by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 5, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies, Community & Relationships, Ideal Heroic Client, Market Research
Except for my client Rebecca Joseph (aka The Rabbi Chef), your goal is probably not to be the Next Food Network Star.
But there's a whole lot that celebrity chefs can teach us about working in a crowded marketplace. The successful ones truly excel at building their brands and growing their fan base. How do they do it? Here are five of their marketing strategies that you can (and should) adopt today:
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 5, 2019 | Book Reviews, Marketing Strategies, Podcasts
Everyone has a different idea of what it means to grow their business. Some of us think we need to reach for 6- or 7-figures. Others would prefer a 4-hour work week. And then there are those who would just like to be able to pay the bills and put a little away for...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 5, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies
Here in the West, purple carrots aren't a commonly found in your local produce departments. In fact, you'll probably have to go out of your way, by searching for them at the fringes: places like your farmer's market or a specialty grocer.
There's a little vegetable stand near my house where I can find maybe 3 or 4 at any given time (mostly because there's a woman who comes in every morning and buys nearly all of them for herself). The shop owner literally can't keep enough of these guys on hand.
In short, these guys are special. Remarkable even. And they're almost certainly a topic of conversation when served to dinner guests. They're so special, they make the chef look special, too.
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 4, 2019 | Book Reviews, Ideal Heroic Client, Social Media, Working with Marketing Professionals
Meet Brandon Mendelson (aka BJ Mendelson), an ex-marketer whose recently published book, “Social Media is Bullshit,” has been getting mostly favorable reviews. (A lot of the flack comes from folks who make a living from social media.) You can listen to the...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 4, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding
Two turtle doves… It’s Day 2 of the 12 Days of Branding. If you missed Day 1, you can find it here. In today’s installment we talk about two important foundations for any brand: The Vision and Mission. If you could wave your magic wand and create a...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 4, 2019 | Case Studies, eMail Marketing, Working with Marketing Professionals, Zeus Experiment
A guest post by Zeus Yiamouyiannis. What if, underneath it all, your carefully planned and wished-for life was nothing more than an adventurous experiment? Would that free you or strike terror into your heart? What if you were both the guinea pig and the dude in the...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 3, 2019 | Marketing Strategies
Everything is about relationships. (Marketing, too.) That extends to things we do after the sale. After all, it’s much easier to keep a client than to find a new one. If your client relationships aren’t as strong as you’d like them to be, it may be...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 3, 2019 | Ideal Heroic Client, Marketing Budget, Marketing Strategies, Storytelling
I must confess: beyond the pleasures that come with watching a slew of manly men in tight pants run around and get sweaty, I’m not really a fan of football. I watch to support Mr. Perfect’s interests and because (let’s face it) he’s holding the...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 2, 2019 | Marketing Budget, Marketing Strategies
This is a guest post by Samar Owais Marketing is a lot like cooking— easy for those who enjoy it and hell on earth for those who don’t. Until a couple of years ago, I sucked at both. While I didn’t kill my business or food poison anyone in my family, I came...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 2, 2019 | Branding, Storytelling, Writing Tips
Your writing is tight. Authoritative. You're already speaking directly to one reader. Not using jargon. And yet...It still sounds like it could've been written by anyone in your industry. Here are 10 ways to make sure YOUR voice and personality shine through your writing.
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 1, 2019 | Branding, Ideal Heroic Client
If you’ve ever been camping in bear country, you know the drill. Lock up your food. Keep your trash safely stowed. And for cryin-out-loud, don’t feed the bears! When it comes to your business, it’s also a wise idea to safeguard something...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 1, 2019 | Branding
This past weekend I attended (via simulcast) Andrea Lee‘s Lasting Lead Generation event. It was three days of fabulous teaching, coaching and delivery of actionable content. And I gotta say, she really knows her stuff! One of the first exercises she had us do...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Apr 1, 2019 | eMail Marketing, Zeus Experiment
A guest post by Zeus Yiamouyiannis. Is it possible for a Ph.D. in education (me) to take a half-day getting his website email up and going? (Drum roll…) Yes, it is. You’re kidding. I mean, c’mon, this should take a few minutes, right? Umm, not exactly. I know what you...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 31, 2019 | Branding, Storytelling
Noise. Bloat. Overcrowded marketplaces. Saturated industries. I won’t kid you. It’s an uphill battle to create the right offer — a product or service — that stands head-and-shoulders above those of your competitors. And that battle? It’s...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 31, 2019 | Marketing Strategies, Working with Marketing Professionals
You have a pretty good understanding of what needs to be done (marketing-wise) in your business. You read all the advice (it’s pretty much the same from blog to blog). You know you need a marketing plan. You know you need to do x-y-z on a regular basis. But...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 31, 2019 | Market Research
Just last month, we wrapped up a survey here on the topic of Solopreneurs and their online marketing practices. The goal? To find out exactly what folks are doing, what’s working for them and what’s failing. To establish some benchmarks — not...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 30, 2019 | Book Reviews, Branding, Market Research, Podcasts, Writing Tips
Roger Dooley, the author of Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing, stopped by the Word Cafe for a quick chat about his new book. Here are the highlights: TS: How did you get started with neuromarketing, Roger? RD: Practically my...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 30, 2019 | Branding
We branding folk talk a lot about passion and purpose. In fact they’re two key elements you must figure out if you want to make sure your business has a fighting chance for success. Why? Because Passion is what gets your motor running. It sparks and fuels your...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 29, 2019 | Book Reviews, Branding, Ideal Heroic Client, Writing Tips
I love to read (duh). And when I’m not reading supernatural romances, I’m devouring nonfiction business and self improvement titles. (Amazon loves me!) The following list encompasses some of my favorite, and most recommended titles in the field of...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 28, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies, Marketing Strategies
As many of you noticed, we recently wrapped up the First Annual Tastiest Small Biz Brand Award campaign. The event/marketing efforts lasted nearly three months and worked to accomplish (or surpass!) several goals. These were: Help establish Word Chef authority in the...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 26, 2019 | Marketing Strategies
You’ve got a product or service and you want people to buy it, right? First things first. Have you done your homework (e.g., written a plan)? Does your plan include a content strategy? If you’re like 90% of those I talk to, the answer is no. And guess...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 26, 2019 | Book Reviews, Branding, Podcasts
Karen Post, aka the Branding Diva, has a great new book called “Brand Turnaround: How Brands Gone Bad Returned to Glory…and the 7 Game Changers that Made the Difference.“ I spoke with her earlier this week on the Word Cafe podcast. Here are the highlights....
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 26, 2019 | Market Research, Marketing Strategies, Working with Marketing Professionals
I’m currently conducting a 13-week teaching/gamification experiment called “Prosperity’s Kitchen.” It’s an online class for solopreneurs to learn the ins and outs of marketing themselves in the digital world. The twist? It’s...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 26, 2019 | Branding, Storytelling, Writing Tips
“Words, are our most inexhaustible source of magic. They are our most potent forms of enchantment. Rich with the power to hurt or heal.” — Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Yes, words have a great deal of power. Here’s a short...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 26, 2019 | Branding, Creativity, Marketing Strategies
Rattlesnakes have a bit of a reputation. You might even call it a “brand.” Their collective brand includes stories that usually end in life and death scenarios. Very much a “handle with care” kind of item, right? So if I offered you the chance...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 25, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding
11 Pipers Piping! It’s Day 11 of the 12 Days of Branding. If you missed any of the series thus far, you can find them here. In today’s installment we look at what needs to happen in order to get people talking about your brand. If you know me at all, you know that...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 25, 2019 | Book Reviews, Branding, Creativity
I recently spoke with Anita Campbell of SmallBizTrends.com and BizSugar.com and David Langton of Langton Cherubino Group — the co-authors of “Visual Marketing: 99 Proven Ways for Small Businesses to Market with Images and Design.” If you’d like...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 25, 2019 | Branding
“Clarity is power.” (author unknown) Over the years, the one challenge most of my consulting clients have in common is still the same: a struggle to define themselves. Sound familiar? Most of them know what their business is about and what they have to...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 25, 2019 | Branding, Storytelling
Do you look the same as your competitors? SOUND the same? You might find this hard to believe, but even with my branding background, I’ve had a blind spot about HOW to stand out from the crowd. Differentiation — that fancy word for your Unique Value...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 25, 2019 | Branding, Podcasts, Social Media
Mark Schaefer stopped in at the Word Café last week and we had a chance to talk recently about his new book, Return on Influence. Here are the highlights: Q: How did you decide to write this book? I have to be honest…I’ve been watching this whole Klout...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 24, 2019 | Ideal Heroic Client, Market Research, Marketing Budget, Marketing Strategies
Question: My corporate training business has been doing well in the local markets where we live. But how to do we get national clients and expand our business? On a small budget of course. How can we get that kind of reach to potential corporate clients without...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 23, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding, Writing Tips
Five Go~lden Rings! It’s Day 5 of the 12 Days of Branding. If you missed any of the series thus far, you can find them here. In today’s installment we look at 5 creative examples of how to tell your brand story. One of the easiest places to tell your story is the...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 19, 2019 | Market Research, Working with Marketing Professionals
Stuck in research land again? Trying to get inside the mind of your Ideal Client? Maybe you’ve heard about this thing called a “focus group” and you thought, Yeah, that’s what we need to do! Mmmm. Perhaps. A focus group can be helpful. It can...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Mar 14, 2019 | eMail Marketing
November is National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). And, even though I won’t be working on my novel, I want to push myself to create some new writing habits. At first I thought I’d try my hand at short stories. But then I remembered my Box... I have...
