HOW WE BECAME A BADASS BUSINESS

Once upon a time, “Badass” wasn’t in our (business) vocabulary. 

It was a Friday in March 2014, and Steve and I were $40K in debt. Despite relentless networking, endless coffee dates, and 16-hour pavement-pounding days, we hadn’t closed a client for our branding services in three months. We were on the verge of becoming another statistic: a failed business at exactly the three-year mark. 

The following Monday, we let our only two employees go. We we’re trying to build something, and it was falling apart in front of us—out of our control. 

Fast-forward nine months. I stopped networking completely. I had my weekends back to myself. We were projecting $500K in revenue from our branding services by working just three days a week. 

How did we do it? Simple. We built a Badass Brand.
 

Enter Worstofall:

Our story isn’t one of burning failure or ridiculous success. It’s about our desire to create, to financially thrive—and still live and work the way we always wanted to. 

Like most entrepreneurs, we were always hell bent on doing things our way. In fact it’s how we actually define success. So if we go back to the the beginning, we founded our company in 2011 and named it Worstofall Design - Steve’s badass, ballsy moniker.

(If you’re wondering, yes it was difficult to introduce myself as “Worstofall Design” to a bunch of suits at 7am in midtown... But I was Mrs. Worstofall, so I had to make it work!
 

From Owning a Job to Owning a Business

At the one-year mark, we hit $100K in revenue. We were rich!!

But after reading Michael Gerber’s classic business book Emyth, our excitement dwindled. We had no employees, so we didn’t own a business. We owned a job. 

Circle back to our two employees, who we hired despite doubled overhead costs and not enough incoming business to cover them. Before we knew it, we found ourselves back to that Friday in March. 

Then, we embraced our badassery. 

We were always Worstofall, and we always created with edginess. But to climb out of our hole, we had to dare to be different; to fully embrace our Memorable, Noticeable, Sharable, Badass Brand—in not only our messaging, but our business model and services. Modeling our company off of other agencies and hiring employees wasn’t working. So we listened to our guts--and blazed our own path.

For us, being a badass brand is about being unapologetically who we are, doing our own thing despite advice to the contrary, embracing irreverence, and getting shit done. As we grew and refined our unique branding process, we found businesses in every industry has a badass brand inside them, too. They just have to find it.

Struggling to tap into your own badassery?
We’re here to help a fellow badass brand out.

Download our minishrink and discover your badassery.

DOWNLOAD THE MINISHRINK

HOW MUCH DOES BRANDING COST?

Branding can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars up to multi-millions for larger corporations. What's the difference in what you get and how much should you invest in your business' brand?

Here's a general list of prices that start-up and small growing businesses should expect to pay for a professional branding project that may include a combination of the following: naming, positioning & strategy, messaging, logo & identity design, copy, website design and development, creation of marketing materials, company culture and messaging.

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1. CREATING SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: Budget < $2,000

New businesses typically don’t have a lot of cash to spend on branding, so it’s understandable that they would look for low-cost ways to get the logo and website they need to be competitive. Between fiverr.com, which offers all kinds of design services for $5; squarespace.com, with its free and almost free logos; 99designs.com, which offers crowd-sourced logos, identity, and website; and the infinite freelancers on Craigslist who will design anything and everything at all price points, it is possible to piece together a logo and maybe website for under a thousand dollars.

The question is: will it have a brand and badass business behind it that will actually make money? What if you could get more than design, but an actual business and brand that attracts clients, and is easy to sell? Learn what you should and shouldn't spend time and money on here:

How To Build a Badass Brand on a Shoestring Budget: Free & Cheap Resources

2. GENERAL STARTUP & SMALL BUSINESS REBRANDING PRICES: $2,000 - $15,000

If you have a little money to spend, you will be able to hire a more seasoned designer, but he or she will not offer the strategies and marketing insights you can find with a brander. A designer will create your logo, brand identity, and website, but will not build your brand. A designer cannot help you answer why people will buy from you instead of your competitors, and then design your brand to support that message. Instead, you must trust your own knowledge about branding and marketing.

Because so many small businesses need a brand but don’t have a big budget, Worstofall developed an affordable all-in-one branding package that strategizes your message and builds it out into all your materials. We’re able to deliver agency level strategy and work for less than an agency because we built a unique process that allows us to execute the entire brand in 1-2-day intensives called Brandups. Clients are people who want to start selling now with a badass, professional brand and don't have six months to waste working with a company. Read more about our process here.
 

3. SMALL BUSINESS w/ $1 million+ in Revenue: $15,000- $60,000

For small businesses that have been in operation for a number of years, this is typically the price range for a rebrand and redesign/development of materials. The price is determined by a number of factors: the size of the company and its overhead, the size of the website, the number of deliverables, and the team’s experience level. Unfortunately, price does not always equal value. Plenty of small agencies deliver design, rather than brand. Vet your agency carefully. Be sure the team will go beyond merely executing what you are thinking. (If that’s what you want, you can get it for less.) On the other hand, unless you’re a branding expert or have a background in marketing, hire a strategically minded company that you like, and then trust them to do what they do best.

4. MID SIZED- LARGE BUSINESSES: $60,000+

For larger companies or institutions with a lot of decision makers or big websites that require high functionality, the bill can increase pretty significantly. We won’t go into details here, because companies at this level usually aren’t reading articles about the cost of branding. 
 

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WTF IS MR. YUK?

1970's - IT ALL BEGAN WITH A DESIGN FAIL

Dating back centuries, the skull and cross bone image has long been symbolic of death across all cultures, which is why it was a logical design choice in the 1850's to label poison and other harmful substances to protect people.

But in the 1970's, Dr. Richard Moriarty with the National Poison control center made an amazing discovery: children were actually attracted to the skull and cross bones labeled substances, reminding them of fun things like pirates and adventure. While effective for adults, skull and cross bones had the opposite association to children, who are more at risk of ingesting harmful chemicals and substances. 

After lots of research and testing, Dr. Moriarty discovered that children found a certain sickly shade of green to be the most repulsive, and after one child called it "yucky," the Mr. Yuk sticker was born. The popular skull and cross bones was changed to a yucky face, like the one you'd make if you were to drink something gross. While something that "makes sense" like the skull and crossbones might be an obvious idea, researching and understanding your entire audience on a deeper level is how you make design decisions that people may not "like" or enjoy, but that is acutely effective. And that's what matters.

2000's - WORSTOFALL & MR. YUK: CAPITALIZING ON A BAD THING

If the Mr. Yuk sticker was supposed to be the the epitome of disgust, of course Worstofall was drawn to it as a representation of our philosophy on design: don't be "good", be right. The Worstofall version uses a diamond, referencing that the most valuable assets to a brand might be something most people overlook.

Why would you want to associate with something that is meant to be disliked? Because if you are going to be Worstofall Design, then you have to go all the way. THAT is the definition of badass branding. Embrace what defines you no matter what it looks like.

Mr. Yuk is the perfect representation of our brand because he is meant to stand out, both by his color and stink face, and nobody else is going to use him. Mr. Yuk wouldn't work for everyone, but there is an equivalent Mr. Yuk out there for every single business. You might just need help finding it!

WHAT NOBODY'S TELLING YOU ABOUT BEING DIFFERENT

So you want to be different, huh? Yeah, we’ve heard that once or twice. We’ve also known clients that want their brands to be edgy, standout, truly badass. 

We all know "be different" is good advice. What nobody seems to be talking about is why getting to "different" is so damn hard to achieve.. and what you can do to get there.

1. Because sometimes the world can seem like one long, bad, judge-y first date

Different isn’t difficult because you don’t have it. You’re different. Even if we don’t know you, we already know that. 

Different is difficult because it’s hard to stick your neck out, and risk being JUDGED.

At their core, badass brands are different, and that can feel scary.

People instinctively want to fit in, are driven to belong. It’s how we create the human connections we need to survive. Standing out from the crowd makes us vulnerable to being noticed, ostracized, and rejected.

That’s why being a Badass Brand requires guts. You have to be ready for some people to not like you, or even to actively dislike you--even while others proclaim their devotion! 

Because the only things that most people like is generic stuff, like Q-tips and famous paintings of pretty flowers (and even then, there are plenty of people who hate these things.)

Point is: there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like what you are about or what you have to say. So if you get really comfortable with that idea you can start to actually embrace something that your people will love. 

2. Because we are naturally prone to feeling like there is scarcity

Badass Brands understand the power of "no" (another scary word in business). Whether by rejecting less than ideal project, or pricing yourself out of a budget, or because the project isn't exciting to you, “no” commands respect. Most business owners can’t say no to a sale because they are in a mindset of constant desperation. But successful business owners know that “no” is their best friend.
Saying no is hard. 

3. Because when we say “I don’t care” what we really mean is I care A LOT

Badass Brands “give no fucks.”  I had a speaking coach who told me the best speakers “give no fucks” about audience judgement. You are up there for a reason, so deliver your speech with "no fucks given" and people will listen. Confidence is attractive, and confidence comes from being comfortable being yourself. But to give no fucks about what anyone else thinks about you, it's a skill that's hard to master.

(Even as I write this, I am somewhat uncomfortable with my jarring use of the word “fuck,” which even I agree is a little uncouth for a business article. The irony is not lost on me, hence I will continue to fucking write it, if only to illustrate the fucking point.)

Self doubt and fear of judgement are the main reasons most people will never have a badass brand. But having that doubt and doing it anyway? 

That’s called guts, and it's badass.

So, when you say you want to be different, what you really need to ask yourself is- do I have the balls to be different?

TIME TO BUILD YOUR BADASS MUSCLE. RIGHT. NOW.

Stash Wealth was terrified at first to charge for their Stash Plan. Nobody else in their industry did it, and therefore they thought it meant they couldn’t do it. But that’s exactly why they should have done it!

I want you to take a minute right now and think about all the value you give your clients before they even hire you. That’s all those free conversations where you’re giving them loads of information trying to get them to sign up to work with you.

Now come up with a way to package that so you can sell that time instead of just give it away for free.

Price it at whatever feels comfortable, honestly it doesn’t even matter at first. The point is you need to get used to charging for your information and telling people that it’s valuable.

Now I want you to call up a former lead, someone who was interested in working with you but didn’t sign on, and I want you to sell them this product. Price it so that it’s a no brainer. They were interested enough in working with you to speak with you, so they are already half way to the sale. This is a low cost way to pick your brain, so give it a try!

And don’t feel defeated if they don’t bite, just call someone else. Keep doing this until you sell one.

Here’s a recent email I got from someone who heard me speak about this method:

“I wanted you to know I implemented your lead product strategy 3 times and have had 2 people go for it. So that’s an additional $990 I can directly attribute to your advice!

Also, this was (2 hours of) work I used to do for free before sales calls so my life is much easier… With one move I’m added a new revenue stream, saved time, and can better scale my business = )

Here’s a big, heartfelt THANK YOU!”

I have had so many clients send me emails like that. IT WORKS! But badasses only- it’s not easy charging for something you’re used to doing for free.

See the article above on why that is.

Then stare it down and do it anyway.

THE FIRST TIME I SAID NO

One of the most important words in business, and also the hardest.

Almost a year before our now-famous fall into debt—before we doubled our prices from $16,000 to $32,000—we were increasing our prices slowly with every client.

Our strategy?

For every client, we went above and beyond, delivering more value than they’d anticipated. By doing this, we were breeding both happy clients and great referral sources, and building our own confidence.
 

Though difficult, we felt optimistic about our price increase every time.

At the moment of our first "no," we were definitely looking for clients. So, I did the only thing I knew to do to find work: I went networking. Luckily I met a potential client who needed a full rebrand with a logo and website, which is exactly what we were selling.

I poured my heart into a beautifully devised, long-ass proposal, rich with benefit statements and fancy design to make them go WOW.

It worked. They loved us. 

But they didn’t like the $16,000 price, so they asked us to bring it down.
 

Be realistic

Now, $16,000 is nothing to scoff at. And this was also the most we had ever charged at that stage of the game. But I also knew that for the amount of work we were doing, we needed at least $16,000. (This is before we had a tightened-up badass process—when we assumed this project was going to take 4-6 months and I had to pay my employees the whole time.)

I told them we could do it for the $13,000 they were asking for, but I’d have to drop a few things from the proposal. They couldn’t make that deal, they said. They needed everything.

We had a couple of phone calls, and they told me they were looking at other companies who were charging even less than $13,000, and they couldn’t justify paying $16,000. But they definitely wanted to use us and we were at the top of the list.

Perfect, that’s exactly where I like to be.
Top of the list and just a little too expensive, but the client wants it anyway.
 

Make the tough decisions

The knot in my stomach tightened, and I politely told them on the phone, “Look, this would be a great project. I know we would kill it for you, and I’d love to knock this baby out of the park. But if you want everything, it has to be $16,000. And if you need to pass and use someone else, I’ll totally understand.”

He said ok, that he was disappointed, and then he hung up.

And that was it. I told Steve what happened, and I just couldn’t go into a project like that. I couldn’t accept just taking a discount before the project even begins. 

I’ve been in this situation a few times, and that’s often the end of the conversation. It’s hard, but I always look at it as dodging a bullet. Though we needed work, it freed me up to find a client willing to pay what the work was worth.
 

Confidence pays off

In this instance, however, that same client called me up a week later. Surprise! He hired us for the full $16,000. I still get butterflies thinking about it. Victory!

Victory because I stuck to my guns. Victory because I knew what we were selling had value, and I wasn’t going to compromise.

Victory because now this project was going to be a breeze. They hired us—the most expensive company on their list—and shelled out way more than they wanted because they knew our work was the best.

And, as long as I maintained control of the situation, this project was going to go smoothly.

By hiring us in this manner, they were also saying that they understood we were experts in our field, and they trusted us. And so, they were wonderful clients every step of the way, and they got great work from us.

Especially because—for them, too—we purposely did way more than $16,000 worth of work. After that project, we doubled our rates. Then, with a few unexpected twists, our story really got going.

BEWARE OF SILVER BULLETS

What would you do to hit your business goals this year? 

This is a public service announcement on buying Silver Bullet and Treasure Map Solutions. Whether you plan to go it alone, hire a team, or pay for a solution...whatever you do, proceed with caution.

We live in a time where everyone is selling something.

You sell something. We sell something. Every day we see advertisements for people selling Silver Bullet Solutions and Treasure Maps. They exist in every market. So, what's the difference, what does it matter, and why to proceed with caution?

Let's start by unpacking Silver Bullet Solutions.
 

SILVER BULLET SOLUTIONS:

These zero-work-required fix-alls sell the dream of more followers, more customers, and more clout. Everything you want at a click of a button. 

But you know as well as we do that most of these Silver Bullets are scams. 

Buy more followers! Are you kidding?! Buy likes and engagement! To what end? 

And, to be clear, more customers isn’t always the solution. Often it’s a problem that causes operational and managerial headaches. Think about it for a second.

Suppose you charge your 10 customers $X for your service. Now, suppose you want to grow your business by 10-times this year. That means you are looking to take on 100 customers. Now that type of growth requires serious organizational overhauls. You cannot just scale to service 100 customers. What would you have to change in your organization to achieve that level of growth and survive?

OR There's an alternative.

At Worstofall Design, we'd rather you be charging 10-times your current rates. 

Can you figure out a way to create 10-times the value for each customer and charge them $10x each for your work? We understand that this might sound like just a silly thought experiment. But we’re being completely serious

• What does your business need to look like to create 10x more value for your customer?
• What about 2X value creation for your customers this year?
• What about 2X growth this year without 2X the customers? 

While I can’t speak to your industry, yet, there’s one way that always works, it transcends industry. To create 2X-to-10X value, improve your brand’s prestige — or as we like to say — build a badass brand.

Now let’s discuss how to reach the buried treasure. Let's figure out how to get whatever you’re hoping to find when you reach the X (the one that marks the spot).

So let’s talk about treasure maps for a second. 

TREASURE MAPS:

First things first, there’s an inherent truth to all treasure maps: You’re not there yet! You going to need to work to get what you want.

To get from A to B, Start to Finish, or from this moment to your business goals this year (read, X or buried treasure) you have to do the work. You must take the journey, or start the voyage. For this reason, Treasure Maps are way more plausible than Silver Bullets. But there’s another issue with Treasure Maps.

22-year-old “lifestyle” entrepreneurs. They all write posts called: “
The exact way that I make $100,000 a month live on a beach and surf every day.” 

Aaaand our response is a written out emoji -(insert skeptical face here)

So, we find ourselves at a crossroads...

• What to do?
• How do we judge one Treasure Map from another?
• How do you reach your goals? 
   

Our best advice is to do some deep thinking, vetting, and self-discovery.

Anyone who’s selling a zero-work, Silver Bullet Solution is worth a red flag and a caution light. If it smells too good to be true, it is. Treasure Maps are more plausible. Sure. But you still need to vet them.

For example, our Brandup Bootcamp is our version of a Treasure Map Solution.

With it, we promise to help your business move toward the 10x in value creation per customer. But let’s be clear, our treasure map solution demands work. In fact, it asks for 7 weeks of a concerted effort - for God's sake it's even called a Bootcamp!

In just seven weeks, we'll take you through the exact Brandshrink and Brandup process we put our clients through. But, unlike past clients, you won't pay the $20,000, or even $5,000, that our clients have paid over the last 2 years.

Those people paid as much as they did because the process works. It changes a business forever.(We'll tell you more about our process in future emails.)

The point is, it’s not easy to find a way to double your value proposition. It's harder yet to craft your message so it sells. It takes some hard work to build a Badass Brand… but it’s possible.

We do it for clients every week.

There's only one difference. Instead of two grueling 12-14 hour days, we stretch the process out over 7 weeks. And we're in the closed Facebook group to support you as you execute the Brandup Bootcamp work.

If this sounds interesting to you check out our upcoming online training in badassery to get your primer information on the Bootcamp and what Badass Brand Building is really like.

The Badass Your Brand training will wet your whistle. Do the activities in the training and you’re guaranteed to see a stronger business!

- Pia & Steve

AFFORDABLE BRANDING... Say WHAT?!

Your services company needs a brand to attract clients and set itself apart. But we all know a branding strategy is damn expensive. As a wannabe badass brand, where will you find the budget?

Well, here’s an Online Training in Badassery

Back in the day, we were struggling to find clients, too. So yeah, we feel your pain.

You probably didn’t go into business to be a salesperson. But here you are—head of sales (and chief cook and bottle washer, too). Why? Because it’s a business—not a hobby.

But when it comes to selling, the key is to build a business that sells itself, which is a key characteristic of a badass brand. This is the thing most people don’t get (and a golden opportunity for smarty’s like you). Your brand is the perception of your business inside your customers’ minds.
 

Whoa, what the hell does that mean?

We told you upfront: branding ain’t easy. Unless you’ve experienced the power of a badass brand, you can only imagine how incredible it can be. You’re left making the amateur assumption that it all comes down to your logo and website. While crucial elements of it, these are not the same as your brand.

You could hire a rising star on craigslist, or the super-talented graphic designer right out of school. The problem: they lack branding strategy or business insight. They’ll create a logo or a website they think looks nice. Since your business is your baby, you’ll make them edit it until you think it looks nice. Eventually, both of you will lose sight of your branding strategy and how it will increase sales altogether.

Don’t get us wrong: your logo is important. So is the color scheme and design of your website. But your brand? That’s something much, much bigger—and much more important.
 

Why are you telling me all of this?

Believe it or not, we want to empower you. Building a brand isn’t a complicated process if you have the right tools—and we want to share ours.

As a branding company, we have a seasoned ability to create a brand just by asking our clients the right questions. Once we have a concept in place, we build it out into a logo and website with a strong, clear, and memorable message that does their marketing—and selling—for them.

This takes a lot of practice—and time we know you don’t have. All you really need to do is to understand your business and industry. (We’d hope at this point you do!)

Our upcoming training walks you through the first steps to build your brand from scratch. We ask questions: the same ones we ask all of our clients to find their special brand. Then, our Brandup Bootcamp™ shows you how to use the answers to find your brand yourself and then build your polished and professional new website and logo you’ve been drooling over.

Imagine having a business that people remember and praise after reading about it, hearing about it, checking out the website.

WHY BADASS BRANDS LIKE 'OSCAR' WIN

We just signed up for Oscar. And we're so excited about it!

For the past year, we’ve seen their simple, easy ads plastered all over the NYC subways. I don’t know about you, but when I look at them, I assume I will get good customer service and my needs will be met.
 

Why do we feel like that? Because they have a Badass Brand, one that practices what it preaches. Their tagline doesn’t say they’re simple and easy; it is simple and easy: "Hi, we're Oscar.” In the healthcare world, a friendly face and a warm introduction are Badass. 

After Health Republic, our former health insurance company, told us they were shutting down at the end of November, we had to find a replacement. Oscar came to mind immediately because their messaging stuck out in the clutter of boring, corporate health insurance ads.
 

SIMPLICITY AT ITS BEST

Valued at about $1.5 billion, Oscar has almost tripled its New York market share in the past year. And what can they thank for that? Badass company branding. Oscar’s clean, uncomplicated pitch is music to millennial ears: a generation that lacks the attention span for anything longer than 140 characters.  

Oscar’s website continues their concise, clean experience. They promise simplicity—and they deliver. (Seriously, check it out. They almost make filling out a healthcare form fun.)

Have you ever called the NY State of Health before? It's worse than calling Verizon. I know, how could anything be worse than calling Verizon!? But it is.

But not Oscar. I've spoken to several people there who are polite, knowledgeable, and anxious to make my experience pleasant and simple. We signed up on the spot.
 

WHY ARE WE EXCITED ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE?

As Maya Angelou said: People will forget what you said, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. Similarly, Oscar’s ads make you feel taken care of; like things are going to be simple. Our actual experience with Oscar built on those feelings and backed up their promise. Customers get excited about brands who can pull that off.

Oscar is a Badass Brand in the health insurance world because it dares to be truly different—not just say it. What can you learn from them?

1. Don't say you’re different; BE different in your messaging

Oscar's tagline isn't "the simplest, easiest health insurance to deal with, with smart people answering the phone." They just say "Hi, We're Oscar" alongside simple imagery. You can feel their simplicity and smartness from their ads.

2. Back it up

If I called Oscar and got a Verizon-style employee on the other end, I'd be disappointed. In fact, I'd be more disappointed than if I called NY State of Health, because I expect Oscar to be different. They would actually fall farther from grace in my mind, because my expectations weren't met.

3. Make sure the pieces line up

If I went to Oscar’s website and it was tired and outdated, again the experience wouldn't match up to my expectations. If your brand is a smarter alternative to an older way of doing things, make sure your online presence matches up with a smart, clean look and feel.

Inspired as we are by Oscar? Sign up to get more tips like these in your inbox, or book a Brandshrink.

WHAT YOU SUSPECTED ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA IS TRUE

"Customer Engagement"
"Building Brand Equity"
"Developing Your Brand Voice" 
"Creating a "Fan" Base"
"Building Community Network"

"If you're not on social media, you don't exist." 

Blah blah blah.

This fear mongering is annoying and not the whole story.

So let's get a few things straight.

1. You don't have to do anything

You don't have to be on facebook to build a business, so don't get your panties in a bunch when you read that. Yes for some businesses in some industries Facebook is an amazing tool (as can be twitter, instagram, linked in, etc...) but not being on them isn’t the life and death of most businesses. 

Actually, 80% of small businesses on facebook would be in the same exact position, possibly even a better position, if they weren’t on facebook. Where did I get that statistic? From my own two eyes! You know what I’m talking about. How often do you look at a fellow business owner’s facebook page of 87 followers and see that their last post was 2 months ago? My point exactly, that page is doing nothing for them.

2. “Don't half-ass four things. Whole-ass one thing" -Ron Swanson.

The biggest mistake people make in social is trying to be on everything, and then spreading themselves too thin. When you have a pathetic number of posts and followers, even if you are on every platform, it still doesn’t give a great impression. Instead, pick the one that makes the most sense for your company, and go hard.

Where is your audience, and what kind of information are they looking for? If you’re selling organic baby food, facebook is great because you can target ads to new moms, and we know they’re all there because we see all their baby photos. But if you’re selling art, go to Instagram where it was reported that the actor Leonardo DiCaprio bought a $15,000 by Jean-Pierre Roy, an emerging artist, over† the phone, after supposedly seeing it on Instagram. 

And do your best to give value, don’t just make “Me! Me! Me!” posts and expect people to follow you. There is lots written about this, you can start with point 3 here.

3.  Likes and Fans Don’t Mean Diddly-Squat if You Aren’t Getting Sales

If you don’t have a clear path to conversion (i.e. they see the ad and you know exactly how they are going to turn into a paying customer) then it’s not worth a cent. Hashtags don’t get you sales. "Impressions" don’t get you sales, and paying for “impressions” is ad sales fodder useful mostly to major corporations.  Planned marketing efforts executed creatively yield sales through social media, period. Yes you could get lucky with a random sale sometimes, but random luck is not the way to run a business.

4. Facebook: Pay Up or Lose

If you want to use Facebook to build your business you must spend money on ad dollars. This is not the post explaining how to do that but I’ll give you a few tips:

• Always have a goal for a post/ad.
• Want more people on your newsletter? Then make it an ad for an irresistible FREE download that people get for subscribing.
• Launching a product, or want to sell directly to customers? Offer a limited time special or coupon and make the offer a “first month free” to a subscription based business.
• When choosing the demographic for your ads, target specific people in specific locations. Then write your ads to speak to those people in those locations and use imagery about those people in those locations. 
• A/B test your ads- easier than it sounds. It just means put up two ads at a time, give it a week, and then change the one that’s losing and try to beat the one that’s winning with a new ad. Rinse and repeat.

Need ideas for ads? Pay attention to the Facebook ads you see and you’ll start to see a pattern. They work. If you’re on Facebook, it’s what you need to do to be successful.  

5. Google+, wah wah

And if you still want to just post for the sake of posting without thinking too hard about creating value or developing creative strategies, do it on Google+. No, we still don’t think people are looking at it, but Google is, and they reward companies that use it. Get your business on Google+ so you can show up on the map- this is big and your competitors likely aren't doing it cause it's a pain in the butt! Reviews on Google+ are huge too, they show up when someone does a google search for you.

Not that we use Google +, just sayin’. (Dec. update: we did sign up to be on the map, and we're waiting for the snail mail postcard to come in the mail. like I said, kind of a pain.)

Conclusion

The illusion of social media is that you can do it yourself successfully because it's easy to use. But unless you've got a lot of free time to educated yourself on a new industry, you are probably spinning your wheels. If it really is a strong place for your business to be, then hire a professional to at least help you come up with a strategy that has clear goals. Even if you execute it yourself, you'll be infinitely better off then just posting on facebook because you think that you should.

DID DONALD TRUMP MURDER AN ARGENTINEAN PROSTITUTE IN 1987?

Nope.

Well, to be completely accurate, I don’t know if he did or didn’t.
I’m more interested in why you clicked the headline.

"Clickbait" is a term used to describe inflammatory headlines that pique curiosity to get clicks. Since advertisers care about clicks, not readers, the follow up content is often useless and irrelevant. Gawker and Buzzfeed are the best (or worst?) at getting click to an "article" that ends up being a complete waste of time.

Why do we care?

Because if you can use clickbait to share genuine, useful, entertaining content, you will win the hearts and minds of your readers. Since we trust you only put out genuine, useful content, we recommend you use some clickbait tactics to get people to actually read it.

So here you go, the 5 Easiest Clickbait Tactics to make your articles clickable (we urge you to only use these powers for good!)

1.  Tie your article to something that’s happening NOW

Did you just have a small heart attack watching Trump at the republican debates? Do you own a fitness company? Here's some free copy:

• “The Trump Workout: Drown your tears in a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and then do these 3 exercises.”

WHATEVER YOU DO, don’t make the subject of your emails “July Newsletter” or the title of your articles “May Marketing Article.” This does not count as being "current" people!

2. Start Your Headline with “Why”

“Why” tickles our curiosity, and when we are curious, we click to relieve that itch. Pair it with something random and you really have a winner:

• Why too few clients is better than too many
• Why you're still single
• Why cookies for breakfast might make you skinny
• Why Tequila is Good for You

3. Be Bold (Ask for Forgiveness, Not Permission)

This is a classic clickbait tactic, but hyperbole and exaggeration do not mean the content has to suck. As long as the article has value other than just the click - it will attract your target market AND you will actually deliver relevant, valuable information to them. This is clearly one of our favorite moves, like in some of these past articles:

• Social Media is a Waste of Time
• WTF IS MR. YUK?
• Holiday Emails and Why you Shouldn’t Send them

4. Turn Any Headline into a Question

“Sugar is poisonous to your health” is less engaging than “Is sugar poisonous to your health?”

When posed as a question, people on both sides of the conversation are curious to see what you’re going to say. State the fact, and you already told me the punchline.

Here's another:
"Trump seems to hate women” does not get as much interest as “Does Trump hate women?”

Basically, do you want to be talked at or asked a question?

Headlines phrased as questions have the potential to entice literally everyone, those who hate, love or are just curious about the subject. You can hear the reactions: "What a dog, I bet he does hate women", or "No way he hates women, he's married at least a few of them!". Regardless of your position, the question makes space for many points of view and opinions.

*(By the way #sorrynotsorry for the Trump bashing. If you find it offensive this is probably not the company for you!)

5. Talk Directly to Them: "You" and "Your"

In the end it’s not about you, it’s about the reader. And using the word "you" subconsciously hammers that home. Talk to your customer, not at them.

• How Would You Spend an Extra $5,000?
• The Best Kept Secret Investment Tip You Won’t Believe
• Your Evening Routine That is Draining All Your Energy

So there they are, the five easiest click bait tricks. If Donald Trump can pull off this kind of lead in the republican presidential campaign using these techniques, imagine what you can do with them!

Note: Sometimes we even help clients write these clickbait headlines... in our BRANDUPS!

IS YOUR WEBSITE A DINOSAUR?

Crazy technological advancements have created a small business landscape of unprecedented proportions. You can see the ripple effect in how we view websites, what we expect, and what we won’t stand for anymore. Worstofall has broken down what separates successful websites of the future from the dinosaurs of yesterday and today.

So the question is... Is your website leading the revolution, or are you already a dinosaur?

WEBSITES OF THE FUTURE...

1. Will be childishly simple in their message and purpose

We can now hop back-and-forth between articles, screens, and ideas multiple times per minute. Customers lose interest in something if they aren’t sold in a split second (or at least sold on the idea of reading more). Getting your point across stat-quick will only be more important as the online landscape gets better at it—and as the dinosaur sites get crushed.

Proof: Every successful company

2. Will sell only one thing

Everyone should understand immediately what you sell so they can determine if it is right for them. With a bajillion new websites popping up each day, users are getting more and more used to finding exactly what they are looking for on websites that make it easy to understand, order, or contact. Businesses that offer hyper-specific products and services will beat their generalist competitors. 

Proof: There exists a store called The Heatonist in the high-rent section of Williamsburg, down the street from the Wythe Hotel, that only sells hot sauce... seriously.

3. Will have very limited “Options”

Sheena Lyengar’s great TedX talk outlines “choice overload.” She explains a study where she set up a tasting table of jam in front of a supermarket. On certain days she had 24 different jams to choose from, and other days only six. People who saw fewer options were six times more likely to buy a jar.

There are countless examples of this phenomenon (Sheena offers a few more; the talk is worth a watch!), but we know it feels like the wrong choice. You’re worried that offering fewer options equals missing out on sales. Stop thinking like that. When customers are six times more likely to buy from you, your sales will go way up, not down.

Proof: Casper- Maybe you’ve seen the subway ads? They sell only one mattress in every bed size. Business Insider’s article, “I just bought a bed from the ‘Warby Parker of mattresses’ and I will never buy one in stores again,” says it all: This trend is here to stay.

4. Will speak in tweets, captions and headlines only

If you’re over 40, you may still have the patience to read five-paragraph “About” pages and laundry lists of services, but I doubt it. As businesses get better and better at communicating their value in a sentence, no one will tolerate lengthy prose. Stop reading. You get it, and I’ve already said too much.

Proof: Twitter and your shrinking attention span

Want to lead the movement with a "website of the future," now? First step is to simplify your message.

WANT SOME MORE ACTIONABLE TIPS?

We'd love to share our 5 Steps you can take to Badassify Your Website in our

'BADASS WEBSITE THAT SELLS' CHECKLIST!

THE NEWEST GENERATION TO COMPLAIN ABOUT

Just when you were starting to figure out the Millennials, here come the Gen Zers. These kids, born from the mid-1990s through the late 2000s, are poised to become the largest consumer AND entrepreneur generation yet, and they are going to seem like aliens.

Generation Z has never known the world without computers and the Internet. If you think Millennials know more about technology than you, brace yourself. These Gen Z kids are native; it’s in their blood. Connecting with them is going to be quite the challenge.

For Gen Zers, opening up a small business is a no-brainer so look out!

By 2020, a projected 50 percent of Americans will be self-employed, and you can bet a lot of them will be this younger generation, who will wonder why they would ever get a job when they can sell stuff from home by playing around on social media all day.

You’re probably getting that sinking feeling... Yet another group you have to figure out so you can keep your business afloat, right?

Wrong! 

The only real difference in working with Generation Z is that there will be infinitely more young, hungry competition down the road. This demographic grew up building websites and marketing themselves before they even understood the concept of marketing.

It’s not only that they know how to use editing programs like Garageband (to edit music), Adobe Creative Suite (graphic design and photography), and iMovie, it’s that learning these new programs is second nature and effortless. They are unafraid to grow and change. So how do you prepare yourself for this ever-increasing competition?

No matter how quickly and easily these kids might be able to create a website and design a logo, they are not inherently able to grow a strong business by building a brand and reputation. 

You need to have your own niche. This is true not just for new and prospective clients, but also for your existing customer base. When you grow your business based on a realm of expertise, it will be increasingly difficult for anyone to compete with you. You will actually scare off future competitors because you have such a hold on your corner of the world.

We call that having a badass brand!

The Gen Zers will inevitably build things they’ve already seen, playing the “me-too” game that lures in so many entrepreneurs. It will take a while for them to realize they have to create their own niche, so that gives you just a little extra time to make it happen. 

But make no mistake: They will figure it out! And if you don’t build your foundation now…well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Need help with that? 

ARE YOUR "SOLUTIONS" LOSING YOU CLIENTS?

Many businesses are walking around trying to solve people’s problems. It’s a commendable mission,  it's even the point of business- to create value for others by solving their problems.

But we’re often missing one crucial detail: we are solving a problem the clients don’t know they have. And if your customer doesn’t know they have the problem you are solving, they will not buy your solution.

So what do we do?

Sell people on what they want, then give them what they need.

This mantra can change the way you play the sales game.

As the expert in your field, you have so much information that your customer needs to know. But your knowledge goes deep, much deeper than our initial understanding of what you do. If you include all the nitty-gritty details, and try to explain why we need something we don’t understand, you will have a hard time making the sale.

This doesn’t mean lying. Chances are, you already are selling what the customer wants, bundled somewhere in your list of services. But the purchase is based on the initial pain point, and the company that convincingly promises to solve that pain point is the one the customer will hire. And the client will be willing to pay a premium because solving the problem is their most important goal.

Example:

Brett Lavender is an exceptional public speaking coach, but he teaches communication skills that go way beyond public speaking and help his clients excel in all aspects of life. After all, when you are a great communicator, you instantly benefit in relationships with friends, family, and even strangers. 

Being a great communicator is so valuable that Brett wanted to focus on selling that skill set. But how many people actually think their biggest challenge is that they aren’t very good at communicating with their spouse, their colleagues, or their boss? And how many would be willing to pay to improve their skills? Not a whole lot.

On the other hand, tons of people have a desire to improve their public speaking skills, and they’re willing to spend a lot because they know it will pay off.

When you work with Brett on public speaking, you understand and then receive the benefit of becoming a great communicator. But Brett is going to have a much easier time selling the skill of public speaking, because that’s what people want. Once you work with Brett, you understand the value of improving your interpersonal communication skills, and no doubt will want to work on those, too. 

But Brett’s unique approach to public speaking is such a huge differentiator that it sets him apart from the competition and makes it much easier for him to sell his services.
 

Bottom line:

What do your clients need?

What do they know they need?

Which one are you selling them? 

Sell them what they want,

then give them what they need and you'll always come out on top.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD LOGO?

If you think your logo is the most important part of your brand, you're not alone. Most people focus on creating a cool logo and miss what’s actually needed to turn it into a badass logo that people recognize and love.
 

Most people focus on creating a cool logo and miss what’s actually needed to turn it into a badass logo that people recognize and love. In the small business space, it has everything to do with how you communicate what you have to offer in a clear and meaningful way.
 
It has almost nothing to do with your logo!!
 
The problem is we small business owners are looking up at huge companies for ideas of what we need to succeed.
 
But we are not them, and they are not us. And we aren't even headed in the direction to be them! Because most of those example brands you are looking at are products.
 
But you are a service.
 
And even for the huge badass brands of companies that sell products- even their logos aren't the reason they are successful. It's the brand that made the logo what it is. For example:

NIKE: THE GODDESS OF VICTORY

Case in point: Nike. When we think of Nike, we think of the swoosh. So it’s no surprise that most people equate the power of a brand with the power of the logo.

I mean, what a brilliant logo, right?

WRONG!

Sure, there’s a story behind the shape of the logo, but people don’t buy Nike because of the swoosh.

The logo is brilliant only because of the behemoth brand that backs it up. Apparently a student designed the swoosh for $35 in 1971—what a steal! But it wasn’t really a steal. Nike made that logo brilliant by positioning the company in the market, and then pumping cash into smart advertising campaigns over decades.

The swoosh might as well be some weirdo abstract creature that has nothing to do with what it’s selling, like the mermaid on the Starbucks logo. It’s iconic because the brand made it iconic.

The logo is only one small part of the brand. Yes, a bad logo can hurt your business. And a brilliant logo that makes people stop and think, “Hey, that’s cool,” will have customers think about you for an extra millisecond.

But a logo does not a brand make. On the other hand, a great brand can make a plain logo seem absolutely brilliant.

Too harsh?

Why are we being so harsh on logos? After all, we love designing badass logos, and it’s fun to come up with a smart logo that encapsulates the brand’s essence into a single mark that, over time, the consumers will recognize sans the company name. That’s pretty cool, and that’s what all businesses want.

We’re being harsh because we don’t want you to spin your wheels on getting the perfect logo in lieu of building the brand that’s actually going to make that logo sing. Yes it's important that the logo is in line with your brand's positioning (a nice luxury font logo for a premium priced brand makes sense while a childish font would not) but once it's in the right vicinity, we find no "perfect" logo is going to make your company successful.

10:1 RULE

So what makes a good logo? The brand behind it. Go ahead: Put effort into a logo you can be proud of. But don’t do it if you’re not going to put ten times the effort into a brand that’s going to make it work for you. Stop spending time on your logo, and start spending time on your brand: your logo will thank you.

Most people think if they have a badass logo, they also have a badass brand! And while a cool logo can take you far, it is most certainly not a brand, and understanding the difference can open your eyes to new opportunities for growing your business.

Below are 4 key differences that can help you determine if you have a brand or not, and when you need one.  

OK, BUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LOGO AND A BRAND?

What’s a logo? A mark that represents your company.

What’s a brand? The reason your logo has any meaning at all. It’s the value, feeling, and personality of your company that your logo will come to represent if you market the brand consistently over time.

A logo without a brand is just another mark.

1. A LOGO IS A MARK, A BRAND IS YOUR STORY

A logo is the mark that identifies your company whenever it’s presented.  It’s the mark that goes on top of your website, your business cards, and your products and packaging. A logo is one very important part of your brand.

A brand is how consumers perceive you. It's the sum of your company’s touch points and includes everything your customers come into contact with. It's the main message and idea that influences everything you say and do, how and where you market it, and of course, all the visual elements of your business (website, business cards, marketing materials...)

An important point most people miss is that a brand is not about what you are selling, but why people care about what you’re selling. It’s about the emotional need you are fulfilling. 

Think about your brand as a story. Who are you, and why should people care?

2.  A LOGO WILL HELP YOU START A BUSINESS, A BRAND WILL HELP YOU GROW A BUSINESS

You can start and build a business with a logo, and as a solopreneur just by operating you are your default brand because you are your business, and people can’t help being themselves pretty consistently. If you’re a reliable, hardworking person with a great product, you’ll probably do alright! Although if you rely on your personal awesomeness to develop your business, it will mean that you need to spend quite a bit of time with each lead for them to fully understand why you’re great.

When you start hiring employees and outside vendors who will also be selling your services (social media marketers, for example), a brand is crucial to making sure that everyone is selling the same thing, with the same message. Even if it continues to just be you, if you are utilizing online marketing techniques (social media, blogging, webinars, newsletters, etc…) a brand will make sure that all the content you put out there is consistently telling the right story, reinforcing the main overall message of your business. That consistency is what develops relationships with people overtime, be they current or potential clients. The longer you reinforce your message, the more awareness you bring to your business and that awareness multiplies overtime and translates into sales.

3. A LOGO INFLUENCES YOUR VISUALS, A BRAND AFFECTS AESTHETICS, AND MORE

Since the logo is the sum of the brand's visuals, we usually start by developing the perfect logo mark and then build the entire visual brand around it. But that visual brand does not directly reference company culture or messaging. Again, when you have a brand message, it influences every decision you make as a company (For example your pitch; your homepage copy; how and where you market. A few less obvious ones might be; how you structure your work days; where you have a company holiday party or host promotional events; what kinds of events you sponsor; what charities you support; the kinds of gifts you give...)

4.  A LOGO IS MORE AFFORDABLE THAN A BRAND

Unless you have an investment with which you are starting your business, developing a brand before you’ve actually set up shop is usually not possible given your limited resources. When we help growing businesses create a brand, we have a lot of information on which to base that brand message; past experiences can shed light on the actual needs of the consumer (as opposed to the needs you think they have.) 

That said, having a brand is powerful.  If you have a clear and strong message, and brand elements that strengthen that message (i.e. a badass website, super professional business cards, eye catching mailers…) selling is much easier.  Many industries sell their good based almost completely on their brand. Clothing and jewelry, for example, are a dime a dozen, are non-essentials, and consumers in these verticals buy  based on the brand equity more so then in service-based businesses. The whole buying experience needs to make consumers feel great because they don't need to buy this item. And that experience is shaped by the brand. 

But out of the gate, when you are starting a business, there are so many other things that need your time and money. So when boot strapping the business, it’s usually not feasible or the best use of your limited resources.  After all, a great brand without a great business has nothing to sell. Here's an article about how much branding costs, and you're just starting out, check out our Brandshrink or  Brandup, an affordable way to get everything you need, including a responsive website if you're not ready for the full shabang.

In the end you will need both, but when you are a small business, doing a full branding project is often not affordable.  If you use a logo designer that knows about branding, elements of your overall brand message will still be discussed and explored to achieve the right logo anyway. A brand will always be more powerful, but companies don’t usually have the resources to develop one when first starting out.  When you’re ready though, a brand is necessary and will help take you where you want to go!

ARE YOU BORING?

Boring is probably the worst insult you can get. I think most people would rather be mean or rude than boring. Boring means nobody cares to think of you because there's not much to think.

So why do so many businesses settle for being boring? 

Here are three common things businesses do that make them boring and bland, and what to do instead if you want to titillate your audience

1. Use superlatives

Unless a reputable source said it’s so (and you can cite them), saying you are The Best at anything is pretty lame. How do we know you’re the best-- because you said so? Of course you’re going to say that, you’ve got a pretty obvious agenda.

INSTEAD, TRY THIS:
Give some specifics. Whether it’s Geiko saying they will save you 10% or more on car insurance (instead of saying they are “the cheapest”), or Dominos saying they will deliver your pizza in 30 minutes or less or it’s free (instead of saying they have fast delivery), Specifics are more believable and will go much farther than some generic claim with nothing to back it up or compare it to.

You can also say something entirely different and badass- but that’s a different article.

2. Write too many words

Unless we are sitting down to read a book we actually want to read, we don’t want to read. So if you can’t sum up your point in a few sentences or less, don’t bother writing it.

And break up your points with paragraphs.

And use headlines.

Because they are easier to read, and lots of words are boring.

3. Talk about yourself

It’s hard not to talk about ourselves, after all we are the inspiration and the reason for our business' existence. Maybe compare it to being ones child, an extension of ourselves. We are the center of our own universes, and it’s a habit that’s hard to shake.

So it’s no wonder that everyone has their bio, their story, and their history all over their website. It’s the story we know, and it feels important.

But you know what is interesting and important to me, the customer? What you’re going to do for me. How looking at your website, or learning about your company, is going to benefit me.

Us customers are not just self-centered a-holes, and it's not as cold and sad as it sounds. It’s actually quite wonderful! It’s the reason businesses exist: to create and give value to others. It’s a noble cause that comes with a perk of being able to support yourself monetarily.

So do us a solid and talk more about the value you created for us, and how it’s going to help us, and stop telling us about your hobbies and pets and how long you’ve been in business (I don’t want the oldest company, I want the most effective company for solving my problem.)

Your customers, and your bank account, will thank you handsomely.

THE GOOGLE APOCALYPSE: IS YOUR WEBSITE GOING TO BECOME EXTINCT?

Since April 21st, 2015, Google started taking mobile-friendliness into account when ranking website, and this change promises to have profound and widespread impact on the web and how we search.

This means if you don't have a responsive website, (meaning the website adapts to the screen size on which the viewer is looking, readjusting images and text so you can just scroll down to find information instead of zoom in) you are a dinosaur according to Google.

Why are they doing this to us?! You might ask.

Google dominates the search engine space because it's so damn good at adjusting its algorithm so that you almost always find exactly what you're looking for. Since more than 50% of web cruising occurs on mobile or tablet devices, and looking at your dinosaur website on a phone sucks, Google is ready to tell you you need to shape up or ship out. 

Responsive websites have been around for a few years now, so we don't want to hear your sob story. But we understand life gets in the way, you been meaning to redesign your site and make it mobile friendly and you just haven't had the chance.

Well, Google is giving you a great reason to now.

Now we know, starting a new website project feels like a big undertaking. You aren't looking forward to spending the next 3-6 months going back and forth with a designer, and then a programer, to get this thing up.

What if you could have it soon? I mean, IMMEDIATELY? That's why we invented the Brandup. It's a 1, 2 or 3 day intensive where we design and build your brand and entire responsive website so you can get back to business. Read about it here.

If you need to solve this problem soon and you don't want to waste 6 months doing it, schedule a call and see if a Brandup is right for you. If you know you're ready, you can take the first step and schedule a Brandshrink to get started.

HOW MUCH DOES MARKETING COST?

ASK YOURSELF:

If you knew that for every dollar you spent on marketing you would get two dollars back, how much would you spend on that campaign?

EHHHHH!! wrong answer.

You would spend a BAGILLION DOLLARS!!

You’d spend everything you could get your hands on! You'd mortgage your house, your car and your kids! (Stolen from a presentation by Joe from Ajax Union-- thanks for your wisdome Joe!)

And yet, you aren't mortgaging your kids, now are you. Why not?
Because how much you should spend also depends on 2 things:

1. How much you want to make

2. If you “believe” in marketing
    

If you don't spend a lot on marketing, then you either don't want any more money, or you don’t believe it works.

It makes sense to not believe in "marketing", because it often doesn’t work. "Throw shit at the wall" marketing is where you spend money on random actions, like a mailer or a random newsletters, but have no clear goal or way of tracking it. Then, if you aren't magically wealthy after, you stop marketing completely and decide marketing doesn’t work.
 

Spend money to make money

The other kind of marketing, marketing that turns $1 into $2 (or $4, or $10) requires you to spend money and not get any in return at first (gasp!) and to keep going anyway (Badass). There are infinite ways to market, and every business is going to benefit from a particular recipe of ingredients. Like a cake without enough sugar and too many eggs, it won't taste good if you don't find the right mix for your business.

Social media might work great for Mommy & Me Yoga but horribly for Joe Schmo the Insurance Salesman

Joe Schmo might benefit more from networking meetings, but Ms. Peabody with her new cosmetic product won't see any return networking. You can make some educated guesses, but until you test and track, and test and track, again and again, you won’t know.

Once you test and track, you will find out there is a magic formula for your business that will multiply your marketing dollars.

If you invest the time and money into finding out where you make not just a decent profit, but the highest return, then you can start shoving as much money as you can in that direction and feel confident about the dollars you will get back. And when you commit and support this ecosystem overtime, the benefits will grow exponentially.

But you must invest money and time to find that magic recipe.
 

Further Benefits

If you find that magic number for dollars in and dollars out, then the sky is the limit. You have a slinky that you can expand and contract as you wish based on the amount of money you want to make and the lifestyle you want to lead. And that information, the knowledge of what marketing actions can turn x into 10x, greatly increases the value of your business to potential buyers, should you ever decide to sell your business and go live on a beach somewhere.

But first you have to have something special to sell. Read how we built a brand that sold itself in Ch 1 of Badass Your Brand: