5 Do’s and Dont’s for Successful Auto Dealerships in the 21st century

Our latest presentation in collaboration with Kathi Kruse from Kruse Control Inc., an auto dealer consultancy company, is focusing on the trends that auto dealers should be aware of. This presentation is also used to launch our collaboration and an introduction on the services that Branding Personality with Kruse Control Inc. are providing for Auto Dealerships.

100 effective ways to promote your personal brand FOR FREE!

Small business brands are heavily dependent on the personal brand of the owner of the company. The business owner is usually (especially at the start of the company) the person that is doing the sales and therefore the face of the company to its clients. Increasing the brand value of the business owner is therefore a major factor in increasing the brand value of the business itself.

1. Create a presence on Facebook
2. Create a presence on Twitter
3. Create a presence on LinkedIn
4. Publish a video with your personality on YouTube
5. Publish your video on LinkedIn
6. Publish a link to your video on Twitter
7. Publish your video on Facebook
8. Post comments on other blogs related to your area of expertise
9. Decide the 10 most important keywords that reflect your business or area of expertise, and use these when writing content
10. Write blogposts on your own blog on each of the 10 keywords.
11. Try to use the 10 keywords in as many places on your website as possible, while still keeping the website an interesting read and pleasurable experience for your users.
12. Post your website links and links to interesting articles or sites in your area of expertise to http://del.icio.us
13. Ping your blog to more directories
14. Increase the optimization of your blog or website on Google, especially for your 10 most important keywords.
15. Increase the optimization of your blog or website on Bing, especially for your 10 most important keywords.
16. Increase the optimization of your blog or website on Yahoo, especially for your 10 most important keywords.
17. Create a presence on Ecademy
18. Create a Facebook Fan Page for your business and start sharing content
19. Post a message every day on Facebook
20. Post a message every day on LinkedIn
21. Post three messages every day on Twitter
22. Share links to good articles in your area of expertise on LinkedIn
23. Share links to good articles in your area of expertise on Twitter
24. Share links to good articles in your area of expertise on Facebook
25. Sign up for events on Facebook
26. Sign up for events on LinkedIn
27. Sign up for events on Meetup
28. Post your Meetup event rsvp’s to Facebook
29. Invite other people to attend the events that you want to attend on Facebook.
30. Create a podcast
31. Make the podcast available for download on your website
32. Make the podcast available for download on iTunes
33. Interview leaders in your industry and post the interviews on your blog
34. Get interviewed by other websites or blogs
35. Respond to free PR opportunities offered by HARO (Help-A-Reporter-Out)
36. Create a page on your website that offers your speaking services
37. Give presentations to local Chambers, networking groups and industry events
38. Post pictures on your area of expertise on Flickr
39. Post pictures on your area of expertise on your website or blog
40. Share your Powerpoint presentations on Slideshare
41. Share your Powerpoint presentations on your website or blog
42. Complete your profile (your full resume) on LinkedIn
43. Complete your profile on Ecademy
44. Complete your profile on Twitter
45. Complete your profile on LinkedIn
46. “Like” Facebook Fan Pages related to your area of expertise
47. Share your knowledge on Facebook Fan Pages related to your area of expertise
48. Share your expertise in questions asked by people in your network on Facebook
49. Share your expertise in questions asked by people in your network on LinkedIn
50. Reply to questions asked by people in your network on Twitter
51. Create searches on your most important keywords on Twitter or in Tweetdeck and respond to questions or give encouragement
52. Add people to Twitter Lists
53. Sync your contacts on LinkedIn to connect with people on LinkedIn that you already know
54. Sync your contacts on Twitter to connect with people on Twitter that you already know
55. Sync your contacts on Facebook to connect with people on Facebook that you already know
56. Sync your contacts on Ecademy to connect with people on Ecademy that you already know
57. Invite people on Facebook
58. Invite people on Twitter
59. Invite people on LinkedIn
60. Write an article for a newspaper
61. Write an article for a magazine
62. Organize a monthly get-together about your area of expertise
63. Invite people to your monthly get-together
64. Share documents on Scribd
65. Give something away for free on your website
66. Write a guest blog post for another blog or website
67. If you meet with clients, share that on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter
68. Sync Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter through ping.fm, so you only have to write your content once and post it at the three networks at once.
69. Subscribe to other YouTube channels or people in your area of expertise
70. Reply to messages of your online connections, especially if the content is related to your area of expertise
71. Follow people in your area of expertise on Twitter
72. Connect with people in your area of expertise on LinkedIn
73. Connect with people that talk about your area of expertise on Facebook
74. Write tutorials on something that you know well
75. Apply for awards in your industry
76. Organize a contest
77. Start a community on your own website with WordPress BuddyPress or WordPress Wishlist plugins
78. Use a signature in your emails that invites people to connect with you on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook
79. Participate in blog carnivals
80. Link to other blogs
81. Email your friends and contacts to share what’s going on in your life
82. Email your blog readers to thank them (for commenting)
83. Email leaders in your industry to invite them to your blog
84. Organize Tweetups and invite Twitter followers and friends to join
85. Get an account on Foursquare and start checking in at locations that you visit.
86. Share to-do items on the locations that you visit on Foursquare
87. Use a professional headshot as your profile picture on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter
88. Create an appealing background image for your Twitter Page
89. Create an appealing logo bug (avatar) on your Facebook Fan Page that is consistent with your Twitter Page background.
90. Use Gravatar to have your personal picture show next to blog comments.
91. Post controversial statements on your Facebook Fan Page and ask for feedback
92. Play online games, like Farmville on Facebook.
93. Post restaurant or business reviews on Yelp
94. Ask for recommendations to former customers and business partners on LinkedIn
95. Give someone a recommendation on LinkedIn
96. Post book reviews on Amazon.com
97. Connect with offline communities that you are a member of on online networks; like BNI or industry organizations
98. Join LinkedIn groups in your area of expertise
99. Ask questions on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook
100. Join the next social network that people start talking about (and no, that’s not Google Buzz)

Do you know other ways to promote your personal brand for free? Please add them in the comments!

BP helps OC Supervisor Candidate Achieve Goals

Rose Espinoza has been a successful mayor in La Habra and a community leader within Orange County for years.  She is now hoping to serve as one of our county supervisors.  Branding Personality is working behind the scenes to help Rose achieve her goals. You can learn more about her political movement on her website.  You can learn more about her as a person here.

Marieke: If you didn’t do this career, what would you do?
Rose: I switched careers in ’06 to what I really wanted to do which is transition the program I founded, Rosie’s Garage, into it’s own non profit.  That was completed in 2008. Second, was to finish the units needed toward my bachelors.  Almost there. And third, run for OC Board of Supervisor, 4th District in June 2010.

MH: Sounds very ambitious! Have you always been this driven? Where did you grow up?
RE: I grew up in a migrant camp set up by the La Habra Citrus Association for families whose head of household worked for them picking lemons, oranges, and avocados.  It later became known as the ‘Red Camp’ because all the homes had a red tinge to them.  Rent was cheap, $7 a month. We had plenty of backyard space for a vegetable garden, a goat (for goats milk), chickens, fruit trees and a clothesline.  We had plenty of yard on both sides and in front of the home.  Growing up with 7 more siblings, we would need the space for all sorts of kid games. Showers were not taken at home but rather at the Red Camp communal center. Dad didn’t like that and soon built a shower addition to our home. And, most importantly, we had an outdoor bathroom, a flushing one.  It was an ‘Opie’ kind of life.

MH: Who was your idol growing up?
RE: I wasn’t allowed to stay for any of the high school activities like football games and pep rallies, etc. but one year, our high school had a concert at our high school football stadium. Three Dog Nite was going to perform at our high school!  How much better does it get!?  Don’t ask me how I got my parent’s permission to attend the concert. I couldn’t believe it, I was attending a real concert!  After that evening, Three Dog Nite became my favorite idol for the rest of my high school years.

MH: If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?
RE: The ability to read the mind of people, then I could know what my opponents in the OC Supervisor race are thinking.
Wouldn’t that be nice!

The 2 Types of Social Media Clients

Different sized businesses have different needs when it comes to Social Media. While some needs overlap, there isn’t a one size fits all plan.

The first type of client would be a big business or a large corporation. This is a company with an established name and identity that needs to remain consistent throughout their social media presence. They are seeking brand reputation and to start a conversation with its customers and interested parties. Their need is to turn their product value into a social value. They are looking for a relationship with the customer because they have more to offer than just their quality product.  Corporate companies are focused more on reputation. They have a perspective on their brand and they are looking to enhance an image.

The second type is the small business that might have a local following or locally established name, but basically hasn’t built their brand yet. They want to use social media for establishing their name and growing their market to a larger area.  When working with a small company, it’s about developing brand recognition and trust as well as make people aware that the brand exists and that it offers value.

I love to help companies find the conversation, it’s like exploring the world for that client. Find out who your potential customers are, how they behave and how you, as a new brand can become of value to these potential customers.

Branding Personality can maximize your BBB web presence.

The Better Business Bureau, founded in 1912, has been a trusted source of information for consumers. According to the wiki,

“BBBs gather and report information on business reliability, alert the public to frauds against consumers and businesses, provide information on ethical business practices, and act as mutually trusted intermediaries between consumers and businesses to resolve disputes. News media frequently turn to the CBBB and local BBBs as expert sources of news about scams and consumer issues.”

As with most companies, the BBB is keeping up with the times and allowing companies to add their social media profiles like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to their BBB profiles. Therefore consumers can get even more information on your company directly from the BBB site.

We strongly recommend updating this information for your BBB listing.  If you’re not sure where to start, Branding Personality can manage this for you along with the many other services provided.

Online Video's are worth a second look.

I’ve believed and practiced this myself for awhile so when an actual study came out confirming it, I can’t say I was surprised.

Forrester published an article stating that in a Google search, “any given video in the index stands about a 50 times better chance of appearing on the first page of results than any given text page in the index.”

An optimized video has more clout with Google searches than an optimized web page. So what does that mean? It means that video’s are coming up on the first page in a SERP or Search Engine Results Page more than actual web pages.

So take action! Borrow a video camera or buy a Flip and make a video for your web site today. Start with a 30 second commercial pitching your business.  Then move on to other aspects of your business. Be sure to follow Matt Ballek’s tips to optimize your video, upload it to YouTube, Vimeo or Viddler and you’re well on your way.

Join Branding Personality's Growth Achievers Inner Circle

Branding Personality has launched it’s new membership program. We welcome you to join in!

Here’s what you get as a member of Branding Personality’s Growth Achievers Inner Circle: 

1. Web-based Lead Management tool: This is an exclusive benefit to Growth Achievers’ Inner Circle members. This tool helps you track all your leads from:
   * Social Media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Ecademy, LinkedIn;
   * Online Advertizing campaigns as Google Adwords, Bing, Yahoo Search and Facebook Ads;
   * Your (business) website, this includes filled out forms and phone calls that came through the website.
2. Access to Growth Achievers Inner Circle Discussion Forum. This is a private, paying-customers-only discussion forum, where everybody can ask questions. Moderated by Branding Personality’s experienced team helping you out with your questions on how to use social media for lead generation. The forum is also a great way to learn from other Growth Achievers on succesfully implementing online and social media strategies to increase sales online and/or attract more leads.
3. Live Open Q&A Teleconference / Online Seminar (1st Tuesday of the month, 12:00-1:00pm Pacific): Join me as I answer your questions live about lead generation through online marketing and social media.
4. Access to additional blogposts and resources: You’ll learn about topics related to either “Getting more leads” or “How to successfully use social media”.  These articles are specific and practical, to help you start implementing  by walking you, step-by-step through the exact steps you need to take to put each strategy into action.

Investment: $99/month

No long term commitment.

I look forward to hear about your goals and love to support you in achieving your dreams towards growing your business, so you can focus on your passion and your family.

Branding Personality and Political Campaigns

Last week we talked about how stimulating it can be when different clients approach us for their online marketing strategies as well as how important it is to be up to date with lots of industries.  This week I would like to focus on another campaign we are currently working on.  This is the campaign for Joe Symmon who is running for Governor of California. Anna is a political science major at Chapman University in Orange and she is a key contributor for this account. I sat down with her to discuss how she spearheaded this project.

Marieke Hensel: How familiar are you with political campaigns?

Anna: I follow national campaigns pretty closely, but I have to admit I am not as knowledgeable about local campaigns.  I am personally very interested in studying what shapes the way people vote, such as religion, socioeconomic status, gender, or level of political interest.  I am excited to see if the conventional wisdom for a national campaign works locally.

MH: What did you do to get more information?

AF: The internet is my primary resource for information about campaigns. I read various articles from the Drudge Report, Huffington Post, Daily Kos and others.

MH: How do you stay informed on current political hot topics?

AF: My primary source of news is podcasts.  I know people aren’t really familiar with them, but they’re amazing.  Podcasts are like radio shows that you can download as a file and put on your iPod or MP3 player.  You can listen to them whenever you want, usually commercial free.  You can pause, rewind, fast-forward, everything.  And what’s great is you can ‘subscribe’ to podcasts and the new shows will automatically download into your iTunes.  I listen to podcasts from CNN, NBC, NPR, and independent news and commentary organizations like The Young Turks. I usually listen to one or two hours of political news and analysis every day, but if I listened to all of it I could be spending four to five hours getting all the news I want.

MH: If you could have lunch with any political figure, dead or alive, who would it be? Why?

AF: It is almost impossible to just pick one political figure to chat with, but the one that comes to my mind first is President Lyndon Johnson.  When he was president in the 1960′s, there was a big progressive push in the country, and LBJ was able to capitalize on that energy and pass a huge amount of legislation that our country loves to this day.  Programs like medicare, medicaid, food stamps, work-study programs, and others are very popular today, though they faced harsh opposition when they were first passed.  I would love to talk to LBJ about President Obama’s current problems with health care legislation, hyper-partisanship, and the War on Terror.  I think President Johnson could have some sound advice for the 21st century.

MH: What’s the hardest part about this job?

AF: The hardest part about this job is educating myself and the campaign about the issues voters care about.  The issues Californians face are very complex, and I firmly believe that everyone who wants to run for office should be extremely educated about the issues.  There is a lot to learn, but I am eager to learn alongside the other people on the campaign team.

List your business on Google Local Business Center

If you’re alive in the 21st century and have used the internet to get information on a business or restaurant, chances are you have already used Google maps. Google maps now has an enhanced feature, the Local Business Center, that allows business owners to add pertinent information so it’s easier for your customers to find you online.

Google LBC allows you to post your hours, phone number, address, menu options and/or many other details your customers might find relevant. Google even lets you put coupons in your listing.

By doing this, Google compiles information about your web traffic. This is helpful to determine how customers are finding your business online and where they are coming from geographically.

Spend a few minutes today updating this information. Let us know your results in the comments.  Keep in mind, the changes won’t be immediate, but over the course of a year, you might be surprised at what you find.

Visit Google Local Business Center to get more information and watch a video about other perks.

How Branding Personality Prepares for New Clients

Branding Personality is far from your average marketing company. No two accounts are alike and neither are the campaigns associated with them. It’s important that Branding Personality roll with the punches, so to speak, and manage the different companies, goals and industries for each campaign. Sound exhausting? Well, it may be to some but for BP, we thrive on the challenge.

So, how does BP stay on top of the trends and varying accounts that come it’s way? This month, we will focus on a specific campaign, and talk about how Branding Personality is able to work with Jack Kenefick, a personal trainer from Orange County, and his company, Balanced Life Fitness. We sat down with Kimberly, our social media expert who handles this campaign.

Marieke Hensel: Kimberly, you are responsible for the Balanced Life Fitness blog. How familiar are you with fitness tips and tricks?

Kimberly: I like to think I’m pretty knowledgeable on this topic because fitness is a passion of mine. This blog came pretty easily to me. Plus working with Jack opened up my eyes to some new ways of doing some exercises.

MH: How did you prepare to be informed on this topic?

KK: To keep current, I read lots of fitness blogs and also learn from real life experience. I subscribe to lots of different blogs and read tons of articles on this topic. Fitness ideas vary from day to day even. One supplement that was labeled to be the next big thing, will be proven to be ineffective, or even dangerous, the next day. It’s important to not get caught up in the hype, so I, like Jack, tend to stick to tried and true methods. Eat less, move more! It’s an easy concept that’s not as easily executed.

MH: What’s the hardest part of working on this campaign?

KK: Not being able to try out or implement all the tips that Jack provides. Jack is very creative with his workouts. I get excited to try them once I see them post to the blog.

MH: What is your favorite fitness tip?

KK: Keeping a food journal. It sounds so basic, but it has been the most helpful tip to help with my fitness goals. When I see everything I eat written down, it really makes me think twice about eating those brownies after dinner!

MH: Any last thoughts?

KK: My main focus in preparing for any campaign is being accurate and detailed. Whether it’s a fitness blog or an art school, Branding Personality is responsible for delivering results so it’s important to be factual and provide a quality service.