A-HA defines "BrandStand"

I am becoming more and more convinced that the ONLY way to create a website that has super value for your company is to think about the content that must be initiated, maintained, updated, and updated, and updated BEFORE you spend any time or money on any whizbang bells and whistles.

Make it authentic, easy to understand, relevant to MY world, and give me a really easy way to share with others.

AND - you should read the A-HA blog's post about "BrandStanding" whether you are a large or a small organization.

You think before you talk...look before you leap...and you should always plan before you launch.

THINK and PLAN about your brand and what in the world you want people to SAY about you. Then you have the driving reason behind your content.

Here's the link: Do you “brandstand” for your biz?

Useless Marketing ... The hope strategy

Seth Godin points out a reference to useless marketing.

Useless Marketing

I was in a meeting last week where the potential customer said to me, "We really don't want to focus on any of that branding or marketing, we just want a website that shows our work."

Now, anyone and everyone in marketing has heard this refrain before. I politely reminded my potential customer that yesterday when we chatted in the hallway, he had mentioned that they were busy, but not with the kind of work they wished they had.

Who was it that said that hope is not a strategy?

I am about to go back to this client with a proposal that would dramatically reshape what they do. But, because of the previous comment, I am not at all sure of my ability to convince them that indeed, what they need is some of that branding and useless marketing.