Okay sexy entrepreneurs; let’s get real personal. It’s sex so I know I have your attention lol. ok, ok, let’s focus here. Branding is all about engagement, repetition of what works, gets results and a connection to your target audience, so is sex. It requires participation and gets more exciting the more exploratory you are. Seriously, your personal brand is just the same. There are so many ways personal branding is like sex, these are the top 3 ways.
1. INTIMACY
Whether you have one partner or multiple, the fact is sex requires intimacy. You are your most vulnerable during sex. Just the same, your branding requires you share intimacy of your message with your one client, or the world. Whatever your brand value offers are, being intimate about what you have to share is necessary for how your customers will relate to you. With brand intimacy, you package and share value that you hope will please or impress your audience/customers so they keep coming back to your company.
2. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
As with sex the more you practice, the better you should get. Having sex multiple times can help you learn and get better at it. With your personal brand, you have to keep repeating strategies; practices and lessons that make you better at showing your brand value. If certain things don’t work, you learn from them and try other things. This is how you learn and grow a brand that evolves over time. Keep learning more about your value offer as a brand and how it really helps others, so you can be great at it.
3. ORGASM = RESULTS
Results are what sex boils down to. Yes, the experience is great, the journey to orgasm is exciting, but when you actually get to an orgasm, it feels like everything falls in place. Your brand, when aligned with your intention and your value offer to the audience/target market it’s like a perfect moment. If your brand can provide a positively engaging and memorable experience with great results for your target audience, then you have done your part.
Branding as common as it may seem these days, just like sex is an intimate experience that should be taken seriously. You should be intentional about what message you are sending out about your brand, who your ideal target audience is and how you can build a lasting relationship that is beneficial to you and your target audience.
Your Purpose Coach and Cheerleader
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I AM the creator of ICY ACADEMY an online program with a network of Inspired GO-GETTERS who are ready to step FULLY into their purpose doing what they love, while helping others in a way that creates financial freedom for them and their families. With my Signature Program: Meaningful Branding Sequence, I help individuals and businesses create a Purposeful and Powerful Brand that is Profitable. And we have a whole lot of fun on our way there.
It’s official we have stepped into the era of total SELF PROMOTION. Here is however how YOU can stand out this year. These 7 easy steps help you identify what really matters for a purpose driven and profitable brand. One of the secrets to a successful brand is being very clear on what YOU have to offer to OTHERS that adds value to their lives.
You are more likely to be top of mind when people know your brand makes them feel better about themselves. Not about you, but about themselves. Your audience is the HERO of the story. Have that in mind as you step more into this year. Your personal brand should be meaningful. Your AUTHENTICITY is what will make you stand out, and bank on that for a profitable year ahead.
1. IDENTIFY YOUR PURPOSE & AUDIENCE
This is probably the one word that eludes a lot of people. PURPOSE. What in the world is it I am here to do? It’s usually pretty simple. Purpose is almost always about others. There are many ways to identify your purpose. I find that it usually comes from one of these 4 experiences: Promise: you have an experience and then decide and promise yourself to change things for people, Passion: passion is irrational. All you know is that if you don’t do it, life would cease to exist as a happy place for you and those you love. Pain: Something difficult happens that transforms your life and now you want to help transform the life of others. Opportunity: You see/bump into a need in the world and you find yourself wanting to make life better for others. Once you have zoned in on what it is that is your purpose, you should identify who would value it: Age, hobbies, habits, where they spend their time, how to reach them etc
2. TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT
Image goes a long way in making a first impression. There is usually always more to a book than it’s cover. However, you are more likely to open a book with an attractive cover. And if the story matches or exceeds the cover design, BRAVO! Invest in a professional shoot. I promise you it is worth the investment. A good shoot with a good photographer will be able to capture the real you that translates through images and taps into the purpose you have identified. Your image includes all visual collateral that will be a part of your brand image for the next 365 days.
3. CREATE YOUR IMAGE REPRESENTATIVE A.K.A. LOGO
Nike did it best. Their representative is the all too famous swoosh. Your logo is your representative in the brand world. If you pay $20 for a logo, you’ll get a $20 worthy logo. Invest in a customized design that speaks to the value you offer and the audience you are targeting. Your return on the investment is worth that extra hundreds to pay. Invest in your own purpose.
4. DEVELOP YOUR CORE MESSAGING
Content, Content, Content. Be clear and direct about the value you offer. Understand what emotional triggers your value taps into, develop your biography, website content, advertising copy and do away with jargon words. Be clear, concise and engaging.
5. MARKET AND PUBLICIZE THE VALUE YOU OFFER
Most people don’t realize they are almost always marketing. When you’re convincing your friends to go out with you, or telling them how awesome that new hair company or hair stylist is, that is well under marketing and Public Relations. So relax you already have years of practice doing this. Now you have to do it consciously. Decide on what platform you want to publicize your purposeful brand. TV, Social Media, Radio, Podcast, Live Events etc. I suggest you pick your top 2 and build relationships then pitch to the world media why your value is of benefit to them.
6. SOCIALIZE AND MEET THE WORLD WHERE THEY ARE
Now more than any other time in our history, you literally have access to the world. That power that social media has offered must be viewed as an opportunity. An opportunity for you to change and reach the lives of so many people with how you and what you offer, can make their lives better. I know social media can be overwhelming. Relax, pick your top 2 or 3 platforms and be a master at it. Build friendships across the world and capitalize on the power of social media to share your purpose
7. MONETIZE YOUR VALUE
It’s a sweet spot when the thing that you identify as your purpose now serves to help create financial freedom for you and your family and build profits. This is where you have to make a commitment to your purpose and put in the work required to build your purposeful brand. Learn new ways to generate revenue with a personal brand. Understand your finances, operate from a place of abundance and always remember your why. WHY DO YOU HELP OTHERS? Once you understand and accept the value that you offer. Your audience that sees the value you offer would pay your asking price.
All in all, your brand will evolve overtime, and even your purpose might evolve as you grow. The trick is to stay hungry for knowledge, keep learning and keep connecting to how you can be of benefit to others.
I wish you a purposeful and profitable year ahead.
Your Purpose Coach and Cheerleader
SIGN UP FOR MY FREE PURPOSE INSIDER! NEWSLETTER
It’s free. Sign up today and get some free helpful resources to build profits, including my report on the 7 Easy Steps To A Purposeful, Fun and Profitable Brand.
I am the creator of ICY ACADEMY an online program with a network of Inspired GO-GETTERS who are ready to step FULLY into their purpose doing what they love, while helping others in a way that creates financial freedom for them and their families. With my Signature Program: Meaningful Branding Sequence, I help individuals and businesses create a Purposeful and Powerful Brand that is Profitable. And we have a whole lot of fun on our way there.
So the great thing about being in the business of “doing what you love”, you actually get to do the things you love. I have a cookbook launching on Saturday, November 2nd. It will be available online for digital download HERE on Amazon ( already a bestseller in its category and it’s not even out yet) whoowhooo! I am so excited. The hard-copy will be available by December 15th. You can pre-order your hard copy HERE
This has truly been a humbling, colorful and exciting experience. It took me 4 years to create, brand and develop this passion. I am looking forward to sharing the process with you all.
below is the Press release my Executive Manager sent out for the cookbook. Feel free to share with friends and family.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Finally, a cookbook about fresh African-fusion meals. The Afropolitan Chef, Yetunde Taiwo set to launch a Trendy Afro-fusion Cookbook this Holiday season.
South Florida based Entrepreneur Yetunde Taiwo launches African-Inspired Cookbook “Love with Food: African-fusion meals made easy”.
MIAMI, FLORIDA (November 2014): – The Afropolitan Chef, Yetunde Taiwo is set to awaken the culinary world with the spices, flavors and distinctive aromas of Africa, with unprecedented execution and an expressively refreshing culinary experience. After 4 years in development, Yetunde Taiwo is launching an African Inspired cookbook- “Love with Food: African-fusion meals made easy”. She has gathered more than 50 recipes that bring people together. People from different cultures, religions, nations and neighborhoods have become friends and family at her dinner table. With these recipes, they connect on a personal level, opening their hearts and love to each other to enjoy Afro-fusion meals together. The spunky and talented model turned successful entrepreneur, who is in the business of doing what you love, Yetunde Taiwo, was born in Chicago but raised in Lagos, Nigeria and now reside in Miami, Florida.
Bisila Bokoko, Founder and CEO BBES, Global Brand Ambassador wrote the foreword for the cookbook. “This book will be very instrumental in changing the perceptions of Africa and also attract tourism to our continent”, said Bokoko. “…To cook, you must understand love. Afropolitan Chef, Yetunde has understood this right”.
An avid traveler, Taiwo is influenced by dishes from various parts of the world including Thailand, Europe, West Africa and North America. Now a resident of South Florida, she has found inspiration and solace in the abundance of culture and the ever-burgeoning foodie scene that Miami has to offer. Noting that West African cuisine has influenced many of the foods across the Caribbean and Latin America, the Afropolitan Chef believes that now more than ever, the world is ready for gourmet African cuisine and she’s ready to share her colorful palette. Stamping her style on the plates of internationally mobile, young food lovers, including the group known as “Afropolitans”. Taiwo is sure to resonate with the new generation of fusion food lovers and citizens of the world, alike.
“For many people, African food seems challenging and I am very excited to tell the world it can be so easy, delicious and a great way to bring people together for the love of food. Plus the nutritional value is spectacular.”– Yetunde Taiwo, The Afropolitan Chef
The Cookbook
The Afropolitan Chef cookbook “Love with Food: African-fusion meals made easy” will be available by November 22nd 2014 on Amazon in digital format. The hard copy will be available in December just before the holidays. Meals inspired by Africa, but infused with ingredients, techniques and flavors from around the world. Taiwo intricately balances flavors of Africa and Latin America in meals like Jollof Rice, made with pureed peppers, some curry, thyme, spices, rice and baked chicken. Though the cookbook is at this time exclusively offered for pre-order on Amazon before the release date, it is already currently top 100 in its category. Afropolitan Chef shares quick, simple, colorful, flavorful recipes. Foodies will learn how to save time cooking African meals directly from Africa’s trend setting, culinary ambassador. Africa has been aptly described as “A world in one continent.” Equally so, an African meal can be described as “A world on one plate.” Yetunde Taiwo as The Afropolitan Chef will stimulate foodies around the world to eat conscientiously with love. Her passion for food has made her a long time supporter of The World Food Programme and No Kid Hungry organizations. She has committed to giving 10 percent of her proceeds from the cookbook for the rest of her life to both organizations in support of their work in eradicating world hunger.
Her goal is to continue to tap into the power of food to bring us all together.
For photos, recipes and more information about The Afropolitan Chef, please call Kimberly Mensah at- 347.574.2589 | E: kimberly@icypr.com | http://www.afropolitanchef.com
It’s free. Sign up today and get some free helpful resources to build profits, including my report on the 7 Easy Steps To A Purposeful, Fun and Profitable Brand.
I am the creator of ICY ACADEMY an online program with a network of Inspired GO-GETTERS who are ready to step FULLY into their purpose doing what they love, while helping others in a way that creates financial freedom for them and their families. With my Signature Program: Meaningful Branding Sequence, I help individuals and businesses create a Purposeful and Powerful Brand that is Profitable. And we have a whole lot of fun on our way there.
It’s so simple, those who use these secrets understand its power and they use it diligently. Chances are you know one or two or more of these secrets but if you are not using it, it is time you begin. There are over 2 Billion Internet users in the world. If you are reading this, you are one of them. Imagine how many people you can connect to, influence, or build relationships with to foster your brand, your product or service. These secrets are free and simple.
BE CONSISTENT
Remember when your mother used to say if you are going to do something at all, do it well. If you want to build your blogger empire and be the next Fashion Bomb Daily, you have to do like she did and be consistent. On whatever platform you choose to build your social media profile. Twitter, facebook, pinterest, whatever you choose, be consistent. If you blog every other day, be consistent, let your audience build a relationship with your schedule. BE CONSISTENT in the type of content you share and your message about who you are.
USE STRONG VISUALS
If you pay attention to those with high number of followers on instagram or pinterest who are active, the types of images they post have a theme. Figure out your “image look”. If you will use text and image, make your photos black and white or post funny jokes; the images you share can affect engagement. Use phone apps like Made with Studio to brand your images on social media.
SHARE YOUR STORY
Forget about being completely private those days are long gone. People connect to people. All those days of a professional only persona these days, that almost guarantees little or no connect for you or whatever you are selling. BE HUMAN. Share some things about you that people can connect to and watch how easily people connect to you.
ENGAGE YOUR NETWORK
This is the secret that so many people don’t know what to do with or how to use. Many of us know or have met so many people online and offline, but when it is time to activate our network, we have a momentary freak out session. Don’t stress about it. It’s really simple. Provide value for others and it’s really, truly, human nature; people will inevitably come to your support. Be a part of their own lives, not just being all about yours. People and brands that forget this slowly slip into the abyss and wonder what happened. They stopped providing value and being a part of the lives of those who follow them. ENGAGE and ACTIVATE your NETWORK.
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
We are relational beings. No man is an island and in social media you bump into people in the virtual world daily. Say “Hi, how is your day?” Make it a point to connect with one new person a week. And foster those connections, comment on their page their instagram take a genuine interest in who they are and how you may be able to support them. Not a transaction but a value that you can offer, positive vibes, laughter, motivation. Offer something that is not about money. People are more apt to support and help those they have some kind of relations with. BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIP. HAVE FUN. People are fascinating. Be open to learning from the best others have to offer.
Ultimately you are the secret to all this being activated. All these secrets activated simultaneously make for a powerful profile and brand. Pay attention to all those you know who have social media influence and power. You will realize they do all 5. Start practicing today. MAKE A CONNECTION.
SIGN UP FOR MY FREE PURPOSE INSIDER! NEWSLETTER
It’s free. Sign up today and get some free helpful resources to build profits, including my report on the 7 Easy Steps To A Purposeful, Fun and Profitable Brand.
I am the creator of ICY ACADEMY an online program with a network of Inspired GO-GETTERS who are ready to step FULLY into their purpose doing what they love, while helping others in a way that creates financial freedom for them and their families. With my Signature Program: Meaningful Branding Sequence, I help individuals and businesses create a Purposeful and Powerful Brand that is Profitable. And we have a whole lot of fun on our way there.
1. Know your “WHY” – Your “Why” is your reason for starting your business and the stronger your “WHY,” the more determined you will be to succeed.
2. Develop the right mindset – This requires one to have a tough mental attitude. Not only do successful entrepreneurs have mental toughness, but they also believe enough in their dream to nurture it to great success. Your ability to turn obstacles into stepping stone and having a sound bounce back ability will distinguish you as a winner. A good book to read is The Lean Startup by Eric Ries.
3. Believe in yourself – Know that not everyone will believe in your dream so keep a positive mental attitude. Find ways to incorporate things that motivate you in your daily life – music, exercise, reading inspirational piece/articles, affirmations, listening to Audio CDs that inspire and motivate you.
4. Clearly define your “WHAT” (Offering) – A business is “find a need; fill a need,” and in transitioning into entrepreneurship, it is important to clearly identify your most marketable skill or product that will provide unique value to people. Clearly doing so would help you stay out of the clutter and keep you focused.
5. Do an extensive research on your idea – It is imperative to do an extensive entrepreneurial research. Talk to people, read some books, editorials, anything you can lay your hands on about your product or service. Then deicide what value your offer provides to the market based on your research. This will help you solidify your offer to the world.
6. Share your plans with your loved ones – Have a conversation about your plan to transition into entrepreneurship with your immediate loved ones. As much as it will be easier to gain their support, but know that you might also not get support. But either way, as long as you believe in your vision, be tenacious and let that fuel your success even more.
7. Get your finances in order – It is very crucial for a transitioning entrepreneur to start early to assess his or her cash flow and investments to determine a plan of action. This is because it may take some time before your business starts making profit. In the interim, create a plan of action that will sustain your household expenses amongst other liabilities. You will have a complete lifestyle change. No more random shopping, or eating out. Every dollar counts. Calculate how much you owe, what your monthly expenses are and begin to live accordingly. It is advised to build six to twelve months emergency fund to help with expenses.
8. Have a plan of action – In developing your plan of action; strategically enumerate the action steps needed to realize your targeted objectives. Create S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed) goals. In addition, making a daily to-do list will help break your goals into bite-size task, which further helps to prevent procrastination.
9. Create and guard your circle of influence – You become like the people you hang around the most! To solidify your circle, consciously surround yourself with dream helpers not dream killers. Find relevant mastermind groups and power partners who come together with the objective of helping each other become better while succeeding in business. Yes, it will be different and new at first, but it is essential for your transition
10. Break bad habits – Discipline- Waking up and starting your day at a certain time can change the trajectory of your day. How much time do you spend watching TV, talking endlessly on the phone with family and friends? There is the need to break such bad habits as they will affect how you run your business which will consequently affect the growth of your business. Every minute counts! Time is officially your most valuable asset. MAXIMIZE IT!
11. Invest in YOU! – Consider spending some time and money on books, courses, seminars and of course, in working with a coach. Investing in oneself is never a waste; while learning should be a continuous exercise for all entrepreneurs, it also helps a startup entrepreneur become better-grounded and positioned to increase success.
12. Get the right tools – Being armed with the right tools will position every entrepreneur, especially a Startup, to run their business more efficiently. Tools from computers, to a vehicle to any specific equipment for whatever service your industry is known for having, remembering to keep your start up cost lean. It’s important to note that in most cases, having an office is not a tool. If you can run your business from your home, it’s absolutely all right to do so.
13. Develop healthy habits – A lot of entrepreneurs are great with multi-tasking and things can get pretty busy. Entrepreneurs wear so many hats, which keep them occupied, and tend to deter them from practicing daily self-care. This will include eating right, doing daily exercise and connecting with people that you care about. Take a break once a day to rejuvenate.
14. Take total responsibility – To take total responsibility of your business requires absolute commitment to your vision. If it’s got to be; it’s up to you! Commit to that responsibility.
15. Have the right mentors – Finding the right mentor involves searching for those people who are succeeding in their area of business. It requires accountability that is a major key to every entrepreneur, startups most especially. Your mentors keep you engaged and accountable for your vision because they have also been there.
16. NO is also an answer – Learn to say NO to additional work tasks, requests at your job and to anything and anyone that interferes with your business growth. Stay laser focused on your goal to grow your business and be quick to identify unnecessary extracurricular activities that are not of immediate value to you. It’s only a temporary sacrifice that will pay off in the long run!
17. Brand yourself /business right – Your Image is probably the most important outside factor and extension of you. It is important that you are your best self as often as possible. Everything from your logo to your pictures, your social media image, and marketing collateral etc. all have to tell a consistent story.
18. Develop a marketing strategy – How are you going to get the word out there about your value to the market place? How can people find you so that you can help them with your offering? Will you use magazines, new papers, live demonstrations, TV, radio, the Internet, a combination of some? Plan it out week-by-week, what your plan is, what results you want, and how you intend to reach your goal. Do not be afraid, take time to really think about this segment of your business and in addition to being flexible, never be afraid of change.
19. Create your tribe – Your tribe-mates are your fans, followers, and customers. As you build trust with them, you can secure them into your tribe. Figure out what you would call them, so there is a sense of identity for people that appreciate the value you offer the world.
20. Stay current (embrace change) – It is a constant learning process. You want to make sure you stay ahead of the curve and trends. Read up on your industry news, technology that affects your business. Your competitors, your customers. Make it a daily ritual. Stay on top of your skills.
21. Hire knowledgeable professionals – Paying for good work is important for any business to thrive, especially a startup. There are 3 key people we recommend you get on your team. An Accountant for your finances, an attorney for your legal needs and a publicist for your public Image engagement.
Your Purpose Coach and Cheerleader
SIGN UP FOR MY FREE PURPOSE INSIDER! NEWSLETTER
It’s free. Sign up today and get some free helpful resources to build profits, including my report on the 7 Easy Steps To A Purposeful, Fun and Profitable Brand.
I am the creator of ICY ACADEMY an online program with a network of Inspired GO-GETTERS who are ready to step FULLY into their purpose doing what they love, while helping others in a way that creates financial freedom for them and their families. With my Signature Program: Meaningful Branding Sequence, I help individuals and businesses create a Purposeful and Powerful Brand that is Profitable. And we have a whole lot of fun on our way there.
Hey you. Welcome to my Virtual home here on YetundeShorters.com where I get to support your awesomeness with tools, tips, resources to thrive out here in these world streets. Plus, I get to share with you my life as a Lifestyle Entrepreneur, TwinMom and Wife. A snap shot of the good and challenging. I am on a journey to realize my highest self while sharing the experiences, in hopes that someone else can learn from them, without having to go through it. I look forward to connecting live or online.
I AM the creator of ICY ACADEMY an online program with a network of Inspired GO-GETTERS who are ready to step FULLY into their purpose doing what they love, while helping others in a way that creates financial freedom for them and their families. With my Signature Program: Meaningful Branding Sequence, I help individuals and businesses create a Purposeful and Powerful Brand that is Profitable. And we have a whole lot of fun on our way there.
