by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 27, 2019 | Branding, Features and Benefits, Storytelling, Writing Tips
Eating healthy can sometimes be a tricky thing. Especially if you've got a sweet tooth. Or a penchant for all-things-fried.
When we don't make good choices, we end up feeling pretty miserable. And not just because we can't see our feet any longer. It really sucks when your bottom line won't fit into your favorite jeans!
The same is true for your marketing. Your website (and the other channels you use to promote yourself) need to have just the right balance of ingredients in order to keep a healthy number of customers and prospects at your table.
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 25, 2019 | Market Research, Writing Tips
This is a guest post by Josh Pigford Did you know that online surveys don’t have to be boring? Gathering feedback is a necessary part of running a business, but the process doesn’t necessarily have to be dull. Instead, surveys can be fun, engaging...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 23, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding, Marketing Strategies
Six Geese a-Laying! It’s Day 6 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’ll look at the six key elements of using design to create memorable visual representations for your brand. Set...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 23, 2019 | Branding, Community & Relationships, Marketing Strategies, Podcasts
Just before Christmas, I picked up a new book called “Brandscaping: Unleashing the Power of Partnerships.” And I really enjoyed it. So much so, that I added it to my Must Read Marketing List and then reached out to the author for an interview. Andrew Davis...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 23, 2019 | Case Studies, Marketing Strategies
Last month in the Digital Dining Room, the group’s mission was to identify their main business goal for the final quarter of the year and then to develop a content strategy to support it. Here’s how we got them there: Step One: Brainstorm ideas using a...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 23, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding
12 Drummers Drumming! Wow! It’s the last day 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 how to use collaborations to build a strong brand. When you think of drummers drumming, what...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | Marketing Budget
A guest post by Nicole Fende, the Numbers Whisperer™ We’re going to start by talking groceries. Don’t worry, I’ll sneak in the finance. Since Tea is the Chef, groceries seem appropriate. When you go to the grocery store you may be like me, and have a list. Big shout...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 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 | Jan 22, 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 | Jan 22, 2019 | Branding, Storytelling
Humans. We all love a good story. Especially if they’re true. Ever watched a movie based on a true story? This weekend, I found myself engrossed in “Big Miracle.” It’s based on the true story of the international effort to rescue a family of...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies, Ideal Heroic Client, Podcasts
Earlier this week, I talked with Abe and Rick of Ruzuku.com — an online platform created to make it “ridiculously easy” to teach better classes on the web. Ruzuku first came onto my radar when Abe posted this question on my “It’s All...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies
True story: Mr. Perfect and I are moving in together in 3 weeks. Sure. It’s just across town. But the headaches are still the same: find just the right place; do gobs of paperwork; make tons of phone calls to various utilities; simultaneously pack-sell-or-trash...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 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 | Jan 22, 2019 | Social Media
Have you met this guy? He’s a very sneaky sort of villain. He’s what we call around here an Evil Chef Robot. And he’s just one of several marketing-type enemies that could hurt your solo business. Let’s take a look-see, shall we? How to Spot...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | Branding, Community & Relationships, Writing Tips
Your "Secret Sauce" is your personality. It's the flavor that you bring to everything you do. And it comes across in many ways -- your voice, your style and your sense of humor. When you interact with real-live human beings, your secret sauce is pretty evident. Most of the time, people can "get" who you are after just a few brief conversations.
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding
Ten Lords a-Leaping… It’s Day 10 of the 12 Days of Branding. If you missed any of the series thus far, you can find them here. In today’s installment I give you ten quantum leap actions from ten “Lords” of branding on how to create a stand-out...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | Branding, eMail Marketing, Social Media
It happens about the same time every year. We all get a barrage of emails and see a tsunami of ads, blog posts, and offers for a certain program that starts with a B. Affiliate marketers — even people we trusted! — were hawking their bonuses left and...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies, Storytelling
Every hero has one: an origin story. Bruce Wayne watched a mugger brutally kill his parents when he was just a child. Peter Parker found his inner hero after a radioactive spider bit him. Buffy discovered she was “The Chosen One” and learned to leverage her slayer...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 2019 | Case Studies, Creativity, Ideal Heroic Client, Marketing Budget, Marketing Strategies, Podcasts
As the President of Small Business Finance Forum, Nicole Fende, aka the Numbers Whisperer™ is a credentialed actuary with experience as a Chief Financial Officer, Investment Banker, and successful entrepreneur. She’s also the author of the new book, “How...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 22, 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 | Jan 22, 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 | Jan 21, 2019 | Branding, Creativity, eMail Marketing
Peanut Butter and Jelly. Two simple, timelessly appealing ingredients. Like most of us, you probably became a fan in childhood. Of the PB&J, I mean. I know it was the only thing my little brother would eat. Period. White bread, creamy peanut butter and grape jelly...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 21, 2019 | Community & Relationships, Ideal Heroic Client, Market Research, Writing Tips
Troll the interwebs and you'll find plenty of advice on how to avoid killing your business relationships with email and other technologies.
We've all gotten so used to texting, tweeting and tagging each other, that we've forgotten how important it is to actually use our phones.
And I'm just as guilty as the rest of you.
So how do you bridge the gap? How do you turn an online lead (like a Facebook Fan) into a paying customer?
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 20, 2019 | Market Research
Do you make your money independently? As a solo professional, freelancer or “solopreneur?” If the answer is yes, please read on… Wearing all the hats AND looking good while you do it isn’t as easy most people think. Your marketing hat might be...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 19, 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 | Jan 19, 2019 | Branding, Storytelling, Writing Tips
Did you know that your About Page is one of your website’s most important tools? For some of us, it’s probably one of THE most-visited pages on the entire site. And that’s because people want to know who they’re about to do business with. Are...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 19, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding, Marketing Strategies
Seven Swans a-Swiming! It’s Day 7 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’ll dive into the Marketing Rule of 7. Never heard of it? Read on! Let’s start off today with a visualization...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 19, 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 | Jan 18, 2019 | Marketing Strategies
This is a guest post from one of our Digital Dining Room members, Abe Crystal of ruzuku.com. If there’s one question we hear at ruzuku over and over again, it’s, “How do I effectively market and promote my online course?” Fundamentally? Marketing your...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 17, 2019 | eMail Marketing
If you’re any sort of geek, you know about Schrödinger’s Cat. Is it alive? Or isn’t it? You won’t know until you open the dang box. Which brings me to next point: Your eMail list is a lot like that cat. If you think you have one, but you never...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 15, 2019 | Branding, Ideal Heroic Client
If you’ve been a freelancer or a small business owner for even a few months, I’m sure you’ve heard the advice, “Differentiate, or die.” The experts are like a dog with a bone: “Nail down your USP, if you want to succeed,” they say....
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 13, 2019 | Creativity, Market Research, Working with Marketing Professionals
Note: Recently, I published a post about blowing things up. That post literally got more comments than any other post I’ve ever received on this site. Clearly, I’m not the only one frustrated by the system as it exists. I’ve been getting a lot of...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 13, 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...
![[Infographic] Solopreneurs: How We Market Online – 2012 Survey Results](http://storybistro.com/wp-content/uploads/food-growth.jpg)
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Jan 8, 2019 | Market Research
What We’re Doing, What’s Working and What’s Not Created from survey data collected from nearly 1,200 respondents during June 2012. A full length research report is also available. For more, click here. Embed this Infographic <a...
