Category Archives: BLOG POSTS

Danielle LaPorte on Standing Out

By havana in BLOG POSTS, Building Your Brand
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I had the honor of interviewing Danielle LaPorte of White Hot Truth a couple of weeks ago as part of her launch for her new Firestarter Sessions. Here, I picked her brain on branding and in this interview, we cover:

  • How to stand out in your industry and stay true to yourself (Psst, the two go hand-in-hand!)
  • The biggest mistake people make in branding themselves
  • How branding yourself is actually deceptively easy

    danielle

    Hear the Interview:

    And Yes, I originally meant to edit out the first part but just didn’t have the time. I don’t think it’s too intrusive though. Enjoy the interview and be inspired!

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    Great Resources to Improve Customer Service

    By havana in BLOG POSTS, Building Your Brand, Helpful Links, Serving Your Customers
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    Wanted to share some incredible links on here:

    10 Examples of Tremenous Business Leadership

    I am not exaggerating: this is one of the BEST articles I’ve read about anything. The article explores ten case studies that show how companies have handled different disasters like recalls, tragedies, policy changes, and more. Biggest takeway: to fix a problem is COSTLY– there’s no way around it, but the gestures are profound.

    Also found a new blog: Church of the Customer.

    I was totally glued to each post. Very quality content. I especially love this breakdown of Lady Gaga’s customer loyalty strategy.

    I have been spending my spare time thinking about how to improve my own customer service. I’m reserving Monday as a total Havana Designs strategy and planning day to put some new systems in place. I’ve got some great ideas to implement …

    Learning Small Business the Bruce Lee Way

    By havana in Uncategorized
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    Let’s start with a story.

    Sometime last fall, I went to a free little seminar taught by Tessa Horeheld about how to leverage Twitter as a networking tool. I was more looking forward to connect with the people there than I was about the actual class. There were about 30 RSVPs and I was pumped to shake some new hands. But when I got there …

    … 7 people showed up. Eek. Well, okay, I thought, maybe I’ll learn something from this seminar at least. I already drove all the way out here!

    The lesson began: how to create your own Twitter account.

    Oh God, I thought, rolling my eyes. Am I going to really have to sit through three hours of the VERY basics? I’ve used Twitter for 8 months, okay? I read Mashable and I subscribe to Twitips. This is going to be a waste of my time.

    Okay, Havana, come on. Just pay attention. Let’s just be patient and see where this goes.

    30 minutes in, I learned something new. Actually, I learned a lot of new, useful tips on how to connect with new people and nourish some relationships from scratch! Sitting through a demonstration on how to grow a network when you first start out gave me a refreshing new outlook on Twitter.

    That experience reminded me that getting back to basics can help you refresh your perspective and tactics.

    We drown in tips and tactics on marketing, networking, social media, and innovation and we’ve heard-it-all-before-now-tell-me-something-I-don’t-know.

    One of my early clients from Action Coach always started his consultations and presentations by telling the audience, “If you hear something you’ve heard before and that voice in your mind gets the urge to say, ‘I know, I know!’, that’s your mind closing up. Instead, replace that ‘I know!’ with ‘Isn’t that interesting?’”

    In practice:

    • Go ahead and sign up for basic marketing classes. In fact, sign up for many. There are so many approaches out there. Go in with a beginner’s mindset.
    • Ask people how they started their business and ask advice on mistakes to avoid. No matter where they are in their business.
    • Go into conferences with an empty, curious mind. Build up a childlike curiousity. Be ravenously wondering why. I assure you that you will enjoy your conference so much more AND you’ll even get your money’s worth.

      • Are you ready to “be water?”

    My Secrets to Attracting Luck

    By havana in BLOG POSTS, Networking with People, Uncategorized
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    luck

    Anyone who tells you that business has nothing to do with luck is in denial.

    Yes, hard work creates success.

    But luck plays a role too. For example: I started as a designer by putting examples of my work out there and releasing an ad calling for pro-bono projects. An acquaintance of mine responded, telling me that she knew a production company who could use the services.

    Yes, I took the initiative to publish my pieces on a blog and write the ad …

    … but what were the chances that I happened to publish my ad at a time where she could see it on her Facebook homepage before it got buried in status updates and Farmville requests when she logged in? What were the chances that she just happened to have a mom who worked in the artisan center that hosted Blank Stage Productions? What were the chances that Brent from Blank Stage Productions just happened to have all the right connections and the right opportunities for me to travel the path that has brought me here?

    If I published that ad a second later, my ad could have gotten buried. Maybe I’d still be struggling now to start freelancing. A pinch of luck and timing really does make a difference.

    But you can MAKE luck happen.

    Or at least more likely to happen.

    I’ve found that you can do a few things to make yourself susceptible to luck. It’s opened up so many opportunities, so many positive relationships, and so many enriching experiences. How can you attract luck?

    1. Say yes.

    Say yes, yes, yes. (And yes, I did watch “Yes Man.”) “Yes” drags you out to meet people. “Yes” opens up your mind to learn. “Yes” introduces you to unique opportunities. When I started, I agreed to everything. I went to a screenwriter’s writing group. I went to a Toastmasters’ leadership training conference. I went to a real estate seminar. It wasn’t always apparent why I went, but each event gave me something: a new mentor, a new lesson, a new insight, or a new client. I keep saying yes, even now. This year, I going to go skydiving. How’s that for taking risks?

    2. Learn HOW to talk about yourself

    In my first day of class, each student had to say something interesting about him/herself. The kid before me told the class,”Well, my name is Brian and .. er … I’m a history major .. and .. uh … I guess there’s nothing interesting about me.”

    My jaw dropped! And you know what’s scary? I go to some networking events where people have 30 seconds to talk about their business and their introduction is no different!

    If this is how you respond to that question, it’s time to figure out what makes you interesting. Everyone has something interesting about themselves. Are you obsessed with US Military history? Do you collect 80s and 90s action figures? Are you an Emily Dickinson whiz? Could you recite the Constitution word-for-word?

    Irrelevant? Perhaps. But these irrevelant details make you memorable. I don’t watch much anime anymore but a lot of people know me as ‘that chick that draws anime really, really well.”

    I’m not just a graphic designer. I’m a graphic designer who loves history, loves 90s anime, idolizes Pixar, gobbles up Jodi Piccoult books, and adores craft blogs. People like working with people.

    You also need to learn how to talk about your goals and projects. If people don’t know what you’re working towards, how do you expect them to refer business or open opportunity to you?

    So if you don’t know how to talk about yourself, sit down, contemplate, and write out:

    • Something unique about you, big or small
    • What project you are currently working on
    • What your goals are: who would you want to meet and what you would like to do

    3. Learn how to learn about other people.

    Okay, so you have a better idea on how to talk about yourself. Keep talking about yourself and you’ll see folks shaking your hand goodbye real fast.

    You want to be curious about other people for two reasons:

    • People love talking about themselves. You can be a great, charming, and positive conversationalist just by listening to the other person. Think about how this alone will set you apart from everyone else at your local chamber of commerce.
    • You can learn about their concerns. Become a resource! Example: whenever I met someone who mentioned that they wanted to try blogging, I directed them to Problogger. I met up with them to help them get started on WordPress. I suggested microblogging. Sharpen your listening skills and offer some help.

    How to start the conversation? Here are a ton of suggestions.

    4. If you couldn’t tell from the past two tips, meet a LOT of people.

    Whether to build a team, to get clients, to learn about an industry, or to get a job, you need people. It doesn’t even matter if you meet them purely online or offline– just get out there and meet new people. Period!

    5. Be enthusiastic.

    Gretchen Rubin explains it way better than I ever can.

    People respond to enthusiasm. People trust me to design for them because I love design. People are touched when I get excited about their projects. Passion is infectious.

    You can’t be successful by waiting around to luck out. You absolutely need to put in diligence and perseverance. Luck, however, does play a small part. How will you attract luck?

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    What Has Havana Been Doing?

    By havana in BLOG POSTS, Projects I've Done
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    Hey everyone! Just wanted to do a quick update on what I’ve been up to!

    Last weekend, I got to go to Wordcamp Atlanta! It was my first blogging/social media conference and I loved it. I can be pretty wary of conferences; often, you spend a boatload of money without getting anything out of it but I kept an open mind, learned a few tricks, and met some great people.

    I also started school again and I am taking Spanish 2001, U.S. Foreign Policy, International Marketing, and … *drumroll*

    … International Terrorism.

    Last semester, I became enthralled with Middle Eastern politics and the history behind al Qaeda so I wanted to take this class. It covers terrorism beyond its modern manifestation but attempts to explore its history and evolution. Exciting stuff. I sometimes get bummed out that I don’t really have a space to talk about the things I learned so I am considering microblogging about foreign affairs.

    In the meantime, I’ve also been microblogging on Posterous my personal, spontaneous thoughts that don’t fit anywhere else. Check it out!

    Design-wise, I am working on:

    And I have 4 or 5 folks with whom I am finalizing some ideas. The year is off to a great start!

    The New Year Special ($100 Twitter + Business card design package) is still going on but I only have 4 spots left! If you’re thinking about tying up your brand and starting off the New Year with a bang, jump on this. Seriously. (By the way, thanks for all the great retweets about this!)

    By the way, the 10 Unique Twitter Tips for Intermediate Tweeters has apparently been very useful to people. I truly wanted to gather up some tips that you can’t find anywhere else. So far, many folks have gained a lot from it! I’m really happy about that.

    Anyways, 2010 has been simply awesome so far. A thousand thank-yous to everyone. Truly.

    The “2010 New Year’s Holy-Crap-Are-You-Serious Deal”

    By havana in BLOG POSTS, Building Your Brand
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    Happy New Year!

    Okay, guys. You’ve been all emailing me about it. Here it goes:

    I am currently offering a Twitter bg + business card design package for $100!

    Are you embarrassed by your business card? Do you keep leaving those branding seminars, vowing to build your brand once and for all, just to have it pushed to the back burner? Do you simply not know where to start?

    This is a GREAT opportunity to take control of your brand for the new year! This package is normally AT LEAST $140 . I just want to do something to offer to the wonderful people I’ve been meeting lately at Tweetups and Wordcamp Atlanta and to kick off my 2010 to a fresh start!

    The  “catch”:

    • 1 free revision — not that it matters, because each revision after that is only $3!
    • The business card will be a directly modified version of the Twitter background — faster turnaround and makes your branding consistent!
    • The big doozy: the offer is available to the FIRST 10 people that sign up.

    Yes, 10 people. So you need to contact me fast. Email me ( havana.nguyen at gmail.com ), tweet me ( @havanatweets ), or write on my Facebook wall and tell me, “I want the New Year Deal!” Seriously, you will not get a deal like this anywhere else.

    Well, I guess you CAN, if you want a half-assed job. But if you’re serious, message me on Twitter, Facebook, or email.

    I’ll contact you and we can get started!

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    10 Unique Twitter Tips for Intermediate Tweeters

    By havana in Building Your Brand, Networking with People, Uncategorized
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    What are you doing?
    Photo by Trekkyandy


    There are a bunch of Twitter “howto” resources out there, like TwiTip. I put off writing a Twitter-based post for a long time because I didn’t want to be caught in the echo chamber.

    I’ve been picking up really unique tips I’ve never heard from anywhere, though. I’m learning that each person uses Twitter differently. That’s why I still go to Twitter “howto” seminars, because I always end up learning at least ONE new thing.

    Some of these tips I pick from from seminars and coaching sessions and others are just things I came up with along the way!

    1. Leverage peoples’ favorites lists to get to know them.

    Looking at someone’s favorited tweets can give you a picture of what fascinates them, who influences them, who talks to them, and what they are currently into. Use this to get ideas on conversation starters and how to help them out. (From @tarynp)

    2. Put usernames at the end of retweets.

    But just if you retweet a LOT. It just makes your feed easier to read for people who visit your Twitter page for the first time. (From @tarynp AND @tessa)

    3. Put a lot of context into your replies.

    Visitors and followers only see one side of your conversation unless they click on “in reply to [username].” Let’s say your friend asks, “Hey, want to watch the season finale of House with me tonight?” and you simply reply, “Sure!”

    People from your side won’t know what you’re agreeing to! Instead, respond, “Sure! I can’t wait to see what happens to House in the last episode!” It makes it easier for people to follow what you’re doing. Add context. On that note … (From @tessa)

    4. … Make it EASY for people to start conversations with you!

    Be specific in your tweets. Don’t just say, “Drinkin’ coffee and writing code.”

    Tweet something more like, “Writing code for a WordPress app that streams tweets with certain keywords.” It give us a fuller picture of what you’re doing. It can also stir excitement in people who would be interested in a service like that or remind people of a great contact or resource that can help you!

    5. Don’t aggregate your Twitter feed across multiple platforms.

    What’s the point of adding your Twitter if I get the same statuses on Facebook? Plus, your Facebook users will be quite annoyed at the Tweetspeak. When I did this, a lot of people asked, “What it RT?” “Why do you put #s in your statuses?” “Why the hell are your statuses so confusing?!”

    Besides, what if you have more personal friends and family on Facebook and your business contacts on Twitter? The content must fit the platform and your audience. Post original content. Don’t have time to update them individually? Drop what you can’t handle or go halfway: use the Selective Twitter Status so you can control what also goes out the Facebook. (From @tessa)



    From my webcam!


    6. Constantly mention people you meet with.

    Having coffee with someone? Say, “Talking about [blank] with @user at Caribou Coffee in Buckhead! She’s so funny!” Show that you’re social and active!

    7. Talk to people who talk to people you want to talk to.

    Maybe you’re interested in connecting with @TheChrisJordan. You notice he replies to @tarynp a lot ( I’m not just pimping her out even more– he really does! Taryn is super connected. ). In addition to reaching out to him, mingle with folks he talks to. Overlap your social circles to get on people’s radar. (From @tarynp)

    9. Don’t know what to say to someone?

    Reference their bio, tell them how you found them, or simply RT their tweets. Don’t just add people and not say anything! Show people that you’re open to conversation.

    10. Bio: Don’t just state what you do; show your personality!

    Let’s say your 160-char bio is “Accountant, mom, coin collector, + painter.”

    What if you’re an energetic extrovert? A better bio might be: “Accountant by day but super-mom of 3 kids on wknds! Happy people person who loves to paint puppies and secretly collects coins for fun. Shh! ^_~”

    Or what if you’re introspective and reserved? “Nurturing mother who paints seascapes and collects antique coins to feed her US history fetish. Spends days thinking about art at her day job as an accountant.”

    My bio went from “Graphic designer who obsesses over how to WOW your customers through thoughtful design.” to “Perky ex-introvert, ambitious go-getter, animation geek, and graphic designer who obsesses over HOW TO WOW your customers through thoughtful design.”

    You have 160 characters. Use them all. (@lauraroeder)

    Bonus Tip!
    Your tweet’s character limit is at -12. You’ve eliminated absolutely everything you can. There is NOTHING else you can get rid of. Well, good news! You don’t need vowels!

    Well, of course you do need them but you can spare a few and still be coherent. Take away vowels as a last resort! Do not do this often. You might annoy your followers.

    Example? Recently, I made a tweet I just couldn’t shorten. I ended up posting: “Unsubscribed frm a newslettr+gave honest feedback “Not as valuable as I’d thought. Would’ve liked to see more [blank]” Helpful or insulting?”

    Again, don’t make it a big habit. I’d hate to be the one to start some annoying trend like that. It’s still better to cut down words!

    Takeaway themes for tweeting?

    • Be specific in all your tweets.
    • Reach out to people in any way.
    • Inject personality into your 160 word bio.

    And how can I not plug my own Twitter into this blog post? You can follow me at @havanatweets!

    Did you find this post helpful? Please retweet to people you think could get something from this article! Use this link: http://bit.ly/6h7MwR. I will publish an article about retweets in the nearby future, so stay tuned!

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