A Business Secret You Can't Ignore

Here is the secret to becoming successful before even opening your business.. Pay talent in equity if you can’t afford to pay them right away. It’s very hard to attract talent w to help you grow your business when you’re strapped for cash. I learned, early on that is, that if you pay individuals with a percentage of ownership of the company then they will be actually invested in your company and not simply invested in a paycheck – plus you’re saving money.

Some people like to hire interns. This action could be a win-win for both parties but it also comes with a risk. At some point the intern is going to leave for a paying job or -worst yet- will start his or her own company. You have to be aware that if this happens that the intern can take anything you may have taught him or her… including clients… can move forward with a bigger, better plan and possibly more money than you have. If you are considering getting an intern, understand that you should also have an NDA and other legal documents in place to protect you and your ideas.


Paying talent in equity is one of the best and most affordable options for people seeking to start-up any type of business. They get to buy into a business without coming up with cash and you gain someone who truly cares about the growth of your company without having to pay cash. Sure, you’re giving away a percentage of equity, but isn’t this a good thing if they can make your company grow?
That’s my food for thought tonight!

Velma Trayham

Why Being Busy Costs You Money

Recently I spoke with a woman who wanted to expand her business. We talked about her goals. Then we talked about what she had tried and what hasn’t worked. I found out she was barely making an effort to market herself online. This said, I offered her several recommendations to improve her visibility online and boost her autopilot moneymaker programs.

She  declined all of my recommendations. She cited that she was “too busy” with her current clients to implement my recommended ideas. I guess you can bring a horse to water but you can’t force it to either drink or make more of a profit!

Busy is the worst excuse for not marketing yourself. You are basically saying “No” to money. Why? If you’re busier- you can hire more help to support yourself while still making a profit.  First, it takes money to make money. I can’t understand why someone would pay for me to review their past mistakes and then make profitable recommendations for their future only to say they are “too busy” to do anything about it.  This makes no sense and is a real waste of money.

You have the ability to make more money. This said, there is NO magic wand. I can provide insight, evidence and recommendations for your business, but if you don’t want to take the time to help it grow then it won’t. You need to make the time to invest in yourself in order to see results. No one can do this for you as a business owner.

All this said, are you using the busy excuse as a way to dodge being the best version of yourself?

Are you afraid of success?

Are you afraid of having to pay more for marketing and support staff because you will be making more money?

Ask yourself these questions today and really assess the answers.

Busy isn’t a valid excuse. People with major disabilities overcome significant odds each and every day and go on to do great things. They aren’t familiar with the phrases “can’t” or “busy”. They are in a constant “can do” mindset- and you should be too- unless, that is, you’re afraid of success and busy is your crutch to staying complacent.

You can always make time for more business and money. Period!

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Google Penalties 101

I was asked about Google penalties the other day. Well, that is a broad topic. If you are a content writer or a tech designer, Google penalties and white hat marketing are like second nature. If you’re like us (the rest of the world), then you probably have no idea that Google can punish your website for certain reasons / actions.

First, Google doesn’t want to be mean. Google has a  great purpose in creating the penalty program- checks and balances. The company wants to give its users access to accurate information, not SPAM or  trolling websites. Google continually tweaks and improves its algorithms (how it ranks your website, etc.) so that the best of the web gets the exposure it deserves.

There are 5 very popular reasons why your website may not be ranking well on Google- almost all of them have to do with content, some of them with design and/or marketing. If you have purchased a template website without quality, original content and marketing-  be warned, you are probably being penalized by Google!

Now, here are the 5 most popular reasons why your website is being penalized by Google;

1. Keyword stuffed content. SEO is important but shouldn’t be abused. If Google detects a high number of keywords in a page, you will get a penalty.

2. Footer links. Not sure what this is? Ask your designer. You see, some web designers use footer links as a navigational aid. Most do it to impress clients with a great search engine ranking once the job is done. However, the longer the link stays there, the bigger the penalty.

3. Hidden links. All of the links on your site should be visible and useful to users. Anything that’s hidden (backlinks or transparent colored/coded) is considered suspicious.

4. Stolen (um, borrowed?) content. If you are using someone else’s web content, maybe even changing it a bit to make it your own, Google knows. CopyScape and other sites help identify plagiarism. Not only does Google see this as pointless duplication and will penalize your for it, they can turn you in for the duplication. Yikes!

5. Affiliate links all over the place. A high number of affiliate links is a red flag that your content may not be up to par. Although it’s possible to mask affiliate links with redirects, Google is wise on to this too. You shouldn’t be hosting more than two affiliate links on your webpage. Period.

Until next time,

Velma Trayham

PR Stunt to Sell Tickets?! No, It Can't Be....

The oldest trick in the PR book is to start a controversy to create news for yourself or your client. I bring this up because Beyonce's father just stated the divorce rumors surrounding his daughter were self-created to sell tickets.

The New York Daily News wrote this tonight, "Mathew Knowles is claiming Beyoncé and Jay Z's divorce rumors are all a bid at getting more bills, bills, bills. The superstar singer's dad and former manager opened up about his daughter and son-in-law's supposed marital woes on the "Roula and Ryan" Houston radio show on 104.1 KRBE earlier this week. "It's called a Jedi mind trick," he said. "The Jedi mind trick fools you a lot of times." - Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/beyonce-dad-mathew-knowles-divorce-rumors-sell-tour-tickets-article-1.1920503#ixzz3CsGWqU2G

But why would Beyonce and Jay Z need to sell tickets? Isn't their tour going well enough? Yes and no. The tour has tickets at not-so-friendly recession prices. Between tickets, merch., and drinks, two people can easily spend in excess of $500 to go see the concert.  Those numbers mean a lot to people making between $11 and $20 dollars an hour. But, if this concert then becomes one of the last times you might see Beyonce and Jay Z together, for fans, the ticket price because "doable" given the possible circumstances. Don't forget that Kid Rock recently bashed entertainers, like Jay Z, who are charging outrageous amounts of money for concert tickets. Rock performed all last summer with ticket sales at $20 a pop. The tour did quite well- all in the same of bashing Jay Z!

So, why not use the oldest PR trick in the book and have Jay Z create a conflict that would benefit Jay Z and Beyonce? If what Mathew Knowles claims to be the truth is right, then Jay Z has just pulled off one of the greatest PR tricks known within our industry.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

The 3 Key Content Types for PR

Reporters love content that is easy to pull from and process a full story. This said, there are three different types of content that many journalists look for when seeking to cover a pitch. What are they? I'm glad you asked, lol! They are listed below with an explanation.

#1. Supportive facts. Nothing else makes a press release more valuable then to tie in numbers and stats that are current. It shows how relevant your news is and it helps the reporter with his or her workload.

#2. Supportive multimedia. Reporters love eZines, brochures, videos, and soundbites that can support online web editions of their newscasts or publications. If you included these items as a zip file (only upon request), it will set you up for a great relationship with the requesting reporter.

#3. Breaking news that is relevant. Too often, publicists send media releases out anytime their client makes a move. This tactic is like the boy who cried wolf. Eventually, the media will start ignoring your press releases. Make sure you only send out breaking news when it is actually breaking! This type of content continues to be the top content type requested by journalists.

Remember, content is still king as long as you know how to utilize it!

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

When Reporters Cross the Line!

Do you know when a reporter crosses the line? Let me explain a bit about the unsaid rules of the press. You have two types of journalists to pitch to. The ones that can be bought and the ones that can't. Of course, the ones that can't be bought have more power as far as reach is concerned and people tend to trust them more. Anderson Cooper is one of these journalists.

The other type, the ones that can be bought, care about pushing the interest of their advertisers and typically will ask soft questions or deter away from hot button issues. You will work with both types of reporters within your PR career. Therefore, it is very important to know which types of clients to push to the different types of reporters.

For example, if you have a client who is always in trouble and can't handle himself well in-front of the media, putting him on Anderson Cooper's show is a bad idea- even if you vet the questions. This said, you could put that same client on any major network daytime TV show where vetting the questions is possible and you can brief the interviewers.

All this said, there is no safe bet. You may run across a reporter who crosses the line with your client. What do you do in this case? Do you pull the interview on live TV? This can make things worse for your client. Do you try to recover with follow up press releases and interviews? I wish I had the answers. You see, this subject has to be deal with on a case-by-case basis. There is no across the board answer.

When a reporter crosses the line, have a prepared plan read to be put into action for your client. Make sure you have a different plan for each client and you will be as prepared as you possibly can in this scenario. Remember, your a publicist - or at least trying to navigate your own PR efforts- and the current situation with your overall branding goals have to be the first thing you consider when responding to any reporter who crossed the line.

Until tomorrow,
Coco the CEO

Rewarding Employees – Do You Know How?

People tend to go gift card crazy when it comes to any birthday or corporate gift idea. Gift cards are alright but they are not the best way to reward or thank employees. In fact, studies show employees really like to be patted on the back and a bonus is always nice, too.

So, if you are thinking about getting a gift or a reward for an employee, skip the gift card option. Instead, you want to print up a letter of appreciation. Yes, a freebie act will be embraced by employees more then a gift card. If you want to give money, pay a bonus check versus a gift card. It is more personal and really solidifies how much you care or appreciate that employee.

Think about if you are on the receiving end. Would you want to receive an impersonal gift card to a place you may not like? Or is it better to get a letter of appreciation with a check for cash?

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

How to Stay On Your Game!

People ask me all the time about staying on your game in business. Who has time to really go focus on networking when you have a business to run, right?! Wrong! Here are my three tips to staying on your game.

1. Try to meet one new person every single day. Yes, you never know who you are going to meet so make sure to introduce yourself to one new person at your local coffee store or in your office complex daily.

2. Spend 15 minutes each and every day doing something you hate. Why? It helps you grow your problem solving skills when faced with a challenge.

3. Share photos of your goals on social networks. Yes, your goals. Working for retirement? Share photos of places you want to retire. Working on becoming famous? Share your writing, music, etc. on these mediums. Why? Sure, the posts tell people about you but, more importantly, they work as self-affirmation and keep you on track towards these goals.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

When it’s Time to be Brave!

Several people want to run a business. Many people have great ideas. Even more people want to be their own boss. So, when do you walk away from your day job to go after your dream?

Well, there is a big difference between wanting to quit your day job to follow your business-ownership dreams versus actually being able to do it. In fact, the difference is financial ruin.

I tell my clients to prepare for the worst and expect even worse. This, in my opinion, is the best way to be truly prepared for all the unexpected situations business ownership will deliver. We don’t live in a perfect world and your business isn’t going to run this way either.

It is vital for you to have a year’s salary put away. Make sure this salary covers paying your bills, mortgage, paying for food, family needs, entertainment, + 6 months of an emergency fund. Additionally, you need to have 1 year of business operating expenses put aside. Don’t forget to include your startup costs and another 6 months of a business emergency fund.

Typically, this means you need to have around $200,000 cash on hand to really operate a business (and survive) for the first year to year in a half of being in business for yourself. Don’t forget the golden rule- most businesses don’ts tart making a profit until two to three years in, which leaves a gap of 6 months to a year where there is no cash flow… what will you do then?

You see, it isn’t wise to quit your day job until you are prepared to lose a lot of your saved cash (or other people’s money). Ask yourself right now if you’re willing to take this risk. If you’re answer is “no” then it isn’t time for you to be brave and quit your day job.

Until tomorrow,

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

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