Not Just Pretty | Building An Effective Small Business Brand

The Don’ts of Facebook Brand Management

Erin Ferree — 2012-08-10T16:57:36-07:00

As you prepare to promote your brand on a site like Facebook, you obviously go through a long list of different dos and don’ts to focus on. Amongst the dos, you’ll find a lot of good tips. In fact, you could conceivably find thousands of different tidbits of useful wisdom. However, most successful advertisers on Facebook find that it’s not so much doing it correctly that works, but rather avoiding the incorrect things that ultimately leads to success.

For example, you may have heard the phrase that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. And that is obviously true. So the end result, a skinned cat, is the same regardless of how you get there. Making sure you get there is the important part. But to really help you find the best way to do this, you would want to avoid the negatives. I.e. a tip stating “don’t use a dull knife” is priceless.

Of course, cat-skinning and advertising are completely different things. One sounds cruel and is only an example used as a popular idiom; the other is your actual livelihood on the line. But the logic still holds true. You should focus more on what not to do. Finding ways to do things correctly is something that works itself out when you’re avoiding the pitfalls of Facebook advertising.

Four Ways to Avoid Mismanaging Your Brand

1: Avoid Sudden Shifts
If you put your hand on a hot stove, your natural inclination is to instantly move it. However, this can’t be done in advertising. If every time you felt some heat you decided to quickly retreat, you would break your ad campaign into fragments and never have anything successful to put out there. Don’t completely change your strategy on a whim. Some things you just have to ride out.

2: Avoid Negative Trends
A lot of times you might be dealing with negative feedback on one of your ads or on your products or brand in general. You have to get in there to nip this in the bud. You can’t neglect addressing your feedback.

3: Avoid Image Stuffing
Some smaller brands just love inundating their business pages with tons of images, especially the Photoshop buffs who think 10 new images a day are appealing to users. Avoid stuffing your page with only images. Images are great! But pick the best and ditch the rest.

4: Avoid Tampering with the Format
Facebook’s new format is something users have grown to love. It shows their information chronologically. However, this isn’t the format for advertisers. You want to show things based on popularity. So don’t go messing with your ad format to blend in with users. You’re a brand, not a user. Put your best foot forward and show off your best materials. Don’t post chronologically.

Avoiding the negatives with Facebook advertising will quickly help you realize the positives and earn you the right Facebook ad conversion. If you can follow this type of formula, you can market to anyone and receive great brand recognition.

Author Bio: Craig Robinson is Editor at Qwaya.com and writes about social media strategy and communication. Qwaya is a marketing campaign tool for Facebook advertisement and provides a self-service solution for marketers.

Are you using your trademark symbols correctly on your logo design?

Erin Ferree — 2012-08-08T11:47:10-07:00

When you’re developing your brand, you’ve got to make sure you’ve got its’ back – from a legal standpoint. That means knowing what’s going on with trademarks, if you’re in the United States.

The trademark symbols are a bit confusing, and incredibly important for establishing your rights with your brand.

Here’s an extremely brief guide to what’s what.

TM indicates that you intend to trademark your logo (or that your application is processing).

The Register mark ® may only be used after you have completed the official trademark registration process with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

7 Proven Strategies For Going Viral

Erin Ferree — 2012-03-21T08:47:00-07:00

Do you want your message to spread far and wide – without a whole lot of marketing effort on your part?

It sounds like a dream come true – the dream of going viral. Getting hundreds and thousands of clicks and opt-ins for your “thing” and having other people pass it along for you!

When your free gift goes viral, you get the credibility boost of having other people talk about it instead of you having to make all the marketing noise for yourself… which gets to be a little huffy and puffy at times.

The question is, how to make a free gift that’s hot, without sounding like you’re full of hot air?

I surprised myself last month when my new free gift went viral. Since I’m filled with curiosity, I wanted to know why… so I deconstructed the experience, looking for the lessons.

I asked some of the people who helped me go viral what was so attractive to them… and this is what I learned:

There’s a set of 7 strategies that I combined to go viral. Read on to see what they are and how they worked:

Remarkable, cool technology

If you want to go viral, make a gift worth talking about. You can go about this in several ways – and the way I did was to make my gift with some very cool, brand-new technology. It’s innovative and has the “have you SEEN this?” factor that gets people talking! I created my gift as an iBook – an interactive eBook – which is very cool and new.

Getting there first during that cutting edge moment

New technologies are only new for a short time… because before long, everyone decides to jump on the bandwagon and try them. To harness their power and go viral with them, you’ll want do them first before everyone’s using that technology and it becomes “normal”. There’s a very short moment in time where the new thing can be cutting-edge and that’s when you want to do it. You’ve got to do it before everyone else muddies the waters.

A message I was proud of and that served my clients

To get your message out there, it needs to be something that you’re proud of. You want to feel like the message you’re spreading is your great work – that you’ve given it your all. That way, your energy will be aligned behind getting that message out and people will get the best sneaky-peek at your work possible.

Also, you want your gift to be truly useful to your clients and your tribe so that they’ll have a really excellent experience with it to talk about.

Packaging your message in a beautiful, engaging, entertaining, & fun way

The “wrapping” of your gift can add that boost of specialness that helps get it talked about.

Beautiful: people love to share beautiful things. And, have you noticed that the “bar of beauty” has been raised lately? That things online keep getting prettier and prettier? You’ll want your stuff to be gorgeous to stay up-to-date.

Engaging: You want people to get absorbed in your gift. To get involved with it, to learn from it and to do the exercises. Putting the gift together in a certain way (like in an iBook) can make that happen.

Entertaining & Fun: People don’t want to learn from dry, boring eBooks anymore – they like videos that are entertaining, too. I embedded videos directly into my iBook to make the whole experience more fun.

When you see your opportunity, move fast.

Waiting is not going to do you any favors when it comes to going viral. You want to move quickly to take advantage of the new technology. Plus, moving fast again builds up energy behind your gift so that it can spread more quickly.

If you’re going to go viral, it helps to start in a bigger pond.

Sure, sending a new free gift out to your existing list and getting your affiliates to promote you helps get the buzz started – but what if you started in a bigger place? Like in a bookstore, or featured on a hot website? My iBook is published in the iTunes Bookstore, which has brought me all kinds of great traffic – because they have a wider reach than I do from the start. Where can you get outside of your circle?

Become a published author. People dig it!

When I published my iBook in the iTunes Bookstore, I posted a little casual note to my Facebook wall. I was shocked at the response – dozens upon dozens of people liked it and commented on it. My conclusion is that publishing a book is a big deal, and people like to make a big deal about it. The iBook is an easy way to get published without printing hundreds of hard copies of your book!

These are the 7 strategies I used to create my free gift that went viral. How can you use these ideas to get more reach and create more buzz about your gift?

You can hear more about all the details in my training call, “How I Went Viral With My Free Gift and You Can, Too!”, here: http://www.brandstyledesign.com/ebook-class

3 Secret Strategies for Designing a Profitable Event Brand

Erin Ferree — 2012-03-15T06:51:00-07:00

You’re throwing your event to do all sorts of very exciting things for your business, right?

You want to increase your credibility, raise your visibility, get some industry attention, grow your list, position yourself as an expert, create a memorable and fabulous experience for your clients, attract new clients, build buzz, and oh-so-very-much more.

Oh, and of course, we all know that you’re hosting this event for one big reason – to make your offer and profit from it!

Guess how you can make all of these very exciting things happen?

That’s right, through your event brand!

The key to getting the results and profitability you want from your event brand is to go about designing your brand strategically.

You can’t just create some pretty pictures for your event and expect that you’ll get the full benefit you could from a planned-out event brand.

These are the first 3 secret strategies that you need to plan before you design anything for your event:

1. What’s the feeling you want to create in your event?

From the first time your audience hears about your event, you want them to begin feeling a certain way about your event.

Maybe you want them to feel excited and like they’re at a party. Perhaps you want them to experience your expertise on a deeper level. Or you could be going into this event to create an aura of respect and credibility for you.

Well, your designs are your big chance to start creating the feeling you want around your event.

There’s a reason that “look and feel” is another way of saying “design”.

It’s because your audience will feel a certain bundle of emotions the instant they look at your designs.

Decide how you want them to feel first. Then, design your materials to exude that feeling.

2. What’s the impression you want to make?

You’re going to be making a big splash with your event – with your newsletter subscribers, clients, attendees, your speakers, your competition, and of course, everybody in the universe who’s on Facebook.

And here’s the thing – you get to design the impression that you’re making.

If you want to make an ultra-professional impression, showing you’ve “got this all together”, you just have to put the pieces in place to make sure that your event brand looks, sounds and is very well-put-together. That things are consistent and every detail has been attended to.

If you want your event brand to make a more “real”, down-to-earth or authentic impression, then you have more room for flexibility. You can go with the flow a bit more.

The impression that you make, though, will filter directly into strategic secret #3, so choose wisely!

3. What’s the value of your offer?

Chances are, you’re making an offer to your attendees to continue working with you. In fact, your event’s probably designed around that offer.

You want your event brand to position that offer in a way that creates value and justifies the price – and even makes it a no-brainer.

The quality of your event brand has to be in alignment with the price and package you’re offering from the stage.

Let’s look at a branding scenario where that alignment’s not happening:

If you’re offering a high-end mastermind package, and your signup forms are cheapie black-and-white copies on flimsy paper held together with a bent-up staple.

Attendees make up their minds about what that offer is worth to them before they even flip to the pricing page – and then nearly fall out of their chairs when it’s a five-figure investment.

The packaging of the offer isn’t in alignment with the pricing.

The same can be said of every piece of your event branding strategy – from the sign-up website, to the posters or banners on-site, to the quality of your PowerPoint slides and even your handouts.

If your offer is high-end, then your event brand has to be high-end as well.

Taking the time to strategize on these event branding secrets will pay off!

Thumbs-Down on Boring eBooks And Blah-Blah Gifts

Erin Ferree — 2012-03-09T06:51:35-08:00

I'm taking a stand... with a big, bold thumbs-down on boring ebooks and blah-blah gifts.

You know the ones I'm talking about...

The ebook that you open, take one look at and sigh. You were so excited to download this free "amazing" thing and then when you got it, you felt let-down. Deflated!

Because this ebook turns out to be page after page of dull and droning text slapped into Microsoft Word and then made into a PDF.

Perhaps there's an image or two sprinkled in, but it's just not enough to make slogging through the content feel fun.

Maybe you manage to read a page or two, or half-heartedly skim through it.

Then you leave it cluttering up your desktop, thinking, "one day, I'll be more into this..."

Until that fateful desktop-cleaning day, when you finally drag this poor unread ebook over to your trash.

Don't let that poor, unread ebook be YOUR ebook.

You've invested your time, soul and brains into creating some hot (dare I say sexy, even) thought leadership.

Why not go those extra inches towards the truly great and create an eBook that's worth reading?

That way, your audience will download your eBook and get wrapped up in it. They'll devour every word that you so lovingly wrote. They'll do the exercises you created.

And, then the very best thing of all will happen...

They'll learn from you.

This moment of learning takes what has only been stories and social proof for them and transforms it into personal experience. They get to really benefit from your work and to get a glimpse into what you offer in a way that has a huge impact on their lives, businesses or even both all at once.

Personal experience will take your marketing beyond being just marketing into being valuable and valued by your subscribers and readers.

How to get a thumbs-up for your excellent eBook

1. Create your eBook to generously teach your readers something. Get them some results!

2. Follow this checklist to make sure your eBook's up to par: http://www.brandstyledesign.com/?p=1143

3. Integrate activities, questions, photos, videos, slide shows and image libraries into your Interactive eBook to make it more engaging and interesting!

Want more? Come to my free call on 3/14: http://www.brandstyledesign.com/ebook-class

surprise-inspection on your free report!

Erin Ferree — 2012-02-28T12:12:27-08:00

Spot-check: on your ebook!

Your gift is often one of the first interactions a client will have with you – you want to make sure that it’s good!

How old is your free report?

When was the last time you opened and read it?
Has it been a little while? Is it “dusty”? I know it’s a PDF or an eBook, but you know what I mean.
(Have you even looked at it since you set it up?)

How’s that content looking?

Does it talk about a topic that leads into your current offers?
Does it cover a topic that you’re even coaching/consulting/training on or doing anymore?
Is it interesting and engaging? Do you want to read it, or do you find it hard to slog through?

Does it work for your clients?

Is it as advanced as you or your customers now are and do you need to bring it out of the basics?
Is the information in it correct? Have there been advances in your thinking?
Does it offer immediate value for your clients?

Does it make sales?

Is the call-to-action text the best you can currently write?
Is the next step you’re asking them to take still the right next step for your services?
Are subscribers converting to clients from the eBook?

How does it look?

Does it look gorgeous?
Are the photos good? (Do you even have any photos in it?) Does the headshot you’ve got on your About page actually look like you!
Does it match your brand?

The final question:

Are you proud of it? If someone you really respect read it, would you be happy or embarrassed?

the cutting edge moment + bunnies

Erin Ferree — 2012-02-28T12:10:11-08:00

“I’ll do that soon.”

“Later, when I have time.”

“I’ll put that on the to-do list.”

These are all the kiss of death for leaping on a cutting-edge brand-new trend.

Because, the instant a new idea is born, it starts getting older.

There’s a magic-full moment when a trend or technology is first discovered. When it’s just been released.

When no one has jumped on it yet.

This moment is your opportunity, oh dearest small business owner.

You thought leaders! You entrepreneurs!

You have such the competitive advantage here.

Your business is nimble. You can move quick, like a bunny!

You can see a new slice of awesomeness and hop to it – getting it put in place for your business before anyone else on the block even sees the potential.

By being first, you get to blaze a trail. You get to build up the credibility that comes with leading. And, you get to grab the attention and the buzz that comes with doing something that’s truly new.

Plus, you get to look all fancy-pants and innovative. People dig that!

You just can’t wait.

Because when you wait, you lose your chance.

When you sit still instead of springing to it, you’re letting your idea down.

When you write it on your someday list, you’re letting it go stale.

The instant you decide to hang back and let someone else go first, you’re handing over your cutting-edge advantage.

So, make like a bunny, and hop-spring-jump on making it happen!

why I can't stand "mistakes" marketing

Erin Ferree — 2012-02-28T12:06:34-08:00

I spent a big honking chunklet of time the other lovely day trying to write an article for my newsletter. Trying, trying, trying. And flailing!

I was going to write a “3 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Free Gift” article. An old spin on a new topic.

Simple, right? Oh, noes… Not at all the happy typing walk in the park I had planned.

After hours of looking at blank pages, reading dozens of doomy, gloomy mistakes articles, and fighting the desire to beat my head against the wall… I showed some mercy on myself and called it quits for the night.

I haven’t gone back to the article (even though it has been giving me stink-eye from the to-do list).

Today, I realized the duo of why…

1. Starting with mistakes feels icky to me.

I know that some readers do get their curiosity hackles raised from the mistakes model.

But I also clearly know that this model is not for me.

I want to write articles that are happy and helpful! That don’t freak my clients out by shining the light on what they may be doing wrong… because its cruel to leave them buzzing around in their own brains wondering how badly they’ve f’ed up, with no one there to easily turn to for advice. Maybe their mistake is a 2 on a scale to 10, and just needs a bit of sparkle-polish.

2. Everybody else is doing the 3 mistakes model.

Every single Internet marketer PLUS myself in a past life has written the requiried 3 mistakes you’re sure to be making in your blah blah blah that will DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER CREATED – oh no! (isn’t that exactly what they’re all called?)

I’m doing a little jig of zigging when they zag… so since everyone’s doing it, so must I not go near it with a 1000-foot pole. I will pave my own way with my articles, telling people what I think they’ll find useful and whatever genius thoughts happen to zap into my head from the inspiration beyond!

If you are curious about hearing what you can do right, right now with your Free Gift…. join me for this upcoming free call, Little Known Secrets For Building A Big List. http://www.brandstyledesign.com/biglist

what big lists + bright blue hair have in common

Erin Ferree — 2012-02-28T11:52:10-08:00

Did you know I used to have blue hair?

Back in college, I dyed my hair all sorts of bright colors – fire engine red, bright blue, hot pink. And this was way before dying your hair was really socially acceptable.

What happened to that cutting-edge streak (and that hair streak)?

Well, when I started my business right out of college, I thought I had to put a stop to my out-of-the-ordinary ways. I let my hair grow back out, so I’d look like a normal businessperson.

And I started following formulas, systems and “the rules”. That never exactly worked for me. It felt icky, not particularly fun and it was so much harder than it needed to be!

After 10 years of trying to do it their way, I’ve decoded to say, “No more!” and do things MY way.

I’ve been doing that over the past couple of months… testing out a bunch of new, interesting and cutting-edge things.

Here’s the most exciting part: they’ve been working! I’m getting 900% more subscribers than before, more people are hiring me and I’m enjoying it a WHOLE lot more.

Is your curiosity-muscle tingling yet?

If you want to find out about these different, cutting-edge things that I’ve been doing, so you can use them in your business, to get your list growing and responsive, then join me for my very newest training call:

Little Known Secrets For Building A Big List
It’s happening tomorrow, February 29, at 3pm Pacific.

More details are right here.
http://www.brandstyledesign.com/biglist

You’re going to get the latest and greatest direct from the frontier.

I’d love it if you’d join us. This is going to be eye-opening and you’ll be able to get there first, before anyone else on the block.

I can’t wait to walk the edge with you!

FLAILING is the new failing

Erin Ferree — 2012-02-28T11:00:48-08:00

I've decided.

FLAILING is my new word for failing.

And here's why.

I used to run about, saying I failed at this, failed at that.

Until I realized how discouraging that was - chalking up all these failures all the time.

That's no fun.

I'm starting up a "be-my-own-cheerleader" initiative.

Where I'm letting the rah-rah edge out the blah-blah.

I'm declaring that things that look like failure and falling down are actually just me flopping and flailing around a bit.

Being clumsy. Not getting it organized or together exactly right.

And that's A-OK.

A lot of my flailing recently is coming about because I'm out there on the edge of things, trying new stuff out and having adventures I've never had before.

Why wouldn't I expect these first steps to be a little wobbly and disorganized?

I'm learning a lot as I flail around. And developing those muscles that are getting stronger, bit by bit, and coming together so much more all the time.
Here's to flailing, never failing.

I'll leave you with some of my very-favorite lyrics of all time, from R.E.M.'s Losing My Religion.

Consider this, consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this the slip
that brought me to my knees
Failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Thanks to http://www.juliegoodwoman.com/rah-rah/ for the freakishly-perfect, spot-on image!