Write On ~ Creative Writing Services

There’s a big buzz about branding right now.

I’m always curious to see what people are saying because I’m no stranger to the branding process. Back in ‘the day’ I used to work for an ad agency and I’ve worked on branding and image campaigns from start to finish (although, truthfully, branding is an ongoing process).

Anyway, there seems to be a lot of confusion about what branding really is. Some people think it’s a logo. Others swear it means creating a really cool television spot. And, others are simply mystified by the thought of branding.

To demystify branding for you, I’ll share the simple definitions that I included in the training materials I created for the Idaho Small Business Development Center several years ago. This clearly illustrates the difference between your logo and your brand because your logo is not your brand and your brand is not your logo.

Logo: An identifiable insignia that represents a company.

Brand: The overall impression and experience that your customers receive from your business.

Simply put: branding is EVERYTHING you do to create the overall experience and feeling that your customers get from doing business with you. Your logo is just one element of your branding.

With that being said, I’m interested to listen in to an upcoming call with my mentor Ali Brown and her mentor Anne McKevitt. They are going to dig into branding and share some dos and don’ts.

Anne is also going to share her thoughts on branding in relationship to social media like Twitter and Facebook. In fact, Anne’s going share exactly what she shared ? about branding that really caused a great BIG stir (and ticked a lot of people off) at Ali’s live Shine event last year.

I may just agree to disagree with her on that aspect of branding and social media. I believe there is always more than one way to do things. I won’t argue that her methods don’t work (look at what she’s done for Ali’s business & clearly she’s knows what she’s doing or she wouldn’t be a billionaire) but I will say there’s some real merit to social media.

And, although I don’t put my face on my business card (something Anne thinks is a branding mistake) I do know it works for many people - especially those active on social networking sites and live networking events. I’m  personally am a bit of a rebel and break a ’branding’ rule by having my business cards printed on glossy, thick card stock and I don’t plan on changing that any time soon.

I’m going to listen in with an open mind and see what I can learn. Maybe I’ll change my mind. How about you?

Anyway, I’m curious to hear your thoughts and I’d love for you to weigh in before and after the call. You can save your spot on the call by following my affiliate link here

Meanwhile, what are your stuck spots about branding? Do you have a clear picture of the branding process? How do you see the branding process evolving in light of social media? What do you think about pictures on business cards? Don’t be shy, weigh in here.

It all started innocently enough. Maggie Keenan (Twitter handle @MaggieKeenan) and I (Lisa Manyon ?€“ Twitter handle @WriteOnCreative) were both being social on social networks.

I posted a question on Facebook that asked: ? ?€?I think it would be fun to be a professional gift giver w/ an unlimited budget to delight others. What would you give & why??€?

This sparked some interesting discussion and Maggie took note (we both have a passion for giving and helping non ?€“profits in particular).

Then the magic began. I thought about the recent Facebook craze of women posting their bra color in their social media status to support breast cancer. Fair enough, it?€™s a good cause. BUT, what about taking action to REALLY make a difference. I sent the link to the bra gig to Maggie to ponder, too.

In the spirit of the aforementioned question I posted on Facebook ?€“ I immediately thought about a blanket drive and then I thought about all the cold and hungry people within our own communities. Maggie was on the same wavelength (one of the reasons I love her dearly?€”and yes, we are real friends, Twitter pals and Facebook friends, too).

Maggie suggested we involve a young gentleman by the name of Zach Bonner or @Zach_Bonner on Twitter. He?€™s the 12-year old Founder of the Little Red Wagaon Foundation a program designed to help homeless children. (what an inspiration). So, we?€™re asking you to either support what we?€™re challenging you to do (donate your time, a blanket or some food) or send Zach a donation if you can?€™t find it within yourself to actually take another action.

Enough said: Here?€™s how you can make it happen.

1. Post the information you’ll find below on your Facebook page, blog etc. to spread the word.
2. Take an action yourself
3. Post one of the status suggestions in all of your social media status sections.

That?€™s it. Together we can make a difference.? Give on!~

Here’s your suggested post to send to FB friends to spread the Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should Be Cold or Hungry campaign.

Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should Be Cold Or Hungry

People in your community are cold and hungry. You might not see them on the streets in your community but they are there. Or you may live in a community where it?€™s more than obvious (Hello, Seattle, Los Angeles, Detroit?€¦). Maggie Keenan (@MaggieKeenan ?€“twitter) and Lisa Manyon (@WriteOnCreative ?€“twitter) are no strangers to giving. They?€™re challenging you to do the same. So, donate a blanket or food to someone who needs it. Perhaps someone you see on the street or contact your local giving agencies. There are Community Partnership Act programs across the country, homeless shelters and food banks, too. Or, if you cannot donate an item, donate your time to a local soup kitchen. Let?€™s make a difference. Let?€™s put any judgments aside & give unconditionally.

The Help Starts @ Home movement was inspired by the social media craze of women posting their bra color to support breast cancer. Maggie & Lisa support breast cancer too BUT they?€™re taking this a step further and challenging you and your family to take action and make a difference. After all, we don’t help. who will?

Help really does start at home and no one should be cold or hungry. Post this to your Facebook wall, pass it on to friends, add it to your blog, send it to your newsletter subscribers & when you?€™ve taken action, post this in your status on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or whatever social media platform you choose.

Think of the impact we can ALL make. Oh, and if you really cannot find the time to take action and donate a blanket or food, please consider sending a donation to the The Little Red Wagon Foundation. Zach Bonner (@Zach_Bonner ?€“ Twitter) is the founder. He?€™s 12-Years old and dedicated to helping homeless children. Check him out on Twitter or at http://littleredwagonfoundation.com/ .

Now go forth and GIVE. And, when you do, add our Twibbon to your Twitter profile (thanks @ShelbyCollinge telling us about Twibbons) to your Twitter profile to show united support for Help Starts @ Home.

Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should Be Cold Or Hungry ~ I donated to (insert item & name or organization here)

Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should BE Cold Or Hungry ~ I donated a blanket & food today

Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should BE Cold Or Hungry ~ I donated to Http://littleredwagonfoundation.com

Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should Be Cold Or Hungry ~ I volunteered in soup kitchen today

Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should Be Cold Or Hungry ~I volunteered in a homeless shelter today

Help Starts @ Home ~ No One Should Be Cold Or Hungry ~ I volunteered at a Food Bank today

I believe 2010 is the turnaround year for many businesses, yours included. So, I want to keep fueling the conversation about what has been working in your business and what hasn’t or isn’t. I’m also sharing some really personal insights about what works for me and what doesn’t work for me and I want to hear from you.

Not only do I want? I want to hear about what has and hasn’t been working for you, I want to? let you know about a program that can help you restructure your business for success that really feels good to you and ultimately helps others (but we’ll get to that in a? minute) .

If you are at the make it or break it point in your business and you’ve felt like throwing in the towel, this is perfect for you.

In the spirit of transparency I‘m going to share one of the mistakes I was making in my business in 2009. I was hiding behind positive thoughts. Now, you may be wondering how “positive thoughts”can be a mistake. Here’s what I mean.

I am firm believer in creating my own reality. And, in doing so, I use positive thinking to keep myself on track, realign my beliefs around money and generally move myself towards a better place mentally. That probably sounds good and it is to a certain degree. The mistake I made was focusing solely on the reality I have created for myself and not fully appreciating how the economy has really affected many businesses, families and our Country.

In fact, one of my biggest pet peeves of 2009 was the phrase “in this economy….” I really felt like people were focusing too much on the doom and gloom when in reality, financial strain was and still is reality for many people. Once that light bulb went on and I realized that my positive thinking was not enough to change the reality for everyone else, I changed the way I was doing business.

I took some drastic actions that included tearing my business down in order to build it back up. This included a website and image revamp for me but it could be that your business only needs some minor tweaks to get to where you really want to be.

That’s why I think it’s important to carve out some time and tune into what Christine Kloser and Molly Luffy have to say. Not only do Christine and Molly have firsthand knowledge of how difficult business challenges can be, they have each individually engaged the reinvention solution in their own businesses. So, they are the real deal. ? Plus you can win a FREE business makeover just for listening in on a F R E E call this January 14th at 1:00 pm PT / 4:00 pm ET.

Check out this short video to see what I’m talking about:

You’ll know in your heart if this is where you need to be to really take a hard look at what’s working for you and what isn’t. ? I’ll listen for you on the call.

Until then, tell me what you’ve been hiding behind? What do you need to change to make 2010 THE year for you?

Oh and by the way, ? I don’t ever pass on resources that I don’t believe in. I’ve had the honor to connect with Christine personally and have been impressed with her work. Although I have not yet met Molly personally, her energy is amazing and I’m sure you’ll agree. That’s why I am excited to be an affiliate for Rebuild My Business and to share this information with you. ? Will 2010 be YOUR year?

Technorati Tags: Christine Klosure, Molly luffy, Rebuild My Business, business success, marketing basics, marketing, www.writeoncreative.com, Lisa Manyon, marketing resources, what’s working in business

One of the hardest things about being an entrepreneur is being objective about your business. This is especially true for heartbased entrepreneurs because we have created businesses that are an extension of ourselves. Because of this we can sometimes take business success and failure very personally.

Throughout the past year, I took a long, hard look at my business and I let trusted friends and mentors help me with the process. It wasn’t easy and at the same time, I needed to know what was working and what wasn’t. AND trust me plenty of things were not working. Do you ever feel like you’re giving your all and things still aren’t where you REALLY want them to be in your business?

If so, that’s OK and in fact, knowing you need to make adjustments in your business is a great sign that you’re ready to make this YOUR YEAR. Seriously, the entrepreneurs who make it are the entrepreneurs who know when they need help.

That’s one of the reasons I’m focusing on proving resources to my community, peers and friends that will really move you into a place where the success you’ve dreamed of can finally be yours.

I urge you to invest the time to be on this free call with conscious entrepreneurs Christine Kloser and Molly Luffy. If you’ve been faced with the fear of failure, exhaustion and you’ve questioned your business direction, it may be time to restructure instead of giving up.

Christine and Molly know the challenges first hand, and they have each individually engaged the reinvention solution in their own businesses. So, they are the real deal. ? Plus you can win a FREE business makeover just for listening in on a F R E E call this January 14th at 1:00 pm PT / 4:00 pm ET. Listen now to this short video:

You’ll know in your heart if this is where you need to be to really take a hard look at what’s working for you and what isn’t and honestly, I believe this is the key to making it or breaking it in 2010. I’ll listen for you on the call.

And in the spirit of full disclosure, I want you to know I don’t ever pass on resources that I don’t believe in. I’ve had the honor to connect with Christine personally and have been impressed with her work. Although I have not yet met Molly personally, her energy is amazing and I’m sure you’ll agree. That’s why I am excited to be an affiliate for Rebuild My Business and to share this information with you. ? I value you and appreciate you and thank you for your continued support and trust. I cannot wait to see what 2010 has in store for you.

Take a look at what’s working in your business and more importantly what isn’t. Feel free to share your observations here. I’d love to hear what’s going on with you. ? What’s working for you? What isn’t?

Technorati Tags: business success, Christine Kloser, Molly Luffy, real business success, business building tools, business rebuilding tools, win a business makeover, free call, Lisa Manyon, www.writeoncreative.com, free teleseminar, marketing

When you?€™re looking for quick tips for beauty and business, the place to go is The Red Lipstick Report. You?€™ll find savvy, sassy tips to be the best that you can be.

Tamara Gold of the Red Lipstick Report has a knack for illuminating your inner beauty so you shine on the outside. She provides proven business resources and beauty tips ?€“ the perfect blend for a bountiful life.

I am impressed with Tamara and her ability to help you enhance your own personal style! I?€™m honored to have participated in her ?€?Spotlight Interview?€? where we discuss the importance of sharing your gifts with the world so you can help more people. Visit http://theredlipstickreporter.com/spotlight-interview-lisa-manyon/ to listen in and get some free goodies.

It is said that beauty comes from inside. I believe that is where it starts. And, at the same time what?€™s on the outside counts, too. Be sure to sign up for The Red Lipstick Report updates so you can start transforming your life.

What are some of your favorite beauty and business resources? I?€™d love to hear what works for you. Please, share them here?

I am JAZZED to be named in Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero?€™s Top 50 Coolest Marketers of 2009! And, I love learning about other marketers who are dancing to the beat of a different drum and doing their own thing. It?€™s truly refreshing.

Plus, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero is the real deal. When I first heard her (years ago) on a teleseminar with Sheri McConnell of the National Association of Women Writers, I knew I had found kindred spirits. Listening to Lorrie and Sheri rap about business and writing in particular was like having coffee with likeminded girlfriends. But I digress?€¦ I bring this up because both Lorrie and Sheri provided me with support and wonderful stepping stones while building my business and I?€™m forever grateful. I?€™m a lifetime member of the NAWW (thanks Sheri) and I?€™ve mentored with Lorrie, acted as a Copy Coach for bootcamps and worked on other special projects with her.

So, to say it?€™s an honor to be named in Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero?€™s Top 50 Coolest Marketers of 2009 list, is, well, an understatement.

You can check out her list here http://www.redhotblogging.com/and-the-winners-of-red-hot-copys-50-coolest-marketers-for-2009-are/ (I suggest you bookmark your favorites).

And, if you?€™re curious to learn about people, products and services that have helped me build my biz, be sure to visit my personal resources/Mayon?€™s Marketplace on my blog and be sure to use my affiliate links when you check them out. http://writeoncreative.com/blog/resources-manyons-marketplace/

There is one amazing lady who I haven?€™t added to my list yet. So, here?€™s a shout out to MaryKay Morgan of Affiliate Wealth Partners. You?€™re going to want to check out her blog and keep an eye on her in 2010 (I am not an affiliate YET but I sure will be will be) http://www.affiliatewealthpartners.com/blog/

Enjoy the resources and Write ON!~

Oh, and why not weigh in, too? Who has helped you with your marketing? Who is the “real deal” for you?

I’m on a planning kick and this is not surprising since 2010 is right around the corner. In fact, I’ve been examining my marketing mix since Ali Brown’s Shine Event.

During the three day, business building, networking and motivational extravaganza, we were challenged to review our current marketing mix and add five new activities in 2010.

As I looked at the “Marketing Buffet” a worksheet containing 59 marketing avenues, I added another that wasn’t listed. Then I totaled the number of activities I already incorporate in my marketing mix and I was pleased to see that I’m currently utilizing 36 marketing techniques regularly.

The three techniques I plan to add are: Audio CD’s, Cross Promotions, Podcasts, Speaking & Upsells. To be fair, I use these techniques to some degree but I have BIG ideas on how I can better utilize them (so, I didn’t count them and won’t until I’ve mastered them).

I share this with you because I want to make sure you really give thought to your 2010 marketing plans. What do you plan to add to your mix in 2010?

If you are looking for a no-cost to low-cost way to boost your business in 2010, I have a recommendation for you BUT only if you are serious…and if you:

If this sounds good then this IS the system for you…
As you know, online press releases are one of the topics I’m most passionate about. I’ve already told you that I’ve finally compiled all of my experience into a handy, downloadable system that I’m really proud of. Well, here is another shameless plug.

It’s reasonably priced and I’m including a press release critique (from me) valued at $550. So, basically the system pays for itself when you think about it.

These techniques have:

This is just a sampling of how online press releases can work for you and HAVE worked for others.

Sounds better by the minute, doesn’t it?

You can get the quick scoop here.

Or get the full scoop here (even if you’re not a long copy fan, it’s worth the read if you want to know more about my story).

Either way, it’s a great investment in your business and press releases have always brought me great success. I cannot wait personally to review your first press release draft and see the magic start working for you.

At the very least, save a shortcut to the Write On Creative Press Release Producer on your desktop. I offer this free tool because I’m THAT passionate about how effective online press releases really are. I’ve been told I’m crazy for giving this away and for including a press release critique in the Proven Publicity & Online Press Release System. That may be true and at the same time I feel good about that.

Technorati Tags: Lisa Manyon, copywriter, copy, press release, www.writeoncreative.com, marketing plan

By: Lisa Manyon www.WriteOnCreative.com

I’m a BIG fan of to-do lists. Planning is in my blood. It’s how I stay on track and get things done. What about you?

One of the topics that Ali Brown touched on at her live SHINE ~ Discover Your True Wealth event is the difference between tasks and projects. This isn’t a new concept — in fact, members of ? Ali’s MPC group? participated? in a project flow chart? exercise? at one of our retreats. None the less, ? I found this differentiation interesting because many people mistakenly add a task to their to-do list when the task is really a project.

A good example: If you need to revamp your website, this is not a task. It’s definitely project.

A task is generally a single step or action. A project consists of “multiple layers and players” as I like to say. There are phases, team members and more.

You see before I went to SHINE, my team and I embarked on a project to revamp my web presence. It? may seem like a? simple task but let me tell you — once I mapped out all the steps it was going to take to complete my vision, it was clear that it was one BIG project. (check out the snapshot of my flowchart of the project and check out the site revamp at www.WriteOnCreative.com).

I’m happy to say the project was complete just in time for Shine thanks to my fabulous team ( I ? LOVE you guys). I’m especially happy that my site was ready to roll because Ali Brown featured my website and business model as an example of a successful One-To-One business. ? I was beyond excited (and a little nervous speaking in front of over 500 people). I’m absolutely giddy from the experience and I share it with you to illustrate that when you work diligently towards your dreams they can and will come true and you will be recognized for your efforts.

You see, if I hadn’t clearly mapped out the steps to complete my project, I wouldn’t have been prepared and I wouldn’t have fully realized how much work the project was going to take (about 5 team members including me and it took about a month).

It’s the same thing in your business. If you don’t clearly map out your projects and plans, you’re not going to make as much progress as you could.

The exposure I received at SHINE has certainly boosted my business. I’ve had many inquires about my copywriting packages and press releases system. You see, because I completed my web project, my site is was ready for the inquiries and orders and I was able to showcase my offerings.

If I hadn’t have been prepared, I would have missed out on great opportunities and sales. That’s why it’s vital to have a plan and to carve out time for planning.

This brings me to another important topic. In addition to planning your projects, you must plan your marketing and virtually every campaign is a project in and of itself.

What are your BIG projects?

Do you have enough support to get them done?? 

Do you have a content strategy planned for 2010?

Technorati Tags: Ali Brown, Shine, Planning, Projects, Tasks, Goals, 2010 Plan, Press Releases, copywriting, copy writer, Lisa Manyon, www.writeoncreative.com

This is one of the topics I’m most passionate about and I’ve finally compiled all of my experience into a handy, downloadable system that I’m really proud of.

So, if you want to add online press releases to your marketing mix, I highly recommend you snap up a copy of your own. Especially because I’m including a press release critique (from me) valued at $550 when you invest in the Proven Publicity & Online Press Release System.

You can get the quick scoop here.

Or get the full scoop here. (even if you’re not a long copy fan, it’s worth the read if you want to know more about my story).

Either way, it’s a great investment in your business and press releases have always brought me great success…here’s a success story to illustrate what can happen when you incorporate press releases into your mix regularly.

Thanks again for all of your support and for being a part of the Write On Community. You are appreciated.

Technorati Tags: Lisa Manyon, www.writeoncreative.com, copy, press release, copywriter

Finding the perfect virtual assistant to support your business vision is a hot topic.?  As entrepreneurs we know we shouldn’t do everything alone. We know we need help. BUT the hardest part of building a team? is finding the help we need in the form of trustworthy partners.

I’ve had my share of disappointments before securing a VA ? team I can completely rely on. Some of this was my fault and some of it was based on misrepresentation and differences in work ethics. I am not alone. The task of interviewing and hiring virtual assistants? can be? difficult. It’s? even more difficult to finda?  good fit if you don’t have a CLEAR vision.

Some of the strategies I used to select my team include:

• Being clear and having realistic expectations when forming the business relationship
• Outlining procedures and tasks in the beginning to ensure skillsets match tasks
• Checking references, thoroughly
• Creating a list of interview questions so there is no doubt as to what the working relationship will entail
• Maintaining clear communication and making sure all the proper contracts are in place

Because of this I have a great team to support my vision and I in turn help to support theirs. However, every business is different and that’s why it’s so important for you to do your own due diligence when building your team.?  That’s why I’m thrilled to announce a tool that will help you avoid future hiring mistakes and know exactly what to look for when selecting your team.

There’s a lot of confusion about virtual assistants out there! And my friend Marcia Hoeck has really investigated what it takes to build solid teams and? she’s done a majority of the initial work for you. She’s done hours of research and conducted countless interviews (including one with me about my experiences) and helped to sort through the confustion. I don’t want you to miss the opportunity to avoid the hiring mistakes others have made. So, I recommend you pay close attention to Marcia’s findings because she reveals…

“How to Get More Done AND Make More Money: 2 Simple Steps to Find, Hire, and Partner with the Perfect Virtual Assistant.” If you’d like to learn more then be sure to claim your audio to discover how you can build your team more effectively. It’s free and you can learn more about her product that truly is a roadmap to selecting the right team members. Claim your recording of “How to Get More Done AND Make More Money: 2 Simple Steps to Find, Hire, and Partner with the Perfect Virtual Assistant.”?  here.

You won’t be disappointed and you owe it to yourself to build your team the right way. I wish I would have had this info when I was starting out. I’m happy to report that I now have a team I can trust. It took some trial and error to find them (including a few initial selections that didn’t work) and I’m so glad I gave this process the time and attention it truly deserves. Thanks to Marcia, you’ll now have a detailed roadmap to team building success that includes valuable perspective from entrepreneurs and virtual assitants.

Technorati Tags: virtual assistants, building a team online, how to hire a virtual assistant, how virtual teams save you time and money, Marcia Hoeck, ?  checklist to build effective teams, team work, How to Get More Done AND Make More Money: 2 Simple Steps to Find, Hire, and Partner with the Perfect Virtual Assistant, www.writeoncreative.com, 1stVA.com, Lisa Manyon, recommended programs for virtual hiring success