One of the most important challenges to landing a job in branding is knowing how to make sure you stand out. Chances are there are more than a few candidates vying for the same internship or full time job that you’ve got your eye on.

Having been on the hiring side many times, I can tell you that after a while the stream of candidates becomes a blur. One thing that helps a candidate stand out is to have a presentation of his or her experience. I call this a “visual resume.” By that I simply mean: a well-designed, clean PDF that brings some of the examples in your resume to life. For example:

• Spent a summer as an intern at a local agency? Put a screen grab of that agency’s logo and some of the key projects/brands you were involved with on a page. Make sure you don’t show anything that the Agency or their clients would consider confidential (when in doubt ask).

Help your prospective employer visualize your experience.

• Ran the marketing for one of your school’s events? Show pictures from the day and include stats about how many people you reached etc.

Unless you’ve worked on mega brands like Coke and Nike, it’s going to take your interviewer a few minutes to really understand what you are talking about and determine if the experience is relevant to what he or she is looking for. Help them make the leap more quickly by brining the examples to life. To that end, make sure you are taking pictures at any school events, and scanning the covers and key pages of any relevant projects (like a marketing class project where you had to come up with ideas for a new brand).

Another effective thing that you can do which shows your interest in the job is do an informal customer experience audit before the interview and bring your findings with you.

When I was interviewing to be the VP of Brand at Virgin, I did my own desktop audit of the Virgin brand – I looked at the websites of each of the individual brands in the Virgin family and I did an informal survey about what the brand stood for among people in what I perceived to be their target market. I presented these “findings” along with some initial suggestions on how to address the brand’s challenges as part of my interview. I didn’t present it as in-depth research, just a conversation starter. But it did show that I wasn’t just saying I was interested in working there; I was proving it through a bit of extra research. And the rest is history…

Think about putting in a little extra work prior to your interview and be prepared to share a point of view. You don’t have to be “right” in your learning, just as long as you can demonstrate a solid thought process. It will also help you gauge how open your potential employer is to suggestions. Receive more tips and techniques on how to do this in our post HERE.

Our 8-week online course at Brand School gives you the tools and techniques you need to keep your brand shining through and standing out. Receive more information about the next semester and free brand-building tools and tips when you join our mailing list.

Please also check us out on Twitter and Facebook for more insight and discussion on branding.

The post Land the Job: Bring Your Experience Off the Page! appeared first on BrandTwist.

(Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife)

Forbes columnist Allen Adamson recently came to BrandTwist founder Julie Cottineau for her input regarding the latest digital technology trends and their impact on brands and marketing. She provided insight on how brands like Virgin America use strong visual branding to get their brand story across; and how it’s important to have brand signatures and images be click, shoot and send worthy. In today’s quick-paced technology based markets, it’s even more critical to utilize what Julie calls ‘Word of Eye’ to remain in the forefront of consumer thinking. ‘Word of Eye’ is not only the current trend, but the wave of the future as well.

Read the full article by Allen Adamson on Forbes.com:  Virgin, Disney, Apple Know ‘Word of Eye’ Is Key to Success in Branding Today

What brands have you seen that successfully leverage “Word of Eye”?

Our 8-week online course at Brand School will give you the tools you need to develop your branding word and Word of Eye skills. Receive more information about the next semester and also receive brand-building tools and tips when you join our mailing list.

Please also check us out on Twitter and Facebook for more insight and discussion on branding.

“Brand School had great examples of real companies. I was able to dig even deeper, think of things in a new way, and get new ideas for my brand. It was well worth the fee.”            ..      …….. .  ….  …..,,  ..   … - Brenda C., Brand School Student 

The post ‘Word of Eye’ Is Key to Success in Branding Today appeared first on BrandTwist.

Box up a bundle of goodies with a Birchbox - It’s difficult for active mothers to get into stores to sample new products. So why not make it easier for her and bring those samples directly to mom’s door? Birchbox does just that. Birchbox delivers several samples of cosmetic, skin care, bath, beauty and lifestyle products all bundled into a beautiful Birchbox and sent direct to mom’s doorstep.  Read more about what we feel drives the success of the Birchbox brand here.

Hire a rabbit to take on a task with Taskrabbit – A mom’s life is busy, busy, and… did we say busy? There’s always some task that she doesn’t have time to complete. She would really appreciate a helping hand. TaskRabbit is all about getting the job done.  This company has experts in just about every field who are ready to take on mom’s request, and as their tagline promises, to help mom go “From To-Do, to Done.” Interested in how Taskrabbit built a succesful brand? Read more here.

Ch-ch-ch-changes through chocolate! Chocolate is always a welcomed gift, but when it’s fun, meaningful and connects you to the world, it’s even better.  Each sweetriot chocolate candy purchase supports sustainable cocoa farming, native and local farmers, and the emerging artists community by featuring works that embrace sweetriot’s culture on the candy wrappers. A sweetriot gift purchase does more than simply satisfying mom’s chocolate craving. Want to know more about the secret to sweetriot’s sweet branding success? Read about it here.

Take mom on a fabulous get-away –  Treat mom to a fabulous weekend away full of local flavor by celebrating at a unique hotel. Discover a new city together – and build memories that will last a long time. The  Provenance Hotels are a great boutique collection that offer wonderful decor and  authentic local touches in some very cool US cities. How can your brand cash in on the trend to hyper local? Read more here.

Support mom in growing her business. Is your mother an entrepreneur, small business owner, artist, performer, or freelance contractor? Here’s a way to help her take her business and brand to the top! Brand School is our 8-week ONLINE course that will give her the tools and insight she needs to grow a stronger personal, career or business brand. Receive more information about the next semester and our free e-book, 13 Tips for Better Branding when you and your mom  join our mailing list. 

The post Five Brand-Marvelous Ideas for Mother’s Day appeared first on BrandTwist.

Okay, I’ve got to admit this particular subject is one I am pretty passionate about. It’s one of my pet peeves… lazy networking.

I get so many correspondences from students that go something like this…

Dear Ms. Cottineau,

I heard you speak in my class and I am very interested in a career in branding. I was hoping we could have lunch and you could tell me about your background and your experience. Looking forward to hearing from you.”

Sincerely,

Interested (but lazy) Student

What’s wrong with this approach? So many things:

• It lacks specifics.
• It lacks focus.
• It shows a lack of commitment.
• It also, frankly, is a bit lacking in respect for my time.

If you are really that interested in connecting with me here’s how you can let me know you really care: 1) do your homework, 2) show your commitment and, 3) make it easier for me to help you.

I am interested in helping – I took the time from my work schedule to come speak at your University and share my knowledge and experience with you. But in this kind of lazy networking email… you are making me do all the work.

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Here’s a version that is more likely to get a response:

Dear Ms. Cottineau,

I was really inspired by the talk you gave in Professor X’s class last week. You might remember me, I was the student in the front row that raised my hand and asked you about X. After your lecture, I went on to the Virgin website to educate myself more about the 360-degree approach to branding that you shared with us. I found the recent campaign for Virgin America particularly impactful because of XYZ.

I also joined your mailing list, liked your Facebook page, and am now following your blog and re-tweeting your branding insights on Twitter. I did some research about you online and I am really fascinated by your background. Like you, I have the desire to work in Europe and I am also a big believer in lateral twists. In fact, I thought you might enjoy the attached article on inspiration from this month’s issue of Fast Company. Here is a link. I am not sure if you saw it, but if you find it interesting, perhaps you might enjoy sharing it with your Facebook or Twitter followers.

I am reaching out with a very specific request that I hope won’t take up much of your valuable time. I am a third year student looking for a summer internship at a mid-sized digital agency in NYC. I have narrowed my list to a top 5.  I was hoping I could get any perspective you might have on these agencies and ask if you have any contacts that you might be willing to forward my resume and cover letter to (See attached). I would also love to hear if you think I have left any agencies out of this top 5 list that you think should be there.

I’d love to get your feedback in whatever way is most convenient for you. Can we schedule a 15-minute chat next Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at 9am? If not, is there a more convenient time? My number is xxx. If it’s easier for you, I’d also appreciate any thoughts you have by email.

Thank you in advance for your inspiration. I am sure you must get hundreds of request like this a day. I assure you, I will pay your generosity forward some day.

Sincerely,

Mr./Ms. Student More Likely to Get a Response

What’s smarter about this approach?

• The student shows commitment by doing their homework.
• They show loyalty and interest in helping me grow my brand.
• Their request is specific and manageable.
• The next steps are clear and easy for me to follow-up on.

.

“I learned a lot from Brand School.  It inspired me to think outside the box. I have a much deeper understanding of how to effectively build a brand.” – Mike S., Brand School Student

The post Network More Effectively to Land the Job appeared first on BrandTwist.

One of my favorite things about spring is – STUDENTS! Every April I get to spend time with undergraduate and graduate students at both Cornell and Columbia – two great universities where I’ve had the good fortune of teaching as an adjunct professor. I also get to connect with students in my own online program, Brand School.

During and after my visits to campus, I receive dozens of questions about pursuing a career in branding touching on a wide array of topics such as: “How do I grow and manage my personal brand?” “Is it better to work at an agency or client-side?” “How do I break into the branding business?”

I’d love to be able to sit down and speak one-on-one with each student about his or her concerns. But unfortunately, my schedule is full to the brim with my brand consultancy BrandTwist, my online Brand School program, and two full-time students of my own (a 6th grader and a 10th grader).

But the career concerns of my students are so important; I simply could not let them go. And thus began the foundation for this blog series, So You Want to Work in Branding. Here’s My Advice…  This series is designed specifically for those considering a career in branding. I give my top tips and share with you my insights from over 25+ years at great companies such as Grey, Interbrand and Virgin. If you are curious, you can read more about my background here.

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If you are considering a career in the branding industry, this series is about YOU. The more input you share about your concerns, questions and issues, the more meaningful information I can provide. Leave your input in the comments section below – that way other students (who probably have similar questions) can also join in and benefit from the conversation.

Please realize the point-of-view I express in this blog series is based solely on my own experience. There is no one right way to go about building a career in branding – but that’s part of the fun of it.

WHERE DO I START?

This blog series is a great place to start your process.

Speak to as many people as possible in the industry.

Always have your contact information readily available (yes, we still use actual business cards!). And be ready with a short elevator pitch about your credentials and what makes you a desirable hire. You can read more about honing your elevator pitch here.

Consider the relationship you have with your teachers, professors, and counselors as a wonderful resource. They may have direct referrals for you or give you ideas on where to network.

Additional powerful resources are college club, alumni and fraternity or sorority connections.

GET NOTICED ONLINE

One thing you can start to do right away to flex your branding muscle and increase your visibility is to be a guest author for industry blogs. BrandTwist is always looking for student and guest authors for our blog. Interested? Just send a brief synopsis of your blog idea along with a sample paragraph to Jamie@BrandTwist.com and we will contact you within one week to let you know if your blog idea has been accepted.

Check out the BrandTwist blog list of categories we cover (to the right) and view the latest guest student blog post here.

BrandTwist does not pay for guest blog content, but we will provide you with a byline that includes your contact details. This is a great platform to reach other people who are passionate about brand. Who knows… maybe your future employer will see your blog post and call you for an interview!

JUST ONE MORE THING

You may be tempted to charge ahead with a full-court press when you start to contact your resources and associations, but I urge caution here. There are effective and ineffective ways of making yourself noticeable and accessible. We will cover many of the do’s and don’ts throughout the rest of this blog series, so please stay tuned!

I look forward to sharing with you and hearing from you! Feel free to share this post with any friends you think could also benefit from a smarter job search.

Here’s our next post in the series: Network More Effectively to Land the Job.

“Julie’s active participation in Brand School and  feedback was amazing and helped a LOT. I received great value from this program.” - Leslie H., Brand School Student

Our online Brand School course will give you the insight and tools you need to get the job done. Receive more information about the next semester and free tools and tips when you join our mailing list.

Please also check us out on Twitter and Facebook for more insight and discussion on branding.

The post So You Want To Work In Branding. Here’s My Advice… appeared first on BrandTwist.

Check out “7 Bewitching Brands,” an article featuring an interview with BrandTwist founder, Julie Cottineau, in the April issue of Entrepreneur magazine. She addresses how Lululemon builds a community of brand ambassadors and uses all of its brand touch points (from tags to tote bags) to build its brand.

Despite the recent setbacks Lululemon Athletic has had with its recall of see-through yoga pants, we are still a big fan of this brand. We believe that all brands make mistakes, but in general, Lululemon does more right than wrong and we think they will weather this setback.

Read about Lululemon and 6 other bewitching brands HERE. This is a great issue of Entrepreneur – dedicated 100% to brand. A must read.

What brands would you put on the “bewitching” brands list? What’s missing? We’d love to hear your twist.

The post How Lululemon Athletica Stretches its Brand Touchpoints appeared first on BrandTwist.

Birchbox was built on a single observation. It’s difficult for many people (like new parents) to get out and into stores to sample new products. So why not bring those samples directly to their homes? Birchbox does just that.

PACKAGE THE GAP AND DELIVER

Similar to what Rough Trade did with music, Birchbox took the “Product of the Month Club” concept and put a twist on it.  Instead of one monthly product, Birchbox delivers several samples of cosmetic, skin care, bath, beauty and lifestyle products all bundled into a beautiful Birchbox and sent direct to their subscribers door. They offer subscriptions for both men’s and women’s products, and each is branded with it’s own unique colors, look and feel.

ENGAGE YOUR MARKET; EXPAND ON WHAT YOUR BRAND OFFERS

But beyond delivering a new box of samples each month, Birchbox delivers brand value to their customers by giving them a total lifestyle website, where they can access user reviews of the latest products, have the opportunity to purchase additional goods and receive tips on grooming, fashion and beauty through their online magazines and blog.

Birchbox, like Brad’s Raw Foods, created a unique promise by filling a gap. Birchbox addresses people’s need for shopping convenience and their desire to feel connected, as their tagline expresses, Discover Beauty Better^™        

CURATE AND CONQUER

Think about ways your brand may be able to address an unmet need and make it easier for consumers to say “yes” to giving you a try. Our online Brand School course will provide the tools to create fresh ideas and help your business build trial and customer loyalty. Get  information about priority registration for next semester and receive our free e-book with brand-building tools and tips when you join our mailing list.

Please also visit us on Twitter and Facebook for more insight and inspiration on branding.

“I learned a lot from Brand School.  It inspired me to think outside the box. I have a much deeper understanding of how to effectively build a brand.”     …        ……….. ……………..  . ..  .. ……………. ….. - Mike S., Brand School Student

The post Think Inside the Box for Better Branding appeared first on BrandTwist.

There’s not a lot new about online dating. Or is there? HowAboutWe added a fresh, unexpected twist to their dating service by coming at things from a new angle. It’s not just about finding the right person to go out with, it’s also about figuring out what to do on your date.

This is an online dating site that is offline activity driven. And it’s targeting both singles and couples (another fresh twist).  On the singles side it’s what you want to do that drives the search and makes the headlines rather than a description of yourself. You “create” your ideal date activities to attract those who are interested in doing similar things. On the couple’s side, each person chooses activities they’d like to do and then shares with the other to create a great date. HowAboutWe also offers affordable access to activities and events by extending deeply discounted invitations to its members for exclusive offerings from local resources.

HowAboutWe didn’t invent something new. Online matchmaking and dating sites have become quite commonplace. Discount offers arrive every hour in our email. But HowAboutWe took a fresh look at the dating category – and by putting it all together in one place they are able to stand out in a competitive market.

What can your brand learn from them about creating deeper connections with your customers? Look beyond the table stakes of your category. Ask what else is it that people are seeking – and make that a part of what you deliver. Let’s say you sell teeth whitening strips. Simply put, your product makes teeth whiter. But what people REALLY want from your brand is to feel more appealing with a brighter and more confident smile. Armed with this knowledge you can deliver a stronger, more compelling brand promise. Offer tips on how to take great photographs; give make up advice; share ideas on what to wear to brighten your smile, or simply include more pictures of big beautiful smiles on your website.  You will go beyond users to loyal brand ambassadors.

Digging deep into what your customers are really looking for and recognizing how to more effectively deliver on that is a critical aspect of successful branding and business building. In our online Brand School course you’ll learn how to match your brand promise with your ideal target market. Receive more information about the next semester and receive free brand-building tools and tips when you join our mailing list.

Please also visit us on Twitter and Facebook for more insight and discussion on branding.

“Quality information. The value is priceless. I loved every minute of it! I’ve recommended Brand School to industry friends and colleagues.”                                                                                     ……..  …….  .     - Barb W., Brand School Student

The post Find the Perfect Match for Your Brand appeared first on BrandTwist.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” That expression is as true today as it was when Plato first wrote it, circa 450 BC.

Here is another catchy term, “evergreen topic.” Meaning, a subject  that will always be of great interest to people. One of the biggest evergreen topics is health. If there is such a thing as a health bandwagon, it sure seems like EVERYONE is on it. Now, let’s take all of the above and create a little equation: Necessity + Invention + Evergreen = Brad’s Raw Chips.

Brad’s Raw Chips are a gluten-free, organic, vegan, kosher snack food. Founded by Brad Gruno, who had no experience what-so-ever with baking, cooking or nutritional health products. In fact, he had worked in the telecommunications industry for over 20 years, was 40 pounds overweight with high cholesterol, and was depressed… you get the picture. When Brad decided to get on a healthier track by following a raw diet, he found what he missed most was the flavorful, spicy taste and crunch of snack foods. Out of sheer desperation he began to “play” with kale. He made a kale “chip” and shared samples with friends and family and ta-da… Brad’s Raw Chips were born. Now, he’s expanded the line with other veggies, crackers, and even a snack biscuit for dogs.

It was Brad’s personal quest which led him to focus on a single product that made him stand apart from the thousands of snack foods lining the market shelves. Sharing his story and mastering one specific, singular niche, actually ended up enabling product development and market expansion.

Don’t be put off by taking a look at your own life. What you might want or need may be just the thing to fill a gap in the marketplace, too.

Your target market may have a lot more in common with you and your story than you think. When you share your story you add a deeper dimension to the user experience. You open the way for your customer to identify with you and feel a genuine connection with your brand.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but identifying your specific niche and honing your brand’s story takes strategic cultivation. Our online Brand School course will give you actionable steps and strategies that you can use to grow an evergreen brand.  Receive more information about the next semester and receive free brand-building tools and tips when you join our mailing list.

Please also join us on Twitter and Facebook for more insight and discussion on branding.

The post Necessity is the Mother of Brand Invention appeared first on BrandTwist.

What goes around comes around. No matter which technology is used to deliver it, from the hand-cranked Victrola machine to micro-chips embedded into eyeglasses, people want to hear their music.

Along with the introduction of the personal computer came the ability for people to produce their own music directly from their desktops. This was a real boon to musicians, but it introduced a whole new problem: with so much music out there on the web and bricks-and-mortar music stores rapidly disappearing, how do we actually FIND new, independent music?

In the not-so-distant past, we could go to our neighborhood music store and sample the newest releases. We could subscribe to the Record of the Month Club and receive our choices delivered via the mail, right to our door.

Well, guess what? What is old is new again! Enter: Rough Trade, “Independent purveyors of great music since 1976.” Specializing in collecting independent releases, they have two (soon to be three) actual record stores and an online presence. They put a twist on the old “Record of the Month Club” subscription concept. They incorporated new technologies to deliver to your email “Tracks of the week” as mp3’s and their “Album of the Month” delivered in either mp3 or CD formats.

But what really sets them apart is the exclusivity of access to a private collection and that they have removed the effort and work by curating for us. We receive their own personally selected favorites chosen from their archives of tens-of-thousands of recordings, delivered on schedule.

While the concept of a “month club” is an old idea, there is nothing old about what Rough Trade delivers and how the deliver it. Even their visual branding has a bright, fresh feel while still remaining true to the rugged, individualistic counter-culture music scene look.

The Rough Trade brand has several things going for it:

• Focused niche
• Exclusive access to a private collection
• Reinventing the Month Club delivery system using new technologies
• Removing the work and effort for us by curating and selecting
• Consistent visual branding

Don’t hesitate to take a look backward. Consider your delivery system and ask if there might be a tried-and-true method that you could put a twist on to get your product or service into the homes, on the screens, or in the headphones of your target market.  How can you simply for your end user?  Is there something you can do to make their choices more effortless?

You don’t need to be a DJ to put a spin, or a twist, on your brand. New technologies are emerging all the time and you need to be able to evaluate which methods will provide the longest play for your business. Our online Brand School course gives you the strategies and tools you need to spin your brand to the top of the charts. Receive more information about the next semester and free brand-building tools and tips when you join our mailing list.

Please also join us on Twitter and Facebook for more insight and discussion on branding. 

 

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