Posts Categorized: Branding

5 Fantastic URL Shorteners

Have you ever received an email with a super-long link in it—a link so long it was unclickable? I certainly have.

Enter the amazing URL shrinker, a handy tool that shortens lengthy URLs (web addresses) to 25 or so characters.

In this article, we look at the pros and cons of URL shorteners, and review five excellent services:

  1. bitly
  2. TinyURL.com
  3. is.gd
  4. goo.gl
  5. su.pr
[ Read more ]

The Psychology of Color, Plus a Few Bizarre Color Factoids [Infographic]

Quiz:

  1. What is the color of intellect, knowledge, and wisdom?
  2. What color are bees unable to see?
  3. What is the “happiest” color in the color spectrum?
  4. What color most attracts mosquitos?

You’ll find the answers to these and other color-related questions in the infographic below. (If you’re too lazy to read the infographic, I’ve provided the answers at the end of the infographic.)

Be sure to check out yesterday’s guest column by Steve Bezella on The Psychology of Color for Marketing.

[ Read more ]

The Psychology of Color for Effective Marketing

By Gary L. Bezella
Guest Columnist

Color changes people. Colors affect our mood, personality, and buying choices. The right color can boost your advertising effectiveness, but the wrong colors can hamper your marketing.

It’s important to understand the psychology of color to ensure heavy traffic from your advertising. But never let the color of your advertising overpower its overall message.

Here are common colors used in marketing and why you should – or shouldn’t – use them.

[ Read more ]

Why the ‘Spray and Pray’ Marketing Method Doesn’t Work

When authors ask me to help them with their online marketing, they usually open with:

“My agent told me I need a Facebook ‘fan’ page, so I had my son create one for me. But I haven’t posted anything to it. I don’t even know how to use it. Help!”

Most writers struggle to balance the demands of writing and marketing our writing. Unsure about how to woo readers, we use the ‘spray and pray’ marketing method: we create a blog and multiple social media accounts, spray out random updates and pray someone pays attention.

[ Read more ]

What Do You Think of When…

A client and I are fleshing out a new brand and we’d love your input.

When you hear the phrase, Grateful Table, what thoughts, images, and/or colors immediately come to mind?

Please post a comment or email your impressions to [email protected]. Thanks!

[ Read more ]

The Truth About Elevator Pitches and Brand Messaging

How should you develop — and deliver your brand message? How can you prove to your boss that social media is, indeed, a wise investment? How do you plan an effective social media strategy– without overdoing it? The following four articles provide excellent ideas. Click the headline to access the full article. No one ever […]

[ Read more ]

Your Product’s Early Adopters Might Not Be Who You Think They Are – Lessons from VeggieTales

When my sons were pre-schoolers, VeggieTales® — particularly the Silly Songs like “The Hairbrush Song,” “Song of the Cebu,” and “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” — were an integral part of our lives. So it was with great delight that I read Phil Vischer’s autobiography, Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About Dreams, […]

[ Read more ]

Repurposing Blog Posts Reaps Dividends

I have Google Alerts set up for my name and my business name (you should, too, if you don’t already). Whenever something is published online that includes the words, “Laura Christianson” or “Blogging Bistro,” I receive an e-mail with a link to the article. I received an alert that a monthly column I wrote for […]

[ Read more ]

Are You Selling ‘The Whole Experience’?

The iPad is taking the world by storm, with U.S. sales topping 1 million in less than a month and predictions that Apple may sell 8 million iPads in 2010. So, what makes this new category of computer a must-have for so many? It is because of its 9.7-inch touch-screen? … because you can easily […]

[ Read more ]

Need to Invent a Name for Your Business or Product? Try This Tool

Rebtel. Zillow. Zune. Napster. Simpy. Ning. They’re all made-up company or product names. Some of them resonate with us. Some don’t. But one thing’s for certain: made-up names are the rage. Wordoid is a free online service that makes inventing a catchy, made-up name for your business or product a bit easier (not to mention […]

[ Read more ]