Getting on the Branding Bandwagon

Image by kromkathog courtesy of freedigitalphotos.netLast week I attended the Indie Recon Marketing Mania, and the first session was with author CJ Lyons. After a wonderful post on how to brand yourself (in practical, easy to understand language), she spent the day visiting people's websites/blogs and giving them feedback. I was so impressed. 

Her feedback on my website is listed below. Some things I can change, and some I can't.

If my blog is going to be geared toward writers (and the name "Motivation for Creation" implies a blog for writers), I should make sure readers know that up front on my website, or change content. Also, I should have the blog open in a new window.

I can't change the way the blog opens, unless I move my blog, and I'm not willing to do that. So, that is a no change. However, I've been contemplating what kind of content I have on my blog for a while. After three years of writing motivational and inspirational posts, I was already trying to come up with a new direction for blog content. So, I have come up with a new editorial calender, writing about things that interest me and hopefully will interest others (including you, who are currently reading this post.)

Funny Friday Photos will continue, with the addition of a post on Tuesdays which will follow this pattern (to be referenced on the side-bar, as well.)

Week 1 Tuesday: Theme Park (Themes and values found in the stories I write. These can still be the inspirational type posts, or about other things - like parenting and loss.)Week 2 Tuesday: Creature Feature (A look at the different creatures found in the different mythologies.)Week 3 Tuesday: Something Bizarre Happened... (An anecdote about something strange or funny that happened to me or I witnessed during the previous month, like the time I saw a cryogenics truck driving on the interstate on my way to work. We'll see how this one goes.)Week 4 Tuesday: For the Writers (A writer related post about something I found helpful or think other writers might be interested in.)Week 5 Tuesday: Off! There's not many five week months, so it'll be a Funny Friday Photos only weekI don't know what to call the blog now. Maybe just my name with a tagline?

The header is generic, and I should create one that evokes my books. She stated twice that the cover art for my book is fantastic (thank you, Ivan Zanchetta). She believes that the portal on the cover implies adventure and fantasy, and as fantasy should be the focus of my branding, my cover art would be a great place to start.

This is going to take a little more time and work. I'm kind of concerned that my cover art is different shades of gray (no jokes!) and might make the website kind of a downer. Also, I don't think I'd like the header and the book to be exactly the same. So, I'm going to have to contemplate that aspect of her feedback for a bit.

I do agree that I should look to fantasy to be the focus of my brand. I turned to my Facebook friends to help me come up with a tag line. (Huge thank you, to Rick Bylina, Jo Eberhardt, Brin Jackson and Cathy Yardley for some great suggestions.) I'm trying to decide which one of five I think would evoke both the magic of fantasy, and the adventure that might go along with the portal. 

So, that's my plan. Don't be surprised if you click over for Funny Friday Photos and find something new and different.

Have you ever changed up your blog or website?What worked for you?