Digital Citizen, otherwise known as a cord cutter

June will be my 1 year anniversary of becoming a "Digital Citizen." An interesting thing happened on the way to becoming a cord cutter, my TV died. I heard a big pop and there I was, in the dark. After a few minutes, I had the big "Aha!" This was the moment I had been waiting for. The nice folks at Directv couldn't understand my excitement as I told them to sever my service of 10 years.

Now my online skill toolbox is robust. I offer real world hand's on experience when I consult my clients for branding, content creation, search behavior, etc. When the screen went dark, I saw the light. I highly recommend it.

Everyone has their own package

I was reminded today that there are people that are still fighting against not being able to be right all the time.

I sent my package of my company profile, agreement and so forth for her review and discussion. After reaching out to her as a follow up, I received a reply that she was not going to work with me due to errors, the design of my company profile that didn't please her and what she described as a surprise element in the agreement. Really?

Today, there are many ways to critique and choose your running mates. For this, I am most grateful. My package is not for everyone, because it is packaging me. Her package would never be my package as we are not the same people, business sector or goals.

As for surprises in the agreement, that is an error on her part. I made this agreement to reflect my history in the entertainment, advertising, marketing, pr business and business in general. Again, this is my agreement and I can craft it as I choose as long as I am not breaking any laws. This, my attorney confirms, I am in the clear.

The best part of this rejection is that over the time it took her to find fault, I have had so much new business pour in that I can say I am pleased to be busy. We are not meant to work with everyone.

There is no Christian discount from my shop.

I do things for free when I want to.
Sometimes even when I am running on fumes.
Now that is what I call faith.

You know who you are, you are just a face in the crowd. You represent all of those, of our flock that are willing to exclude themselves, magically in your head that you are somehow exempt from paying for that which is what the real work is about.

I don't do things for free when "You" want something for nothing.
The day I see a Christian Business offer me a contract with real world $ attached to it will be the day, I go to be with the Lord. I would rather fight tooth and nail to earn a living in the "World" than get a song and dance from a Sister or Brother in Christ. They know better and its shameful that they are oblivious to it, time and time again.

I do good work, I do great work.
Please pay for good work, work that is necessary and will keep you competitive.

Praise be to God, I can take care of myself. I owe Him for the "spirited" way that I look at life. He kept me breathing here for a reason and I will be kicking the Truth in our brethren's face all the way to my final rest.
I will Brand, until I can Brand no more.
Next stop, Heaven!

A Social Networking "NOT"

I received a solicitation today from Lookville, an invite only Fashion Social Networking site.

They said that they liked my blog design and content.
1. As you can see my blog has NO DESIGN.
2. My content has NOTHING TO DO WITH FASHION.

Please do not fall victim of hiring a staff and interns that just goes blindly through the internet and blogger contacting people that do not align with your brand. This is the #1 Social Networking Mismanagement problem today. You might as well just throw your start-up money out the window.

Social Networking has to be based on a specific long tail strategic plan. Everyone you have on your team has to be awake, aware and not bored.

I also googled Lookville and have read negative after terrible after awful reviews about the lame tactics being deployed. Yes, Beta is Beta for a reason. That is a way to make mistakes and fix them, but the errors that are being made are those of a naive uneducated folly. No, this is not a business here, this is a Hobby Accident in Progress.

Trapped in "Tradition"

Yesterday, I encountered a person that was trapped in what they had decided was the definition of what I do for a living, my brand. Actually this happens all the time. I call this "Trapped in Tradition."

Branding is like that. The best part of my job or I call it "My Joy" is to constantly reinforce that I am only defined by what brings me joy. I do the same thing for my clients. No matter the sector, I am dedicated to knowing what brings joy to people, the consumer and how they convert to your brand.

In the early days of becoming a brand, I would wear my brand definition like a badge, uniform and shield. Now, when uninformed people are being held hostage by their assumptions, I shirk the feeling that they are putting me in a straight jacket.

So the next time you hear, "Oh, I am looking for a "Traditional XYZ" remember that they are being held hostage to a myth. This experience is actually proof that your branding is working to your advantage. There is no help for this type, no conversion here. No matter how hard you try. They are costing you money. Don't spend the time to conquer their sacrament.

Onward, to sharing the joy with those that truly have will benefit by your brand.

Branding By Age is Counter Intuitive.

"Branding by Age" is counter intuitive to what the consumer has been trained forever to believe. We, in our lifetime, will not see a consumer who wants to be the age they are. Face it, companies have spent gazzilions of $$$ to brainwash us to want to be younger. Guess what? It worked. Don't buck what is, use it to your advantage.

When I see marketing, advertising and PR that blatantly targets a consumer's age I am dumbfounded. This represents everything that a consumer doesn't want to be associated with, but also goes against their advertising DNA.

Niche branding/marketing is great and necessary. But don't target an age by labeling it the "Age/number." My guidance to my clients has always been to "be" and "show" through their "brand life" that their brand values are ageless and evergreen. This is one of my empirical beliefs.

Exactly How I do Business and Why.

I just wrote this e-mail to a prospective client and I really think it is exactly the best way to define how I do business.

Dear Prospective Client,

You need to make an investment in your brand business. That is what every business does in the corporate world. Experts get paid for their experience from the start.

Think about it. If I wanted to hire you to get me in better shape and to eat healthier, would you give that to me, for free, based on the "possibility" that I would use your advice?

To your questions, I am "not like the others," nor are my clients. Over time and with much experience in the entertainment, communications, publishing, corporate and small business worlds, I have found it right to make my own rules and ask for what works for me. That is my approach with and for my clients. It is wise to know the history and traditions of as many business cultures as possible. This has led to my success and that of my clients.

The best example of this dynamic thinking I learned early on in my agency days. A client was being offered a job at AFTRA scale by one of the top TV syndication companies. I told the business affairs executive that I was aware of what AFTRA scale paid, but that didn't keep me for asking for more $.

Guess what? The business affairs executive was very impressed with my statement. Not only did she pay my client what I asked for, but from then on she would always tell me the amount that was the most $ allowed in the budget to pay my clients for each job we negotiated. Now that is not only favor, but a miracle in any business.

That is what I call the benefit and reward of "not being like the others."

The tradition of the entertainment, communications, publishing industry is if you already had offers in the form of a contract, in hand, then "they" would gladly take a %. That is all they do, negotiate the contract.

As for getting paid for getting jobs for you, per CA law, I can't put in a contract. So that nullifies the comment about getting paid for jobs I get you and not getting paid for jobs I don't get you. That goes beyond custom and tradition.

My contract reflects years of knowing that no one client ever is without a need of significant amount of work to be done upfront. I provide a paid service to get that client to the place that will give them their best opportunities.

The polish that you need to accomplish can be well done within the initial time of my consult for the $ I request. I can show and tell you everything you need to do, but if you don't do it, then I have been paid for services rendered.

Additionally, you will need to budget for:
1. Hair & Make-Up Artist
2. Wardrobe
3. Website programming/developing/optimizing
4. Photographer
5. Printing
6. Video
7. Supplies and tools per your expertise

After the initial polish, the % you pay me is for continued guidance and fruits of said guidance. We can design our plan together.

I look forward to speaking tomorrow.

Blessings,

Angelica