Branding is a crucial aspect of any business, and it’s essential to invest time and resources into building a strong brand identity. Your brand identity is the personality and reputation of your business, and it’s what sets you apart from your competitors. In this article from Blu Dragonfly, we’ll discuss how to boost your branding efforts to ensure that your business stands out in the market.
Make Your Brand Identity Known
The first step in building a strong brand is defining your brand identity. Your brand identity should be unique and reflect your business’s values, purpose, and goals. You can start by answering some questions about your business, such as:
- What is your mission statement?
- What are your core values?
- Who is your target audience?
- What makes your business unique?
Once you have a clear understanding of your brand identity, you can start creating branding materials such as logos, taglines, and messaging that communicate your brand’s personality.
If you would like help developing your brand and marketing strategy, contact Blu Dragonfly for a consultation.
Improve Your Website’s SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical for ensuring that your website ranks high in search engine results pages (SERPs). Optimizing your site for SEO involves creating high-quality content, using relevant keywords, and ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly and has a fast loading speed. You can also use a variety of tools to help you optimize your site. These tools can help you track your website’s performance, identify areas for improvement, and monitor your search engine rankings.
Content Management System
One of the best ways to enhance your brand is by using a content management system (CMS) to create, manage, and publish high-quality digital content across different channels. A CMS can help you streamline your content creation process, ensure that your messaging is consistent across all channels, and improve the overall user experience.
Include Strong Visuals in Your Messaging
Visuals are a powerful tool for enhancing your brand messaging, and incorporating impactful visuals into your marketing materials can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Some effective ways to use visuals in your branding efforts include:
- Creating a distinctive logo that reflects your brand’s personality
- Using high-quality images and videos in your social media posts and blog content
- Developing a consistent color palette and design aesthetic across all branded materials
Promote Your Business Through Advertising
Investing in advertising is an excellent way to boost your brand’s visibility and attract new customers. There are many different types of advertising channels available, including social media advertising, search engine marketing, and display advertising.
When creating your advertising campaigns, it’s important to keep your target audience in mind and tailor your messaging to their needs and interests. You should also set clear goals for your advertising campaigns and track your results using analytics tools.
Analyze Your Rivals’ Marketing Strategies
Understanding your competitors and how they market their businesses can provide valuable insights into how you can enhance your branding efforts. By analyzing your competitors’ branding strategies, you can identify areas where you can differentiate yourself and create unique value propositions that appeal to your target audience.
Some effective ways to analyze your competitors include:
- Conducting a competitive analysis of their branding materials
- Researching their social media presence and engagement rates
- Analyzing their website traffic and search engine rankings
Get Customer Feedback with Surveys
If you’re aiming to improve your business’s marketing game, conducting a survey can be an excellent way to start. To gain valuable insights from your customers, an incentivized survey can do wonders. You can easily offer a survey study gift card through an API that will encourage customers to participate in a way that benefits both them and your brand. The gift card can provide an extra incentive for people to take the survey and give their honest opinions and feedback.
With this feedback, you can get a better understanding of your customer’s needs and expectations, which will undoubtedly benefit your branding efforts. Plus, it’s relatively easy to offer a survey study gift card and get started on your survey journey today.
Review Your Marketing Plan Frequently
Finally, it’s essential to regularly revisit your marketing strategy and adjust it as needed to ensure that your branding efforts remain effective. As your business evolves and your target audience changes, your marketing strategy should adapt accordingly. By regularly revisiting your marketing strategy and tracking your results, you can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions about how to enhance your branding efforts over time.
Boost Your Knowledge with a Business Degree
Pursuing an online bachelor’s degree in business can be a key to success as you gain a wealth of knowledge and skills that are directly applicable to the field of marketing. With an understanding of business principles and strategies, you can better navigate the complexities of today’s marketplace and develop effective marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience.
By studying topics such as market research, consumer behavior, and digital marketing, you can expand your knowledge and enhance your skills as a marketing professional, positioning yourself for greater success and growth in this dynamic industry.
Review Your Marketing Plan Frequently
A strong brand identity is essential for a business to succeed in today’s highly competitive market. It helps to differentiate your business from the rest and creates a recognizable image that customers can relate to. By implementing various branding strategies like optimizing your website for SEO, managing content using CMS, analyzing competitors, and more, you can enhance your branding efforts, increase brand visibility, and ultimately drive more sales.
On November 17, 2021, Lance Corporal Jordan Dedo received his discharge from the United States Marine Corps. But instead of it being a time of anticipation and moving forward after his service in the Corps, it was the beginning of a new battle for LCpl Dedo.
Why? Because Jordan Dedo was discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccination.
As Veterans, we all can recall lining up, holding our breath, and getting shot with air guns filled with vaccines and God only knows what else. It was a part of the program. We were technically government property and we accepted that as part of our service. However, there were medical and religious exemptions allowed and those recruits stood off to the side while the rest of us received the ‘secret sauce.’
Vaccine Ethics
Dr. Robert Malone, physician, and inventor of the mRNA vaccine technology, warns that new data is now showing that the COVID vaccines are causing antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). He also stated in an interview with The Epoch Times in January of 2022, “The masses formed around the idea that the vaccines are going to magically relieve them of this problem, which is infection of SARS Covid 2. The Government is not allowing the true data on risk to be distributed.” Dr. Malone went on to state, “there is no licensed vaccine (for Covid-19) in the United States, it is all emergency use authorization (or EUA).” This means that all COVID-19 vaccines are still in the experimental stage of research.
Nuremberg Code and Helsinki Accord says, you cannot mandate that someone accept an experimental medical product without full informed consent and willing acceptance of the risks and goes completely against Bioethics.
The Nuremberg Military Tribunal’s decision in the case of the United States v Karl Brandt et al. includes what is now called the Nuremberg Code, a ten-point statement delimiting permissible medical experimentation on human subjects. According to this statement, humane experimentation is justified only if its results benefit society and it is carried out in accord with basic principles that “satisfy moral, ethical, and legal concepts.”[i]
The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, over-reaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion, and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision. This latter element requires that before the acceptance of an affirmative decision by the experimental subject there should be made known to him the nature, duration, and purpose of the experiment; the method and means by which it is to be conducted; all inconveniences and hazards reasonably to be expected; and the effects upon his health or person which may possibly come from his participation in the experiment.
According to the Helsinki Accord, adopted by the World Medical Association, items 7 & 8 are as follows:
- Medical research is subject to ethical standards that promote and ensure respect for all human subjects and protect their health and rights.
- While the primary purpose of medical research is to generate new knowledge, this goal can never take precedence over the rights and interests of individual research subjects.[ii]
Choose This Day…
Stationed at Camp Pendleton in the 1st Transportation Battalion, LCpl Dedo loved the Corps and adored his brothers and sisters. He honestly thought he might make a career in the Marine Corps.
All that changed last August when the Biden Administration issued the sweeping COVID-19 vaccine mandates within the DOD.
So why then did Jordan refuse the C-19 vaccine? “It’s not about the vaccine, it’s about the forced mandate with something that is barely effective,” Jordan said. LCpl Dedo did his research, and what he found gave him the courage to stand his ground, even if that meant being forcibly discharged from the Marine Corps.
The Lonely Road
With the wheels in motion, it started with a brief from the Battalion Commander issuing a verbal warning that the vaccine was required. Still standing his ground, he was then required to sign a page 11 and ‘non-Req’, a document that states a Marine would not be eligible for promotion. Several days later, Jordan met with the Battalion Commander who issued a 6105, giving him 5 days to fix the discrepancies, if he and the others still refused the vaccine, administrative separation would begin immediately.
Some of the men had filed exemptions either for religious or medical reasons, but Jordan said, “in October a MarAdmin came down and it stated that no matter whether you claim a religious exemption or medical exemption, they were to be denied and the individual was to be administratively discharged via involuntary separation.”
Jordan stood strong in his convictions, but “It was a lonely journey, I was ostracized from my brothers,” he said.
As his discharged progressed, there was more punitive salt to be poured into this open wound… Jordan was ordered to turn in his uniforms. All of them! The uniforms that he not only bought and paid for, but more importantly, the uniforms he earned as a Marine!
Jordan contacted a JAG Lawyer and they had spoken to MLG (Marine Logistic Group), MLG said do not turn in any of your uniforms, and yet the next day, MLG sent down order that yes, in fact all uniforms must be turned in.
The final nail in the coffin came on November 17th, when Jordan was told he would receive a General Discharge under Honorable conditions, and yet the separation code on his DD-214 is designated as JKQ1 or Misconduct under the auspice of Commission of a Serious offense. He is disqualified from ever serving in the Military again and the cherry on top, they took away his GI Bill and all the money he had paid into it during his service in the Corps.
All of this punitive damage to an otherwise exemplary Marine for simply for not wanting to be coerced into taking an experimental vaccine? What in the hell is really going on?
Adapt & Overcome
LCpl Jordan Dedo may be down, but he is certainly not out. As all Marines know, it’s time to adapt and overcome, and that is exactly what he is doing. Jordan has made it his mission to speak out about what is really going on within our Military.
“The woke influence in the Marine Corps is demoralizing our most intense fighting force, we are setting up our young Marines to be victims of the brutality of our enemies by coddling them. I have watched guys get NJP’d just for a damn fist fight. I had superiors above me who are hard charging, but the ones sending down the orders, they are killing the Corps,” Jordan said…
Meanwhile, a case brought to Federal Court by 26 Navy Seals received a ‘stay’ in January 2022.
“The Navy service members in this case seek to vindicate the very freedoms they have sacrificed so much to protect,” U.S. Judge Reed O’Connor, a George W. Bush nominee, said in his order (pdf) on Monday. “The COVID-19 pandemic provides the government no license to abrogate those freedoms. There is no COVID-19 exception to the First Amendment. There is no military exclusion from our Constitution.”[iii]
*This story was first published in the SPRING 2022 issue of ©AT EASE! Veterans Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
[i] – “Permissible Medical Experiments.” Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals under Control Council Law No. 10. Nuremberg October 1946 – April 1949, Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office (n.d.), vol. 2., pp. 181-182.
[ii] https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki-ethical-principles-for-medical-research-involving-human-subjects/
[iii] https://www.theepochtimes.com/federal-court-grants-navy-seals-temporary-injunction-in-lawsuit-over-covid-19-vaccine-mandate_4191743.html?utm_source=ai&utm_medium=search
The National weather service issued a Tornado warning at 9:26 pm for Graves County, Kentucky. Within the county was the little town of Mayfield that would soon suffer a direct hit from the mammoth EF-4 wedge tornado. It destroyed their historic Main Street, killing 22 people and severely injuring hundreds more. All this taking place on an unseasonably warm late Friday evening, December 10th, 2021.
The American Legion Post 26, located in the heart of Downtown Mayfield, suffered extensive and non-repairable damage. Built in 1923, the building housed the Legion meeting rooms on the ground floor, a basketball court and theater on the second floor and the theaters balcony on the 3rd floor. For over 90 years, this American Legion was home to generations of Veterans from WWI to Post 9/11 Veterans and their families.
In speaking with Commander Wendell Guge, 3 days after the tornado, he was still trying to get his bearings in a town where he had grown up. “I don’t recognize anything, everything is gone.” And while he had yet to process the loss of their Post’s historic building, Wendall was much more concerned for the people of Mayfield, finding the missing, and using Post resources to help feed and clothe those who had lost everything.
When standing in the Post’s 100-seat theater looking out through the open space where it once was occupied by the indoor movie screen, “The destruction was just overwhelming,” commented Commander Guge. But then his attention turned from the material to the human destruction both in injury and loss. So many were displaced and needed immediate help. His employer, a local Ford dealership, offered their warehouse to stage supplies needed for the recovery effort and it quickly became a distribution site for the Post. Supplies poured in from near and far with at least 25 states participating and the warehouse was quickly overwhelmed with aid. Many of the sister American Legion Posts around the neighboring states also sent trailer loads of supplies.
Since the Post’s historic building is no longer safe or suitable as a meeting place, the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), DAV (Disabled American Veterans), and the American Legion’s 149 members all temporarily share space at the DAV’s building. Commander Guge said, “The current Post’s building is scheduled to be leveled and the Post will not rebuild on that site.” Instead, they are planning on a new building that will be designed to better suit their needs. One of the Post’s goals is to also build efficiency apartments to temporarily house veterans and their families. “It has always been a goal of the Post’s to help provide housing, and now that just may have to become a reality soon,” Guge said.
“In the current environment, there is a lack of building raw materials, supplies, and manpower,” Commander Guge commented. The priorities for Mayfield are to repair and rebuild the homes and business lost. Therefore, rebuilding the American Legion Post is at the bottom of the priority list and he doesn’t know when they will rebuild. In all the destruction and loss, the one thing for him that did stand out was how the town came together without anyone being asked to help, they just did! Hope and the human spirit are alive and well…and Mayfield Kentucky is thankful for that!
*This story was first published in the SUMMER 2022 issue of ©AT EASE! Veterans Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
The Genera
l’s Corner—“General”-y Speaking
Brigadier General Matt Barker, Texas Air National Guard
Many Veterans will agree that the allure of exotic travel is one of the “draws” of military service (many will also agree that the expectation doesn’t always match reality). But even if it’s only seeing a new state or being able to take leave at a unique location during a routine assignment, I’ve found military travel to be one of the most fascinating and rewarding parts of my 31 years in uniform.
My travel adventures with the Air Force began when I was a cadet sent to the now-defunct Castle Air Force Base near Modesto, California. Base operations were interesting enough, at the time Castle trained B-52 bomber and KC-135 air refueling crews. What was equally compelling for me was the opportunity to travel to the breathtaking Yosemite National Park during a break in training. I’d return to California a year later (the coastal town of Lompoc) for technical training as a newly minted Lieutenant. My father accompanied me on the epic road trip from southeast Pennsylvania south through the Carolinas before picking up I-10 for the transit through Louisiana and Texas coastal plains which gave way to central Texas prairie, then the southwest desert before dropping Dad off at Los Angeles Airport. All along the way I was struck by the natural beauty and diverse communities of this nation I’d recently sworn to defend.
Most people have heard the phrase “join the [insert your military branch here] and see the world!” Foreign travel has unique opportunities and challenges, but for me has been almost entirely positive. As an aircrew member with our surveillance aircraft, I had the opportunity to spend time in Korea, Japan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. I learned a lot each place I visited (including a lot about myself…it’s very humbling to have to make your way in a place where you don’t speak the language). The chance to experience different cultures, food, history and scenery with my crew mates made for some lasting memories.
Those who are fortunate enough to be permanently stationed overseas often recall the time fondly, as my wife and I do, having been stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, for two years. We were able to experience life in a rural village where Pam was the only American in the protestant church choir and brushed up on her German while sharing the common love of music. The best part of being stationed so centrally was easy (and relatively inexpensive) travel opportunity to neighboring countries, as when we hopped the train to Paris for a long weekend or grabbed a cheap flight to Scotland to run the Edinburg half-marathon. As we’ve scaled back and shut down overseas installations, I’m saddened that fewer service members will have the opportunity to expand their horizons and experience the enrichment that an overseas tour offers.
For me my most memorable overseas experiences came when I was assigned to Pope Field in North Carolina. I was part of the Joint Staff unit that ran Mobile Training Teams for tactical data links and other equipment for our allies and partners. Travel to Japan, Thailand, Poland, Germany, Chile and the Republic of Korea became routine as we took our important work straight to our customers. One of the more interesting facets of these trips was they were often at a host nation’s base, off the beaten path that many Americans (even other service members) frequented. I was informed they “toned down” the spice at the Thai mess hall for their guests from the USA. Although many of our instructors seemed to live out of their suitcases, they established lasting friendships around the globe and wouldn’t have traded it for anything. The confidence and resilience bred by the rigors of international travel made us all more patient, flexible, and honed a sense of humor crucial to maintaining sanity when the inevitable delays, cancellations, or lost bags blew up “Plan A” (and “B,” and “C”…).
I hope our readers’ military travel memories are more positive than negative, and that you’re able to share them as a part of your unique military story. Our Veteran community is more diverse and worldly-wise because of these adventures and will continue to be with the generation just starting their journey in uniform.
Until next time, Stay Frosty and Hold the Line.
As a small business owner, you already know how important it is that you make investments to help your company grow and thrive. While it can be tempting to skimp on expenses, investing in high-quality tech and software tools can save you time and money in the long run. The right tech solutions will pay for themselves!
From inventory management software that reduces costly overstocking issues to free online tools that eliminate the need to hire professionals, here are a few tech investments that will make your life easier, courtesy of Blu Dragonfly!
1. Data Security Software
Data security software is always a smart investment, regardless of the size of your business. The right data security tools will protect your business from cyber threats and data breaches, helping you avoid serious consequences like financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. Get in touch with a data security company to help you identify cybersecurity solutions that will work best for your business!
2. Automation with AI Functions
Incorporating automation and AI into your small business operations can be a game changer. By delegating repetitive tasks and workflows to technology, you can free up time and resources for more important work. With automation + AI, you can streamline your business processes, reduce errors, and increase efficiency.
Additionally, these technologies can provide valuable insights and data analytics, helping you make informed decisions and optimize your operations. By embracing automation and AI, your small business can save valuable time and money in the long run.
3. Cloud Storage and Collaboration Tools
File storage and collaboration tools that leverage cloud infrastructure can help boost productivity and keep your team members on the same page. Cloud-based tools will allow your team members to access and share files from anywhere. These tools also typically include features like real-time collaboration and version control, which can help teams work efficiently.
By leveraging these cloud-based tools, you can reduce the need for in-person meetings and email communication. Many cloud tools also provide backup and recovery features to help businesses protect their data. If you’re working with a marketing or branding agency like Blu Dragonfly, using cloud storage can also reduce the stress of sending large files via email for review.
4. Inventory Management Software
If you’re using manual methods to track your inventory, consider investing in inventory management software. These types of software can automate a lot of the inventory management process, from tracking inventory levels in real-time to triggering reorder alerts so you can avoid running out of stock. Inventory management software can also produce detailed reports to help you make data-driven business decisions.
5. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Apps
How much time do you spend on customer service every day? According to APOLLO, business owners work an average of 50 hours per week, and a lot of this time is taken up by emails and administrative tasks such as client management and customer service. A solid CRM system will help streamline your sales and customer service process while maintaining strong relationships with your valuable customers.
CRM apps provide a central place where you can store customer information, such as contact details, purchase history, and communication history. By storing all of this information in one place, you’ll be able to provide top-notch customer service without spending so much time on back-and-forth emails.
6. Business Intelligence Software
Business intelligence (BI) software can elevate your small business by helping you analyze your business data and make more informed decisions. Tableau explains that BI software typically includes tools for collecting, storing, and analyzing data from various sources, including sales data and customer data. Essentially, BI software will turn your business’s raw data into insights that you can read and understand. This can increase your organizational efficiency, improve the customer experience, and boost your competitive advantage.
Find Software that Works for You
Investing in the right software can be a smart move for small business owners, saving you time and money as you work to grow your business. Look for software that will solve your biggest business pain points, such as CRM software to streamline customer management or free graphic design tools to save money on the creation of marketing materials. Carefully assess the needs of your business and choose tools that will help you achieve your goals!
Once in a while, you have the privilege to meet someone extraordinary, even it is vicariously through the internet. As we were gearing up to publish our inaugural edition of this magazine, I was contacted by Paul & Bev Sullivan who had heard about us and Paul, a writer, offered to write a few humorous pieces chronicling some of the stories from ‘back in the day’ during his time in service as a USMC Captain.
After reading Paul’s piece, I knew I had to give him his own feature in every issue. Not only were his stories well written, but the humor and bits of wisdom sprinkled in for good measure were exactly what this magazine needed.
So let me tell you a little bit more about Captain Sullivan…
He entered the National Guard at the age of 15, but because this was during the Korean War, they released him when they discovered he was too young to serve. At 17, he entered the Massachusetts Air National Guard and served through boot camp, at the time he was going to college he couldn’t make all the meetings, so they released him. In 1956, He entered Worcester State Teacher’s College and at the same time, the USMC Platoon Leaders’ Course in Quantico, VA. He graduated college in 1958 with a BS in Education and was sworn into the USMC as a Second Lieutenant on the very same day.
After completing Officers’ Basic School, Capt. Sullivan was stationed in Hawaii for most of his enlistment in H Company, Second Battalion, 4th Marines, rising to the rank of Captain. In his MOS, he frequently made trips to Taiwan to train Marines in Jungle warfare before they were sent to Vietnam. After Captain Sullivan’s active-duty discharge, he served 8 years in B Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines of the USMC Reserves and became a teacher at a Youth Detention Center, a prison for hardcore kids, and worked there for 10 years, purposing to make a difference in those kids lives.
Paul eventually moved on teaching K-8th grades for several years before he went on to Administration for the remainder of his 40 years in education, all the while he continued his own education ending with a master’s degree in administration and Supervision of K-8.
After retirement, Paul became a substitute teacher, taught religious education, volunteered with Hospice Programs and at local hospitals in their Spiritual Care Departments. He has taken up writing and has written two books. Paul is also a budding artist, gardener, and an active member of a local men’s prayer group.
Paul & his wife Beverly were introduced to the “Stars Program”. They cut the stars off of retired flags and send the remnants on to be burned in a flag ceremony and then taking the stars giving them out in a small plastic bag about 1 /1/2 ” square (to fit into a wallet) with a little saying and give them out to veterans they meet. They also developed a program attaching one of the stars to a little parchment document to give out a ceremony for Veterans in Nursing Homes. Beverly recalls one such ceremony… “We had music for each of the branches as the person’s name would be called their music would play and Paul would salute them. Most would be wheeled up in wheelchairs, but they would salute right back. At the end, after the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard & National Guard were done, one man called out “I bet you don’t have one for me, I was in the Merchant Marines, and nobody gives a damn about us.” But what he didn’t know was that we had asked the nursing home to get us the names of anyone in the Merchant Marines also. If it wasn’t for them our troops would have been in really bad shape and those guys lives were in a lot of danger doing their jobs too. Paul said to him, well, we certainly do have an award for you. I played “Heave Ho! My Lads, Heave Ho!” and when he came up to the front of the room to get his certificate, he had tears running down his face….and so did Paul as he shook the man’s hand, two brothers from different branches showing each other respect for their service.”
Paul presently serves as the Chaplain of our Local Marine Corps League Detachment, chaplain of the Caddy Detachment – the local Devil Dog Pound. He is a LIFE Member of the Marine Corps League, a LIFE Member of the Vietnam Veterans of America and a Member of the American Legion Post.
I suppose it goes without saying, but Paul has a heart of gold and continues to touch the hearts of Veterans with everything that he does. We are so incredibly grateful to have him as part of our AT EASE! Veterans Magazine family. Semper Fi Captain Sullivan!
*This story was first published in the WINTER 2021 issue of ©AT EASE! Veterans Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
