Laura’s Blog

Photo by Keith Johnson, Deseret News

A Utah mother had the name of a casino tattooed on her forehead in inch-tall block letters to raise funds for her son to attend private school. The publicity stunt garnered her—and the casino—worldwide media attention.

While you won’t be auctioning off space on your forehead, you do need to understand why branding is the central first step in expanding your career.

Branding doesn’t have to be painful, either. At the Florida Christian Writers Conference (March 4-7) I’ll be teaching a 6-hour course called “Branding Yourself for Maximum Impact.”

If you attend my class, you’ll learn to CRAFT a Consistent, Relevant, Attractive, Frequent, Targeted brand message that sears itself into your audience’s memory.

Here’s an overview of the course:

Session 1
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
Identifying your core values

A strong brand reflects the values you hold most dear. We’ll discuss what branding is—and isn’t—and you’ll pinpoint unique qualities about yourself that you can begin developing into a stellar brand.

Session 2
BULLSEYE
Aiming for your target audience

Your audience is finicky, fickle, and narcissistic at heart; before they “buy” your story, they want to know, “What’s in it for me?” You’ll learn how to identify your target audience and how to build a brand that meets their needs and desires.

Session 3
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Crafting your brand’s promise statement

Similar to a 30-second “elevator pitch,” your brand’s promise must engage your audience. You’ll learn how to avoid muddling your message and you’ll prepare a promise with pizzazz.

Session 4
GROUP HUG
Building brand loyalty

People bond with your brand when you promote it compellingly. You’ll learn how to guide and influence your brand so it makes a consistent emotional connection with your target audience.

Session 5
THE ESSENTIAL BRAND IDENTITY KIT, PART 1
Designing dynamic marketing materials

Your marketing materials must reflect and promote your brand. You’ll learn how to enhance your brand with a logo, business card, stationery package, sales brochures, and other print pieces.

Session 6
THE ESSENTIAL BRAND IDENTITY KIT, PART 2
Optimizing your brand on the Internet

Your Web site will likely serve as the hub for all your branding efforts. You’ll learn how to solidify your brand via a Web site, blog, and social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

To learn about all the workshops being taught at the Florida conference — the largest Christian writers’ conference on the East Coast, follow the Florida Christian Writers’ Conference blog, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

I’m available to teach this course (or individual workshops) at corporate events, small business training sessions, and other venues. Please contact me if you’re interested in booking me to teach at your event.