Two ReasonsWhy You Will Fail in Business

Not all business owners are going to make it. This is a fact of life, sorry. So, what are the top two reasons business owners fail? Well, I’ve listed them below for you to consider this weekend as you’re making plans to open or continue operating your company.

#1. Relying on a concept and not a product. I can’t tell you the number of times I speak to people, especially in the PR business, who want to be famous or gain their idea notoriety. The problem with this is one of sustainability. You can only skate by on talking big for so long. Don’t rely on concepts to grow your brand. Instead, rely on real products that can be sold before your company can grow. Know where you’re at when it comes to concept vs. actual product and then start taking steps to get to the actual product or services delivered portion.

#2. Cash. Yes, cash is the number two reasons businesses fail. It isn’t a lack of cash that holds a company back, either. It is how it is spent. Don’t throw millions or even thousands of dollars into an ad campaign when you don’t have your product or services perfected. Instead, use the money to perfect the products and/or services. Strategic spending is a big problem for many new business owners.

I hope this helps you really put your company into perspective this weekend.

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

Google Hummingbird – Are You In?

As a business owner how aware are you of Google’s new Hummingbird feature? You should be very aware of it as it can be harming your company right now. Launched in October of 2013, the feature is changing the way people utilize SEO content. Not sure what SEO content is? Stop reading now and head to your nearest University for a class on social media and web marketing basics.

Hummingbird is going to change how marketers and PR people utilize SEO content. While we relied heavily on SEO content the past five years, people are using their voice control apps via their smart phones to search specific phrases. These phrases aren’t key word orientated and neither is the navigation device on the smart phone’s voice control app. However, Hummingbird acts as the bridge between what a person is asking the voice control app and what results arrive on Google’s search engine. Thus, if you are relying on SEO content to market to someone who primarily uses Siri to find dinner, business tools, or anything else- you’re soon to be dead in the water!

One marketing consultant with B2B Magazine recently said, “People may type things like 'buy yoga mat Buckhead' in Google on a browser, but would say a command verbally such as, 'What's the closest place to buy a yoga mat to my home?'" Leefe said. "A traditional search engine might focus on finding matches for keywords, such as finding a page that says 'buy' and 'yoga mat,' for example. Instead, Hummingbird helps Google understand the meaning behind those words to deliver better search results.”

If you’re not on point with Hummingbird then it is time to get in the game. I can help you with this portion of your company’s social media and web services efforts. Just click any of my contact links and let’s get started working on your company’s growth today!

Coco the CEO

The Best PR Gift You Can Give Yourself.

You didn’t hear this from me but the best way to obtain media value is to develop it yourself. While a strong PR campaign is built on honest and years of layering your value like one would lay bricks in the media’s eyes, there is the power of controversy. For example; any commercial or video that is banned from a major network will go viral online. It is a gift of PR from the networks to the product or person being featured in the video. Getting yourself banned, condemned, caught with your undies (or no undies) showing will create a sense of immediate mystique about you and your brand.

This is a catch-22 situation, however, because it isn’t true that all press is good press. You can ruin your brand if you’re constantly showing up to step and repeats for the sole purpose of having your photo taken. You have to do something that shows value, otherwise the controversial move you will create will-indeed-only last 15 minutes.

If you’re going to take the plunge and do something controversial to up your media value, make sure you have a product or purpose to back it up. Otherwise, that quick value you create will not result in any actual sales.

Until next time,

Coco the CEO

Breakfast & Business

Do you have the “it” business factor? I mean, are you performing the same rituals as many successful entrepreneurs? Well, I’ve studied the habits of truly successful people and I’ve discovered they all do the same three things before breakfast. What are they?

They wake up before 5:30am. Yes, phone calls and emails take up much of a business owner’s time. So, business owners have learned to pivot and get up before the calls and emails start flooding their office and inboxes. Most successful people state working between 6 and 8am on major projects help them with their time management efforts.

Successful entrepreneurs also dedicate an hour to their personal projects and passions before breakfast. While this isn’t a daily habit, many business people wake up an hour earlier than normal (yes, sometimes around 4:30 am) once a week to commit time to full filling their passions before their days start. With this type of time slot, you really do have to be passionate about the personal project!

Finally, successful entrepreneurs network over coffee before heading into the office. Every office has a coffee machine, but not every office has the business diversity of a Starbucks or local coffee shop. So, get to know the people in your neighborhood and you might just find your next major client or business partner!

Here is to tomorrow morning!

Coco the CEO

3 Apps Every Business Owner Should Have in 2014

Apps are such an amazing tool. I promise you 2014 is the year of the business app. So many business owners are utilizing this tool to grow business and keep customers loyal. If you love apps as much as I do then keep reading! I’ve listed the top 3 apps for business owners in 2014.

#1. Uber. This app helps you connect to other business owners, clients, staff- whoever. So, what is it? A personal driver of course! The link is below. Yes, Uber connects you with transportation anywhere in the world without a hassle. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/uber/id368677368?mt=8

#2. FedEx Office. This app is one of the most helpful on-the-go apps for entrepreneurs. You are able to quickly and easily send files, documents or photos through the app to your nearest FedEx location to be printed or made into a beautiful presentation. The best part? You can upload files directly from Google Drive and DropBox! Here’s the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fedex-office/id601452706?mt=8\

#3. Pocket. Always coming up with great ideas on the go? Not sure what to do with them? Use Pocket! This app saves all types of content - anything from a lengthy article to a work report -- to all your electronic devices. You can keep ideas fresh, content nearby, and re-inspire your self during review sessions! Here’s the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-formerly-read-it-later/id309601447?mt=8

More business resources for you tomorrow!

Coco the CEO

Small Actions Yield Successful Results

Here’s an interesting story for you. I was recently consulting another business owner on growth. She asked me why things weren’t happening fast enough for her. Knowing her product, I asked her what she was doing on a daily basis to improve how she marketed the product or her overall operations.

She looked at me stunned and slightly confused. She said she was too busy to put any thought into improvements. Funny, right? She is too busy to read up on business tips, make small daily changes, or even consider room for improvement. However, she took two hours out of her day, and money out of her wallet, for me to point out the obvious to her.

You have to be just as, if not more, invested in your company and brand as you want others to be. No one is going to pay you if you don’t care or don’t have the time to care. You have to make the time. I went over some time management strategies with the woman noted above and she is making great changes, even though they are small, to her company on a daily basis.

I want you to spend the weekend deciding how you will make small changes to help grow your company. Are you able to wake up 20 minutes earlier to brain storm? How about your gym time? Can you cut it in half to work on marketing plans? Figure out a way to build in at least an extra 20 minutes per day into your schedule to create small steps that will lead to big changes and growth.

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

Are You Poised?

Many of my blog readers are women. I have women ask me daily what the key to success is. These are professional women with great backgrounds in education. They’re experienced in a wide-array of industries. Yes, they’re asking me the key to success. Well, the key to success is, and will always be, poise. How you hold yourself sends a message to the world. That message is success. Even if you haven’t achieved an industry milestone noting success, holding yourself as if you already have will define who you are to the world and your peers.

To reflect poise there are three key things you must do as a woman.

First, don’t pretend to know it all. If you are unsure about something, say so. Stating you need to find out the answer and get back to the person later shows you are careful about what you say and do. It means a lot more to someone then pretending you know it all and ending up with egg on your face at a later date.

Second, understand you’re not going to like everyone and they’re not all going to like you. Get along anyway. A person with great poise remains positive about everything business despite personal preferences for people. Show class by staying positive and focusing on what is important, not political or personal differences.

Third, don’t use foul language. This sounds silly but it means a lot in the business world. Using the f-bomb takes away from your message and your poise. People will respect you a lot more if you select educated words to describe your frustration versus the f-bomb. Period!

Want to know more about looking successful before you gain actual success? I’m available to provide consultations. Just click any of the links on the right to contact me.

Coco the CEO

Why Your Brand Is Failing.

Everyone has something amazing to offer. However, many times the media doesn’t recognize it. Why? Well, most of the time personal branding efforts need to be amplified. I’m going to share some ways you can do improve your brand’s viability right now.

#1. Figure out what you REALLY have to offer. Let’s say you’re selling your brand as an exterminator. You have great customer reviews, won several awards, and you’re good looking to boot. The media would have a choice to cover you- right? Wrong. Stop reading right now and Google the term “exterminator with charisma.” You’re going to get a lot of results. Next, Google “expert exterminator” and you get even more results. Finally, Google “Tom Martin Orange County Exterminator.”

You see, Mr. Martin has received press and his an expert in his field. But he isn’t the only expert in his field to receive press and not on the national radar to receive a first page Google listing when it comes to a generic key word search. You have to figure out what you have to offer and then how you do it differently when compared to anyone else in your field.

#2. Identify your weaknesses. Yes, you have them. You can’t address something you’re unwilling to face so make sure you get it out of the way before promoting yourself as a brand.

Want more personalized info? Contact me and set up a business consultation today.

Coco the CEO

Is Your Website Concept Boring?

One of my business ventures is website design. I have clients who have concepts at the start of each relationship as to how their websites should look. Often, these clients are relying upon someone else’s branded design to define their own message. This is a huge no-no. I never understood why a client would want to look like their competition! 1) It shows you’re into stealing (sorry, borrowing) creative concepts and 2) It doesn’t define your own brand.

Another challenge are the clients who don’t understand that what may look nice doesn’t equate to actually being functional. A key element of this is Responsive web design (RWD), a common strategy being used today to accommodate the multiple ways a website may be accessed. It is an experienced based design that looks good on any mobile, desktop or other device.

I recently read “You need a content management system (CMS) to simplify the task of managing a website. In the old days, website content was managed by creating an HTML file on your computer and uploading it to a web server, where it was accessible to the world. The problem was that sites started to get very large, with thousands of pages. When you wanted to update something minor like the copyright date in the footer, you needed to update every file on the site. Enter the CMS.” I agree. CMS is important to every single website out there. You need to have a website that both looks great and feeds into search engines properly. There are plenty of CMS options available, some free and some not. Either way, if you don’t have one- you’re in trouble.

Boring website concepts are often the highest ranked domains on Google and alike search engines. So, ask yourself today do you want to look like your competitor or do you want to blow them away?

Coco the CEO

The Shy Sales Person!

If you’re an introvert, sales and public speaking probably aren’t your thing. The truth is, some of the great sales people and public speakers are shy, they’ve just mastered the art of acting comfortable in populated situations. If you need help coming out of your shell to sell something over the phone, pitch a branding opportunity via a media event, or just want to be more assertive- take note because I’m listing my top three secrets to help introverts be more successful!

#1. Be a pest. Yes, a pest. Being persistent will get you noticed- even when you’re shy. So, don’t be afraid to call that editor or sales lead over and over again.

#2. Team up with a mentor. No single person knows everything. There is no shame in admitting you need help. Teaming up with another sales person or publicist will help you develop tools and a comfortable relationship with public speaking and pitching.

#3. Say “hi” to everyone you pass on the street. This is an old trick but it works. Saying hello helps you practice speaking to strangers without a long conversation commitment. Try it for a day, I promise it works!

As we go into the weekend think about your business. Where are failing? Where are succeeding? Why haven’t you opened your doors yet? Ask yourself the hard questions. You know, the ones you have been avoiding. Once you address the elephant in the room- your professional life will improve.

Don’t forget to practice the three tips noted above!

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

Want Celebrity Clients? It’s Easy… When You Know How!

If you work in an industry where celebrity clients would be a dream then keep reading. Obtaining a celebrity client isn’t easy. You have to get through their manager, publicist, marketing representative, the studio or record label suits, and so on. Discouraging, right? It can be. But there are a few secret tricks I use to land celebrity clients.

I’m using this post to share this information with you because it works. Businesses with celebrity clients normally aren’t connected. They often have to earn the business of their famous clients and here is how you go about this;

1. Sell yourself to their friends. Approaching a celebrity without a friendly reference isn’t going to work. However, if you sell your services to their agent, lawyer, best friend, etc.- you have a built in referral and a better chance of actually working with him or her.

2. Guess who picks up the phone at five and six in the morning? Agents. Hollywood movie sets usually start their days at four in the morning. This means agents are usually in their offices right at the crack of dawn. And, the best part, their assistants aren’t there to answer the phones. Most agents will still pick up the phone, hoping not to miss business, and take the call if you ring early enough. And, as noted in step one, this is the perfect way for you to pitch the agent and not the celebrity first.

3. If you’re turned down, send a second thank you and with a gift. Don’t be bitter about this action. Use it as an opportunity to reintroduce yourself and show the client what they are missing. Most people who say “no” to a product or service expect to never hear from the sales or pitch person again. When they still receive a thank you and a gift- it makes an impression. Flag yourself to follow up again with the prospect on the next major holiday. Your chances of gaining a “yes” will have improved by 38%!

You don’t ever want to be pushy, cocky or fan-like when pitching a celebrity or anyone around a celebrity. Be yourself. Be authentic. Focus on your products and services.

Coco the CEO

Public Relations and You!

As the owner of a branding company, I often wear the hat of publicist. Every company needs a public relations person or firm. Not every company is aware of the value of a good PR person or what it is exactly they do. A common misconception is a PR person is capable of making another brand or person famous. While we all wish this was true, it isn’t. Consider how many PR firms and PR reps exist today. Think about the clients they have. Wouldn’t everyone BE famous if this was true?!

PR agents are only as good as the clients they represent. Clients who sit back and watch, not realizing they need to be doing something, will be frustrated with any PR person they hire. Clients who are willing to copilot a PR campaign will see the benefits in having a PR agency or person on their side. I recently read a great article via Media Bistro on the top PR myths for 2014. I strongly agree with every noted in the article, which you can find here: http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/top-5-pr-myths-to-debunk-in-2014_b80503

Let me discuss how PR efforts can benefit you.

1. You need to have a public image and a contact for the media. Not everyone in the media is going to run your story all of the time- or even half of the time. You have to hit when media value and relevancy are on your industry. Your PR person can help with this.

2. You need to have a PR person to help you during crisis communications. Yes, there are tactics to navigate these times. Tylenol bounced back and so did Robert Downey, Jr. thanks to their PR teams’ navigation of media affairs.

3. Clipping and reel collections and media value monitoring.

4. Pitching. Press releases are great, but they don’t mean sales. In fact, an increase in profits doesn’t always happen (for the first two years anyway) when a publicist is involved. It takes time and a lot of planning, pitching and phone calls.

5. You will not have overnight success the second, or even six months, after your hire a PR firm. Know your expectations, goals and what you’re willing to put into a campaign. You have to have a product to sell to the media outside of just having a publicist. And, most importantly, you need a manager or a marketing team to work with your publicity team.

I’m available for private business consultations, including covering areas of publicity and marketing.

Please use one of the links (right) to contact me.

Until next time,

Coco the CEO

Organize Your Business Day!

Entrepreneurs wear many hats. We are often up before the sun rises and we tend to go to bed after midnight. It seems, at least to me, that there is never enough time in the day to accomplish everything. I often feel like I am never caught up. Do you feel this way?

Full disclosure here- this is actually how I used to feel. I made a few changes recently to help me be more productive so I can go to bed early (sometimes even sleep in) without having guilt from what I didn’t get done on my shoulders.

Here are three things I am doing to be more productive in less time right now. Jot these down because they work!

#1. Forget early morning emails. These is derail your day. Focus on what needs to be done in the morning and catch up with client phone calls and emails later on in the day.

#2. Add 30% more time to your daily tasks. I found myself often behind, and stressed as a result, because I was assuming I could get certain tasks done in an hour. What I didn’t count was trips to the bathroom, delays from prior meetings cutting into this time frame, or emergency phone calls from clients. By blocking off an additional 30% more time for specific tasks you will find yourself less stressed and not running behind that often.

#3. Eating well. We’re all guilty of snagging a bagel (or worse, fast food) for breakfast or lunch. This isn’t enough to power your genius entrepreneur brain or spirit. Take time out to eat a real meal packed with veggies, fruit and protein. You will feel better and your body will function better, allowing you to be more productive.

I know these three tips seem simple. They do work and I would encourage everyone to turn these tips into business habits!

Want more info? Download my business eBook for free by clicking here: http://www.velmacocotrayham.com/

Pitching Investors 101

I was recently asked how to effectively pitch a potential investor. Becoming a bankable brand isn’t easy. Let’s get this fact out of the way. I know of a woman-owned business, with millions in the bank, that didn’t become bankable until five years after her business started. What your business and brand is worth and what investors are willing to invest are two very different things.

Obtaining a bank loan or any investor isn’t possible until you are able to prove your business is not only making money, but capable of growing the profits you do receive. You have to be self-funded for a few years before you can consider any real bankability. Some people are, however, able to find investors early on. While your business is growing, investors who want major stake in your company will find you if you make a profit within the first three years. The problem with this is the investors will eventually take creative control of your company and a heavy piece of your profit portion. In the long run, it is very rare that these early investors are even worth considering for funding purposes.

When you do get to the point where you are able to self-fund the majority of your business and prove sustainability- it is then time to seek out investors who desire less than a 15% stake return for their funding.

CNBC.com recently asked a number of investors to define the elements of a perfect pitch. Here are the top three investor answers for crafting the perfect pitch:

1. Know your audience – don’t talk about how great you are or your sales are. Talk about how your products and services provide a solution for consumer challenges. Do this by talking about who your customer is.

2. Do your homework. You have to know your industry inside and out – not just your business. If you can’t answer a curveball question about a competitor’s product during a pitch meeting- you will appear to be ill-informed and will not be taken seriously.

3. Don’t talk about how much your company is worth or will be worth. Talk about how you accomplished so much with so little and the possibilities if you receive funding. Real business investors can sniff out an exaggeration before an introduction is even made. If you are relying on solid numbers and facts- there isn’t anything to worry about. If you are talking up a big game about what you’re worth- you have everything to worry about.

I hope this helps you when starting to navigate the murky waters of corporate investing.

Best of luck,

Coco the CEO

The 2 things you need to be doing as an entrepreneur in 2014.

Are you new to the entrepreneurship game? If so, there are two important things you need to do to grow business, and your brand, in 2014.

First, have the difficult conversations. Not many people want to be honest about where they are at. They spend so much time talking about how big they are, or what they are going to do, that when asked what is currently happening- they don’t have much to talk about. Having difficult conversations with yourself, investors, or support staff is needed. This needs to be the year of you and no entrepreneur has it easy. The difficult conversations can only improve things for you.

Second, tag business cards when you receive them. The art of the hard copy business card isn’t dead. If you receive a business card, speak with the person about what he or she is doing. Spend time learning about him or her by not speaking about yourself or trying to pitch products. When the conversation is over, say your goodbyes and promise to follow up. Then, like second nature, write on the back of the card the things you remember most about what the person told you. Send an email later on that day citing how you can help him or her and state “I was thinking about our conversation.” This tactic works and helps you grow business.

Don’t get over involved in setting up app after app and hope to bypass difficult conversations. Instead, make 2014 the year of personal and professional growth by having the difficult conversations and focusing on people via personal response to business card sharing!

My next blog will be on Monday. Have a great weekend,

Coco the CEO

Ways to find more work.

If you’re like me, you are constantly working on various projects that overlap in responsibilities and industries. Recently, however, I discovered a way to help marketing professionals gain more work. What’s the secret? New ideas.

Corporate companies and entertainment brands love different ideas. Instead of copying off of the industry standards, they want their brand collateral and copy content to standout and be different. Many decision makers aren’t hiring experienced marketing professionals in today’s culture. Instead, they are hiring the people who propose different and new ideas.

The entire purpose of marketing is to grow profits based on an attention getting message (in any media format). While looking like your competition might help solidify your brand for a short period of time, it will not lead to long-term client relationships. You want to deliver results, not just look good. If you’re up for a marketing job, or just seeking new clients, be bold. You can gain far more work by speaking the truth to a potential client about why they are similar to their competitors- sometimes even more expensive. Next, focus in on how hiring you brings a different way of thinking to the table.

You shouldn’t be afraid to say “no,” either. Don’t accept jobs or contracts for the sole purpose of making a profit. If the client’s brand is not sellable, you will have a hard time pleasing the client and you might miss another great opportunity.

Remember, seeking out marketing work and contracts can be challenging at times. With any business, you should always present new and different ideas and carefully select who it is you work with and what it is you work on.

Coco the CEO

Your Branded Event

As a marketing and publicity professional, I am often creating and executing events. There are a lot of do’s and don’ts when it comes to event planning. The stress is incredible, but it is worth the payoff when all goes smoothly.

If you want to create a memorable branding event, follow these suggestions;

First, do what Victoria’s Secret CEO does. “Gone are the days of simply throwing a logo on everything in sight and calling it "marketing" -- today's ad-savvy audience has a no tolerance for illogical product placement or blasé billboards. “ I couldn’t agree with this quote more. While a logo is important, you need to be smart about how you place it-especially at events.

Hire the right event superstar. One issue I notice with a lot of people hosting an event is celebrity endorsement deals. If you’re going to hire someone in the public eye to MC your event, make sure their brand lines up with yours. While Brad Pitt might be the hottest star in your eyes, if you own a Vegan restaurant and he isn’t a Vegan- his presence at your event is basically meaningless to your brand.

Offer social media exclusives. This doesn’t have to be a discount to attend your event. However, you want to have your following trend your event. Using creative branding opportunities to promote the event in the development, functionality, and post stages is a great way to grow your social media following, pick up extra press, and review statistics as to how relevant your marketing events are compared to ROI.

Of course, these tips are just the tip of the event marketing iceberg. I’m available to help you design and/or market your next event. Please click one of the links to the right to connect with me.

Coco the CEO

Branding is Big Business

Welcome to my first post ever! I decided to launch this blog as a way to give back to the business community. I perform a lot of over-the-phone and in-person consulting. As a result, I don't have time to help everyone, or accept all potential client requests. I'm hopeful this blog will be a direct link between myself, my advice and my audience. Please feel free to use the social media links (located on the right) to connect with me on Twitter. You can also leave comments and questions below each blog post and I will try to respond personally.

OK, let's get started!

I want to open this blog up by starting a discussion on branding in business. Most people believe they have a general concept of what branding is. Some people even fool themselves into believing they know how to leverage it in business. Branding is important to any and every business. It takes time to develop correct branding skills. Like I always say, “Anyone can become a brand but not everyone knows how to brand.”

Whatever you chose as a brand for your business, it becomes an immediate point of recognition for your consumers and potential consumers. It also opens your business up to criticism and/or praise. Think about the phrase "Enron." How many of you have personally conducted business with this company? Chances are, not many. I'm sure, however, almost all of you have heard of Enron and already dislike the brand. Do you think Enron intentionally built a negative association around its brand? Of course not. Enron's actions and negative publicity outweighed any of their marketing efforts or positive branding attempts. Thus, Enron is now considered by most as America’s top hated corporation.

So, how to do you avoid what happened to Enron while growing your own brand?

While I save my in-depth analysis for my consulting clients, I've decided to offer you three crucial tips to help get you started in the right direction;

1. Don't think your logo is 100% representative of your brand. It is not. Logos and color schemes are only a crucial portion of your company's branding. However, it shouldn’t be the only component of your branding. When Nike is mentioned most people think "sneakers" and then consider the logo- not the other way around. Thus the logo is important, but so are the products and services you sell – as well as how you sell them. Kim Kardashian incorporates the double K logo into all of her merchandise branding, but she is far more than just a fancy logo.

2. State what your brand is one to two sentences online. Enron's branding became out of control in the public's eye because no one took charge to state the company wasn't terrible. It was such a simple move and yet it was missed! If a customer complains about you online - respond stating your company and brand doesn't stand for terrible service or products and offer to fix the issue right away. Don't ignore problems and don't apologize. Instead, state who you are and correct the issue.

3. Do one thing well. I knew a lady who had multiple business investments. She had a different persona for each business venture. She couldn't figure out why people didn't think of her as an authority in one industry- or, for the matter- any industry. Well, you can't be the captain of three boats at once. All your business ventures should reflect the same core components about who you are as a brand and as a business owner. If not, no one will take you seriously and you will be considered flighty. Be an authority, remain consistent with your values and what it is that your brand stands for.

Well, that's it for my first blog! Be sure to join me tomorrow to discuss other marketing and business issues.

I am available to work with you on a one-on-one basis if you want further help regarding this particular topic. Simply contact me (using one of the links on the right side of this blog) and we can get to work right away.

Coco the CEO