“To become an icon, a brand must not only target the most advantageous contradiction in society, but also perform the right myth, and in the right manner. In mind-share and emotional branding, storytelling is left to creatives as an executional issue.” —  How Brands Become Icons by Douglas B. Holt

Being able to control opinion of your brand, your product and yourself is a key part of being successful. Influencing the way people interpret what you do and making it accessible to as large an audience as possible is essential in expanding your business. If you think that you are being seen as someone without ambition then you’re not trying to craft a perception.

What are you doing to turn your brand into an Icon?

This article discusses how the Olive Garden restaurant chain is bringing in Don Francisco, the famous host of a Spanish speaking variety show, to help appeal to the U.S. Hispanics. The company is also giving all of its restaurants menus in Spanish and preparing its staff for incoming Spanish speaking customers. This is just another great example of people realizing the potential of grabbing the Latino
market.

Check it out here

In starting and ultimately running your own business, every single one of you will have to deal with haters.

Those are the people that that don’t want you to succeed, and they are always trying to pull you down to their level with negativity. For whatever reason they have to hate (jealousy, mostly), these people also tend to be the loudest. They will criticize you with every possible opportunity, and try to turn others against you.

But should you just ignore these people? Absolutely not. Sometimes, if you are able to sift through all the negativity, they can offer valuable insight into your product that you may have never thought of before. Maybe they have a valid reason for their animosity, and there might be something you can do to change their minds, which could also lead you to a better product. Just whatever you do, don’t fall into their trap by throwing insults back and forth, because it can make you look petty and weak, and they win.

Remember, it is up to you to offer the best product you can, and that means looking at the negative feedback just as much as you would the positive.

This article is an interview with Heineken’s Chief Marketing Officer, Christian McMahan. He talks about the brand’s new campaign made by the same people that made by Dos Equis “Most Interesting Man in the World” campaign. The once famous brand of Heineken (and its sub brands like Heineken Light) has taken a hit recently and is currently trying to raise its profile through these commercials that identify Heineken drinkers as a “social all-star who doesn’t play it safe”.

READ ARTICLE HERE!

A lot of people come to me with business ideas, but either they don’t have a real plan or haven’t taken the time to put one together. When you are seeking investors, it’s always a good thing to have. If you haven’t taken the time to do YOUR homework and put the effort into knowing everything about your business, then why should I be interested? A good business plan is the key to getting started off on the right foot, and will give you and anyone else you may be working with a snapshot of what it is you are creating. Think of it as roadmap, personalized just for you, that is going to guide you from where you are now, to where you want to be.

Writing up a complete business plan may sound like a daunting task, especially for the first timer, but if you do some research and read samples, everything will start to fall into place naturally. A good plan must include contents such as a description of the business, products and services, organization and management, an analysis of the market, and financial documents such as balance sheets, and income and cash flow statements.

There are many resources available online for free that can help you draw up your business plan. The U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov) has an online guide to help you through the process, complete with examples and a self-paced tutorial. Don’t be afraid to ask someone you know with business plan writing experience to look over your plan as well. Remember, experience is half the battle.