Dennis Yu

How to Get the Least Value From a Branding Firm

Blog, Branding /

Dennis Yu and I were going to make a client wealthy. We were reviewing the client:→ Their goals.→ Their awareness.→ Their ability to be guided. And we discovered a problem:→ They wrote the recipes.→ Wanted Michelin star chefs.→ Told us how to cook & supply the ingredients. And it got worse:→ They did not respect the experience or the talent.→ Nor the humility to modify the menu.→ Or more ideal ingredients. If you already KNOW the problem and the solution….Why are you bringing us in? Business Intelligence:The integrity to know when to ask for help. P.S. What’s the worst example of this you’ve ever seen? Full credit to David Brier, founder of risingabovethenoise.com

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$25,000 to Build a Website for My Home Services Business? A Breakdown of What the Website Cost Really Should Be

Websites, Branding, Budgets /

As someone who has built websites for over 30 years, here’s a secret about website costs. Just because you pay $25,000 instead of $1,500 doesn’t mean you’re getting something that’s better or higher quality in any way. Ensure you know how to go beyond the aesthetics of how it will look. The paint job is nice, but we care more about the engine and transmission. In other words, consider where the content is coming from—location service pages, blogs, profiles of team members, your reviews, etc. What good is a nice-looking purse that is empty? Let’s take BrandtHavac, for example. Their site design seems to be okay, but they’re using stock images instead of their own. The inputs to the website must come from you, not magic AI tools– though AI tools can help edit this like a smart VA. For example, BrandtHavac does not use its own content in some parts of the website. As explained above, they’re using Stock images, which can negatively affect their SEO. You must be able to measure how many phone calls you’re getting and where they come from, meaning digital plumbing has to be in place. A simple one-pager checklist for that, too. If you’re a local service business, usually $850 is enough website cost to build your site and meet all the criteria I mentioned above. You can also hire a VA on UpWork to clone another site you like, put it on WordPress, and host it on WP Engine with our standard set of plug-ins. If you want someone in the US to do it, multiply the $850 price by 10X. In fact, hiring from the US doesn’t matter; what really matters is hitting the site’s goals following EEAT (Expertise—Experience—Authority—Trust). In other words, does your site demonstrate that you have expertise, experience, authority, and trust in your services? Let’s use Bee Friendly Pest Control’s site as an example to demonstrate EEAT. If you look at their site, you will notice that they use real images to showcase their products and services. Using real images shows that they have expertise, experience, authority, and trust in what they do. If you want coaching, consulting, or agency-like services, multiply the price by 30X to accommodate a standard 3X agency markup on labour. There is nothing wrong with paying $25K for a website, but be sure you’re itemizing what you’re getting because most US-based “designers” hire someone else anyway and pocket the difference. $850 for the actual build-out (likely the agency is subbing out to someone, who then subs it out to someone else)– then the overhead of salespeople (they need to be paid), marketing, overhead, and a profit for the owner. Take, for example, my friend Curtis Fenn who paid more than $10k for a website for his real estate company RedX, only to end up having something that performed poorly. So what matters is not how beautiful your website is or how costly it is but if it has the necessary ingredients that lead to more traffic and conversions. Hope this gives you insight into what websites actually cost. Looking to unlock your website’s potential? Head over to AreYouGoogleable.com now for a comprehensive website audit. Quick, effective, and absolutely essential—let’s go!

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The Power of Google Alerts and Authentic Expertise for Business Success

Dollar a Day, Branding, Google, personal branding /

Every morning, I get these notifications from Google alerts about my name and the companies I’m involved with. Now, some might find this a bit strange, but let me break down why I find these Google alerts really important: Expressing Gratitude and Celebrating Success I’m not just checking these alerts for the fun of it. I’m actually on a mission to spread some good vibes. You know, when I see stuff about my clients, partners, and team members doing awesome things, I make it a point to give them a virtual high-five. It’s not just about saying, “Hey, great job!” It’s about showing off their cool skills and celebrating their successes for the world to see. And you know what’s cool about this? It’s like hitting the gratitude button in your brain. Feeling thankful is a superpower—it’s like a positive energy boost. Seeing all these achievements makes me realize that I’m surrounded by a bunch of rock stars who are all on my side. It’s like a team of champions working together to kick some digital marketing butt. So, it’s not just about checking off alerts; it’s about soaking up that gratitude goodness. It’s like a reminder that we’re all in this together, pushing each other to be awesome. And let me tell you, being grateful isn’t just a nice thing to do—it’s like rocket fuel for your positivity and success mindset. It’s the secret sauce that keeps me motivated and connected. Data-Driven Content Direction These alerts they’re like my secret weapon for staying in the loop. I mean, in this wild world of the internet, things change faster than you can say “digital revolution.” And keeping up with the ebb and flow of what’s being shared, liked, and talked about is like having my finger on the pulse of the digital cosmos. Now, here’s the kicker—I’m no psychic. I might think I have these brilliant ideas that are going to rock the digital landscape, but guess what? The reality check is often a bit humbling. My gut feeling isn’t always spot on. That’s where the magic of data comes in. Those alerts? They’re like a treasure chest of data-driven insights that tell me what’s actually clicking with people out there. Do you know what’s cool about data? It’s like the truth serum of the internet. It doesn’t care about my grand ideas or what I think is awesome. It just lays out the facts plain and simple. So, when I peek into those alerts and see what’s getting the thumbs up, it’s like a reality check that keeps me grounded. It’s like a roadmap showing me the way that people are actually moving. Now, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty. Remember that “Dollar a Day Strategy” that you might have heard of? Yeah, that’s my digital calling card, my claim to fame. But not everything I touch turns into gold. Take the “Topic Wheel” concept, for instance. I gave it my all, but it didn’t quite set the digital world ablaze like I hoped it would. And you know what? That’s just how the digital cookie crumbles sometimes. And this is where those alerts earn their keep. They’re like a trusty compass, showing me which paths are paved with gold and which might need a bit of rerouting. I’ve learned to embrace the lessons from both hits and misses. It’s not about being right all the time; it’s about letting the data guide the way and being open to unexpected twists and turns. Practicing What You Preach These alerts aren’t just pixels on a screen; they’re like treasure maps guiding me toward golden insights. You see, sifting through these alerts isn’t just a mindless ritual—it’s like assembling the building blocks of a secret code. And what’s the secret code, you ask? It’s all about documenting what’s actually working, turning it into these nifty Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that anyone can pick up and follow. Why go through the trouble, you might wonder? It’s all about keeping the gears of progress greased and ready to roll. Imagine having a guidebook filled with battle-tested strategies, proven tactics, and data-backed insights. That’s what these SOPs become—a sort of digital playbook that lets anyone on our team tap into the collective genius of our journey. And here’s where things get really interesting—I’m not just about lip service. I believe in practicing what I preach, walking the talk, and doing more than just parroting what others say. I mean, let’s face it—anyone can toss around buzzwords and catchphrases. But it’s a whole different ball game when you’ve got skin in the game when you’re sharing not just theories but tales of trials and triumphs. Think of it as this: when I blend my own experiences with the wisdom of the wizards I admire, it’s like crafting a magic potion of credibility. It’s like saying, “Hey, I’ve been there, done that, and I’ve got the scars and stories to prove it.” This fusion of real-life know-how and proven methodologies is like a potent elixir that makes us more than just credible—it makes us invaluable. So, you see, those Google Alerts aren’t just digital blips; they’re breadcrumbs leading me toward a treasure trove of wisdom. It’s about taking the triumphs, the tumbles, and the insights that pop up on my radar and turning them into a roadmap for anyone eager to follow in our footsteps. It’s about proving that it’s not about the talk—it’s about the walk, the action, and the blend of authenticity and expertise that sets us apart in this digital wilderness. We no longer need to “sell” because others are doing it for us, and our expertise shows through.

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Dollar a Day Strategy

How I Grew Gavin Lira From 12 Followers to 18,000 Using the Dollar-a-Day Strategy

Engagement, advice, Boosting, Branding, Digital Marketing, Dollar a Day, facebook marketing and advertising, personal branding, Relationships, twitter /

Wondering how some people rise above the noise and get a high following on their social media accounts? Let me show you how I grew Gavin Lira’s account from 12 followers to 18,000 using the “Facebook for a Dollar-a-Day strategy.”

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Client Feedback – The Killer Hack to Get More Clients

Branding, Clients /

The killer hack to get more clients and referrals is to ask your clients to describe what it’s like working with you. Especially when you hold a live event like Caleb Guilliams in Denver this February. At the end of each day, we went around the room, giving clients an opportunity to share their “aha moment”. Invariably, this was powerful public praise for Caleb and his team. Try getting this sort of energy in a post-event survey or mass email asking for feedback. Caleb had the cameras rolling. The energy was high, and you could feel the “family” vibe of people who initially met as strangers but left the workshop feeling like they’d been friends for years. Imagine if you systematically collected footage like this to supercharge your professional service firm. It will work for you if it works in a “boring” industry like financial services. And it helps to have a strong framework to teach from, killer public speaking skills, and a killer team to run the events. The training and stories can be repurposed into webinars, articles, social media posts, and ads. Are you building your marketing materials this way?

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How To Build a Unique Personal Brand in 2024

Leave a Comment / Branding, Entrepreneurship, Networking /

A company stands out in the crowd – in terms of increased sales, more awareness, and better customer experience because of a strong and value-focused brand. For instance, the Adidas brand is a company known for sporting success. As a sportsperson, you are confident about any product you see the Adidas logo on. That is the value the brand has projected to its customers over time. In the corporate world, branding reflects a company’s values, how it acts and serves the people, and how those values are projected. It is what a company stands for. However, it is not just for companies. Professionals have unique goals, interests, skills, values, and stories to share. And in an ever-growing digital world, having a personal brand is expected. I want to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how you can grow your personal brand because whether you are a founder or an entrepreneur, it is hard to become known, especially if you do not define your personal brand. I will give you a little tour of how to do it. I hope that by the end of this article, you will know what you need to do to develop your personal brand, be seen on social media, what to say, how to connect, and use some pro-level tips. Table of Contents What Is a Personal Brand? A personal brand is similar to corporate branding (a company’s all-inclusive marketing strategy) in many ways – but more personal as it is who you are, what you stand for, and the values you want to project to others. Personal branding is steps/plans, actions, and guidelines that prove you are who you say you are when we look at your identity and values. A personal brand helps individuals market or communicate their identity and core values to potential employers or clients.  Several aspects are involved in building a personal brand, but in an ever-growing digital world, building your personal brand is vital in the online space. Having a personal brand online is synonymous with having an online presence and can be achieved by growing an online presence on social media platforms and through a personal brand website or portfolio. Let me show you what it means to build your personal brand across different social networks. How To Build a Personal Brand on Facebook Many people use Facebook as a user. For instance, if you click on my user profile, you will see my posts, videos, and photos I have posted, as well as the number of friends I have on Facebook. What I want you to do, as a young entrepreneur, is to create a public figure page. Search for me on Facebook, and you will find my profile and public figure accounts. The latter is a business page called Dennis Yu. With it, you can access ads and analytics.  On my business page, you can see that I have different posts that look personal and friendly, where I am interviewing other people in our industry, speaking at conferences, and hanging out with clients. You want to use inception here when you influence people who influence your target market or people who you want to buy your product or service, especially if it is a SaaS. You want people to see who your other customers are in a non-sales way. So I can come here and create ads.  I also want you to know about the power of videos. They can be powerful when you make short vertical or horizontal videos on your smartphone without making them look like ads. When you make videos like that, you get people to believe you are bigger than you are. That is the whole thing about trying to look big. I asked my buddy, Grant Cardone, to record a video on how to make one-minute videos. Here is what he did. Grant made a video rather than talk about making a video. The key to making one-minute videos is to capture the audience’s attention. Grant was recording it on his phone, and then his little girl came in and interrupted unexpectedly. That is perfectly fine. What he did was get your attention. You are not trying to make a professional video. You are just trying to humanize the person behind the camera. Now, what I did next was to boost the video using ads so 130,000 people saw it, many of whom were fans of Grant, and I got this for maybe half a penny for each person to watch my video. So think about the stories that you want to tell, and think about your product. Think about your idea and story as a founder. Talk about how you are solving problems and everything except for, “Hey, we have a cool software product. Sign up for a demo. I would love to spend 15 minutes with you.” You could certainly do that, but you want to earn the right to get people’s attention, and you can see here that this is driving more people who want to engage. That is how you build relationships at scale.  How To Build a Personal Brand on LinkedIn Now, I want to show you the same thing on LinkedIn. If we come to LinkedIn, you will see that I have 30,000 connections. I make different posts and often just cross-post from other channels like Twitter, where I take a screenshot and then say, “Hey, who is with me on this one?” That moves people to engage by liking, sharing, and dropping their comments, which I also reply to and engage in further discussions. That is how you drive engagement on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will be fantastic for you to drive business development and partnership deals because you put things out there about what you believe in that is tied to the values of your product and talk about challenges. When you are authentic, which you have heard before, but in a professional and empathetic way, you will see all these people wanting to

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Why “Fake it till you make it” is terrible advice

Branding, Business /

Be careful who you hire as your coach. This is literally a messenger convo I just had! All I can say is… YIKES! I wish this was an isolated experience. Sadly, I have such convos quite often. 20- and 30-some-year-olds who haven’t figured out life yet are announcing themselves to be success gurus. Here’s my go-to practice to quickly check them out. I scroll through their profile banners. Here’s a somewhat typical two or three-year banner history for so many of them: >> Drunken high-school or college picture. >> Check out my awesome body stage. >> Real-estate, bit-coin, “you-name-that-mlm-I-be-a-millionaire-tomorrow” stage. >> Tropical paradise / re-discovery / “I’m-now-an-enlightened-being” stage. >> Fitness or life coach stage (I now know everything about how to be successful and can help you get there in 90 days.) >> Marketing guru! (I have arrived: “submit-to-my-high-ticket-selling-skills” stage!) Of course, in real life, those banners often tell an even more colorful history. Each one is entertaining and very revealing that the person who’s about to take your money has zero qualifications to actually deliver on their promises. Now, don’t get me wrong. Everyone has to start somewhere. I totally get that. And learning marketing and selling is a powerful skill that will definitely help you get ahead. But skills don’t replace ethics! Do it the right way. So here’s my advice if you currently find yourself on a trajectory I just described: DON’T FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT! Don’t promise to help someone build a 7-figure business if you haven’t built one yourself and have never actually helped anyone do it. Instead, TALK YOUR WALK! Identify a winning experience and teach people the skills and lessons you have already mastered. For example, the person in this convo (who just blocked me because I called them on their shit) could easily teach people how to develop good sales skills. Maybe even how to land a well-paid, commission-based sales position somewhere. That’s what he’s done… Heck, I could help them turn that into a multi-six and seven-figure business rather quickly – I’ve done this and helped others in a nearly identical position do exactly that. Then they could teach the “how to build the 7-figure success” stuff themselves. But not yet! TALK YOUR WALK! Do something, achieve something first – even if it’s relatively “small” – there are plenty of people who would likely pay you to teach them how to do that “small” thing. And you’ll likely find success quickly (and ethically) doing that! That’s my rant and lesson for the up-and-coming gurus. Do the right thing. DO THE WORK first! P.S. My door is always open to people who want to monetize their genius and expertise. Want to package what you know into really amazing offers that actually help people and are based on your real skills? Let’s talk. I’ll help you make so much money and create so much good impact so fast that your head will spin. And yes – I’ve done this, hundreds of times (actually, I can probably say THOUSANDS of times.) Full credit to Adam Ubanski, founder of Marketing Mentors.

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When you speak your goals, the universe will conspire to achieve them

Branding, Entrepreneurship, one minute videos /

6 years ago, Mark Wagner, had a mission to build a software company. Here’s his YouTube live: And today, he is a co-founder at Gantry Technologies, creating dashboards for companies who want to get the most out of their Kubernetes infrastructure. Most people are afraid to vocalize their goals– keeping them inside, fearful that letting others know could lead to ridicule if they flop. But the brave few who take the initiative to put their goals on display for all to see will attract help from all corners of their life— people they didn’t even know could help. Witness the power of the one-minute video. In this case, more like 10 minutes. And for good measure, Mark made another one, this on what he’s hoping to do after college. You can use video to also ask questions and as an exercise to help you clarify your thoughts. People think video has to be “perfect”, so they postpone making it, robbing them of the opportunity. Being on video is unavoidable, so we must all build skills here– whether through Zoom calls, client meetings, training, or even hanging out with relatives across the country. As entrepreneurs, we all know the importance of telling our story and sharing it with the world. Making videos is a great way to do this- but what if you’re afraid people will judge your video or not like it? You may be suffering from perfectionism in which case you need to start making one-minute videos that tell your story so that others can see who you are and help make your dreams come true. It’s time to take the plunge and start making videos. Yes, videos are scary but they can also be very rewarding when you share your goals with people who want to help you reach them. We recommend starting out by telling your story in one minute or less using a video blog (vlog) format. This will give you practice editing and screen shooting while sharing what motivates you most about running your business without being too overwhelming for yourself or others. If that sounds like something worth doing then let us know! Our team is ready to partner up with you so we can create an amazing marketing plan for success together.

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Your brand is more than a tagline

Branding /

Your brand is not the clever tagline you or your marketing consultant comes up with. It’s the sum of positive and negative experiences that your customers and clients have with you over time, synonymous with “word of mouth”. To ensure you’re building lots of small, positive deposits into your brand bank account, you need solid operations. We call this “repeatable excellence”, where they know they can count on you to deliver the same experience consistently. Thus, solid people, process, and platform are critical– to be able to execute checklists reliability. That’s less about advertising, gimmicks, or SEO tricks– it’s about documenting exactly what you do and squeezing out the people and processes that have failed you.

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