Pin It Every once in a while there’s a pleasant surprise. In a world of so much hype – it’s easy to be skeptical when people tell you to go see this movie or go read this book. Yada, Yada… well, this movie, UNCONDITIONAL, was sooo good. A real tear jerker and...

But I want to be straight forward, there is no “silver bullet” or magic pill that will instantly get you to the top of the best sellers lists. It takes work. It takes time. It takes lots of prayer. You have to: Be clear on your message. Have a mission, a calling – deliver that passion via blogs, videos, podcasts and by speaking to group and organizations. Package your brand. You can’t be haphazard about it. Be very strategic. A brand is more than a logo, it is your vision, mission translated in various forms so your audience “gets you” and knows what to expect when they experience you. Know your audience – inside and out. Beyond what they are, but what problems do they have – and how you can help them. Know where they are hanging out online and offline. What media do they consume and who do they admire. How do you gain their trust.

All that glitters ain’t always gold. I learned that lesson BIG TIME. I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy wasn’t in Kansas anymore – she had entered a new land and was searching for the Yellow Brick Road. yellow brick road Her adventure led to discover that there was no “Wizard of Oz” that could help her. What she realized was she already had everything she needed – it was already inside of her. Dang! What did I miss? Somebody should’ve told me. I had the answers with me all the time.

Pin It Social media is about many things: engagement, story-telling, and relationships -but mainly, as of today, SEO. It’s all about the SEARCH. Can you be found – out of all the clutter and messaging, is your content optimized where your ideal audience (and those who are...

Pin It Sometimes when I come back from family reunions…I feel, well, sad. Oh, I love my family…. it’s just that I want so much more for them.   From year to year, not much changes for folks. They are still “broke, busted and disgusted” and talking...

Pin It Do you worry about whether your blog offers quality content that your target readers will love? Remember the movie, “Julie & Julia?” She was so excited when she got a comment!  Yes, it’s a good feeling. You’ve got fans! Lady Gaga calls herself “the luckiest...

Pin It Know this scene:  You just got in from work. You haven’t taken off your shoes or gone to the bathroom. The kids are home from school or daycare or camp, you’re trying to cook dinner, the phone won’t stop ringing, and mail is in overflowing… No, this is not a...

Yet, there is always a need for the publicist's skills - writing press releases, having real relationships with media personnel, crafting a Social Media PR campaign, creating hooks and crafting solid pitches - but the real time PR 2.0 is the way it's done now.

But to me, it's all about perception. It's all about a brand. It's about how to shape opinions. And engage an audience. To appear authentic. Kim Kardashian is smart. She knows how to work her BRAND - beauty and brains. Smart enough to know how to push those social media buttons to build a "famous" persona in minds of millions with ONE TWEET. Amazing. But you know what? Any ordinary person is just one click away from awesome too. Here are some tips to get your social media swag and brand like a superstar:

Someone said that imitation is the biggest form of flattery. I guess that's true - but I also see it as one person too lazy (or too insecure) to sit still, take inventory of their skills, experiences and abilities to follow the vision that GOD gave them. There are no shortcuts. You can't "rip off" someone else and expect to be a success. As Megan Mottley said, "What He ordains, He maintains."