Creating a Powerful Personal Brand

Entrepreneurs in Austin get a special opportunity every March.  It's Rise Week and features networking events and information sessions on everything from using video effectively to tax information to brand building for small businesses.  Below are notes from a session we attended presented by Marny Lifshen about the importance of building a personal brand.

Creating a Powerful Personal Brand

Just like products, people have a brand.  It’s important to have a powerful personal brand.  Think of people who are brands.  Some examples would be Oprah, Howard Stern and Sarah Palin.  Come up with two to three statements about what you want to be known for. 

Include:

·         Special talents

·         What you are like to work with or interact with

Your personal brand is built upon experiences and perceptions.  People will talk about the experience they have with you often more than they will talk about your product.  If you’re a great lawyer but you’re a jerk to work with people will relay that to others.  It will impact your bottom line.  Your technical abilities are important but people have to have a good experience with you.  This is why it’s important to learn how people perceive you and make changes and adjustments.

To have a powerful personal brand, you must be:

·         Authentic

·         Distinct

·         Consistent

Being distinct tends to be the most challenging for people.  You cannot get mixed up with your competitors.

BEING THE FRONT MAN OR WOMAN IS PART OF THE JOB WHEN YOU OWN A BUSINESS. YOU MUST BUILD THE SKILLS.

It’s also important to note your personal and professional brands are linked.  Think about Tiger Woods, for example.  You cannot separate them.  You have to be who you are.  You, as an individual, are your own company.  Think of yourself as a company.  You are building your brand all of the time.  Take a hard look at your Facebook.  What you do and say impacts your professional brand.  Think about Anthony Weiner.  Brands are lasting and hard to change.  Your brand precedes you. A lack of a brand also precedes you.  No brand can be as bad as a negative brand.

Ask yourself:

·         What is my brand today?

·         Am I out of touch?

Other things that impact your brand:    

·         Your physical appearance

·         The company you keep

·         Your reputation

·         Your demeanor

In terms of personal appearance, it is one of the most important things when it comes to making a first impression.  For women, it’s especially important to look modern and wear age-appropriate clothing.  Plain and simple, dressing appropriately is a sign of respect.  You’ll never be uncomfortable if you are the best dressed in the room.  Evaluate and update your appearance.  Dress the part.

In terms of the company you keep, assess your network.  Who is in your inner circle?  What does your network say about you?  Do you need to make some adjustments there?

Other points:

·         Identify your brand heroes

·         Look for leadership opportunities

·         Find/utilize mentors

·         Embrace your strengths

·         Address your weaknesses

You need to know what you are really good at doing.  Ask others to be honest with you about how you are perceived.  Talk to your mentors and previous co-workers (don’t ask your spouse or current co-workers or staff).  Keep in mind people will tread lightly.

Finally, 93 percent of our communication is non-verbal (body language, tone, facial expression).  Seven percent of our communication is verbal (the words we use or choose).  When you text or email, you are leaving 93 percent of the message on the table.  Why would you do this when a phone call or an in-person conversation puts you at 100 percent?

Best Practices-Kendra & Cocktails

Pickie Pie Productions facilitated the partnering of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar with Kendra Scott Designs on an event which featured drinks from Fleming’s new cocktail menu, Kendra’s spring jewelry line and benefited Lifeworks, a local non-profit.  The event, called Kendra & Cocktails, was held in the private dining room at the Downtown Austin Fleming’s at 320 E. 2^nd Street from 6:00-8:00 pm on Thursday, April 5, 2012. 

Kendra Scott:

Kendra Scott is an Austin-based jewelry company whose founder and namesake is a local celebrity in her own right with boutiques in Austin, Beverly Hills and Dallas.  She has a tremendous following among fashionistas and women in the 25-45 demographic not only throughout Texas but nationally.  Her jewelry is often spotted on prominent celebrities and is featured often in publications such as InStyle Magazine, Lucky and Glamour.

Kendra Scott & Fleming's Operating Partmer James Cooke

Entry Fee & Dining Credit:

Guests paid a $25.00 entry fee which was good for two cocktails and heavy appetizers prepared for them  by Chef Erick Nixon.  Fleming’s turned around and donated the entry fee received from guests to Lifeworks.  A $25.00 dining credit was given to attendees who stayed for dinner after the event.

Cocktails:

Fleming’s provided a choice from three cocktails from the new menu with a beautiful table display and bartenders in the room shaking them up in front of a beautiful backdrop provided by Kendra Scott.  Guests were given two drink tickets when they paid their fee at entry.

Shopping & Activities:

Jewelry from Kendra Scott’s spring line was on display and for sale at the event.  Kendra Scott donated a portion of jewelry sales to Lifeworks.  Guests also enjoyed mini-blow outs and updos from NY Vixen Hairstyles and make up touch ups from Just Jill Cosmetics, both local businesses.  Beijo Bags and Just Jill Cosmetics were also available for purchase.

Kendra & Cocktails Event

Raffle:

Guests had their name entered into a raffle for a number of great prizes including Fleming’s gift cards, jewelry from Kendra Scott, a facial, makeup and hair treatments by filling out the Friend-of-Fleming’s cards as they entered the event.  This allowed Fleming’s to capture their information for future use.  Kendra and James Cooke, the Operating Partner at the Downtown Austin Fleming’s, drew names throughout the evening for the raffle prizes, adding an element of fun and surprise to the event.

Pre-Event Promotion & Event Coverage:

Kendra & Cocktails was promoted via various social media outlets, electronic and print publications and television (click here for video link).  The non-profit component of the event made promotion much easier to secure. 

YNN's Anne Hudson, Kendra Scott, Chef Erick Nixon & YNN's Eddie Garcia

The event was also promoted through Kendra Scott’s email database and social media and by Lifeworks database and social media.  Reporters from several publications also attended the event with cameras or photographers.  Fleming’s also hired a photographer for the event.  Post-event coverage is expected in a number of publications along with social media.

 

Fundraising:

Fleming’s donated close to $2,000.00 from collected entry fees to Lifeworks in addition the portion of sales donated by Kendra Scott.

Overview:

This was a highly successful event for the Downtown Austin Fleming’s on many levels.  Not only did it get the restaurant press but it aligned the restaurant with a key non-profit (Lifeworks) and one of Austin’s most-highly successful business women (Kendra Scott), celebrities and brands.  The event also appealed to the 25-45 female demographic of Austin which has a high disposable income, purchasing power and allegiance to brands which they feel value them and support their causes and interests.  Guests had a very positive experience.  The room remained full all the way up to the stop time and many guests stayed for dinner.

The Importance of Photos

This is a re-post of some great points from the folks at Gas Pedal!  Love them.  Great points here!

Great copy can do incredible things, but it's hard to beat the perfect visual when it comes to telling a story. Here's how a smart use of photos can improve your marketing: 1. To make it more professional 2. To let your fans do it 3. To tell a better story 4. Check it out: The manly Pinterest 1. To make it more professional Airbnb is great for finding a place to rent in almost any city in the world. But there's some natural uncertainty involved because you're renting a stranger's home. You end up relying a lot on photos. So if they're crappy, you're much less likely to rent the property. But professional, polished photos add a sense of legitimacy to the experience. To help with this, Airbnb started something cool: They sponsor professional photographers to come in and shoot properties. Because these photos are so much better, renters have more confidence in the property, property owners get more renters, and Airbnb gets more revenue. The lesson: What professional services could you offer your clients to make both of you more successful? Learn more: PSFK 2. To let your fans do it You don't have to be a professional photographer (or hire one) to get great photos. Check out White Castle's website for an example. It's filled almost entirely with fan-submitted photos, and it's constantly updated. It's basically a stream of pictures White Castle fans have lovingly uploaded that feature their signature mini burgers. None of the photos will win any photography awards, but it definitely makes for a fun website. The lesson: Your fans make better content than you. Instead of doing all the work yourself, just ask them -- they'd love to contribute. Learn more: White Castle 3. To tell a better story On eBay, you can buy just about anything. But have you ever noticed that for most items, there's only one photo? That's because until recently, sellers had to pay extra to post more than one. But eBay just changed their policy, allowing sellers to post up to 12. This means buyers get to see a whole lot more angles of all the random, one-of-a-kind items that make eBay so special. And since a picture is worth 1,000 words, more images will answer more questions -- and probably generate more sales. The lesson: More photos with more angles make it easier for online buyers to really see what they're getting. Learn more: Marketing Pilgrim 4. Check it out: The manly Pinterest Pinterest is pretty cool, no doubt. But for guys, it can feel a bit like a ladies' party. So, if you're looking for more pins featuring motorcycles, sports, and gadgets, check this out. Check it out: Gentlemint

Detox Retox Gets Good Press

Functional Fitness Team with KEYE's Hunter Ellis

Pickie Pie garnered some great press for Detox Retox, a once-a-month workout at the Domain in North Austin featuring clients Functional Fitness and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.  We secured segments on KEYE's We Are Austin Live with Reporter Hunter Ellis.  He shot two segments for the 4pm broadcast, one featuring the workout or Detox portion of the program and another with Chef Boyer Derise at Fleming's featuring the Retox portion of the event.  YNN's Anne Hudson also featured the workout in her weekly Style Guide and shot a segment on New Year's fitness fashions with our other partner on the event, Lululemon Athletica.

Happy New Year from Pickie Pie

Pickie Pie Productions Founder Rachel Elsberry with friend Jette' Momant of Jette' Momant Public Relations

Dagar's Catering with a Texas Twist on 2012

We garnered this placement for our client Dagar's Catering on KEYE's We Are Austin live program.  Kathryn Dagar-Albarado provided viewers with a Texas Breakfast Casserole recipe for an easy, make-ahead brunch.
Here's the link: http://weareaustin.com/austinlive-story/?nxd_id=205647

PR Best Practices-Partnering with Complimentary Businesses

Pickie Pie and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar at the Domain have teamed up with local personal trainer Shawn Martinez of FunctionalFitness and Lululemon Athletica for an ongoing monthly fitness, fashion and food event on the first Thursday of every month.  It’s called Detox Retox.

The “detox” portion of the event consists of an hour-long urban workout using the natural and man-made attributes of the Domain, an upscale outdoor shopping center in North Austin, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Following detox, guests make their way over to Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar where they “retox” and enjoy a special happy hour menu created especially for them by Chef Boyer Derise.  

 The menu, using existing menu items, includes skinny cocktails, light beers, wines and low-carb appetizer selections offered at happy hour pricing until 8:00 p.m. for guests of Detox Retox.  This special menu is printed with the Fleming’s, Functional Fitness and Lululemon logos.  When the weather is nice enough, this event is hosted on the outdoor patio.

Since starting this event, it has been consistently well-attended and has provided some great public relations opportunities and placement with local media, especially at the start of the New Year when fitness becomes the focus.

A Note about Lululemon: Lululemon Athletica works hard to make each of their locations unique and feel like part of the community.  They are excellent at making what is a chain feel local by featuring local instructors who are the company’s ambassadors and regularly holding events and classes for their customers.  The store has been called “the best retail growth story in retail today” by a senior analyst with Credit Suisse.  Teaming up with this retailer ,if there is one near your location, is an excellent way to target and gain exposure with female consumers who have disposable income, are loyal to brands they feel are loyal to them and are active participants in their local community.

Gas Pedal Greatness

#262: Why negative feedback handled well is always a win

As we often say, every brand experiences negative feedback. But it's how you handle it that separates you from everyone else. If you're willing to engage genuinely and honestly, you can expect one of these three positive results: 1. Love 2. Respect 3. Truth 1. Love The response you should always aim for is to turn a former critic into a loyal, adoring fan. By acting quickly and making things right, you'll get customers posting things like, "I love these guys. They saw my problem, approached me, and fixed it." An upset customer might talk to five people, but a formerly upset customer you win over will talk to 10 times as many. 2. Respect If you can't earn their love, you should at least work to win their respect. You won't always be able to fix every problem, but a genuine effort can still turn the conversation around. In this scenario, you're looking for a response like, "They couldn't fix my problem, but they came to me and tried to help. I respect them for it." 3. Truth Finally, sometimes you'll find yourself dealing with someone who just can't be reasoned with. When this happens, it's not the attacker you're trying to speak to, it's everyone else following along. If you make an honest attempt to fix the problem, everyone else will see the critic being unfair and know you tried to do the right thing.

Who Runs This Mutha? Girls!

I recently finished reading a book called Why She Buys and compiled this list of interesting facts.

THE FEMALE ECONOMY

Gender is the most powerful determinant in how a person views the world and everything in it.  It’s more powerful than age, income, race or geography.  Women are females first and consumers second.

In General Terms:

·         Men are the sex that makes products.

·         Women are the sex that purchases them.

If the economy had a gender it would be female as women make the purchase or are the key influencers in about 80 percent of all consumer product sales in the U.S. alone.  For instance, a man isn’t motivated to buy a house his wife doesn’t like.  If a married man needs a new pair of socks, there’s a decent chance his wife will be the one buying them.

Money and Education:

American women have more of their own money and are better educated than anytime in world history.  Their spending power is only expected to increase in the next several decades.

Women Today Earn:

·         57% of Bachelor’s Degrees

·         59% of Master’s Degrees

Women account for 51 % of students currently enrolled in medical school and almost half of those enrolled in law school.  After earning their degrees, women typically spend the next several years single and this is the time where they spend a lot of money on themselves.  Just because she’s young and wearing a pony tail, it doesn’t mean she isn’t earning a big, fat check.  If you’re not marketing to women, you’re leaving money on the table.

Interesting Facts:

·         Women buy more cell phones than men

·         Men buy more navigational devices than women

Gender & Achievement:

·         Men strive to be independent (like a magnum).

·         Women strive to be indispensable (like a diamond).

This is why competitive messaging doesn’t work with women.  When women compete, they compete against themselves.  This is why it’s important to avoid masculine, competitive messages when marketing to women.  Words and images that can be exciting for men can sometimes have a negative reaction in women (for instance, “Magnum”).

Source:  Why She Buys: The New Source for Reaching the World’s Most-Powerful Consumers

by Bridget Brennan

Operation Feeding Freedom

Pickie Pie represents the Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar location in San Antonio along with five others in Texas.  Recently, we secured this feature on Chef Jonathan Demeterio's trip overseas with Operation Feeding Freedom in the San Antonio Express News.

 

Fleming's chef plays a role in overseas mission.

By Edmund Tijerina, etijerina@express-news.net

Published 05:30 p.m., Thursday, December 1, 2011

This just may be the ultimate in off-site catering: A team of 30 or so cooking meals for thousands of soldiers in Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.

On the menu: 14-ounce New York strip steaks, lots of pasta and plenty of Bloomin' Onions.
Clearly, this isn't typical military cuisine. Operation Feeding Freedom, which this fall included Jonathan Demeterio, the chef at Fleming's in the Quarry, is an effort of OSI Restaurant Partners, the group that owns Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Bonefish Grill and Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine.
“We're all volunteers and we have the opportunity or the privilege to go overseas and feed our troops and give the hospitality that they've earned,” Demeterio said. “In our own little way, it's a way to give back to our country. We just want to do what's right for our troops.”
He was one of two partners from Fleming's chosen to go to the Middle East.
The program began in 2002, when a group from Outback traveled to Afghanistan to feed troops stationed there. Since then, the program has served military members from all branches of service in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Djibouti, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and aboard the USS Nimitz in the Persian Gulf.
The trip lasted three weeks, and that included travel time to Washington, to Istanbul and then to Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. Long before the culinary people traveled, representatives of the restaurant group were able to work with their longtime purveyors to get the products transported for the special meals.
The team cooked three main meals, serving about 5,000 troops at a time, including a meal at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.
“We actually cooked on (the anniversary of) 9/11. That was a big deal for everyone involved,” he said. “It was kind of surreal, remembering that day.”
Demeterio was in charge of steaks.
“On 9/11, I had 11 big grills, all in a square and two guys helping me out for all those grills,” he said. “You have to train them on the fly. Some of them speak English, some of them don't. It's just one of those challenges you have to get through.”
When he wasn't cooking or prepping, Demeterio had a chance to visit with troops. Like many conversations back home, they focused on family and football, people talking about their hometowns and their favorite teams.
“I don't know if you have eaten in dining facilities in installations. The food can be challenging. But give them a good quality steak, a taste of back home, it means a lot.”
Next year, he's going to put his name in the pool of candidates and try to do this again.
“It would be kind of like winning the lottery twice.”

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/food/article/Fleming-s-chef-recalls-Operation-Feeding-Freedom-2338555.php#ixzz1fgBokKU2

Pickie Pie and FedEx

Pickie Pie was asked to be a participant in the FedEx+Me Program after being nominated by fashion designer Rachelle Briton and Ellie Scarborough of Pink Kisses.  Our first luncheon for the program was today at Green Pastures. 

About My Story: Austin

The FedEx + Me program launched in Austin as My Story: Austin. Why did we choose Austin as our launching ground? Because Austin is one of the small-business capitals of the world. It's where people with talent, drive and innovative spirit are doing what they love to do. And we love that.
We know that starting a business is demanding - we know because we've been there. We're here to connect you with the people and resources you need to help your big dream grow bigger.
Some of our program benefits include:

• Networking events where Participants can meet each other while meeting Austin business leaders
• Small, hands-on workshops and seminars that provide mentorship in the specific areas where our Participants feel they have the most room to grow
• A "small-business owner of the month" program that showcases one Participant each month in FedEx Office locations around Austin
• A dedicated community liaison who can connect you with the FedEx resources and staff that can help your business grow
• A chance to win a professionally produced video highlighting your business or be awarded with one of three small-business grants totaling $30,000. Both video and grant winners are selected based on written submissions.

Social Media Mentions

Jetté Momant

What a nice 10 Year Anniversary for Fleming's Steakhouse last night. Thank you for such a lovely evening, Rachel Elsberry of Pickie Pie Productions, LLC. (Great shot of the beautiful Olga Campos Benz by Sloan Foster)

Barbara Kelso: Rachel, Great party fantastic food - best of all good people.
Thank you for the invitation. 

• 

  Alisa Weldon We Love Flemings and big congrats!

  2 hours ago ·
• 

  Annette Smith Ah Rach! You look so pretty!

  2 hours ago · · 1
• 

  George Malek Chief made Facebook!!

  2 hours ago · · 1

Downtown Austin Fleming's Turns 10

The Downtown Austin location of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar opened its doors in 2001.  It was the 10th restaurant in the company at the time.  Today, there are more than 60 restaurants.  Fleming's is a success story in the restaurant industry.  Almost a dozen employees who launched the restaurant in 2001 still work there today.

Team Members of Fleming's Austin

Pickie Pie worked in conjunction with the Fleming's team to throw a 10-year anniversary party.  Media, movers and shakers and Magnum Club members were invited for a champagne and wine reception as a thank you for their part in the restaurant's success.

Pickie Pie's Rachel Elsberry and David Jabour of Twin Liquors

Rachel Elsberry, Austin Woman's Katie Lesnick, Zachary Alexander and Jette' Momant of Jette' Moman PR

Fleming's JVP Dwayne Carpenter, Monica Jenkins Cooke and Operating Partner James Cooke

YNN's Rich Segal and Rachel Elsberry

David and Margaret Jabour

The Morrisons

Another Goodie from Gas Pedal

#857: The "8 Ways to Make a Charity Promotion Worth Talking About" Issue

Most businesses do some sort of charitable partnership, which is great. But, unfortunately, most aren't worth talking about and don't get the recognition they deserve. The brilliant team at Threadless, however, has everyone excited about their Good Shirts program to help UNICEF deliver some much-needed aid to kids in Africa. A few ideas you should borrow from this project: 1. Make it outrageous 2. Make it easy to participate 3. Make it interesting for big talkers 4. Make it naturally viral 5. Make it match your core business 6. Make it fun 7. Make it forwardable 8. Make it 100% 9. Check it out: See the designs and get involved 1. Make it outrageous Every word of mouth initiative takes something unexpected, outrageous, or unbelievable to inspire conversations. For this campaign, one of the shirts for sale costs $300,000. Buying it means UNICEF can make a cargo flight of goods to those in need. It may just be the world's most expensive T-shirt, and it's a fantastic reason to tell a friend. 2. Make it easy to participate For $18.57 you can buy a shirt that gets mosquito nets for those who need it. That's an affordable, easy way for a lot of Threadless fans to get involved. There's no team to organize, no fundraising campaign to lead -- just a simple purchase that's easy to do and easy to talk about. 3. Make it interesting for big talkers As important as it is to make your charitable project accessible for all your fans, getting just a few big influencers involved can dramatically increase the buzz. That's what their $300,000 and $75,000 shirts are all about. As soon as a celebrity buys one, they're going to get a ton of press (they sold a $300,000 shirt!) and every fan that bought one of the other, cheaper designs gets to tell friends they're also involved in the campaign. 4. Make it naturally viral These shirts are goofy. They're drawings of whatever your donation is supporting -- a worm represents deworming tablets, there's a water bucket for a family water kit, and a milk carton for therapeutic milk. Strangers are going to ask about them, and people familiar with the project are going to immediately recognize them. The shirts themselves are naturally viral, and they're going to lead to a whole bunch of conversations about Threadless and this great cause. 5. Make it match your core business Threadless is selling shirts for charity -- and everyone knows them for selling great shirts. Too many businesses attempt a complex cross-promotion (you know, the law firm doing some walk for something, etc.). But if you can tie your charitable campaign to what your business does, a) it'll be better for the charity (because you're good at it and know what you're doing), and b) it'll be good for business, because more people will learn what you're great at. 6. Make it fun Charitable causes face a common word of mouth challenge: People don't like to talk about difficult topics. The issue Threadless is helping to address isn't a light one -- it's about kids facing starvation and disease in one of the world's most desperate regions -- but the simple, light-hearted shirts give talkers an easy way to show their support without having to go into the details of the issues. 7. Make it forwardable Like every great word of mouth project, everything about this campaign is easy to share. Each page is ready to share on Facebook and Twitter, they've got embeddable videos you can use, and the whole thing kicked off with a great email that survived lots of forwarding (trust us, we tested it as we all passed it around the office and to our friends). You can do all the other ideas in this newsletter perfectly, but if it isn't easy to share, your word of mouth quickly dies. 8. Make it 100% All of the proceeds from the sale of shirts are going to support this cause. If you're going to partner with a charity for a promotion, you should also go all the way. You're doing all this work to rally fans around a cause you believe in, and you're going to risk breaking their trust with some policy about covering your costs? Whenever you're asking your talkers to give 100%, you have to lead by example. 9. Check it out: See the designs and get involved Learn more about this amazing cause, see all 12 designs, and find out how you can get involved. Check it out: Threadless