me out!)

The purpose of a hiatus is to take your focus off of something that is causing you stress, and put your efforts into things that are more meaningful. It’s sort of like a vacation, except that when you’re on vacation you return to the same challenges you left. With a hiatus, you simply agree to not focus on those challenges until you find better solutions or until they don’t feel like challenges anymore.

In the case of my business, I pulled the plug on all marketing efforts and proposals, deciding only to work with my existing clients and projects I had agreed to. I also focused more on my relationships with friends and family, and my wife and I decided to move forward with a joint business idea we have had for awhile (more on that in coming weeks).

Taking these couple of months away from my branding and design business has been enlightening. I feel rejuvenated, and more importantly, I have a new sense of purpose.

If you feel like you’re just going through the motions of your career, relationships, or daily life (note: you still have to pay bills and mow the lawn!), I highly recommend going on hiatus for a time. The perspective I gained over the past two months is invaluable.

photo credit: Fayez Closed Account.

I exclaimed, “Wow, it sounds like you’re receiving a lot of advice!” She agreed that everyone seemed to have an opinion as to what she should or shouldn’t do and why that’s the best move.

“When you’re a business owner,” I said, “everyone will offer advice whether you ask for it or not. You’ll have people who have never owned a business telling you, ‘this is the way to do it.’ One of the best lessons I’ve learned is to consider the source of the advice.” (So I guess I inadvertently gave her more advice.)

It’s human nature that the people you speak with want to help you succeed, especially when it comes to money, investments, or business ownership. I think this is because when people make decisions that may be right for them, they want you to validate their choices by making the same decisions, so they offer their opinion. Unfortunately, most people aren’t qualified to comment on these areas, and in my experience, the ones who are most qualified are the least willing to offer the advice freely (free will or free money). There’s an old truism that free advice is worth what you paid for it.

When I do receive free advice, I try to look at what adds weight to (or subtracts weight from) this person’s opinion. For example, if I receive advice on financial management or investments from someone who has a lower net worth than I am trying to achieve, I give less credit to their words. If I am receiving business ownership advice from someone who has been a life-long employee, I thank them kindly and generally disregard the information altogether.

What I have begun to do is compartmentalize who in my life I go to for what advice. I now have specific people I go to with management questions, ethical questions, financial questions, writing questions, legal, accounting, relationships, life, investments, etc.

So how do you filter the advice you receive (solicited or unsolicited)? What measures could you take to ensure that you are getting the best advice available to you? Remember: consider the source!

photo credit: Eddie~S

Your Top Five

How To Create A More Memorable Brand
Nine ways to create a more memorable brand. I wrote this while examining the question, “Is it getting more difficult for people to remember your brand’s message?”

What You Don’t Know About Branding
Five important branding concepts you may not be thinking enough about. I was inspired to write this when an MBA professor mentioned to me that he only had six seconds worth of material to teach about branding. (Boy was he wrong!)

10 free do-it-yourself branding tips for businesses
Some basic tips to think about and remember on a daily basis. They’re all free, and all things you can implement today!

Energy
My 78-year-old grandfather, now 79, is the busiest, most active person I know. Want to be inspired? Read this!

Your brand is greater than the sum of its parts
This takes a look at branding through Gestalt psychology. Surprisingly, I get search engine hits every day from people looking for Gestalt branding!

Five More Good Ones (chosen by me):

Is Brand Value a Big Fat Lie?
Looking at how Google is valued at over $100 billion and what brand value really means.

The Fake Sale
A huge furniture store tried to dupe me (and everyone else) with a “Million Dollar Sell-Off” sale that featured the exact same prices they always have. That’s a promotion, not a sale!

Google can’t build your brand
How business owners and Internet marketers should look at search engines and their brand.

“No” is not a service
Smart businesses find a way to be helpful, even when they can’t provide the service a consumer is looking for.

The Year of Execution
This is my manifesto for 2009. So far I’d give myself a B-minus. Lots more work to do in the second half of the year!

At Bob’s Concrete and Lumber, we treat our customers like family.

Wrong! Treating customers like family is a nice sentiment, but it doesn’t work in practice. This idea probably comes from the “family first” mantra we’re all familiar with, but let’s be honest, when things get hectic, many people (especially business owners) put family last.

I have a wonderful family, and I enjoy spending time with them. What I love so much about them is, 1) they are incredibly understanding and forgiving, 2) they are respectful of my time, and 3) they are always supportive of my choices (and changes) in life. These are three qualities that you can’t, and shouldn’t, expect from your customers.

Customers are different from family because:

1. Customers aren’t forgiving, they expect (and deserve) good service each and every time
2. Customers aren’t respectful of your time—when they need something, they need it now
3. Customers don’t like change, they like consistency and predictability

When I’m a customer, I don’t want to be treated like family, because many people take their family for granted and rarely show them appreciation.

So don’t treat customers like family. Instead, treat customers like customers: show them appreciation, serve them, and go the extra mile for them. That’s the best way to show them you care!

photo credit: freeparking

Then last week I received a charge for the space that was more than double what I was expecting. Needless to say, I was shocked. I didn’t receive an itemized invoice or anything, just the charge on my card. As it happens, the charge came at the end of the day on Friday, so when I noticed it on Saturday, everyone in the events office was gone for the weekend, so I got to stew for a couple of days until Monday morning. That was the Bad.

When I got in touch with the events manager at the Marriott, she apologized that I hadn’t received an invoice, and said she would have to track down my receipt from accounting (she told me there had been lots of turnover in accounting-like I care!). I asked her when I could expect to hear back from her, and she said later in the day or Tuesday morning. Needless to say, I was skeptical that I would hear back at all.

Tuesday morning I received an email with the itemized invoice. They had “correctly” billed me, but there were several charges for things I had ordered (like the projector and coffee) that we had not discussed price on. Specifically outrageous was the four gallons of coffee for an eight-person event, at $40 per gallon. This is my lesson: get costs up front!

After explaining how ridiculous the coffee charges were and stating that I had never been told there would be any fee for the projector (in reviewing the contract I thought it was included in the room charge), the events manager again apologized, said that she wants me to have a great impression of the Marriott, and asked if by removing the projector rental and three of the coffee charges I would be happy. “Yes, thank you!” I said. That was the great.

First I went from enjoying the space to feeling hoodwinked by $160 in coffee for eight people (that’s $20 per person for those of you keeping score at home). Then I went from feeling overcharged without an invoice to thinking that this is one of the better service experiences I’ve had this year.

It doesn’t take much to help your customers have great experiences. Did the Marriott still make money? Yep, they still got $40 in coffee from me (which is still high for eight people, but comparatively speaking, I’m thrilled), and they still got the room fees and service fees (all they had to do with the projector was pull it out of the closet).

So next time you receive a customer complaint, learn what it will take to make the person happy. I bet 9/10 times it will be something simple. And for crying out loud, when you rent a room, ask them up front how much they charge for coffee!

If you answered with the type of product you sell (i.e., “I’m in construction”), you’re wrong. Products are commodities, and companies that focus only on the products are a dime a dozen. Companies that focus on the service they deliver have the opportunity to create uncontested market space.

Every single industry in the world has commodity players and service players, be it insurance, restaurants, or coal mining.

The commodity players are easy to identify—they’re the ones who aren’t growing, who have low levels of equity in their community, and who have unhappy or “satisfied” customers and employees. Commodity businesses must compete on price, matching their competitor’s inventory and besting their prices. This is a dangerous game.

The service players are also easy to identify. While the commodity players compete on price, the service players compete on value. The service players understand that it is simple to copy a commodity—you just produce the same thing as the next guy. The service players are the ones that break out of the commodity business to offer a superior experience that only they can deliver. These are the companies that seem to have a unique vision, happy employees, and enjoy annual growth. They also tend to be irreplaceable companies that enjoy loyal fans as opposed to mere customers.

If you’re not standing out as a service player, you are probably an interchangeable commodity, which means you’re just one lowball bid or one additional market competitor away from financial trouble.

So I’ll ask again: What business are you in? More importantly, what incredible value can only your company add to the products you sell?

photo credit: Dave or Atox

I didn’t get these shoes for the purpose of starting conversations, I wanted to see if they were more comfortable on my flat feet than conventional shoes. My friend at Organic Jar said they are the most comfortable shoes he’s had on his flat feet, and after the short break-in period, I can tell you that I love them.

But all these conversations got me thinking: what if we purposely broke convention by adding a new look or offering a unique service that was outside the industry standard as a way to get people talking about our business?

There are plenty of examples of  businesses that have combined unconventional ideas to help spread the word, some even building them into their business model. Think about how uniquely amazing it was when Priceline first offered to give you their costs as well as their competitors, or how much GoDaddy.com’s first Super Bowl ad skyrocketed its sales and awareness (they’ve since way overplayed the “sexy” in my opinion).

The fact is that if you’re doing business as usual, there’s nothing for anyone to talk about. Awhile back I wrote that my jeweler pays for the parking tickets his customers receive while in his store. I found that remarkable, so I told everyone about it, and I wrote about it on my blog (the store is Hand’s Jewelers in Iowa City—I didn’t mention their name in the original piece because I said something negative about another business, and I didn’t want to cause them to lose customers).

So what can you do that people may not expect? Perhaps you can offer a complimentary 10 minute massage from a professional masseuse for waiting patrons (even if it’s just on a random day once a month). Or perhaps you can donate a small percentage of your profits each month to a different charity and have your clients vote for the charity on your website.

As a business owner or marketer, you must get people interested and get them talking. How are you accomplishing this now?

At 1:30 p.m., we were one of two tables in the restaurant, and the staff was starting to relax from their day’s work. Then one of them got up from the table they were sitting at, walked over to the window, and flipped the sign from “open” to “closed.”

This struck me as odd because I had checked their hours earlier that day, and I could have sworn they were open until 2:00. I looked at the sign on their door, and sure enough, it said “Sunday, Brunch: 10:00 - 2:00, Dinner: 4:00 - 8:00.”

Not five minutes after they had prematurely closed, a car pulled up out front with a couple from out of town. The couple looked at the closed sign, then looked at each other for a minute or so, shaking their heads. They were probably deciding where else they could eat now that their chosen destination was closed, even though there were people inside and the time was within the restaurant’s stated operating hours.

How Laziness Leads to Losses

You may be thinking that this is no big deal, the restaurant probably only lost $25 in sales. True, but do you think that couple will jump at the chance to drive out of town to try this restaurant again? Probably not. What’s more, I imagine they will tell their friends the restaurant was closed, which will make their friends think twice about dining there.

But let’s look at the larger picture. By closing the restaurant early, the management sent a message to the staff that it is okay for them to not follow through on promises the restaurant makes. Lack of follow through is one of the main reasons why many small businesses struggle, especially in the service industry.

Now, I’m sure the restaurant manager or owner, whoever was in charge, thought they were doing a nice thing for their employees by closing early. While the workers might be happy in the short term because they were allowed to sit in the dining room and eat 30 minutes before they thought they would, no one in that restaurant will be happy for long, because over time they will cut more and more corners, and lose more and more business.

What the restaurant management failed to remember is that everything your company does should add value for your customers.

What value did closing early and having family meal in the main dining area add to the two tables in the restaurant, or to the couple who drove away disappointed? None. Instead of eating early, they could have taken the opportunity to clean or learn more about the food they serve.

The short of it is that if you break promises to customers once, those promises are broken for life. I guarantee you that next Sunday the restaurant will close early as well, and if they don’t, some of the staff will complain about why they can’t close early. In fact, I may have witnessed a pattern that is already ingrained in their culture. Regardless, this attitude will eventually infect all of the staff, and they will soon lose interested in working Sundays altogether.

This is an example of how letting your business and your staff be lazy can ruin a brand’s culture and will keep you from building a healthy one. And businesses with a lazy culture will never grow, and rarely succeed.

photo credit: Joe Shlabotnik

The short answer is, “yes.” Let’s look at some of the factors that make it difficult to be remembered today than in the past.

What You’re Up Against

Competition is always increasing, and it’s not just from traditional sources (i.e., you are a real estate agent and another real estate agent opens up shop). Replacement services, services that consumers choose to satisfy the same need as your services meet, are also popping up everywhere. An example would be forgoing a real estate agent for FSBO website listings (or Cragslist for that matter).

There is also the ever-increasing noise from advertising and marketing campaigns. Consumers are bombarded with marketing messages in every medium: websites, email, television, sponsorships, billboards, vehicle wraps, direct mail, text messages—some companies have even tried selling ads on fresh fruit. Sometimes it’s easier for people to block this noise out entirely than it is to filter the good messages from the bad.

Finally, there is a greater strain on the consumer’s time than ever before. They are expected to be more productive at work, spend more time with their family, exercise, eat healthier, protect the environment, keep up with pop culture, and watch the latest episodes of Lost, all while quickly responding to emails, Facebook requests, Twitter messages, and answering their cell phones at a moment’s notice.

As I explained to the person who asked me if it is getting more difficult to have a memorable brand, here’s the simple truth: even when I really love a new idea, a new blog, a new website, a new product—whatever—I am likely to “make a mental note” to check it out later, and then I’ll forget and it will be forever gone from my memory.

So then, how can you create a more memorable brand? Here are nine ways to help:

How To Create A More Memorable Brand

1. Be Distinct - Brands that differentiate themselves in the consumer’s mind are much more likely to be remembered because they represent something new and different. Our brains like to dump things into pre-defined categories. If your brand defies categorization or expands a category in a new way, you have a much greater chance of being remembered.
2. Don’t Please Everyone - If you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one and your brand will be quickly forgotten. Who do you remember more from high school: the nice kid who wanted to be everyone’s friend, or the jerk who stole that kid’s lunch money every day? The fact is that trying to please no one is a better strategy for being remembered than pleasing everyone. Look at Twitter. They unapologetically said “No, you only get 140 characters,” and now they are the belle of the social media ball.
3. Never Lose Focus - One of the best ways to increase your brand’s chances of being remembered is to keep a laser focus on what makes you unique. Think about it like this: if you could be remembered for one thing and one thing only, what would that be?
4. Have A Repeatable Message - If you expect your customers to remember your brand, you need to give them a message that is repeatable in their mind. Think, “Just Do It” or “Have it your way,” these are distinct and memorable messages that lend themselves to repetition (and parody). If this seems difficult, fill in these blanks: Only [your company] delivers [what you offer] to [your target audience]. Now, repeat it!
5. Always Provide Value - Every action you take in your business, no matter what it is, should provide more value to your customers. This is the only way to ensure that your brand is delivering the most value possible.
6. Think About Your Brand’s Personality - People buy people, not things. Your brand is the personification of your business, so make sure it has the personality that will attract your target customers, and make sure each employee in your company shares these characteristics.
7. Have Consistent Marketing Materials - I feel like I shouldn’t have to say this in 2009, but I do: all of your marketing materials must be consistently designed! That means that your business card, website, brochures, and sales fliers should all have the same logo, color scheme, typeface, etc. One of the primary factors in having a repeatable brand is having a recognizable icon. At the 2006 Summer Olympics, the McDonald’s arches were the second most recognized symbol in the world behind the Olympic Rings—and ahead of the Christian crucifix.
8. Use Appropriate Marketing Channels - If you’re marketing to the 18-24 demographic, cancel your cable television ads—today! In fact, even if you’re marketing to women over 55, you should cancel your cable ads—they are the fastest growing demographic on Facebook. You need to be hitting your target market where they will be most likely to see your marketing, which will also help them see you as one of them.
9. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat - Marketing messages typically need to be heard 6-7 times before a prospect will be familiar enough with your product to consider purchasing it. Obviously this number will vary by industry, but I don’t think it would be a problem to have your message heard too often!

While your brand may have more competition than ever before, few of those brands will work to become distinct and memorable. Rise above the fray by holding a unique position in your target customer’s mind and by repeating that message frequently, and you have a much greater chance of creating a memorable brand!

photo credit: spakattacks