In the last few months, I’ve been super active on Twitter. I’m following about 2500 people/businesses, and there about 2800 following me.

Twitter profile graphic

In the real world, one cannot concisely follow 2500 people on Twitter; however, I make an effort to look at every single profile and company website, when someone chooses to follow me. That is where business identities either jump out at you, or don’t.

Are people and companies interesting/rare? Or do they just have a Bludomain website with a two or three big squares on the home page (Nice sites, but they are starting to look generic). Perhaps calling something nice is the ‘kiss of death.’

The first things that catch me on Twitter are business name and profile image. Good images for the small profile square are usually a good logo or an appropriately sized graphic. This graphic for Cupcake Rehab is a pullout from their logo.

The name of the business, Cupcake Rehab, gave me a belly laugh. The Twitter Bio was even better: “A 27- year old female and her tales of cookin’, bakin’ and beatin’ people with whisks in the York of New. With other stuff thrown in. Beware- I can tweet A LOT.”

Cupcake rehab logo: Designed by Mariloca.com

OK, now I was curious. This business owner, Marilla, clearly has a passion for what she’s doing. She has a big-time sense of humor and doesn’t take herself too seriously.

I click through to her website and find logo showing a Super Hero image of the Business Owner, armed with tools of her trade. Above her, the header reads: “Beating batter and people with whisks since 2007.”

One could over analyze the logo, but why? The designer, Mariloca.com, has captured the spirit of the owner and the business with full flourish.

The welcome page of her is too busy my standards, but it doesn’t matter much. One gets drawn in to her activities, interests, great photos and recipes on the blog. In this case, personality trumps everything.

I suggest you do a couple of things. Visit CupcakeRehab.com, spend some time reading the blog and poking around, generally. Then visit the CupcakeRehab Twitter page. Follow, if you dare. Remember, she Tweets a lot.

Closing Comment: Even from 2500 miles away, for me, this business has more than an identity. It has SOUL. It communicates its excitement, its product, and its vibe.

Can you say that about your business and you? If not, what are you going to do about it?

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Andy Ebon, Bludomain website, business identity, Cupcake Rehab, logo, soul, tweet, Twitter, wedding marketing, Wedding Marketing Authority

In business, it’s difficult not to get caught up in the numbers: Sales, dollars, bookings, inquiries, appointments. In blogging, one measures success by the impact of the blog on its readers.

Blogging impact can be measured in a number of ways:

With all that said, I’m proud to announce that this morning, The Wedding Marketing Blog surpassed 10,000 visitors for the month of June. I probably should have waited until the end of the month for a final total, but this was too exciting.

Besides the soaring number of visits, it’s exciting to see improvement in all areas, especially comments and questions from readers… like you.

As The Wedding Marketing Blog continues to grow in activity, there are a number of features, benefits and goals that will roll out during the second half of 2009.

They will include

I’ll stop there, because it will take quite a bit of effort to launch all of that. Your suggestions and ideas are always welcome. I do my best to read every inquiry, comment, and email.

Each post and reader are important to me. I’m conscious of the fact that different people are interested in different issues. I will continue to give my best effort to provide valuable and stimulating content to you.

With my deepest appreciation for your readership!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Andy Ebon, blogger, content, impact, measuring success, readers, success, Wedding Marketing Authority, wedding marketing blog

In recent few weeks, I’ve given a great deal of thought to the dynamics of the wedding industry. Here are just five that came to mind.

One can like or dislike any item on the shortlist. With a little thought, the list could grow by 10 or 20.

If you want to be on a preferred vendor list in Las Vegas, building a great relationship with the Director of Catering is a nice thing, but that person doesn’t make the decision. The discussion and final decision is typically made a couple of levels higher up, by a regional manager for several of a company’s hotels.

Reality Check: Things are as they are. not as you would like them to be. Instead of taking on the massive task of changing an entire industry, why not just become a force in your sphere of influence?

Everyone  has been told by a parent that ‘Life is not fair.’ When you’re a business owner or manager, it’s annoying to remind you of a conversation you had with one or more parents, decades ago. But it’s important.

Changing an industry, or one slice of an industry is like getting an elephant to roll over.

If you are not one of the absolute business leaders in your segment of the wedding industry, then all the annoying unfairness applies to your business, too. You can complain about the referral food chain, commissions and kick backs, or uninformed brides. Doesn’t make a damn bit of difference.

Actually, you don’t have to change the whole industry, just your immediate wedding world. Make your business the absolute best it can be, build and renew rock solid relationships with more people in all walks of the wedding industry, tighten up and focus your marketing, and then stand back.

This should not be a news flash, but somehow, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it is important to press the pause button, and look around. It’s not 10 or 20 years ago, it’s today. In the words of the great baseball player, Satchel Paige, “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.”

Go get ‘em!!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

written by Andy Ebon