If I were to google you right now, what would I find? What impressions would I form after viewing your professional history, your social media presence (or lack thereof), and your photos? Would I want to do business with you? Hire you? Befriend you?

Wakeup call, people … you’re being watched. It’s time to take control of your personal brand.

Say what?

Whether or not you identify it as such, you have a personal brand. Branding used to be reserved for businesses, but with the mushrooming social media landscape and the growing gig economy, the time has come to embrace personal branding.

A personal brand is how you present yourself to the world. It’s what you want people to know — who you are, what you think, what you stand for, and what makes you unique. Oftentimes, it’s the first impression someone will make of you.

So … yeah, it’s important. A strong personal brand establishes you as a thought leader in your industry, promotes your company (and your career), differentiates you from those who share your space, and allows you to build trust with those who seek you out.

Know thyself

Developing your personal brand starts with taking an objective look in the mirror. How would you describe yourself personally? Professionally? How would others describe you? Identify a handful of adjectives that feel like spirit words and make them your litmus test for everything you publish, post, share, comment on, and participate in. 

Find your niche. Solidify what sets you apart. And then run with it. It won’t happen overnight. It requires communicating your mission to your audience, in a genuine way, consistently and for the long-term.

Speaking practically

• Focus your branding. Share only what rings true. Posting just for the sake of posting is just noise.
• Deliver value to your audience. Make sure what you’re sharing is relevant to those you are talking to.
• Put the “social” in social media. Interact on the platforms where you live. Comment when you have something to say. Like when something rings true to you. Start a conversation.
• Share yourself with your audience. Give them a glimpse into your life and your soul. People want to know what makes you tick.
• Don’t live and die by your numbers. Having a gaggle of followers is fantastic, but are they your people? Are they engaging with you and furthering your brand?
• Lastly, and most importantly, make sure the on-line version of you matches the in-person version of you. Nobody likes a stepford wife. Don’t get caught up in what you think you should be – be authentic. 

If you’re not sure how to get there, give us a ring. We can help you hone your personal brand and show you how to rock it!

As the leader of your brand, it is up to you to determine the vision for your business, you are also the business leader. You are mission-control to successfully making that vision materialize. Be responsible for recognizing – and deciding how best to overcome – the barriers to your brand’s success.

One of the most powerful (and responsible) things you can do as a business leader is to get out of your own way.

The business leader and/or business owner holds a tremendous amount of power. You can be your brand’s greatest asset and its biggest backer. Critical to your mission, however, is not to become a barrier yourself.

During a conversation with a business owner and CEO of a $50M+ company, the CEO relayed that his largest client could not implement the programs offered to them because the necessary departments were not communicating with each other.

To overcome this hurdle, the CEO stepped in to facilitate meetings and interactions between his client’s departments. However, he was not getting paid for that time and taking on that role took him away from his own responsibilities.

When asked to provide my advice to this dilemma, my answer was simple: Don’t attend the meetings. If he did not attend the meetings, others would be forced to take on rightful ownership of their responsibilities, freeing the CEO to focus on his own responsibilities.

Here are four things to consider as a business leader in order to get (or stay!) out of your own way:

1. Build boundaries and bridges. Don’t put yourself in situations to be the point person when it is not your role. If you consistently play a role not meant for you lines become blurry and you increase your risk of burnout. You also risk not having the time and/or resources you need to be successful. Build a good team – in-house and/or through outsourcing. Then take a step back and let them fulfill their own roles.
2. Do it, delegate it or delete it. Does your to-do list continue to have the same thing on it week after week? Yes? Figure out why. If it is something that requires YOUR attention, do it. If it needs to get done but someone can or should complete it, delegate it. Maybe circumstances make completing a task unrealistic, undesirable or unnecessary – then, delete it. Procrastination is a barrier to productivity and to creativity.
3. Find your joy. Focus on the good contributions. Perhaps you work with a client who is abrasive. Understanding that he or she has a difficult job can help you avoid taking things personally. Look at the good things you are doing in your own role and the positive things the company is doing. If you focus only on the negative or get upset over the same things on a weekly basis, you prevent yourself from seeing the positives of your own – and others’ – contributions.
4. Celebrate success and forget failure. Failure is a necessary part of the process. Expect it. Embrace it. Learn from it. As a leader, failure should be empowering. Don’t let it get you down. Stop and acknowledge when you overcome it.
   

If you can get out of your own way, you may be your brand’s greatest asset. We have built a strong team and could be a powerful ally. Give us a call.

Change – in time or circumstance – often sparks reflection. The match may also be our own – or another’s – experiences, a song heard, or a quote shared. Equally true is the reverse – reflection often sparks change. Growth is ignited by both. As 2018 nears its end on the Porch, we are reflecting upon this year and gleaning insights to lead us into next. We hope our reflections will serve as a guiding light to your own.

As Chief Rocker, 2018 has been a year of growth for me professionally. In the spring, I graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses program – one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have done for my career and business thus far. As wife and mom, it has also been a year of transition and growth for my family. My husband has grown his team at work and is settling into a new leadership role.

“I believe that days go slow and years go fast.” Luke Bryan

Nowhere is this more apparent than in parenting. My daughter transitioned brilliantly into a new school and turned five, which seems like a landmark year. This fall my son entered what is widely rumored to be the most difficult year of education at his high school. He has shown tremendous grit and commitment to achieving success with his grades, his varsity football team and his competitive shooting team.

It has also been a year of anticipating and preparing for big changes ahead. With college on the horizon – and a mom’s need to collect as many experiences with him as possible – I once again increased my volunteer commitments at his school. As a parent, change is bittersweet. The growth you model, encourage and watch proudly take shape in your children is the same growth making you wish desperately time would slow down.

For my other love – Front Porch Marketing –– our passion and dedication to the development and growth of our clients’ brands continues.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” Steve Jobs

Rock Star Vanessa Hickman:

As 2018 comes to a close, I am joyful that I have the opportunity to do what I love … sharing stories and helping organizations create and share their story. For me, the most meaningful project of 2018 was partnering with Practice Ministries to tell their story and raise funds in order to expand their ministries. Two of my loves collided: my faith and my work. To have found something I love and which allows me to contribute to the prosperity of my family makes me grateful, humbled and blessed.

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” James Cash Penney

The Porch saw some changes in 2018, too. We added two Rockers. For one of them, a personal and professional collision of another sort occurred when her homecoming this year also grew our roster of amazing clients.

Lil’ Rock Maria Gregorio:

I moved back to Texas after a brief time in Kansas and I have somehow managed to reconnect and work with some old friends: Julie and Girl Scouts. It reminds me of an old Girl Scout song “Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold … ” While I did enjoy my time in Kansas – I did indeed make new friends and learned a lot – it’s nice to be home again.

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” John C. Maxwell

Back Porch Rocker Jacqui Trujillo:

2018 will be remembered as a year of tremendous change for me. Fear and discomfort can accompany change of any sort, but in the end, what I discovered is that sometimes the change you fear the most is the change that saves you … and turns you into exactly who you were meant to be.

“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” Brene Brown

Finding our joy and practicing gratitude each day – regardless of circumstance – have also provided opportunities for reflection and been a catalyst for change in 2018.

The Rock Tara Engelland:

This year I have tried to take time at the end of each day to make a list of the things I am grateful for, both big and small. It’s amazing what practicing gratitude can do for your overall sense of happiness and contentment – especially on bad days. Sometimes, I even find the everyday things that I consider to be such chores are the things I am most grateful for. It really helps put things into perspective.

We are immensely grateful to our clients for the changes and growth we have experienced through the opportunities to work with each of you.

Classic Rocker Greg Asher:

2018 brought about the opportunity to work with great clients and a wide array of companies. From new products and services to new growth opportunities and new customer segments, they inspire me daily with their passion and commitment, and have me looking forward to a dynamic 2019.

“The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates

As you reflect upon 2018, contemplate what roads you (and your brand) should start or continue to travel and where you should change directions. Focus your energy on making those changes so the reflection you see in the rearview mirror is a year full of growth, for yourself and for your brand’s bottom line.

From all of us on the Porch, may your holidays be merry and your 2019 shine bright.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about business leadership.  What makes a good leader today?

As luck would have it, I recently watched The Founder, starring the underrated actor Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonalds.  Turns out, stealing the McDonalds brothers’ intellectual property and last name aside, Ray Kroc had some pretty good ideas about leadership that ultimately led to the success of the company and can still be applied today.

Side note: yes, I know McDonalds is not doing great right now and other restaurant chains are, ahem, eating their lunch. But, at the time, Ray Kroch was able to capitalize on a few key ideas to great success.

How are you going to steer this ship?

A Good Leader Takes a Step Back

The McDonald brothers, the original founders of McDonald’s, spent years perfecting their “Speedee Service System,” the assembly-line style fast food kitchen we all know today. They cut down on costs by eliminating wait staff and paired down their menu to the top-selling items – burgers, sodas, shakes, and fries.

Their first foray into franchising was a disaster. It was difficult for the brothers to control quality standards because 1) they were in California and franchisees were far away in a different city or state and 2) they hardly ever ventured outside of their original location.

So, you can imagine their consternation when Ray Kroc, who they trusted to create and supervise their second attempt at franchising, started suggesting new menu items, sponsorship opportunities, and that the brothers should expand the franchise even more. Who was this yahoo to tell them how to tinker with their creation?

It is a difficult thing to go from working in your business to working on your business, to giving up some control and letting others take on the day-to-day details and hands-on work. It’s a risk – what if a staff person comes back with less-than-stellar work? You have spent all this time growing your business and now you’re just supposed to what, give up the reins?

In a word, yes. In three more words, a little bit. What the movie makes painfully clear is that the McDonalds brothers were never going to grow their business to the fast food behemoth it is today by themselves. They needed right leadership, and the right people, to grow and they needed to let those people take the lead.

Finding the Right People Is Worth It

Initially, Ray sold McDonald’s franchises to a few friends from his country club. This was not a great success. They changed menu items without consulting him first. Burgers were overcooked. Locations were messy. And what was worse, they did not care. Their livelihood did not depend on these restaurants and so they let standards slide.

Ray then decides to fish for the right franchisees in different waters. He found them in VFW halls, American Legions, Shriners Clubs, churches, and synagogues. He sold franchises to regular, working-class people who were willing to work hard and had some skin in the game.

The lesson in all of this: finding the right people is tough. But, hiring the wrong people can be a costly mistake. Is it time to expand your talent search?

Leaders Work on Growing Their People

Let’s be clear: Ray Kroc was not a nice guy. But, he knew good talent and ideas when he saw them.

Ray didn’t immediately squash new ideas from his staff, he tested them out first. He took chances on people who might otherwise be overlooked, because he liked their work ethic. His original Director of Operations, Fred Turner, started out on the line of one his restaurants. Ray initially took interest in him because he literally liked the way Fred flipped burgers.

Ultimately, good leaders grow people. And by growing their people, they grow their business.

A Strong Brand is Worth a Lot ($2.7 million in fact)

Ray Kroc understood the value of a strong brand. He knew that even more than burgers and fries, McDonalds was selling the chance to spend time with your family, a sense of community, a slice of Americana. He also knew he could copy the Speedee Service System all the wanted, but no one was going to go to a restaurant named after him. Kroc’s doesn’t quite have the same ring as McDonald’s.

This is the point in the movie where things take a dramatic turn and we see Ray basically bullying the McDonald brothers into selling their very name to Ray for $2.7 million.

While I don’t advocate bullying, I do suggest looking at your brand and identifying what makes you stand out from the pack. In a world of increasingly commodified goods and services, what is special about your company?

Its an old saying, but its true: what got you here won’t get you there. The things that make a business owner successful at first –a great product or service, hard work, attention-to-detail – are not enough by themselves to take a business to the next level.

To level up, business leaders must step back from the day-to-day, find and grow the right people, and cultivate their brand.  What steps are you taking to get to the next level of your business?

On the Porch, we are often asked about the differences between Mission statements and Vision statements. Having clearly defined Mission and Vision statements as part of your strategic plan can help your company perform better than your competitors in the short and long term as the two serve very different, yet important purposes.

Mission Statements vs. Vision Statements

Mission statements define the present purpose of a company by addressing the following three things about your company:

• WHAT your company does
• WHO your company benefits
• HOW your company does it (differentiate yourself from your competitors)

Vision statements define the future purpose for the company by addressing the following two things about the vision for your company’s future:

• WHY your company exists – Identify your purpose.
• WHAT your company wants to achieve over time – Identify your goals.

Successful Mission Statement: The Short Term

One word can be used to describe successful Mission statements – short.

• They should be short and to the point, using only a sentence or two. Clear, succinct mission statements make it easy for employees to understand and articulate your company’s Mission, allowing them to know how they contribute to accomplishing it.
• They should be short term, addressing a shorter timeframe (one to four years). This allows for refining your Mission statement as needed due to economic or product changes.

Perfect Vision Statements: Focus on the Future

Carefully crafted, successful Vision statements are forward looking, and should:

• Be inspirational and aspirational, succinctly addressing the vision for your company’s future.
• Be farsighted, focusing on a longer timeframe (upwards of five to ten years).
• Serve as a challenge to your employees, helping them visualize how their daily tasks help your company’s quest to meet long term goals. This will help develop buy-in and support throughout the organization, even if/as leadership changes.
• Serve as a litmus test for marketing to keep your company’s communications on message.

So, which should come first? Begin with the end in mind. Take a look at your company’s present state (Mission) and ask yourself whether you are working towards your future purpose (Vision). If not, consider creating a Vision statement to set a new course for your company and your people.

Over the past three months, I have been honored to spend a great deal of time with a group of brilliant small business owners. These leaders’ businesses run the gamut from engineering services to inventors, executive recruiters to restaurants, and everything in between. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program has allowed me to learn about these amazing folks, as well as from them.

During our classes and breaks, my classmates asked me some marketing questions, and I noticed that many of the inquiries were similar. So it seems natural to share these insights in a more public way, in the hopes that they will be helpful to other small business owners and leaders.

What percent of my budget should I allocate to marketing of a new product?

There is no specific formula to calculate this. We typically recommend 5% – 15% plus, depending on the category you are in, competition, customer, client, timing, etc. The world we live in is constantly changing from day to day. The global economy changes. So make sure you have done your due diligency on product, place and price in addition to promotion. It makes a difference.

How much of my time should I spend on marketing?

Dear small business owners, you know your business better than anyone. No one is more passionate or determined to make your business a success than you. There is no cookie-cutter answer to this question. What we do know is that your time is best spent on marketing strategy and not execution. Your time is your inventory. Spend it working on your business not in it. Whether it is an internal or external resource, have someone help you. Your business will thank you.

How quickly should I see results of marketing efforts?

Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. It is a long term commitment. We tell our clients we are not successful unless we are growing your topline sales but we need time to gain real results. You need to continuously put your business or product in the right places to reach your target market over an extended period of time. Make sure you have defined your ROI reasonably and that you are tracking it on a consistent basis.

Can you guarantee me a four to one ratio topline sales return on my marketing investment? 

The answer is no. If an outside marketing partner, other than a media buying firm, is telling you otherwise, look for another partner.

I hope you found these questions and answers helpful. I could wax lyrical on branding and marketing all day long! If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at julie@itsfrontporch.com or connect with me on LinkedIn. Happy marketing y’all!

Isn’t it hard to believe that Q1 is already in books? Nevertheless, the time has come to analyze topline sales for the first quarter of 2018.

Why is this analysis so important, you ask? Demonstrating the value of your marketing and sales efforts by evaluating ROI is paramount for our client partners. And for our own business as well!

Take a look at these four things If your topline sales weren’t what you anticipated:

1. Were your marketing efforts consistent? Think consistency in creative, messaging and delivery. All are important, together with frequency, which is critical as well.
2. Are you proactively managing and following up on your sales leads? This oversight can be accomplished in a few ways, depending on resources (time, money, people, etc.). Something as elementary as an Excel workbook can be updated daily and analyzed weekly. Some of our clients chose other management tools, such as Hubspot, Pipedrive and Zoho. Maximize technology if it makes your business (and you!) more efficient and more profitable.
3. Are you communicating clearly with your internal audiences, and are they on board? Starting from the inside out is critical to the success of any strategy. Conviction is key. Make sure you have your internal champions. The team must understand the “why” and articulate strategy, initiatives and messages clearly. At every touch point.
4. Are your initiatives relevant and persuasive to your target audiences? Make sure you are connecting with your prospective and current clients and customers. Create an emotional connection. Be relevant. People will be predisposed to your brand and business if they are made to feel something.

Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”

If your topline sales aren’t where they need to be, then let’s take a look at the possible reasons. We are here to help.

Peace. Out. And most importantly, rock on!

As I skim materials for my upcoming Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Marketing and Sales class, my mind wanders (Hey, a squirrel! Or is it procrastination, perhaps?). I must blog. Now.

This post builds on my colleague Jacqui Chappell’s last blog on differentiating against competition. She is known as being the writer extraordinaire on the Porch, so I do not want to disappoint as I follow a post from her! So just read this blog for content and nuggets of marketing and sales knowledge. Puhleeeease!!

There is no one size fits all marketing and sales strategy. And this post does not suggest it, either. Period.

However, as I stare at a document asking me to define “current and aspirational competitors and their market share,” I realize Front Porch Marketing has a million and one competitors. I do not watch them daily, nor do I care if they are watching us.

I was asked recently by a client if they should list names of their clients on their website, collateral materials, etc. My answer: Heeeelllll, yes! If you are doing your job well, then no competitor can cold call your client list and take them away from you.

Doing your job well is obviously the first way to weed out your competitors.

Here are five more:

1. Define your brand. Know your pillars.
2. Communicate your brand consistently inside and out. If you look like every other company in your category, you are not doing this, nor is your brand defined.
3. Look outside your industry. Take key learnings from strong or unique brands in other spaces and consider how you can use them to help your brand.
4. Talk to your clients / customers. Ask them why they selected your company or product over others? What didn’t they get from their last partner or other product?
5. Ask yourself if who you consider your main competition is really that. Speaking to two business owners independently recently, they named each other as direct / primary competition. The more we learned about said businesses, the more we found them to be great complements to each other’s concepts and thought of more than a dozen ways they could leverage each other to grow their businesses. (Maybe if they use our ideas, they will let us blog about them specifically in the future.)

Identifying and evaluating your competition is an important exercise, there is no doubt. But it’s a delicate balance. Knowing they are there keeps you on your toes, pushes you to do your best work, and provides occasional inspiration. But ultimately, what will differentiate you from your competitors is your brand, the work that you do, and the way that you do it.

So rock your brand, rock your work and rock your competitors! TTFN!

Influencer marketing has become a very popular form of social media marketing. Brands have discovered that an influencer partnership can have a positive impact on their revenue. This form of marketing allows brands to spread their content, connect with consumers, and build relationships more organically and directly.

An influencer is someone who acts as a mutual friend, and connects your brand with your target consumers. In today’s technological world, people are exposed to an abundance of purchasing choices, yet they don’t have the time to research them. Instead, buyers rely on friends, acquaintances, and fellow consumers to inform their purchasing decisions. The rise of social media has made it easier than ever for people to find other people who will help give them the information.

Luckily, social media has also made it easier for brands to seek out and partner with influencers who will get people talking about their company and products.

Partnerships with the right influencers can be extremely positive for your brand. A successful influencer will drive traffic to your site, spread your message across social media platforms, and grow your following. Ultimately, their recommendation sells your product.

When considering influencer marketing:

• Numbers aren’t everything. Don’t rely simply on the number of followers or social media likes an influencer has. Focus on who their followers are and what they are interested in. Those things matter more.
• Brand alignment is a must. Partner with influencers whose audiences align with your brand and the products you sell. Influencers come in all shapes and sizes: celebrities, industry experts, bloggers, YouTubers, journalists, etc.
• Authenticity is key. Collaborate and build relationships with influencers that truly believe in your brand. Buyers can detect partnerships that aren’t a genuine fit, and that may turn them away from your brand.

In 2018, influencer marketing is a powerful tool. If you’d like to develop relationships with social media influencers and aren’t sure where to start, call us. Front Porch Marketing can help!

Every year at this time, I sit down to write a blog that adequately expresses the gratitude I have in my heart. And the truth of the matter is, I struggle to find words weighty enough.

Friends, I am beyond thankful.

I am thankful that …

• my dream of forming a company to do work that I love, every day, has become a reality.
• my team of amazing professionals are not just co-workers; but also parents, warriors and above all else, friends.
• I work for and alongside amazing client partners who value what we do, follow our lead and in turn, inspire us to grow and evolve.
• the structure of my professional life allows me to be present for the important moments in my personal life. And I am proud that my entire team is able to do the same.
• I have a loving husband who values and appreciates me.
• I have strong, healthy, independent, amazing children whose successes bring me more joy than I thought imaginable. Don’t even get me started on this one. I am so grateful.
• my entire family, but most specifically my parents, whose unending support and involvement in my life means everything.

I am thankful, friends. Beyond thankful.

Thank you, all of you, for making my personal and professional life rich and meaningful. My heart is full.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.