I get asked often, how someone should assess their brand strategy if they’re in the start up mode and can’t yet afford a professional assessment. I think the answer can be fairly simple, but will require a dose of humility and vulnerability from you to pull off. The answer: let people in and ask for real feedback. Many in the marketing field have said that your brand communication is precisely what others are saying about you. I think there is a lot of truth in this and you can use it to your strategic advantage. So, don’t just do a survey, but rather request genuine feedback from a select group of clients and/or other professionals in your market. What do they say your style is? What would they say you value? How would they describe the experience you provide?

Take this info to heart and compare it with what you’ve been trying to communicate. If things aren’t lining up, then you’ve got some work to do. But, gaining some clarity and focus through this type of exercise will help you achieve better positioning in your market and will push you closer to your goals.

Remember, require honesty in the feedback you receive….encouragement from your closest allies is great, but real feedback from clients and vendors will likely serve you better, if you’re willing to listen.

Let us know how it goes! Good luck~

Love this quote from Harley Davidson that I read this morning..

“If 105 years have proved one thing, it’s that fear sucks and it doesn’t last long. So screw it, let’s ride.”

I love this communication on a few levels. One, it’s just a cool thing to say. Two, it’s on brand for Harley Davidson. They know exactly who they are as a company and how people view them…this quote reinforces that image and what they stand for regardless of the current market conditions.

Will you stay true to who you are and not let fear distract you from correctly positioning your brand?

Cheers~

Well, it’s a new year and that means people everywhere are committing to loosing weight and making more money.

We’ve decided to help you with both…well, when it comes to your business that is :)

We’re offering all of our photographer friends a special opportunity to trim the fat and maximize your ROI in ‘09. There’s no better time than the present to get focused on the unique qualities you bring to market and build your brand experience as the foundation for all you do.

So, what’s the deal you ask? Well, it’s a little more involved than we’d like to present here and we’re only looking to work with those who are serious about stepping up their game. So, we’ve created a link to give you the full details: Photo Branding Special. In essence, we’re going to help you establish a killer brand and experience that fits your uniqueness as well as communicates your company most effectively to your market. It’s the foundation all businesses need to create a competitive edge and rise above the rest of the crowd. We also have a special guest, who’s going to join us in your brand development process, so you won’t want to miss out on this limited opportunity and a chance to make a serious splash in your market in ‘09! There are a limited number of spots, so make sure to act quickly.

Check it out now…remember, Carpe Diem!

Kurt Daradics, a social catalyst, had an overwhelming success last night at the Skirball. Digital Family Reunion is something that he mentioned to me months ago while it was still in the planning phases. To see this annual event take root, and both watch and participate in the creation of community, was amazing. I think this event is the business equivalent to Woodstock... many people will talk about it for years to come but only the special ones actually attended.

This is the room where I meet Kelly Perdew, CEO of Rotohog, and season two winner of "The Apprentice".



While Kurt wasn't the only one to make this event a reality, he did play an important roll. Practically, it's the same thing that he has done for the last thirteen years that we've been friends. Below is a picture of me, Kurt, and Gary (left-to-right).



The theme of the event was the question, "If we knew how connected we all are, how would that change everything?” Personally, the answer that I have today is that I'm blessed to be connected to very talented and successful people. With that in mind anything that has a vision that is worthy of being promoted and can be embraced by multiple people is worth our time and effort. In short, anything is possible.

Nicky Senyard wrote a wonderful article for Website Magazine.

She said, "In a community, relationships come before sales. Business, in other words, is not the first order of business. Leveraging communities is a great way to boost sales, but you actually have to become a respected and trusted member before you can tap into that potential."

You can't just snap your finger and have a community to lead and give you money. Building relationships is not a very fast way to make a buck but it's much more rewarding and meaningful. In the end, I believe it will be most profitable too.

In a culture where we’ve convoluted much and confused what is real, things that are “simple” have often been considered insignificant. Instead, we must recognize that simplicity leads to efficiency, which leads to productivity, which quickly leads to success. How can you build on clarity by making things more simple? Remember, simple is not inherently bad, rather it should be desired in more areas of our lives than we give notice.

Simplicity is marvelous!

See if you can use the least amount of words in communicating who you are and what makes you unique.

Clarity yields success.

There is a lot of fear and confusion right now. This is often made worse by the media. What is the cure for this sickness? CONNECT WITH REAL PEOPLE

A dear friend of mine, Kurt Daradics, is one of the social catalysts who has been critical to my success in business. He, along with some other heavy hitters in LA and the OC, have collaborated and brought together many groups and organizations into one major networking event and holiday party. The goal is to make real connections with real people.

On Thursday, December 11th from 5:00pm to 10:00pm, the Digital Family Reunion (DFR) is bringing the Southern California technology and business communities together for the holidays at the Skirball Cultural Center. In association with some of the region's top trade associations (like the DMAsc which we're a member) and social networking groups, the DFR is throwing a major holiday party. The DFR's goal is to reignite old relationships, spark new ones, and set the stage to kick off 2009 with a bright new start.

Scheduled attendees include leaders from all the major industry sectors such as media, entertainment, finance, publishing, venture funding, software, commerce, education, and many more.

Visit Digital Family Reunion and join the collective conversation.

UPDATE 11.20.2008 :: WE GOT A PROMO CODE TO GET $20 OFF EACH TICKET :: USE DFR16 WHEN YOU BUY :: You're Welcome. =)