TMC Workshop: Branding, It's Not Just For Cows

Want to Learn More About Branding?
Branding is not just for cows. Your brand is the reputation and presence you and your business project in the community and the marketplace. Learn how you can impact your personal and professional brand to increase results that lead to success. Get tips on how to develop a strong brand strategy and separate yourself from the competition.

Course includes information on what branding is, pitfalls to avoid and suggested tools to help build and grow your brand equity. For more details including course fee, available discounts and on line registration, click here >

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The Midas Center Workshop Update

Yesterday's workshop entitled "Social Media 101" presented 101 tips and tidbits on Social Media, from its evolution to its current tools, suggested strategies and first steps to get participants started. Twelve guests attended and received handout materials that included a glossary of latest terms and more tips to take back to the office or home computers. Course material was developed for users to become smarter and more efficient with their social media practices.

If you were unable to attend this workshop but would be interested in an encore presentation at The Midas Center for your business or organization, please contact us.

The next workshop is scheduled for the last Friday in February and is entitled "Branding: It's Not Just For Cows." This session is scheduled for noon, February 25th at The Midas Center. Registration is required. Details will be posted soon!

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Wheel of Progress Congratulates Winners!

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Wheel of Progress: 2010 drawing for Plymouth Chamber of Commerce gift certificates!

Today, on Monday, December 9th, The Midas Center presented the results of the Wheel of Progress 2010 to the public. During this presentation, The Midas Center shared the process on how the new image and message was developed. Much of the process included an agreement on the need of a cohesive image for Plymouth as stated collectively by five key stakeholders. Stakeholders included the City of Plymouth, Plymouth Community Public Schools, Plymouth's Chamber of Commerce and PIDCO who commissioned The Midas Center to develop a new image and message that will be used to communicate Plymouth online.

The presentation overview may be reviewed on a post shared on iHEARTplymouth.com >

The apex of the presentation was a slide show of the value propositions of Plymouth with the main message, "Join us in the Journey." For a preview of this slideshow, please see below:



And last, but not the least of today's presentation included the announcement of the winners of the five $100 gift certificates from the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce. The winners are:
- Ken Houin
- Gnomes_Garden
- Lois Evan
- S Clarke @ fourway
- Brantley Houlihan

You may stop by the new offices at The Midas Center, 200 N. Michigan Street in downtown Plymouth to pick up your gift certificate. Please stop by during regular business hours and I.D. will be required.

The next phase of the Wheel of Progress: 2010 will be presented to the public in March of 2011.

Thank you all who participated to make this campaign successful! The members of The Midas Center thank you for your investment into this public branding program and we hope to continue to work with the community towards the ongoing progress!

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Social Media Tip: True Identity

Me, myself and I.

If this sums up your profile across all social media platforms, well then, your online identity is safe. However, if you have additional profiles, or online brands that you are managing, then be sure to be mindful when you log in and share comments, updates and posts.

Perhaps you didn't realize you could even branch out of your own personal identity and recreate new profiles, new brands that represent your professional aspirations and values. Well, you can and you should. Depending on what your over all objective is for using social media, you should be mindful of your own online brand. For example, if you use Facebook or Twitter for venting your views about politics, you should not use the same profile for your professional identity, unless, well, you are in politics and everything you post or tweet supports your position and principles of your political views.

As a working mother, I may use my Facebook for seeking a special Halloween costume for my kids. I also might use it for playing way too much time on Bejeweled, but I would never share personal information as a post for my professional profiles. And, yes, I do have more than one professional profile to represent my full online brand. Don't you?

To sum it all up: Who are you and what are your goals? Your profile represents your reputation and your brand. Your status updates should reflect who you are and what you want to be known for.

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Local Social Media Workshop for Beginners

You are invited to attend a beginner's social media workshop titled iHEARTplymouth 101.

iHEARTplymouth is a free local social media resource for everything we love about Plymouth. This workshop is open to persons of all ages. Workshop will provide hands on, step by step instructions for getting your own page for yourself, your business, church or neighborhood. Printed materials will be provided and will include how to set up a page, upload photos, add events, add friends, integrate with other social media tools like Facebook and Twitter and more. Bring questions and an eagerness to learn. All questions are welcome!



iHEARTplymouth 101 is a class sponsored by People's University as part of the Plymouth Park Department's Art and Leisure fall courses.

Cost is $3 for city residents, $5 for out of city limits.
Students need to bring a wireless laptop.

Classes will be held at Webster Recreation Center.
Located at 110 Webster Avenue, Plymouth, IN, west of South Michigan Street near Felke Florist.

Register for workshop by contacting People's University by phone or email.
phone: 936-9904 or toll-free at 1-866-936-9904 or email mcoas@hotmail.com


Select preferred date and class item number:
Friday, September 17, 9:45 a.m.
AL 110-1 Social Media (Instructor Cook)

Friday, October 1, 9:45 a.m.
AL 110-2 Social Media (Instructor Cook)



Interested in other social media workshops The Midas Center has available?

Some topics include:
- Branding: It is More Than Just For Cows
- Twitter 101: To Tweep Or Not To Tweep
- Social Media Pioneers: A New Frontier
- Be Famous: Get Your Blog On
- You’re Never Too Old: Social Media

Contact Andrea Cook at The Midas Center to schedule a workshop customized to meet your individual or group's needs today by calling 936 - 7058.

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Nine Months of Delivery at The Midas Center

Dawning on the ninth month since The Midas Center has opened its doors at 100 W. Garro Street in Plymouth, Indiana, the full service communications agency has experienced a treasure chest overflowing with projects! Although we realize that a newborn baby can be spawned in nine months, we are proud to announce the delivery of the following bundles of joy:



- Designed gratitude cards for Akina Corporation








- Helped promote the Imaginary Art School








- Launched and promoted ongoing events at the inSPIRATIVE art center, a gallery and studio rental space







- Designed and developed new web site for Culver's Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Council






- Launched and managed a social media program for Earthworks and Earthworks Market, within the first six months, the program attracted over 250 members combined







- Designed and developed a web site for Culver's Wesley United Methodist Church







- Designed new image and graphics for Marshall County Recycle Depot







- Designed new identity and exhibit graphics for Sorian, Inc., a start-up wind power business







- Designed and developed web site for art gallery, Gallery on Main LLP







- Designed and developed materials for Chiropractic Association







WORKSHOPS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

For the first six months, we offered numerous brown bag workshops to help local businesses better understand topics such as web sites, branding and social media. Two of the most attended programs were titled, "Branding Basics: It's Not Just For Cows" and "Social Media: New Frontier of Marketing." In addition to these free workshops, owner Andrea Cook became a member to the Wythogan Toastmaster group in Plymouth. Cook also was a speaker at Indy Green Fest 2010.






COMMUNITY PHILANTHROPY

We offered our creative services for a multitude of local philanthropies and causes including the Marshall County Neighborhood Center, Run Baby Baby Run and Tri Kappa's Tour De Max. Owner Andrea Cook also launched Women Advisory Group, a local group of likeminded women entrepreneurs who meet monthly to support one another helping each other succeed.








ECO-INVOLVEMENT

After ten years of using the same hosting service, The Midas Center made the decision to select a hosting company that is powered 100% by wind power.


Owner Andrea Cook and her husband have also launched Project Green Building, a proposal to purchase a downtown property and renovate it into a green building to help build awareness for eco-living, eco-working and eco-building. This project is designed to help build awareness through the media on each decision needed to be made throughout the full process. It also is designed to aid economic development by providing educational tours once project is completed. There is also a Facebook page for Project Green Building that has accumulated over 75 members locally and throughout the world.







Andrea Cook was selected as a finalist by Indiana Green Business Award selection committee as Indiana's Green Entrepreneur of the Year.






FUTURE STEPS

For the month of June, The Midas Center will be redeveloping its business model to better meet client needs for today's market. For the past decade we have offered integrated marketing, advertising, public relations and branding services. We want to work on a clear message so that we can improve our communications with you!


The Midas Center will continue to provide visual integrity and help businesses and organizations succeed in the marketplace. Transforming touch points into gold is our motto, and we're sticking to it!

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Successful Brands Motivate and Build Trust

The Midas Center's main objective is to help businesses and organizations succeed. We do that by trying to build a solid brand that contains an image and message that is credible, attractive and motivating. To do this, it takes creativity to develop the right elements and manage the right media mix.

A successful brand takes investment in both time and money. It takes more than just a logo and copy to have the power to reinforce your brand and motivate the public to act.

In an article titled, Harris Poll Finds: St. Jude's Research Hospital and Susan G Komen for the Cure are among Most Trusted Non-Profits written in Business Wire shows the top ten brands of non-profits. It refers to a study by EquiTrend® that, "evaluates measures including: Equity, Customer Connection, Commitment, Energy, Brand Behavior, Brand Advocacy, and Trust. The keystone to the program is Equity, which provides an understanding of a brand’s overall strength and is determined by a calculation of Familiarity, Quality, and Intention to Donate."

It is important that organizations and businesses know their objectives and when implementing a new identity or branding campaign, realize the overall investment. Successful brands can have a profitable return on investment (ROI) if strategically designed, developed and executed properly.

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Capturing and Visualizing the Wind

Have you noticed how designers are using photos of wind turbines to try to communicate renewable energy?

The Midas Center is currently working with a forward-thinking client in the renewable energy industry. In researching the imagery that is currently being used to represent this emerging industry, we are "blown away" by the over-use of the three bladed wind turbines.

First of all, wind represent only one area of renewable energy and doesn't take into account the amazing solar powers that are about to create a positive charge in the renewable energy world. Mostly we are disturbed that the actual wind turbines being used to symbolize this industry are not only trite, but are already technologically out-dated. The three blade fan is the first product manufactured and people are learning ways to improve this first-born product. See the photo below to view how technology is improving the efficiency and effectiveness of this product, thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy's initiatives to initiate innovation.

It can be difficult to capture an image to symbolize a market that is quickly innovating and improving. Just like technology, it evolves and it can be challenging to develop it visually to stand the test of time.

Take the communication industry for example. Today, you may consider a computer or an "@" sign to represent communication. Some people may still consider a newspaper, radio or telephone. Although we all frequently use them, our reliance on them solely as our communication methods are diminishing. So when you think of a communication icon, images of a pen and paper, or quill and ink bottle for that matter may be somewhat passé. Regardless where you are on the communication-continuum, it is important to consider how quickly industries change and evolve. When your business invests in a logo or icon to represent your product or service, make it sustainable or else you will loose your luster like Cinderella when the clock hit twelve, especially in the markets where it is always 11:59.


Remember when people used icons of the floppy disc to represent technology? Floppies? What are floppies? What image do you consider when you think of technology?

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You Are Invited To Attend February's Brown Bag Lunch: Branding Basics: It Is More Than Just For Cows

The Midas Center is presenting this month's free workshop titled, "Branding: It Is More Than Just For Cows."

This 30-minute session will include information on how businesses and organizations can communicate a competitive advantage and separate themselves from the herd. Learn more about what branding is and how to succeed from a healthy branding platform.

Business leaders are welcome to attend this free seminar scheduled on Wednesday, February 24th at noon at The Midas Center, 100 W. Garro Street, Plymouth, IN.

The Midas Center's main objective is to help local businesses succeed. To help reach this goal, a series of monthly Brown Bag Lunch Workshops are offered to business leaders. Presented by The Midas Center's President, Andrea Cook, "Branding: It Is More Than Just For Cows" is part of an ongoing series of workshops. Other presentations include "Website Basics," "Social Media, The New Frontier of Marketing" and "Networking: Increase Your Net Worth."

Seating is limited. Online registration is available >>
Pre-ordered boxed lunches are available upon request during the registration process.

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Sneak Peak at Tomorrow's Presentation

We're looking forward to our presentation tomorrow on Social Media.

The Midas Center continues to offer free workshops monthly as part of a Brown Bag Lunch Series to help businesses in the community grow. We plan on covering the basic information on what social media is and how business leaders can tailor their own plan to utilize this new frontier and grow their business and careers.

We have several seats reserved and we'relooking forward to presenting this interactive presentation which will start promptly at noon at The Midas Center in downtown Plymouth. We have created this 30-minute session to be informative and inspiring!

Some guests have preordered a Sisters Tea & Eatery boxed lunch as part of their online registration. They are are expected to bring $5 and plan to arrive a few minutes early to pick up their lunches at The Midas Center.

We will be uncovering what a social media pioneer is, basic social media needs and basic tools and their rules. From Far and Away to Success in 30 minutes!

If you are interested in attending our next free workshop, mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 20, 2010 when we will present our next part of the Brown Bag Lunch Series titled, "Branding: It's Not Just For the Cows."

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