Branding and Promoting You & Your Business

What is Digg? For those who do not know, I will use the description right off their web site:

“Digg is a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web. From the biggest online destinations to the most obscure blog, Digg surfaces the best stuff as voted on by our users. You won’t find editors at Digg we’re here to provide a place where people can collectively determine the value of content and we’re changing the way people consume information online.”

Now you are asking what "Branding and Promoting You and Your Business" has to do with Digg? The best way I could provide you with an understanding is through an article written by Brian Cuban of BrainCuban.com for SiteProNews.com called "How Digg Got Me On ESPN and FOX News"

One of my favor parts about Brian's article was this statement "There is nothing wrong with writing about other people’s news. Unless you are writing an original screenplay it makes sense to write about the world happening around you." Read More.

Feel free to leave a comment on this article and post.

Write Effective Free Advertising for Your Online Business Branding Part Two

From my previous post “Write Effective Free Advertising for Your Online Business”. We talked about the importance of the subject line and how it hooks the reader to your ad copy/ad body of your advertising; it's amazing what works and what doesn't work.

If you're an accountant, lawyer, or business consultant with a marketing program, you don't have to know how to write an ad, but you should know some things about how to produce exciting ad copy. You should know also that what you think works, may not.

While a great deal is known about what works in ad copy, there’s even more we don’t know. What makes it difficult for new ad copy writers is that what you may judge to be great copy because of the poetry, imagery, sound, and lyricism, may be lousy for accomplishing the mission of the ad. “But have no fear your ad copy lesson is here.”

When the advertising expert, David Ogilvy, was told that copy should be short and terse, because nobody reads more than a few words of an ad, he wrote the classic, "At 60 miles and hour the only sound you hear is the clock." It was a full page of text, describing the features of the Rolls Royce. It sold a lot of cars. Now I want you to really think about how these twelve words attracted the reader/consumer.

Now take a look at very short one liner’s the really attracted million of readers and listeners. “Where is the Beef”, “Got Milk”, or even “The Other White Meat”, you all should know the companies and organization that branded these short lines. These very attractive words triggered and branded your mind to them. The same goes for creating good ad copy.

But in an imitative world, a great many ad people imitated not the selling aspects of the ad, but its length. We were then treated to a bunch of long text ads, most of which sold nothing. Some ad people simply didn't get it. The good news is you do and will write great ad copy.

Perhaps the hardest thing for people who are not marketers to understand is that the process is a function of imagination. All of which are what we usually mean when we use the word "creative." There are rules, and these rules are always made to be broken. Like the best abstract artists, who know better how to abstract because they are fine realistic artists, it's likely that those who know the rules best are those who break the rules best. So as you begin writing ad copy do something different, the sky is the limit, and breaks the rules.

Some Simple Suggestions for Writing Ad Copy

1. Sentences should not be longer than seven words,
2. The number of sentences should be no longer than seven.
3. Make sure to place a space between the sentences.
4. I use an ellipsis at the end of my sentences (What is next…) these three dots provides for continuous thought. The reader is going to go to the next line to see what is…
5. Next…
6. Single line ad copy can be just as powerful as using the above rule of sevens.

Now we have covered the basics. Let me use the previous example from “Write Effective Free Advertising for Your Online Business” blog post.

Subject/Headline: You've Never Seen This Before…

Ad Copy/Ad Body: Or you'd be DOING IT!

And you wouldn't be wasting your time...

Posting your BRAINS OUT here in the free ads!

Let us help you escape this mess!

http://www.WorldWideWealthBuilders.com

First the subject/headline is invoking interest and the power line in the ad body is “Or you’d be DOING IT” invites the mind eye to see what else the message has in it. It invokes emotion, mystery, and you want to see what’s next. The credit for this ad goes to Digital Don Hill. He really makes the mind engage with this ad.

Now lets look at a brilliant one line ad copy to get your mind thinking and unleash your creativity:

Subject/Headline: Your Secret To Internet Success Are Waiting

Ad Copy/Ad Body: Along With The Tools You Needed… http://www.BerryCritter.com

Now take a look at the headline, do you see two very powerful words? They both stand out. “Secret” and “Success” if you really study advertising you will find that these two words are in the top 10 of words to attract and evoke emotion. Again they trigger the minds eye. Now to the Ad Copy; “Along With The Tools You Needed” this connects to both Secret and Success. Your question is how these words connect to each other. Just think about it. “Secret”, you really want to know the secret. “Success” you need tools and help so you can be successful so the line “Tools You Needed” is the hook or the lock to getting the reader to respond by clicking on the url. I give the credit for this ad to Stephanie “Wavecriter” Haile. Stephanie one line ad is powerful and grabs attention and really attracts the reader by offering a solution to there need. To be frank, I really think one liner’s in free classified adverting campaigns produce results. They are simple, easy and really fun to create.

Now I will let you mind absorb this material and in my next post I will go in depth on your objectives and the elements of Writing Effective Free Advertising.

Call Calling For Gold Part Three

Prospect = Asset = Gold

Now you have this gold/prospect you have to refine it and turn it in to an asset which will offer you a return on your investment. So think about gold and how it can be refined, gold bar, jewelry, and many other precious materials. How do we do this? We take our next to the final step and what I like to refer to as “create a jewel” or in the sales word the close. If you have effectively asked the correct right questions then this will be the easy part.

If you are in the online business world then all you have to do is take them through the process that you take any new client/prospect or new team member. See, though the entire process I have not talked about price, investment, cost, or how much money they are going to spend. If you have done your job right they already know the value and benefits to investing in you. You know if they can afford the investment. So now just act as there guide and get them all set up with everything they need. Once you have completed this and everything is signed, approved, and the investment is sealed then you will have your precious jewel, your asset, and your return will be bountiful. Not just today but for the rest of your life. Just like a gold ring you have to now take care of your new relationship for the long haul and I can assure you if you do this it will make you proud for many years to say that I have great assets your client/customer.

Now for the final step this one is easy but should not be taken for granted. Make sure to say “Thanks You”. Thank them again for their time, and offer them your help if they should ever need it. This strategy is not only a touch of class on your part, but also gives you another opportunity to continue your relationship and leaves the door open for you again and again.

Now you are a Gold Miner you will definitely hit a huge gold vein if you keep practicing and learning more about cold calling and sales. I would like to suggest the following blogs and websites for you to visit to continue your sales learning path:

www.SalesBlogcast.com

www.hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com

www.SalesRoundup.com

www.MyVMTeam.net

www.MyVMTeam.com

www.GoogleMeTalkRadio.com

www.qAliasAffiliates.com - “Google Me” it’s all about “You”

www.AskJimCobb.com

In closing, I would like to thank you for your time and I look forward to share more with you. Please feel free to leave your comment or even a question in my comment section or at www.MyVMTeam.wetpaint.com

Google Me Regards,
Ask Jim Cobb – Google Me

Cold Calling For Gold Part One

Many online sales professionals are shy when it comes to cold calling, that shyness, unfortunately, makes them ineffective when they pick up the phone to make the calls. The fact cold calling is on of the most effective way to get the word out about your business, your success, and you.

See I don’t call it cold calling, I call it prospect mining. Just like a gold miner I am mining for prospective client/customer. Gold mining consists of the processes and techniques employed in the removal of gold from the ground. Gold mining and prospect mining have a lot of similarities. So let’s take a look at my most successful prospect mining technique:

Panning for Gold – Panning for Prospects

Now I know that a lot of us should know about Panning for Gold. Panning for prospects is fun and exciting. Just think what you will uncover.

“Gold panning is a mostly manual technique of sorting gold. Wide, shallow pans are filled with sand and gravel that may contain gold. Water is added and the pans are shaken, sorting the gold from the gravel and other material. As gold is much more dense than rock, it quickly settles to the bottom of the pan.”

Panning for prospective clients/customer is done much in the same way. Our pan is the phone and our list of phone numbers and names are sand and gravel that contains the gold. So the first step is getting our pan and adding all of the prospects to it. Then we add water (building the relationship) to short the sand and gravel and other materials away from the gold and it quickly settles to the bottom of our pan. I visualize this with every time I am panning for prospects.

Now the most important process in panning for prospects is the water, building a relationship by asking questions. Just as you would meet someone at a party, maybe on a trip to the grocery store, or just meeting new people any where you may go. You begin a conversation with introduction. So if you are shy and want to overcome this you are going to have to prepare. Know your goal, what you want to say, how you want to say it and how you want to represent yourself, your business, and you.

Watch for Cold Call for Gold Part Two , I would like to thank you for your time and I look forward to share more with you. Please feel free to leave your comment or even a question in my comment section .

Google Me Regards,

Ask Jim Cobb – Google Me

Wet Paint Power - My VM Team

My VM Team Wet Paint Wiki is ranked in the Top 500 Wetpaint Wikis at number 186 out of more than 950,000!

What an outstanding site for the new and advanced Internet marketer! We have a tremendous team here at My VM Team that shares information on what is working Right Now with their own personal on and off line business.

In this mighty team there are SEO experts, Blogs and Social networks experts, communication managers, technical professionals, and everyday people all combining skills to tailor their individual online presence and marketing techniques for their own personal business opportunity. Whether they have an online business or a brick and mortar business, My VM Team gets the information out in real time and FREE! Never a dime, dollar, or peso. Free to sign up, everyone involved isn't about salesy selling to the team members but actual advice and learning how best to market that members business.

Get with this team by signing up for an invitation to the My VM Team Wetpaint Wiki http://www.MyVMTeam.net">http://www.MyVMTeam.net>

If you would like to hear more about this brilliant team, come take a listen to their Radio Show at http://www.MyVMTeam.com">http://www.MyVMTeam.com>

The "CEO of YOU" Step by Step Part 2

What makes “You” different?

Start today you're going to think of yourself differently! You're not an employee, staffer, worker, or a manager. You don't belong to any company for life, and your chief affiliation isn't to any particular job function. You're not defined a job title and you're not confined by your job description.

Starting today you are a brand.

You're every bit as much a brand as Nike, Pepsi, Ford or the local Body Shop where you live. To start thinking like your own favorite brand manager, ask yourself the same question the brand managers at Nike, Coke, Ford, or the Body Shop ask themselves: What is it that my product or service does that makes it different? Give yourself the traditional 20 words or less challenge. Take the time to write down your answer. And then take the time to read it. Ten times, and really think about it. WHAT ARE YOU DIFFERENT?

If your answer wouldn't light up the eyes of a prospective client or command a vote of confidence from a satisfied past client, or worst of all, it doesn't grab your attention, then you've got a big problem. It's time to give some serious thought and even more serious effort to imagining and developing yourself as a brand.

Start by identifying the qualities or characteristics that make you distinctive from your competitors or your colleagues. What have you done lately, this week, to make yourself stand out in the crowd? What would your friends, colleagues or your customers say is your greatest and clearest strength? Your most worthy personal trait or what do you think creates the buzz about you.

Now commit to yourself that you will re-write it. What makes you different, unique, from the rest. This is one of the most important parts of your brand.

Your comments and back links are appreciated. Thanks for your time and make sure to come back to continue this series of blog post on the “CEO of YOU”.

Thank you for your time,

Jim Cobb - Google Me

CEO of "YOU Step by Step Part 1

Now we are going to really start digging into branding “You”. So I don’t want to overwhelm you with a 30 page blog post. I would like to take you step by step through understanding more about branding and most of all BRANDING YOU.

Fortune 500 Companies understand the importance of brands. Today, with the emergence of the Google Me Revolution of the Individual, you have now branding “YOU”. Here's what it takes to be the CEO of “YOU”.

Except is...your mind is branded in today’s world.

That cross-trainer you're wearing, one look at the distinctive swoosh on the side tells everyone you got branded. That cardboard coffee cup you're carrying, yea, you're a Starbucks Venti Caffe’ Americano! Your Tee shirt has a distinctive Champion "C" on the sleeve, the blue jeans you are wearing with the prominent Levi's rivets, the watch with the Rolex icon on the face and back cover, your laptop computer with the Apple on the on the outer case cover, and when you open what do you see…… the Branding. I could spend the next month doing post to www.askjimcobb.blogspot.com every minute, hour, and day and still not reach all of the “Branding Triggers” that are deeply embedded into your branded mind.

You're branded, you have been branded, and your mind is branded. Now….

It's time for us to take a lesson from the big brands, a lesson that's true for anyone who's interested in what it takes to stand out and prosper in the new world of “Branding YOU”.

Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of YOU: To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called YOU.

It's very simple, think about it - - let take a look at your mind branding triggers.

Smell - - A very evocative sense in our memories. Everything has a smell and the mention of that sense in connection with a memory almost always makes connections. Think about when you drive by a bakery or even when you were a child and waking up in the morning and the smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen. How did that make you feel.

Sound -- Helps form the background of all the important places where we live and work. Invoking these sounds in the branding process can greatly enhance the minds ability to mentally create an experience using sounds.

Taste - - This one is the easiest. Is much like sound and smell. Now branding the experience of tasting it, the smell of the bacon frying in the kitchen or even the sound of it frying.

Touch - - A full body experience. Beyond the apparent uses of touch you can use the more subtle uses, like when your mother picked you up from sleep or your first hint that the hot water in the shower was running out just as your hair was filled with shampoo.

Sight - - Now this is the powerful one…this one everyone remembers. Look how Television, Radio, Print advertising uses your sight to brand your mind.

Senses can be great fun to use in branding. Experiment with using one or all the senses in branding YOU. Really think about it. Visualize it, now put it to paper.

Now I want to stop so you can focus on this. Really trigger your minds triggers. The more clearly the reader, prospect, customer, client, and person can see where you are, when you are, and who you are within YOU branding, the more clearly they can identified YOU. Now you will create a “Mind Trigger” of YOU.

Your comments and back links are appreciated. Thanks for your time and make sure to come back to continue this series of blog post on the “CEO of YOU”.

Thank you for your time,

Jim Cobb - Google Me

Why Pay it Forward in Todays Business World…

If you don’t give, you most likely will not get very much in return. I know that this is a harsh statement. However, you really have to look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself this question. Do I give and pay it forward?

In today’s business world you have to give in order to receive. The more you give the more you will receive. I always present paying it forward in this way. “Give ninety percent of the time and you will receive ten percent back.” So look at it this way. Would you be happy with one million dollars? Of course you would. But what if you take ninety percent of it and just gave it away. At this point you probably think I am a little crazy. But what I am trying to do is open your mind to “Paying it Forward.” Just think of what or who you gave the ninety percent to. How would it help someone else’s life or lives.

See “Paying it Forward” as not about you, but about helping someone else. Not expecting something in return. If you expect a return, then don’t do it. But if you do it with kindness and no expectations then what happens is you will cause a phenomenon to happen and the law of attraction will turn on and things will start to happen in your life.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This is what we know as the golden rule. In today's society, it seems to have been altered just a tad - "Do unto other's before they do unto you." Albeit a negative connotation, it can be turned one hundred eighty degrees into a positive thought and gesture. The movie Pay It Forward does just that. This movie tells the story of a social studies teacher who gives an assignment to his junior high school class to think of an idea to change the world for the better, and then put it into action.

Now it is time for you to put it into action. What can you do to make a change and make something better?

Today I woke up filled with emotion that really inspired me to do something for others. I have been in the business world for over 30 years and have always given back to others. But when I woke up my mind was filled with stepping my “Pay it Forward” up. I wanted to help more people with success in there off line and online business. Now here is what I have done.

I've have created "Friends Pay it Forward" Community. The premise of this program is the idea of repaying a gifts or kindness, not back to the person who gave it, but forward to someone else (or to many someone else’s), and to keep the idea going by asking them to do the same thing.

How does this work? See Friends always “Pay it Forward” and in most friendships, giving is a way of life. I wanted to give free business information, gifts, tips, tools, and help people help others with success. So I started www.FriendsPayItForward.com a website where this is absolutely no cost to be a member. I like to refer to it as a “Friends Pay it Forward Community and all we ask you to do is “Pay It Forward”.

I will provide everything through emails and newsletters to the membership. As the community grows, so will the website. The first step is starting a list of people who really care and share. Then the evolution of the website will begin. One Step, One Person, One Friendship at a time and then “Pay it Forward”.

You are invited to become a part of the evolution of www.FriendsPayItForward.com . I thank you for your time and welcome any comments to my blog post. You are also invited to listen or call in to my Radio Show “Google Me Talk Radio” every Saturday at 3:00pm eastern US time zone. Go to: www.GoogleMeTalkRadio.com.

Remember to Pay It Forward,

Have a Great Day...

Jim Cobb - Google Me

Using Branding to Grow You an Your Business

As an independent professional, and a self employed online small business owner one of the most challenging tasks is marketing “YOU”. You know how to do what it is you do really well, you know you can offer value to people, you just don’t know how to locate people (prospects) and convince them to use your services or products (become customers).

One of the most powerful techniques in marketing is to open your mind to ideal client and brainstorm how they would find your business. This helps you to refine who exactly your target market are and what would be the best marketing methods to communicate your message to them.

I bet right now if you used this technique on your business one of the first things you would think of is the yellow pages. Most people automatically go to the yellow pages because that’s how people find businesses. Coaches, Realtors, plumbers, Mortgage Brokers, financial advisor's, consultants and any needs can be met by your fingers do the walking on your computer key board.

The Internet Google Me Search Revolution

The Internet is fundamentally changing how people find things. The physical Yellow Pages, the big yellow book, is becoming superseded by the Google me web search. People use websites like Google, Yahoo! and Ask Search to find answers, buy products, and locate professional service providers. Not to be left behind, the Yellow Pages have reacted to the shift and have worked hard to make a web version of their directory available. It’s quite clear that the future is online and you can’t risk being left behind.

Thankfully it’s early days and most small business are reacting slowly or badly, either not bothering to have a web presence at all or not thinking things through. It’s very common for a small business to slap a poorly conceived website online, hoping that somehow people will find it and become new clients. The fact is that one out of ten business on line do nothing with there website and use it for a business card. To be frank if you are not actively changing your website and improving it then all you have is a business card. Today is an opportunity for individuals that take their time and use smart tactics to create a purposeful website focusing on a specific niche.

I would hazard a claim that for many small businesses, including yours, the web could become the only marketing tool needed to acquire more clients than ever before “ more clients than you can handle on your own. Just think about this. 70% of everyone who sees and advertisement on TV, Radio or in print search the internet first before making any kind of a decision to make a purchase or use a service

Why am I so confident? Because right now I use the web to generate all my business and I know of many others that do the same. For example, take a look at my friend an new and up coming Attorney. He uses the Internet to get nearly 100% of his new clients. He focuses on the Columbus, Ohio marketplace and faces almost no online competition. Hence whenever anyone searches for a Columbus Ohio Attorney or Lawyer his website is in the first page of search results. I could tell you a similar story about a realtor’s and a mortgage broker that both dominate a geographic demographic and face little competition online.

It’s Not Too Late to Branding “You” Online Marketing

There is no good excuse for not initiating some form of branding “YOU” online marketing. Even simply having a website listing your contact details is a start and should be leveraged using other marketing methods, such as including your name on business cards, letter heads and brochures followed up with Google Me (example Jim Cobb – Google Me}. The real power comes when you use the worldwide web as a marketing process to help generate a constant stream of eager clients just dying to purchase from you. While this is not a straight forward process the principles behind it are quite easy to follow and merely draw from the skills you already have.

The important thing to understand is that right now is the best time to start building an online marketing system using Google Me. Many online markets are not crowded and it is easy to find a niche you can dominate. I guarantee there are people out there searching the web for “YOU” and what you offer.

The Internet rewards people who maintain a web presence for a long time with regular updates. This means that over time as competitors come into your marketplace you can remain the leader because you have first mover advantage. You established your website first and enjoy the constant flow of traffic that comes from having a long standing Google Me web presence.

Just try it…You will not be sorry…

Jim Cobb – Google Me

Are you a Internet Marketers or “Real Branded Idea Marketer”

In my travels across this World Wide Web, I have come up with another, maybe more explanatory name for Internet Marketers. The Real Branded Idea Marketer is a much more fitting term for the brilliance that comes out of Internet Marketers.

Creation, artistry, and illusion are but a few of the wonders and mystique that surround this fascinating occupation. These listed and the powerful personalities that reflect this awesome fireworks display are the reason for the draw, the curiosity, and the excitement.

Sometimes in my work, I get very amused. Don't you enjoy watching an interesting situation being played out right in plain view, when the players have forgotten that people see what they are doing? They get so busy maybe that they forget they could be witnessed acting silly, working hard, or trying to keep things secret.

Generally speaking, life on the Internet is sometimes silly, almost always working hard, and try as some may, and nothing is ever a secret for long.

The whole premise of The Real Branded Internet Marketers is to reach out to new and interesting people, see places we can't get to readily, and to create wonderful, explosive artwork, sites, and ideas. But certainly, not to remain hidden, especially from the team you have developed and have in the palm of your hand.

Internet Marketers by definition are on the Internet, and usually for many hours a day. It can, at times, seem that you work alone. That it is just you in a room with your machine, the personal computer. With every keystroke, website, and photo we post, upload, or submit into the vast reaches of Internet space, those with a pc of their own, then know what you are doing, when you are doing it, and generally have a guess as to how many hours a day you spend doing it.

Underestimation of your peers in any business situation is more than likely an internet marketer choice not a “Real Branded Idea Internet Marketer”. Get involved with your online friends and business partners. Let them know what you are doing, when it is working for you, and share something as you go. Leaving your friends in the dark will only darken your friendships. This is the biggest and most powerful business that by actually helping your team, business partners, and friends with your knowledge will actually end up benefiting you as well.

The days of telling half instructions and leaving out some critical details, non or partial training are over. The quick change of the Internet also means the quick changes in strategy, marketing or otherwise, and without keeping your team, business partners, how about let's refer to them as what they are, friends informed and on top of their game.

The bottom line here is. If you are not paying it forward then you are not a team you are one. Being one, one person, without a team in today’s internet marketing world will most likely lead you toward a fatal ending in your business.

For the “Real Branded Idea Marketer’s” out there my hat is off to you and your teams. You are paying it forward and seeing results.

If you pay it forward it will come back to you ten times. If you cannot keep your honor and integrity in what you do, then you really need to take a look at who you are and what you are all about.

I want to leave you with these final words…

“Dedicate yourself to your team and they each will be dedicated to you forever. This my Friends is a “Real Branded Idea Marketer”

As always feel free to leave a comments and link back to this post.

Thank you for your time,

Jim Cobb - Google Me

Focus On Your Branding “Develop your YOU Brand - Part One”

There are three parts you need to focus on when assembling your personal strategy. Let take a look at part one “Develop your YOU Brand”:

During the development of "YOU Brand" you need to ask yourself these basic questions.

What are my values?
What do I love?
What do I dislike?
What do I love to do?
What am I really proud of?
Who would I like to be ?
What is important and valuable to me?
What do I want to be known for?
Who are my mentors?

Yes these are very basic questions. However, sometimes these are the most difficult to answer. You must answer these questions and be true to yourself and your honesty will really show in your brand.

Once you have created your brand, it will serve as the basis for everything that connects people to you and your brand, logically, spiritually and emotionally. Brand is soul deep. Your image is very important, of course, but an image is just a reflection of your brand and your personal core values. Remember: the idea of branding yourself goes far beyond promotion and marketing yourself to others. The bottom line is it come down to YOU.

"The core of branding, beyond telling truth, is to be true to yourself." as said by Dr. Seamus Phan says in his book, DotZen. This is the most important part of your development stage of your YOU branding. This is where you determine who you are, what you are all about and what you stand for. So look at yourself in a mirror and really take a hard look at yourself, what do you see? This requires a lot of reflection and deep inter thinking about you. But this does not have to be done entirely by you.

Validate yourself. Go to your close friends and ask the how they perceive you. Make sure to ask more than one friend to do this. Then compare this with how you look at yourself. You may find that your friends have very good insights into your character, traits and attributes that you may not have noticed before. Some of the time we are blinded to our own personality characteristics and flaws. We always think we have flaws and we really a false perception of who we are. We may need help from our friends occasionally in our attempts to validate ourselves.

The foundation of a good brand is authenticity, consistency, and clarity. This holds true for your personal brand as well. Use these three parts when building your foundation as your guide when taking a look at your brand. By really taking a look inside yourself during this process and working hard to define who you are, what you stand for, and your brand message will become clear. It will be clear to others because it is clear to you. A clear message is a message people can trust, honor, and will show your integrity. Personal branding can evolve overtime, but will remain essentially consistent to your core foundation.

Thank you for your time,

Jim Cobb - Google Me