The value of Branding your business

Branding your business is a marketing term that quite simply defines or identifys your company with a set of shared values.   Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks Coffee empire adds that “your company needs to make and emotional connection with people outside of your product”.  In his case, the definition refers to outside his coffee.

The needs and desires of your customers are what drive your company’s growth.  Finding the answers to those questions requires a purposeful plan and exercise.   A good business owner or manager has an awareness to customer comments, trends and spending habits but a dedicated and timely effort to secure those answers lends more support to your analysis and conclusions.

The one constant expectation customers will seek until they find it is integrity.  Nothing will sink your business faster that a reputation for lacking integrity when dealing with customers, vendors or employees.  Consequently the best foundation for branding your company to start with is your reputation for integrity.

Once you have determined what wording best defines the essence of your company’s values, you can write a “mission statement” that further defines your company from an overall standpoint.  Incorporating the values of your branding values, you can readily remind yourself, your employees, your customers and vendors of what you stand for in the marketplace.

If you need a good reference to start your thinking process for this exercise, read the Gospels and note how Jesus branded his company.  As you read His life story, you will see the Godly principles he operated in all the time.  History will repeat for you as it did for Jesus in that you will not be able to please everyone as hard as you may try.  But each and every day that reality will give you a chance to build the character and brand of not only your company but you too.  Afterall, the company is you just as Jesus was and is the church.

When you have your branding identified and your mission statement written, be sure and write it so that all your company can read it, understand it and run with it.  That document can become a constant reminder for all involved in your operation that your branding value (reputation) is only as good as your actions.   This platform for your company’s business behavior can be a very effective evangelistic tool. So go, spread the Gospel, and only use words if you have to! 

Rich Forster    KBJ Publisher

Feed Burner is awesome

I am so excited.  I took the plunge and have subscribed to FeedBurner.  I know some of you probably wonder where I have been, but it is new to me.

On my blog I now have a e-mail subscription that allows readers to subscribe to the blog and they will be notified by e-mail with any new post.

On my website I now have this cool animated box that roles different blog post titles and dates and allows the reader to subscribe.

I am excited to learn even more.

If you are not familiar with Feed Burner I suggest you check them out.

CLICK HERE

Blessings!

My weekend of entrepreneurial venture

Selling Ham and Beans and Tators and Onion cooked over a wood fire

Last year another family in our church decided to do a craft festival and asked If I could help, I said sure.  I was in charge of publicity on the web and to local media and Dutch Oven cooking.

We are doing it again this year and today we had a great turnout. I wrote about this on my other blog and so here is a link.

CLICK HERE

I’m Moving!

I have been doing WordPress for over 1 year. I have a blog on my website and I have decided to change over to it.

I have over 300 post on this site, so take a moment and look around.

When you are done come and visit my new blogsite.

Simply click this link which will take you to our website home page and scoll to the bottom for the blog.

KINGDOM BUSINESS JOURNAL BLOG

Blessings

Lowell Lane
Kingdom Business Journal

Advertising in Today’s Marketplace

I have had 15 years experience in selling advertising.  I have sold Radio,  yellow pages, and worked with Internet.   Advertising is an interesting business; and, as the economy changes, so do advertising trends.

Cut advertising expenses first??

I was getting gas this evening and ran into a friend who owns several radio stations.  I asked how the radio business was, and he said things were great.   He then told me he has been in radio through 4 recessions, and it has never really effected their business.  He said that this year was not as good as last year, but better than the year before; and,  it was an all time record.   Much of it is because of the area we live in; and if we lived on the coast or in a large metropolitan area, he would be telling a different story.  He asked me how my business was.

In yellow pages, the industry as a whole is down slightly.  The last book we did ended up better than the year before.  We are working on a new book at this time; and, it is going OK.

Before this conversation, I spoke with a body shop owner.  He said that he has been in businesses for over 40 years and that it seems to him that when the economy is bad his business is better.

I talk to business people every day; and ,I hear both sides of the story.   I hear the gloom and doom; and, I hear the success stories.   Yes,  there are folks out there that are truly having a hard time keeping the door open; and, I know how they feel because I have been there.

The number one difference I have seen is the business owner’s attitude.   The people I have personally met who are struggling  are scared to death of what may happen with the economy and have chosen to start cutting everything possible.  Many start with advertising.  I had a salon owner tell me the other day that advertising is the thing she cuts first because it is a controlled cost.   That makes sense in the checkbook; but,  in the big picture it often proves to be a mistake.

Advertising during hard times is an awesome opportunity.  Since there are those who are cutting, it opens the door for you to take their share of the market.

Time to Advertise

Yes, I agree you have to be careful where you put your money, but cutting advertising is a mistake.

Before you cut your advertising, ask yourself several questions.

1.  In my overall budget, what is my current advertising cost?

2.  Where are my advertising dollars going?   Make a list of the last 3 -6 months advertising and break it down by category such as Yellow pages, radio, television, newspaper, and other.    Where are the majority of your funds being spent?

3.  Once you determine where your dollars are going,  you need to look at how effective the ads are.  EXAMPLE:  If you are an at need service company, you need to consider the fact that people don’t think about your business unless they need you.   80% + turn to yellow pages at a crisis time such as this.   They will not remember your phone number from an ad they heard on the radio 2 weeks ago going 70 miles per hour going down the freeway.   On the other hand,  if you having a slow month and you need to generate some fast income, then running a special time sensitive ad on the radio might make them react and go ahead and have the work done at a better price.

4.  Re-direct your advertising dollars for maximum effectiveness.   Example:  If you are running television spots at
$80.00 per 60 second spot. and they are running 2 times a day 6 days a week, then you are spending $960.00 per week or $3840.00 per month.   If you would like to run some specials for the last 2 weeks of the month but you can’t add the expense, then you can re-direct.   If you simply did one spot per day then you have a budget of $ 1920.00 for the month to run your specials.    After your special is over, you can then resume your regular schedule.   This will give you a chance to evaluate the effectiveness of your ads by judging the results.

5.  The last thing before cutting your advertising it to look at your entire budget and expenses and see what else is a cost that you can cut.

Remember cutting advertising is cutting your customer flow; and, cutting your customer flow is cutting your income.

If you are fearful of the economy or just want to know what is really going on, not just what you hear on the media….

Click the Banner on the right for TOWN HALL FOR HOPE   WITH DAVE RAMSEY!

Blessings!

For more information,  we have several really good articles on www.kingdombusinessjournal.com, Check them out!

Will work for food!

Have you ever seen a person along side a rode who has a sign that reads, “Will work for food”?

I saw a guy yesterday who was standing at an intersection that said, “Steve the painter” Interior painting and his #.

How creative is that?  Marketing with no money!

What will you work for?

Direct mail marketing ~ New experience

I have been busy preparing a mailing.  This is a first time for me, and it is a lot of work and it has been frustrating.

The computer I have is a Windows XP- Garage Sales Special.  I am not joking.  My laptop died and I was at a garage sale and bought it for $25.00.   Shortly after getting it it crashed, but they were able to restore it and since it did not have the Office disc’s, they installed Open Office.  It works fine, but printing labels has been a nightmare.   I finally got it to print the labels, but they are not perfect as I wished.

We have all 1500 envelopes ready except the postage and inserting the letters.   They are will be going out Monday, I hope.

I have only had people tell me about direct mail marketing in the past.   Since the average is about a 1-2% return, I have never messed with it.  This is a different situation and my boss says it is an effective tool.

What about you, have you tried direct mail marketing?   Letters, postcards,  or flyer’s?

If you have had experience with this form of marketing would you share it by commenting ?

Blessings!

Lowell Lane

What I learned about TWITTER AND FACEBOOK

I have a friend who sent me a comment about me using Facebook. I told her I had attended a Tele-Seminar about social media and I offered to share my notes.

I decided to write a little article about it.

Hope they help you!

CLICK HERE TO READ!

Surviving or Thriving?

This is interesting.  I decided to write about Surviving or Thriving, and so my wife decided she would also.  Laura wrote the post before reading mine.  Here is mine!

Last week at church someone asked, “How is business? You know there are a lot of people going out of business and cutting cost to survive!”   We continued to talk and the next thing they said was,”but you know this is the time to advertise and get aggressive, when thing are bad.”

So, are you in survival mode or a Thriving and opportunity mode?

I am a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Graduate, and I like what Dave Ramsey says,

“I’m tired of hearing all the gloom and doom coming from the media about the economy and unemployment—I bet you are, too! Let’s take a minute to look at the true reality of the situation and what we can do about it.

Yes, many people have lost their jobs and houses. You may be one of them. But guess what? People have lost their jobs and houses even in a bull market. About 93% of people are still employed. That is pretty good! I was alive in the 1970s when unemployment hit double digits, and we’re nowhere near that right now! I’m not making light of the fact that some people are struggling; I’m just putting the situation in the proper perspective.

Even though you may be currently unemployed, that doesn’t mean you have to participate in the recession. People like me who have chosen to not participate acknowledge the reality of a slow economy and suffering people. However, we have decided that we’re not going to form our lives around the negativity coming out of the media and government. We’re intensifying our efforts and going to have the best year of our lives in spite of things slowing down.”

I side with Dave Ramsey, I choose not to participate.  Yes I am aware of the problems that are going on with the economy, but this is the time for opportunity.  When others are surviving  and cutting all cost, others are thriving.  People have asked me, “Isn’t it a bad time for you to be starting a New Shepherds Guide book”?  My response is, that it is God’s book,  God is building it, God called me to be a servant, and God will provide.

Let me give you an example of a direct sells company I am involved with.  Saladmaster is a direct sales company with the finest product on the market in there industry. They looked at the market and found opportunity.  They found that many people are eating at home and cutting back on eating out.  Food prices are increasing and there product helps cut food cost.  Many people are being health conscience and there product provides a healthy method of food preparation by eliminating oil and retaining nutrients.  They also found that more and more people are looking to supplement there income.

Guess what!  They have a are having record sales and they are hiring a lot of part-time people.  They are making an opportunity out of the current condition.

So, are your going to make an opportunity out of the current condition?  Take a look at your product and your market.  Do some research.  Are there hidden opportunities that you could take advantage of ?

CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RECESSION!

CHOOSE TO THRIVE, NOT SURVIVE!

TO SEE LAURA’S VERSION CLICK HERE

Networking, Goal Setting, and Fellowship

I attended a seminar about Achieving your business goals last night. It was good.

They had several speakers.

Deb Payne Lighthouse Coaching – Business and Life Coach.  She had a very light and fun talk about stretching you and helping you to go to the next level.

James Lee Vann- Ensign Technologies LLC.  James did a great job explaining the different kinds of social media, how it came about and gave examples of how to use it.  I believe he is going to do a class on it because there was a lot of interest.

Marlene Chism – Corporate trainer and Author of, “Success is a Given”.  Marlene did a great job talking about the principles of her new book and how to  stop the  drama.  Drama is any obstacle to your peace and prosperity.

Shelly Rice – Chocolate Blues and Business.  Shelly put this event together and did a great job.  Thanks friend.  You really should check out her events they are a good source of networking and lots of fun.

So, I got to do some networking and learn some new ideas about goal setting and marketing.   Best yet, I got to spend the night with my wife who came with me.  Rich and Vana Forster also attended and afterwards we went for coffee and got caught up.

Made a long day, but it was good!