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What's culture got to do with it?

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I've written and spoken (a lot) about brand. What it is and what it isn't. It's a favourite soapbox of mine. Over the years, I've been asked many times to "create a brand." As soon as I begin to ask questions about their customer service, internal culture, market position, etc., I am often met with that deer-in-the-headlights look. They aren't really asking for help with their brand. What they are saying is: "Create a logo for us." Your logo, motto or slogan, the colours, fonts and images that you use represent your brand -- or what you think your brand is or want it to be. Brand itself is quite different. To define your brand, ask yourself some questions. How would you describe your business's culture?  What behaviour do you recognize and reward among your employees?  How do you think your customers would describe their experiences with you?  How responsive are you to requests for service after the sale?  Do you give...
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That fear-inducing question: What's your budget?

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Some months ago, I met with a networking group and we got on the topic of the inherent challenges of writing quotations for clients. One of the things that makes this process difficult is the awkward and sometimes fear-inducing question we ask: What's your budget? Why do consultants ask you about money? Let's begin with you. You need some work done so, you call or email a consultant or two or three to get quotations for services. "How much it will cost to do "x?" Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Yet the truth is, I can't always answer that seemingly simple question in a direct way because (and here's where a bit of scepticism may enter on your part) I want to be sure that what you're asking for will get you what you want. I pepper you with questions like: What do you want to achieve? How much time do you have to achieve it? Who is your audience? Who is your competition? Is everyone on board with the goal? And fin...
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1 little adjective

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We've talked about branding on this blog a number of times. Today, I'd like to tackle it from a different perspective. We know that people have crummy memories, right? If you tell your kids to do five things, you're lucky if they'll remember two. Whenever you go to the grocery store to pick up a few things, how many times do you return home without the most-needed item? That's why communication folks say to only have one to three key messages and to repeat them over and over. People will remember very little of what you tell them; I've read that words account for as little as seven per cent of the impact of a presentation, for example. So, what's the one thing -- the ONE thing -- you want people to remember about you? The one thing you want them to tell others about you? That you were helpful? Professional? Friendly? Expert? Inspiring? Have a look at these adjectives. Think of these as a jumping off point and use other words if these don't...
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