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Showing posts from October 27, 2013

Avoiding the Sale Trap By Aisha Taylor

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Nina looked at her email, and saw that her favorite shoe store sent her an email saying, “save 40% off this weekend only!”  Nina immediately started to think about how many new shoes that she “needed”.  She thought, “OMG that’s almost 2 for the price of 1.  I need to go there, because I need a new pair of black pumps and I have to have a pair of nude shoes.”  As Nina took a step back, she started to realize that was exactly what the store wanted her to think.  They wanted to trigger a sense of “I have to have it now.” Nina thought about it a little more, and then decided to go to her closet.  She decided to take a survey of her shoes to understand what she already owns.  One of the things that she realized is that she loves black pumps.  She loves them so much that she has about 10 pair already, with very little differentiation and some of which had only been worn once or twice.  Immediately she realized that she didn’t “need” another pair of black pumps.  All she needed to do wa

The Importance of Branding Yourself By Raevyn Jones

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The mistake that many people make in business is underestimating the value of branding. Marketing, public relations, and promotion is great, however branding must come before anything and branding has to go on forever. Here are several reasons why branding is a crucial part of your business:  What makes you unique?  Whatever makes you and your business unique is what will make it successful. Personal branding identifies and then communicates what makes you unique and different. This process then helps you to identify your target audience and ultimately achieve the goals of your business. Branding is very powerful because it sends a clear message about who you are and what you have to offer. This will set you apart from everyone else and position you as an expert in your field.  Maximize Your Strengths:  Getting familiar with your personal brand puts you in touch with your strong points. This is beneficial because you can capitalize on your strengths and use them to

Purpose Check: Getting Out of a Career Stalemate by Arionne Nettles

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It happens: you’re working really hard, everything is going well, or so you thought, and then it happens—you end up smack-dab in the middle of career stalemate.  The same moves you’ve been using no longer are helping you win.  You aren’t progressing and it’s not due to lack of effort.  So what’s wrong?  Your current path may or may not be aligned with your current purpose.  When you’re stuck in a sort of “career mid-life crisis,” or for some of us younger BOSSes, “career quarter-life crisis,” how do you get out of it?  By finding purpose in our everyday behavior, we can better determine if our current state fits into our greater puzzle. Here are ways to jumpstart your “purpose check:” Do Nothing “It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.” — K.T. Jong When you don’t know what to do, don’t do anything at all.  In the

5 Ways to Style Your Brand By Dr. Shanté S. Bishop

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No matter how fancy your logo is, how much you spent on web design, or how slick the functionality is on your website, at the end of the day, YOU are your brand.   When people visit your site, read your blog posts, or your latest article, what kind of experience do you want them to have? What sentiment do you want to convey? Do you want visitors to feel like they’re visiting an old, trusted friend? Or do you want them to be swept off their feet with visual inspiration? Your brand should reflect your personality and authenticity. Think about certain stores that you like to shop in, certain restaurants that you like to visit, or hotels you love to stay in. What type of experience makes you want to come back for more? What little things make those brands signature? What would disappoint you if it was no longer offered? Your brand should be the same way. It should evoke a feeling. It should convey a message. It should be consistent and engage your audience, offering them