I’m a brand,
so how could I be bland?

You want hype?
That’s not my type.

With all my might,
I’ll fight that hype

I’m unique.
Just not a boutique.

You see I’m big,
and that’s my gig

I’m a corporation you know.
That’s just the way to go.

And I’m a big brand.
I am I am Yes, I really am.

We spend a lot of money
telling you we’re sweet as honey

We tell you that we’re really smart,
and you’ll find us at the mart.

That’s what it takes,
for heaven’s sake.

To be a big corporate brand,
that’s never bland.

You really know
that’s the way to go.

You’ll buy my brand,
because I have you in my hand.

But please don’t feel blue,
just because big says it’s true.

When you’re small,
it’s hard to compete at the mall;

So you have to zig
when you’re not big;

Which takes some focus,
not some hocus pocus.

And when you don’t have a lot of money,
you may have to rely on sonny.

How, you say,
can you keep the big guns at bay?

By telling the truth,
and presenting proof.

Why you’re really cool,
and not just a tool.

And with that,
you can meet them at the mat.

You’ll find your loyal tribe,
without having to bribe.

You’ll create tons of value,
and succeed when you take that different avenue.

So you’re now a small brand
that’s never bland.

Watching Mad Men over the weekend made me think of the differences between then and now. In the 60s, advertising was so about running campaigns – perhaps the same year after year. Consumers had few options for their media. And little control.

No longer is it enough to create a logo and take out a few ads. They don’t work. Your customers have complete control over the media they choose. And an infinite variety of choices. So many that it’s often easier NOT to make a decision. Always easier to put a decision off for another day. Or after more data. More analysis. Problem is, more data makes a decision that much more difficult. There’s a point where too much information becomes a hinderance. When that happens – either customers choose the tried and true. Or nothing at all.

That makes it difficult for you to attract new customers if you’re not the tried and true default. What to do, you say? Create a brand so compelling it rises above the clutter. Make your brand the easy choice by knowing exactly what you stand for and what pain points your customers face that you address better than anyone. Then design a brand experience that wows and delights your customers that they keep coming back for more. You have to become crystal clear on this point. You have to know how you stack up to your key competitors and where you can gain the advantage.

Then you need to develop engaging campaigns, conversations that engage with your prospects, build trust and turn them into customers. That’s where a compelling, consistent brand image helps. It visually ties everything together, creating a snapshot in the mind of who you are and why you matter. When you’ve successfully done this, you’re poised to win in a brand 2.0 world.

Welcome back to Friday! If you’re just stopping by for the first time, let me know what you think and how I can help you best.

This Friday’s free image is all finding your destination. Where will the road take you? Who will you meet? What opportunities are at the end? What obstacles will it throw your way? You decide, but that’s just one possible concept for this image of a road winding through rocky terrain.

Don’t stop looking for ways to enhance your content. Grab today’s image and start adding some visual oomph to your content. All you have to do is provide an attribution with a link back to www.contentaction.com.

Here’s the link again - www.flickr.com/contentaction

Happy Friday! If you’re just stopping by for the first time, let me know what you think and how I can help you best.

This Friday’s free image is all about others paving the way. Many have gone before you. Did they succeed? Or did they fail? You decide, but that’s just one possible concept for this image from Red Rocks, Colorado.

Don’t stop looking for ways to enhance your content. Grab today’s image and start adding some visual oomph to your content. All you have to do is provide an attribution with a link back to www.contentaction.com.

Here’s the link again - www.flickr.com/contentaction

Welcome to the first Free Foto Friday of 2010. I’m hoping to provide a collection of high-quality images this year that help you communicate your ideas or market your business. I’d even welcome suggestions on what types of image concepts you’d find most useful as I have a decent library to draw from.

This Friday’s free image is all about building bridges for 2010. And sometimes you don’t know exactly what lies on the other side. You have to rely on faith and trust. What’s your take on what this image represents? You decide how it can work for you.

Don’t stop looking for ways to enhance your content. Grab today’s image and start adding some visual oomph to your content. All you have to do is provide an attribution with a link back to www.contentaction.com.

Here’s the link again - www.flickr.com/contentaction

With the myriad predictions for 2010 and recaps of what worked and didn’t in 2009, one thing is certain: business is not slowing down. Regardless of what happens in the economy. We’re in a period of disruptive change forcing businesses worldwide to reinvent themselves, adapt, or speed up to survive.

What worked five, ten, or twenty years ago doesn’t work now. Particularly in a time when everyone can be a publisher, and new tools for connecting online are introduced weekly if not daily. And in a time when people can get anything they need or want with a click, they’re not waiting for you. Nor will they miss you if you weren’t there – there’s always a brand to take your place. Please don’t despair, though. Amidst such change lies opportunities for brands open to them.

How do you keep your brand relevant in the face of such change? Never forget that basics still matter. Relationships are important. Treating people well never goes out of style. In fact, it can make or break you since Google is now including real time Twitter feeds in their search results. That means an angry customer or employee can do some damage quickly. But don’t panic – yet, anyhow.

What’s really important is to increase your brand’s ability to change with the times. It’s no longer a static thing and needs to fluctuate like the market. And the whims of your customers. In short, your brand needs to be agile. Hence brandgility. Yes, I made that up, but think it speaks clearly to the need to take a fluid, organic approach to branding. In Alan Webber’s Rules of Thumb, he talks about Megan Smith’s three rules – The customer participates. The customer drives. And open systems beat closed systems. You’ve got to let go of the wheel once you release your brand. Nurture it. Guide it. But don’t force it to stay between the lines. You can’t. Brands that do will find themselves abandoned at the roadside.

You’ve got to be agile because it’s emotional. An interesting read on this is Jonathan Harris’ new book We Feel Fine. It presents a snapshot of human emotion at a given time and place. Emotions are never rational.

Also consider the deep discounting brands of all types have had to make to stay profitable. Brandgility also speaks to your ability to run lean and mean. Don’t overspend on advertising thinking it’s a magic bullet. It’s less and less effective. Content marketing and social media are more important and less costly (but require more time). Pepsi for the first time in 23 years is not advertising in the Superbowl but instead investing $20 million in a social media campaign. I’ll say that once more – Pepsi is abandoning the most important television advertising event of the year. Why? Because it’s no longer working. No matter how much money they throw at it.

Granted, readers here are not apt to buy a Superbowl spot. But when a major player makes such a move, it’s a clear sign the landscape is shifting. And it won’t stay in one place for long.

Be nimble. Make your brand agile.

It’s hard to believe 2010 is just a couple weeks away.  Content marketing is rapidly reshaping the media landscape. With the closures of many prestigious publications like Gourmet and ID Magazine this year, it’s hard to miss the change. It’s making all of us publishers – and giving you more opportunities to reach your core audience.

This Friday’s free image is all about digging in for 2010. Gently perhaps. Or maybe it supports a concept around patriotism. No matter – you decide how it can work for you.

Don’t stop looking for ways to enhance your content. Grab today’s image and start adding some visual oomph to your content. All you have to do is provide an attribution with a link back to www.contentaction.com.

Here’s the link again - www.flickr.com/contentaction

I’m a brand.
So how could I be bland?

You want hype?
That’s not my type.

With all my might
I’ll fight that hype.

I’m unique.
Just not a boutique.

You see I’m big,
and that’s my gig.

I’m a corporation you know.
That’s just the way to go.

Because I’m a brand.
I am, I am. Yes, I really am.

We spend a lot of money,
telling you we’re sweet as honey.

We tell you that we’re really smart,
and you’ll find us a the mart.

That’s what it takes,
for heaven’s sake.

To be a big corporate brand,
that’s never bland.

You really know,
that’s the way to go.

You’ll buy my brand,
because I have you in my hand.

But please don’t feel blue,
because that’s not necessarily true.

But when you’re small
It’s hard to compete at the mall

So you have to zig,
when you’re not so big.

Which takes some focus.
Not some hocus pocus.

And when you don’t have a lot of money,
you may have to rely on sonny.

So you help him learn to say,
how to keep the big guns at bay.

By telling the truth,
and presenting proof.

Why you’re really cool,
and not just a tool.

And with that,
you can meet the big brands at the mat.

You’ll find your loyal tribe,
without having to give out any bribes.

You’ll create tons of value,
and kick the big brands into the bayou.

I hope you clearly see,
that small brands can find their own blue sea.

The holiday season is in full swing with company parties, shopping and planning for myriad get togethers. It’s a time when many companies take their foot off their marketing throttle. And that makes it a great time to publish some great content – it’s easier to stand out. It’s also a great time to get a jump on new content for January so you can hit 2010 strong while many are ramping up after taking some time off.

This Friday’s free image is from the Grand Tetons. While it’s a beautiful landscape shot, it can also represent hurdles to conquer or thriving against the odds. You may have an entirely different take on what this photo might represent.

Don’t stop looking for ways to enhance your content. Grab today’s image and start adding some visual oomph to your content. All you have to do is provide an attribution with a link back to www.contentaction.com.

Here’s the link again - www.flickr.com/contentaction

From Z to A – here’s a map for building your company’s brand. Many of these are connected, but if you work through this list with an open mind, you’re on your way to creating a brand that sticks.

• Z. Zoom. Don’t boil the ocean. Get things to market quickly. Speed, particularly in information products is key. Test quickly and often. More rough tests yield better results than long-term ridiculously expensive studies. We’re talking small business here. Not neuroscience. Zoom. The fastest brand wins. Who’s first is more important than who’s better. The first one there gets the coveted space in the mind. Later brands have to work to dethrone the early bird.
• Y. You have define who your customers are. And who they’re not. Define your buyer personas and talk directly at them, not being afraid to push away other people. YOU will get much farther ahead – never try to be everything to everybody because then you become nothing but noise.
• X. X-ray your brand. Look through all the layers that make up your brand and company. See how they work together or not. Fix the pieces that are not adding value or create friction for your customers or get in the way of attracting new customers. It’s about taking a critical look – ask a customer to help with this – or better yet, a cross selection of good customers who would be willing to give you their unvarnished opinions. Then listen.
• W. Walk your talk. Don’t just put fancy words on the wall. Live them.
• V. Value – If you’re not delivering killer value, think again. There is way too much clutter out there. Deliver value through your products and services and you’ll attract customers. They’re looking for making their time and money go farther. That doesn’t mean you need to be cheap. You just have to make time and money with you well spent. Viral, Vitality
• U. Useful – Make sure that your brand is helping your customers and future customers either get more done, or feel good about who they are. Being useful is about making a difference in someone’s life whether personal or professional.
• T. Trust Build trust with everything you do. WIthout trust you have nothing. It takes time to build but only a moment to destroy it. And in internet time, violations of trust spread like wildfire. Trust is one of your most precious assets. Timeless – While your brand and company needs to keep current with the times, you don’t have to be the speedracer. In the face of rapid change, offering qualities that can endure such change are attractive to many  people grasping for stability.
• S. Strategy – it takes a strategy. You can’t be successful with a shotgun approach. Know where you want to go and follow the course. But don’t be so rigid that you’re unwilling to make adjustments along the way.
• R. Responsibility – Never pass the buck. Take ownership when things go well and when they don’t. When a customer is unhappy with your brand, it’s a huge opportunity to score a win by quickly resolving their issue to the best of your ability. Or at the very least being upfront about the situation and why you can or can’t fix it. Few companies do this well.
• Q. Question everything you do – does it add or take away from the value your customers get?
• P. Profit. If you don’t know how you’re brand will earn you a profit, see S. Profit is not a bad thing – find the right pricing structure that provides killer value while earning you the profit you need to stay in business and thrive. I say thrive because there’s no point being in business just to exist. Consider, too, your positioning, purpose idea, promotions and persist. P is a really useful letter. Spend some time here.
• O. Own your suck. Enough said.
• N. Nurture your brand. It’s the little things you do every day that make the winning difference. Many companies roll out dramatic gestures but don’t invest in the hard work it takes to execute well. It’s a commitment thing. Pay attention to the details after the initial fanfare has faded.
• M. Monitor the conversations people have around your brand and your industry. It provides you the chance to respond quickly to unsatisfied customers as well as spot opportunities for creating value and being useful. Monitoring doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with Twitter and Google alerts. It’ll be eye opening.
• L. Live your brand – It’s not static. Your actions and those of your employees are the things that people base their image of your brand upon. It’s what they think it is – not what your messages say. Live it everyday. Make sure that matches what you’re saying about it.
• K. Kickass. Banish mediocrity and make a difference. That can be as simple as putting service into customer service. Most companies make that so difficult that it’s a huge opportunity to get traction in the market.
• J. Jam. Use emotion and design to connect on a gut level.
• I. Innovate. Be different from everyone else in your niche. A me too brand won’t cut it anymore. You’ve got find your voice, your brand personality and connect. Do it by doing something different than the rest. Connect two very different ideas to make something powerful. Always find ways to innovate in your area, whether through product and service design or customer service.
• H. Humanity. Brands are not meant to live on spreadsheets alone. People buy from humans. They crave human contact. Make sure your brand appeals to humans. An easy way to do that is to have real humans answer the phone and not make your customers push 9 buttons to speak with someone. Make your brand easy to connect with.
• G. Greater good. Make sure your brand has a purpose greater than just making you a tidy profit. How are you giving back to those that buy from you? How do you support the communities in which you work? Is it by providing jobs? Helping the less fortunate? Never forget that givers get. Don’t just take.
• F. Friendly. Make your brand so friendly and approachable so people are drawn to your company.
• E. Evangelize. You want people evangelizing your message. But they won’t do it unless they believe in you. They’ll evangelize if you rock and do what you say you’ll do by when. It’s about taking action. Not talking.
• D. Differentiation – you MUST differentiate yourself. You must have a unique reason for being. Otherwise, why be? Fail to define what differentiates you from your competition relegates you to obscurity. Don’t let that happen. Spend some time here.
• C. Context. Success going forward will go to those who make content useful. Those that provide the context for the content. Those that add meaning and clarity out of the clutter.
• B. Brand Promise. What is your reason for being. Your core. What you stand for. Define it. Then live it and feel it. It becomes the yardstick you measure your actions against.
• A. Accountability. Make sure you and your employees take accountability for your actions – good or bad. Don’t pass the buck, make excuses or blame someone else. Even in that someone else is a company that produced a key part of your product and service. If you’ve integrated into your product and it’s your name on it. You’re accountable. Own that.