In the wake of NFL player Aaron Hernandez being charged with 1st degree murder, the New England Patriots worked swiftly to cut all ties with the former tight end. In fact, the team went so far as to allow fans to swap his #81 jerseys for another more respectable player for free. I believe the team did the right thing. After all, would you want your kid wearing a shirt emblazoned with the name of an accused murderer? And, how about the poor family of the deceased? This inciden

With summer fair season in full swing, here’s an opportunity to not only see the lamb shearing contest, ride a scary roller coaster, or eat fried Kool-Aid (really!), but to learn from the salesmen, hucksters, and carnival workers (carnies) who get you to part with your dollars. 5 Sales Secrets From the Fair How do they do it?  They: Dress the Part – Subtle doesn’t work; look at this photo with Larry Miller of Chimneys-R-US; he looks like a chimney sweep, right? You’ll also se

OMG! The Board of Men’s Wearhouse fired its founder, George Zimmer – famous for his catchphrase: “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.” Taglines Build Brands in 6 Ways The company is mum about its exact reasons for his ouster, but I guarantee the repercussions are going to be fierce; why? Catchphrases build brands by: Creating Differentiation – Not every company can guarantee that you will look good, but a different company can ask, “does she or doesn’t she?

Ooops! Organix and its investment bankers have hit a snag in trying to sell the company. Why? The name Organix is not organic! In California, at least 70% of the ingredients must be organic and this brand’s hair products aren’t. Originally valued at about $1 billion, Organix is now weighted down with this naming debacle bringing estimates to a mere $800 million. What’s the lesson here? Understand solid naming principles so that you avoid these types of problems. After all, a

If you’ve seen the TV ad in which a fight breaks out over a phone, answer this question: what brand is it for? I watched the spot a half dozen times and was convinced it was promoting Samsung and dissing Apple. After all, the bruised dude has an emblazoned Apple logo on his hair chest. Only after deciding to write this blog did I head over to YouTube and grab the official upload of the link to find it’s a commercial by Microsoft! Watch the commercial below: And, then there’s

Congratulations to Nike for finally finding the perfect spokesperson; for discovering the man who embodies the slogan “winning takes care of everything.” Yes, in Tiger Woods, we discovered at the Masters that even though he submitted an incorrect signed score card and later admitted he was wrong (after 4 million television viewers noted that he didn’t take a penalty), he didn’t disqualify himself. Why? Because he wanted to win the green jacket for the 5th time. The entire pre

Target calls a plus-sized dress in the color “manatee gray” while the smaller- sized replica is beautifully named “dark heather gray.” Ooops! Turn Style Consignment Stores announced its grand opening urging you to get there early. But, ooops, no address was provided. Let’s face it, we all goof. But, how you deal with it matters. The best ways: Acknowledge the Problem ASAP – Don’t sweep it under the rug or pretend you won’t get caught because it this Internet-happy world you w

I’m watching The Today Show and a series of stories fly by: Oscar Pistorious Mark Sanford Tiger Woods Read carefully and you’ll note that all of these stories carry a unifying personal theme. Each celebrity here has committed behavior inconsistent with their brand DNA; it was unexpected and caused a brand implosion. Here is the explosive formula: Remember that Big Cameras are Everywhere – You and I may have committed folly (or inhaled) in our youth, but it wasn’t caught on vi

Do you have a brand color strategy? I was having a cuppa java in a restaurant last week and noticed that the sugar dispenser had pink, blue, yellow and for the first time ever – green packets! Well, I know that the pink is Sweet N’ Low, the blue is Equal, the yellow is Splenda, but what was the green? Turns out it is Equal with stevia. Clearly, then, Equal has a color coding strategy. In fact, we determine color in less than 3 seconds and we often remember the color before th

I am a huge wineaux – loving the bouquet, bottling, terroir, and taste of fine wine. BUT, what I really love is the marketing! Why is Screaming Eagle $1500 per bottle? Why is Sea Smoke on allocation? And, how can you price your services just like a fine wine? Limit Supply – Just as there were only 250 cases produced of Hundred Acre Precious, you need to limit how many one-on-one spots are available with you or the number of seats to your seminar. Support Price with Packaging

I often get asked how, when, and why to put together a promotion. Here’s a tidy little cheat sheet for you. Give Them a Reason – If you’re going to discount your services, it’s always a good idea to give potential buyers a rationale: end of season, old merchandise, new packaging, etc. I remember when I upgraded all of my CDs and did a Fire Sale; it was hot and fun! Invent an Occasion – We all see the furniture ads touting Labor Day or Memorial Day sales, but I’m loving the Su

The last few weeks have brought a spate of celebrity name changes. Here are 4 guidelines to consider as you contemplate a brand new you: Name for Longevity– Don’t change your name on a whim. Your name must work for your entire lifetime. Prince’s constant name changes, for example, belittled his brand. And, Snoop Dog, for some reason, is now, Snoop Lion. Watch for him to change his name to Snoop Tortoise when he turns 60. Try a One Name Brand – An unusual name like Beyoncé eas

Wow! Lauri Loesch and I had so much fun identifying your brand and then creating a signature style. If you missed the seminar last week, I’m revealing a few morsels of the tasty nuggets we revealed. If you cannot be imitated, you are not a brand Every outfit should have just a pop of color Don’t forget to merge, purge, and splurge when it comes to your wardrobe You probably already know your best colors; it’s the most dominate color in your wardrobe! Don’t create “orphans” in

From Moses to Obama to Elvira to J-Lo to Gene Simmons, these are celebrities that can easily be impersonated. Can You? You can if you have a: Signature Color – Johnny Cash is the man in black – always. Trademark Outfit – Larry King has his suspenders and both J. Lo and Liz Hurley made headlines with their signature almost “not there” dresses.Forever unforgettable. Hair Style That Never Changes – The Donald’s comb-over makes him an easy target as does Crystal Gayle’s long, lon

It seems as if Americans can’t give an unscripted comment without peppering their talk with “like” every other word. From contestants on reality shows to witnesses on the news to teenagers talking, they “like” everything. Now is the time to get on my crusade to officially perform Like-o-Suction! Let’s eradicate this word from our vocabulary unless you “really like me” as in show appreciation, warmth, or fondness. Continue to speak in this fashion and you: Undermine your Credi

Mark your calendar to attend the Second Annual Women’s Business Owners Conference on March 22, 2013 at the Anaheim Marriott. In 2012, over 300 small business owners were able to network with like-minded individuals and learn about some of the new social media and marketing trends. Where: Anaheim Marriott – 700 West Convention Way Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 750-4080 REGISTER NOW! #branding #coaching #wboconference #keynotespeaker

More coming soon! #branding #coaching #seminar

8 Secrets to Creating a Sizzling Personal and Visual Brand With Liz Goodgold & Lauri Loesch This Talk Is For You If… Do you have a brand? Can you introduce yourself in 7-seconds? Do you know how to wear the right clothes that project your brand? Are you attracting the right clients? If you’re struggling with these questions, click up your heels (or flats) and head on down to San Diego on Wednesday, November 14 at 9 am when 2 experts work with YOU on identifying and projecti

Join me on Friday, October 12, 2012 9am – 1pm at Hera Hub Sorrento Valley for this hands-on WORKshop! The Step-by-Step Guide that Gets YOU in the Media! This Talk Is For You If… • YOU have screamed at the TV or newspaper and said, “they should be quoting me!” • YOU want to be positioned as the industry expert! • YOU want to grow your business without advertising! You’ve got to be here! You must attend! Reserve your seat now! Do it Yourself Publicity is a jam-packed, hands-o

With Liz Goodgold & Liz Pagano Wed, September 12, 2012 9 am  – 1 pm at Hera Hub Sorrento Valley REGISTRATION LINK COMING SOON! All business owners must delegate tasks so that they can focus on what they do best. But, how do you hire a virtual assistant? How do you determine who is the best candidate to design your web site? If you simply take a wild guess, the mistakes are costly. Instead, come to this whopper of a workshop where Liz Pagano, a seasoned HR executive, and Liz G