17
May

The Impact of a Strong Logo on a Start-Up Company’s Ability to Build an Online Brand

By: Guest Blogger

This guest article was written by Matt Jones.

The logo that a company chooses is one of the single most important components of business success. A logo defines who the company is and what it represents. It is the trademark of the company. It helps consumers to recognize one company from the next. The logo is really the building block of marketing for the company. Choosing a logo wisely and thoughtfully will help build a lasting name and a reputation for the company.

Choosing is Different than Designing

The act of designing a logo is easy, especially today with all of the available resources such as graphic design services and software programs. While the act of doing the work around the logo may be easy, the real work happens before the design even begins. Businesses looking to build an online brand and create a strong solid logo for start-up need to be sure and not rush the creative process. Choosing an effective logo is the first step to building a reputation for the business. Thinking about who you are and what you want to represent is the first step in the process.


9
May

Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Academy 2012 Event

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

I just got wind that Brendon Burchard’s new book “The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives that Make You Feel Alive” is not only available for pre-order but he’s offering everyone a free copy (we just have to pay shipping). Wish I had seen this before I bought it on Amazon! lol

I’ve been looking forward to the release of this book since I was at his Expert’s Academy last September and he said he was going to take 4 weeks off to write his next bestselling book. He did, the book is out, and it going to be FABULOUS, I already know it!! I know it because all of his book are fabulous and this one is of particular interest to me since it’s all about High Performance!

For the past few years Brendon has been running this amazing academy called High Performance Academy to teach the public how to perform at our peak levels. Interested?? Me too!


4
May

14 Online Product Ideas You Can Create Cheaply to Make Money Online

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

More and more businesses are quickly trying to get their name and business online and one way to do it is with creating products online. Domain names are being swiped up as if from a hoover vacuum and competition is in plain view now. According to World Internet Usage Statistics there are currently 6,930,055,154 internet users worldwide. From the years of 2000-2011, we have seen a 528.1% increase in growth.

How are you supposed to stand out? What can you possibly sell?

Even if you are still in the stage of dreaming what it would be like to have your own website, it’s important to actively think about what you can create that is of value to others. Each person has a unique view on life and their particular set of issues to overcome. So, yes, you too can create a product or series of products to sell online and feel good about it.


A list of product ideas:


1
May

Three Things You Should Avoid When Creating a Video Blog Post

By: Guest Blogger

This guest article is written by Ashyia Hill

According to eMarketer and Hubspot.com, in 2012, there will be about 169.3 million online video viewers, and about 51.2 million Smartphone video viewers. Video is becoming a hot topic in the world of blogging, and it’s one that today’s bloggers need to pay attention to.

As readers become more and more overwhelmed with information, many will turn to the more passive option of viewing videos, rather than the more active, time-consuming option of reading blogs and online information. While you may not want to base your entire blog on video blog posts, you should definitely consider adding some of them to your blog.

It’s actually not that difficult to craft decent video blog posts using some basic technology and equipment. But most how-to’s out there are going to tell you what you should do, instead of what you should avoid! Knowing how to avoid major pitfalls, though, will make a big difference in your video blogging experience. With that said, here are three major things to avoid when it comes to video blog posts:


25
Apr

Organize You Way to the Top: 5 Keys from an Efficiency Queen

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

A question I get all the time from clients or those who know me well is, “How do you do it all?” The first thought that always comes to mind is, “I have no idea!” But then I drill down to give a serious answer and the keys start pouring out.

With so many FABULOUS entrepreneurs that I get to interact with in our Conscious Divas community, I would love to use this opportunity to not only share what I do, but inspire you to share your keys below for others to implement!


19
Apr

How to Manage the Overwhelm for Creative Minds + Take the Product Creation Pledge

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

Just in the past two days, you wouldn’t realize how many ideas came into my mind of ways I wanted to, or could, expand my business. Tons of product ideas, GOOD ideas, tasks added to my to-do list… this all on top of my existing work load.

Being an entrepreneur is very challenging and can get overwhelming quick. You must manage your existing projects well so you can increase retention and build a committed following, but then you must also have a strong focus on product creation and expansion (not to mention just maintaining the work you’ve produced so far).

So how to you manage the overwhelm you feel when you’re getting so many good ideas and you know you don’t have time to execute them all?

Below I’m going to offer you a few things I do that you are welcome to try:


11
Apr

Repost: The Ultimate Facebook Marketing Cheat Sheet

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

Today’s training is shared from HubSpot and an article posted by Pamela Vaughan. It was just too good not to share.  :)

The Ultimate Facebook Marketing Cheat Sheet

Facebook’s social network domination may frequently get challenged by emerging social media platforms like Google+, but the facts remain. With more than 845 million members in its user base, it’s still the most popular social network around.

And yes, businesses are beginning to understand its potential to help them achieve their marketing goals. In fact, 41% of B2B companies and 62% of B2C companies using Facebook have acquired a customer from it.

That being said, learning all the nuances of various social networks can be a tricky and time-consuming feat, especially considering how frequently they add, remove, and modify features. To help you stay ahead of the curve, we’ve put together a handy cheat sheet that businesses and marketers can use to make the most of Facebook.


27
Mar

How to Write Content for the Web

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

If you’re a website or online newbie, you are probably on “information overload” about the what to do and what not to do online. This blog is dedicated to teaching you the right way to do things to get the best results. Do check back regularly for new content, tips and resources, or even easier, stay connected with me through my eMailing list or on social networks!

Today’s “how to” is all about writing content for the web. Below I have several tips that will help keep your readers engaged in what you have to say:

General Tips for Writing on the Web:

  • Short paragraphs are best. When people look at big blocks of text they get overwhelmed and don’t want to read it.
  • Stay conversational! It’s great to write how you talk because people feel like they can connect with you, that you are authentic, and they will want to work with you as a result. Writing for the web is not about being a crazed perfectionist. The online world is a forgiving one so just write and get your message OUT!

22
Mar

Get More eMailing List Subscribers: Keys to a Great Free Introductory Product Incentive

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

Gone are the days that you can just add a sign-up box on your website and ask people to “sign up for your newsletter.” In fact, many have found that newsletters just plain don’t work anymore. I actually only email my list when there’s something I think they really need to know about. I’m getting about 100 emails a day from clients (none of it is junk) so I know the pain of just wanting that Inbox empty.

However, your email list is STILL your #1 online asset! You can market to those people again and again, they will stay loyal to you (assuming you have good email practices) and they will buy from you down the road. The key is to offer a free incentive that showcases your expertise and value, that people WANT.


14
Mar

YouTube Background Design to Further Your Brand Messaging

By: Amber Ludwig, Website Development • Social Media Branding • Internet Marketing Coaching

Do you have a YouTube account, but your background is a solid color and not promoting your brand at all? YouTube is one of the largest social media sites in the world, just following Facebook. Video is the most popular media type online and will continue to be the growing trend for a long time.

If you do not have a YouTube account, then first, I need to urge you to get on this wagon by setting up an account and taking the video plunge today.

If you do have a YouTube account, you must, must get it branded, otherwise you are literally wasting the opportunity. Every single time someone views your video, they should be staring at your website URL, photo, logo, tagline – or testimonials, a service list – anything that will drive people back to your website to learn more about what your message is.

See below for my YouTube background and examples of a recent YouTube channel backgrounds we designed: (click to zoom)