Small Business Success Index

Index Score^*		Grade
SBSI INDEX	75	C
Capital Access	67	D+
Marketing & Innovation	70	C-
Workforce	79	C+
Customer Service	91	A-
Computer Technology	74	C
Compliance	90	A-
*Index score is calculated on a 1-100 scale.

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Posts Tagged ‘Branding’

Pass It Along: 8 Tips for a Successful E-Newsletter

February 22nd, 2010 :: Monika Jansen

From cocolinda on Flickr

Like blog writing, e-newsletters can be really fun to write while at the same time being a great way to position you or your company as a thought leader. Make them entertaining, keep them filled with useful content, and give them personality, and you will attract eager readers.

OK, that last statement was a little disingenuous. It’s not really that easy. There are several other things that go into a successful e-newsletter. (By successful, I mean one that is not only read by people but that also drives traffic to your website.)

Here are 8 quick tips to help you put together a successful e-newsletter:

Send it to the right people. Know who your audience is (hint, it is not everyone in your address book!). Unless you put together a solid list of people who would find your newsletter useful, few people will read it. Keep in mind that whether you use Network Solutions, Constant Contact, Vertical Response, or someone else, you cannot buy a list and use it with their programs.
Keep it short. Just like with blogs, no one has time to read a long article, let alone several long articles. Include one article/topic of no more than 300 words. If there is more information to share on that topic, write about it in your next e-newsletter or provide a hyperlink to your website in case readers would like to learn more.
Make it easy to pass along. Be sure it’s easy for people to forward and subscribe to your newsletter. Email marketing programs provide ways to do this in their templates. Use them! Remember, the more readers the better!
Include graphics. Photos, illustrations, even charts or graphs will make your newsletter more interesting to read and look at. Just be sure they are relevant to your topic. I like to pull photos off of Flickr for this blog (type in Creative Commons in the Advanced Search box—you can use any of those photos), but most email marketing programs allow you to use photos in their gallery (you’ll have to pay for that feature). Be sure you give the photographer or artist credit for the graphic you are using.
Use your logo and your logo/company colors. This is just good branding. You want your readers to recognize your newsletter as yours.
Keep format and delivery timetable consistent. People like consistency. If you’re going to share a tip, an interview with a client, or a coupon, do it in every newsletter. Figure out a delivery timetable and email your newsletter out around the same time, whether it’s every month, every other week, or every week.
Let content build on previous topics. This will keep readers eager to hear what else you have to say on a subject, and it’s easier for you—you don’t have to keep thinking up new topics.
Use attention-grabbing subject lines. The subject line that shows up in your readers’ inboxes must be intriguing. It can be witty, sarcastic, silly, a little out-there, whatever. It just needs to be compelling enough to get your reader to click on it.

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Tags: Branding, e-newsletter, Email marketing, Marketing, newsletter
Posted in Email Marketing, Marketing, Thought Leadership | Comments

A Unique Proposition – Messages that chase buyers away

February 9th, 2010 :: Tobias Bray

First let me kill something. Unique cannot be modified. Something is or is not unique – there is no such thing as more unique.

Anthropologists and Behavior Scientists know something. They know that only a very small part of the population likes something that is unique. The question is “Why”? Because we are a) creatures of habit and b) we learn by attaching new experiences to something we already understand. On any adoption curve the best customers are majority buyers. The myth of early adopters is a myth unless you are selling a pure tech play in which case your chances of courting the early majority hitch on building a product that the masses can comprehend and put to use solving a problem with little or no difficulty (see b), yet it appeals to the tech crowd. Now that we have a framework lets move on to messages.

What makes a message work – It connects to something the buyer understands and includes a call to action that can be acted on when read. Let’s say two very capable people open bike shops. Both of these people have solid business skills, understand their product and know how to handle customers. Let’s see which one gets your business…

You are walking down a street on a sunny afternoon. You are not on your cell phone and there are no distractions. Life is good and you are contemplating the purchase of a new bike. A moment later two vans drive by only a few seconds apart. Each has a name a logo and a tag line. The first van is from Marathon Cycle Store – Get out and ride 1-800-pedal now. The side of the van shows a couple riding mountain bikes. The second van is from Wheelmen – We Give You Wings 717-215-2572. The side of the second van has a logo that looks like it might be a modern stick figure on something the resembles a bike.

If you are like most of the buying public, you were drawn to the first van because it connected to something you already knew and didn’t make you think. The message was right there. For all the creative energy companies put into names, tag lines and logos, the mistake they make most often is go for the curious concept first (Curiosity is a tool of creation, desire and need are the tools of a sale). They strive to be unique in everything they do. Good for them. Are they unique to the point that a prospect ignores them – most likely. The problem is two fold – creative agencies don’t think like consumers or talk to prospects like sales people do. Companies often spend so much time concerned about a unique image that they forget why the prospect wants to buy in the first place.

Connect your name, tag line, logo, product name or pitch to your prospect’s burning desire and you will do better than your competitor. Why? Because while you are introducing the prospect to a great shopping experience, your competitor is still trying to explain what it is his company does.

To the point – At 360 Sales Focus we have an entire integrated sales and marketing company at your disposal. How can we help you generate more business? Let’s talk about making something happen for your company.

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Tags: Branding, Business Development, Coaches Corner, Entrepreneurs, Marketing, Web Design
Posted in Branding, Business Development, Coaches Corner, Entrepreneurs, Marketing, Web Design | Comments

Why Branding Matters

January 25th, 2010 :: Monika Jansen

Unless you are in marketing, you probably don’t think about branding much. It’s a big, nebulous term that we, the consumers, are most aware of during the Super Bowl. Ad agencies are tripping over each other to make a water cooler ad (you know, the ones we talk about the next day). They work furiously to make a really strong impression so we remember their clients’ products. For example: Even though I rarely drink beer, I am partial to Bud Light’s ads. They are very often clever and funny, and I remember them for the next few days. Now that is branding! I don’t even drink beer, and I would never drink their product, but I remember their ads. (For research purposes, I looked up their website, which is really cool: www.budlight.com.)

My little story proves why branding matters, and you should be doing the same with your business. I enjoy helping clients with branding, but that is not one of my core competencies. To define branding and explain the steps involved in creating a brand, I turned to an expert. Jerome Smith is CEO of brandEvolve, an award-winning creative strategy boutique that specializes in brand identities, marketing communications, and web solutions (www.brandevolve.com). We are working together on a web redesign right now, and it has been a lot of fun. Here’s what I learned from Jerome:

Branding is the art of incorporating your professional identity into how you sell yourself. This identity you create is your calling card and needs to be included in your business name, tag line, logo, website, and all marketing materials. To put it another way, an effective brand= verbal + visual + persona. Verbal are the words you use to describe your services/products and the solutions you offer your clients. Visual is your logo and the graphics on your website and in your marketing materials. Persona is your company’s personality. Are you formal, informal, edgy, conservative, cutting –edge, traditional?

What steps should you take when creating your brand identity? Jerome suggested you start with your company’s name. It need not be permanent, and it’s always a good idea to have a few more name options in your back pocket. Solicit opinions on the names from people you trust. Work on differentiators next. What is going to set you apart from the competition? Then decide on exactly who your target audience is. Put all three of those elements together and you have a positioning statement. A positioning statement is your pathway to building a brand.

When you are working on your positioning statement, ask for client testimonials. They are looking at you from the outside in and can tell you how the world sees you. Their observations are often spot-on. If your business is brand new and you don’t yet have clients, ask for opinions from people you respect in your network. You should also conduct a market audit, aka, scope out the competition. What services/products do they offer? Perhaps you offer similar things, but hadn’t thought about mentioning them. Add those “things” to your service/product descriptions.

A common mistake many people make is not taking the target audience into account. In your messaging, you don’t want to talk at your clients, you want to engage them. Here’s an example, courtesy of Jerome. He is working on a website called Jesuit Commons. This website will ultimately be a “common area” where Jesuit-connected projects can be easily accessed by people around the world. Their audience will be composed of students (at Jesuit colleges), alumni, and donors. Their tagline is “Connecting People and Ideas to Communities in Need”. See how this statement suggests action and energy? It pulls you in because it is an active statement. “We Connect People and Ideas to Communities in Need” doesn’t have the same zing.

In summary, to build a brand, you must have a firm grasp on the concept of your business, the content (how you will express who you are and what you do), the creative (logo, graphics, color), and production (putting it all together).

I know I have just given you a lot to think about. If it seems daunting, set up a consultation with a branding/marketing expert to help you put together a roadmap. If you are not the creative type, it will be money well spent.

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Tags: Branding, identity, Marketing, positioning
Posted in Branding, Marketing | Comments

It’s Not About Me, It’s About You

January 11th, 2010 :: Monika Jansen

If I had a dollar for every website I’ve come across or marketing collateral piece I’ve read that didn’t clearly explain what a product or service could do for me, well, let’s just say that I’d be sitting on a nice warm beach somewhere right about now.

Marketing 101 guys: All communications, whether they’re for prospective or current clients, should focus on the client experience and/or benefits. I am sorry to say this, because, believe me, I like to talk about myself as much as the next guy, but no one really cares about you, how talented you are, how much you like what you do, or how great your product is. Except you.

Whether you are planning on launching a new business or just rethinking your marketing materials with the start of the new year, remember that communications in every form should be about the client experience and benefits, not about you. This principle should be applied across the board, starting with your tag line and continuing on your business card and in your elevator speech, sales and marketing brochures, email marketing efforts (including e-newsletters), and website content.

What you basically want to do is differentiate yourself from the competition. If you’re a plumber, for instance, you are operating in a crowded field. You absolutely have to stress the value of using your service over someone else’s. Maybe your hourly rate is 10% lower than anyone else’s, you don’t up-charge for same day emergency service, you are a member of the BBB with an excellent rating, and/or you offer a longer guarantee on your work than the other guys.

Whichever benefits you decide to stress, keep wording consistent, concise, and clear, especially if what you do is kind of—or really—complicated. You need people inside and outside your industry to understand you, so avoid jargon and acronyms.

Mini case study: I am working on website content right now for a big security services firm/government contractor. When the web designer and I started on the project, we were not sure if they even knew what they did because they certainly could not explain it clearly. (You’re in trouble if you can’t decide on what to call a major division of the company and, needless to say, defining that division is the part of the project I struggled with the most). We got them to focus their thinking and look at their business from the outside in, aka, our perspective. I wrote everything in plain English, stressed their past performance and the benefit to the client, and kept the content professional and sophisticated. Now you and I and a plumber can jump onto their website, have a look around, and understand not only what they do, but why working with them would be of tremendous benefit to you (if you were a huge company or government department or agency, that is).

Just remember these five words: It is not about you!

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Tags: Branding, communications, Marketing, small business
Posted in Branding, Marketing | Comments

Protecting Your Small Business Brand with Trademarks – A #GrowSmartBiz Interview with Brian Winterfeldt of Steptoe and Johnson

November 25th, 2009 :: Steven Fisher

I first met Brian Winterfeldt when he came to Network Solutions last year to give a great presentation on trademarks and IP for small business when he was with a previous firm. He joined Steptoe and Johnson earlier this year as a Partner in the Intellectual Property (IP) Group. Steptoe and Johnson is a general practice law firm with offices around the world. Brian is based out of the Washington, DC office and the IP Group is focused on identifying, registering and protecting a company’s IP. His focus within that group is as trademark attorney and helps companies of all sizes create, protect and enforce their brand assets. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with him and discuss how and why small business should work hard on a brand and protect it as a critical company asset. Here is a transcript of that interview:

Steve: As a self-proclaimed Global Brand Enforcer (cape not included) what is the overall process for small business to trademark their business?

B Brian Winterfeldt rian: Trademark protection should be a priority for any business, large or small. Ideally, the process should begin even before the business name and brand names are selected: potential trademark owners should conduct trademark clearance searches for the marks they may wish to register. At a minimum, US searches should be conducted, but if the business’s goods and/or services are likely to be marketed internationally, the business may wish to conduct searches in other countries or global searches as well. These searches, when conducted by experienced trademark attorneys, will indicate whether each mark should be registrable in each jurisdiction or whether there are any potential obstacles (for example, if another party has already registered the same or a very similar mark). The business may wish to select several potential marks and conduct searches for all of them to improve the chance that at least one will be cleared.

Once the desired marks are cleared, the business should proceed with filing trademark applications in the desired jurisdictions. Potential trademark owners should keep in mind that in the US, they will only be able to obtain trademark registrations if they are able to show use of each mark in interstate commerce, although they can initially file on an intent-to-use basis. After each application is filed, it will undergo an examination process, during which time the applicant may be required to revise the application and/or submit arguments justifying why the mark should be registered. Once the application has been approved by the examiner, it will proceed to publication, and if no oppositions are filed during a 30-day window, will then proceed to registration for use-based applications.

In addition to filing applications and pursuing trademark registrations, a business should also develop an enforcement strategy. Enforcement of trademarks – that is, putting a stop to infringing uses of a mark – is extremely important as a mark can be significantly weakened if its owner fails to enforce it – or in extreme cases rights can be lost entirely. Enforcement essentially involves determining which marks and elements of marks are most important to the business, monitoring the marketplace for potentially infringing uses, and then addressing these uses as they arise. A business’s trademark counsel can assist with all of these elements of enforcement.

The company should review its trademark portfolio periodically to ensure that the marks being protected and enforced remain in use and/or remain of value to the company.

Steve: What are the components or types of trademarks? How long does the process take to get a trademark?

Brian: The two basic types of trademarks are word marks, which protect only the verbal form of the mark, and design marks, which protect a graphic representation of a mark. Design marks may or may not be in color. Occasionally, businesses may wish to file for protection for non-traditional marks, such as colors, three-dimensional shapes, and sounds. However, small businesses that are just beginning to develop their trademark portfolios will likely want to focus on the word marks for their major brands and possibly design applications for their logos.

In the US, and in most international jurisdictions, applicants can file for their marks in one or more of 45 classes, depending upon the goods and services for each mark. The applicant will need to pay an additional fee for each class applied for in most jurisdictions.

The time needed to proceed from initial application to registration varies greatly, but can take anywhere from about one year to several years. The time will depend upon whether the mark is already in use, whether any amendments are required to the application, and whether the application is opposed after publication.

Steve: Since trademarks are just a US think what other things should companies do if they are international or want to protect their brand on an international level now and for the future?

Brian: Trademarks are actually not exclusive to the US! Most countries allow brand owners to apply for registration and protection of marks.

Once again, if a brand owner is considering selling its goods and services internationally, I recommend starting with a trademark search in the desired markets or globally to ensure that the desired mark is likely to be registrable in each of the desired markets. The company should also determine its major current and potential markets and should consider filing for trademarks in those countries. Companies that have a market presence in Europe should keep in mind that the European Community offers something called a Community Trademark (CTM), which allows for protection in each of the 27 EU member countries.

As companies, especially small businesses, are likely to need assistance with navigating the intricacies of the trademark application process in each international jurisdiction, they should work with the company’s US trademark attorney to coordinate with international counsel in each jurisdiction. Value is provided by experience working with the various international jurisdictions, in combination with knowing your company well and its goals.

Finally, companies filing for international applications should expand their enforcement efforts to include those jurisdictions as well, especially in key markets. International counsel can also assist with monitoring those marketplaces and addressing instances of potential infringement.

Steve: For a small business who always has many things that it needs to select in which to spend its limited budget on, what is the level of importance they should place on trademarks?

Brian: A company’s trademarks are among its most valuable business assets, and thus any budget should allow for some degree of expenditures on trademark protection. Each budget should have room for applications relating to the company’s core brands in its major markets or for maintaining existing registrations for such marks. If possible, the budget should also include a provision for some enforcement efforts to ensure that incidences of direct infringement can be discovered and addressed.

The company’s trademark counsel should be able to work within its budgetary constraints in order to develop an efficient portfolio management program that will meet the company’s protection and enforcement goals.

Steve: To wrap up I always like to ask a “five things” questions. So for you, what are five things a small business should look for in a trademark attorney

Brian: First, a small business should look for an attorney who is specifically experienced in trademark portfolio management, and who can point to successes in this area. The business should not hesitate to ask for references from the attorney’s current or past clients who have successfully obtained and maintained trademark registrations.

Similarly, the business should look for an attorney who is experienced with both prosecution (filing applications and obtaining registrations) and enforcement, with notable successes in the enforcement realm (which may include executed settlement agreements, abandonment of infringing marks, or favorable decisions in litigation).

In addition, a business should seek out an attorney who has a network of strong relationships within the trademark community. Even if the practice is limited to the US, attorneys usually need to work with outside investigators and search vendors, and those who have strong relationships with these vendors are more likely to provide quality, efficient, and cost-effective work. Also, businesses that are considering any international applications will want to ensure that their attorneys have strong relationships with international counsel.

As the landscape of the trademark field is changing rapidly these days, especially with the growth of the Internet, businesses should look for attorneys who are active in the trademark community, particularly through membership and leadership in the International Trademark Association (INTA) or other intellectual property organizations. Evidence of recent speaking engagements or publications in the field also demonstrates the attorney’s commitment to staying on top of cutting-edge developments in the field.

Finally, a business should look for an attorney who provides excellent customer service, who will treat a small business’s trademarks and portfolio with as much attention and care as that of a Fortune 500 company. Again, references from existing and past clients can provide useful information regarding the attorney’s commitment to service, as can evidence of pro bono trademark work for community organizations.

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Tags: Branding, Brian Winterfeldt, small business, Trademarks
Posted in Branding, Business Law, Interviews | Comments

#GrowSmartBiz Video : SmallBiz Quick Tips: Brand Building 101- Anthony Pappas

September 30th, 2009 :: Shashi Bellamkonda

At the GrowSmartBiz conference, Anthony Pappas of the Pappas Group gave a great 10 minute presentation on the power of brands. To see the full presentation, check out the video below:

About Anthony Pappas
As the founder of the Pappas Group, Anthony Pappas defines the overall creative direction for the company’s clients, most recently leading the rebranding initiatives of Blackboard, Inc, Discovery Education, Network Solutions, and Destination DC.

Prior to starting Pappas Group in 2003, Anthony held the position of Senior Vice President/Executive Creative Director of Proxicom’s Brand & Experience Group from 1996-2003. During this tenure, he was responsible for leading, developing and executing creative strategy and interactive marketing/design initiatives for Proxicom’s global client roster.

His accomplishments at Proxicom included being appointed Executive Creative Director after the company was named “interactive agency of record” for Mazda North America; producing the interactive campaign for the launch of MCI’s national “IP Telephony over the Web” initiative; and leading the concept creation, identity development, information design and multimedia work for more than 50 Fortune 500 clients such as NIKE, General Electric, Timberland, Merrill Lynch, Mercedes-Benz Credit Corporation, Cole Haan, Liz Claiborne, PepsiCo, MCI, Marriott, Gap Inc, Intel, Microsoft, Marriott, Quikbook.com and the Intel Travel prototype.
Prior to Proxicom, Anthony spent seven years in the “traditional advertising arena,” working with organizations such as Saatchi & Saatchi and Grey Advertising. He also did extensive art direction work in film, television and commercial industries. Clients included: McDonalds, Pepsi, Mellow Yellow, Warner Bros (Batman).

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Tags: Anthony Pappas, Branding, GrowSmartBiz Conference
Posted in Grow Smart Business Conference, Small Business, Videos | Comments

Grow Smart Business Pre-Event Interview: Anthony Pappas of The Pappas Group

September 28th, 2009 :: Steven Fisher

Pappas_Anthony_headshot I recently had the opportunity to talk with Anthony Pappas of The Pappas Group. He is a really friendly and knowledgeable guy who is a brand expert in not just the “how” of creating a brand but what he calls “the why” of creating a brand. We sat down and talked about branding and entrepreneurship plus we got him to share his five favorite brands. Here is the transcript of the interview:

Steve: Anthony, thanks for being here today. I guess the best way to get started is to ask you how you got your start and what lead you to start the Pappas Group.

Anthony: Thanks Steve. Well I got my start as a designer in college and worked in ad agencies in NY as an art director and was always working on brands. I joined a local firm in the 90’s called Proxicom and eventually worked my way up the ranks over 10 years to become Senior VP of Creative globally for the company. During that time I not only advanced my design skills but alos got really experienced at building teams. When Proxicom was acquired I looked at NY and DC and around here saw many boutique shops but no one focusing on helping a client build their brand. Let’s face it, these days brand are built online. They are built in other ways, but for the most part today they are built online. So I decided to go out on my own and start the Pappas Group.

Steve: Your firm approaches clients as a branding company where it used to be traditionally the domain of advertising agencies. Why this type of differentiation?

Anthony: Because the boutique firms where most design agencies the first thing we identified was that we were not first and foremost a design agency. Let me explain why. You can’t come at a brand strictly from a design perspective. You must start with the strategy. I learned this firsthand when I was at Proxicom and we worked with large ad agencies that owned the brand and dictated how they wanted their sites built. Unfortunately, there was a large conflict of interest because what they wanted wasn’t always beneficial to the client, especially in an online space. So what I wanted to do was help companies “change”. We want to help them reach a goal or launch a product. How you execute is not the point but rather how a company wants or needs to evolve. Every company’s brand is different and there is no perfect service mix.

Steve: Being here in the DC marketplace, what are your hopes for bringing a bit the flare of the brands that are in places like NY?

Anthony: Place like New York have big brands that take risks (i.e. Nike, Liz Claiborne) and while we have great firms here, there is not the same sex appeal which makes it hard to retain the talent here in the area. So I want to help the DC market get awareness and tell the rest of the country that we have the skills here to do it. We start by working with the brands that are here in town. This is kind of my soapbox right now.

Steve: You will be presenting at the Grow Smart Business conference next week. What should we expect to see and hear from you?

Anthony: One of the things I am going to talk about is that for any company to create a strong brand, it has to come from the inside. You can’t just build a brand from the outside, it has to come from the people inside the company first. Strong companies are strong companies because their employees are living the brand so people believe it. If they are faking it, people will see right through it.

Steve: I like to wrap up interviews with a top five list. In this case, what are your top five brands?

Anthony: Hmm, let’s see…

1.) Apple – They are really intelligent about marketing. I use their products and I knew they were good. They said they were going to break convention and they said they would do it their way and people would follow. And they have, which is why I really like that brand. They are a serious brand that is making money.

2.) Porsche - The brand that they have built, beyond their cars being excellent, is that they have built a brand that is a good reflection of their product. They hired a great firm and the brand exudes a certain essence about the drive. It is understated which is elegant and powerful.

3.) Target – They have done an amazing job breaking out of the mold of low-cost warehouse store. Target just raised its awareness and said they aren’t playing the game that has been done in the past. People believe that Target doesn’t have the same stuff as other stores and their brand has been the factor that convinces people.

4.) Nordstrom – Their experience is fantastic and the people that are there actually seem like they want to be there which shows that people live the brand.

5.) Zappos – The brand is still new and they are doing the right things like Nordstrom does and is trying to build that it is about quality and service.

Steve: Thanks for the time today. Great interview.

Anthony: Great to be here. See you all next week at the Grow Smart Biz conference.

Register for the Grow Smart Biz Conference and See Anthony Speak

GSB-Conf Coming next week on September 29, in Washington, DC, Network Solutions is hosting the Grow Smart Biz Conference where you can see Anthony Pappas speak along with keynote speaker Chris Anderson and Governor Mark Warner. The Grow Smart Biz conference is a premier one-day event featuring renowned small business leaders and well-known industry experts. If you haven’t registered, then click here to learn more and register now. Tickets are going fast!