What You Need to Know Before Launching Social Media for Business

Written by Robyn T. Braley

I know you’ve heard it. "Forget Social Media. It’s just a passing fad!"

The next time someone at your company says that, ask them to take an Aspirin, Tylenol or Advil. Then, ask them to lay down and rest until the feeling passes!

Is it finally time for your business to launch a social media program? Think about it this way.

Why Your Personal Brand Matters!

Written by Robyn T. Braley

The people who matter to your career and business growth have an opinion about you. Whether you are the CEO of a large corporation, a student, warehouse worker, teacher, online marketer, pest control technician, truck driver, welder, farmer, salesperson or bootstrapper, what they think matters and will influence your success or failure.

Each of us has a brand. For those who own a business, your company brand will usually be closely aligned with your personal brand, particularly in the early years. It only makes sense that the business will take on the personality of the founder. But, the two brands will still have differences.

Defining your personal brand requires authenticity and transparency. Begin by asking pointed questions that require thoughtful and honest answers. 

1. What am I best known for?
2. What do others think I am known for?
3. What do I want others to know me for?
4. What do I need to change to reshape their opinion?

The answers will help you identify the basic elements of your personal brand. You will find positives to build on, and negatives that need some work. Building your brand is a life-long process that requires periodic self-checks.

Great Logos Connect at an Emotional Level!

An effective logo will communicate the essence of your company!

Written by Robyn T. Braley

You’ve chosen a company name. Now it's time to create a logo. Let’s ask the obvious question. As a start-up, do you really need one?

There is an easy answer! Yes!

Your logo will provide instant recognition. People around the world recognize the Nike swoosh as soon as they see it. It is a simple yet brilliant design!

Your goal is to develop an icon that will become the image that instantly identifies your company in the minds of your customers, employees, suppliers, and the community. As a new company, it signals that you are serious about what you are doing. 

This logo was created by Unimark for an oil & gas company that manufactures a product that eliminates unwanted emissions into the atmosphere during refining. 

Loyal Brandit readers know that my constant theme is branding. Everything comes back to the brand.

And, what is a brand? A brand is what others think it is. Plain and simple.

StartUp Funding! Tips, Ideas for Bootstrappers

Written by Robyn T. Braley

If you are reading Brandit for the first time, we are in the midst of a series packed full of practical ideas about how to Bootstrap a company into existence. If you are about to start a business and have limited capital, you are in the right place for tips and ideas.

Many Bootstrappers are thrust unexpectedly into starting their own business. The timing is not always of their own choosing. Some were downsized and left with few other options.

The key is to have passion and enthusiasm for what you are about to do. With little money to work with, knowledge, ingenuity and persistence will be your primary resources. Add a healthy dose of motivation, and you are good to go!

At some point, Bootstrappers need capital. Without sounding cliché, it takes money to make money. However, before scheduling a meeting with your banker, let’s explore a variety of options for leveraging your resources.

What's in a Company Name? Find a Sticky Name Customers Will Remember

Written by Robyn T. Braley

So, you are starting a new company. It may be as an act of desperation because you were laid off and you’ve given up trying to find another job in your market. You have little money, but there is no other choice. You will bootstrap your company into existence.

Or, perhaps the opposite is true. The economy in your trading area is popping. There are hundreds of opportunities for a new business.

Perhaps there is an emerging need and the company you work for is set in its ways and resists change. You have new ideas about how to adapt to changing times and exploit the new possibilities. This is the time to strike out on your own.

You must satisfy that itch!

Maybe, as an entrepreneur, you have an unsrcatchable itch! You can’t find relief in any other way than to start your own company. You are driven by an overwhelming will to succeed.

O.K., I’ll stop now! Whatever your reason for starting your company, you need a sticky name; one that everyone will remember.

A Lame Name in the Next Lane

How many times have you sat in your vehicle idling at a traffic light when you looked left and noticed a truck sitting in the next lane. You can’t believe your eyes. The name on the side of the truck is the silliest and lamest company name of all time. How can that happen? 

Having gone through the process of naming companies and products many times, I understand completely. It can happen for any one of a number or reasons. 

·         The owner was up against an incorporation deadline and needed a name – fast!

·         The owner just got her first order and needed a name before she could invoice for   badly needed cash

·         The owner chose the name years ago but the meaning is no longer relevant

·         The owner’s nephew in high school Drama chose it because he is really creative

·         The owner chose the name against all available advice, particularly from his spouse

What Drives You - 10 Tips for Staying Motivated in Demotivating Times

What drives you to achieve?

Written by Robyn T. Braley

There are three types of people who will read this post; 

1. Those who are down on themselves and need to be motivated

2. Those who must inspire others to be motivated

3. Those who are self-motivated and every day look for new ways to keep it that way. 

Before you hurriedly click out of this post, relax! This is not a droning academic study of the psychology of selling. 

While anyone at any point in their life may find this ... shall we say ... motivating, it originated as part of my series about Bootstrapping With Broken Laces. Bootrappers are unique people who start businesses with few resources and need to succeed NOW in order to feed their families and keep shoes on their feet!