Catalyst developed this fun radio spot to promote the National Soccer Festival Soccerpalooza event. Two weekends full of soccer, but lots of other things to do as well. Radio is a great medium for summer events like this, and it’s affordable to produce. Click on the link below to play the spot, then let us know what you think!

Soccerpalooza 60

Hey, we understand completely. Writing a blog is a tremendous opportunity to get your name, and expertise, out into the digital marketplace. And if by chance you engage a few potential customers along the way, even better! You are going to make your own distinct imprint on the blogosphere starting today. Well … it all sounds fine and dandy until it is just you and a blank computer screen. It seems like it should be easy, but sometimes just getting started is the hardest part.

First, here are a few basic rules to follow:

• Never, never (did I say NEVER?) use your blog for shameless self-promotion. A blog is not a direct selling tool and this style will just turn people off.
• Write like you are enjoying yourself. No one wants to read mundane, boring copy that sounds like it came from a textbook. Have fun, share your personality with the reader. This is a conversation with a friend.
• Don’t write a novel. Be engaging, be interesting, but don’t go on and on about your topic.
• Everyone loves a comedian. Adding a little “funny” to your posts can go along way. Okay, maybe not “A nun, a blonde, and a chicken walk into a bar …” funny, but you get the gist. Make it fun for the reader too.

Second, even if you work for a business-to-business (B2B) company, you can really make an impact with your blog. I know sometimes it doesn’t feel as glamorous as the business-to-consumer world (oh to be Starbucks or Nike), but don’t give up hope. Here’s a great example from one of our very favorite people – and clients – Eric Le Blanc of Tyson Foods, Inc.:

http://tysondeliguy.blogspot.com/

Eric understands that he has to write in a casual manner and throws in lots of information that you just can’t get anywhere else. He has a ton of industry expertise and he shares it openly with lots of humor. Note: he actually named the blog, targeted to the Deli industry, “As the Rotisserie Turns” – bonus points for that!

So let’s wrap this post up. Go ahead, write a blog! Follow a few simple rules and you’ll be pleased with the results. Need some help getting it off the ground? Give us a shout. We’d love to help!

Say what?

What the heck is operationalizing a brand? Simply put, it’s the buy-in of all those who are stakeholders in a brand to “be the ball”, be what the brand stands for, be its distinction – the brand promise – at all times.

I have found working with some of our clients, that success in “being” a brand really depends on being successful in four specific brand-driven areas:

1. Getting total alignment between the business strategy and the brand strategy. (Who’d a thunk?)
2. A real commitment to brand building by top executives inside the organization. If they don’t really believe, others can smell it.
3. Tailoring the interactions your customers and stakeholders have with your brand, based on what your brand stands for and then making sure your “unique value proposition” (bam!) is delivered upon.
4. Turning your company into a brand-driven culture (super bam!), which includes having all employees understand the brand’s promise, know the role they need to play in bringing it to life, and the importance of changing their behaviors to align with what the business and brand strategies are trying to achieve.

The process that we then recommend to “make it happen” with clients is what I like to call the “fantastic four”-phase approach. (with yes, a nod to the superhero group with similar nomenclature)

Bear with my further use of the superhero 
group comparison

Phase 1

The “Invisible Woman” -like beginning. The gathering of “transparent” information to create a force field… Hey, I’m painting a picture here!

• Intelligence gathering – what the heck is the lay of the land?
• Brand Insight Assessment™ – some great research we have to access what the heck your stakeholders know/think about the brand.
• Discovery session – a process to get together with key folks and get understanding on “the ball.”

Phase 2

The “Thing” stage as I see it. The part that gives solid strength and endurance. The rock. (Work with me.)

• Outcomes/positioning
• Outcomes/validation
• Brand architecture study/review

Phase 3

The “Human Torch” type phase as I see it. The most visual part of the phases gets the most attention and gets the brand to fly….(nice).

• Internal brand adoption
• External brand adoption
• Creative/graphic style guidelines

Phase 4

And finally the “Mr. Fantastic” like portion of the program. The part where it now becomes “scientific” on how the brand expands and stretches in the right directions.

• Product opportunity Segmentation
• Brand Pulse™ Benchmark Research

Finally, don’t let your brand succumb to “Dr. Doom.” Start your own “brand league” in your organization today.

I realize this may now have gotten out of hand, I know I’ve used too many “quotes,” and, it’s time to close this stream of consciousness.

So, If you find yourself curious about our four phased approach or any of the processes contained in it, or talk about your love of comics (of which admittedly I know little about, other than over exposure during Saturday morning cartoons of the seventies) feel free to give me a call and I would be glad to share more details of this process, or our group with you.