Month: October 2009

by Guest Blogger, Dr. Fern Kazlow

I always say a good brand is evidenced everywhere from the CEO down to the smallest paper clip. But where does it begin?

Branding begins with what I call the Inner Game: who you are, what you want, your big vision, even your connection to yourself, your family, community, and Source (however you define it). That's the seed that begins it all. Even if you are able commit to a business – whether product or service – before considering these questions,

it is only by clearly answering them that you can establish an effective, powerful brand.

And as necessary as these answers are, it's only the beginning. If you don't look at your inner game and make sure you're aligned,  you will have a brand that misfires – or no brand at all. A good brand, a Power Brand, while it begins with you, is not about you!  It's about them – your clients or customers, your potential clients or customers, the media – anyone who you want to reach. It's about their problems, their issues, their wants and about how you become their ultimate solution.

If you don't get that right, your brand will be wrong and so will everything else!

Yet, too many people work backwards. They go straight to their logo, website, colors, and marketing and wonder why there's a problem, why they are always struggling with price and competition. And it goes way beyond that. Without being aware of your inner game, and how it fits with your business, you're subtly – or not so subtly – plagued by vague feelings of something being off, not quite right. It's as if your own business doesn't fit you.

So let's take a look at some basics about your branding – where it is right now. If you want to get really clear, write down your answers to these fundamental questions:

1) Does your brand reflect who you really are and who you strive to be? Here you will have to look at your personal and business brand and see where they support each other and where they diverge.

2) Is  your brand doing what you want to it to do? Does it answer your niche's problem – and does it do it in a way that makes you the clear choice, the “fix” to their problem?

3) Is your target market  getting the message you want them to have, are they seeing what you want them to see? Are they saying what you what them to say about you?

4) Do you have a brand strategy? Write it down in no more than two sentences. Are struggling to do this?

We're going to look at these questions and many more over the next weeks and months because the two most crucial factors that effect the success of your business are your Inner Game and your branding. And YOU control them both.

About the Author:
Dr. Fern Kazlow shatters limitations – especially financial ones. For over 25 years she’s helped Wall Street power players, international entrepreneurs and professionals remove limitations and double, triple, and quadruple their incomes.

by Dr. Fern Kazlow, Guest Blogger

Every problem in business or in life is the result of disconnection.

It can be a disconnect between who you are, what you want and your big vision. It can be a disconnect between your thoughts, feelings and action. In business, you can have a disconnection between you, your product or service, your target audience, and your market. The list goes on and on.

Unless you find these disconnections – at their source – and bring them into alignment with the total picture of what you’re trying to do, whatever problems the disconnections are causing won’t be fixed. Not only will you be stuck with limitations that hinder your ability to be all you can be in any area of your business or personal life, the problems will repeat and likely get worse.

Power up and create your business and your life

The more you want to “power up” and create the life you want, the more you need to find the disconnections – and Power Connect.
What’s the difference between a connection and a Power Connection?
Imagine the difference between lighting a dark room with a flashlight or a flood lamp. A flashlight only allows you to see a glimpse of whatever it’s aimed. What you see as related to the whole is left in question. Turn on a flood lamp and suddenly nooks, crannies, and alcoves become visible. Details, colors, and patterns come into focus. You see the overall view and how everything works together to produce the whole. And opportunities and potential are illuminated everywhere.
A Power Connection supports, enables, allows, drives, inspires, creates, and has the power to see beyond. It's honest, deep, reciprocal, respectful, and adds immeasurably to your life and your ability to accomplish what you want.

Power Connecting becomes the difference between living a limited life and the actualization of the life you want.

Say the word connection and people think ‘person-to-person' connection. And that's true. But Power Connecting happens between more than people. The opportunity for Power Connections exists in every aspect of your life. It's in everything from your connecting with yourself – who you are, what you want, your Big Vision, and your spirituality to your family, your business, your branding, and the way you run your business – now and in the future.

Power Connecting happens on multi-dimensional levels:

• Mentally: Power Connecting gives you greater clarity, increased awareness, and depth of thinking. It provides the springboard for innovation, creativity, and relevancy. It increases your focus and flexibility.

• Emotionally: Power Connecting brings joy, happiness, fulfillment, and peace. It allows you the ability to have a full range of feelings without getting or feeling trapped or stuck.

• Physically: Power Connecting strengthens you, gives you more stamina and the ability to regenerate. It not only de-stresses but allows you the freedom to relax in the situation, and maintain balance and fluidity.

• Spiritually: Power Connecting enhances and brings you closer to who you are, closer to the Source (however you choose to define Source).

• Energetically: Power Connecting strengthens and supports who you are and what you want to do. It provides the fuel to move you forward, strengthen your relationships, and encourage taking action.

Begin by noticing your disconnections – those things that don’t fit and aren’t aligned with who you are and what you want to do. Power Connecting even the smallest component can change and add immeasurably to your life, your business, branding, and marketing efforts. Take the first step towards shattering financial limitations and building the business and the life you’ve always wanted.

About the Author:

Dr. Fern Kazlow shatters limitations – especially financial ones. For over 25 years she’s helped Wall Street power players, international entrepreneurs and professionals remove limitations and double, triple, and quadruple their incomes.

Dubbed “Queen of 140 Characters” at Twitter’s Brandchat, she teaches her global clientele to “Remember you M & M’s: Maximize and Monetize business, branding, platforms, and expertise” through her Rapid Wealth System™ and Power Branding Clinic.

Visit Dr. K at www.DrFernKazlow.com