Branding Yourself for Maximum Impact - Continuing Class

By Laura Christianson
2010 FCWC Faculty

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

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

Branding doesn’t have to be painful, either. During this hands-on Continuing Class, you’ll CRAFT a Consistent, Relevant, Attractive, Frequent, Targeted brand message that sears itself into your audience’s memory.

We're going to do some fun (and wacky) activities during this course. If you have a laptop and an extension cord, bring it to class -- we're going online! If you don't bring a laptop, you're still welcome to join us... we'll share. Here's an overview of what you can expect during our six hours together:

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

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

Session 2
BULLSEYE
Aiming for your target audience

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

Session 3
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Crafting your brand’s promise statement

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

Session 4
GROUP HUG
Building brand loyalty

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

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

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

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

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

In addition to managing the blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts for the Florida Christian Writers' Conference, Laura Christianson owns Blogging Bistro, an Internet marketing company based in Seattle, WA. This will be her second year teaching at the FCWC. Laura looks forward to having a "tweetup" with her fellow social media addicts at the conference.