by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 29, 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 | Sep 28, 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 | Sep 28, 2019 | Book Reviews, Branding, Community & Relationships, Ideal Heroic Client, Podcasts
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that around here, figuring out your Secret Sauce is a pretty huge deal. That’s why I was so excited about the chance to talk with Erika Napoletano (the person behind the persona at RedHeadWriting.com)....
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 27, 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 | Sep 27, 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 | Sep 26, 2019 | Branding, Podcasts
Nicole Fende, aka The Numbers Whisperer, interviews Tea about cooking up a killer brand. Check out the podcast on her BlogTalkRadio show: The Small Biz Finance...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 26, 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 | Sep 25, 2019 | Branding
Most people don’t know that my parents named me Christina. I changed my name to Téa in college (I’ll share why at the end of this post). Yes, it’s my legal name. Believe me, the IRS, the DMV and every government office between Los Angeles and Portland can verify...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 25, 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 | Sep 25, 2019 | eMail Marketing, Marketing Strategies, Storytelling
Julia leaned back in her chair and watched her laptop power-up. Coffee. It was 5:42 in the morning. And coffee was about the only coherent thought she could muster. She opened her Google calendar. What time is that appointment again? She had a 10:30 call with a...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 25, 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 | Sep 25, 2019 | Branding, Marketing Strategies
Most of the advice out there about referrals is related to your customers (i.e., getting them to send you new ones.) In short, make them happy and they’ll want to tell their friends about you. But you can also get some fabulous referrals from your peers and...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 25, 2019 | Case Studies, Community & Relationships, eMail Marketing
Last month in the Digital Dining Room, the group’s mission was to create a welcome email that would help them get to know their subscribers on a deeper level. Here’s how we got them there: Step One: Brainstorm three questions they could ask a new...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 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 | Sep 25, 2019 | 12 Days of Branding, Branding, Case Studies
…Three French Hens! It’s Day 3 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 three examples of small business brands with solid core values that know how to walk the...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 25, 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 | Sep 25, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies, Ideal Heroic Client, Marketing Budget, Working with Marketing Professionals
When I first started my consulting practice I used a combination of just three funding sources: savings, credit cards and a little thing called barter. Bartering can be great fun — especially when you find someone who has what you need and who needs what you...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 25, 2019 | Branding, Writing Tips
There's a guy in San Diego named Charlie who likes to fry things. Weird things that most people would never think of. Stuff like Klondike bars, Girl Scout cookies, and Pop Tarts.
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 25, 2019 | Marketing Strategies, Productivity
When I meet with a potential client, one of the questions I usually ask is, "What does your sales funnel look like?" The blank stares and nervous coughing I get in response would almost be funny. Except when I try to ask it another way, and I can still hear crickets. "Okay, then tell me about your sales process -- how do you get and nurture your leads?"
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 25, 2019 | Branding
You and I may never meet in real life. So there are a few things you might never learn about me. The fact that I’m 6 ft. tall, for instance. Or, that I generally operate on the “piles and post-its” filing system. (But those are just surface quirks....
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 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 | Sep 24, 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 | Sep 24, 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 | Sep 23, 2019 | Branding, Case Studies, Working with Marketing Professionals
(Or, does it just need a little freshening up?) When we start our ventures (if we do things right), we create branding that eventually accomplishes the goal of telling our story in a way that is unique, compelling and builds community. Both the visual and written...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 23, 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 | Sep 23, 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 | Sep 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 | Sep 21, 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 | Sep 21, 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 | Sep 20, 2019 | Market Research
Recently, I wrote a post called It’s All About YOU. (That’s the page you might want to bookmark and visit later as it was made especially for our readers to share themselves and their questions — no expiration date!). Today, I address a question from Karen...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 19, 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 | Sep 19, 2019 | Features and Benefits, Storytelling, Writing Tips
Stories are food. Feed everyone and be willing to let them feed you, too. Remember humans love stories — it’s hardwired into how we learn and grow. Why did you start your business? That’s a story. Who are your best customers (and what makes them the best)? That’s...
by Téa Silvestre Godfrey | Sep 16, 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 | Sep 11, 2019 | Branding, Creativity, Writing Tips
Earlier this month, I talked about the Bears (and how to keep them from eating your business). That post sort of explains the comeback to small biz ownership I made last year. But it’s not the whole story. Nope. See, this is the anniversary of something pretty...
