I'm leaving! Seriously,I'm moving!

But here is my forwarding address:

www.civillamorgan.com


I have made the decision to move all of my previous and future blog posts to my website. 
Because I write on several different subjects, I will categorize each blog post to make it easier for you to read what you want to read.  

Thank you so much for your continued support as I continue to grow and evolve.  I look forward to more interaction, commentary, and suggestions.  

**************So today, Sunday January 24th, 2016, is my final post************

THANK YOU!!!

Money makes the world go round

We all know how the current financial conditions have affected almost everyone in our country and around the world.  People have lost jobs, homes, cars, and savings.  Life looks bleak and for some there will be no way to recoup their losses, at least not to what they had before the financial nightmare happened.  Most people believe the financial breakdown started in 2008  and I would agree, to a point. The financial breakdown showed its face to us in 2008 but it did not begin in 2008.
Like any problem or issue in life such as the current financial conditions, they do not just pop up, or 'happen'.  Bad things were happening long before 2008.  Mortgage brokers and bankers were approving bad loans long before 2008.  Buyers were shopping for and being approved for homes they really could not afford, and the stock market, well the stock market was just going through a typical cycle.

The fact is, everything, including life, is cyclical.  If you are old enough to look back over the last 20 or 30 years of your life you will see that even your individual life was cyclical.  You made it through the tough times that occurred even when those tough times happened at the hand of someone other than yourself.  The financial loss you may have suffered since 2008, made you either sink or swim.  If you swam and did not sink, it should have taught you how to 'live a new normal'.  What is a new normal? Learning to live on quite a bit less than you used to, and appreciating the fact that you have a job.  This includes having to live without certain  things that you may have previously taken for granted, and having the best possible attitude about your changed situation.

The fact is, there may be days when you may feel sorry for yourself, but you get over it and keep pushing through until things turn around.  You learn how to brew your own coffee at home instead of stopping for that daily $4 cup on the way to work.  You learn how to make your own lunch instead of paying between $5 and $10 per day for lunch. You play little games like treating yourself to lunch once or twice per month or buying yourself a little treat here and there to help you keep your chin up.

Two important thing to do during this time though, is to never give up and to keep putting something away for yourself in savings and in retirement.  It sounds crazy because you may have just lost everything, but the fact is, life goes on.  You cannot make the excuse 20 or 30 years from now that you could not save anything because there was a crash in 2008.  You may have been able to save $5,000.00 per year before your life crashed and can now only save $2,000, $1,000.00, or even $500.00. You cannot live off the crash of 2008, you cannot live off of the pitfalls of life,  but you can live off of doing the best you can with what you have left.  And who knows, because just like the market, life is cyclical, your new normal may be the best thing that ever happened to you.


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Branding is Important, part 2

I wasn’t planning on writing this blog any time soon to be honest with you, but something happened recently that upset me a little. Instead of running with the negative energy however, I decided to use those feelings to write this blog.  Let me first tell you a little about my brand. My company name is BooksbyCivillaMorgan. Just like that. No spaces in my company name are a part of my brand. Under the umbrella of BooksbyCivillaMorgan, I have written two books, with more to come. The two current books are based on two totally different and separate subject matters. There is nothing the same about these books except they were created by the same person: me! One book has color themes of browns, beiges, and creams. The other book has a lavender color theme. The colors have to be perfect whether you see them on my website, business cards, or flyers. No variation.  If you think I am being nitpicky, honestly, you may not be ready to manage a brand. Branding (and marketing) are that important!

So what happened? Well, let’s just say that especially in these days of social media, you; the company owner, CEO, social media specialist, must treat your brand like a toddler.  You must keep an eye on it at all times.  You may log on one day and see that someone is using your logo in conjunction with their brand. You may see someone using a portion of your content and finishing it with their pictures or videos, all without your permission!

Obviously, you cannot go to court over every issue; even if your content is trademarked, patented, or copyrighted. But if you did not give permission and/or they did not mention you in the post, you can nicely ask them to stop. You may also delete the information if you have the control or opportunity to do so.  Really, outside of going to court, that is probably the best you can do.

Honestly, I believe most people do not know any better. I believe most people are trying their best, they are doing the best they can.  But I personally do not touch anyone’s brand unless I am giving them a plug. And if you are giving someone a plug, there is no need for your brand to be anywhere in the plug. Your people already know who you are, because you have plugged your brand continuously! Also, please remember, when you mention something that someone else said, make mention of their name and company. Always! If you are running a company, whether as an entrepreneur or start-up, there is no room for pettiness. You will not go very far on that kind of gas.

As a business owner, I know you are busy from the time your eyelids open in the morning until you close them in the morning! But I strongly suggest you read and research. No matter how much you feel God may have put your business on your heart, you still need knowledge. Check spelling before posting. Research the meaning of a word or term before using it/them. Become knowledgeable on your product/subject-matter. Listen to people who have gone down the same road on which you have just started. Be teachable! No one knows everything!

With the advent of Periscope and blab, there is now live video! It is not cute not to look cute on video. I am guilty as I look back at some of my videos. I critique myself quite a bit. I wish I had worn a different top, I wish I had better lighting. We are our own worst critics. But I also do not think that as a representative of your company and your brand, that you should show up to any of these video forums looking, well, you know. Unless of course it is a part of your brand. If that’s the case, well, all the best to you!      

  

In a nutshell, do your best, be your best, and give your best. It will come back to you.  I promise! 
http://civillamorgan.blogspot.com/2015/11/branding-is-important-part-1.html

Branding is Important, part 1

So recently I posted a blog, 10 Marketing tips to help get your message to the masses. http://civillamorgan.blogspot.com/2015/08/10-marketing-tips-to-help-get-your.html. On this post, I will be discussing branding! I have been trying to recall when I started loving branding; before or after my master’s degree in management, where I also obtained a concentration in marketing.  I believe I loved branding before my degree, and understood it more after my degree.  I can prove that because I have always paid close attention to the branding of companies, small or large.  I can always spot the companies that live and die by their brand, and those who just do not get it! I can also tell you the companies that are no longer with us because they refused to remain relevant, resting on their laurels; but that is another story for another day. 

Back to today’s subject. Some people believe that marketing and branding are the same, and they are somewhat correct, but not completely. You can market your company by telling everyone about it, placing advertisements, giving out discount coupons, etc. No matter how you get your name out there, no matter how you market yourself and your company, you are marketing your brand first.  And then you are marketing your product. It’s like food, whether you realize it or not, you eat with your eyes first. If the dish does not look good, you may have second thoughts about eating the food. But if you do eat the food, you may find that it tastes better than it looks; or you may find that it tastes just as badly as it looks!

Your branding has to look as good as your product, your product has to look as good as your branding.  I know, this is where entrepreneurs and start-up company owners get nervous.  I felt the same way. Most entrepreneurs and start-ups do not have a lot of money to spend on marketing and branding.  But I would suggest you do the best with what you have, and as your company grows; make sure your branding program grows accordingly. Do not leave your brand behind.

So what is branding? Well, it is your logo, your company name, your brand colors, your name, you; just to name a few. What is your company name? What is your product? What would you like your consumers to think when they see your company name in the font and colors you have chosen? What font best matches your product? Font is just as important as color.  So what are your theme colors? Are those colors calming, or exciting? How would you like your viewers to see your company? Calming, exciting, edgy? These are just a few things to think about, but I know you are not overwhelmed because your company is your passion. And because your company is your passion, I know you will do the best you can to make sure your brand represents you, which is my next point.         

See ‘Branding is important, part 2’, for the rest of the story. http://civillamorgan.blogspot.com/2015/11/brand-is-important-part-2.html

10 Marketing tips to help get your message to the masses!

10) Who is your target market? Who is your message or product geared to?

9) Research the habits of your target market. When are they online, when are they not online? How old are they? What is their marital status, how many children do they have, does this matter to your business, the product you are selling?

8) Know your niche in the market.  It’s good to know your market, know their demographics; but you are not the only individual or business in that space.  What do you bring to the table that would be different than other businesses in your niche market?  

7) Font. Yes, it sounds nitpicky, but even something as simple as the wrong font can turn viewers off. If you are not sure, stick with simple and business like, unless you know your market well enough to know they would not mind something like Goudy stout on every page of your website! And of course what type of font you use depends on the medium in which you use it. For example, you may not get away with Goudy stout on every page of your website, but you may get away with it on your business cards. 

6) Patience. Building your brand, learning your market, and realizing success in your business, takes patience, and passion.  Most people have enough passion inside them for their product.  But they may not exercise enough patience. Patience is key!

Courtesy Genta Mochizawa

5) Know your strengths…and your weaknesses. I am going to spend some extra words on this point because I believe this is very important! You cannot do it all, you will become a ‘jack of all trades, and a master of none.’ Some people agree with this quote, some do not.  And I believe in this age of technology and DIY—do it yourself programs, for building just about anything; many people can become proficient at several different things.  But in my humble opinion, there is a difference between proficiency and mastery.  You can become proficient at writing code as you DIY your business website, but the site will look proficient.  Believe me, I know when you are just starting out, money will be tight.  In fact, money will be tight for quite some time.  But before you assume that every web builder charges thousands of dollars to build a beautiful site, do some research.  Ask people whose sites you like, who built their site.  Ask the builder if they are willing to work on the cost with you, if you think they are charging too much.  This goes for every aspect of your business.  Remember, this is your passion. No one else’s.  No one else is going to ask the tough questions, go to bat for your business, feel slightly embarrassed about your lack of knowledge, and willing to always be on a learning curve.  Do what you can with what you have.  If you have a not so nice site, that’s fine.  But do not have a not so nice site because you did not ask around. 

4) Track your progress, aka metrics.   I never thought I would care about metrics because they were the bain of my existence when I was working for Corporate America. It was hard for me to treat human beings like numbers.  Now that I am working for myself, I use metrics to help direct me to what is working or not working for my business.  Should I continue to purchase advertisement space in a certain media space if I am not getting any leads or responses from that space? How many chances should I give that media space?  I am talking about media spaces such as print advertising, social media advertising, and word of mouth (which in my opinion is the strongest form of advertising), just to name a few.  You have to decide when one of these types of advertising mediums is not working for your business, but remember to give each some time. 

3) Know your brand…inside and out!   You have probably heard this before, but what is your elevator speech?  Do you have it memorized and ready to go at the drop of a hat? Many times, most times, you only get one chance to make a good first impression! I will not question your passion for your business.  And I know it is not good to assume, but I have to assume you are passionate about your brand, your business.  If you were not passionate about your business, you would not be out on a limb working past midnight! If someone asks you what your business, your book, your message is about, you should be able to rattle it off in 20 seconds! You should know that 20 second speech so well you can say it in your sleep. You should also know how it can pertain to ANYONE you are speaking to. I will let you think about that.

2) Be prepared.  Everyone has their personal pet peeves.  I have a few, well several. OK, wait, this is not about me. Long before I obtained my masters in management with a concentration in marketing, this one issue bothered me.  When I ask someone for their business card and their response is, ‘I just ran out of business cards’.  Sorry, I know it’s not good to judge, but I just lost a percentage of confidence in your message, your brand, and your business.  No business person should ever run out of business cards.  They are just too inexpensive, no matter how tight your budget might be.  If you are worried about them not being as cool, classy, or cute as the next person, you are worrying about the wrong things. However, things do happen, and if you did run out of business cards, you should have pen and paper on you at all times.  Another pet peeve. You are running a business, but you do not have one pen on your person.  I will tell you what is going through my mind at this time: ‘amateur’.  A little harsh? Maybe, but I am trying to help you.  Most people just will not tell you these things.  Get the best business cards you can afford. If they are not thick and expensive looking, make up for that with some nice graphics.  Graphics by the way that you can create on your own.  As your business grows, and your budget allows, get some nicer cards. Let your cards grow and evolve with you and your business.  Which leads to my final point.

1) Change.  Do not be afraid to change.  As I mentioned in the point above, let your business cards grow and evolve.  Well, it is the same concept for the rest of your business, for every aspect of your business.  Your message, your brand, are the back bone of your business, but everything else that revolves around your brand should evolve.  Your business cards, marketing packages etc., should becoming nicer and more streamlined as you grow.  Do not allow yourself to remain stagnant.  You want to continue to be relevant.  And you should remain relevant without changing your backbone, your foundation.            

Well, there are certainly more than 10 marketing tips to get your brand and your message out to the masses.  These are the 10 I believe are important especially as you start your business.  You know, I really enjoyed my marketing classes.  I learned so much about the psychology of people, the importance of branding.  I also realized the importance of remaining relevant.  I could not believe the elementary mistakes some of the largest companies in our country have made over the years, I believe out of sheer stubbornness.  Where is K Mart today?  How is Sears doing?  Why is JC Penney struggling off and on?  I find it difficult to believe such large corporations did not have a team of people who were solely employed to keep their ears to the ground, to make sure the company was remaining relevant with the times.  These companies are just a few examples of what happens when you do not remain relevant and market properly.

If you are a starter company, I hope this information was great information for you.  If you have been around for some time, I hope it was a great reminder.  Either way, I hope this information will encourage you to continue learning all you can about marketing and growing your business!