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Every Brand, Blog, and Business Needs an Active Facebook Group

2/10/2019

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by R.A. Rowell; Co-owner of Brand Shamans & Write W.A.V.E. Media
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Every brand needs a community, and Facebook Groups have become the best way to do just that. While it’s good to have a regularly updated Facebook fan page and Twitter profile, it’s getting a lot harder to get your message seen. While it’s still possible to acquire new fans and followers of your brand using Facebook and Twitter, it requires a lot more one-on-one interaction than most people have time for. Fortunately, there’s a way around this: Facebook Groups.

What’s great about Facebook Groups is that people have been using them for a very long time. So, people already are familiar with them, and many Facebook users visit them and use them often. What’s most important about Groups is that if you have posts that get lots of comments and other interactions, Facebook will show them to a lot more people than a traditional status made on a profile or page. With social media reach essentially requiring paid boosts to get anything seen - often with minimal ROI (return-on-investment), Groups remain a relatively free way to engage people with your brand.

The key to a successful Facebook group is inviting the right people who are interested in what your brand is about and the topics related to your business. Whether you run a blog, business, or organization, you likely already know people who will be happy to join your group. Then, make posts that spark discussion and continued conversation. The beauty of well-crafted discussion posts in Facebook groups is that if they continue to get interaction over time, they can do work for you for weeks, months, or even years, depending on the topic. No other type of Facebook or other social media post, besides perhaps viral posts, have that sort of active life.

Yes, keeping up your Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media pages is important, Facebook groups help you consistently find what questions engage users and it’s very likely your group members will come up with ideas to use for other social media posts. Crowdsourcing ideas is another great benefit of Facebook groups, and of course, user-generated content tends to quite effective in getting more interaction. While simply sharing third-party content or posting occasional fun updates is good for social media, it’s important to also know what’s on your target audience’s mind.

The one drawback of having a Facebook group can actually be one of its strengths if it’s properly moderated. Because most Facebook groups are closed and require either invites or applications to join, some people may say things they may not ordinarily say in public. While people being more open to discussion is actually a very good thing, arguments can happen.

The important thing with Groups is to keep a positive environment for all group members. If peace can’t be made, never hesitate to ban group members who are causing problems if they won’t listen to reason. That being said, it’s fine for people to disagree. Disagreements actually help promote discussion and the visibility and relevance of the group to its members. Just be sure that members remain civil, as the good of the community must come first.

If you need help getting started with a Facebook Group, or need to build up an existing group, let us know! We're happy to help! Whether it’s figuring out the right people to invite to your group, deciding on the right discussion questions, or just help with continuously interacting or moderating with your group members, we can help you with any or all of these things.


Check out our Social Media Set-Up and Social Media Management services to see some ways how we can help with your social media presence.

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Your Voice is More Important Than Ever, For Your Brand and in Search

1/28/2019

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How can voice search benefit my brand?

by R.A. Rowell; Co-owner of Brand Shamans & Write W.A.V.E. Media
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More than ever, we’re saying “Hey, Google” and asking the burning questions on our mind. Where mobile search once was the next big thing, now it’s voice search. Sure, people still type keyword phrases into search engines. Yes, people always asked Google things in the form of a question. But today, people are becoming more casual and more varied in how they ask Google and other search engines their questions. Brands both big and small that learn to adapt to how people naturally ask for what they need are those best poised to succeed going forward.


What Does Voice Search Mean for SEO?

For years, search engine optimization (SEO) was focused on optimizing content around phrases both general and specific. It’s long been a game of finding the phrases that others aren’t optimizing for yet. Then, content marketing has been key in using those phrases to take advantage in the search engines.

Of course, keywords are still important in optimizing for voice search. The key difference with voice search is that searcher intent becomes far more important. What’s good about having more of a focus on searcher intent? People naturally will ask Google questions differently based on their intent.  Through voice search, it’s a lot more clear if someone is just researching, trying to make a decision, or is ready to buy something.

With intent clearly more important, the focus of SEO shifts from keywords themselves to understand how your target audience asks questions. By considering how and why people ask questions, and not just what they ask, you can create content that more naturally answers people’s questions. You just have to ask yourself, what questions do people ask when they need answers related to what I have to offer?


Is Voice Search a Good Thing for Brands and Businesses?

The growth of voice search is a great thing for businesses and brands that are ready to embrace it. By understanding how search is constantly evolving, you can stay ahead of the curve. The great thing is you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get started on optimizing for voice search. Just start asking your favorite search engine questions, See what comes up. Any time you ask a question that isn’t being answered well, there’s an opportunity for you to capitalize on when creating your next piece of content.

Whether you write articles, blog, record podcasts, or produce videos, it’s important to understand how people can find you. Now that it’s becoming more important to directly answer questions, all sorts of content have to become more diverse. Pretty soon, trying to beat more established websites and channels won’t be about finding the perfect keyword phrases to target. Branding, SEO, and other marketing need to become even more personal. That’s a great thing for small brands, especially personal brands, who are able to work with queries one-on-one. After all, the more quickly and personally you can answer questions, the quicker you’re going to make fans.


Voice Search is the "Next Big Thing" in Marketing


Voice search is going to explode in the next few years as the next big thing in marketing.  It’s a natural evolution in the way people search for what they need online. Some companies are already jumping on the bandwagon. It doesn’t matter how big or small your brand is. Make sure that your branding and marketing strategy is ready to show up for the searches your audience is asking.

A more personal search experience means more opportunities for you and your brand to connect with your target audience than ever. It means that your own voice can stand out in the crowd. No longer do you have to compete for the next best long-tail keyword. You can just ask questions and learn how to answer them. Isn’t that we should have all been doing all along?

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Branding All of the Ingredients - How a Major Grocery Chain Uses Ingredient Branding as a Powerful Marketing Tool

10/18/2018

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by Richard Rowell; Co-owner of Brand Shamans & Write W.A.V.E. Media
Kroger
As someone who has shopped at various Kroger-owned supermarkets such as City Market, King Soopers, and Kroger itself, I’ve become quite familiar with the various Kroger brands. As the second largest retailer and largest grocery chain in the united states, Kroger has become an expert at building many different brands. In particular, Kroger has a wide variety of ingredient brands.

Of course, you don’t have to be a grocery store to have ingredient branding for your products. Dodge does a similar thing by branding their Hemi line of truck engines. But, Kroger is perhaps the master of creating private label ingredient brands. Here are just a few that my family and I are greatly familiar with and enjoy


Check This Out / PSST!

One of the best value brands that Kroger chain stores carry is Check This Out household items. While I’ve never been impressed with their diapers, household essentials such as bathroom tissue and trash bags are consistently a good deal. These items tend to be a better value than the dollar store equivalents for roughly a dollar or less.

What I like a lot about the Check This Out brand is how direct the name is. With the little owl saying PSST to you as you glance by the shelf, you feel like you’re being let in on a little secret. Indeed, there are certainly some PSST deals to be had at Kroger stores.


Comforts For Baby

One of my favorite baby diaper brands is actually Comforts for Baby. The price is significantly lower than the name brands like Pampers and Huggies and they have actually held up better for my babies and toddlers than the big name brands. They also have a wide array of other baby care products such as infant gas drops and sippy cups for a good price.

What I especially like about the Comforts for Baby brand is the direct message of the name brand. These are products that can offer my babies comfort.  From my experience, Comforts for Baby products actually do, and I’m happy to go out of my way to a Kroger store to buy them when I need them.



Good to Dough

One of Kroger’s newer private label brands, Good to Dough is the Kroger store brand for loaves of bread, hamburger rolls, and hot dog rolls. It was started in May 2018. While it definitely is one of the cornier names for a private label brand, it is actually accurate to the brand’s mission. The concept behind Good to Dough bread is that it’s actually vegan-friendly and contains no high-fructose corn syrup. That’s not the case with most bread products at the dollar price-point. The bread isn’t gourmet, of course, but it’s more than sufficient for making some toast or a quick sandwich. I actually prefer it to a lot of the name brand breads, actually. The no corn syrup is definitely a plus for health, too.


Pet Pride & Luvsome

For our dogs, we’ve been buying the Pet Pride dog food and Luvsome gourmet dog food for years. As many other major dog food brands keep experiencing recalls, I have not seen this happen with the Kroger private label dog foods. In my experience, my dogs have been healthier eating this food than the more common brands. It is not the cheapest dog food, but it is very affordable and well-worth it at the price point.

For our cats we buy the Pet Pride and Luvsome cat foods and use the Pet Pride litters. The Luvsome litters are good, too, but the Pet Pride does the job at a lower price point.

I like these brands because buying Pet Pride makes you feel like you’re actually taking Pride in your Pet and Luvsome is the brand you buy when you want to give them a bit of extra love. This sounds corny, but these ideas really do get into your head when you buy these products on a regular basis.



Simple Truth & Simple Truth Organic

Kroger has been making it a point over recent years to dedicate more and more time to natural and organic foods. By reducing unnecessary ingredients and using organic and non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients when possible, Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic foods have become some of my favorites to buy.

The price point of Simple Truth products is usually similar to other natural and organic food brands, but the price is lower enough and the quality good enough that it is worth the small savings. They also offer some snack foods, such as gluten-free crackers, that other brands don’t even offer, at least at a low price point.


So, what’s so special about these private label brands? They each have branding that is direct to the purpose of the brand. These aren’t just your ordinary store brands. Each of these private label brands exist for a specific purpose that shoppers can easily buy into. That’s the power of ingredient branding, turning everyday items into products that clearly add value to your life.

By using this ingredient branding, Kroger has been able to upsell their store brand products. This branding strategy gives shoppers an additional emotional incentive to pinching a few pennies for a product comparable to, and in my experience even superior to, many of their brand name counterparts. So, how can you apply ingredient branding to your own business?


The idea of ingredient branding is that you are giving a label to a product or service that is complementary and consistent with your main brand. But, that product is also a key ingredient to your brand’s success. For example, say you have a software-as-a-service (SaaS) package as your main offering. Then, say you particular premium upgrade in your that adds a lot of value. It’s a lot easier to upsell that upgrade as its own brand.

Really, ingredient branding allows you to brand components and features of your products and services that set you apart from your competition. Not only does branding these ingredients to your success help them become more marketable, but people can get a quick mental and emotional attachment with the branding message before you even explain all the benefits of purchasing that particular brand.

Kroger has really mastered ingredient marketing in the grocery sector. It’s a branding tactic that’s used in many different industries. But, there may be a chance for your business to find your own ingredients to brand.

If you’re looking to take advantage of ingredient branding as part of your brand building strategy, contact a Brand Shaman today!


** The author of this post was in no way compensated by Kroger or any of its subsidiaries in any way for this post. The opinions of this author are entirely his own.

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How Do I Become a Brand Hero?

9/29/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, Staff Writer, Healer & Advocate
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When most people start a company these days, they know that branding is one of the keys of success. But a brand is way more than your logo, how your website looks, and how you present your product or service. It goes far deeper. What separates the brand zeroes from the Brand Heroes in the end is passion and the ability to connect on an emotional (and even spiritual level) with their intended audiences.

So, how do you become a Brand Hero? Here’s the number one tip...

It’s Not All About the Money!

Too often, it seems like money is the end goal when someone creates a brand  No matter what the stated objective in a business plan may be, the end result is what’s my cut in all of this? But, building your brand shouldn’t ever be just about your bottom line.

Still, it seems to be the hope of many budding entrepreneurs out there to build a fairly successful business, then sell their growing company to someone with a pile of money, and move onto new ventures. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with building a company and selling it. But, what’s the true motivation behind it? And, should you really sell your brand to someone else just for money?

That’s the million - or even billion - dollar question isn’t it?

The number one reason that 90 percent - or more - of startups fail isn’t what you think. It isn’t lack of business knowledge or a lack of a proper business plan. Yes, that knowledge is helpful. But most successes aren’t as planned as the “experts” would have you believe. The reason that many fail is actually much more basic. A lot of those people that build brands are just trying to become rich and/or famous.

Guess what? Everybody tries that. Yeah, some succeed. But the reason those people succeed is because they weren’t in it for the money. Sure, money may have changed their motivations later on. Sure, someone may offer life-changing money in exchange for their product or business. But still, the initial success is because there was a purpose, a passion, behind creating the brand.

Well, passion isn’t enough some say. But you’d be surprised at how little of a plan some aspiring entrepreneurs have. They either enter the market at the right time, are doing something completely different from everyone else, or do something that others are failing miserably at. Let’s look at how these Brand Heroes figure out how and when to jump on their opportunities.

How Do I Get in the Market at the Right Time?

There isn’t a magical answer to this question. It really is partly luck. You can do some research and see if a particular niche is trending. Yes, you can jump on the bandwagon and just try to get int there and do it better than everyone else. Sometimes, this works. But the thing is, when you jump on a bandwagon, you’re competing with a whole bunch of other wannabes. So, the trick is to get into the market before everyone else has figured it out.

Being Completely Different

Obviously, being completely different at something is a bit difficult to do. But if you are doing something no one else is doing, and it’s something that people actually look for, then you have a chance of creating your own niche. Creating your own market is always better than trying to do what everyone else is trying to do. But inventing something new is hard. Still, it can be rewarding, especially if you get people who buy into your vision and stick with it until you’re successful.

Do Something Others Fail Miserably At...

Speaking of trying, there are plenty of things out there that are being done, but not necessarily well. If you’re experiencing a certain service or product that’s out there but that people aren’t happy with, then innovate! Turns out that most successful people took something existing and innovated on it, but it’s the innovation that’s remembered and becomes the real big success. So, yeah, you don’t even have to invent something to be successful. You just have to not suck at it. That’s probably the hardest thing to do of all, but it’s also how you can find an existing market that is hungry for something better. And, innovation is sometimes just as good as inventing something.

So, if you want ot build a company for the sole purpose of selling it later, well… that’s not how I’d recommend doing it. But you can! If you build something awesome that people want to buy, I suggest giving them a cut, but never, ever give up your baby’s ownership rights. Sure, someone may be able to run it better than you, or so you think. Staying in control of what you create and putting your heart and soul into it is what makes a true Brand Hero.

Do you have what it takes to be a Brand Hero? You’ll never know unless you put your best foot forward, chase your dreams, and never give up no matter what anyone else does or says. My best advice is to never lose control of your brand. It should be as much a part of you as your arm and leg. While I know plenty of people will disagree with me, this is what I believe. I’m going to always stick to it. After all, if someone wants to buy my company for millions of dollars, who knows what I could built it into myself?

Share your success with others, sure. Let others buy in, sure. But never lose hold of the reins to your chariot. It may be just a rickety cart right now, but you just never know how you’ll build it up to become an impressive vehicle for your hopes and dreams. Be a Brand Hero, stand out, and build something awesome!

~ Phoenix <3 ~

Want to become a Brand Hero? But, not sure where or how to start? Hire the Brand Shamans and we’ll show you how!


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It's Just You and Your Brand Tonight

9/23/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, Staff Writer, Healer & Advocate
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
At the end of the day, it’s just you and your brand. You and your brand sleep in the same bed at night, whether it’s been a great day, a mediocre one, or a really, really bad one. You gotta take it home with you.

When you look in the mirror, you should see a reflection of your brand. The brand you create should be a direct extension of you and reflect your values and standards. If it doesn’t, then you and your brand need to have a talk.

But my brand isn’t me, it’s just what I do, right?

Well, what you do is you. If you build a brand, even if it’s not your “personal brand,” it still is personal. At least, it should be.

Really, all a brand is at the end of it all is the idea that other people have of you in their minds. It’s what your business represents. And you should be able to stand behind it one hundred percent.

If you feel that you and your brand are separate entities, you will find it slip away from you. Whether that means it’s going to get sold off sooner or later or outright fail, if you don’t stay connected and in tune with your brand, it’s going to get away from you. It’s going to become out of reach. If it’s a good one, someone will be happy to take it over for you.

So, should my brand and I have a sit-down and chat?

If you feel that you and your brand are out of sync, no matter the reason, yes, you do need to step back and refocus. What are you all about? How can your brand become an extension of what causes and ideas are near and dear to you?

You’ll build a much stronger brand, and become a much better person, by staying true to what you are and letting your brand become a vehicle for those things. While staying true to yourself sounds cliche, people don’t really follow that advice. It’s even more rare that a brand is truly used as a vehicle of self-expression and to further ideas and causes.

Yes, it happens. A lot of those brands are wildly successful, because they are authentic. People like authentic, and people love when you take that authenticity far as you can possibly take it.

Those who are willing to make major sacrifices for their brands are the true Brand Heroes. Those who never let their brands go in exchange for money or stock options or anything are the ones who will topple everyone else in the end.

And those doubters will eat their words when they see your success if you never stop moving and taking your brand with you. Your brand is like your vehicle, and built and driven correctly, it can become a steamroller.

Don’t let it go. Have that conversation with your brand. Know that you and your brand are one in the same. Never give up on your brand and never give up on yourself. Only then will you and your brand truly be in tune and become a force for good and whatever change you want to make in the world.

~ Phoenix <3 ~.

Want to become a Brand Hero? But, not sure where or how to start? Hire the Brand Shamans and we’ll show you how!


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What Does the Earth Kitten (Page of Pentacles) Tarot Card Mean For Your Business and Brand?

9/1/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, Staff Writer, Healer & Advocate
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If you’re familiar with Tarot, you may be wondering what the heck the Earth Kitten is? The Earth Kitten is the analog for the traditional Page of Pentacles in the Mystical Cats Tarot Deck. Drawing this card for a business reading is certainly a good thing. Learn what pulling the Earth Kitten Tarot Card - or the Page of Pentacles in a traditional Tarot deck - means for your business and brand.

What is the Earth Kitten Card Telling Me?

If you’re just starting out in business, this is a great card to see! In the case of the Earth Kitten, the kitten is touching noses with a hedgehog in a forest. As the “Tales of the Mystical Cats” advises, this card advises you that you are slowly but surely building practical skills and refining your knowledge of the way the world works. The card also advises you to seek beauty in unexplored places and take pleasure in the realm of the senses. The “Tales” guidebook also suggests that study and other quiet pastimes are especially beneficial now to you now.

Like a human individual, your business (and your brand) is a spiritual entity. In drawing this card for a business reading, it means that your business and brand are off a good start. But, it’s still a kitten and needs nurturing. It means that you should continue to focus on building the fundamentals of your business and the practical benefits it can have for potential clients or customers.

Drawing this card would also suggest that building your business’ brand would benefit from using pictures or videos that would stimulate the senses to attract new leads. Your business can also benefit from studying your niche more closely and finding how your brand can serve your audience even better. It’s also important to take time away from your business, perhaps on the weekend, even if it’s not for the whole day, for you to recharge. It’s OK for your business to take a nap.

Am I On the Right Track with My Business and Brand?

The Earth Kitten, or Page of Pentacles, means that you’re on the right track with building your new business. If your business isn’t new, then it means that you’re on the verge of giving it new life. It’s always good to see a Kitten (or Page) Tarot card, as it signifies new beginnings. Whether your brand is new or taking on a new direction, you’re doing something right. Take the advice that the card gives you to heart and watch your brand and business grow!

Where are you at with building your brand and business? What guidance do you feel you still need? The Brand Shamans can help! Let us know in the comments or contact us!

~ Phoenix <3



>>> Get a FREE Business Tarot or Oracle Reading with any Brand Shamans Custom Brand Healing Package, starting with a Brand Analysis! <<<

>>> HEALING CARD READINGS AT INTENT-SIVE NATURE <<<

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Become a Brand Shamans Affiliate & Work From Home P/T

8/27/2018

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by Lyn Lomasi; Co-owner of Brand Shamans &  Write W.A.V.E. Media
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
Need a way to work at home that's not complicated and doesn't require an investment? You can now become a Brand Shamans affiliate for FREE and earn money from home (50 % of every sale) by simply sharing links on social media.

How Do I Sign Up?

Sign up for an affiliate account on Payhip and follow the instructions. Once we receive your request, we will review it. If you are approved (most people are approved), you will see products in your account to share, once that approval has gone through the Payhip system. We use this 3rd party system to help ensure our affiliates that payments, stats, and sales will be processed fairly and in a timely manner. This helps build trust between us and our affiliates. PayHip is a trusted manager for affiliate programs and online shopping carts.

How Much Will I Make?

How much you make depends on how many sales you can generate, which products you choose to promote, and so on. But we give 50% commission on every sale generated through your link. That could actually amount to big profits, especially if you're a good seller or you are able to sell some of our larger packages.

How Do I Get Paid?

You will get paid via PayPal by our third-party affiliate manager, PayHip. If you do not have a PayPal account, you will need to create one in order to get paid.

What Products or Services Will I Promote?

We have a variety of products and services that you can share with your audience. Some of these include branding & content services, handcrafted artisan jewelry, author marketing services, healing items and services (talismans, tarot & oracle readings, etc), hobby items, gifts for parents and kids, pet toys, and more! You can take a look at our online store, Intent-sive Nature to get an idea of what we have to offer. Then, sign up for the affiliate program separately at PayHip.

What Do I Need to Do?

All you need to do is sign up to be a Brand Shamans affiliate.  Once approved, simply grab the affiliate link for the product/s of your choice and start sharing the links via your social media networks, your blog,  or your website. Remember to share wisely without spamming in order to get the best benefit. Follow the rules wherever you share. Also, share in your own name, rather than ours. Each time someone makes a purchase by using your link, you will receive 50% of that sale via PayPal. It's really that easy! 

What if I Need Banners or I Need Help?

We have a Facebook group called Brand Shamans Affiliates that you can join  after becoming an affiliate. This is where you  can ask questions, find tips, and get banners to use when promoting your special affiliate links. 

*We are not obligated to approve or keep any affiliate and reserve the right to reject pr remove anyone at any time, though that is rare. If we find that anyone is violating laws, rules, and regulations regarding social sharing, that person will be removed from the affiliate program. There also may be other (rare) reasons for this.
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How An Interview Can Bring Personality to Your Brand

2/22/2018

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by Richard Rowell, Owner of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media Network
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Personal branding has become more important than ever. It matters in job hunting, freelancing, and building any sort of business – even a side-hustle! On the flip side, company brands are becoming more and more like people all the time. The social media accounts of brands you love – and brands you love to hate – have become their own personalities.

Sure, you still have celebrity endorsements. But more and more, people want to connect with people who are directly connected to a brand. You know, the people that actually work for the brand and build it from within.

This is where interviews can come in handy in bringing personality to a brand. Honestly, I don't think a lot of brands – and people – realize the true value of doing an interview. Not only is it essentially free exposure, but you put a face to your brand, a real person who is completely invested in what your brand stands for.

If you're trying to build your personal brand, building your reputation, and marketing your skills, doing an interview with a venue that has a decent audience can be invaluable. There are many kinds of interviews. They can be done on audio podcasts, in YouTube Videos or Facebook Live chats, or in text form on blogs. Whichever type or types work best for you is fine. They all are effective in their respective ways.

What an interview does is to bring new dimensions to your brand, whether it's your own personal brand (as an author or designer, for example) or to your business – or both, really. Obviously, you want to find an interviewer that asks the right questions. But even interviews with more general questions are fine, as long as you have good answers to give.

You may not think you're that great at giving an interview, but you're probably better than you think. After all, the whole point of an interview is to put you on the spot a bit. You're going to get some unexpected questions and how you answer them can go a long way towards giving people a good impression.

So the best thing about doing an interview? You don't really have to do the research. That's all on the interviewer to do. You just have to answer some questions. Being prepared is good, knowing the interviewer and all that. But your main job is to just be you and answer questions as honestly as you can – within reason, of course. The smarter your answers, the better you and your brand will look, of course.

Think of an interview as a conversation about your brand. Try not to stress about what questions are going to be asked. The whole idea is to come out from behind your brand and put yourself out there. That can be very difficult to do. But the rewards are well worth it. Not only do you get yourself and your brand out in front of new people, but you also bring personality to your brand and give it a face. People like to relate to people, and the more your brand becomes like a person, the more people will want to interact with it.

So, if you have a chance to do an interview, don't delay. The sooner you do it, the sooner you give your brand a new chance to grow!


Want to become a Brand Hero? But, not sure where or how to start? Hire the Brand Shamans and we’ll show you how!

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You Can Observe a Lot By Watching Who Engages With Your Brand (And Your Competitors, Too!)

2/19/2018

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by Richard Rowell, Owner of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media Network
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Photo credit: Public Domain
"You can observe a lot just by watching." - Yogi Berra

Oh, Yogi, of course, you can observe a lot just by watching!

The great Yogi Berra was an amazing baseball player and later a very good team manager and coach. He's also famous for saying a lot of things. Many of them, often known as "Yogi-isms" seem odd at face value, and many of which seem obvious. However, sometimes if you really think about these "Yogi-isms" you realize that there's more to it.


Observing Means Paying Attention to the Right Things

Actually, what Yogi Berra really meant is that you can learn a lot from observations if you pay attention to the right things. In baseball, as well as football and other sports, there are little things to watch for to give you a competitive advantage. You may have heard of "stealing signs." Indeed, cracking the code to your opponent's coaching signals certainly helps. It's a big deal in American football, too.

Just by watching the social pages, blogs, and other public channels of those companies who are in a related field as you, or even your direct competition, you can learn a lot. Seeing how people interact with other brands can tell you what they might be doing right, or not doing right. You can then adapt some of these things that are working for them to attract the same sort of engagement to your brand.

But beyond just taking cues from your competition, you can learn a lot by observing your own brand's interaction, as well. You can glean valuable insights into what you may or may not be doing correctly just by how people interact with you (or don't). Actually, if people aren't interacting, you may want to consider how you can get them to. In other words, how can what you're putting out there offer more value?


Watching How People Interact With Your Brand Can Give You Clues About What to Do Next

Watching how people interact with your brand should give you an idea if something should work or not work. Obviously, if something you post on your blog or website is getting more views than usual or more likes on social media, then you are doing something right.

Also, it also doesn't hurt to hint at things that you're trying. It's a sort of passive market research. Social media, in particular, is a great place to test out ideas before you commit to them.

But what if your brand is consistently getting no real engagement? What is there to watch, then?

You just have to watch the right things. If your website and/or blog is getting page views, that's something. If people are liking your page, that's something. Engagement isn't always super obvious. But, it's watching the less obvious things that can give you the most important information.

For example, say you have a blog post that consistently gets views when you share it om social media. It could also be a post that gets a lot of search traffic on its own. Obviously, people are attracted to that post. Creating social media content around that post, taking quotes from it, and making attractive images out of them, is one strategy. Sometimes, you can just reshare popular content that doesn't compete with your brand, but complements your brand's values.

The knowledge and insights you need to take your brand in the right direction are likely there already for you to see. You just have to take a step back and observe. Sometimes it's what's not being done by others, or done as well as you could do it, that you end up seeing.

The key to jump-starting your brand may even already be right in front of you!


Want to become a Brand Hero? But, not sure where or how to start? Hire the Brand Shamans and we’ll show you how!


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Don't Be the Brand Who Did Too Much

2/16/2018

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by Richard Rowell, Owner of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media Network
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Remember the time that Harley Davidson tried their hand at making bike soap? Yeah, that didn't go over so well.

It is very possible for a brand to do too much. Whether it's a personal brand, a company brand, or any kind of brand, people come to expect a certain image. A brand is meant to encapsulate the ideas, concepts, and values your brand stands for. When you step outside those bounds, your brand can take a serious hit.

Most Missteps Won't Kill Your Brand

While not every misstep will destroy your brand – and most won't – you do have to be careful. Whatever you do with your brand, you have to be consistent. If your brand goes and does something out of character, it's going to have a negative impact across your whole brand.

Yes, you can recover. Harley Davidson did, after making a lot of their hardcore fan base mad. And the product is still out there, but they no longer focus on it. So, you can backtrack and be fine. However, don't be the brand who did too much.

One thing that some brands do is try and take advantage of trends. While it's great if you do it right, plenty of brands make some weird choices. But usually, it's one ad campaign or one bad product launch, and you can go back to your brand's strengths and be fine.

But, then, brands take some really huge risks that don't make a lot of sense.

Taking Risks with Your Brand Purely to Take a Risk is Not So Bright

Take, for example, the "crunchless" Doritos for ladies. I'm not sure where that idea came from, and not only was it strange, but the way that they launched was actually kind of offensive. So what, chips are messy? Frito-Lay took a big hit from that.

They actually had an interesting idea, but they launched it very badly, and it came off all sexist. Also, "crunchless" chips is NOT something you would associate with DORITOS. It was just a really bad misstep. But you know what? They're a huge brand. They took a risk, but they'll bounce back.

Most brands, though, can't bounce back from a PR disaster like that. That sort of mistake can actually ruin a brand.

However, sometimes you still have to take risks with your brand, as long as that risk makes sense.

Do Everything You Can with Your Brand... Within Reason

I'd like to draw on a "brilliant" quote from Ashleigh Brilliant: "Not being able to do everything is no excuse for not doing everything you can "

While Ashleigh was not specifically talking about branding in this case, like people, brands can find themselves not doing as much as they can. As long as you are taking your brand in a positive direction, building on your brand's values, it's OK to take risks here and there. But never assume that you can survive taking massive risks that go against what your brand stands for.

So what if you don't want to ruin your brand? Create another brand. Yes, it's actually OK to create spin-off brands. Companies do it all the time, and sometimes the spin-offs even surpass the mothership brand.

Also, if the brand fails, the backlash is not going to be ANYWHERE near as bad as it could be. Sure, people may know your brand was associated with it. But people tend to forget the missteps by a lesser-established brand.

So what's the major take-away here? Make sure that you allow your brand to grow – and occasionally make mistakes – as long as your brand's mission is always clear in view. Advance the concepts, ideas, and values your brand has established.

When You Should Create a Spin-Off Brand

If you really want to create a new direction, build a new brand. It's more work, but the worst that can happen is that brand fails badly and goes away. More likely, you'll create a new brand that brings in a completely different dimension to your business.

Even though brands can appear completely separate to the general public, many companies own several different brands. Some bigger companies own dozens, or even hundreds, of brands. Why? Because if one brand fails, your business still has all those other brands to fall back on.

What if Harley created a new brand for their bike wash products? They could have saved themselves both PR headaches and lost sales. Yeah, Harley-Davidson would have been in the fine print in the commercials and on the bottles. But very few people actually read that. The PR impact may have been completely different. But the decision to use the brand to sell the product did NOT fit and the public responded by backing away from the brand.

And if Frito-Lay had introduced the "Ladychip" as a separate brand entirely, yeah, it would have been slammed. But the new Doritos Blaze chips, which are actually quite good, saved them this time. The Ladychip ad campaign could have ruined the Doritos brand entirely had they not introduced that other on-brand product (And Tyrion Lannister of Game of Thrones, weird as that Super Bowl ad was, didn't hurt.)

So Frito-Lay even knew they were taking a huge risk and took off some of the heat by releasing a solid product around the same time. PepsiCo also introduced a new Mountain Dew drink at the same time with a partnering ad with Morgan Freeman. Not sure how well that went over – it's not selling at my local supermarket, but the Blaze chips are!

Don't Be the Brand Who Did Too Much

The great news is, like Frito-Lay showed, you can bounce back by having a fallback plan whenever you take a risk. Always seek to build your brand, but don't be the brand who did too much.

Harley took a hit and Doritos took an even bigger one. Doritos just had a better comeback.

Don't make the same mistake. But if you do make a brand mistake, make sure it's a "good" mistake. Make sure it fits your brand's overall plan. Otherwise, you will cause some head-scratching, and potentially, lose business.


Want to become a Brand Hero? But, not sure where or how to start? Hire the Brand Shamans and we’ll show you how!
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Take That Next Step With Your Brand:  It Could Be Your Best One Yet

2/14/2018

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by Richard Rowell, Owner of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media Network
Take that next step. Don't worry if it's the wrong one.
Take that next step. Don't worry if it's the wrong one. Step forward confidently and you will find yourself one step closer to success.

Sometimes we are afraid of taking that next step in life because we may worry that it's the wrong one. This happens all the time with brands, too. It can be too easy to become complacent and simply be "okay" with how things are. Both in life and with your brand, staying put is not the best way to go. Being sure that you and your brand are both growing is key to sustaining current success as well as setting up for future growth and success.

Is there something you could be doing but aren't due to fear of failure? Most steps we could make we simply don't because we feel it isn't worth the risk to do something new. Still, most missteps are only going to cost you a little time and perhaps a little money, nothing you will miss in the long term just for having tried.

Sometimes, we overestimate the risks because of the simple fact that there are so many unknowns with possibilities. So, we have to always assume some risks. But, when you really think about it, that new thing could change both you and your brand for the better.

And what if that next step fails? Chances are you'll recover from your venture without much real loss and have learned from the experience. A negative experience with your brand is just like a negative experience in your own life. Often you and your brand are both so interconnected that you'll feel the sting of failure twice. But it should make you try twice as hard to make another new step, not leave you feeling like you should retreat. You should both recover without much trouble. After all, what is success worth if it's easy when you fail?

But what if your next step succeeds and brings a new dimension to your brand? At the very least, if it doesn't fail, that step could at least give you a sense of accomplishment and keeps you and your brand on track.

Really, if it doesn't hurt you and your brand seriously, there is no reason not to try it. And yes, the best laid plans can backfire. But, as long as you understand the real impacts of risk weighed against potential rewards, you should be able to overcome your fears of making new steps forward.

And if the next step is a big one that could go seriously wrong, but you are sure it is the way you want to go, then just make that step. The worst thing you can do is stay put. Not doing something can hurt more than anything else because you won't learn anything and will have nothing to gain.

Fear should be seen as simply a need to ensure yourself that you know what's best in growing both yourself and your brand. Still, don't let it stop you, even if seems there is so much to lose. As long as that next step is made with growth and prosperity in mind, you should be sure to make it a good one!


Want to become a Brand Hero? But, not sure where or how to start? Hire the Brand Shamans and we’ll show you how!

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Is Your Brand Representing Its True Purpose?

2/12/2018

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by Lyn Lomasi; Owner of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media Network
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Image © Josh Tasman; Flickr.com
The vibes your brand puts out there are important to your company's success and image. Is your brand representing its true purpose? Does what your brand puts out there truly align with what you envisioned for the company? Do you know your brand's true purpose or does it even have one yet?

Every Brand Needs A Purpose

Does your brand have a purpose? It should! Each brand's purpose is what helps people connect. If there's nothing behind it except a product, people will have a hard time understanding why they want or need it. Does your brand help people in some way? Does it have a unique meaning behind it? Make sure there is a purpose for doing whatever it is your brand or product does.

Your Brand's Purpose Needs To Be Obvious

Not only does your brand need a purpose, but it needs to be very obvious. For instance, if your brand's purpose is to spread the word about a specific cause, that should be evident in everything you do. Logos, blog posts, social media posts, ads, product labels, shipping packages, and anything else put out there by your brand needs to reflect that purpose.

What Vibes Is Your Brand Representing?

Are you sending out mixed messages or vibes? Does your brand truly represent what you want it to? Listen to your audience. Watch their reactions to what you do. Does it really reflect that purpose? If your brand is about healing, like ours, do all things put out by your brand reflect healing? Make sure that nothing puts out vibes that are the opposite of what you intended. If you've mistakenly done this, no worries! You can still fix it! That's what the Brand Shamans are for! We help heal brands.

If your brand needs help discovering its inner spirituality or purpose, let us know! We can help!
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What Is Brand Spirituality? Why You Need It!

2/2/2018

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by Lyn Lomasi; Owner of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media network
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Many brands, communities, and other entities often forget about the connection that needs to happen with their audience and members. This connection is what keeps them interested and also is what keeps your brand or community authentic and focused on what it's all about. We call this brand or community spirituality. If you think about it, your brand or community is an entity that you and your audience or members are dedicated to. There is a spiritual bond. If not, there should be! We help you bring everything into focus surrounding the spirituality or inner connection of your brand or community. Once this happens, the rest falls into place quickly.

We Study Your Business And Help You Heal It From The Inside Out!

We'd love to know more about you, your business, and your goals. Drop us an email via the contact form (below) to give us an idea of who you are and what you need and we'll get back to you. If you don't have time to give us a life story, a few lines is fine. We'd love to explore your website for the rest! As a complementary test run, we'll even interview you for FREE to introduce you to our audience and publish the results on one of our popular channels (also FREE). This is one of the very first steps in helping heal your business, brand, or community and it's FREE, so you have nothing to lose.

Is This A Religious Service?

It's whatever you want or need it to be. We base our services on what you would like your brand to be and represent. Brand spirituality refers to your brand as an entity and in itself is not a faith-based service. This is a journey of discovery! You may be familiar with self-discovery. This is the same thing, but for your brand. Though, if you would like a certain faith implemented into your brand, we can help you with that, too! We are non-faith-based and open to helping with any beliefs or non-beliefs.

Analysis Of Your Brand Helps Discover Its Inner Spirit

Is your brand really doing all it can for you? Is it representing the values and ideals you want it to? What message is it sending? Is it one you agree with? Are you connected with your audience and staff? For a small fee, we can analyze your brand (this includes your website, social media accounts, and more). Brand refers to your product, book, or anything else that needs branding. The analysis will be personalized based on your brand's needs.

Your Brand Needs A Customized All-Inclusive Community Building & Engagement Plan

Once one of our Brand Healing Specialists (aka Brand Shamans) has done an analysis, we can outline what we feel will work best for you based on that research. This step is FREE and is where you will gain your FREE insight that is needed in order for us to take action. Actions may include things like email discussions on what your brand means to you, interactions via social media and/or your online community, content marketing that matches your brand, and more! This custom brand healing plan can help you find your brand's inner spirit and begin the healing process on your company's life path.

Why You Need To Take Action!

Once you have your analysis, it's in your hands to take action by having us kick your brand or community's spirituality into high gear. If there's not enough interaction going on around your community or brand, it's not connected properly. Let the Brand Shamans work together as a team with you and your audience to find your brand's inner spirit and strengths.

Watch Your Brand Or Community's Spirituality & Positive Interactions Improve!

When the connection has been found, watch how your brand or community's spirituality and positive interactions improve! Many companies and communities forget the connection part when it comes to engaging with their audience and members. We help you bring everything and everyone together to find a common ground and purpose surrounding your community or brand. Once this happens, the rest falls into place quickly.

Take Action Now! Get A Head Start On Your Brand's Healing Process Today!
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    ALL Staff

    Lyn Lomasi Rowell
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    Lyn Lomasi & Richard Rowell  are life & business partners. Owners of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media network, we are your brand healing, soul healing, & content superheroes to the rescue!

    Running our network of websites, tackling deadlines single-handedly, and coaching fellow writers, brands, & entrepreneurs to be thought leaders is our top priority.

    While rescuing civilians from boring content and brands, we conquer the world, living the RV life and managing our Intent-sive Nature with our awesomely crazy family while recounting The Nova Skye Story, along with Kymani’s Travels.

    We also strive to one day cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, we’ll settle for furry rescue kitties and doggies.

    We support many causes via our business ventures, such as homelessness, support for trans youth, equality, helping starving artists, and more! A portion of all proceeds from Intent-sive Nature goes toward helping homeless pets in local shelters.

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