BrandMag | Issue 1 | Dec 2015 by BrandMag

Online marketing magazine for SMEs

BRANDMAG ISSUE 01 | DECEMBER 2015

Entrepreneur

Hector Montalvo REVEALS HOW SOCIAL MEDIA TRANSFORMED THE WAY HE DOES BUSINESS

5 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR PERSONAL ONLINE PROFILE POSITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL CEO JAMIE SHAHIN OFFERS HER TOP TIPS!

What does colour say about your business? COLOURS EVOKE EMOTIONS IN A PERSON AND CAN SAY THINGS ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU HAD NOT EVEN REALISED WERE POSSIBLE.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

BRANDED ITEMS FROM BROCHURES TO BUSINESS CARDS TO STATIONARY

GET PERSONALISED www.brandlective.com

0207-407-2672 hello@brandlective.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN TO PRESENT TO YOUR CLIENTS AND REPRESENT YOUR BUSINESS Image: Dragon Images

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9. HECTOR MONTALVO SHARES HOW SOCIAL MEDIA TRANSFORMED HIS BUSINESS

14.

18.

THE BUSINESS TRAVELLER: A GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY

CLEAN UP YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION WITH CEO JAMIE SHAHIN’S TOP TIPS

4. HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT IMAGE FOR YOUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN 6. SHOULD I START A COMPANY BLOG? 8. EMBRACING THE UK GOVERNMENT’S ‘DO MORE ONLINE’ CAMPAIGN 12. ARE YOU TUNED INTO TWITTER? 16. WHAT DOES COLOUR SAY ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS?

CONTENTS

20. 4 TIPS TO PRODUCING GREAT CONTENT

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Perfect Image IN TODAY’S SOCIAL MEDIA AGE, STRONG, EMOTIVE IMAGERY IS A MAJOR MARKETING TOOL WHICH IF USED CORRECTLY, COULD HELP A BUSINESS ENGAGE MORE DEEPLY WITH THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE. COMPARED TO 15 YEARS AGO WHEN FLYERS AND BILLBOARDS WERE STILL VERY MUCH AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE MARKETING INDUSTRY, TODAY’S MARKETING CONTENT IS CONSUMED AT A STARTLING RATE. Words by Rachel Pottle

s consumers, we have become accustomed to accessing new content quickly and more regularly through social media. Due to this, businesses are under a constant pressure to distribute regular marketing content and build a solid brand that meets the needs of this new breed of tapped in, savvy consumers. With almost 80% of our learning resulting from purely visual stimuli, it is more important than ever for businesses to be thinking proactively when it comes to the imagery they use in their marketing campaigns.

IMAGE ABOUT THEME

“A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.”

s well as being an internationally understood language, imagery also appeals almost exclusively to the creative, right hemisphere of the brain. The right side of our brain houses our creative flair, and our intuition and ability to express emotions such as trust and confidence. By refusing to include imagery in their marketing content, businesses are only able to resonate with the logical left hemisphere of the brain, meaning that generating the emotional response needed to forge meaningful connections can be difficult, if not impossible.

ith marketing content receiving 94% more views if it includes imagery, now really is the time for businesses to up the ante when it comes to emotive visual marketing, but where do you start? Here are the 4 questions you should always ask yourself, to ensure you are picking the best imagery for your brand.

Does the Imagery Appeal to Your Target Audience? ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ and as such a single image can generate many different emotions. It’s important for you to ensure the emotions people feel when viewing your imagery are in alignment with your brand’s core values and identity.

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Is the Imagery Consistent? As humans, we respond well to and trust familiarity. It may seem trivial, but ensuring the imagery across all of your marketing channels has an element of consistency can help to encourage greater trust among consumers and promote a stronger sense of professionalism.

It takes less than a minute for a customer to form an initial impression of your business, however if your imagery is similar to others within your industry this ‘first’ impression could be marred by their previous experiences with other brands. After taking the time to develop and craft your brand identity, choosing lack lustre imagery can put your business at an instant disadvantage.

Is your imagery giving customers a realistic representation of what they can expect from your brand? Consumer trust is so easily broken therefore it’s vital that your imagery speaks the truth and reflects the core values of your business.

lthough imagery is important, it should be noted that it should never be used as a substitute or a distraction from poor content. Great imagery can capture the attention of customers, however without the content

“ALMOST 80% OF OUR LEARNING RESULTS PURELY FROM VISUAL STIMULI.” © DAXIAO PRODUCTIONS /

Does your Imagery Reflect the Values and Personality of your Company?

to back it up; customers are unlikely to ever fully engage. Businesses should remember that first impressions count, and take their time when choosing imagery for their brand.

SHUTTERSTOCK

“WITH MARKETING CONTENT RECEIVING 94% MORE VIEWS IF IT INCLUDES IMAGERY, NOW REALLY IS THE TIME FOR BUSINESSES TO UP THE ANTE WHEN IT COMES TO EMOTIVE VISUAL MARKETING.”

Is your imagery Different from Your Competitors?

WE INVESTIGATE WHETHER BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD BE BLOGGING

SHOULD I START BLOGGING PROVIDES BUSINESSES WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MARKET PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO TARGET AUDIENCES IN AN INFORMATIVE AND MORE PERSONABLE FORMAT THAN THROUGH OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. WITH AN INCREASING NUMBER OF BUSINESSES EMPLOYING THE USE OF A COMPANY BLOG ON THEIR WEBSITE, WE THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO EXPLORE THE CURRENT RESULTING PROS AND CONS AT PLAY FOR SMES.

Words by Alex Obertelli

BRANDMAG

Rachel Pottle Marketing and PR Specialist

Rob Gowling CEO

“A blog is an extension of a brand as it gives a platform to display a more personal dimension of the company than their other social media channels.”

“We find creating engaging, unique content a challenge and don’t have a publishing mindset. We’re reluctant to manage a blog internally.”

Indy Mattu Business Owner “I understand the benefits of having a blog, however, as a business owner I simply don’t have the time to commit to writing regular content.”

Zenya Smith Social Media Marketer “A blog can be instrumental in attracting people to a website seeking information about an industry.”

Megan Paynter Social Media Marketer “Blog posts usually have a much longer shelf life than the timeline duration of content posted on Twitter and Facebook. People still engage with relative blog posts from 6 months ago, for example.”

SO WHAT’S THE CONCLUSION? As with most content marketing strategies, blogging offers businesses competitive advantages and certain challenges. In a nutshell the main hurdles for SMEs to overcome appear to be the drain of resources in terms of time, and difficulty in creating engaging content. But here are the facts:

Ausra Mazonaite Managing Director “I don’t think any company should start creating a blog without a content marketing strategy in place.”

Vicky Shaw Content Marketer “Blogging is easy to set up, even for those who are not IT savvy. Blogs offer creative freedom, with no need to pay advertising costs.”

Alex Obertelli Marketing Executive “The style of a blog allows businesses to differentiate themselves from other small businesses and build credibility with their audience.”

“B2B MARKETERS THAT USE BLOGS RECEIVE A WHOPPING 67% MORE LEADS THAN THOSE THAT DO NOT” (Hubspot, 2015)

“B2B MARKETERS USING BLOGS GENERATE 55 % MORE VISITS TO THEIR SITES, AND 97% MORE LINKS TO THEIR WEBSITES” (B2B Community, 2014)

“86% OF CONSUMERS WILL CONDUCT THEIR OWN RESEARCH THROUGH TRUSTED SOURCES OF INFORMATION, IN THE FORM OF BLOGS, BEFORE THEY PURCHASE SOMETHING” (David Boozer, 2014)

Johan Gericke Company Director “Companies should only consider starting a blog if they have valuable and educational advise to impart.”

Stacey Kehoe Communications Director “Blogging helps increase a company’s brand awareness online. A blog helps drive traffic to the company’s website and brings in new leads that wouldn’t have otherwise been achievable.”

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EMBRACING THE UK GOVERNMENT’S

‘DO MORE ONLINE’ CAMPAIGN

THE ‘DO MORE ONLINE’ CAMPAIGN IS HERE TO HELP MICROBUSINESSES AND SOLE TRADERS FIND CUSTOMERS, SPREAD WORD OF MOUTH, BE MORE EFFICIENT, AND SELL THEIR GOODS AND SERVICES ONLINE. Words by Stacey Kehoe

ith more startups emerging every year, small businesses are in a constant battle to get noticed by consumers. The UK government’s ‘Do More Online’ campaign is designed to help small business owners promote their services online and offers guidance on how to get started. Although the digital age is upon us and total website sales in the UK are worth £164 billion, close to half of all UK small businesses do not yet use the internet for their business. That’s roughly two million businesses or sole traders, which could be benefitting from having their business online.

Why are UK Startups not Online? Some small businesses think they only need a website if customers find them through search engines or other online sources. Even if you rely entirely on word-of-mouth, a website is paramount to establishing your credibility. Others simply do not understand the benefits and do not know how they can utilise SEO and social media to their advantage. It’s important to help business owners to understand that when interesting, unique and relative content is distributed online, this can boost awareness of their products or services and attract more customers.

Where to begin… WEBSITE: A website is essential and can be both your shop-window and your business card. Your customers can find you and learn more about you. Your website is the best way of telling them more about your business.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Social media is a great way of talking with your customers and promoting your business. The largest networks – like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google+ – are all free, and have millions of users.

t’s time to embrace the government’s ‘Do More Online’ campaign because they understand just how important an online presence is in today’s markets. Consumers use the Internet to conduct research into products, compare services, and look at reviews before making purchase decisions. It is paramount your small business is there to be found. For More Information on the ‘Do More Online’ Campaign visit: http://www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/ domoreonline/ © MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES / SHUTTERSTOCK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEYNBERG PHOTOGRAPHY

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“SOCIAL MEDIA HAS HAD A DRAMATIC EFFECT ON MY BRAND REACH AND REPUTATION”

HECTOR MONTALVO: ENTREPRENUER, BUSINESS OWNER & MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER 9

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Shares How Social Media has Transformed the Way He Does Business © ICON STUDIOS

GET SOCIAL! IS YOUR BUSINESS FULLY CAPITALISING ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA BOOM YET? WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SUCH AS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ARE COMPLETELY REVOLUTIONISING THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE AND ARE HELPING TO FORM NEW CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE.

HOW CAN SOCIAL MEDIA HELP YOUR BUSINESS IN THE HERE AND NOW? “I think the world is moving at a faster

pace these days and as such, we expect everything instantly. Nothing is more frustrating to a customer than being put on hold or being passed around different departments when seeking help. Social media has provided a quick and easy way for businesses to communicate with people in real time. These communications allow businesses to react quicker and deliver a more personalised experience to their audience. As most people are using social media daily it makes sense for businesses to get in on the conversations and engage with their audience through a means that is already popular.”

Hector Montalvo

Words by Zenya Smith

or businesses, social media is about more than just communication. It is a means of expanding market reach and promoting a strong brand identity. It also allows for maintaining open dialogues with customers, potential employees, contractors and suppliers.

“SOCIAL MEDIA

HAS PROVIDED A QUICK AND EASY WAY FOR BUSINESSES TO COMMUNICATE IN REAL TIME.

”

To help you understand the true power and potential of a successful social media strategy London based business owner and motivational speaker Hector Montalvo opens up about how social media has changed the way we all do business and the benefits of having a strong social media presence.

hen starting his first business 14 years ago, building a strong online presence was never really a top priority for sales and marketing entrepreneur Hector Montalvo. However since those early days back in Boston Massachusetts, Montalvo has expanded internationally and is now a key player in both the UK and Irish markets. To reach this level of global growth Montalvo realised he

BRANDMAG HECTOR MONTALVO SPEAKING TO OVER 2,000 PEOPLE

would have to shift his priorities in order to remain relevant in the wake of emerging technologies. Whilst no easy feat, Montalvo remains adamant that having a handle on social media helped his business remain visible even against the backdrop of an uncertain economy. Whilst the economy may currently be strong, this has brought its own set of challenges for Hector Montalvo to contend with. With small business confidence at an all-time high all sectors have seen a rise in start-up activity and businesses now have to work even harder to stand out. Montalvo believes that a solid social media strategy can be central to attracting the right attention to your business, keeping customers engaged and interested in your brand.

“START

DISCUSSIONS, POST MEANINGFUL AND USEFUL CONTENT, JUST MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY INTERACTION.

”

hilst the core of Montalvo’s business is structured around face-to-face interactions, he remains confident that social media has contributed significantly to the growth of not just his business’ brand, but his

own personal brand too. ‘Within my role as a motivational speaker I’m passionate about sharing my experiences and advice with as many people as possible. Social media has played a big role in building my online presence. I am able to post video content and media releases and promote my speaking engagements to a wide and diverse audience. The important thing to remember about social media is that it is give and take, you need to offer followers something in return for their interest and having a platform to share my advice and support for free has had a dramatic effect on my brand reach and reputation’.

AS A REGULAR PUBLIC SPEAKER AT IMPORTANT INDUSTRY EVENTS HECTOR MONTALVO TYPICALLY SPEAKS ON A RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING IMPROVING ONESELF, SELFBELIEF, LEADERSHIP AND MOTIVATION.

with the platforms and keep an eye on what people are talking about. Start discussions, post meaningful and useful content, just make the most of every interaction. Of course as a business owner there isn’t always time to be as involved in social media as you would like, so I also recommend seeking out some professional advice and support. Not only will they relieve some of the pressure and help you keep on top of things, but they have the knowledge and experience to help you develop a strong social media strategy and boost your presence online.’

“I’M PASSIONATE

ABOUT SHARING MY EXPERIENCES AND ADVICE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

”

o if you’re considering taking your first tentative steps into the social media world, what advice does Montalvo have to offer? ‘When I started my business journey I wasn’t as familiar with this technology as today’s generation of entrepreneurs so it was all fairly new and daunting, but the best way to understand it is to take an active role. Familiarize yourself

ABOUT HECTOR MONTALVO Hector Montalvo is a business owner with over 14 years’ experience in the outsourced sales industry. Originally born in New Hampshire, Mr. Montalvo moved to the UK to pursue a career in sales and marketing. As Managing Director of sales firm Source Marketing Direct Mr. Montalvo was named the 2014 business owner of the year.

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ARE YOU TUNED INTO TWITTER? WITH A CURRENT USER POPULATION OF OVER 288 MILLION WORLDWIDE, TWITTER IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THE FRONT RUNNERS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING, HOWEVER MANY BUSINESSES ARE YET TO TAP IN TO IT’S POTENTIAL. Words by Megan Paynter

nlike other social networking platforms, which can be restrictive in whom a user can message, Twitter allows users to reach out and message those outside of their friendship groups or regular contacts. This freedom means that Twitter is often considered to be far more social, and allows people from all over the world to communicate directly with one and another.

140 Characters? That’s not enough surely?

your hand? Often, we know. For active Twitter users, checking Twitter has become as much of a routine in daily life as going to the bathroom. In fact, the average Twitter user spends more than 7 hours a month scrolling through Twitter. This presents a fantastic opportunity for businesses across the world to reach out and expand their consumer base. With Twitter users being so open to new ideas and interactions, businesses can use the platform to spread messages faster than ever before, pulling in new customers and keeping existing ones up to date

within the business. e In the past, should a customer want to communicate with a business the only means to do so would be by phone or email, which often involved an incredibly long wait for a response and caused a great deal of frustration, damaging the delicate relationships between brand and consumer. However, Twitter allows customers to contact businesses on their own terms in a way that is convenient to them.

Many businesses may be put off by the character limit that Twitter promotes. However Twitter is focused around clear and precise communication, exactly what every business should be trying to promote through their customer interactions. Industry jargon and long winded explanations destroy customer relationships as it can make a business appear dishonest or purposely misleading. The 140 character limit on Twitter can therefore be seen as a blessing in disguise for a number of businesses, forcing them to revaluate their communication capabilities.

Why is Twitter Beneficial to Business? How often do you have your phone in

BRANDMAG Can Twitter Help My Business Grow? Yes! There are many ways that Twitter can help businesses to grow and plan for the future. Twitter presents businesses with an easy way to develop a clear picture of who their customers are and what they want from their products. The great thing about social media is that users are constantly sharing their

beliefs, values, likes and dislikes which, for businesses, especially those that are still trying to determine their target audience can be invaluable. Twitter is also an incredibly powerful networking tool, allowing users from all over the world to come together and share ideas. So, get your business online and share your first Tweet!

“TWITTER HAS A USER POPULATION OF OVER 288 MILLION WORLDWIDE”

STEPS TO CREATING A TWITTER ACCOUNT

Step 1: Setting up an account Go to Twitter, choose a username that is relevant to your business and hasn’t been used before. Pick a password that is easy to remember and unlikely to be hacked.

Step 2: Branding your page

AND TRICKS

TO HASHTAGS

With an average of 500 million ‘tweets’ sent a day, that’s 6000 a second, businesses should do all they can to make their content rich and engaging. Adding imagery can help to make messages stand out, whilst offering limited time offers and promotional codes can help businesses increase their following and create a strong bank of brand advocates.

Hashtags involve putting this symbol ‘#’ before a word or phrase to make the topic ‘trend’. A popular trend can be seen by millions of people who add their own inputs to the topic. For example: #businesstips #marketing #success #entrepreneurship #startup #mindset #businessowner #smallbiz #thinkbig

Add your logo and recognisable cover images so that people can easily recognise your brand. Also add a short bio description of the brand.

Step 3: Follow relevant accounts Be sure to Follow appropriate and relevant accounts. People can see who you Follow and this could reflect on your brand.

Step 4: Get Tweeting Start Tweeting, get your content out there. Make sure it’s relevant and engaging. Be sure to interact with your consumers too!

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The Business Traveller:

A Guide To

NYC

WHO SAYS THAT YOU CAN’T WORK AND PLAY? A BUSINESS STAY IN NEW YORK IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE.

Words by Stacey Kehoe

nyone who travels frequently for work will tell you that business travel isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Delayed flights, traffic jams, jet-lag, and being stuck in an endless array of conference rooms doesn’t necessarily make for pleasant travel experience. But travelling for work doesn’t need to be a bore and my recent business trip to New York City was the perfect example of how to take advantage of travelling in a cultural metropolis city for business.

ew York City is exciting, dynamic and oozes success. Wall Street, the publishing industry and much of the entertainment industry are all based here. The city boasts some of the best restaurants in the world, an endless list of tourist attractions and world-class theatres. Honestly, the toughest part about being a business traveller in the Big Apple is deciding where to begin.

1 © JOSHUA HAVIV / SHUTTERSTOCK

TOP 3 TIPS! 14

Pick your hotel carefully to help reduce stress. I love to look for hotels that are located either around the corner from a meeting venue or somewhere close to great transport links. Super-fast WiFi is a must and look for good concierge reviews – their assistance during your stay can be priceless.

2 M

Try local cuisines. Travel light. By orbi idtravelling pharetra leo. Pellentesque vestibuOften when taking ‘Carry-On’ lum arcu est, non massa gravida vel. can for business there is nogravida luggage only; you Vivamus at dolor lobortis, erat eget,baggage vultime to experience the placerat avoid extra putateand massa. Proin suscipit tellus facilisis sights attractions costs, wizzligula through mattis, a scelerisque tellus ornare. Duis inand velit security vel but we all need to eat customs vulputate. tristique. sosapien theremattis are no excusesPhasellus queues and be the first for not exploring the in line for taxis and local food culture car rental pickup’s. at markets and The time saved by restaurants. (And I travelling ‘light’ is a have found many real luxury after a long clients love to try new flight. haunts in their own city).

“

“OVER 56 MILLION PEOPLE TRAVEL TO NEW YORK CITY EVERY YEAR FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.”

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WHERE TO STAY IN NYC? Boutique

GETTING AROUND Taxi: Cabs are one of the easiest ways to travel from airports to Manhattan. The flat-rate fare from JFK is $55, plus tip and tolls. Fares from Newark Liberty International Airport are also flat-rate, but depending on the zone, will run anywhere from $50 to $80.

Subway: Navigating NYC’s subway can be daunting. Always carry a subway map, look out for ‘Express’ trains and download the City Mapper app.

Hotel Chandler - 12 East 31st Street, New York City, NY 10016 A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World this is a hotel that maintains a timeless character, historic grace with a contemporary feel that is appealing to both tourists and business travellers. Located just off Madison Avenue in the NoMad/Flatiron neighbourhood, a stone’s throw from the Empire State Building and walking distance to mid-town. Rooms are small but comfortable and with

complimentary Molten Brown products and high-speed WiFi you can’t go wrong.

Adventurous Airbnb Apartments Book an apartment near your favourite haunts. This is probably the best way to experience the local culture and can be a cost-effective way to travel. My favourites are the lush apartments offered in Soho and trendy studios in the glamorous Meatpacking District.

Buddakan Truly unique Asian food done to perfection Located in Chelsea (next to the beautiful and exciting Chelsea Market), Buddakan is a place where people go to be seen. Fortunately it’s a lot more than that. The cocktails are amazing (I recommend the one with lychees, vodka and sake), the Asian dumplings are outstanding – in fact everything on the menu is. The ambiance is similar to a night club, (perhaps too dark for a meeting but excellent for low-key business networking).

WHERE TO EAT? 15

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WHAT DOES “

“CURRENTLY THE MOST POPULAR BRANDING COLOURS AMONGST EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE RED, BLUE, GREYSCALE AND YELLOW. 95% OF BRANDS USE ONE OR TWO COLOURS AND ONLY 5% USE MORE THAN 2 COLOURS.”

WHEN BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE THAT COLOUR AND IMAGES PLAY IN THE WAY CONSUMERS PERCEIVE YOUR BRAND. COLOURS EVOKE EMOTIONS IN A PERSON AND CAN SAY THINGS ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU HAD NOT EVEN REALISED WERE POSSIBLE THROUGH COLOUR ALONE. Words by Megan Paynter

t’s not good enough to simply pick a colour because you like it. The colour should set you apart from, but also work well with your industry and image, and tie into your brand promise. It must also take into account colour psychology and the emotions you want consumers to associate with your brand, whether this is positivity, happiness, comfort, trust, sophistication or stability. The chosen colour must then integrate throughout your entire brand including, logos, websites, products and much more. Choosing a colour should depend on multiple factors including: the message you want to convey, the target demographic, industry, culture and situation, because people respond differently to different colours.

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YOUR BUSINESS? Universal research has revealed that women do not like gray, orange or brown but do like blue, purple and green. Men do not like purple, orange and brown but do like blue, green and black.

HERE IS SOME CRUCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE EMOTIONS SOME MAIN COLOURS EVOKE IN

olour drastically affects human behaviour and the colour of branding can lead to a direct impact on sales and website conversions. If a consumer feels as though they can relate to the colour, and therefore the message your brand is conveying, they are more inclined to become a loyal, paying customer. Typically it takes a consumer just 90 seconds to form an opinion on a product and around 62-90% of that opinion is determined by the colour of the product alone.

CONSUMERS. Blue is perceived as trustworthy, dependable, financially responsible and secure. Red is attention grabbing, increases the heart rate and is often associated with provocative feelings or aggression. Green connotes health, freshness and serenity, and sometimes wealth. Yellow is associated with the sun and communicates optimism, positivity, light and warmth. Purple evokes mystery, sophistication, spirituality and royalty. Pink conveys energy, youthfulness, fun and excitement. Orange evokes exuberance, fun, vitality and can often appear childlike. Brown conveys simplicity, durability and stability; it sometimes elicits a negative response from those who associate it with dirt. Black is serious, bold, powerful and classic; it connotes sophistication and is best used for expensive products.

ÂŠ DMITRY ZIMIN / SHUTTERSTOCK

White connotes simplicity, cleanliness and purity and is often associated with health.

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PERSONAL BRANDING: Clean up your Online Reputation LIVING IN THE MODERN WORLD, YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR CAREER. Words by Stacey Kehoe

anaging a growing business, CEO, Jamie Shahin knows all too well how important a personal brand image can be. ‘In the last 12 months, we have grown in size by 38% which has led to an increase in the volume of research being carried out on me personally,’ states Shahin. Both clients and potential recruits want

to know; who is Jamie Shahin? Do I look professional? What is my background? Am I trustworthy? Do I seem fun to work for?

relevant, positive and professional. Inappropriate photos posted on social networks or unprofessional status updates, can have a reflection on the way you are perceived.

An individual’s online presence is a quick way for outsiders to form an opinion of you, so it’s important to ensure your personal online brand is

Shahin highlights, ‘everything on the web associated with your name can affect your personal brand: job offers, business opportunities, even your

BRANDMAG online dating success. So firstly, being aware of your own personal brand and then taking steps to improve it must be high on the agenda for any professional.’ Jamie Shahin suggests following these top tips to clean up and maintain a positive online presence:

See what others see. Google your name, focus on the first two pages and don’t forget to check Google images too. Click on each search result that appears and make sure all information displayed is true.

Anything unpleasant? Take control! In the US we rely on Data Protection laws to keep our personal information safe, but in the EU you may be able to utilise the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ to remove content from the search results. Search engines such as Bing and Google like new content so increase your activity on social networking sites or start a blog to outrank any unsavoury results. NOTE: Choose who to follow on social media carefully as it is a representation of your personal interests.

Polish that LinkedIn profile

Get Google to work for you! Set up a free ‘Google Alert’ that signals any new content published about you. Monitor the alerts carefully.

Make that Facebook profile picture a good one! Facebook is a fun social media tool, share the memories of more personal photos in private albums where there is a select, carefully managed audience. Profile pictures are visible to everyone, make sure it’s suitable for all eyes.

NEED HELP? Brandlective offers an Online Reputation Management service. If you need help managing your online reputation get in contact with us today on sales@brandlective.com

WHAT IS THE RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN? The Right to be Forgotten is a concept that was put into practice in 2006. The issue has arisen from desires of individuals to “determine the development of their life in an independent way, without being continuously or periodically stigmatised as a consequence of a specific action performed in the past.” As a result the Internet is censored and can rewrite history to not mention certain listings for a person’s name, or references to petty crimes committed years ago.

Get a professional headshot, and make the profile human by providing a personal statement. Make

choices to link the profile to “super connectors” who have a lot of social influence and don’t forget to request recommendations from clients or previous employers.

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4 Tips To Producing

Great Content

WITH THE INTERNET SATURATED WITH INFORMATION, IT’S FUNDAMENTAL TO WRITE ORIGINAL CONTENT THAT ENTICES INTEREST AND ENCOURAGES ENGAGEMENT. IT’S THE ONLY WAY YOUR ARTICLES WILL STAND OUT! Words by Briony Quinn

ontent marketing is all about strategy. Not only do you need to produce engaging content that will captivate your target readers’ attention, you also need to consider search engines. Google rewards websites that regularly offer fresh and unique content, and as a result, you could see your site rankings improve and outperform your competitors in the search results! To help get you started, here are some top tips that will guarantee your content more click-throughs, and provide more exposure for your business.

BE IN ‘RESEARCH MODE’ AT ALL TIMES In order to constantly have a pipeline of great content ideas, you need to stay in research mode at all times. Research shouldn’t be reserved for planning or writing sessions only. Gather resources to use as a reference material while you are browsing the web. The quality of your content will increase substantially if you do it on an ongoing basis, as ideas pop into your head. Always be on the lookout for material that could help you with a blog idea or news release angle. If you see a social media post or article that relates to a topic, grab the URL and file it with a few bullet point notes so that you remember why you wanted to use the material. Constantly being in ‘Research Mode’ means when you finally sit down to write, you have much of your research already done.

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USE YOUR OWN UNIQUE VOICE Don’t try to copy someone else. Your content should have an individual style that is unique to your personality or the brand you are representing. Writers never stop working on their writing skills. As a content writer, you need to continually hone your skills. Style is your most prized possession as a writer, allow it to evolve throughout your career.

TYPES OF TITLES THAT TEND TO PERFORM THE BEST!

# of [Something Useful or Interesting] Top # [List]

SPEND AS MUCH TIME ON YOUR TITLE AS YOU DO WRITING The 80/20 rule applies to an article’s title. On average, 8 out of 10 people will read the title of an article, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of the title, and why it so highly determines the effectiveness of the entire piece. Even the most valuable, interesting content will be ignored if the title doesn’t connect with readers. Never rush. Always invest time in your content’s title.

How to [Do Something Useful or Interesting] How [Brand Name or Celebrity] [Does Something the Reader Wants to Do] Best of [Category or Type] Why [Something] Is [the Way It Is] Interview with [Celebrity]: [Interesting Topic or Title]

THE CLOSE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE LEAD Good content tells who, what, where, when, why and how. Great content also tells ‘so what.’

Newsjacking Breaking News Secrets of [Something We’re Dying to Know]

The conclusion for some writers can be as hard to write as (if not harder than) the title. At the close of every piece of content, ensure you summarise your main point, then tell your readers how they will benefit from the information you have provided. Try to persuade your reader to care about your point and consider adding a ‘call-to-action’.

IS MY FIRST SENTENCE CAPTIVATING?

IS MY CONTENT INTERESTING?

You have about 3 seconds to hook your reader. After your headline, it’s up to your first sentence to do the job. Never mislead (by using hype or false headlines). Your headline and first sentence should take the reader smoothly to your main point, so say something that makes people pay attention.

Could you turn your blog or article into 25 Tweets? No? Why not? An interesting piece of content should be able to be broken into short snippets of information, each of which offers value to your reader. If you can turn your content into 25 Tweets you are producing content worth reading.

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Shape Of Things www.sot.com - info@sot.com - t.07943353140 In collaboration with Holmes Miller. www.holmesmiller.com - t.0141 2042080

Shape of Things and Holmes Miller have been delivering innovative Interior, graphic and Architectural design across a variety of sectors. Image: Innovation Centre Clydebank