The Web Servant Blog

My business coach has a great question on his coaching prep form. It is "What are you thankful for."

When I think about that question it helps me focus my attention away from obstacles and into opportunity. It helps me look up. It gives me a broader perspective and peace of mind.

One of the things I am very thankful for is you.

Thank you for allowing me into your inbox.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you.

And thank you for the good you are putting out into the world.

You make my life richer and for that I am very grateful.

What are you thankful for?

When I run across an excellent example of branding I want to share it with everyone. And that's just what happened with www.beyondmotherhood.com, the brainchild of Shannon Davis. I stole a few minutes of her time this week to find out how she developed this HR matching site with a twist. Here we go...

Q. Shannon, what are the steps you took to arrive at where you are with your company brand?
A. I had a vision for what I wanted from the beginning. I did the whole research and web tour thing and knew I didn't want to go with a traditional HR "look" with photos of people shaking hands, etc. I knew the colors I liked, I wanted something approachable, grassroots, different than other sites. I found the inspiration for my identity by shopping images at istockphoto.com. I have had great feedback from site visitors and from my printed material.

Q. What print material did you develop to extend your brand offline?
A. We developed business cards, of course, I also created rack cards, bookmarks, and professional posters with tear-off tabs on the bottom. This has been a really great investment and good move, we've gotten alot of mileage from the posters.

Q. What have you learned through launching your site?
A. I think you need to trust the right people and you can't do it alone. When you are working by yourself it's easy to get stuck in your little bubble. I found that working with a board of advisors was really important to help me get out of the bubble. I meet with a couple of them regularly and have informal relationships without at least three more. It has been a tremendous help to me in moving forward, building confidence and believing in the value of my offer. I have also learned to leverage interviews you conduct with experts, i.e. don't ever leave without asking for two or three other names of people you can contact. Often times this is where the mother lode of information lies.

Q. What advice do you have for someone just starting out?
A. Surround yourself with encouragers; don't let other people's negativity drive you down; and stay connected! Join professional groups and associations, there are many virtual organizations to join if you don't have access to many in your community.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, Shannon, and best wishes for continued success.

Check out Shannon's moxie brand by visiting www.beyondmotherhood.com.

Coaches, if you are struggling with defining your niche or attracting clients, consider attending my one-hour teleseminar on October 9th, Branding for Impact.

I will present a three-step branding process to help you reach your ideal clients and build the coaching practice you envision. Includes links to branding resources and helpful tools.

I would love to have you on board for this teleseminar. Take a positive step for your coaching practice today!

To register, visit the class registration page.

Here's my pumpkin drawing from art class. Tuesdays nights. Six weeks. Lovin' it.

Happy October everyone :)

If personal branding is all about your promise of value, how can Twitter (and other social networking tools for that matter) help to build your brand? If CNN Newsroom and The New York Times are tweeting, there must be something to it.

I ventured into Twitter land about a month ago. Here are some brand building techniques I have observed from others.

• Ask questions. This sends a signal of respect and authenticity.


• Invite discussion on blog posts.


• Link to events that add value for your readers.


• Be yourself, your "voice" and style are part of your brand.


• Some are witty and let it show - fun!


• Some use Twitter to ask for help or offer it.


• Many add value to the community, good stuff.

Social media strategist Chris Brogan has written an ebook on personal branding with social media. Grab your copy here.

How has Twitter helped you with your personal brand?

Traci Bisson of The Mom Entrepreneuer has created a great networking and support group for moms who are also entrepreneurs. Come on and join us, it's fun!

Teaching Sells is closing the doors to new members July 31st...but there's still time (not much though) to join. I am a lifetime member and I wouldn't steer you wrong with this. It is a FABULOUS place to learn about how to really sell online. Read why here. And join me in the Teaching Sells community!