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What you need to know about the FTC disclosure guidelines

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“Just like my Facebook page for a chance to win a Visa gift card.”

“Review my software application and I’ll give you a year of free service.”

“Tweet out ‘Product xyz is awesome’ for amazing prizes.”

Each of those is a no-no under the FTC’s expanded guidelines about disclosure.

As a brand, if you are soliciting endorsements, reviews, or other social media promotion from someone, you are responsible for making them aware of the disclosure rules. That means reminding them that promotional Tweets must have #ad or #sponsored or some other language that lets the reader know the Tweet was solicited. And no, the FTC doesn’t care that you only have 140 characters.

As a writer/reviewer, you need to be careful about telling your readers that you received something in exchange for any written review or endorsement. The disclosure needs to be clear, prominent, and honest. You cannot say you liked something if you never actually tried it. (One would think that doesn’t even need to be said, but hey.)

This doesn’t mean that brands can’t offer free samples, or send out books for review, or run contests. It means the brand has to find a way to tell the audience (in whatever format available) that there was an exchange.

The value of the item in question is also important. There’s a difference between a KitKat candy bar sample you got at the Mall, and the free use of a new car for a month.

If you are using an agency or another 3rd party to run your social media campaigns, you are still the one responsible for compliance. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the disclosure instructions being passed on to your audience by the agency or contractor.

There’s a lot of buzz around activating employees on social media as well. The guidelines make it clear that having your employer listed in your profile isn’t enough to establish disclosure. If you are an employee endorsing or promoting the product your company makes, you need to note your relationship within the context of the promotional post or review. Employers must also make it clear to employees that disclosure is required.

If these guidelines affect your role as a marketer or business owner, I strongly recommend that you go read the entire document. The rules have been in place for a while now, but the example scenarios and questions that were recently added make it even more clear that we all need to be paying attention.

In summary: honesty is always the best policy.

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

5 Tips for Creating an Unforgettable Name for your Product or Company

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By Mark Skoultchi

In the US alone, 543,000 businesses start up each month. Whether those businesses are large corporations or just one guy selling T-shirts online, they all need a name. Most large companies can afford to hire a professional naming agency, but what about the little guys?

Have no fear!

We believe that everyone, big or small, deserves to have a great name. Let these naming tips serve as a jumping off point for creating a great brand name. And after you feel good about your strategy, you can dive even deeper with our naming guide and other naming resources.

1. Stare at your palm and ask, Who are we?

The first step to any successful naming project is to convene with the key stakeholders of your brand, which could be a product, company, or service. Really think about what makes your brand tick.

What makes you unique? Are you the practical jokers, like Playstation? The sages, like Google? The outlaws, like Xbox?

These are examples of a brand’’s archetype, which, when defined, can help you choose how you will communicate your brand to your audience. This will be the foundation upon which your name will grow.

2. Look up from your palm, and stare down the competition

Explore the competitive landscape to see what sorts of names are out there. Often you will notice that there are identifiable trends.

There are literally hundreds of cloud computing companies whose names include Cloud in some way, like Cloud One, Cloud Web, Cloud Bus, etc. While most brand stakeholders gravitate towards names that sound familiar, this leads them to just regurgitating what’s already out there!

Be brave and go against the grain. Choose a metaphorical name to stand out from a cloud of descriptive names or coined name in a land of real-word names. A great name makes you-you, and not you-them.

3. Now look at who’’s standing with you

You should always think about your customers before embarking on your naming project and remember that there are many customers that you don’t have yet. What language do they speak? What do they enjoy? Who do they love? Your name can address some of these questions.

Clif Bar is a great name for the outdoorsy consumers who buy organic, whereas PowerBar appeals to the consumers who want pure, invigorating energy. Whatever name you choose, make it resonate with your audience.

4. Look over your portfolio or get ready to have one

Brand architecture refers to the way that one company’s products or services are named in relation to each other. Even if you’re naming your first product or service, make sure that you choose a name that can be built upon if needed. Or, if what you’re naming will be part of a line of products that already has a naming protocol, do not stray from it.

Take Lexus’’s alphanumeric car names as an example. The IS, ES, GS, and LS sedans all follow the same naming pattern. Brand architecture allows your customers to easily identify and compare what you have to offer.

5. Now stand up, and take a look outside

Consider in which contexts will you use this name. Are you naming an App for which there is a strict character limit? Will your name be traveling to foreign language speakers where it may encounter unanticipated negative associations?

The name Cosm sounds pretty hip to us English speakers, but in German it sounds very close to kotzen, which means “to vomit”.

Will your customers be spreading your name via word of mouth? If so, it should be pretty intuitive to spell. Also, If you’’re planning on registering a domain for your new name, ensure that it makes sense when spelled out in lowercase letters.

Would you believe that penisland.com used to be an island-themed pen store? Lastly, don’’t get too hung up on getting an exact domain name because these days, you probably won’’t without pretty deep pockets. It’s really not a big deal to add a modifier to your domain name (we did it ourselves).

Ponder these five tips and do the soul searching before you start naming. We promise it will help you arrive at a robust list of names that communicate who you are as a brand. Naming is a long process, but it’s time worth spending because your name is the first thing that your customers will see. It is a vehicle that can drive your customer to images, emotions, and memories. And with some work, you can steer them right where you want.

Author’s Bio: Mark Skoultchi is Principal, Project Lead, and Head of East Coast Operations at Catchword. He is a veteran naming professional with 20 years experience counseling clients in every aspect of product and company name development. As head of Catchword’’s East Coast operations he’s managed projects for Volkswagen, Weight Watchers, McDonald’s, Time Warner Cable, Xerox and many other multinational companies.

Study up Before Going the Franchise Route

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Are you thinking about purchasing a franchise business?

Many people are drawn to franchises because they allow you to be a business owner with much of the legwork already done.

The business plan, what the store will sell, the logo and the advertising are all taken care of for you.

Franchises are often viewed as the best of both worlds because you run a business and start making a salary immediately, whereas if you opened your own new business, it could take months (if not years) to see results.

Businesses that can be purchased as a franchise include Allstate, Arby’s, Chick Fil-A, Econo Lodge, Subway, U-Haul and hundreds of others.

Study Up Before Purchasing

If you’re thinking about owning a franchise, it’s important to study up beforehand to make sure that it’s the right business for you.

The best way to start out is by reading books on franchising. There’s no better way to understand the scope of the industry than by learning from those who have been there before.

If you’re not sure where to start, check out the top 8 books to read for franchising.

The top three books on the list include The Educated Franchisee by Rick Bisio, Become a Franchise Owner by Joel Libava and Franchising for Dummies by Michael Seid and Dave Thomas.

Is Franchising Right for You?

In addition to reading books on franchising, it’s important to learn all you can about the industry to make sure that it’s what you want to do.

Just because the business plan and product are taken care of doesn’t mean the work is going to be easy. You can expect long hours, little vacation time (especially when starting out) and other stressful situations that will arise.

To be sure franchising is for you, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Are you willing to run the business someone else’s way? – This is perhaps the biggest question you will need to ask yourself. Yes, you are in charge of the franchise, but the systems are already in place and more than likely, the owner is not going to be willing to change them just for you. Make sure you’re willing to work under someone else and adapt to their way of running a business, not your own.
  • Can you afford the start-up costs? – Franchise start-up costs can range from a couple thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Before choosing a company, make sure you can afford the cost it will take to get your store up and running. If you can’t afford it, consider picking up a part-time job, working overtime or selling unused items to bring in some extra money.
  • Is running a franchise something you will enjoy? – The best way to test the waters when it comes to franchising is to talk to other franchise owners. Ask if you can meet them for coffee and learn what they like, what they don’t like and what the challenges are which come with the job. If you see yourself being happy by running a franchise, then by all means, go for it.

Running a franchise requires discipline, a support system and the motivation to see your franchise succeed.

Once you’ve done your research on franchising and figured out if it’s right for you, it’s time to move forward with running your own franchise business.

About the Author: Sarah Brooks is a freelance writer living in Charlotte, NC. She writes on a variety of topics including small businesses, social media and personal finance.

What Makes for a Good Career Transition?

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Sometimes you need a change.

Perhaps the career you chose years ago has changed enough so that it doesn’t fit you anymore, or maybe you graduated with one degree, but feel you’re better suited somewhere else.

People change careers throughout their working years, some as early as in their 20’s and some much later in life

If you are contemplating a career transition, think about why….

  • Have you lost the fulfillment you once found in your job?
  • Are you looking to improve your financial situation?
  • Do you need something more flexible to better suit your family?
  • Have you hit a dead end in your current career?
  • Are you simply ready for a change

All of these are valid reasons to seek a career change.

The key is making a smooth transition. A career change is enough transition within itself; you want the adjustment to be as easy as possible.

Try some of these tips:

  • Research – If you are interested in something, take the time to really research it. As the following article looks at, if you’re thinking about home inspection, learn 5 reasons to train for a home inspection career, which include strong market need, salary, and flexibility. You may want to search the negatives as well, just so you know all the angles.
  • Talk to someone in that career field – If you know a home inspector or realtor, have coffee with them and find a first-hand perspective on the job. Use them as a source of information to answer any questions.
  • Budget – You may go a little while without the same income you’ve had. Take this into consideration and be smart financially during the transition, even before.
  • Be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses – If you are unorganized, you may have trouble running your own business. If you are an extrovert you may go a little stir crazy working at home alone all day.
  • Have a timeline – Know how long it will take. For instance, you need not only the client base and solid reputation to be a successful home inspector, but you also need training and licensing. This won’t happen overnight, so plan accordingly. Figure out the best time to leave your current job in accordance with a beginning a new one. Do you want all of your training done before leaving your current job? Do you want some time in between for home projects? Think about it and have a plan.

Most people don’t stay in the same career all of their lives, much less the same job.

There’s probably going to be some transition in your work life, so make the best of it and turn it into a smooth, positive experience.

With some thoughtful, thorough research and planning, you can be off to a successful new career before you know it.

About the Author: Heather Legg writes on topics related to small business, working for home and social media.

Time for a Career Consultant?

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Are you feeling stuck in your career? If your career is a little lackluster, a career consultant can help you get it back on track.

A career consultant is a worthwhile investment of time and money if you need some help moving forward, but naturally you want to choose the right consultant to make sure you get a return on that investment.

So how can you do just that?

Follow these four tips to help find the right career consultant for you.

  1. Know Your Goals

A career consultant can help you find what you want to do, gain clarity and narrow down your options. However, they will be much better able to help you if you start off with a clear idea of your aim.

Are you looking for a complete change of career or are you more interested in moving forward in your current field? Do you have specific goals regarding earning more money or being able to work from home?

It’s ok to have a lot of unanswered questions – that’s why you’re hiring a career consultant – but try to start out with an idea of your overall aims. That way, you’ll be better placed to choose a consultant whose methods and track record are well suited to those aims.

  1. Research Their Credentials

As the article “How to Find the Right Career Consultant for You” points out, anyone can set themselves up as a career consultant.

The lack of consistent accreditation can make finding the right consultant seem like a minefield, but don’t worry.

There are other ways to find out how well qualified your career consultant is:

  • Search engines. By searching for their name, you can see what others have said about them online;
  • Professional references. Ask if they can provide you with professional references to follow up;
  • Find out if they have previous clients who would be willing to talk with you;
  • A good consultant will usually have some level of visibility, such as books, papers, social media or speaking engagements.
  1. Make the Most of Your Consultation

Any career consultant worth your time will be happy to offer you a free initial consultation, either in person or by phone or email. This helps you both assess one another and figure out if you’d be a good fit.

Prepare some questions before hand to learn more about how they work and what exactly they can help you to achieve.

The consultation is also a good opportunity to see if there’s chemistry between you. Do you feel you could work well with this person?

A career consultant doesn’t occupy the same place in your life as a friend, but a certain level of rapport and ease of conversation is a must.

  1. Assess Their Methods

Every career consultant works differently.

Some are more hands on than others. Some lean more towards “tough love” while some are more holistic. All good consultants will help you with goal setting, but some will have a more formal approach than others, and some will set very specific homework.

As well as getting a feel for how they work and what kind of success they’ve had with those methods, finding out more about how they approach coaching will help you to decide if their methods are right for you.

Everyone is different, so be honest with yourself about which methods are most likely to motivate you.

A career consultant can help you turn your career around and guide you in the best direction for you.

Of course you’ll still be responsible for the work needed to get there, but the right consultant will act as your trail guide, showing you the best routes and helping you avoid the rocky ground.

About the Author: Tristan Anwyn writes on a wide variety of topics, including social media, career consultants and changing careers.

Does Your Business Profile Get Enough Love?

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Digital marketing revolves around building an online presence, at the core of which is your online business profile.

When you first brought your business profile online, you probably set up a few social media accounts, posted a few pictures on your Facebook page and maybe even Tweeted an announcement that you were open for business.

But without continual maintenance, your business profile will collect cobwebs faster than a tavern during the prohibition.

What Have You Done for Me Lately?

Your followers are always looking for the latest and greatest offerings from your social media accounts.

It’s not enough that you announce your grand opening or a 20% off sale three months ago. You have to keep the offers flowing.

Whether you’re offering up fashion tips from your online clothing store blog, or posting pictures of your company employee outing on Pinterest, the posts have to keep coming.

Assume your followers have short-term memory loss. They don’t remember today what you did for them yesterday, so you have to keep reminding them why they follow you.

You Never Know Where Gold Will Turn up

If you think that simply having a website and a stagnant online business profile is sufficient, think again.

Business networking is still the key to drumming up leads, referrals and long-term business relationships. Just like in the old days when you handed your business card to everyone from the plumber to the guy sitting next to you on the subway, you should network everywhere.

You never know where the gold will turn up.

Don’t assume that certain social media sites are only for one specific demographic. Pinterest started out with women posting pretty pictures of hairstyles and tea sets.

As the following article looks at, now savvy business people post their business profile on Pinterest, like the Bob Pratt profile, because they recognize that people from all walks of life visit a variety of social media sites. Market your business profile everywhere you can.

Give People What They Want

To really make your business profile stand out, make it about the people, not about you. In other words, your posts and tweets should have value to the people, helping you increase and improve your brand profile along the way.

Of course, it’s fine to toot your own horn just a little. For example, if you’ve made a sizable donation to a charity, you can certainly announce it.

But most of your posts should be about giving the people what they want. In order to do that, you have to find out what they want. This is where business marketing surveys really come in handy.

A short survey with a few simple questions should be able to tell you if your followers are interested in receiving things like information, coupons, infographics, or investor tips from you. Whatever it is, make sure you comply.

Try to put your own agenda in the background, and your followers’ wants in the foreground of your online business profile campaign.

Make sure your business profile is getting enough love.

Post often and everywhere with information that your followers want.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about best business practices.