Month: June 2020

Digital Branding Legal Branding Personal Branding

5 Effective Offline Marketing Strategies You Can Use Today

Steven on June 18, 2020

If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that we live in unprecedented times. In no other era of human history have people’s lives been changed so fundamentally by technology. At the same time, in no other era have we been so enamored by the past. According to Business Matters, nostalgia marketing has become more popular than ever, with more and more brands turning to retro iconography and techniques in order to capture the interest of a highly online market.

Looking for ways to mobilize that thirst for nostalgia? Check out these effective offline marketing techniques for ideas on how to stand out in a digital world.

Projection Mapping

One of the best ways to maximize technology in your marketing in the real world is through projection mapping. Business.com describes projection mapping as a highly innovative marketing tool that makes use of digital projections on real objects to create distinctive, kinetic advertisements. While it does need significant prep time and can be costly— an average of USD$ 10,000 per minute of projection— the overall effect is attention grabbing and memorable. Projection mapping can engage a wider audience and increase social reach by cutting through the noise and demanding attention.

Direct Mail

Direct mail is perhaps one of the less flashy but more effective marketing techniques that companies like to fall back upon. They do so with good reason — direct mail has an incredibly high ROI, and can cost less per lead than many other marketing techniques. It doesn’t always have to be boring catalogs or paper coupons, either. An article by Triadex Services on direct mail found that plastic postcard materials are 3-5 times more effective than typical paper postcards, improving an already impressive ROI.

Guerilla Marketing

Guerilla marketing has seen a surge in popularity over the last decade, and it’s not hard to see why. SmallBusiness took a look at three small businesses from the UK that employed guerilla marketing techniques such as a double-decker bus turned cocktail bar and a rap song and found that these campaigns were crucial in raising brand profiles. By employing unconventional techniques and creative strategies, companies are able to get greater responses and engagement than through standard, “traditional” campaigns.

Print Marketing

With the rise of smartphone use and the popularity of digital marketing techniques, you’d be forgiven if you thought that print marketing was dead. The reality is far from this, however, and print is definitely here to stay. All Business reports that 56% of all consumers actually trust print materials more than any other advertising method, even email marketing. While print can be costly and hard to update in a fast-paced world, it can still be an effective part of your marketing strategy, especially when used to complement your online efforts.

Business Cards

Finally, one of the best offline marketing strategies you can use boils down to one thing: the humble business card. While many may take business cards for granted, they are especially useful in a B2B context. Referrals and network-building are an essential aspect of any business, and one of the best ways to do that is through distributing your business cards. BNI founder Ivan Misner has written a piece on the importance of the business card and the most effective opportunities for sharing them.

Once you’ve captured the interest of your customers, then you can start work on keeping them. For more tips on building a stronger, more personal connection with your existing customer base, check out our article on ‘Why Retention Marketing Is the Ultimate Growth Strategy’.

Personal Branding

Why Product Branding Matters to Your Business

Steven on June 18, 2020

If you’re a small or medium business owner, you probably know the importance of branding. Long before customers know what you’re selling, they’ll probably hear your company’s name, see your logo or check out your website. And long after they’ve shopped with you, your logo and branding will keep your company on their minds.

Product branding — the logos, packaging, and package design for individual products or product lines — is often distinct from your business’s branding. This is especially true with the more products and product lines your business offers. This product branding, which is often the first impression a customer gets of your overall company, matters just as much as business branding.

Below, we’ll cover why product branding is so important and offer tips on how to improve it.

Branding Can Encourage Product Recognition

One of the biggest benefits of strong product branding is that it makes your goods both easy to spot in a storefront and easy to remember. Distinctive packaging, over time, helps you build product recognition — which can assist your business in securing sales and new customers.

Word-of-mouth recommendations remain extremely influential, with 83% of consumers saying they trust recommendations from family and friends more than any form of advertising. Your customers can only recommend your products to their acquaintances and relatives if they remember the name and look of them. Strong, distinctive product branding is especially important for this reason — it’s what makes your merchandise easy to remember.

Branding Can Build Credibility

Sleek and professional package branding is a key part of building credibility with your audience.

While your packaging may seem like it shouldn’t count as much as the quality of the product you’re selling, research shows that consumers put a lot of stake into a product’s appearance. Most Americans say product packaging design influences their purchasing decisions, according to survey data from Ipsos. The younger and more educated someone is, the more likely they are to say that they consider packaging in buying decisions.

Packaging and branding probably aren’t the only factors customers consider. Most customers will also consult reviews and field recommendations from family and friends. However, there is a good chance that your branding will be the first thing to draw consumer impressions. The mental effect of packaging goes beyond credibility. According to the same Ipsos survey, 69% of Americans believe that products packaged in cardboard or paper rather than plastic are more likely to feel “artisanal” or “handcrafted.”

If you’re trying to appeal to an audience by creating an intimate or crafty feel, opting for plastic packaging could cause your overall brand messaging to fall a little flat. Professional product branding is also helpful in developing retail relationships, which are essential if you plan on relying on big box stores to sell a significant number of your products.

How you brand your product is also how you make it stand out against competitors. It also plays a role in developing a relationship with your audience. At some point, your product will probably be placed in direct comparison with similar ones — whether on a physical shelf or digital storefront. Strong, professional packaging gives customers a reason to take a look at your offerings rather than your competitors’ goods.

Branding Helps Customers Tell Products Apart

Product branding can also help you differentiate similar products in the same line.

For example, a food and beverage company may sell two versions of the same product with some key differences — a standard bag of chips and one with reduced fat and salt. Subtle branding differences — like using words or phrases like “light” or “low fat,” coupled with a modified color palette and product imagery — can go a long way in helping customers tell the difference between items.

These differences typically aren’t major — most brands want to keep their overall product look unified — but they can show customers that they have options available. The right package branding decisions will help consumers make the right choice, reducing the risk of them going home with a version that doesn’t meet their personal preferences.

Building an Effective Product Branding Strategy

Product branding is often the first element of your company a customer will see. As a result, strong product branding is critical if you want to attract and retain loyal buyers.

If you want to build an effective product branding strategy, remember the benefits it can provide. When creating your product’s appearance, you want to balance professionalism — which makes your goods more credible to consumers — against distinctiveness, which will help shoppers pick your brand out and remember your business.

You’ll also want to consider the different products and product lines you offer. If a handful of your goods are distinguishable by small but notable differences, your product branding can signal these variations. Even small changes in product packaging can help customers find the version that best fits their needs.

Lexie is a branding enthusiast and web designer. She loves checking out local flea markets and taking her Goldendoodle on hikes. Follow her on Twitter @lexieludesigner and check out her design blog, Design Roast.

Legal Branding Local Branding

Why Pursuing a Finance Degree from Online Colleges is Best

Steven on June 18, 2020

When it comes to considering college, there are a number of extremely important factors to consider. What will you major in? What school will you choose? Will I be a full-time student, or is a non-traditional approach the best? While all these questions must be taken into account, the answers may be more related than they might appear at first.

First, choosing a major of study can be very important, as what classes you intend to take can strongly shape your degree program experience. A medical degree, for example, will require in-person courses, as there are heavy lab requirements, internships, and other hands-on learning experiences to consider. If your interests more closely align with the business, however, the options are much more open. Finance degrees, as well as other types of business degrees, are well suited towards non-traditional study, giving students the choice of format that fits their life best. Finance degrees, in particular, are especially online friendly, as much of the coursework revolves around math and accounting concepts that don’t see much benefit from face-to-face contact. While personal contact and social skills like leadership and teamwork are important in business, there are other ways that these kinds of abilities can be nurtured and encouraged from a distance. Group projects, for instance, may still take place online, working with classmates, and coordinating over video chats.

So if education in business and finance online can be just as good, what might help one to decide whether to go online or traditional? For starters, online degree programs are designed to be highly flexible, allowing you to work around an existing schedule if needed. This is one of the main reasons that people go for online degrees: it enables them to keep working, to keep watching the kids at home, or to avoid lengthy commutes back and forth to campus, all while still working towards a degree. Online classes are often “asynchronous,” meaning that you don’t necessarily need to tune in at a particular time on a particular day to get your lecture, as it’s recorded and available to be listened to at any time. Beyond that, however, it also means that you can review and re-listen to the lecture as many times as needed to fully grasp the content, without worrying about slowing down class for your professor or classmates. That’s something that in-person classes will never be able to match, as they typically operate on very tight schedules which leave little to no room for questions. At best, you might be able to stay after or visit the professor during office hours—at a convenient time for the professor, and not for you. A student with questions in an online class need only send an email to get help, and in particularly difficult situations, may be able to get that direct assistance with video chats. Most, if not all transactions, are virtual until that day when you receive your graduate certificate in finance. For a topic like finance, it’s almost an ideal situation, giving both the opportunity to have help when needed and allowing you to progress through the class at your own pace.

Another reason why finance makes an excellent choice is the usefulness of the field. Employment of individuals in finance careers is growing, with nearly every finance job cataloged by the Bureau of Labor Statistics experiencing average or better growth over the next ten years. Some, like financial managers, are even seeing huge growths of 16%, over three times the national average. Finance skills are extremely in demand, and any means of obtaining these skills will be valuable, particularly if it doesn’t impact your ability to continue your life as is. Combining the affordability of online degrees with a work-at-your-own-pace flexible learning style and the highly desirable skill sets of finance makes for one of the easiest ways out there to shift from a current career to the more profitable world of finance.

If you’re looking for a change and think finance is a good fit for you and your talents, it’s definitely worth considering an online program. They’re less expensive, just as good as a brick and mortar university education, and far, far less disruptive of your daily life. Get started today, and before you know it, that high-paying new career will be yours before you know it!

Digital Branding Personal Branding

Digital Marketing Essentials for the Medical Community

Steven on June 18, 2020

Technology has transformed different sectors of the economy including the medical sector. The internet has proved to be a critical tool in the marketing world.

Just like any other sector, the medical community has taken advantage of the internet to market their services. According to a study conducted by Google, search engines drive users to medical facility websites three tines compared to other sources. The study also revealed that 44% of patients who search for information via their mobile devices end up booking appointments.

If you are looking to increase your presence online and reach many patients, then consider the following digital marketing essentials:

1. A simple website

Your website is an important element in your digital marketing strategy. It serves as your virtual office. As such, you should ensure that it is designed in a way that makes it easy for users to navigate. This is because not all of your patients may be well versed in technology and the internet.

When people visit your website, they are looking for specific information. You should, therefore make it easy for them to navigate and find whatever information they are looking for – in the shortest time possible.

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization is one of the best digital marketing strategies. If you are serious about your online business, then you need to employ the SEO technique.

The search engine optimization strategy ensures that your website is ranked on the first page of popular search engines. Another advantage of search engine optimization is the ability to focus on a specific category of audience.

That means you are able to create certain keywords that target certain patients in your area. For example, SEO can help bring attention to hydrogen peroxide IV oxygen therapy for those who could benefit from its medicinal potential.

3. Email marketing

Email marketing is another great component of the digital marketing strategy of medical professionals. Despite the fact that social media marketing appears to overshadow the use of emails, the truth is that email marketing is still effective. However, its effectiveness depends on how the strategy is being implemented.

Ensure that you segment and personalize emails to reflect the needs and interests of your patients. You cannot send similar emails to your existing and potential clients. In other words, your emails should be tailored to the needs of every client.

4. Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Social media has taken the world by a storm. It is estimated that there are almost 3 billion active social media accounts today. That tells you how much social media is influential in the modern world.

One area that has significantly been boosted by social media is marketing. Most companies have invested in social media marketing – because of its effectiveness. As a medical practitioner, you are able to reach a larger audience within a short time compared to other sources.

5. Content marketing

Content marketing is all about creating content that’s relevant to your audience. It is a marketing strategy that’s almost similar to search engine optimization.

When using a content marketing strategy, you generate content that will attract and drive traffic back to your website. In other words, content marketing guides you in producing content that’s engaging and relevant to your niche.

Local Branding

How To Find and Sell American Ginseng

Steven on June 17, 2020

Ginseng, also known as (Panax quinquefolium) is a small plant that comes with fleshy roots that look like the shape of a human body. This herb has several medicinal advantages that are being reaped by the traditional Chinese and the Native American Indian nations for more than 5000 years now.

The word about is now out, which is why there’s an increase in the demand for American Ginseng products. With each passing day, more and more people are buying Ginseng due to the fact that it’s known as a “Cure to all”. Ginseng is also called “Panax” which has a literal meaning of “a cure to all”. This is a tried and tested fact because this herb alone does provide numerous health benefits that no other medications and no other herb does.

Think about it? Don’t you want to invest your money in a herb that is a solution to all your health issues? Don’t you want to get rid of the medicine box that you have besides your table, with each medicine labeled for a different medical condition? It’s high time to refer to the traditional ways that were used earlier by people when there was no such thing as a “medicine”.

Finding And Selling American Ginseng

As much as it’s beneficial for your health, you need to know that selling Ginseng is also one of the most profitable businesses at the moment. A pound of the roots of this plant can bring you hundreds of dollars. In other words, if you are thinking about starting a Ginseng business, you are about to take a great step as it will bring you the profit you are expecting.

But before you jump to the sweet dreams of earning thousands with Ginseng, you need to know that finding it is one tough task. The American Ginseng is allowed only in 19 states, and this can be an issue for you.

What makes things more complicated is that in order to harvest Ginseng, you need to take a permit first because if you don’t have any official permission from the state, you can’t harvest it in any forest or any state.

If you think it won’t be much of a problem to harvest Ginseng without permission from the state, then know that you need to change your mind right now. It’s officially illegal, and you can face some serious charges, which is why first take a permit and then think further.

Once you’ve got the permission and once you have enough stock to start selling, you need to get a license to start this business too. Getting the license isn’t the hard part. It’s easy, especially if you are selling quality Ginseng.

Meanwhile, you should prepare a website or social media accounts to promote the American Ginseng you have. It will take time for you to grow as a business, but once you are famous and once people are sure that you are selling high-quality Ginseng, you will see how money starts pouring in.

Overall Verdict

Selling Ginseng can bring you money, and we’ve told you this before, but the process isn’t as easy as it sounds. One of the biggest challenges is to find Ginseng and then wait for the plant to get mature. Hunting immature Ginseng and selling it won’t bring you any benefit, especially if people know that the roots aren’t mature. You need to wait for the plant to become mature and then hunt it down to sell it. Furthermore, if you know it, it’s your duty too to educate people about the benefits of this herb, this will be good for business!

Author Bio: Qurban Shah is a freelance writer who offers guest blogging, copywriting, and blogger outreach services. Currently, he is writing a product review and buying guide on MetalDetectorsGuide.

Local Branding

Top 5 Cool Things To Do With Tortillas

Steven on June 14, 2020

There was a time when tortillas were considered the national superfood of Mexico, but times have changed now. As of now, tortillas are famous all around the world, and well, it’s justified because they are absolutely delicious if you just know how to use them properly.

Speaking of which, if you ever want to treat your tastebuds with some of the best-tasting tortillas, you should try Lupe Tortilla. The flavors, the crisp, the sauce, each and everything is finger-licking good.

However, that’s not it! If you want to try making different unique meals out of tortillas yourself, you can easily do that without any hassle. It’s just that you should think about something other than making quesadillas. The coolest thing about tortillas is that even if you are following the renowned “keto diet”, you can still use them. Yes, you read that, right! As per the approved science keto, you can buy low carb tortillas and use them to make some exceptional and fulfilling meals for yourself.

Here are some of the coolest things you can do with tortillas:

1- Make breakfast quesadillas

Take some shredded cheddar cheese, scrambled eggs, and some crispy fried bacon. Put it all on one tortilla and then top it with another tortilla. Make both the sides brown and enjoy your breakfast quesadilla with some sour cream or salsa sauce (just as you like).

2- Mexican cheese crisp

Put some shredded cheddar cheese on a tortilla, cook some ground beef and make sure it’s crispy enough to be used with a tortilla. You can even opt for jalapeno slices or chorizo if you want. Once all the ingredients are in place, just broil it until bubbles appear. This is how you make a Mexican cheese crisp, which is an excellent snack.

3- Pinwheels

If you still crave for pinwheels even as an adult, don’t worry because you can always use tortillas to make the all famous, Italian pinwheels. What you need to do is to spread some cream cheese on one side of the tortilla and spread pesto on the other side. Now take some minced basil with sliced prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes for extra taste. Now roll it all up and put it inside the fridge for a while until you know it’s ready for you to consume. You can cut them in slices and present it to your guests as an evening snack.

4- Salsa with sweet chips

There’s no other thing as amazing as the salsa sauce. Especially if you have tortillas in your kitchen, there are high chances that you do have a jar of salsa sauce too. To make the sweet chips, brush some butter on the tortillas and sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on top. Cut the tortilla in triangles and then bake them until they turn brown. You can then serve your sweet chips with some fruit salsa sauce.

5- Cream and peaches

Chopped pecans, mascarpone cheese, sliced peaches, and peach preserves are all that you need. If you have them all, just put them on a tortilla and put it inside a skillet until it turns brown. You can now serve it with a mixture of whipped cream and cinnamon powder. It’s a unique dish, and you’ll absolutely love it.

Conclusion – Making the Best Torillas

These are some of the best and the coolest things you can make with a tortilla. The fact is that there are hundreds of other things that you can make with a tortilla, we’ve just mentioned the simplest and the coolest ones. Try any one of these recipes and use the meal as a snack or dinner. In both cases, it’s going to be fulfilling for you.

Digital Branding

How to Get Media Coverage and Good PR for Your Startup

Steven on June 12, 2020

When you are first starting out, one of the biggest issues that you may have is getting media attention. It is difficult to build credibility, awareness, and exposure if you aren’t able to gain media coverage.

It is important to find the right methods of getting media exposure because some may not work when you are first starting out. So, you may need to be a bit creative when thinking about how to get press. This guide can provide you with the tools that you would need to win the media coverage that you need. We will look at:

What is media coverage?
Earned media vs. Owned Media vs. Paid media
Steps to get media coverage for your startup

What is media coverage?

Before you can start applying media coverage tips to your business, you need to know what it is. However many ways you look at it, media coverage basically means publicity and in the world of PR, it can also be called “earned media”.

Your goal is to win earned media, which is a way of building your company’s reputation by using press coverage through third-party media publications. You will also be applying owned media, which would be any content that you are publishing on your own channels.

Earned media vs. Owned Media vs. Paid Media

There are many media and marketing tactics that can grow your company and they may all seem confusing together, but let me break it down for you.

Earned media can include Social media shares, viral content, customer success stories, recommendations, guest articles, product review pages, and media mentions. This is media that you have basically “earned” it comes from the things that you are posting and feedback from your target audience.

What are the benefits of earned media?

Builds awareness: it allows you to reach more of your targeted audience. It opens you up to new customers across different media outlets. It gets more eyes on your product/service.
Heightens your credibility: Producing great articles for publication can demonstrate your industry knowledge and build credibility in your field. It shows that you are informed about the market that you are trying to break through.
Boosts your SEO, Increases your leads and sales, and ultimately increases trust.

Owned media can include Blogs, websites, mobile apps, whitepapers, case studies, social media accounts, and media kits. This type of media is what you create on your own, things that you have put up that are trying to reach an audience.

Paid media can include PPC ads, sponsored content, display/banner ads, and retargeting. It is basically advertising that is directly paid for. This would include using social media influencers to promote your product/service. It can be very effective in driving traffic to your business, but you would need to gain and receive sufficient trust within your target market, which is where the influencers come in.

STEPS TO GET MEDIA COVERAGE FOR YOUR STARTUP

STEP 1: Build your narrative using owned media

You need to make sure that your internal message, branding, and in-house content is in great condition so that when you pitch to media outlets, it seems like you know exactly what you’re doing. If the things that you are writing and posting are lacking in detail and looks like it has been done by an amateur, you are less likely to even care about giving you media coverage.

Make sure that you convey who you are, what you do, and what your values are.

STEP 2: Identify the most relevant journalists

The media coverage that you are trying to get should and need to be relevant to your business. Which is why it is important that you research where and how you want to win your earned media.

Make a list of all the publications that you read and that you are aware is related to your industry.
Use tools to find publications that your competition has put up and have gained media coverage in
Select a few keywords that are related to your business or industry

STEP 3: Setup media monitoring

This is relatively related to the last step, it is important once you have posted or been posted that you listen to what your target audience is saying about your brand, your competitors and anything that is related to your business.

STEP 4: PR Tactics for winning press coverage:

Guest articles
Press releases
Podcast appearances
Product Reviews Page
Newsjacking
Interviews

STEP 5: Goal setting

It is important that you set reasonable goals for yourself. Basically state things that you know you can achieve, because if you aim too high and you are not able to achieve them, it would seem that you are unreliable to your audience.

STEP 6: Start building relationships with the press

Make friends with the press, you need them on your team if you want to emerge into the market. You can start building relationships through social media, connecting with them locally, and using programs like HARO to find the relevant journalists and media outlets for you.

STEP 7: Pitching to media outlets

Once you have developed a relationship with them, you can start pitching to them. However, do not do it in a way that seems pushy. Find a way to connect with them on their level first and then go from there. At the end of the day, they are getting so many messages daily about people that want media coverage, so find a way to stand out and they are more likely to read through your pitch.

Provide a good hook for them to be attracted to by

Providing a fresh perspective
Offering new insight
Challenging the norm
Breaking new ground

Media coverage is a very important part of PR, so figure out a way to be personal and different from the competition. Make sure that what you are doing is relevant to them, don’t waste your time pitching to an outlet that doesn’t accept guest posts, don’t pitch to more than one person at the same publication at the same time, and when you are trying to follow-up, don’t seem too needy or pushy.

You want them to like you. You want them to be interested in what you are trying to get media coverage for. You want to be different.

To get professional help from our PR professional to create your customized email pitches, press releases, press kits, etc. Check out our website and our packages for more information.

Local Branding

Essential Wedding Planning – Tips and Tricks

Steven on June 10, 2020

Most of us dream of our wedding day for years. We have this image in our mind of what the perfect wedding is. However, we have no idea what goes into making that perfect event. There are a million details that must be addressed to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

In our minds we see bridesmaids rushing around getting dressed, and the groomsmen in their tuxedos laughing on the steps of the chapel. What we do not give much thought to is the florist, caterers, DJ, minister or official, or the videographer. We do not think of the crews setting up chairs and setting tables, the cake being delivered, the limo driver or the bartender. There are so many ways to make wedding planning mistakes, but professionals are here to help.

There are a lot of talented people that must work together in order to give you that perfect day. We have interviewed wedding professionals from around the country to get some great tips and tricks that you can incorporate into your wedding. So let us share with you advice from the experts.

Wedding Planners, Vendors and other pros

We believe in the importance of a good wedding planner. The vast majority of problems and issues that dance on the nerves of the bride and groom are easily dealt with by an experienced wedding planner. If you can only afford one luxury for your wedding day, we suggest you hire a wedding planner.

Karlee Jaramillo from Karlee K Photography shared her opinion about wedding planning:

“You’re engaged! Congratulations! Getting started in the wedding planning process, the biggest tip I can give would be to decide which wedding professional is the most important to you. Maybe you’ve been following a photographer’s work on Instagram religiously, waiting until it was your turn to let them capture your story in the dreamiest way. Perhaps you know that you could never do all the work alone, and having a talented planner who knows the in’s and out’s of making your wedding absolute perfection is your top priority. We all have that go-to vendor who we’ve just been waiting to reach out to ever since we met the right person, the vendor who fills our Pinterest board with our ideal wedding day. Reach out to that vendor before anyone else, and choose your day based off of their availability! I can’t count the times where so many couples have been so disappointed because the vendor of their dreams was already booked, but you can avoid this! And to do so, you may have to compromise somewhere else! Say you envisioned a Fall wedding in October, but the photographer is booked solid through November. You may want to consider a Summer or Winter wedding, and that’s ok! You will not regret making a small sacrifice in one area to work with someone who you know will take the best care of you when it matters most!”

Professionals Scott and Dana Halvorson of Weddings By Scott and Dana explain it best: “Dream weddings come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and to plan a truly memorable wedding can seem overwhelming. Here are a few tips to ensure your wedding will be an event to remember.

Know what you want: This is not just any ole wedding, it’s your wedding. Talk to you partner and decide what type of wedding you both would really enjoy. Personalize your wedding to match your personalities. Starting with a solid idea of what your dream is will make all the other decisions easier.
Get Help: Armed with your dream in mind, search out the professionals that can turn that dream into a reality.Everyone you hire, from your planner to your invitation designer, should know what your expectations are. Hire people who have experience with your type of wedding, then trust them to do what they do best.
Consider your guest: Think about your guest and how they will experience your wedding. Taking time to make sure your guest will be comfortable, occupied, entertained, and appreciated will create an event they will remember for years.
Have fun: Plan to enjoy this special day. Everyone will notice and it’s contagious. If you have fun so will everyone else. When everything is over, and you are reminiscing about your wedding, the fun you had is what you and your guest will remember the most.”

Cassandra Key-Lyons of Bridal Magic advises brides on ways to lighten their load and make things run much more smoothly:

“My advice to couples planning their wedding: once you’ve made a decision, like picking your decor and color palette, stick with it. Don’t cause yourselves stress and confusion by continuing to look at alternatives. There are plenty of options out there but go with your instincts and what you want as a couple. Pouring over wedding websites and magazines long after you’ve already settled on something will only muddle the process. Also, don’t do something because you think you’re supposed to. If you don’t want a guestbook or to hand out favors with your initials on it, then don’t. It’s your wedding, so make it everything you want it to be.”

Courtney Branson from Lovely Little Blog also shares the idea to keep it simple. The internet is flooded by the ‘best wedding ideas’ but what if the brides just stick to what makes THEM happy?

“Pinterest can be your best friend or worst enemy. It’s great for sparking ideas and showing vendors your vision. It’s tempting to let it go past that but I encourage you to plan the wedding that fits your budget and vibe. There’s nothing less magical than realizing you’re in debt day one of marriage or planning a wedding that feels disingenuous to your relationship. You want folks to say, “This feels so y’all”. Don’t let the Pinterest board cloud your instincts.”

Betsy Tomasello, of Betsy Blue Photography, is in agreement on brides letting the professionals do what they do. That is the only way to get the best results. She says:

“One of my favorite ways to serve my brides is to include timeline assistance with every wedding booking. I’ve witnessed hundreds of weddings and am always happy to share my experience on when the best light might be for portraits, or possibly a more flattering position to angle the arbor in order to allow for the best light on the couple for their photographs.Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking, so why not rely on the experience of professionals around you to help plan your day to be as fluid and beautiful as possible.”

When it comes to wedding vendors, photographers, planners, and other professionals, John Lennon of Lennon Photography had this to share:

“Look for vendors who have a passion for what they do. A typical sales pitch equals common quality. You deserve vendors who dream of the perfect wedding because those are the people who care enough to deliver it to you.”

Trust your event coordinator to have some pretty cool ideas. They are up to the minute on wedding trends and traditions. Be open to their suggestions.

Kristin Rockhill, Wedding Stylist & Floral and Event Designs, has an eye for design and color. She says:

“Grey is my favorite color! When it comes to setting a stunningly styled tablescape my go to linen choice is grey. It pairs perfectly with wood tones, neutrals, pastels and even bright and cheery hues like lemon and tangerine!”

Sometimes we have to ask ourselves if we are creating the wedding we really want. If you want a small, intimate, gathering, then go for it.

As wedding expert, Maria Fernanda Marion of Blog da’ Maria Fernanda points out: “keep it small. Small weddings are more intimate and cozy.”

Lisa Gilbert from Lisa Gilbert Photography added:

“There are so many little details involved in planning a wedding and it can be exhausting. You need to prioritize their importance to you and then LET GO. Think about the last two or three weddings that you attended as a guest. What do you remember? The food? The centerpieces? How great the DJ was? Chances are, the things that stood out to you are the same things that will stand out to your guests, so stop worrying about the details that will fade (is anyone really going to remember the exact shade of your napkins?) and focus on the ones that are are meaningful to you (like keeping the dance floor packed). Then, let the people you’ve hired to take care of these details do their jobs, while you relax and enjoy the best day of your life!”

Venue

Alexis Wilkins, the wedding and event planner at Alexis Wilkins Events shared her opinion with us:

“My advice would be to fall in love with a venue and not so much a date. Many brides dream of a wedding on a particular date but when they find a venue they love their “date” may not be available. If you love the look and feel of a venue, the date won’t matter as much to you.”

Beauty

On this single day, you want to be the most beautiful you have ever been.

Take these tips from Nina Moran, Cheekadee Makeup Artist:

“Summer can be hot and sticky but let’s keep the hot in our makeup and ditch the sticky! Whether you are doing your makeup yourself or having it professionally done, here are some tips to keep your makeup fresh on your big day!

Tone with witch hazel, we really like Thayer’s, Witch Hazel. This will remove any unwanted oil that may interfere with the longevity of your makeup

Prime your skin- We love Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12 Hour Perfecting primer. This product refines the skin, is waterproof and diffuses fine lines and imperfections.

If you are super oily you can use a mattifying product like Face to Face Super Matte Anti-shine. Just a bit it the t-zone will do.

Set your makeup with a setting spray! Our favorites are Model in a Bottle, or Makeup Forever Mist & Fix. This will really improve your makeup wear!”

Kelly Brown from lulaandsailor.com added:

“Search For The Dress!

Every Bride is different as is the journey of wedding planning. There may not be a “favorite” part of the wedding planning process but my from my experience last year; it was without a doubt the search for the perfect wedding dress. Most brides wouldn’t take it quite as extreme as I did. Being a fashion blogger and wardrobe stylist I really wanted to document the process, especially because I visited thirteen stores. Yes, THIRTEEN STORES you read that correct lol. If I could give advice to a bride it would be to really take your time finding the perfect dress and take a lot of photos. Only you will know when you have found your perfect dress. Enjoy and savor every moment! “

The Wedding Gown

Brides have to make sure to choose the perfect dress for the ceremony. Amanda Speed, the Managing Director Shades of White Bridal shared with us what she finds important about wedding dress shopping.

“Wedding dress shopping is one of the most exciting pieces of planning your wedding, so how do you get the most out of your experience? Shop early! Ordering in and altering a gown can take to 5-9 months. Book only 1-2 appointments in a day and be choosy with who you bring, too many opinions can be very overwhelming. Have fun, relax and be honest with your consultant about what’s really important to you – allowing the consultant to really engage with your needs and vision will give you the best of his/her professional abilities and that’s when the magic happens!”

Photography

Photography is a major priority for any wedding. This is a day that must be captured for eternity. Some day our great-grandchildren will look back on this day and we want them to see the love and hope we had for the future in our photographs.

Professional and devoted photographers do their best to make the wedding day special for the couple. Some of them even include a complimentary engagement session. Why is that? Angelina from Asterisk Photography replied to this question:

“We do this because it allows for 3 really basic yet crucial things to develop: Consistency, relationship, and trust.

These 3 items are so important to have with your wedding photographer –

First – having the same photographer shoot your wedding and engagement allows everything to be seamless and consistent. Brides usually pick their wedding photographer because they love their style – by having the photographer do both, your wedding style really shines through.

Secondly – Relationship. Hmmm. this is a big one for me! I love shooting weddings because of the relationships I get to form with my couples. The more I know my clients personally, the better I know how to serve them well.

This leads to our final reason: Trust. We all know that every relationship is built on trust. During that engagement session time, you’re able to build trust and relationship in a casual setting, the wedding day pressure isn’t around so you and your fiance are freed up to have fun!”

Ayyyna Budaeva from Mango Studios added:

“Your day will come and go very quickly, remember to sit back, relax, don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy the moment. Coordinating a wedding can be stressful but stay calm and focus on the big picture, and your photos! A wedding is a gathering of your closest family and friends in one room to celebrate your love and commitment to each other, celebrate that and live in the moment in order for your wedding photos to look organic, natural and effortless!”

Alicia Williams from Cordele Photography emphasizes the importance of referrals and some research before hiring your photographer. But most importantly…

“First, Relax! Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a wedding! Research, ask friends and use google! Friend referrals will give you a good sense if you like the vendor because you like the referrer. Also, take notes at events and weddings you attend. Look at season color palettes Check out Color Me Pretty! Talk to vendors and see if you jive with them. Especially the photographer! They may take pretty pictures, but you want to have fun with them, they follow you everywhere!”

Bethanne of Bethanne Arthur Photography offers this advice for the couples:

“When searching for a photographer to capture your big day, keep a few things in mind.

Can you afford this photographer?
Are you willing to expand your wedding photography budget if you find your perfect match, in regards to photography style?
Do you feel comfortable with them?
Does your fiance feel comfortable with them? Do they seem personable?
Does this photographer seem to treat clients and events as just transactions, or do they try to get to know you or find a point of connection?
Do you love their work? It is so important to choose someone that actually has a photography style that you love.

These are your wedding photographs; these are priceless heirlooms you will have for the rest of your life and beyond, as they are passed down through the generations. Do not just hire someone because they are the least expensive, someone you know is friends with them, or they have 10,000 followers on Instagram. Choose a photographer that shoots images you love and swoon over; choose a photographer that you feel like you can connect with!”

Jillian McQuerrey, the owner of B.O.B. Photography, agrees with Bethanne about that special connection between the bride and photographer. She shared: “One tip I can wholeheartedly recommend is to do your research. I always tell couples I speak with to chat with more than one photographer. After that, choose the photographer you “click with”, love their work and feel comfortable around. If you think about it, you will spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than your significant other. So you want it to be an enjoyable experience. The more comfortable you are with your photographer, the more natural your photographs will look.”

Many brides try so hard to control everything, for forget that they have hired professionals to relieve them of that stress.

This point was driven home by Betty Simpson, of Betty Elaine Photography, “Trust your photographer and other vendors! Yes, it is your wedding day (hooray!), but you do not need to be burdened with having to control the day or schedule out your timeline by yourself. Once you know what your wedding day is going to look like (location, ceremony start time, etc), it is important to talk to your wedding photographer about how much time they need for pictures. Let them draw up a schedule for portraits and help you figure out when hair and makeup should be finished. Your photographer will know the best time of day for outdoor pictures, how long you need them for getting ready pictures, and if a first look would be more practical for your wedding day.”

There are always little budget busters that manage to show up with weddings. Take care of small things and the big things will take care of themselves. The main thing is to have your day, have your memories, and have fun!

Here is a great tip by Jenna Henderson, of Jenna Henderson Photography “While wedding planning, don’t forget to budget a little money for after the wedding to use for prints of your wedding photos! After all, when the whole day is over, the photos are the only thing that will remain. You want to make sure you have enough cash stashed away that you can give your beautiful memories the treatment they deserve, whether that be in the form of a fine art album or perhaps a gallery of large framed prints. Printed photos also make a great gift for your parents as a way to say thanks for all of their support.”

Brandon O’Neal, of Brandon Oneal Photography, says it like this:

“As a photographer, I see weddings as a dance between preparation and chance. We like to allow the celebrations unfold naturally, but we often manipulate the timing and locations ahead of time so they work out in our favor for great images.Prepping for the day is essential- create timelines, do the meetings, set up the vendors. But, when the day comes, my biggest advice is to enjoy it no matter what. Brides put lots of time and energy into planning the day and it would be such a waste to not enjoy it. I want to photograph my brides and grooms having the time of their life, not micromanaging every detail and worrying about the flowers being just right – that doesn’t make for great images. So plan, then let go!”

Wedding photography is an art. So much depends on the location, timing, lighting, and ambiance.

Leslee Mitchell of Leslee Mitchell Art is an artist and photographer. As such, she has a wealth of knowledge she was gracious enough to share. She says:

“Light is 100% of every photo. It’s not 99%, it’s 100%.

Don’t let family photo time eat up more time than necessary. After all, the most important photos of the day are the ones of the bride and groom. No wedding is complete without the family photos, but family photos do not have to monopolize a majority of photo taking time.

However long your hair and makeup artist tell you it will take to complete hair and makeup, add at least 30-45 minutes. It’s common for hair and makeup to run over on schedule. When hair and makeup run over, you will receive fewer photos due to lost time that cannot be recovered.

Just relax. The most beautiful photos are the candid shots. Make a point to not know where the photographer is every second of the day. Chances are they’re somewhere looking right at you through their lens. Don’t mess up what could have been a beautiful, candid moment of you because you’re scanning the room looking for your photographer or trying to figure out if you’re being photographed.

If you hate being photographed to the point you almost break out in hives have a cocktail and relax. If you can’t relax, you will appear tensed in your photos. Don’t be hard on yourself. The majority of people are uncomfortable when they’re being photographed. Have a plan in place to be able to relax when it’s time to be in front of the camera. You’ll be very glad you did.”

Communication is key when it comes to your wedding. Details must never be left to chance. This tidbit from Leigh Fabozzi of Leigh Elizabeth Photography is right on the money! Leigh says,

“Maximize your photographer’s coverage by creating a timeline in advance. Make sure to sit down or have a phone call with your photographer about a month out from your wedding to finalize the timeline. Ask questions, iron out the details, and get on the same page. This will ensure your wedding day runs smoothly and stress-free!”

Carly Fuller from Carly Fuller Photography shared the idea of picking your home as a location for engagement photos. She stated: “Stay at home and capture your first professional photos in your first home together as a future married couple! One of my favorite places to capture a couple is in their own environment. All your favorite things surround you and even kitties are welcome!” By doing so, the engagement photos will be natural, and they’ll reflect your true personality.

Our Favorite Tip

Throughout the rest of your lives together, there will be issues and situations that monopolize your time. Take this advice from Candice Benjamin of Candice Benjamin Photography. Make this a habit throughout all of life’s challenges and you will always be content.
Candice simply states: ”Have a weekly date night where you aren’t allowed to talk about the wedding. Enjoy your time together!

Digital Branding

How To Promote Brand Using An Online Community

Steven on June 7, 2020

Building an online brand nowadays goes beyond creating marketing messages. A business requires to form genuine connections with its customers to excel online. Your business acquires more attention and develops as a brand when people can link to it and believe it is dependable.

That’s the reason a brand community can fortify and extend the reach of your brand online.

It’s probable that your business already possesses an active community on forums, social media, or your website. You can build community engagement to promote your brand’s growth. You can even leverage community-designed content to develop your brand.

#Present A Brand Value For Your Community

Customers will spend in your brand as your community signifies the values your brand is all about, permitting you to break your dependence on advertising and promotions.

# Explore Emotions To Grow Customer Retention

View brand communities for a few of the most luxurious brands in the world, such as Porsche cars, Rolex watches, or Montblanc pens. All of us know someone (perhaps yourself) who is an ardent fan and would never think about buying from a rival – whether you possess the money to buy one or not.

When your community members are joined to your brand and the community surrounding it, it builds a switching barrier. Due to their loyalty and investment in the community, they won’t be so price sensitive and will be less probable to shop about.

You don’t require to be a luxury brand such as Rolex for this to function for your brand also. Moroccanoil is a premium body and hair care brand that has built a community, Beauty Circle, around the worth and advantages of utilizing their products.

By exploring the emotions connected to looking and feeling your best, they’ve created a big online brand community, without needing to think about reducing their prices to be the cheapest beauty oils on the market.

Make emotional attachments the bedrock of your community. Irrespective of what you sell, your one-time shoppers will become committed repeat purchasers as loyal members of your brand community.

# Build Valuable Brand Advocates

Your community can’t prosper if nobody is familiar with it. Fortunately, when you motivate your community members, you can alter them from being customers into brand advocates. Advocates like your brand and constitute a precious marketing channel, serving as a community megaphone to aid bring others into your brand experience. Besides, while they’re evangelizing for your business, they even spend double as much as an average shopper.

Energy gum makers Run Gum took complete advantage of community and brand advocates through their referral program. Numerous people don’t know what energy gum is, so their advocates were entrusted to educate outsiders and garner them into the Run Gum community. Run Gum’s investment worked, leading to a 200% growth in repeat purchase rate all due to their brand advocates.

The growth of your community only implies positive things for your business. By motivating brand advocates, they can distribute the value of your brand to help rope in new excited customers, and build a more engaging community experience.

# Understand What Prods Your Customers

The sole way to improve your customer experience is by knowing what your customers are experiencing.

Building an online brand community permits you to know what eggs on your customers, along with what they do and don’t appreciate the customer experience. Laced with all the product reviews, social engagements, and feedback forms, there are plenty of ways to discover everything you can do to make all interactions with your brand delightful.

When Altenew refurbished their website, they wished to discover how much they had improved the online experience. Believing their community would present honest evaluations, they emailed their members to receive some warm feedback. This aided the website project at hand, besides giving insight into what members value. Bolstered with that information, Altenew could better the entire customer experience for their shoppers.

Community members have invested effort, time, or money in your brand. That renders them perfect to offer feedback, aiding your understanding of what your customers truly value concerning your brand.

# Raise Brand Awareness

Word-of-mouth is still the most successful way to increase awareness and develop a business. In reality, people are 84% more probable to trust a recommendation or referral if it emanates from a friend, implying the value of community at an all-time high.

One of the leading ways to increase awareness is through brand ambassadors. The founders of theSkimm, a reputed daily newsletter, ascribe nearly 20% of general company growth to the ambassador program. “Skimm’bassadors” distribute the newsletter with friends and get swat and perks for striking specific referral milestones.

Bumble, the networking and dating app, designed the Queen Bee ambassador program. Queen Bees aid market the app within their networks and localities. They don Bumble-branded swag and hold in-person mingling events with thought leaders and influencers in their cities. These grassroots community efforts have aided 26 million users to form connections in only 3 years.

# Let Customers Discover

Communities not just promote growth, but they can be the most precious and truthful source of feedback for businesses. Conventional product marketing research, like focus groups and surveys, aren’t as trustworthy as once believed.

A series of experiments discovered that, when associating in conventional research, people get the Hawthorne Effect. People know that they’re being examined, so they alter their behavior as a consequence. This same effect doesn’t happen, however, when people exchange on social media and other online spaces.

Online communities, not just aid offer brands a profound understanding of customer requirements and desires, but user-produced content, like comments and reviews, are regarded as more genuine. Regarding 97% of online buyers read reviews prior to making a purchase, it is vital that communities are actively engaging and generating content around a company’s product.

Glossier, a skincare and beauty products brand, has mastered the art of making customers do this. They have built a huge, dedicated community that communicates through Slack, Instagram, and in-person events. Before Glossier inaugurates a new product, its editorial arm – Into the Gloss – will post an “open thread” soliciting advice on what its readers desire.

# Encourage Customer Success

The concept of the lone genius who achieves success single-handed is a fallacy. The most successful people form part of inventive and supportive communities.

Effective communities insert value when they back members, offer a sense of camaraderie, form strategic connections, and constitute a source of advice that members can implement upon their own lives. Community members frequently exchange a passion for individual improvement and continuous learning.

The most successful learning strategies involve communities and promote discussion, instead of having individuals read a book or view an educational video alone.

In reality, Flatiron School, the outcomes-targeted coding school, discovered that the most successful learning method for students is to join them with different learners and industry leaders through online communities and in-person events.

# Push Brand Loyalty To Acquire Followers

Maintaining current customers involved is just as vital (if not more) than acquiring new first-time users. Accenture discovered that two-thirds of customers will “invest more on brands to which they are loyal.” Glossier, for example, holds that 90% of its revenue is by way of returning customers.

The greater time or effort that a person invests in a service or product, the more they’ll finish valuing it. Researchers from Harvard Business School term this the IKEA Effect. IKEA’s business model makes the consumer spend time assembling the products, so they incline to overvalue the brand and products.

Whether it’s by way of in-person events or online forums, communities are core to awareness, brand loyalty, and general success. A powerful and engaged community will produce improved products, learning, and innovation, together with company growth. Nevertheless, to be effective, brands require to create communities that go beyond selling a product and offer value and support for members.

Enhance SEO To Boost Your Product Promotion

As SEO trends are continuously changing, online brand communities are a certain way to ensure genuine and quality User Generated Content (UGC).

Creating a community of people who like your brand permits you to conveniently activate consumers to generate fresh and specific UGC, yielding an ongoing portal of content – this is useful for both getting new eyes on your products.

48% of consumers tell UGC is an excellent way to locate new products, and 25% of search results for the world’s 20 biggest brands are links to user-created content. This is awesome news for marketers.

# Creating Online Community Through BuddyPress

BuddyPress is the social networking plugin for WordPress that allows you to compose your own Facebook. Whether you want to build a social space for your family and friends, build a collaborative environment for your co-workers and partners, or somewhere in-between, the free and versatile BuddyPress plugin is for you.

By selecting a BuddyPress theme with a nice assortment of BuddyPress page templates, your visitors will be offered a consistent user experience as they navigate through your website. This includes the login and registration pages, member profiles, activity feeds, private messaging tools, besides more.

BuddyPress and its add-ons present a plethora of social networking features that when combined with WordPress and the proper theme, present unlimited possibilities.

Conclusion

Creating an online brand community is an investment worth performing. Current top brands know that it is hard, if not, impossible to compete on selection, price, or advertising muscle like it was previously. They know that another brand will always exist ready to lose more on the sale or spend more on that impression. That’s why they highlight on developing an online brand community that cannot be imitated by the competition.

Developing a brand community will not occur overnight, but those who are ready to make the investment will reap the rewards above.

Author Bio

Rohini Oberoi is a passionate blogger at brndle.com . She is an experienced blogger and has written many articles and blog posts on topics related to WordPress, web design, web development, and online marketing.

Local Branding

5 Generator Safety Tips You Should Adhere To

Steven on June 7, 2020

A generator is one of the most useful things in the world. Whether it’s your office, your shop or your home, if the power runs out, you can always rely on your generator without worrying about anything. Power outages can be very irritating, especially when they are continuous. There are places in the world where there’s no electricity for hours, and it can cause a lot of trouble by stopping the daily routine of important chores.

In other words, one thing that’s well established among people is that yes, they do need a generator as a power backup when the electricity goes out. Now, first, you need to learn how to choose a home generator or a generator for your office, etc. Once done and once you’ve bought the generator, the next step is to be careful and adhere to some basic safety tips if you want the generator to work for you for a long time.

Here are some important generator safety tips you should follow for your safety and for the safety and maintenance of your generator.

1- Installing a transfer switch

If you are using a generator in your house as a power backup for when the electricity is out, you need to get a transfer switch installed by your electrician. The electrician will connect your generator with a transfer switch, and then this switch will power all the electric circuits in your home. The switch is to be installed next to the electric panel that you have. The whole point of it is to manage the power in your house.

2- Never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet

If you want to safely isolate the circuits of your home from the power lines, then the best thing to do is to install and use a transfer switch. One of the biggest things you need to avoid is to directly plug a generator into a wall outlet. This can be very dangerous, so you have to be extra careful with it. If you plug the generator directly, it will send back the power to all the connected utility lines. It’s called back feed, and it can be so dangerous that it might even start a fire in your house.

Photo by Kinsleyanalytics, Wikipedia commons

3- Read the manual for generator safety tips

Even if you’ve used generators before, you still should refer to the manual of the generator that you just bought. Read the instructions carefully because each manual and each generator has separate instructions given. There are modern generators out there that run on gasoline with just 10% of ethanol. No matter what it is, it’s important for you to be familiar with this type of fuel requirement. Not just this, but you also should know the amount of power that’s produced by your generator.

4- Never overload your generator

Every generator out there produces electricity by burning fuel. There are several different kinds of generators with different fuels, but most of the time, it’s unleaded gasoline that’s used. The output of electricity is always measured in watts, and you will find generators with different wattages. This is important for you to consider, and you need to choose the generator that fulfills your electricity usage. If not, you will overburden the generator, and it will then lead to dangerous consequences. There are many ways to manage your usage and reduce your energy bill when not using the generator. One of them is by comparing the energy plans and to come up with the most suitable and affordable one according to your needs. In this case electricity companies like Spark Energy come into place, they have plans that offer competitive electricity rates in the area of Texas in case you are looking to change your energy provider.

5- Always use heavy-duty power cords

Last but not the least, you should never use lighter cords because that increases the voltages, which is the last thing that you want. You are supposed to use heavy-duty power cords for lesser voltage, and things will fall into place for you.

Conclusion

These are the tips that you need to keep in mind once you bring a generator home. With these safety tips, you won’t have to worry about any damages and harm with your generator.