Why values are crucial for small business and personal branding

Every business and every brand has values. The questions are whether you know what yours are and whether you are communicating them to your customers.

Have you ever thought about your brand values? What values do you project?

Although it might not seem obvious, people will decide where to shop based on the values a company projects. As a general rule, people buy from companies that appear:

  • reliable
  • trustworthy
  • community-minded
  • caring about their customers

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Four signs of a professional, credible website that increases conversions

Want more conversions? First you need a credible website. Here are four signs to identify a credible website.

Along the side of a road we pass by frequently, stood a sign: “Flu shot kills.”

The sign was clearly hand-made and the LLs were actually upside-down 77s. It was a Frankenstein sign, put together from pieces found around the yard. For years, it dipped on a slant among unkempt underbrush. In fact, it was in front of a dilapidated house with a messy yard that looked like the scene of those “You might be a redneck…” jokes.

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Be a blog commenting champion, not a virtual graffiti artist

Blog commenting can be an effective marketing strategy. But far too many people just leave graffiti all over other people’s blogs.

Blog commenting is an undervalued means of marketing by most businesses. No wonder, when you see how many people make such a mess of it.

In fact, most comments I get on my blogs are at worst spam, at best virtual graffiti. Here are a few examples. [Read more…]

Canadians are embracing extreme marketing in creative ways

These Canadian extreme marketing campaigns might inspire you to market your business in a wild and wacky way.

Marketing is evolving. But even as it evolves, there are benchmarks and best practices, tools and processes that are common from one company to another.

Yes, tools and channels evolve, but almost all real estate agents across the continent market in the same way. Almost all pizzarias across the continent market in the same way. Almost all hair salons across the continent market in the same way. [Read more…]

Why excellence matters so much to you and your business

Excellence is like magic. You can’t measure it, but you know when you have it and the results are miraculous. Here’s how you can achieve excellence in life and in business.

In everything we do, we strive for excellence. Whether we are writing your wedding speech or your screenplay, whether we are finding you new ways to reach your prospects or writing a book, we strive for excellence.

Why is this important? [Read more…]