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Let’s face it: Marketing has hit a wall. Everyone is looking for the next unique way to engage the broadest demographic possible, but they just can’t break through. Do you want to know why? Go to the websites of startups, mid-sized businesses, and massive conglomerates. What do you see? They all have the same aesthetic, the same content, and the same tone — each packaged just differently enough to make them look unique.

Audiences want new content faster than marketers can provide it. Just as social media embraces trends, businesses market to consumers. Once a company strikes a chord that resonates with the masses, everyone jumps on the bandwagon until the marketing strategy is wildly overused and therefore ineffective. Rather than businesses dictating how they market to consumers, the pendulum has swung so that marketing strategies are in the hands of the consumer.

The quick progression of technology in recent years could be a cause of this shift of power, but the reason matters less than the result. Businesses are left to either try to create the next big marketing trend or ride an existing one until it’s out of gas. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Every business is sitting on a gold mine of content-driven marketing; they just haven’t tapped into it. The biggest resource for a company to market is its leader.

One strategy that has gained a significant amount of traction in recent years is the personal branding of companies’ leaders. But just as other marketing has become standardized and generic, so has personal branding. Owners and CEOs have become robotic in what they say and how they act. It’s as if they’ve all gone through the same media coaching.

Leaders are so concerned with slipping up that they won’t take risks. But when did being authentic become risky? Here’s the truth of the matter: If you’re a business leader, people will listen to you. Most people are drawn to the same qualities that make a person successful.

I hope you’re having a fun and relaxing summer and have been able to spend time with family and friends.

Faith and I recently returned from a 2-week European vacation, which we’d been planning for almost a year. We spent the first 4 days in and around Copenhagen, enjoying the sights and the Danish food and culture. Copenhagen is bike central in Europe, so we did a lot of sightseeing by bike. It really is a wonderful city!

One of our favorite areas was Nyhavn. The northern side of the canal is lined with these beautifully-colored townhouses and restaurants. Some of these buildings date back to the 17th century!

Right behind us in this picture (see above) is a little cafe that we stopped at for a glass of wine and some terrific lobster soup.

The rest of our trip was spent aboard the Serenade of the Seas traveling around the Baltic Sea. We stopped in Germany, Finland, Russia, Estonia, and Sweden.

Next month I’ll highlight some of the more interesting parts of the cruise!

FROM THE DESK OFEd Alexander

Continued on page 2 ...-Ed Alexander

CONTENT IS KINGHow to Find Unique and Engaging

Material for Your Marketing

Your Business MattersAlexanderAbramson.com • (407) 649-7777

August 2018

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“CAN YOU GIVE ME A HAND?”

Asking for help is a simple request. Most people do it every day, whether they’re getting a second opinion on a paint color or asking a stranger to hold the elevator. Asking for help is important; the ability to work as a team is one of mankind’s greatest strengths. But if the act of asking for help is so essential in our lives, why do entrepreneurs have such a hard time with it?

This struggle often comes from pride, the idea that if you admit you can’t do it all, then you can’t do anything. But this mindset often leads to ruin. In a survey by 99 Design, most entrepreneurs claimed the worst mistake they ever made wasn’t a poor financial decision or bad planning — it was simply not asking for help early in their careers.

Having to ask for help isn’t a sign that you’re unable to achieve what you set out to do. In fact, when you ask for help in business, you may find you’re able to achieve more. This is because asking for help is a form of networking. You’re actively reaching out to experts, learning how other

people solve problems, and broadening the awareness of your name and brand at the same time.

If you struggle to ask others for help when you need it, start by changing your mindset. You don’t have to do it all; you’re just one person, and sometimes one person needs to delegate tasks to others to get more done. Asking for help is also easier when you know what you want to ask for. If you are overwhelmed by a big project, take a moment to write down your goals for that project, along with a list of action steps and resources needed to get there. Then think about who you can reach out to in order to tackle these steps. If you’re still uncomfortable with asking for help, make a point of helping others when you can. Being helpful changes the way you perceive receiving help and builds a positive reputation with others. When you are viewed as being helpful, other people want to help you in return.

Asking for help means admitting you can’t do it all alone. But why should you have to? Doing it all alone can be pretty lonely, and asking for help means you have a team to support you wherever you go.

... Cover story continued

But the second you begin heavily regulating the way you think, act, and feel, potential consumers are going to turn away. If you’re considering using authentic content in your marketing, here are three reasons to reassure you that it’s a good idea.

IT’S ACCESSIBLE

Marketing is all about creating a dialogue. Take a moment and think about the most significant conversations you’ve ever had. Did any of them begin with you using a formula of how to engage someone? Odds are the conversation resulted from sharing a genuine moment with someone you value. If your business is truly seeking to have meaningful dialogue with customers, the best way to do that is to treat them like you would a neighbor or friend. All good communication takes is a sender, a receiver, and a medium. If you open up a deliberate channel, you’ll be more accessible to your audience and have a greater opportunity to create new ideas and strategies with them.

IT’S UNIQUE

Every business tries to cultivate distinct and engaging content, but no one wants to take a big risk and be rejected. The problem is that most companies tie unique selling propositions (USPs) to the features of their product or service rather than focusing on what is truly special about their business: its leader. If you want to distinguish yourself by using a USP, try marketing your individuality. You may find that people want to be a part of something more genuine than formulaic.

IT’S RESPECTFUL

In many cases, highlighting your personality with branding will end up garnering more respect from your customers than just going through the standard marketing motions. But if you’re not careful, this strategy can also go wildly astray. The companies who have failed in this respect are well-documented, and their sales have suffered. Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO, Michael Jeffries,

once said he only wanted “cool, good-looking people” to shop at his store and that “a lot of people don’t belong” in his company’s clothing. As a result, the retailer’s sales swiftly dropped by $60 million, and Jeffries was forced to retire soon after. It’s important to remember that being authentic doesn’t require you to share your darkest secrets, political views, or controversial opinions with your customers. But it does require you to support causes you care about, answer questions honestly, and be genuine.

When push comes to shove, you have to choose your business. Do you want to blend in with the masses or do you want to build a business that stands out by genuinely engaging with consumers? The decision may seem easy, but “playing it safe” by using tired and overused marketing strategies is precisely that — safe. You won’t step on any toes, you won’t alienate potential customers, and you won’t cause rifts in the business community. But you also won’t stand out or stay relevant. The choice is up to you.

A Helping HandWhy Business Leaders Need to Ask for Help

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

• 4 boneless, skinless halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

• 1 lemon

• 2 pounds mixed tomatoes, sliced

• 1/2 cup hearts of palm, drained

• Basil leaves, for garnish

• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Lightly oil grill grates and heat grill to medium.

2. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest onto halibut fillets. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Grill halibut, turning just once, for about 5 minutes on each side.

4. In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, hearts of palm, juice from lemon, and oil. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Garnish salad with basil. Spoon salad over grilled halibut. Serve.

GRILLED HALIBUTIngredients

Directions

Take a Break!

(407) 649-7777 • 3

Summer

Your whole family adores your dog — but not the barking. This issue can lead to feelings of frustration, and the more frustrated you get, the more your dog barks. It’s their only way of communicating, and they’re telling you, “My needs are not being met.” As Cesar Millan, the original “dog whisperer,” explains, “A barking dog needs exercise, discipline, and affection, in that order.”

EXERCISE

Part of the barking issue may be due to pent-up energy. According to the humane society, “A tired dog is a good dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration.” If you already take your pup on a morning walk, try adding in an evening walk. You could add it to your child’s chore list and help get out some of the kid’s pent-up energy, too. It may also be beneficial to practice obedience exercises and games that challenge your dog.

DISCIPLINE

To put a stop to the behavior, you’ll first need to change any of your behavior that’s reinforcing it. Any attention your dog gets when he’s barking — even yelling, “Rover, stop!” — teaches him to keep going, because you’re rewarding him with attention. Wait until your dog has

stopped barking to give him any sort of attention, including looking at them. “To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking,” advises the Humane Society.

AFFECTION

Of course, your dog needs love and attention to thrive — a lack of it could contribute to barking behavior. Reinforce silence by giving your dog a treat and an encouraging pat when she demonstrates good behavior, like not barking. “Our pups want to work for our attention,” Cesar Millan reminds us. “Allowing her to do that and to see your happiness is, to your dog, the biggest reward of all.”

To make your training program successful, consistency is key. Enlist the help of the whole family to stick to the principles. Together, you can foster a calm, peaceful home where you and your dog happily coexist.

Become a ‘Dog Whisperer’Train as a Pack for Better Results

SOLUTION ON PAGE 4

Inside This IssueFrom the Desk of Ed Alexander PAGE 1

The Hidden Gold Mine of Content Marketing PAGE 1

Why Is It Hard to Ask for Help? PAGE 2

How to Get Your Dog to Stop Barking PAGE 3

Take a Break PAGE 3

Summer Grilled Halibut PAGE 3

Sleep Better and Feel Great PAGE 4

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

HOW TO ACHIEVE A MORE RESTFUL NIGHT’S SLEEP

Alexander Abramson PLLC

220 N. Rosalind Ave.Orlando, FL 32801(407) 649-7777

www.AlexanderAbramson.cominfo@alexanderabramson.com

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PERMIT 411

A good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your mind and body. One study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research found that the quality of your sleep is much more important than the quantity — that is, if you want to feel rested. And we all want to feel rested. So, what can you do to improve the quality of your sleep and get the rest you need?

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. This, above all else, is crucial to a good night’s sleep. Your body knows when it’s time for bed. Generally, you want to go to bed when you feel tired, whether that’s at 8 p.m. or 1 a.m. Whenever your body tells you it needs rest, you should make a habit of going to bed then. The more consistent you are, the better your sleep will be.

WAKE UP NATURALLY. Jolting yourself awake with an alarm or radio isn’t doing your brain and body any favors (it can be stressful on the body and even elevate blood pressure,

which is not good first thing in the morning). If you do need an alarm, consider a wake-up light. Wake-up lights mimic the sunrise, slowly brightening the room, waking your body in a natural, gentle way.

KICK THE SCREEN HABIT. You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again: Looking at an electronic screen — a TV, computer, tablet, or smartphone — before bed is detrimental to sleep quality. Light from these devices is disruptive to your brain’s suprachiasmatic

nucleus (SCN), which helps regulate your circadian rhythm, and screen time before bed can throw off normal SCN function.

Put your excuses for staying up too late to bed. Say no to “one more episode.” And all those emails? They can wait until tomorrow. Not getting enough quality sleep is harmful to your mental and physical health. When you get into the habit of following these three tips, you’ll find yourself feeling rested and refreshed in no time.