 From now on you can catch me wearing nothing but NA-KD, especially after learning of the brand's initiative to lessen the fashion industry's carbon footprint. NA-KD not only makes you look good, it makes you feel good by knowing you are supporting an eco-friendly brand. You have the option to buy new clothes and second hand fits that are lightly worn that are climate compensated shipped to you.  I was given the above look in all honesty, but the ethics of the brand made me want to have the partnership to begin with… and of course the fact that the clothes are cute is definitely a cherry on top.
Outfit Details Now for the information you came here for, the links.
Get NA-KD Make sure to follow NA-KD on their socials and download their app to shop the sustainable way. Always, Audrey Marie
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I cannot believe it has taken me so long to realize that Amazon is not just to buy LED lights and Christmas gifts. Amazon has some cute fashion dupes that look good physically and financially.
Not to be lame, but I have to admit my sudden urge to shop Amazon is based on what I have seen on Tik Tok. I hate to say it, but Tik Tok made me buy it. New Sunnies Finding a pair of sunglasses that fits your face is like trying to find your size during Black Friday. For me, I found the perfect pair that I have been wearing the past two years from Nordstrom. Unfortunately, they have since been broken and are no longer available to purchase. With spring in full action and summer on its way I have been on the search for some new sunnies. I am not 100% sold on these quite yet. Not that they are not cute - just not sure how cute they are on me. I do love both the colors it comes with and gives off very much 90's vibes when I wear them. I think they would look better on someone with a longer face than someone like me with a round face. In the meantime of deciphering whether they look good on me or not, they do their job as sunnies and I have no complaints there.
New Necklace
I am always skeptical about buying jewelry online to begin with, and even more so buying it off Amazon seemed odd. I just keep hearing from so many about how they get all their jewelry from Amazon, so I thought I would give it a try! I love layering necklaces, but I am so bad at picking which ones to layer. A set like this is perfect for the lazy girl inside me! Amazon has a lot of different style to choose from and I recommend checking them out. I personally love initial pendants as necklaces and was in need of one in gold. I love the lengths of the necklaces and to my surprise does not look cheap! Go check them out to complete your daily looks!
More Clips
By now you should know my love for clips. After last week's post on trying out new hair clips, some people told me to try these ones from Amazon too! I love a good hair clip, so of course I had to try these ones out. They are pretty comparable as far as shape and whatnot to the other Amazon seller, Big Hair, that I previously reviewed in last weeks blog. I do think the material overall seems a bit nicer - but both work and are a super cute way to pull back your hair! I would recommend checking them out!
Tik Tok Dress
I have been seeing this specific Amazon dress on Tik Tok for some time and finally decided to try it out myself. This style of dress is so cute and have seen something similar with other brands that are more expensive. Let me start out with saying that it is a mini dress. Let me repeat that. MINI dress. Although the dress can tighten or loosen up on the sides to alter its length, it always tends to ride up when walking. In addition, the color is A LOT different than what it shows online. It is not my favorite brown, and as someone who is pale it is just not a flattering color on me. Another disappointment was the material itself. You will definitely need nude undies when wearing this dress or else you will be giving out a free show to any passer byers. Overall, I think that it is a cute dress to take pictures in, but not practical to wear around for a full day.
Tik Tok Hoops
I have been in need of little gold hoops for some time now. Like this was a very overdue and much needed purchase. I feel like I am always on the lookout when shopping for just simple little gold hoops and can never find any! What I am saying is that I understand why everyone is raving about these all over social media. I mean a simple gold hoop is the perfect finishing touch to any outfit! I highly recommend - I even bought two pairs knowing how bad I am at losing an earring when going out. Always, Audrey Marie 
I am wearing my Amazon Big Claw hair clip in this photo. See below for information.
Fashion is funny. Nothing seems to forever go out of style, they just wait to be rediscovered by a new generation. As of right now, the new trend is going back and pulling from 90's and early 2000's style. Although some parts of it I question, for the most part I am so in (*insert valley girl voice).
As skinny jeans are on the outs, 90's and early 2000's nostalgia is back by popular demand. One of my personal favorites, hair clips, are amongst the most popular trends these days. Not to say that people stopped wearing them - it just stopped being as cool I guess? Now, with a newfound wave of popularity, they are seen all over social media on influencers, and used daily for not only its functionality, but its added accessory to any outfit. I only had 3 hair clips and knew I wanted to invest more, so I asked my Instagram followers for their suggestions and bought some that were not too expensive to try out. Below are both what people suggested and my own investigations on what were the hair clip must haves on Amazon.
TOCESS on Amazon
This had to be the number one most talked about hair clip I got from my followers. TOCESS has numerous different colors and sizes of hair clips that can be found on their Amazon store. I personally went with the 4 pack of pink, beige, green, and black to start out with.
If interested in this brand I would recommend buying off of Amazon, as other places sell them for about $5 more. On Amazon you can get them with free shipping if you are a Prime member too! Personally, I see why people like these so much, they are good quality without breaking the bank. I also like that they are big enough to hold all my hair without it falling out every 5 minutes like some others have done in the past. TOCESS are worth checking out on amazon - they have colors and sizes for just about anyone! MagicSky on Amazon
I know, I know, you must be thinking another hair clip off amazon - aren't they all the same? Well, no, no they aren't. These clips are a different brand and have a completely different shape to the clip. What I like about these clips are that they are pretty cheap and still stylish. They come in a set of 4 and have a marble pattern as well as a brighter purple set! They are a smaller clip compared to the first ones, but still hold my hair!
Big Claw on Amazon
My personal favorite hair clip! This is my go to hair clip - I love the coloring and just how overall sturdy it is with my hair. This one is almost like a mix between the two above clips from Amazon and is in the middle as far as price goes. This is a must have if you love neutrals as much as I do! The brand also has other options such as a 6 piece with more colors that I also bought. The colors allow me to have some sort of pop of color since most my clothes tend to be on the neutral side.
Non-Amazon Clips to Check Out As far as price goes, you can't really beat what Amazon has to offer. However, if you are willing to spend a bit more on your hair accessory needs here is my list of places to check out: Anthropologie clips My favorite Etsy clip Kōv asos Target Revolve Always, Audrey Marie 
It seems like everyone is trying to be a social media influencer these days. All you need is a tripod, phone, cute outfit and BOOM you are an influencer, right? Well, not exactly. Although there has been a huge breakthrough recently for content creators getting more noticed, it is not as easy as it seems. Creators spend hours upon hours researching the right hashtags to use, current trends, taking pictures, and producing the content itself. Yes, there are some influencers who seem to go big overnight, however, it is only because of their dedication and passion for their craft.
Being an influencer does seem to be a dream job, but it is also a never-ending job. It does not matter if you are just starting out as a micro-influencer, or you are a top earner on social media, you are still needing to constantly create content for your audience to stay relevant. My Top 10 Influencers I have reflected on my own social media feed and want to share my top 10 influencers that you should be following. Their aesthetics, follower count, passions, and locations are all different from one another - yet all make me, the consumer, feel inspired. I was able to talk with a few of them as well and learned more on what it truly means to be an influencer. All 10 of these women are on my feed every day, and unlike what the rest of the world does, I do not want to compare them to one another. Therefore, my top 10 are not in any particular order of ranking. They are all bad bleeps who deserve recognition! 1. Shayana Rex Toronto based micro-influencer Shayana Rex has one of my favorite aesthetics on Instagram. Her feed is full of light pastels and hints of her everyday lifestyle, including her adorable pup, Sasha, who you can often see being featured on the Instagram story. As cliche as it may sound, the advice I would give to someone who aspires to be a micro influencer is to always be yourself. People are drawn to genuine and unique content, which means copying your favorite influencer is not going to help your own brand. There is only 1 of you, so use that to your advantage always.
-Shayana Rex
She brings fashion, beauty, and lifestyle to life. She is genuine and you should go give her a follow! IG: @shayanarex 2. Camila Vilas I first noticed this LA based influencer from Tik Tok and just had to follow her on Instagram to keep her in my feed. Her Tik Toks are extremely easy going and she shares tips on how she has found success on social media. Her content is very relatable and makes you feel like you're chatting with a friend! I started creating content because I was taking a gap year from university and wanted to find a way to channel my creativity! I had always wanted to start a blog and figured what better time than now? Because of the pandemic and being out of a full-time job, I currently spend most of my day (every day) creating content. So I would say some 40 hours a week, which makes this my full time job technically! My favorite part about being an influencer is that I work for myself! I make my own hours and solely make content I am passionate about and proud of. I've also had the opportunity of working with brands I adore, like Coach and Windsor, which makes me so happy!
-Camila Vilas
If you are just starting out in social media make sure to follow her on Tik Tok and Instagram for some helpful advice, as well as her personal blog to keep up with all things beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. Plus, her outfits are always cute and affordable- which I love! Tik Tok: @camila.vilas IG: @camila.vilas 3. Jenna Palek Jenna first caught my attention on Tik Tok as well. She is originally from and went to school near where I live now, and ended up moving to Austin, TX after blowing up on Tik Tok and getting a job with the social networking site. Her content is fun and easy going. She shares life updates and is a huge Bachelor fan. My motto, I even have it on my heart necklace, is make it happen - anything you want in life is attainable with hard work and passion!
- Jenna Palek
If you are looking for a good laugh, relatable content, all things bachelor, and of course cute outfits, then go follow Jenna! Tik Tok: @jennapalek IG: @jennapalek 4. Callie Stoffer Pittsburgh native, Callie Stoffer has the perfect Instagram feed for all things streetwear with little hints of edge and girly. The best part of Callie's style is that she thrifts for almost all of her fits - something I know is impossible for me to do. Over the past year, I've realized that the one thing that makes me excited to wake up every morning is styling an outfit, or putting together pieces. I am able to walk out the door feeling super confident because of it and I want to give other girls that same feeling of confidence.
- Callie Stoffer
Callie is original with her style, and in addition to her personal account she has a style account that she shares with her childhood best friend. Go check her out for some streetwear inspiration! Tik Tok: @brilliantbrunettesco IG: @calliestoffer IG: @brilliantbrunettesco 5. Michaela Hedderman She is THE Instagram GF for a reason! Michaela has blown up on Tik Tok and her followers were quick to give her the follow on Instagram as well. Her account is my go-to for any inspiration when it comes to how to pose. The Arizona based influencer makes sure to give instruction with all the necessary information needed to get that Instagram picture! It started when I was young, I have always been in front of or behind the camera so it is second nature to me. I started on Instagram when I was in middle school and absolutely fell in love with being able to express myself in a creative way on a platform shared with other likeminded women like myself.
-Michaela Hedderman
Her content is relatable and is the very reason why I bought a tripod with a remote in first place! Even after finding such success and popularity on social media, she still takes time to respond to DM's and comments too! If you don't already, I highly advise to go follow this iconic queen! Tik Tok: @mjhedderman IG: @mjhedderman 6. Taryn Cumbo You must check out this Charlotte based influencer! I have been following her since she was at around 6k followers on IG, and now she is at 14.1k. Her feed is full of smiles, cute nail inspo, and of course matcha paired with a matching purse! It has been so amazing to see Taryn start to get noticed from her Tik Toks and IG accounts from different brands such as Urban Outfitters and Grey Bandit. Content creators are beautiful people, we all have different gifts that make us original - and authenticity lasts forever!
- Taryn Cumbo
If you love coffee, a positive attitude, and cute easy outfits, go follow Taryn on IG and Tik Tok! Tik Tok: @taryncumbo IG: @taryncumbo 7. Caroline Jones Crawford She is an icon. That alone should prompt you to go check her out. I first noticed Caroline on my Tik Tok for wedding planning videos. Let's make this clear, her account is not the typical wedding content - it's bougie, it's elegant, it's original. To say I aspire to have the kind of wedding she is planning is an understatement. She is unapologetically her - that includes having her bridesmaids wear white to her wedding - which I LOVE! I started doing this during quarantine. I didn't have a creative outlet - I had a bank job and just didn't feel fulfilled from that. I feel so affirmed from my ideas and creativity in a way that I have never felt in my entire life from content creation. This has given me the confidence I have never had. I have always struggled with fitting the mold - but I've never had this amount of support before. The best part about it is the community and the ideas and connections I get from my followers. ...
-Caroline Crawford
Caroline's IG is starting to grow as her Tik Toks are getting more and more views. After interacting with her this past week on getting a quote I can say she is one of the most deserving people to have a platform. Not only does she create amazing content, but she is genuinely one of the sweetest influencers out there! I highly recommend following for wedding and lifestyle inspiration! Tik Tok: @carolinejcrawford IG: @caroline.j.crawford 8. Remi Bader I am dyingggg (insert Remi's voice*) for this Tik Tok turned IG influencer who gives honest reviews and a voice for the curvy community. Remi is that friend for her followers who will try something so you don't have to. Even after finding such success, she remains the same - which makes me love her more!
Remi is going to be here for awhile in my opinion, so go follow her for the most honest brand reviews!
Tik Tok: @remibader IG: @remibader 9. Delaney Childs Truth be told, Delaney is my hair inspo as well as my apartment inspo. This is an influencer I have been following for years now, and I am always eager to watch her vlogs on YouTube or shop her looks from IG. She is one of my style icons and just gives off such a positive attitude that you can't help but to like her.
If you are in need of inspiration for all things beauty, lifestyle, and fashion then you should be following Delaney!
YouTube: delaney childs IG: @delaneychilds 10. Victoria Casalino Last influencer on my top 10 is New Jersey based influencer, Victoria Casalino. Originally, I was following her on Tik Tok and then she started showing up on my suggestions on IG - which I didn't mind because I have been following her ever since! You can always count on her for some cute outfit inspiration with a reminder to get your morning coffee!
Her outfits are affordable and casual (very relatable). I would recommend following this micro influencer for all style inspiration and a daily dose of coffee shop bliss.
Tik Tok: @victoriacasalinoo IG: @victoriacasalino Always, Audrey Marie  The pandemic has officially reached its first birthday not too long ago. With that, comes a year full of holidays that were spent in lockdown, quarantine, and with a strict number of only 10 or less people. It is wild to think that I have not spent a holiday with my family in over a year; it is even more wild to think that it has become sort of regular to do so.
Easter 2020 One year ago today was my first Covid celebration with Easter. This was a specifically hard time for me as I had just moved out of my college house back to a dorm when the world shut down, forcing me to leave all of my belongings in a dorm and living out of a suitcase at my boyfriend's apartment. I was stuck in Ohio with my boyfriend, neither of which had family in the area. There was nothing opened and I was scared of this unknown virus to even try to go anywhere anyways. If it weren’t for my mom’s efforts I don’t think I would have even noticed Easter last year. My mom sent my boyfriend and I a big package full of food and candy and Easter décor. Even with her efforts, Easter was just another day. I did homework all day and watched Netflix. The meal was forgettable - most likely chicken nuggets or pasta. It was not the usual feast I have been accustomed to growing up going to my aunts house. It was just me and my boyfriend. Thanksgiving 2020 Thanksgiving this past year has officially been deemed the worst holiday of my life. I had hope of possibly being able to go home for some stuffing and pie - but instead I was destined once again to stay out of state. However, this was far different than Easter, as this time I was actually sick with Covid. In a very selfish way, I was thankful that my boyfriend got it from me so we could quarantine and get better together. This included being able to spend Thanksgiving with each other instead of alone. The worst part of this particular holiday is that it is my favorite out of all of them. My mom once more tried to make it special and allow me to still celebrate and insta-carted me with some Thanksgiving essentials. My boyfriend and I made ourselves a little feast and it was the first real meal I had in about a week since being sick. However, both of us lost our smell and taste and we were not able to fully enjoy it like we wanted to. I was thankful I was not alone and this time had actual food, but once again missed my family. Christmas 2020 I was not sick, the world was not on lockdown so it seemed like I was finally going to be able to go home. Wrong. My work schedule had me working Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas making it nearly impossible to drive 7 hours roundtrip to celebrate for the day. I thought that perhaps I could do it, however, I woke up Christmas morning with my car blocked in and covered in snow. Although my family back home were not necessarily celebrating all together at my aunt's house like we would in the past, I still wanted to be home and not alone. My boyfriend had already left to see his family out of state and I was just tired of not seeing my family. My mom of course did send me a nice package that had gifts all wrapped up, a stocking, and PJ’s to wear for our Christmas Eve tradition. We did have a family zoom and I was able to talk with my little cousins and make fun of my one grandma which is always the best part of these family gatherings anyways. To my surprise, my dad ended up driving down with my brother and other grandma to bring Christmas to me. We ate dinner together and watched a movie and it started to feel somewhat like back to normal. Easter 2021 Today marks the year of Covid holidays exactly. A year later I can finally spend time with my family. It is still not quite the Easter celebrations I am longing for, however, I am not complaining! I am finally able to see my mom in person, eat my candy with siblings, and sleep in my bed back home. Now let’s just hope that this time next year I am able to make fun of my grandma and hangout with my cousins outside of zoom! Always, Audrey Marie  Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if you're anything like me then you always have high expectations with no idea what you actually want to do. Making it even more difficult for our partners this year, there is a pandemic and the usual dates are not entirely accessible. Luckily, I have had some time to think about some fun and covid friendly dates to do with your partner this year!
Paint and Sip Inspired by a date I have had pre-covid! All you need is a bottle (or two) of your favorite wine, two canvases, some paint, and YouTube. This is the perfect Valentine’s Day date for the couple who likes to have a fun and creative time with one another. You can find a painting tutorial on YouTube and make sure you have the paint colors prior to Valentine’s Day. Once you have all your materials, you will be ready for a fun date! Place your YouTube video on a laptop or TV and prep your painting station with paint, canvases, and of course WINE! Just follow the instructions of the video as you sip your wine and enjoy each other's company. From personal experience, a few glasses will definitely make for a better painting! Night at the Museum Anyone else love the art museum? Depending on your location the art museum has limited availability. You are able to reserve your time and free tickets on the website. This makes for an affordable date, and with limited time reservations, you can be safe and enjoy the art without the crowds! If you are not wanting to go out quite yet, good news, you can enjoy the art for free at the comfort of your own home! Museums have free virtual tours on their websites and you can even enjoy museums from all over the world. This is the perfect date for any art lovers. Mona Lisa in Cleveland or Starry Night in Dallas anyone? Movie Theater Rental One thing I have missed since the world has been shut down is going to the movies! There is just something different about movie theater popcorn, yes, it's stale, but it’s delicious. Movie theaters are now offering covid safe ways for you to go on movie dates, and it would be perfect for Valentine’s Day. You can rent a whole movie theater for up to 10 people for only $100. Even if you only go as a couple that would be $50/person, which is about the same price as a meal would cost anyways. Or, you could do a group date with some couple friends this Valentine’s Day and save some money! This is great for all movie lovers! Always, Audrey Marie     This could be the quarantine talking, but I think bangs are, might I say, in? I took an Instagram poll to see what the public (all 1.4k of them) thought about the hairstyle, and to my surprise 78% voted in favor of bangs, most of which were men. Does this mean bangs are making a comeback? Or, perhaps, people are bored in their house, and experimenting with scissors to the hair is always entertaining. Either way, I have a long history with bangs, and the relationship is a bit rocky to say the least.
How it Began I can say this with certainty that I was not the only child who played salon with Barbie's. However, I can say that I took my imaginary play too seriously one day as I decided to cut my own bangs. To be fair, I was four and knew absolutely everything, obviously. I knew so much that I ended up cutting my hair too close to the scalp and had given myself a bald spot. Classic. I did not learn my lesson, or perhaps I was a rebellious six year old, because once again I took scissors to my hair to give myself bangs. This time, right before picture day. Though I don’t know why I had such an infatuation with bangs at such a young age, it seemed like I got it out of my system because I would not be getting them again for another 15 years. Growing up I recall bangs as the ‘loser/nerdy’ hairstyle. The fear of being casted as Velma (mind you I had dark hair and glasses too), or be labeled as ‘coconut head' was very real as a kid, so that could explain my hiatus period. I was also told that I could never have bangs that are full because of my cowlicks. In short, I was scared away from bangs for 15 years, thought it was impossible to have, and I would be made fun of for it. How it was Going Fast Forward to December 2019, I was not happy and needed change. So, naturally, I dyed my hair DARK brown and got bangs. I found out after years of believing that I could never have pretty, full bangs, that I could in fact! Managing a hair routine, let alone bangs as a small child was not practical, but now that I was older, I was able to train my hair properly and to have the bangs I desired. They were pretty, and if I had a blemish on my forehead it covered it right up. If I was really lazy, or in a hurry, I even only did the bottom half of my makeup! So, there were definitely some perks to the bangs. I ended up having them voluntarily for 5 months (emphasis on voluntary). Then, quarantine and shut downs happened and no more bi weekly trims to the bangs, and hello Chewbacca. This is when I first saw the ugly side of bangs - the unkempt side. Bangs are like a never ending cycle. The upkeep alone could keep people away from the idea. Honestly, that is not the worst part of bangs. The worst part is when you finally decide to be done with bangs and attempt to grow them out. How it’s Ending My first attempt at growing out my bangs was summer 2020. Quarantine and lock downs forced me to do it, but in all honesty I was ready for a new style anyways. What I found out through that process, and am still experiencing, is that bangs do not grow back overnight. They also love to stay in an awkward phase for a hot minute. Growing out bangs requires lots of patience, you don’t even want to know the amount of times I was so close to cutting them back short to be rid of the awful look. This process is slow and anything but pretty. I am about 6 months into resisting cutting my bangs, and they have just now surpassed the ability to slightly be pulled back behind my ears. If I’m lucky, sometimes they will cooperate enough to be pulled back into a ponytail. The hassle of growing out bangs I believe is the reason why Zooey Deschanel has had the same look of bangs for so long. It's not a statement, it's just easier to cut than to grow. For now, I am dreaming of the day that my bangs will no longer be labeled as bangs, but just as hair. Don’t get me wrong, bangs are cute, high maintenance to manage, but cute. However, what is not cute is having to either wait years for hair to grow back to normal, or just stay with the same look of bangs for the rest of your life. You can decide your own fate, but me, I think I might have to take longer than 15 years to come back to this look. Always, Audrey Marie  Why is it that the New Year must always come with clichés? The amount of times I’ve seen the caption ‘New year, new me’ or ‘Looking forward to a fresh start’ has me wondering if I am just realistic or cynical. Now, hear me out, I am all about becoming the best version of myself, but why do I only have to hold myself accountable once a year on January 1st?
Resolutions Not to say I have never ‘set’ new year's resolutions for myself before, however, I feel like the concept is a bit, well, not for me. Personally, I try to be the best version of myself everyday, all year round. If I want to start working out more, I do it; if I want to set goals for myself, I do it; if I tell myself I need to balance work and social life more, I do it (well, still working on that one). My point is, consistently holding myself accountable throughout the year makes for an easy transition to the new year. I don’t experience the stress or self-loathing that new year goals can bring (along with their clichés). Resolutions, in my opinion, are just a giant volcano waiting to erupt. All that pressure that new year resolutions bring can create an unhealthy mental state on oneself. Setting goals for yourself is healthy, but if you aren’t practicing accountability and goal setting throughout the year, how are you realistically planning on holding true to the resolution? This brings me to my next problem with resolutions - failing. Along with the pressure in figuring out what your resolution will be, there is so much when it comes to upholding it as well. One tiny slip up on your new diet should not give you or anyone else reason to shame. Failing, or slipping up is natural, plain and simple, it happens. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be upset with messing up, what I am saying is that if you have a mishap, keep trying! Resolutions have this connotation attached to them that it is for the beginning of the year, I am saying it’s not. Just because it is February 22 and your new year's resolution of working out more has become obsolete, doesn’t mean you are a failure, or that you have to wait a whole other year to try again. Just keep it going, learn from your trouble areas and see how much longer you can go this time around. If you wait a whole year to try and workout again, for example, you’ll most likely end up with the same results. Instead of viewing the new year as the time to better yourself, look at everyday as an opportunity to do that. You can start something new, make goals, and hold yourself accountable all year round, not just at the beginning of the year. This will help decrease any stress or insecurities that time of year usually brings. Especially since you would be actively bettering yourself everyday already. Bad Mottos Along with resolutions, the new year also is full of cheesy sayings that very much erk me. Why do I have to have a ‘new me’ for the new year? I like myself, and I think I want to keep her around. I do appreciate the thought behind new years as a time to reflect, but again, instead of only doing so once a year, it should be something one does on the regular. While I’m on my tangent, I will also comment on how it is 100% okay if you did not entirely change yourself or do a big Eat Pray Love experience this year. Bottom line, the new year is an annual thing, it is inevitable, time sorta has that effect, but we do not need to feel bad about ourselves or compare to other peoples year in review. Every year does not require a whole new persona, you don’t have to be Megan on December 31 and Meg starting January 1! So can we stop with the ‘new year, new me’ mottos? If not, then I guess I’ll have to resort to ‘new year, same me’, which is just as bad of a motto I admit. The truth is, if you like new year's resolutions and they work for you - great! If you are like me and don’t care for them, then that is okay too. There is no right or wrong answer, this is just my own experience and perspective. I encourage everyone, even those who are religiously awaiting for the next year to set more resolutions, to hold yourself accountable all year round, be fair to yourself, and allow for mistakes. The only wrong answer is saying ‘new year, new me’, let’s just stop that trend, please! Always, Audrey Marie  There is a huge clutter problem in the marketplace. There are five different forms of clutter: Product, Feature, Advertising, Message, and Media clutter. All of which creates a distraction for consumers; it also creates a problem for companies as they face the challenge of standing out from all the clutter out there. Branding helps companies avoid being lost in the clutter.
What is Branding? So, we have all heard of a ‘brand’ and can even think of some examples such as Apple or Coca Cola at a moment's notice. However, we do not think about all the things that go on behind the scenes for a brand to be as successful as Apple or Coca Cola. That is where branding comes into play. A brand is in essence the gut feeling and perception that consumers have about a person, company, or service. Branding is the process where a company differentiates itself from the clutter to be known by the public. In short, think of branding as the efforts that a company goes through in order to have the brand they want. A brand can be more than just a company, it can be a person or service as well. Think of your favorite athlete or celebrity, they themselves are a brand. Not only the rich and famous can have their own brand, but you can also too. When starting your professional career think about what you want others to immediately think of you as. For example, as I start my career, I want to be authentically me. I want my clients to know that when they work with me, they are getting the real me (i.e. always Audrey Marie). For me, relationships are what I want my brand to be centered around. Why Branding is Important Branding allows the company, service, or person to make an impression on consumers. Without branding the consumers will not know what to expect from you. The most successful brands out there are brands that have strong brand recognition and allow the consumers to feel a certain way about them before they even buy the product. For example, I need some tennis shoes and go to the store. There are two different shoes that are practically the same style, one being Nike and the other being an off-brand shoe that I have never heard of before. I, personally, will then pick the Nike brand over the other one because I am familiar with the brand and I know the kind of quality I am getting from the shoe. Despite the other shoe being the same style and perhaps costing less money, it does not matter since I already have a relationship with the brand Nike and trust them. How to Have a Successful Brand Now, just because you may not be as big as the brand Nike, does not mean that you cannot succeed. You must start somewhere, just as Nike had to do once before. To be a successful brand you need to figure out what the brand’s purpose is. The brand's purpose statement and mission statement can be interchangeable. After you know what your mission/ purpose is, you need to set some goals up for the brand and create a vision statement. This is to show where you want the brand to go towards in the future. You should do some research on competing brands in your market to understand your placement in the industry and maybe find ways to make your brand stick out from the competition. The biggest thing for a brand to be successful is to be different and good. To be different and unique is needed for a brand's success so you do not just blend in and get drowned by all the clutter that is out there. You need to stand out. However, you can stand out for bad reasons and that is not what is going to drive consumers to your brand. You also need to be good at whatever it is that your brand's purpose is. With a combination of being different and good, your brand is on its way to success. Always, Audrey Marie  Media writing can either make or break a company. Due to social distancing and the inability to meet people face-to-face, media writing is now more important than ever. Good media writers have the skills to get their message across in multiple channels and connect with various audiences. Read on for the 5 rules to follow to become a good media writer!  Rule 1: Know Your Audience In order to create content in the first place, you need to understand who your target audience is and what they are interested in. Knowing your audience is essential for media writing; without an audience you have no framework on what the content should be about, or where it should be placed. It is key for a media writers’ success to understand the audience and to relate to both their needs and their wants. If you are unable to identify who your audience is, then the message will not be successful. For example, if you know your audience consists of males aged 55-65 years old, then your message and channels would differ than if your audience consisted of females aged 20-25 years old. A good way to know your audience is to make an audience profile before you start creating content. Rule 2: Write for Your Reader, Not Yourself Writing for the reader means keeping the audience in mind while you are creating content. Good media writers keep the readers in mind and create content that the audience would want to see, even if it is not necessarily what you would want to see. As the writer you may not identify with who the target reader will be. Some key questions to ask yourself in order to best serve your reader and to keep them in mind are: What do they want from me? And how do they want it?  Rule 3: Put Content Where the Readers Are Keep in mind not only the content itself, but the channel you use for your content in order to reach the audience. In order to become a good media writer it is crucial to keep up with who the audience is and where they go for content. This rule is especially important because if you put content where there are no readers, or where the wrong readers are, it will not properly serve its purpose. Understanding the right channel to use is crucial for media writers in order to reach the readers. Just as it is a rule in real estate, location matters when it comes to where you put your content.  Rule 4: Tweak the Message for Different Channels Each channel is different; therefore, the message should be as well. Although social media platforms are all similar in a sense, each platform is different in how users access content. Media writers should understand all the different platforms and channels and know which one is best suited for that specific message. This rule is important because if the message is on the wrong channel it will never be seen by the correct audience. Rule 5: Be Authentic and Genuine
Be the writer that users can trust. Don’t endorse or say things that you don’t believe in or just are not true. Take the time and do your research if you need to, assume your target audience knows enough about your topic to see through anything untrue. This rule is instrumental in becoming a good media writer because your audience will be able to tell if you are genuine or not. If you create non authentic content, then you will lose both credibility and trust in the audience. Always, Audrey Marie |
