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.

Branding with Thumbtack

Branding, Social Networking, PR, Ad Special Forces

Today, I am sharing my branding services through a new website I found called www.thumbtack.com
Part of what I believe is a crucial part of every business is to be both local and global. Thumbtack is networked with google and craigslist. I am curious to see how my social networking, pr, ad special forces are spread with their help.

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.

Are you a Business or are you a Prostitute?

I actually said that to a colleague the other day when discussing a potential client! In all the years working in the B2B sector, I am still amazed when I encounter so many people that call themselves entrepreneurs and when in reality they are scared to death. Scared to actually sell what God gave them. Those amazing talents and skills that makes them unique and to take a stand in front of everyone to say, "Yes, I am a Brand."

"What happens when I do all this stuff and spend the money and nothing happens?" Well, if you are asking that question, you are not ready to work with me and you are still to afraid to work for yourself. Get out of your own way!

Both of these thoughts have the same thing in common, FEAR! I died 5 years ago from Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma and yet I am still here to inspire clients to get out of their own way. The best thing about a "near death" experience is that you don't care any more what people think or really what they are afraid of for themselves. I don't advocate having a near death experience to get over your fears, I just think that its a good thing to get out of your own way and get on with what you are here to do. Thank God, I had that happen to me and now I can help you. That is if you want help.

Holiday Worldwide is officially a "No Fear Zone." We take calculated and educated risks. All of our guidance is documented and based on precedent, with our own clients or from diligent research.

Definition of "Wrong" or What does the Cannes Film Festival, the Iceland Volcano, Electrolux and American Idol have in common?

Today, I woke up to realize that I had neglected to place the Cannes Film Festival on my calendar. This was prompted by the Daily Variety proclaiming how they were recovering from the effects of the volcano in Iceland's ash on the red carpet.

Just for giggles and grins I journeyed over to www.festival-cannes.com to get my first impression of the festival's digital passport to the event. Let me tell you, such a lot to see and do, almost too much even for me. I did stop a moment and chose to watch a very self satisfying visit with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. Now that is a statement of unusual proportion. They did not disappoint, the whole thing was a poorly executed inside joke which Hollywood is well known for. I did my best to not run screaming from the site and did complete the video. The best part was seeing a still taken from an appearance on the Arseneo Hall show (actually a taping in May of 1991)that was slapped on the very end.

Better yet, I noticed that an amazing sponsorship sales agent had gotten Electrolux to support the Fest. Now who could have known that they would need vacuum cleaners on the Croisette when they signed on? This takes "Stunt Marketing" to a whole other level. Stranger things have happened. This was just the most clever redeemer I needed to see, a nod to intelligence in my industry like no other. So I decided to click through the Electrolux icon and WHAM! Holy #$%&. Let's just say, heads should roll at Electrolux. There is no mention of their Cannes sponsorship on their home page! This is the perfect example of what happens when "The Departments" of a mega company do not communicate. What I found actually was even worse than the lack of synergy....American Idol co-bands the "Find America's First Ever Mom Idol" Contest. PLEASE! Again, why? This is so over already. Even Malcolm Gladwell is turning over in his grave and he isn't dead. The tipping point of this idea has tipped so long ago that it is a mercy cry for what they have decided is a no risk investment.

Sigh, one of my big disappointments for our industry is that there are so many fabulous creative people (hint, hint) that are available with genius ideas ready to connect the dots for a company all the way to the bank. Yet, someone decides to play is safe? Or what they think is safe. Safe never get's you in the ROI history books.

Today I can say that I rant not just for my own entertainment, but to acknowledge companies like Electrolux that should receive the Palm d'Or (the Oscar of the Cannes Film Festival) for a brilliant product placement integration campaign in Cannes. As for the disconnect on a major obvious opportunity to brand your product, globally, all the back home to the states, I say "Vive La Difference!"

Who ever you are that didn't get the email/memo that you have to combine all of your creative budgets and team members because you will miss an astounding opportunity to leverage obvious consumers, You're FIRED. I say the best punishment for these folks would be to send them to France and like so many people that were in travel hell back from MIPTV, have them figure out how to get home because of the volcano ash. Also, lets loose their luggage just for fun too. Next time, just pick up the phone and hire me.

Ouch! Dont' worry this happens all the time to the nicesr people.

It all started when I was sent a copy of an invoice that was being used as a contract to build a website for a client for review. For some reason, but all the wisdom sprites joined hands and encouraged me to share the wonderful stream of advice that I had been accumulating for some time. Don't worry the names have all been changed to protect the innocent, but let me tell you, the guilty and you know who you are will be judged at the pearly gates after you pull your last scam.
Please enjoy.

....I am typing everything out here because it is so hard to read the graininess of the invoice. This is not a real contract, its an invoice of which you need to get out of ASAP. The reason I say this is, every agreement I have ever seen for a responsible legit company with real legal contracts have at least 4 pages single spaced with lots of legalese.

Engaging a website designer involves your trade marks and basically means you are entrusting your legal entity to someone. Here is how it would be in the medical world,

"I, the Dr. will have possession or your body's health for x amount of months, now give me your money and don't ask any questions."

When I was an agent I wrote and negotiated contracts, so when it came time to evaluate contracts for the internet I was primed and ready. I am attaching a few here so you can see.

This document is Dated 2-1-10,so that means that they have had your money for 3 months and the site is still not working.
You gave them $1k, but are expected to pay a total of $5,580.

-Website Program 36 months
> I am not certain what they mean, unless they call "this" a website program? You should pay for a website to be built $1k for a simple billboard/pamphlet website (no bells and whistles) is fine for the whole site that you can maintain yourself. The 36 months doesn't make sense? Once they build it and it works,you can have a minimal hourly maintenance fee if you don't want to anything yourself. But as I explain later, they are all being built now for you to do them or have an intern update them, like leggos, that simple.

-Takeover Domain Hosting
>Takeover from where and why?

-Purchase 3 additional URL's
>Why? Did they explain that to you? More URL's, more websites for your brand to be spread over and more and more upkeep? I don't agree. URL's only cost $10 each a year if that much, so I am not certain where they are doing their math on this part.

-Monthly updates/offers
>A website has to have new content added on a regular basis...remember me writing a manual. I learned that if the website is created by Joomla, wordpress, drupal software, very common and easy to use....you can upload the content yourself with very few instructions. A blog, best case scenario is updated every other day...you need not write more than 2 paragraphs, is the best spider bait. Monthly updates are a death sentence.

-Complete website- copy and photos
>A complete website to me should be
>a template-$75. That is the framework, the boxes that make up the pages.
>Customizing it to fit your brand and uploading initial content $120 an hour.
You provide the content,
>Photos-professional/celebrity photo shoot for photographer, hair stylist, make-up artist, photoshop touch up frugal $1,500-$2k depending on how much each of them are paid. Remember the product of the photo shoot, the photos are used well beyond the website, (press kit, EPK-Electronic Press Kit-you pay a graphic artist to lay these out-maybe $500), posters, ads, magazines, newspapers...I recommend doing a shoot once a year.
>Articles, blog entries, white papers, you should be writing some of it, otherwise you get a writer to do it for you, priced for each job.

-3 months of SEO
This would cost you $1,500 from a pro, SEO folks usually just do SEO because it is specialized.

$1k deposit due 4-27-10
2nd payment of $1k due 5-29-10
Starting 6-1-10 charge $145 per month for 24 months.
>For what? They need to explain what they are charging you for. Since you charged it on your Amex, you can get the money back anyway.

You need
1. A website developer/programmer. They are the tech folks that build the machine and keeps it, the website running. Like a computer, they build it , we use it and if it breaks they fix it.
2. The SEO guys, are paid to provide an ongoing service to keep your site "findable" on the search engines. They keep you plugged into the electricity or current of the internet circuitry of systems. Without SEO, you are a sitting duck and you can say, "I have a website, isn't it pretty." But it is not a business tool.
3. Social Networking gal, finds, harnesses, connects you with all the social networks online that are "brand2brand," "brand2consumer," "brand2consumer2consumer".
4. Online Advertising network, they have assembled the most likely places, groups of websites for you to be found by people who need your services. You pay them to place your ad, you pay someone to create the art to be placed. This is an ongoing cost, just like SEO. Prices ranges and are very competitive. The best part about advertising on the internet is you can be very specific about where you want to be seen and why. The other part of this is you can track everything.

BTW-They did not mention anything about Data, Analytic's, Traffic, Reports, Ranking? How do know how everything is working? You can't just look at the number of patients that are coming in the door right away as there is no right away, remember my 90 days? The internet is about 90 days + 90 days + 90 days+..........

SEO+Social Networking+Public Relations+Marketing+Advertising+ a website that works/is functional is never ending, it is ongoing and interconnected.

+ The internet is a river, going somewhere whether you are in it or not.
+ Your website is your raft, you have to build a good one and maintain it so you don't drown.
+ SEO is your guide, tells you where the best rapids are to where you want to be found, gets you there and keeps you there.
+ Social Networking understands how the internet, your website, SEO, online advertising and all of the users/consumers/patients of such interact and how to use it to your advantage.

Well, that was fun. I have no idea why I got into rivers and rafting....I would break a nail and it would be all over. The internet, no problem, bring it on. Any questions?

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