Cammie Dunaway, who received her MBA from Harvard Business School and currently works for KidZania spoke about how to build a brand.

She started off by saying that a brand is simply a promise (to your consumers) and that it takes focus and discipline to build a great one. Then she shared 13 tips for branding. They are the following:

1. Know what you want to be when you grow up. (Dream big like kids!)

*Write a mission statement.

*Clear articulation of your goals/objectives.  (Put them on paper or share them with someone.)

*Check in frequently.

Apple is a great example.

2. Understand what makes you different (and special). What makes you stand out?

*Avoid the catch-all

*Discover who you are and what you stand for

*Keep it 15 words or less. (What makes your eyes light up?)

"There is no one alive that is you-er than you." - Dr. Seuss

3. Be a BFF.

*Understand their aspirations and desires.

*Connect on an emotional level.

American Girl and Starbucks are great examples.

4. Be a good listener.

*2 way conversation

*Get to know them using social media. (Don't be afraid to engage/answer back.)

Everyone wants to be heard.

5. Develop your own distinctive style.

*Consistent visual identity.

*Apply to everything (logos, tweets, profile picture and business cards)

Target is a great example.

6. Find your voice.

*Identify 3 things you want to be known for.

*Write key message.

*Use a tone that fits brand.

*Use it consistently -- even in your answering message.

Oprah is a great example.

7. Be true to who you are.

*Make a sincere connection.

*Be authentic. (Don't try to be something you aren't.)

Nintendo is a great example.

8. Use all the tools in your tool belt.

*Social media, promotions, partnerships

*Watch trends.

*Reward your audience (for loyalty).

Nintendo is a great example.

9. Use your inside and outside voice.

*Build awareness.

*Stay top of mind. (Network, speak, write guest editorials and do media interviews)

10. Don't be afraid to try something new.

*Keep your brand fresh. (Evolve with the times.)

*Stay one step ahead.

*Be willing to take a risk.

11. Learn and grow.

*Measure your progress.

*Set clear goals.

*Create targets.

*Track them.

(Analyze and access data against goals.)

12. If you fall, get back up.

*Be honest and admit your faults.

*Share your plan to make it better. (No one is perfect.)

13. Play for passion.

*Stay passionate about your mission.

*Be the best around.

Quit when it stops being fun!

This was my first time hearing Lisa Druxman of Stroller Strides speak at a blogging conference. That's not a big surprise, since this was the first social media conference where she has spoken! Anyway, I found her to be especially inspiring. I love how she was able to merge her pre-baby fitness career with motherhood by creating careers that are supportive of mothers. 

After having us take a couple of deep breaths and be still (no tweeting!) for one minute, Lisa shared how important it was to find the story behind your business.  What are you about? Know your story and stay consistent with it. Get it out to traditional media, social media and through strategic partnerships. (Not all partnerships need to be paid. If they expand your reach, consider them. Look for synergy - is there an opportunity to cross-promote in order to grow both brands?

In an exercise geared towards encouraging the audience to live a life without regrets, Lisa had us draw three connecting circles on our paper in a Venn diagram.  She instructed us to write one of the three most important things in our lives in each circle and then asked if our life/schedules were reflective of our top 3. Afterward, she encouraged us to plan out three important things to do each week for each of our circles.

After the presentation, a couple of people asked Lisa how she dealt with competition.  While admitting that there are others who will try to copy your business ideas, Lisa urged the attendees to "just focus on making your business great". Everyone has their own "flavor". She thinks "Anybody can do it, but no one can do it like me."

"You are writing the story of your only life every single minute of every day." - Katherine Center
(one of Lisa's favorite quotes)

After one last question, the session ended. The question was regarding what she does when her "to do" list was too exhausting. Lisa replied that she tries to respect her personal ebb and flow. I thought that was a helpful reminder and I'm going to make more of an effort to keep that in mind!

Rene Sylar is an engaging speaker. I heard her speak earlier this year at the Disney Social Media Moms conference, so I was happy to hear her share a similar, but different presentation. We started off by dancing and then she shared eight lessons that her life has taught her...

1. Fear is not your friend.

2. Life is hard.

3. Surround yourself with the right people.

4. Everything happens for a reason.

5. Good enough is perfect.

6. Not everyone will like you. Let that be their problem.

7. There is no middle third ground.

8. Believe in Happily Ever After...then make it happen.

Rene ended by saying "Don't expect to grow when you're comfortable or be comfortable when you grow."

(If you have any questions regarding the points, you can reach out to Rene. Her site is Good Enough Mother and her twitter handle is Rene Syler.)