Tires are brands too. Just ask Walmart chairman Rob Walton.

This past Monday, I had my Highlander's tires rotated at Discount Tire in Mountain View. I've been going to these guys for well over ten years and I'm proud to be a loyal customer.

In the waiting area, a vertical banner dangles from the ceiling promoting the book, "Six Tires, No Plan: The Impossible Journey of the Most Inspirational Leader That (Almost) Nobody Knows." With a title (and underdog undertone) like that, I've got to check that book out! Since I'd be waiting around for another 40 minutes or so, I figured I'd download a sample and have a read.

The book is about Bruce Halle, who founded Discount Tire two years before Sam Walton opened his first Walmart store back in 1960. In the foreword, S. Robson Walton, Chairman of the Board of Walmart Stores, Inc. writes, "While Halle's story is less studied than Walton's, the growth of Discount Tire offers significant insights into the creation of a sustainable, productive business."

Walton also writes, "Most business schools and students invest substantial energy in the study of brands. Often, the corporations studied are mature, with established strategies and mission statements. In many cases, it would serve these scholars well to start at the beginning, at the founding of the companies they study."

I just finished the second chapter. You can get started by reading the Foreword by Rob Walton.

Branding basics from Jacqui

It must have been 20 years ago when I met Jacqui Naylor. She was helping her then-husband Lat Naylor at his fashion clearance event. Unfortunately, Lat Naylor was wrapping up a ten-year run as a fashion designer. I recall reading about his show in New York for his Think Tank line, so he'd definitely made it. I was a fan and was hoping to pick up (sadly) some remaining pieces.

I remember speaking to Jacqui briefly at checkout. She introduced herself and handed me a flyer promoting her upcoming show. She even included a sample track (which was later included in her first album). She was very pleasant. Unassuming as an artist, with a shy appeal about her.

Jacqui Naylor has since become a successful jazz vocalist in her own right. She's released numerous albums, with a few garnering some rave reviews. The critics have definitely been kind.

The Jacqui Naylor brand still interacts with me to this day. I listen to her music. I look forward to her emails. I get them at least once a month or so. No frills and very personal. Sometimes she'll throw a story in. I know for a fact she writes them all personally. From day one, their tone and connection have been unmistakably familiar. 

Jacqui's stayed true to her brand through the years, so you always know what to expect. Just like her vocals.

The Cow Campaign

This past Monday, my youngest brother and I drove to Roseville to help my other brother move. We left early for the two-hour drive and didn't have time to have breakfast. We figure we'd stop some place on our way to Roseville.

We decided to give Chick-fil-A a try. I've seen a location or two, but have never tried it. This was a first and was going to be one of those "trying out a new brand" moments.

My first impression when I walked into the restaurant? Diggin' the brand. Clean, well lit and the staff was quite friendly. And it didn't really feel like one of those fast-food chains; it was a nice restaurant...a place you'd want to take your family.

I see some advertising for their Spicy Chicken Sandwich Deluxe, promoted by none other than a sign-toting cow dressed in a fireman's get-up. I've included an image for your viewing pleasure.

I have to say that this is one of those instances where an obscure font and misspellings didn't irk me (needless to say, I wasn't compelled to take stuff down). Frankly, I think if cows could, they'd write and spell the way they do in Chick-fil-A's Cow Campaign.

Oh yeah...the multi-grain breakfast bagel (complete with chicken and egg) was rather tasty. I'll definitely go back. I think I'll try the Spicy Chicken Sandwich Deluxe. Moo.

Resume typos may just cost you the job

The subject of grammatical gaffes, typos, misspellings and the like transcends into the world of resume writing.

If you've ever worked on a resume, you know how time consuming it can be (in my case, it's been weeks!). Why spend all that time on it just to have it ruined by a typo or a misspelled word? As they say, you only have one chance to make a first impression. When it comes to your resume or curriculum vitae, you'll want to put your best brand forward by highlighting only your skills and accomplishments, not your inability to proof what you publish.

It's no secret that talent teams use certain "filters" to narrow down their candidate pools. Maybe the candidate doesn't have certain key words; or adequate experience for the role. Throw in typos and misspellings onto your resume, and you're giving your prospective employer a reason to eliminate you from contention (by the way, this is that moment when you kiss that job goodbye).

Don't take any chances. Eliminating typos and misspellings is probably the simplest step in your resume-creation process. If somebody helped you write your resume, make sure to spell check; better yet, get a friend or colleague to proof it for you. You're simply too close to it and you'll miss stuff.

Brands galore, by the aisles

When I got married, my father had two words of advice for me. Literally.

"Yes, dear" he says. Remember those two words. They may not guarantee that your marriage will not end in divorce, but those two very powerful words will carry you through a long way. I suppose he was speaking from experience, as he and my mother had been together for almost thirty years when he offered me his words of wisdom.

So when my wife asks me to go grocery shopping, I of course oblige and reply (without hesitation), "Yes, dear."

Let's just say I've been the designated "grocery shopper" of our household and enjoy the role tremendously. I like to shop in the evenings. Less crowded and shorter lines. Plus I get to do some people watching, to boot. There's something about the later hours that bring out the different characters from my neighborhood. I don't live in a bad neighborhood, but this one particular grocery store attracts some fairly interesting characters (at least from an appearance standpoint). I actually don't mind one bit and get a kick out of it.

Being at the grocery store enables me to interact with thousands of brands--all under one roof--and organized neatly in aisles. Years ago, I've made it my policy to take home one new product every time I visit the grocery store. I still do it religiously to this day.

How are you going to know if something's good if you don't actually try it? True, you may learn that something isn't that good either, but you have to take the bad with the good. That's just life.

I'm sure you've heard of the more popular food brands. There's Yoplait and Starbucks, to name a couple. I say boring. Blase. Overplayed and too safe.

There's certainly nothing wrong with being safe, knowing that you'll get the same brand experience every time. That's a great thing, something that all brands should aspire to be with their customers.

You'll simply miss out. There's many great undiscovered brands out there, waiting for you to discover them. This may run counter to the brand loyalty concept, but loyalty shmoyalty. That's why you have brand managers, marketers and advertisers.

Next time you're at the grocery store, pick up your new product and give it a whirl. You might just find your new favorite.

Grammatical gaffes and their far-reaching consequences to your brand

I cringe at the thought of misspellings and typos. Yet oddly enough, I keep my eyes peeled for them constantly. I mean CONSTANTLY. Really.

Sickness or not, I'm almost wishing and hoping to find that gaffe--in the paragraph of a book, a magazine article, an ad; on those banners that people hang all over the place or from wherever for that matter.

Pay heed to this warning and clean up your act, as your grammatical gaffes may have more far-reaching consequences to your brand (think reader/user experience, search results and conversion rates).

Here's a Website Magazine article from Michael Garrity. Have a read.

The time is now

"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today." One of many Lord Chesterfield quotes.

If there's that thing (or two) that you've always thought about doing, stop thinking and start doing it today. Not yesterday (you're already too late). Not tomorrow (don't kid yourself...you'll never get around to it).

The time is now.

And don't overthink it. Take writing for example. You'll never get that perfect start. If you want to know the secret to successful writing, here it is. Start by writing. Then write some more. Then write some more.

And when you're on a roll, write some more. Get the point?

Jump in and everything will fall into place much more easily than you might imagine. Your passion for what you're writing about will shine through and bright, and you'll find a captive audience (or two). Keep in mind you're your own worst critic, so don't judge. The web is full of people who are hungry for content.

So what are you waiting for?