"I Hate Slogans. I Love Positioning Lines."

Kurt Bartolich of GUTS Branding brings more quotable gems like the one above to Entrepreneur Bootcamp on October 25th at bizperc.

It's not every day that you hear a branding expert vocalize how much they hate slogans.  But Kurt Bartolich of GUTS Branding was more than happy to broadcast this phrase.  "I hate slogans," he said.  "But I love positioning lines."

According to Bartolich, there is a difference between the two.  This may be something that many entrepreneurs may have not heard of.  What's the difference between a slogan and a positioning line anyway? 

That's exactly what Bartolich aims to teach at his upcoming Entrepreneur Bootcamp session on October 25th.  This session (#3 of the 6-part series) is to take place from 3:30 until 6:00 at the bizperc coworking space, powered by Think Big Partners.  This is a critical topic for entrepreneurs to learn about.  After all, a brand defines a business.  Think; Southwest.  Victoria's Secret.  Nike.  Their brands stick out...and yours can, too.

"Business owners are recognizing how critical branding is," says Bartolich.  "If you don't get off on the right foot with a brand, you will spend money down the road trying to fix it."

The session is called Brand Foundation for Your Startup That Uniquely Drives Your Business Strategy.  During the session, participants will learn:

1. The difference between "brand" and "branding"
2. How to find your business's brand and what it's really about
3. What to do once you have your brand specified
4. The ins-and-outs of brand naming

Need a little work on your business's brand?  Join Kurt Bartolich, the Think Big team and Kansas City entrepreneurs for this energetic session all about branding for entrepreneurs.  Lace up for the bootcamp at 3:30 and cool down with cocktails and networking from 5:00-6:00. 

Register today!

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

How one entrepreneur turned a $177 test into a $120,000 company - without breaking a sweat or the law!

On July 1, 1998, Nike debuted the slogan, "Just Do It". This action oriented phrase then sparked a whole revolution of new weekend athletes, which made Nike into one of the most iconic brands known around the world today. Sometimes, there really is no substitute for taking action.

Many entrepreneurs spend a great deal of time researching potential markets, developing extensive business plans and then belaboring relatively inconsequential business decisions until "analysis paralysis" sets in. In the end, their hopes and dreams die inside a smoldering pile of ashes from their never well executed business plan.

In absence of a magical crystal ball, conducting a real life market test is one the best solutions to reducing the uncertainty about the feasibility of your business concept. Whether you develop a working prototype that can then be perfected through spontaneous innovation, or by carefully asking your customer base questions to reveal a problem waiting for a solution, taking action can put you on the right path to startup success.

If you think this process will cost too much money, then think again. Here are three anonymous (but very real) entrepreneurs who tested each of their ideas for around $50, and turned them into much greater successes.

Read Now.