I know many small business owners and I’m always amazed when they fail to mention the name of their business during social conversations about work.

The question “What do you do?” replaced “Where do you work?” some time ago. Probably because it’s a more open question and it allows for the possibility that the answeree does something non-traditional. But don’t miss the chance to say the name of your business just because that isn’t exactly what is asked of you. Consider the following:

Q: What do you do?
A: I’m a copywriter.

Vs.

Q: What do you do?
A: I work for Wordslinger. We write corporate poetry. I’m a copywriter there.

The later introduces the name of our business and provides more information of interest, which encourages continued conversation about our business. If you own the small business you’re marketing then by all means say that, “I own a company called Wordslinger.” It’s a simple way to build interest and brand recognition.

People who work for brand name companies don’t face this challenge. For example, “I work for Starbucks.” Or, “I work for Microsoft.” Get those people talking about you and your small business by introducing it at your next social gathering.

Starbucks put signage that features their version of the famous Egg McMuffin® in stores this week. I wrote about the sudden appearance of McDonalds-like breakfast at Starbucks three weeks ago, before the new signs went up. Seems that my hunch was right.

I wanted this to be a clever competitive move by Starbucks but the new signs are flat and uninspired. The copy reads, “Your morning coffee’s kindred spirit.” That line needs to work harder. Kindred spirit sounds recycled and the whole line feels like a product push. Why wouldn’t they use language that announces their breakfast offering with pride? They call it an “oven-roasted morning sandwich.” That could fit with the word “culinary,” which they introduced at the beginning of the year but they didn’t make that connection. In fact they made the name hard to read at the bottom of the sign. Before I noticed the name, I turned to my friend, and pointed to the sign and said, “Look, an EggMcMuffin®.”

I tried to take a picture of the new sign to share with you but the store manager asked me to stop—copyright issues. I left feeling like they’re just pushing another new product. There is no spark.

Seth Godin will give a keynote at the Search Engine Strategies 2007 Conference and Expo. I’m a big Godin fan. He suggests that individuals and businesses approach change as an opportunity for something better and I think that’s smart.

A self-proclaimed “change junkie,” Godin has written several books about marketing, change and work. It sounds like his keynote will update the discussion:

“Fourteen trends are changing marketing forever, and you and your clients have the chance of a generation to reinvent what you do and how you do it.”

As a writer, reinvention is a big part of my work with clients. Companies that introduce new words at the right time can take advantage of marketing trends to reap reward or stay competitive in spite of market change. As I wrote in a recent post, I think Starbucks is doing that with the word “breakfast” right now.

Groundswell’s Josh Bernoff got a chance to sit in on a Webcast preview of Godin’s speech and he tells us that the 14 trends include things like, “direct communication between producers and consumers, amplification of individuals’ voices, short attention spans, the long tail, and the shift from How Many to Who…”

Trends like these are changing the way we talk to each other. In that way, they require that we pay close attention to the way we talk about what we do, who we are and what we stand for. Fortunately, there is always room to change our tone.

I believe that a good writer is a correlator. She brings together two (or more) ideas to make new meaning. This is a huge part of my process. Lately, I get inspiration from just observing life as it happens. In fact, I’ve been thinking that I need to carry a camera with me at all times and start capturing the things that incite me and lead to ideas.

An example: last winter while I was in New England to meet with a client about their brand’s messaging strategy, I got stuck in the Manchester, NH airport due to a snowstorm. I sat there for 6 hours waiting to get out. I watched the snowplows go back and forth and I thought about what an amazing species we humans are, how our singular purpose seems to be coming up with answers to problems. And then the idea for my client’s primary messaging struck. They’re more than a solution (which is what everyone says). They’re THE answer to their customers’ problems. That sounds really simplistic, but I was able to craft their entire positioning strategy around that one moment of reflection and insight. And they loved it.

In The Web 2.0 World is Skunk Drunk on Its Own Kool-Aid, Steve Rubell writes about what’s been on my mind for months–the next burst.

He traces the Web 2.0’s shift away from value to greed and hubris back to a single day–October 9, 2006–the day Google bought YouTube.

Well, and boldly, stated. I’m listening.

In response to the demand for healthy all natural food, bread makers have covered their packaging with words like 100% whole wheat, whole grain and multi-grain. Using story and tone, Dave’s Killer Bread has figured out how to differentiate in this market.

Originally a Portland, Oregon farmer’s market product, Dave’s Killer Bread now delivers to major supermarkets, including healthy food powerhouse Whole Foods.

The bread boasts “killer taste and texture” and the loaves have names like Killer Good Seed, Killer Cracked Wheat and Killer Nuts and Grains. The word killer as defined in this context is well-known but not commonly used. Dave’s use of it is unique in the bread market and it helps consumers make sense of the brand’s logo, an illustration of Dave with a ponytail and a guitar.

The tagline on the loaves reads “Just say no to bread on drugs!” It’s in keeping with the tone and a different way to talk about being organic. It also fits the brand’s story.

As described on his loaves and website, Dave—who bakes the bread himself—battled depression and spent years in prison for using drugs. While in prison he grew interested in nutrition and good ingredients. Bread helped save him. Now he is working to save the world “one bread loaf at a time.” That story is unique and compelling and I say bravo to Dave for being true to it. So true, in fact, that he put his mug shot on his website. And it works.

In the world of marketing, nothing lasts like an authentic tone of voice and an interesting story. Together with an outstanding product, they helped this brand differentiate in a saturated market.

While in Starbucks today, I noticed marketing signage near the barista’s counter that read, “…your daily coffee and breakfast spot.” The word breakfast jumped out at me—it’s not how Starbucks usually talks about their pastry and bagel displays.

Could Starbucks’ use of the word breakfast be a response to increased competition from McDonalds, the breakfast king?

According to the Seattle PI, Starbucks and McDonalds compete for customers in the coffee arena:

“Starbucks may soon offer free Wi-Fi in order to compete with McDonalds, which started peeling away some customers with less-expensive coffee.”

Is Starbucks looking to counter with increased competition for the breakfast set?

There are 27 items on the McDonalds breakfast menu, including the Egg McMuffin®, Sausage Biscuit and Sausage Burrito. Starbucks is clever (and bold) to put the pumpkin spice scone amid the fray.

As more people use mobile smart phones, it is important to name your company’s wireless network after the name of your company.    

By naming your network, wireless users will be exposed to your company’s name and encouraged to walk in to your business to get on to your network (if your company allows walk-ins).  

“It’s a branding opportunity for businesses,” said telecommunications consultant Brian Wade, who helped a barber shop in the Pike Place Market name its network. “It’s especially beneficial in high traffic areas.” 

If you haven’t named your wireless network, chances are it named itself. Usually, the default name is the name of the company that manufactured the network router. So instead of your company name, potential customers see “linksyswireless1.” It’s also common for the default name to appear as some nonsense list of letters and numbers, such as SHSH7A.  

Rather than promote the name of your router or confuse passersby with a nonsense name, take advantage of an opportunity for brand consistency; name your wireless network.   

Do you have the guts to grind up your new iPhone into a smoking cocktail of twisted metal and dust?

In the name of marketing brilliance, Blendtec does.

There’s been a lot of discussion about Blendtec, the company behind the Will It Blend? campaign. Check out Groundswell for a summary of what’s going on with this company and their visceral marketing campaign that’s generating big buzz.

I want one of these blenders, and I’m a skeptical marketer who sees through most claims of product gusto. I see it as blender therapy, which over time is likely to be way more cost-effective than retail therapy.

You don’t like my copy? Fine. That 50-page Word doc just became bedding for my worm bin. Stuck in traffic for 2.5 hours on a 100-degree Friday afternoon? No worries. This baby whips up double-strength margaritas that go zero to drunk in under 60 seconds. You want to break in my house and steal my plasma TV? Well step right over here. I’d like for your hand to meet my little rotating friend of fury.

Yes. I can really see myself with this product. I could make a movie about this blender.

A shout out to the big new bird flying out of my town, and a great post about the evocative name from NameWire.