Part 3 of a 3 part series on visiting Nigeria.
Does it snow in Buffalo? Of course it does. And branding always matters when a destination, a person, or a cause competes.  Just like with businesses, products and services. Brands are cumulative mental impressions and serve as an edge to connect with the market.

Strong brands make the choice easy, whether you are seeking votes, support or investments.

As many of you know who read my blog, I was recently in Lagos, Nigeria addressing the Brand Journalists Association on branding in government. This is the final blog post in series of three. To read the previous posts go to: Part 1, Part 2.

Highlights from my presentation included:
The difference of  commercial branding verses government branding are:

• Goals for government branding should be to provide: public service, help all people and be cost effective
• Selling proposition is also different. In most cases, it is: trust, certainty, integrity
• And the outcome is: confidence and loyalty with the brand, progress with urgency, unity of stakeholders and community pride

My recommendation for improving any brand, commercial or other is to follow this formula. Great brands are molded by these four factors.

1. Simplicity
2. Creativity
3. Unity of voice
4. And consistency

While the focus of my program was on government programs, the topics of country branding, leadership and commercial branding were also addressed. To see my PowerPoint on government branding, click the image below.

My trip to Lagos, Nigeria was memorable and very eye opening experience. The event that I was speaking at had an audience of over 500 marketing, PR, branding journalists and practitioners, and government leaders. An elaborate production, it included a big band and two comedians before my talk, food for miles and room decor like the Oscar Awards. I was seated at the head table with former Minister for Information of Nigeria, Chief Alex Akinyele, Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State and  the husband of Professor Dora Akunyili, both were honorees of the event.

My program was well received. I closed with The Bob Marley parody I produced called Stand up! Brand up! Tell your story Right. The crowd went crazy as everyone stood up and danced along with me, singing the words to the song. Seeing a room full of professionals so excited about the branding field and wanting to learn how they can do it better and can help their country change its perception was amazing. It’s moments like this as a speaker that are truly priceless.

My new friends 5,000 miles away have place in my history and my heart. I will forever be grateful for this very cool opportunity. I hope you enjoyed this journey as much as I did. I look forward to sharing others with you soon! Within a few weeks, I will post the full speech and night on my Youtube channel.

Closing insight I learned from this trip as a speaker on branding.
1) Press conferences are excellent opportunities to promote an event like this when you are visiting a foreign country. Be prepared with your key points and have copies available to provide journalists too.

2) As a presenter in a foreign land, customize your program to the market. I redesigned all of my images to reflect the local culture and received many compliments and accolades about this extra touch.

3) Always carry a printed introduction with you to provide the MC, even if you sent the organization one weeks before the event.

4) Be prepared to shorten your presentation at the moments notice. One of the honorees was three hours late for the event, which meant the program was delayed and the audience was drinking and getting tired. I condensed the content and adding even more energy to grab everyone’s attention.

5) Keep a Powerbar with you, so if things run behind, you are fueled up and not starving.

6) If you are seated with high ranking government officials or celebrities, be ready for extremely aggressive paparazzi and make sure your hair curls are pinned on tight.

Amazing. It’s 2011 and I can’t get my phone system to work in NYC. I have an iphone through AT&T.  Not a signal anywhere – in my hotel (Battery Park), the streets, the cab, anywhere! Calls drop, no signal, SO FRUSTRATING!!!!

I’m finishing up my journey in the big apple, after Saudi.

It’s been great. Got here Tuesday. Had hope to do a lot of book writing, did not really happen. Been a bit distracted with meetings and things. But have been thinking a lot and connecting some important dots.

I stayed at the Ritz battery park because I was attending a party here for one of my mentors Alan Weiss. It was his 65th birthday. I attended his 6oth and it was great fun. Since I had to fly through NY for my Saudi trip, I thought why go back to Tampa? Why not hang in NYC? So I did.

Booked everything via American Express travel. Which was a good experience. They did all the work and got me a room upgrade, two nights free, a $100 food certificate and breakfast everyday.  This is the 2nd time I’ve used them, it was definitely helpful and a value add.

I travel to NYC a few times a year and try to stay in a new part of the city to make it an adventure. Battery Park was nice for the party and maybe a day, but that’s it. Nice service, good view, large space for NYC, then it stops.

The cell communication and even my Verizon broadband card was useless. Plus, with all the long cab rides, I could have bought a nice piece of jewelry. I won’t ride the subway, after seeing the rat movie about the rat. I’m a warrior, but can’t get past that image.

Since I’ve been here, I’ve done some fun stuff.
I would recommend the following:

Jubilee, good neighborhood french bistro. Met some pals from Houston who live in NYC now.

Tried to write at The Ritz Carlton by Central park. A spectacular, classic, elegant spot. And Johnny in the bar is the man. Makes you feel like the queen of the city and helped me brain storm on my book cover art. Handsome, eye candy and a great new friend.

Met with the McGraw-Hill folks, my new publisher. They are awesome and I can’t wait to work with them.

Borders bookstore at Columbus circle. Good coffee and fabulous green tea cookies. Very slow internet connection, bet it was AT&T.

Then went off to Land, an amazing hip, great food and way cheap restaurant. Entrees under 12 bucks, cool decor, killer service and perfect Thai food. They have several locations in NY city.

Next, the Comicstrip comedy club on 82 and 81st at 2nd avenue. Watching comedy performers can teach you a lot about content delivery, timing and body theater. I went with a pal I had not seen in 20 years, who lives in NYC and works for NYPD. Great fun, rocking experience. All the comedians were really good, but the MC Ray Ellin was my favorite. Check him out for sure. He’s coming to Florida soon, can’t wait.

Went to CNN, way cool! Met with a producer who has called me on several stories. Saw Anderson Cooper’s desk. I have a big crush on him, I know I’m not his type, still really admire his work.

Best cupcakes, Magnolia Bakery and Baked by Melissa for baby bite-sized ones.

Got interviewed by NYTimes. Joe Sharkey, a travel writer. The interview should be in Monday or Tuesday’s edition. He was a very cool guy. Survived the big plane crash in Brazil, 151 perished, he lived and has written a bunch of amazing works.

Saturday, went to big party at Ritz. Met a bunch of interesting people. Eat and drank too much, oh well. Had fun, all is good. Parties like this are always intriguing, you show up, don’t know a soul and connect with some remarkable minds.

Today, working in my room. Cranking on my book. It’s hard. Made some progress, not a ton, but I know it’s around the corner. I am Pondering and thinking and I know I will be connecting the dots soon.

Around 6PM, needed to get out of my room, craving Indian food. Read a story in WSJ about Junoon. The most amazing super hip, fab food, fun place I’ve been too. Met the chef, bought his cookbook, loved the experience. Bar staff Daniel and Jane, the best. The food is beyond brilliant! Must check it out if you like Indian food and are in NYC. Ranks in my top five of all restaurant experiences, loved it!!!

Headed back to Tampa on Monday. Really love New York. Really hate my phone and AT&T.

Looking forward to my wonderful car service in NYC, Felix who has been my airport service and hauling me around for over 14 years. If you need a trusted, reliable company in NYC, Felix is the man. And then back in Tampa, Lino is the man. I’m just one of his celeb customers. He provides service to Jeter, ARod and many more. An excellent resource, who’ve I had a relationship with for over 10 years.

More soon!

For more on bad service experiences, view:
Can a strong brand make a visit to the dentist less painful?
Global phone mess – a lesson in assumption.

Working on a plane is nothing new, but FREE Internet access sure is. As I write this blog way up in the sky, Google Chrome is gifting all the passengers with some holiday cheer day via Boingo. Gracias!!

Yeah the weather was just not cold enough in Tampa (32 degrees this last week), so I’m headed to The Big Apple for some creative inspiration, culture, food and yes, Jimmy Fallon, (Tues. night, I know it late for some of you, but it’s a holiday week, take a nap Tues. day).

I’ll be in the city all week, trend spotting, pigging out, drinking good wine, consumer research and sharing with you the Oddpodz readers what I learn on my journey.

I’m so excited and grateful that as an American, an entrepreneur and a free agent I can do this!! Get on a plane, in 2.5 hours be headed to such a cool, freaken, maybe snowy mega of ideas and enterprise and wear my red mittens.

. . . That was fast, flight attendant just gave me that look, “turn off all electronics, NOW”,  more later from Manhattan.

This week I was working in the Bahamas, The Atlantis, Cove Resort to be exact. I am so fortunate to do what I love, get compensated and be in place where the word paradise associated with a destination is an extreme understatement.

The experience was one of my best ever. The accommodations were incredible, service divine and even the beach cats were over the top gracious and welcoming. This beach cat parked next to me as  I was chilling in the sand, sipping on a nice glass of wine, while writing this blog. Didn’t beg for anything, just hung out with me.

I addressed SITEglobal (Society of international travel executives). This conference was their foundation event where they mix fundraising, (which this even raised over $80,000 for research) education and power networking. SITE enables organizations to achieve optimum performance through inspirational experiences and productivity incentives.

My roll was the keynote speaker, as their event theme was “A Brand New Day”.

The incentive travel industry has been hit hard these past few years not only by the recession but, from the negative perceptions of high-profile industry bailouts and economic woes. And to make matters even rougher, the media reports about the increase in crime from pirates to drug cartels to terrorism have had a grueling impact on corporate incentive travel sector.

As I told them, no business is ever immune to these uncontrollable circumstances. However, when things get tough, the tough Brand-up! And that was my message.

The audience was a balance of independent destination companies, visitor and convention bureaus to multi-national travel and destination service brands. All faced challenges ranging from more demanding price-conscious buyers, learning and leveraging new technologies and social media, to how to best stand out in a competitive environment of many excellent choices.

Highlights from my program included:

• Branding is the art and science of being an offering of choice.
• This is accomplished by accumulating positive impression in the minds of your market.
• Anything (product, person, company, service, team, destination etc.) that competes is an opportunity to brand.
• As soon as you start doing business you have a brand.
• Marketing is the process. The brand is the end result.
• Strategic moves and smart tactical actions can make your brand more desirable.
• No risk. No brand.
• Requirements for successful brand.

-New mindset about selling, loyalty, social media and control
-Metaphors (in story, names and processes) are huge opportunities to differentiate
-Frequency in messaging (all touch points) is as important as the message

For a copy of the SITE BRAND-UP!! download here.

To listen to the song BRAND-UP! or share click below.

Have a question? Post it here or go to Oddpodz Linkedin group and post it there.

I want to personally thank Neal Shiller from International Speakers Bureau for bringing me this opportunity, Carol Girouard of  Pinnacle meetings, events and incentives who was the education chair and all of the wonderful sponsors and members of SITE.

Over heard -
At the Sea bar in the Atlantis, Cove Resort
“Traveling with my family, I’ll have two shots of Patron”

At one of the evening dinners
“Bahamas hospitality is so genuine, every one smiles, they connect and look into your eyes and sincerely are grateful that you selected their beautiful island for your business or pleasure”

After my presentation
“My brand is a nightmare and your talk was a wake up call to changing that, thanks!”