Go BOLD or Risk Being Lost in the Online Density!

We all jumped into 2013 with a blast of high energy. Did you feel it, too? The talk out there is how abundant 2013 will be as a result of the BIG energetic shift we had all year long that led up to 12-21-12. 

Well it’s no coincidence all the online experts are pointing to 2013 as being the year of compelling content, which is required for strong Google rankings, better engagement in your social media channels and better online community building. It follows then how even more important it is to stand out today with your brand given the volume and density of online content. So, let’s go a step further. 

I’m claiming 2013 as the year of compelling BOLDER brand content which moves people to action even more! It’s the year of being bolder, more gutsy, and breaking more rules in not only your content and brand but how you operate in your business!

Kate White, former editor-in-Chief of Cosmo magazine now on her own to pursue a global speaking and author platform, is known for being a “rule breaker” in the magazine industry. As an author of four career books and eight novels, she takes no prisoners when it comes to being bold in the world. 

Her latest speaking campaign “Go Big or Go Home,” originated from a conversation she had with an employee one day while working at Cosmo. The employee said, “Go BIG or GO Home” referring to when she goes out on the town in New York. She said “If you don’t go out with the idea that you’ll have a heck of a good time - don’t even bother.”  This hit a chord with Kate applying it to doing projects at COSMO. 

 

So with a new mindset in hand, each time she and her staff wrote cover lines for the cover of COSMO – she would ask go “Can we go bolder?” “Can we do it differently to take it to a new level?” She remarks, “If Jay Leno was not mocking our cover lines at least once a month I was not doing my job!”

What can you do that is more bold, more gutsy with your personal brand content? How can you be different and bolder in your content on your fan page, your ezine, your blog articles and headlines, your videos and video scripts, video headlines, etc.? 

Ask yourself each time – “Have I done it?” Simply asking yourself as you write your content for your marketing could this be BOLDER? Is there another approach? How can you break the mold and break the rules to stand out in your industry? 

Mega fashion icon Kate Spade took the BOLD route back when she was just starting out with a line of black nylon handbags. She felt they were simple, different, light, and easy. It was 11 pm at night and she was getting ready for a trade show the next day – her first of many to sell her fashion bags to the wholesalers. But as she sat there she realized there really was not anything interesting for the eye to go to. She felt these are good but not good enough. 

So she got out a pair of nail scissors and went into each bag and cut out her “Kate Spade New York” tag from inside the bag and sewed them on the outside of the bag. Now that was breaking the rules. Unless you were some big name designer back then, you didn’t place the name tags on the outside of the bag! But she did it with guts and glory! And that’s what she is known for now. Kate Spade is a multi-million dollar fashion brand today. Her willingness to go gutsy, bolder and break the rules made history for her. 

Now let’s look at how you can begin making a difference with your brand! Here are 3 tips to start the process of being BOLD, DIFFERENT & GUTSY in your compelling content:

1. Find a mentor who speaks your language. Is she or he where you want to be? Does their online content inspire you and help you feel bolder, more gutsy? Follow them for a while observing how their personal brand shows up on YouTube, blogs, TV, radio, magazines, ezines, etc. I found my writing muse, Kate White, on a freelance writing site that led to her site and many YouTube videos. I’m thrilled!
2. Start within by letting go of self-imposed limitations. Do whatever it takes to THINK BIGGER, BOLDER. Make small successes along the way to build your confidence and turn yourself into BOLD player.  Let your mentor carry the belief in you before you can carry it yourself. See beyond your current level of content and continue to ask yourself, “Is there another approach to communicating my expertise? Can I do this article bolder? Can I write this headline bolder? Can I be more gutsy in my image?”
3. Spend an hour a week planning how you will evolve your business and brand in a BOLD way. Invest the time and emotion in where you are headed. Always anticipate the road ahead. Go BOLD and BREAK THE RULES!

For an inspirational 30 min DISCOVERY CALL in "HOW TO GO BOLD or Risk Being Lost in the Online Density" for 2013 -  Email my office to schedule. 

With gratitude,  

Chief Inspiration Officer

www.ecreativebiz.com 

Personal Branding, Business Innovation,

and Social Media Savvy Expert

Move people emotionally into action

The POWER of Online Content

2013 is THE year of inspiring others through your content.

Move people emotionally into action.

Begin to follow your intuition to create compelling content to post in your Social Media channels. Just try it. Before placing your fingers on the keyboard or smart phone, move from your head to your heart. Take a deep breath. Listen within. Seriously. No judging. Surrender. Let go. What do you most want to share in this moment? What do you want to GIVE to your online communities today? Inspiration? Humor? Resources? Strategy?

2013 is THE year of inspiring others through your content. Move people into action.

Now that the 2012 “end of the world” craziness has ended and you are still here in your glory, let’s look what’s to come and what we were to learn from all that. What was on the other side of all that hearsay stuff? Evolution. Abundance. Movement.

What really matters today in your online content is... Inspiration.

Isn’t that what you are truly doing in your branding online? The goal is to move people into action through compelling content built around your brand that speaks to your core essence and resonates with your core market.

What do you most want to give to the world? Isn’t it your passions? The work you do is an expression of your passion. Then what follows is a natural order of inspiring others to take an action from your compelling content via words and/or video on your website, Facebook pages, Pinterest pages, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. You are allowing you to best serve what you love.

Here's an excellent video by Mariel Hemingway and her partner Bobby that truly speaks her brand of health, balance, and adventure. http://vimeo.com/user8139866/the-willingway.

I was moved to action by watching her video. I signed up for her local guest appearance to hear more of what she had to inspire.

Proof than content is crucial in all of our marketing efforts for 2013 - an article stating predictions for 2013 reads..."Content’s importance is also stressed by Society of Digital Agencies’ Tony Quin, who notes “The rise of social media means that brands must now produce a constant stream of compelling content that attracts attention and becomes the basis for an ongoing connection with the consumer.” Full article
http://tinyurl.com/betterdataandcontent

Now I know writing is not everyone’s forte. In fact, expressing yourself through writing can be a definite challenge for most. It’s not an easy feat. I find with most of my coaching clients, their biggest challenge to move forward is their fear of writing. As I walk them through the mindset and strategy of how to express their passion through their branding, new ideas begin to emerge and they feel a connection to their audience. We then collaborate on their content. I use my art of expression to help bring the inspiration out of them. Writing is my art. I inspire you to express your core essence. Everyone wins.

Ready to explore how to move people into action through your compelling content?

Here’s the next step: email me or call my office 310-378-1277 to set up your complimentary exploration 45 min phone call. We will discover your essence and how to begin to express it so your online audience gets you. Then will talk "possibilities" to move you forward.

To your success and inspiration!
Marla
Your Chief Inspiration Officer
www.ecreativebiz.com 
 

Marla's FAVORITE Things YOU Liked!

Social Media Savvy Fan page Most Highly Engaged  Topics for 2012!  

In OPRAH style, I've listed YOUR most favorite things (topics) from my fan page based on engagement measured by the analytics INSIGHTS feature on the page. (Ask about how to use this awesome tool!) Feedback like this is golden!  Thank you!

My purpose is to serve you with inspiration and branding expertise to increase your influence and credibility. Here are some of the leading topics YOU “liked” the most over the year’s worth of postings…

Social Media Savvy Success Tip 1: How to live your life more authentically, which will shine through your personal brand in all your marketing:

1. Invent your own life. Live according to your own ideals of happiness. Allow your imagination to set fulfilling goals for the New Year and have the courage to go after them till complete.

2. Live passionately. Radiate your vital energy; it's contagious and inspiring to others while raising the vibration around you as you pay it forward.

3. Learn and evolve. Commit to continually learning something new about life, your business, and relationships. Evolve.

Social Media Savvy Success Tip 2: It's time to let go of hiding or keeping your life so private from your clients, patients, or customers and be authentic and transparent when delivering your brand on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Youtube and LI. Today's marketing requires YOU to be the brand - personal and business are one in the same. No longer separate.

The acceptance of being transparent is still a challenge for most clients who begin their programs. When they come to me - it's usually to learn the technical end of all this digital tools. But what they come to find out is - they have a fear or hesitation of being exposed - living in the limelight - living in a fishbowl, therefore preventing themselves from expanding their business.

No worries. Here are three tips to stepping out of your comfort zone and into the money zone:

1. Take it easy on yourself. Being savvy in Social Media means being classy about the content you post; not overexposed. Be selective about what you share, but always make it authentic and real. Yes, that means being emotionally vulnerable. No "putting on a show or facade” - just real daily stuff with class and care. Your friends and target market require the real you; it gives them permission to do the same. :)

2. Trust ...when you come from authenticity and transparency while using FB or Twitter, it's a natural human response for others to embrace all of who you are. We are all here with the same challenges, fears, concerns and more in life. Compassion is available and plentiful in your online communities. Reach out and RELAX.

3. Your willingness to express the person behind the business will reap rewards. Today's sophisticated consumer wants you to communicate in your own voice (verbal and written) while using Social Media. You create raving fans that know, like, and trust you (and promote you on Facebook & Twitter) when you post emotionally compelling content.

Social Media Savvy Success Tip 3: Is it time for your spiritual awakening that will lead to a new, refreshed personal brand? Try taking a step back from all your demands and just BE. Allow the spontaneity of the moment to lead you to your next enlightenment - your next version of who you are to become.  And then give people your best - the new you.

Social Media Savvy Success Tip 4: The more savvy your brand and content – the stronger your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) allowing people to find you online easier and more efficiently. Remember this: the more online content and “online real estate” you have – the easier it is for people to find you; hence your business growth and bottom line.

Social Media Savvy Success Tip 5:  Change your words. Change your world.
By changing the way you communicate in your channels of Social Media in an emotionally compelling way, your world will move in the direction of influence, stronger credibility, and conversion.

Your personality is power.

No one can duplicate who you are. As a result, you take yourself out of the competition. It doesn't matter if your competition is down the street; when you reach out to your market in a personal way OUTSIDE of the office and nurture that relationship online via your custom personality-driven ezine, a blog and your social media channels, you hedge the competition and build more loyal clients and contacts.

The blending of your business brand as your personal brand IS the secret to excelling in your marketing today. Emotional content ranks high on Google for your SEO, too!

In today's overly saturated market, you MUST be consistent with your online marketing to build the know, like & trust factor. (Even if you think it's not necessary).

Those were 5 of the many favorite Social Media Success Tips you liked!  Thank you!

Now it’s your turn to be a success story.

Want to hit it out of the ballpark for 2013? Call to schedule your complimentary 45 min DISCOVERY SESSION THIS WEEK to reveal how your can turn your personality into marketing power with a proven system in 2013. 310-378-1277.

With gratitude and respect, 

Chief Inspiration Officer

www.ecreativebiz.com

An aha moment....

"If you want to see what people think about themselves, just look at their lives. You attract what you think you deserve." Talane Miedaner, Life Coach, author, speaker

I've just made my "Grateful for 2012 successes" list and began to compose my "2013 goal" list.  I realized many of my 2012 successes were based on my values just as I was guided by my mentors. And that's a big aha moment. I don't believe I had a year like that before. And I am feeling more fulfilled like never before.

Did you build your 2012 goals based on your values this year or based on shoulds? See, our BIG Why is often based on our values (at least it is supposed to).   Want a few tips for the New Year how to start finding your BIG WHY for 2013?

Ok here are 3 simple steps:

1. Start writing a list of what brings you joy and inspiration. Seriously. What activities, things, people, and more bring you the most joy. Be spontaneous with your writing. Allow whatever needs to come up with your feelings and thoughts as you make the list. This list will be your creative spirit list. Add to it but keep it close where you have access to it easily. I recommend posting it where you can see it daily.

2. Next, based on some of your items on your list, commit to taking yourself out on a "Play Date" alone doing something that feeds your spirit. Whether it's outdoors with nature, shopping, browsing books at B&N, an art gallery, dream building by going to open houses, hiking, biking, walking by a lake, the ocean - you know what is best for you.

Here's what could come up during your play date - your imagination will begin to flow and ideas will be unleashed - inspiration will emerge -- all of which was waiting to be birthed. Take notice and jot down the ideas. There is a clue to your BIG WHY in there.

This photo is from one of my Play dates. Visiting Floral Art in Venice, Ca. feeds the artist in me -- my passion for art, creativity, and flowers. I love visual arts.

What is Floral Art? This excellent personally branded video explains the businessand the owner. (click)

3. Keep the integrity with yourself to stay the path to discover your BIG WHY for 2013 - NO MATTER WHAT.

Then bring that BIG WHY idea to life on January 24 as I guide you to a year like no other.   Early rate and bonuses end Dec 7 - Details here. Let's do it.

 With gratitude and respect, 

Chief Inspiration Officer

 

eCreativebiz.com 

 

 

Personal Branding, Business Innovation,

and Social Media Savvy Expert

The Power of Influence, Credibility and Conversion

Insider tips to creating media coverage for your expertise

One of my clients recently asked me for tips on how to distribute a press release in the most effective way. She wanted a time saving, proactive solution given the multitude of options. She’s a smart, savvy, driven woman entrepreneur like many of you. Enjoy the advice I gave her…

One of the many powerful ways to build your credibility, influence and then conversion using your compelling personal brand is via 3^rd party validation or what is commonly known as media coverage and media relationships.

During my 22 years in entertainment PR, I used simple systems to tackle what seemed like an overwhelming project of securing media coverage for my celebrities, visual and performing artists and creative professionals. Traditional media coverage is TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines. Today we have the LUXURY of Social Media, blogs, websites and more online resources to add to the pot of media coverage.

Amazing opportunities, but overwhelming, right?

As a small business owner, you have dozens of online tools and sites to connect with media and the option to distribute hundreds of your press releases. There’s the popular http://www.helpareporter.com/ where journalists list their needs for stories and resources. There’s PRweb.com that will help you distribute your press release to very specific media, regions, and industries. Publicityinsider.com is a helpful resource for PR tips and tools. The list goes on. That’s the “broad stroking” way of reaching media and that’s all helpful.

However, what I found in my experience, the most effective strategy to catch the attention of a feature writer, TV or radio producer is to do your homework. Here are my helpful insider tips:

1. Pick the mediums your target market profile reads or listens to (newspapers, websites, magazines, radio shows, interview TV shows -- GMA, CNN, Today Show etc). Know where they go for their entertainment, news, resources and solutions to their problems.

HOT TIP: you can use keywordspy.com to search for your topic and measure the reach of that topic with this tool. It uses Google to aggregate content for the site.

2. Know what topics a particular Journalist or producer covers. Read their columns and articles or listen to the radio show host and watch the TV show that takes guests. Jot down the name of these journalists and begin to build a list of media for your own target market.

3. Then here’s the secret to making this media coverage task doable and more proactive: choose in batches of “Top 10” media contacts to approach via phone and email. Do a total of 30 contacts over a 3 month period where you approach them in batches of 10. Complete each follow up until you receive a yes or no. Give them news angle ideas that will be of interest to their audience. It’s not about your product or service or event. It’s about how your expertise will serve their audience. You are helping them with their job! Yes, if you want to use PRweb.com to distribute a general press release to a specific market and media - go ahead as a support to your campaign. But focus on going directly to the Journalist and “pitch” them your story/news idea.

Pitch them via phone and do it quickly! They have very little time. If you can’t get them on the phone - leave a quick to the point message and tell them you are emailing them your press release and story ideas. Tell them your email address so they can watch for it. Now, keep in mind, they are pitched all day long by hundreds of people, so FOLLOW UP is critical. Keep approaching each of the 10 till you have exhausted your 10 list and then move onto the next 10.

4. Be a resource for media in two ways. Build a collaborative relationship with media. Be known as a top expert with excellent, efficient, and factual content for them. Secondly, recommend experts in your circles of influence to your media contact and they will eventually come to you for other suggestions. They will be one of your BEST sources for building credibility, influence and conversion.

When I was doing PR for my clients, I was hired based on my creative news angle talents, knowing how to talk to the media and WHO was in my media rolodex. The relationships with media were crucial to my success as a publicist. You can build these too! Just be consistent with posting your expertise on your blog, Twitter and Facebook fan page.

HOT TIP: Journalists typically use Twitter and blogs to find resources for their stories. Show up consistently!

By the way…a professionally done journalistic ready press release acts like an intro for media to consider your topic or person for coverage. It’s like bait. It’s not the end all be all. It’s not an article. It’s factual, compelling, and of interest to the audience the Journalist serves (which is YOUR audience).

So, go out and be the brilliant personal brand you know you can be by serving your immediate audience with your expertise in the most authentic way and expand your credibility and influence by making media relationships for media coverage; then watch your conversion INCREASE!

Helpful article? Please post a comment here or go to my fan page and let me know how this helped you! I want to make this a two-way conversation - let’s connect!

With gratitude

Chief Inspiration Officer

eCreativebiz.com 

 

Personal Branding, Business Innovation,

and Social Media Savvy Expert

Why is storytelling so important to your brand?

By Marla Dennis
Personal Branding, Business Innovation

and Social Media Savvy Expert

www.ecreativebiz.com

Why is storytelling a key strategy to your compelling brand as a value driven business owner?

People connect to stories. They are humanizing. People can relate to brands through stories. We are looking to tell your story, your life via your brand that inspires others to take an action. Then, all the tech tools make sense and become easy.

Your personal brand is your mark in the world as an authentic, natural, organic, expression of who you are. The content of your personal brand creates a strong emotional connection to the heart, mind, spirit, and soul of your market.

This is where conversion happens.

Here’s what you must do first…define the compelling YOU. (More in a bit how)

Ok, now I know you may be saying, “Does my life really need to be told? Are the every day personal and business struggles, successes, and challenges really making a difference for others?

Yes. More than you’ll ever know.

Humans are wired to empathize with other humans. When we read or hear an inspiring story - we can’t help but apply it to our own lives and seize the moment! The heart of your brand is your everyday stories, photos and videos you share on Facebook, your blog, your ezine, your Twitter posts and more. People take an action when they are inspired. You want that post on Facebook or article on your blog to inspire or educate or both to move people to action. When it’s done in first person conversational and catered to your market’s needs and lifestyles, now you have a winning combo.

Today’s media channels make it easy to deliver a personal brand unlike pre-social media time when traditional mediums (newspaper, TV radio and magazines) required a publicist or agency to do the handy work for you and thousands of dollars. Back in the day I had to plan, design, push, sell ideas and deliver content to the media on my client’s behalf to acquire a decent write up or radio interview. Not anymore. You have all the goods at your fingertips with a creative spin and your authenticity.

Connection. The art of storytelling; it's in your DNA.

Your personal brand is your most powerful asset in your business. Why? It speaks to your emotional core. It connects you to your audience on your social networks and offline. It’s the leading edge in marketing today. You can no longer separate your “personal” from your “business” while marketing. It’s one-in-the-same. And we have the extraordinary power of Social Media to thank for that.

See, many still have a challenge transitioning their offline world onto the virtual world. And, rightfully so. It can be hard to wrap your head around this virtual world and expect people to “get” who you are. Today’s marketing requires us to be very authentic and transparent using Social Media because of the nature of this virtual world. 

The secret is by delivering in authentic conversational form 1^st person (all your marketing), we can translate our offline lives onto this virtual platform that offers outstanding networking and relationship building for our businesses. Essentially, I am giving you permission to be YOU in all your marketing! No “business” façade; the real you in savvy style.

Furthermore, it’s the accumulation of your postings on your networks that form your “personality” and your compelling story, which is your brand. Here’s the good news accentuated by Peter Guber in his book, “Tell to Win”

“There’s a treasure to be discovered, and it’s inside you. Built into your DNA are humanity’s ten-thousand-plus years of telling and listening to oral stories. This veneration of story is a force so powerful and enduring that it has shaped cultures, religions, whole civilizations. Now through telling to win, you can harness this force to achieve your most cherished goals.”

Monetize what comes natural to you. Women are fabulous at this! We love to connect and we are savvy story tellers in everyday life. We love to talk. Tell your story and other stories with emotion, drama, compelling twists and turns. Bring the audience in. We are taking people from their head to their hearts as they listen (video) or read your content with the core of your personal brand at play.

When you master the art of storytelling, you can win at most endeavors because you are igniting the common bond: emotion; and that will always move people to action.

Peter continues…“Today everyone, whether they know it or not - is in the emotional transportation business. More and more, success is won by creating compelling stories that have the power to move people to action. Simply put, if you can't tell it, you can't sell it."

To begin forming your personal brand, answer these four questions:

1. What are your five leading personal qualities that define you the most?
2. What are five passions that light you up and magnetize people to you?
3. Five recent successes and gratitudes.
4. What were some of your most challenging times that resulted in a reinvention or upleveling of your life? (transformation)

Speak your truth! Be you. Your mindfully chosen communities will reward you by being loyal and committed to stick around for a while.

And that’s a sign of conversion. That is how you monetize YOU. So go on…get out there and tell your story with dignity and gusto! Connect with your audience and they will be loyal followers and clients for years to come!

With gratitude

Chief Inspiration Officer

eCreativebiz.com

 

Is it time to brighten and re-energize your personal brand? Spiritual gifts I use

Is it time to brighten and re-energize your personal brand? Here’s my recent journey that may help and feel right for you.

It’s been a while since I sent an ezine or written a blog post and connected with you in this way - and I apologize.

I’ve been offering new programs for private clients with great success, promoting new group programs, and delivering new marketing techniques while being in “coachable mode” with my mentors to better serve you.

What I found in the midst of all this, I felt something amiss; a void of sorts. So after a full, beautiful weekend with my honey taking a spontaneous drive along the ocean in Palos Verdes and enjoying each other’s company, I took Monday off to just reconnect with me. I let go of all demands - I found my core again by meditating, journaling, listening to background piano music. This nurture - this centering - feels like a drink of cool, refreshing clean water  - connecting back to my core - to my essence.

It’s times like these you brighten and re-energize your personal brand. When I just allow spirit to guide me and breathe in the delicious air, I always have a shift and inspiring experience just right for my next evolution. 

I found a new spiritual mentor along the way - Reena Desai of Feminine Awakening.com. Her words and essence from her Facebook page and website soothed my soul and heart. As a result, I could write my ezine today with more emotion, more clarity, and I intuitively realized it was time for a photo change on my Facebook page; an evolution of my brand.  

My new branding article (click) will help you along this path and explain the importance of storytelling - the power of your brand.

Now my connection with life and people feels calm, peaceful, organic, and real. Is it time for your spiritual awakening that will lead to a new, refreshed personal brand?  Try taking a step back from all your demands and just BE. Allow the spontaneity of the moment to lead you to your next enlightenment - your next version of who you are to become.

And then give people your best - the new you. 

With gratitude

Chief Inspiration Officer

eCreativebiz