#brandpointe

http://www.thesavvyyoungprofessional.com/episode5/

How To Be a Leader In Your Community w/ Jasmin Brand (EP. 5)

Usually, the phrase "B.Y.O.B." needs no explanation, but my take on the popular acronym translates a little differently - "B.Y.O.B.: Build Your Own Brand." And when I decided to use the popular saying as the title for my workshop during last week's Summer Brand Camp, I knew I'd better be armed with serious branding insights - and probably some actual beer.

Providing awesome feedback during the interactive session, the "campers" deserve much of the credit for making the forum memorable, and as we chatted about challenges and the overwhelming amount of information, and misinformation, they're faced with, I realized something - personal branding has officially become a pop-culture craze.

Brand this! Brand that? Either way, one thing is certain - everyone seems obsessed with sharing their opinion on branding. From the increase in branding services offered to individuals and businesses to the amplified media coverage, debating what branding really is - and how to use it - is a definitive trend.  

And this is actually a good thing. Why? It suggests that the path to self-actualization both personally and professionally is much easier to travel than it once was. The movement has more tangible benefits as well, with the branding phenomenon generating unprecedented opportunities for would-be, web-based entrepreneurs. 

Now that the average person can create their own blog or business online in little more than an instant, the branding boom is helping them monetize efforts and establish a cost-effective model. Which is not only a good but a great thing, because it means making your dreams come true is possible with just a little creativity and a whole lot of hustle. Even from the comfort from our very own homes.

THE TRUTH ABOUT BRANDING. How do I define the word brand? Although there seems to be a multitude of definitions, I rely on just two:

Your Promise: The easiest way for me to understand branding is to think of it as a person’s promise or commitment to others. Specifically, what you plan to do and your ability to stick with that plan. Beyonce famously promises to give fans 110 percent at each and every live performance and spends every waking moment working to ensure that she lives up to that commitment. The success of her steadfast approach is as obvious as it is indisputable, and anyone who caught her Super Bowl show, which marked the kick-off for her partnership with Pepsi, is likely to agree.

Your Identity: Though a person or company’s identity has traditionally been the primary branding indicator, I believe the concept goes much further than a logo or website. Who we are shapes the business we create. Developing a strong brand identity starts with an organic sense of purpose. Many talented professionals with abundant resources have seen their businesses fail or worse, have derailed a solid business due to an inability to meaningfully connect with their client base. If there is a disconnect between the brand you externally convey and who you really are, failure is inevitable. But it's not unavoidable!

         Hanging out with forum guest Jill Cohen Heineck after my presentation at Summer Brand Camp!

BUILDING YOUR OWN BRAND. With my own career in branding and marketing, I set out to craft a different kind of branding philosophy that balanced a 360-degree perspective with a highly personalized approach. Committed to keeping Brandpointe truly unique despite the branding services explosion, our team protects clients' innate identity by making it the soul of the comprehensive strategies we execute. 

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Shaping a sustainable brand starts with taking a look back so that you can move forward. Because without a little "brand therapy," if you will, it's impossible to craft the right, bright approach. Brandpointe's initial job is to listen, identify, analyze, and dissect the elements that connect a person or company back to the true, organic brand identity that's in the mind of their target consumers. Our ultimate goal is to bring authenticity, clarity, innovation and fun to the branding process.

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I'm so grateful to Joni and Wally Doolin and the amazing People Report team for the opportunity to speak at Summer Brand Camp this year. It truly is one of the best conferences in the country for branding, marketing, leadership training and just overall coolness and care for the community. In the meantime, you can make plans to attend the 2014 event by submitting your Save-the-Date R.S.V.P. online at SummerBrandCamp.com. See you there!

Until,

The Atlantic is nothing is not an exceptional literary and culture magazine, but we're not entirely sure we agree with their recent article, "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?" As true social media junkies, it's not that the Brandpointe team doesn't see their point, which is that Facebook can cut down on, well, face time.  

The Atlantic's piece makes the case that, for those who are struggling with deeper issues related to loneliness and depression, Facebook can become an instrument of isolation instead of a way to connect. And while that's an indisputable fact, there's a flip side to their argument, because social media is also an awesomely powerful way to stay close to the friends and family when used properly. After all, we can't tell you how many of our nearest and dearest's "Life Events" we might have otherwise missed without Facebook!

Brandpointe is thrilled to announce our sponsorship for Southern Methodist University's upcoming forum, "From Your Block to the Boardroom: Why High Quality Education is Our Ethical Responsibility." We hope you'll join us for the awesome event on the morning of May 7 to learn more about the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and the district's incoming superintendent. 

What: SMU's breakfast and forum, "From Your Block to the Boardroom," featuring a five-person panel comprised of our city's educational leaders. Our experts will host an interactive discussion on ethical responsibility in providing high quality education for every child in Dallas, as well as explore ways we - individually and collectively - can lend our support to the new DISD superintendent to strengthen public education.

When: May 7, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Where: SMU's Umphrey Lee Center, 3300 Dyer Street; the forum will take place on the 3rd floor in the Martha Proctor Mack Grand Ballroom.

Who: The forum's panel will be led by moderator David J. Chard, Dean of SMU's Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development. Participating panelists include Reverend Gerald Britt, CitySquare's vice president of public policy and community program development; Florencia Velasco Fortner, Dallas Concilio's CEO; Torrence H. Robinson, Fluor Foundation's senior director of community affairs; Bill McKenzie, columnist for the Dallas Morning News; and Todd Williams, Commit's executive director.

Join: Click here to register online in an instant; tickets are $50 for general admission, $25 for SMU staff and teachers, and free for the university's students. Online ticket sales to the public close on Friday, May 4, so secure your spot asap.

I officially have a new technological obsession - the 4GB Livescribe Echo Smartpen. My fixation with the digital pen started as a way to hide my horrible handwriting, but once I realized it also helped me up my productivity, I couldn’t get enough! 

Thanks to the amazing tool, it’s actually possible for me to remember everything write and hear during the insane number of meetings I attend each week (six was yesterday’s count, and I don’t even consider that a busy day!). 

How It Works: Any notes that you write can automatically be saved to your computer, and you can quickly share those same notes with others via email, portions of your website and/or blog, or through Facebook. 

Why It Rocks: It’s so small, yet so effective. Seriously, the pen features a microphone, micro-USB Connector, 400-800 hours of memory storage, and audio jack, built-in speakers. For me, it bridges the gap between “old school” and “new school,” since I’m one of those people that still likes to jot in a notebook or journal. This is the best of both worlds. Plus, you just look really cool whipping it out in meetings.                                                     

Get It, Now: The 4GB Echo Smartpen retails for $169, and though it’s expensive, you get 4GBs of memory, along with included applications. The pens also comes with Livescribe desktop software for Mac or Windows, 500MB of personal online storage, a notebook, an interactive “getting started” guide, a handy cheat sheet for tips and tricks, two ink cartridges, and two smart-pen caps. And FYI – I did spot less expensive versions online at Amazon ($129.99) and Target ($149.99).

Forward,

Would you like the chance to meet Andy and his author, Alan Keith? Then don't miss the upcoming reading of Andy the Little Seed Who Likes to Help, happening this Saturday, April 28! We hope you'll join us, and we can't wait to share Andy's message of kindness toward others with children and families around the city.

In the Know: In his first public appearance this spring, Andy will take the stage at Lucky Dog Books, as series author Alan Keith hosts a reading for his first book, Andy the Little Seed Who Liked to Help. Andy and his creator have previously visited the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for private readings to benefit patients in residence.

When and Where: Attend our reading this Saturday, April 28, at 11 a.m.; you'll find us at Lucky Dog Books, 10801 Garland Road. 

About the Event: The reading is open to the public, and attendance is free of charge. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase Andy the Little Seed Who Liked to Help during the event.

The spring social season is in full swing in Dallas and beyond, and as each of our calendars become increasingly packed with philanthropic parties, weddings, and travel plans, Brandpointe has a few tips for the social media savvy to help you avoid becoming the "friend" that's just a bit too friendly. You know who you are, and you can consider this your personal public service address.

Whether it involves posting event promo items on your wall without permission or constantly adding you to or recommending pages, each of us has made the decision to block - or at least suppress - feeds from our various friends and followers. Not to mention other annoying online stereotypes including: the Obsessive Picture Posting Person, the Crazy for a Cause Friend, and the 24/7 Fabulous Life Followers.

So, exactly how much is too much when it comes to new media interaction? The Brandpointe team has encountered this issue when handling our clients' social media presence, and of course, we've personally dealt with plenty of social media junkies. To handle the enduring online dilemma, Brandpointe has established five guidelines that'll help you avoid a hyperactive social media presence.

1. Twice as Nice. Whether using your profile for personal or professional pursuits, plan on limiting any promotional posts to two times per week or less. And, yes, this includes the very thinly veiled promo material that you're trying to disguise as conversational (more on that later). If you're utilizing a page for your business, the rule should be no more than three times per week. Your friends and followers want to feel included, not solicited.

2. You're Not Fooling Anyone. We find that this problem is most often seen among the "mommy blogger" set, as well as those who work in direct sales. The misguided posts usually go like this - "O.M.G. Woke up with huuuuge blemish today thanks to too much chocolate cake at (fill in child's name) birthday party, but my (insert name of beauty product from direct sales company) cleared it right up! Call me asap - you NEED this product; it's a miracle, promise!" We're not buying it girls, literally and figuratively. Don't mix your business pitches with pleasure.

3. Pressing the Issue. Have a business or brand you're proud of? Then don't, under any circumstances, send out your press releases via Facebook. Members of the media are typically overwhelmed by the volume of press material they receive, and usually, they'll gravitate toward pitches that can provide them a more proprietary, exclusive angle versus information that appears to have already been widely distributed and covered.  Contacting the media via Facebook or, even worse, posting press materials to your wall for all to see means you've already compromised the value of what you're promoting.

4. Have a Heart. We get it. You're passionate about the philanthropy you work for and the causes you support. However, that doesn't give you creative license to incessantly post ultra-long, CAPS-filled, and often graphic information to the Facebook feed you're using for your business or brand. And don't even get us started on the social media stalkers that constantly ask us to "repost this NOW if you believe in (insert social/civil cause here)!" If you'd like recruit others to become active in the charities you believe in, a sincere, face-to-face meeting is still the best option.

5. Who Do You Think You Are? You need to know the answer to this question before inviting others to join your collection of Facebook friends. If you happen to own a small business or if you're active in a few different areas of commerce, it's important to establish how to handle your social media presence. Our best advice? If you're a small business owner, don't make the mistake of creating multiple pages for each branch, franchise, or division of the company; establish one strong page that conveys exactly what you want to say about your growing project and ensure that the editorial content featured on the profile includes all sectors of the business.

If you're juggling a variety of professional pursuits and aren't sure how to approach it on Facebook, we recommend that you make good use of your profile's "Info" feature to describe your diverse career, and again, we suggest a well-defined editorial strategy that encompasses each of your activities. Whether it's implementing a regular "Marketing Monday" post that highlights your marketing/public relations work or initiating a stylish "Fashion Friday" convo on your wall to end each week, the Brandpointe team is an advocate of using a single-profile approach rather than driving your friends crazy with numerous Facebook pages.