Posts tagged as:

Brand

Web Site Redux

by Daria Steigman on March 28, 2011

Web design, branding, Independent Thinking, Steigman CommunicationsEver find yourself saying “do as I say…”?

I’ve known for some time that my Web site needed some work. The calls to actions were mostly hidden (or missing altogether). The font didn’t, as my brother so succinctly put it, “do justice to your design sensibility.” The social media buttons were disjointed–or missing altogether.

Now I’ve rolled out some changes, including making it easy for people to subscribe to this blog via e-mail, adding big “connect with me” buttons and a newsletter sign-up, and creating a custom 404 page. There’s also a new font to give the site a more updated look.

What’s your impression? (If  you’re reading this in an RSS reader, please click over to my Web site and let me know what you think.)

And while you’re here, will you consider signing up for my newsletter?

Photo by Bernadette MacPherson Morris (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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Get Rid of that First Impression Once and For All

by Daria Steigman on January 18, 2011

Business, Engagement, Branding | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcYou can’t really shake a first impression. It’s done. When we screw it up, we have to live with that.

But I’ll share a secret: You can make a second impression.

I received a call recently from someone I’d talked to a few months ago about a possible project. She had read my blog post on The Importance of Saying “No” and saw herself in there. And so she called to say “I’m sorry.”

It takes guts to apologize. More important, it takes a lot of class.

In my earlier post, I wrote:

Most of us have mental lists of people who have gone out of their way to be helpful–or not. To answer or return phone calls–or not. To give an honest answer to an honest question–or not.

Guess which list she’s on now?

Photo by David Spender (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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Is 2011 the Year the Workforce Grows Up?

by Daria Steigman on January 11, 2011

Business, Marketing, Branding, 2011 Trends | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcOver at Small Business Labs, Steve King set out his top 10 business trends for 2011. At number 9: “Freelancers Realize They’re Small Business Owners.” King identifies two categories of contingent workers: those embracing freelancing and those stuck with it because of a lack of full-time job options. He writes:

Both groups will increasingly see themselves as long-term freelancers and realize to be successful they will need to view themselves as small business owners. [Emphasis mine.] This shift in thinking will improve their businesses and result in a stronger, more successful freelance community.

I agree completely with King’s premise. To succeed in business, you have to have a business mind. That falls right into my definition of Independent Thinking, which says in part that “to venture out on your own, you have to be great at your core business and savvy enough to manage everything else.”

But I think his conclusion is wrong.

It’s just not that easy to be a business owner, much less an entrepreneur. You have to understand that it is about more than just picking up projects or handing out business cards at a networking event. It’s about managing clients, marketing, branding, budgeting, forecasting, innovating, learning, business development–and getting the paying work done.

And you have to really want it.

I’ve seen some freelancers be very successful freelancers. Some independent contractors try to be business people and fail miserably. Some business people try business ownership and be completely lost. Looking at the landscape of the unemployed, it’s rare that I meet people who get how to pivot to small business ownership.

Are there some? Sure. But a trend? I’m not seeing signs of it.

Photo by Obliot (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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Are You Engaged in Co-Creativity?

by Daria Steigman on December 22, 2010

Branding, Innovation, Co-creativity | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcBranding firm BBMG has released an interesting white paper on what it terms “co-creativity.” The idea is for organizations to put their stakeholders at the center of a new, more participatory brand experience.

BBMG writes:

For all the hype about brands inviting customers into the conversation, the reality is it’s hard work (recruiting, retaining, incenting, curating, facilitating, participating, analyzing, synthesizing, acting, reacting, cuing up to do it again and again). The internal capacity is not yet there at most brands, much less the resource commitment. And the corporate perspective often does not look beyond the industrial model of value creation.

The report highlights five forces of co-creativity: mutuality, shared purpose, cross-pollination, innovation, and shared value.  It’s thought-provoking stuff, and well worth the read. You can download the e-book here.

Image  from The Age of Co-creativity.

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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The Two Most Dangerous Words in Business

by Daria Steigman on December 14, 2010

Business, Marketing, Branding | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcAre you sabotaging your success?

Sometimes the biggest barriers in business are the ones we create for ourselves. For example:

  • It’s just a business plan.
  • It’s just a blog post.
  • It’s just a speech.
  • It’s just a conference.
  • It’s just a tweet up.
  • It’s just a vendor.

Here’s the thing about “It’s Just”: When I was marathon training, our short distance runs, the ones sandwiched between the 18 and 20 and 22 milers, were “just 8 miles.” But we still had to run them. And they sucked, because our expectations were awry.

If you think it’s just a routine task, or just another meeting, are you really giving it your best? And what’s the impact on your business, your customers or clients, and your brand?

Photo by takomabiblot (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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