Category Archives: Marketing How To’s
Getting the Right Image in Your RSS Feed to Facebook
So far, I’ve tested the following Facebook Apps:
- NetworkedBlogs
- dlvr.it
- rss graffitti
At the moment, dlvr.it is the most promising.
It seems part of the trick is to make sure that images are included in your WordPress RSS feed. That seems like it would be happening already, but apparently not. So, I’ve installed the plugin called “RSS Image Feed” and am now hoping to see if this makes a difference.
The image in this post is also set to be the “featured image” of this post.
Here goes…
What to wear for a head shot portrait
I’m often asked what to wear for a head shot portrait. This, like your logo, is part of your brand. It represents you on your social media profiles and on your website.
We want your picture to go well with your brand, but we don’t want you to blend into it. The best photo is one where you look fantastic. Your photos need to stand out, at the same time, we don’t want a clash. So…
Solid colors work best. Avoid patterns. You want to look classic, avoid clothing trends. We want people to notice your face, not your outfit. Wear a color that make you look alive and healthy. Sounds funny, but that will depend up on your complexion or skin tone.
Here are 4 basic groups of colors associated with people’s complexions. Usually one of these sets suits you best.
NOTE: The nickname listed has NOTHING to do with the time of year to wear it. It is just a nickname within a popular color-picking system for wardrobes. I only mention this because you may have heard of this color-picking system.
- Cool, intense colors like magenta or navy blue.
Nicknamed “Winter” - Warm, intense colors like salmon or lime.
Nicknamed “Spring” - Cool, soft colors like periwinkle or lavender.
Nicknamed “Summer” - Warm, soft colors like olive or mustard.
Nicknamed “Autumn”
Example: My skin works best with Winter. Best color for me is a deep royal blue. I can also get away with Autumn colors because they are deep colors, but look like a corpse in Spring or Summer colors. If I wear a lighter colored top, it needs to be a deeper color than a pastel.
Tips to figure it out
- We tend to gravitate to colors that work for us. Look at your closet. Which clothes tend to prompt compliments from people. That’s a clue about color.
- Ask someone who both loves you and has good taste to spend 15 minutes to help you figure out which color looks best next to your face. Drape different solid colored clothes -one at a time – under your chin -could be pants or top or whatever because you’re not wearing them. You’re just checking the color next to your face. Ask this person to help you decide on the best color.
- Want to find out if your complexion is warm or cool? Use the “Gold and Silver Test”. You can do this with the same friend who helps you with the colors or in front of a mirror. This time we’re simply comparing metallic gold and silver colors. Put a piece of metallic gold fabric or paper near your face, then do the same with a metallic silver piece of fabric or paper. You can see more of a bluish or yellowish tint. Bluish indicates cool undertones in your complexion and yellowish tint indicates warm undertones.
Other How -to Resources
There are lots of opinions out there on this topic. Opinions by nature say more about the person stating them than anything else. Look around, gather ideas, test them out, and then trust your own inner wisdom.
Do you want to be informative, insightful or irreplacable?
If you are informative, you’re interesting and nice to have.
If you are insightful and prescriptive you’re extremely valuable.
If they cannot achieve their objectives without you, you’re irreplaceable. Continue reading
How to Get Good Testimonials
These steps are for do-gooders. When you do good work, you get good testimonials.
If you are new at what you do, you can still get good testimonials while you are getting practice. The trick is to work with clients who are eager to work with you at your current skill level.
Step 1: ASK for the testimonials
This sample email message can be adapted for testimonials or permission for featuring someone in a case study.
From: [YOU]
To: [CUSTOMERS YOU LOVED WORKING WITH and WHO ENJOYED YOU - Be choosy. It's not only rude, but a really bad idea to contact people who did not FULLY enjoy your company for a testimonial. Contact them for feedback if you want, but not a testimonial.]
Subject: testimonial for website
Dear [CUSTOMER NAME],
[FRIENDLY GREETING OR INTRO TO MESSAGE]
As you now know, I am building a website for ["me" or "us" or NAME OF YOUR COMPANY], and am asking for a few minutes of your time to help me.
What we are going to do on the new site is tell some success stories and I would like to feature the project we did with you.
Thank you for responding to the following questions. I would like to quote you in the story.
1) Why did you choose to hire ["me" or "us" or NAME OF YOUR COMPANY]?
2) Name 3 aspects of working with ["me" or "us" or NAME OF YOUR COMPANY] that you appreciated the most.
3) How did ["me" or "us" or NAME OF YOUR COMPANY] help you achieve your goals?
4) For what reasons would you recommend ["me" or "us" or NAME OF YOUR COMPANY] to someone else?
THANK YOU and I would love to hear any other feedback you have for me/us about the work we did for you. We really enjoyed working with you!
Best regards,
[YOU]
Step 2: Tie up Loose Ends
- With the testimonials that come back right away (within a week):
- Send an immediate, hand written, THANK YOU card in the mail.
- With the folks who do not respond right away, call each one and reconnect:
- Ask how they are doing
- Ask if it would be easier to just give you a testimonial or feedback on the phone
- Promise to show them what you type up for their approval before you publish it as a testimonial
- Get it typed up and approved quickly. Call them again if necessary to for phone approval to keep your process moving.
- Send an immediate, hand written, THANK YOU card in the mail, as soon as you get approval.
Step 3: Follow-up
When you launch your site, be sure to share the joy with these folks FIRST.
What Is Marketing Anyway?
Here is how you often hear marketing simplified by experts:
- Get your name out there! (ok, become known, but for what?)
- Go after your niche (well of course! nothing is for everyone – who are your raving fans?)
- Have a consistent brand presence (yes, consistency is the foundation for establishing your integrity)
- Go viral (this one really feels yucky to me, how bout you? when news travels by word-of-mouth it is the sign of success — why associate success with disease? I prefer to call it “making friends.”)


