Support Messages that Bring About Unity with Bria Hash of 4ourty

May 11, 2018 Cher Hale

When I was looking for a VA, your agency stood out because your packages were all named after black, female activists, like Shirley Chisholm, Nina Simone, and Dr. Frances Cress Welsing. What inspired you to title your services this way?

This all comes from who I am as a person. My friends and family call me an old soul. Since I was young, I’ve been very observant and intentional. I wanted to translate that intentionality into my business in an authentic way, and I think that’s why it hasn’t backfired. I want them to think, “She’s friendly, she’s cool, and she has a large respect for the people who came before her.”

An example would be Shirley Chisholm and her political impact. I’ve taken so much from her saying, “They don’t give you a spot at the table. Pull up your own chair.”

When I entered the virtual assistant world, it didn’t resonate with me. It seemed like all of the assistants were Boss Babes or Boss Chicks -- all of those categories that are so easy to fall into -- but it’s not necessarily reflective of who you are as a person -- so I wanted to be really intentional with my messaging so I could make it clear.

2018 List: Awareness Days for Building Brand Buzz & Doing Good

March 16, 2018 Cher Hale

March 8th, 2018 marked the 107th International Women’s Day. Anyone with something to say about gender equality had a chance to raise awareness, throw their opinions into the ring, and generate buzz for their nonprofit, business, personal brand, or community.

And that’s the true power of awareness days -- that you can build on the already generated momentum to do good while building authentic buzz.

There are so many creative ways do just that, and that’s why I decided to put together a list of awareness days in 2018, which I’ll continue to build on throughout the year.

If you want to get marketing inspiration for content creation and pitching angles for awareness days like these, sign up to get weekly #marketinginspo from me here. :)

7 Marketing Lessons to Help Socially Conscious Brands to Stand Out

January 26, 2018 Cher Hale

“I love your bag!” I exclaimed in the Starbucks at the Lihue Airport. It was a handwoven duffel bag with colorful embroidery.

She smiled wide. “Thanks!” She replied, “It’s by this amazing brand that does a lot of work with indigenous women, particularly in Peru. They’re fantastic.”

New brands appear in the socially conscious business space every week, but not all of them are talked about with this level of excitement.

It was more than just “buzz” for the business. It was buzz backed by genuine enthusiasm.

Create Complex Solutions to Complex Problems: An Interview with Chloe Obico, This Bar Saves Lives

January 19, 2018 Cher Hale

“Our CEO has a saying. He doesn’t care how late you stay or how early you come in. He just wants you to work as hard as you need to feel like you’ve made an impact on as many lives as you want for that day.”

Clearly, Paul Yoo’s words have sunk in. Chloe Obico, Marketing Specialist for This Bar Saves Lives, and I are having a conversation at eight in the evening.

With a growing team of just over fifteen people and a global brand that’s recently added domestic giving in the US, there is a lot to be done.

Luckily, Chloe describes her team as one that’s always helping each other out and stepping up when they need to, even when it’s outside their comfort zone or expertise.

Plus, having actors without business backgrounds as founders seems to have instilled a sense of making it happen and being willing to learn into the company culture.

I talked with Chloe about the current landscape of social enterprises, the responsible practices of This Bar Saves Lives, and how she’s grown as a professional while working in a mission-driven company.

Is this kinder marketing strategy a better fit for your business?

January 5, 2018 Cher Hale

My obsession with kindness started with a sand mandala.

I had seen a flyer at my local library branch for an event where a bunch of monks were visiting to construct one, so on a Saturday morning, I got into my car and drove over to see what it was all about.

I remember the cliche calm I felt as I walked into that room and witnessed monks on their hands and knees carefully arranging the grains of sand. The design was intricate and vibrant, and I remember thinking what a pity it was that in a few short hours, it would be purposely blown away.

Creative Ways Businesses Gave Back on #GivingTuesday

December 29, 2017 Cher Hale

In 2016, Cyber Monday alone broke their sales record with $3.45 billion in sales. Black Friday, in comparison, clocked in at $655.8 billion with about 1k spent per shopper.

In short, if you’ve got something to sell, the long weekend after Thanksgiving is a critical time to do it. If you’re a social enterprise, though, you’re interested in more than just profits. You’re interested in giving back, too.

Enter #GivingTuesday.

#GivingTuesday, created by 92Y, a cultural center in NYC, falls on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving and uses social media and collaboration to engage in small acts of kindness through the donation of time, services, and money. The movement has grown significantly since its inception in 2012 and raised $177 million online in 2016 alone.

If you want to participate but are at a loss for how your small business can give back on #GivingTuesday, here are 7 creative examples.

8 Facts Online Business Owners Need to Know About Net Neutrality

December 23, 2017 Cher Hale

I’m sure you’ve been hearing a lot of talk about net neutrality. From my newsfeed, I can tell that the people in my world are generally not in favor of what’s going on.

But what is net neutrality (NN) really, and what’s currently happening to it?

I got you. Here’s your quick breakdown if you’ve been curious but haven’t had time to do research.

What is marketing really?

December 8, 2017 Cher Hale

I’m sitting in a room with just over 100 women, and we’re all listening to someone speak about marketing. He’s talking to us about social media and how Facebook is now “pay to play”.

With each slide, he stresses the importance of us being on social and establishing a relationship with our ideal client well before she intends on purchasing. I look around and see somen women jotting down notes. One raises her hand at the end to ask where she can get in touch with him for coaching.

Throughout the presentation, I’m nodding because I agree with what he says. He’s right, we should be building relationships prior to the sale, and many of us absolutely do need an ad strategy in place.

VETTED: How Do You Stand Up For Your Beliefs and Grow Your Bottom Line? An Interview with Mountain Madness Soap Company

November 15, 2017 Cher Hale

“We did farmer’s markets for seven years twice a week religiously.” Jennifer, one of the co-founders of Mountain Madness Soap, tells me as she explains how they’ve grown from her living room in Alaska.

We’re sitting in the basement of their shop, a space they donate to the local Pride chapter once a week, and employees are trying to quietly travel from the storefront to the back where the soap is made.

As I begin to ask them questions, Jennifer and Andy easily fill in the empty spaces of each other’s thoughts leading us into a conversation around the big-picture supply chain, standing up for what they believe in a primarily conservative environment, the importance of staying local, and how they take care of their employees.

2017 Client Gift Guide for Socially Conscious Entrepreneurs

November 9, 2017 Cher Hale

It’s around that time of the year where I start doing some serious holiday shopping for my clients, the contractors I work with, and my closest online business friends.

I started looking at all of my favorite socially conscious brands to start the gift buying process and realized it might be fun for me to share them with you. That way, you can give your clients and team members gifts that delight them and make a positive impact.