What are you worth?

After working in the marketing industry for over 16 years, I'm used to justifying a companies' investment in marketing, branding, advertising and public relations. Unlike other functions within an organization, it's not as easily quantifiable as say, product development, or maintenance. If you pay someone to develop a widget, then sell that widget for a profit, you're able to justify why you paid someone to develop that widget in the first place. They developed a tangible product that you in turn, were able to sell.

Branding is a little bit different.

Recently I was asked what the ROI is on branding, and explained it as I normally would: organizing your company, product or service into a comprehensive brand that is readily identifiable and easily communicated to your target audience provides long term benefits...of course, those benefits aren't necessarily measured in dollars and cents.

Then I started to think about it some more (dangerous, I know!)

My thought is, how can you NOT invest in your brand? Afterall, it's YOU. You (your product, service, organization, and yes, you) are your own brand. How critical is it that you put your best foot forward?

For example, if you were interviewing for a job, or had a weekend seminar speaking engagement, you would most likely shop for a new suit, blouse, shoes, etc., have your hair done, make sure your look was polished. I would hope you'd make sure your nails were filed, and even the basics, that your outfit matched the industry you were trying to break into. If you were speaking at a seminar "Engineers: Evolution of Natural Science", I imagine you would dress conservatively: dark, plain suit, low heels, nothing flashy. On the other hand, if you were interviewing for a position at a downtown ad agency in the Jewelry District that prides itself on fresh thinking, creative solutions and a hippy vibe, you'd more than likely leave the dark conservative suit at home and wear something trendy, funky and as far from corporate as you could get.

Developing your brand is no different. You want to make sure how you present yourself will resonate with your target audience. It's investing in you (meaning your company) the same way you would if you went out and bought that new suit for a job interview. How do you show the return on that purchase?

Making a positive first impression is the name of the game. Your brand image is that first impression a customer has of you...but here's the real question: is that image the impression you're hoping to make? Are you thrilled to hand out your business cards? Or do you do it, with an explanation that it's not quite right, or you're having them redone? Do you revel in sending customers or potential clients to your website? Or do you shudder at the thought, afraid you've just sent a potential client on a wild goose chase of trying to discern who you are from your outdated pages? If a customer can't connect the dots between what you do and how you do it, and their first impression is less than favorable, from my humble perspective, the brand riddle is solved. Rather than looking at what branding initiatives are costing you, how about looking at the potential business you're losing by not communicating your business proposition effectively.

Quite simply, you can't afford NOT to invest in your brand. From your visual presentation (how you look) to your messaging (what you say), it's critical to make a positive impact. After all, you really only get one chance to make a first impression.

Turns out other companies are discussing the resurgence of brand advertising, too.

http://adage.com/article?article_id=136629

Marketing/Creative Writing 101 Workshop May 13

If your company collateral has been around longer than most employees, it's time for a makeover.

Is your image trapped in the 80s? Let's revamp your look!

Attend my Marketing/Creative Copywriting 101 workshop to learn marketing, branding, and copywriting basics. Brought to you by Aspire Magazine, this introductory workshop is perfect for the small business owner who wants to learn how to do it yourself—understand the basics while infusing your copy with oomph! I've revamped countless individual and company brands (including the new April/May Aspire magazine!) Come learn branding basics and how to improve your copywriting skills to create marketing material with flair!

What will you learn at this workshop?

• Small business marketing
• Powerful marketing tips
• Branding basics: What is a brand? How does branding work?
• Essence of a brand
• Creative copywriting basics
• Do's & Dont's of copywriting
• How to write an ad

Who will love this workshop?

• Small business owners, entrepreneurs, self-starters...anyone interested in supporting their business by understanding the basics of marketing, branding, and copywriting.

Event details:
Date/time: Wednesday, May 13, 12:00pm
Location: 14 Phyllis Road, Foxoboro, MA
Cost: $35

Contact me to register: lori @ makeoverdiva.com

It's a tie...

Sitting at my son's first baseball game of the season tonight, I was reminded of an important lesson in business, and in life.

It's all about momentum...

The force of movement in a positive direction. Usually there is an impetus for such momentum. In baseball, momentum comes from a series of great plays, one after another, feeding into the next. A great hit leads to an RBI...that scoring run propelling the team forward into a hot streak. Tonight the Orioles were on fire! First inning: three up, three down. Second inning continued in the same fashion. Third inning, they were up by five.

Then something happened.

The momentum shifted. Suddenly the opposing team was hitting, scoring, their stands cheering, and our team, the Orioles, was looking, and acting defeated. They'd lost their momentum. Or had they given it away to the other team? Just like a teeter totter, when one side is up, the other is down.

The same thing happens in business. Maintaining momentum can be tricky. Especially in these turbulent times. Continuing to focus on the positive things working in your organization is critical, especially when outside (or even inside) forces are tearing at the fabric of what makes you great, and ultimately, shifting your momentum, or focus.

Not to go too far with the baseball analogy, but you've got to stay on top of your game, or the momentum shift will become permanent...in the shape of a victory for the other team.

As for the Orioles, the momentum did shift back in their favor. However, it wasn't enough to propel them to their first win. It was a tie, 8-8. As the coach surmised as they took their last round at bat with a tied up score, 'at least we can't lose.' If only we all had that perspective!

Welcome!!

Welcome to the Makeover Diva blog!!

It's been a long time in coming, but I've finally given myself a makeover! Check out my updated corporate identity and website at www.makeoverdiva.com. I've even managed to get a few recent makeovers online...stay tuned for more as we really dig in.

Having just updated my own identity, it feels soooo good to have a brand look and feel that represents who you are as an individual business owner, corporate conglomerate, or individual walking down the street. You wear it well if you're proud of what your brand says about you. If this describes you, congratulations! Feels good, doesn't it? If it doesn't, we should talk. Whether it's a major overhaul or simple update, your makeover can make you feel like a million bucks. And in this economy, that's really something!!