By: Joe Thomas of Left Brain Digital

You hear it and see it every day: Follow me. Like us. Google it. And you know exactly what it means, don't you?

That's the power of brand recognition. You know the Gecko, the e-Trade baby, and probably all the words to the Free Credit Score.Com songs, too. What? You thought these characters and catch phrases just happened overnight? Not! They were planned and strategically planted, and they have become the "faces" of their respective brands.

Recognition is not the only thing - it's everything. I'm going to use an author as our test dummy for this piece because I've developed enough author websites to know there is a lot of confusion about how they should brand themselves.

I recently had a conversation with a prospective new client; let's call him Gunther Zigby. Now, Gunther wrote a book and hired an out-of-work hairdresser to "build a website tonight" that finally appeared online four months later. After getting only 30 visitors to his site and not selling a single book in more than five months, Gunther talked to a friend of a friend, who gave him my number.

I asked Gunther for his web address and he gave me the title of his book. I asked him if he had misunderstood - I was asking for his web address, the URL for his site.

"That's it," he said. "My book title is my website address, too. Pretty cool, huh?"

Well, Gunther, no. Not really!

I only mention Gunther Zigby because it leads me into a really important-sounding message: The Proper Packaging In Relation to the Development of Your Brand.

1. As an author/writer - understand that YOU are the brand - not your book.Have you ever heard of John Grisham? I rest my case.

2. A good many authors are also public speakers. When was the last time you heard of a book being hired for a speaking engagement? See, when it's all said and done, they really do want YOU!

3. If your website URL is your book title, what happens if, and when, you write another book? Now you're catching on; you just figured out that you'd have to build a whole new website for the second book, didn't you?

As an author, odds are you have written one or two books, but are still virtually unknown outside of your circle. It's not easy, but without the right tools, it's pretty much impossible to break out of that circle. You have to create a package that will upgrade you from "virtually unknown" to "hot commodity." That requires a plan and execution.

You may be branding yourself as an expert on your topic - because you are! That's a smart way to go but only part of the package. What kind of expert are you? Are you a roll-up-your-sleeves hands-on sort? Or do you have a flash and polish that make people say, "She's successful. I need to listen to her." Or, are you a funny, approachable everyone's-favorite-uncle type?

What is your message? Your promise? What can you consistently deliver, whether it's on your blog or as a speaker?

Even when you have everything 110 percent right, it's not easy achieving the stature that makes your name as well-known as, say, John Grisham's. But by laying the right foundation, you're at least giving yourself a good running start.

About Joe Thomas

Joe Thomas is the founder and owner of Left Brain Digital (www.leftbraindigital.com), a web development company. He's an award-winning web designer/developer with more than 18 years of experience in print and web design and development. Thomas' work became a major influence in graphic and web design in the "Y2K" era of the Internet's dot-com explosion.

On October 13th & 14th, 2012 the 43rd Anniversary of the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival will be celebrated in Winterset, Iowa, with the theme being "The Stories of Madison County!" 

To quote the first Festival brochure (1970): "The Festival will take place in Winterset, Iowa, during the season when the wooded hills are ablaze with color! Designed to give visitors a glimpse of life in Madison County before the turn of the 20thcentury, the setting of the Festival and the bridges throughout the county are an artist's paradise and a camera bug's heaven!"

What was true forty-three years ago, in 1970, is still true today! Our six 130+year-old covered bridges are one of the main attractions and centerpieces of the Covered Bridge Festival. Guided bus-tours sponsored by the Winterset Rotarians are offered throughout the weekend, with stops at a few of the bridges. Many Tour Directors bring groups to Madison County all year-long to experience a "Storybook Tour", which is packed full of history lessons about the making of the movie "Bridges of Madison County", filmed in 1994. You will also find live demonstrations featuring the following sheep shearing; glass jewelry making, woodcarving, as well as a cannon demonstration, pony rides and competitions such as an "Old Fashioned Spelling Bee" at the Festival. Along with wonderful artisan booths, local storytellers embody famous persons who relate tales of early Iowa history --like George Washington Carver and 'Uncle' Henry Wallace, two well-known men who each called Winterset 'home', Scavenger hunts and other old-fashioned games, Other activities not to be missed will include penny candy sales, a civil war battle, horse ferrier and live chainsaw carving demos and horse-drawn wagon rides - all taking place Saturday only at the Madison County Historical Complex.

A collectable coin is struck each year commemorating a local historic structure -- this year the McBride Bridge is featured in a commemorative fashion, as the McBride Bridge was regrettably burnt down in 1983.

The two-day festival hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, October 13th & 14th, 2012. There will be a festival grounds admission fee of $2 each day (children 11 & under being free). Parking is free with shuttle services to outlying lots and various other Festival venues.                                                                               

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Take care of mold before it turns ugly  

Remodelers advise homeowners during Mold Awareness Month  

Des Plaines, Illinois, September 5, 2012?September is Mold Awareness Month and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) wants homeowners to know how to recognize signs of mold or water damage, and how to catch these issues early on?or prevent them all together.  

Mold is everywhere, though the amount and location of the mold is what can be harmful to your home and your health. Brian Jones, president of Jones Design Build LLC, based in   Minneapolis  , knows first-hand about mold in the home?how it impacts a house and how to have it safely removed. His company worked on a bathroom project, which won the 2011 North Central Regional CotY award-winning project in the Residential Bathroom over $60,000 category, which required mold remediation.  

Moisture brings mold  

Mold becomes a problem when moisture is present, and the mold begins to grow. The risk increases in places that are more exposed to moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, attics and basements.  

"Oftentimes, bathrooms that are not properly ventilated or not properly insulated are at greater risk of mold issues, regardless of the age of the home," Jones says.

This was the case with Jones' clients and their 10-year-old home. They began to notice stains on their first floor ceiling, directly under the location of their upstairs shower, and grew concerned. Once Jones took down the drywall during the demolition phase of the project, their concerns were realized?the fiberglass batt insulation throughout the entire shower wall area was covered in mold.

"In this instance, the ceiling of the shower was sloped, and it can be difficult to install fiberglass insulation properly when the area is sloped, increasing chance for error," Jones says. "There needs to be a plastic barrier that protects the insulation from openings where moisture seeps in."

Given the oddly shaped shower, the vapor barrier between the drywall and the insulation was not taped or sealed at all seams, so moisture found its way under the plastic, creating a ripe environment for mold to thrive.

Mold growth behind the wall reduced the direct health risk to the homeowners, but according to Jones, if left untouched, mold poses another risk to the structural elements of their bathroom.

"Mold that continues to grow for years can actually eat through the wood, causing structural problems," he says.

Removing mold

After the discovery, Jones called in mold remediation experts to clear the area before work could continue. If not properly removed, mold can re-emerge.

Luckily for Jones, remediation is a fairly simple process. "A plastic barrier contains the area with the mold, so that it doesn't spread into other parts of the home. As it is being removed, a fan drives air to the outside through a window, and HEPA vacuums remove leftover mold particles from the area," he says. Once the area is completely cleared of mold and dried, it is sealed with a mold-inhibiting paint to help prevent future outbreaks.

Following the remediation, Jones recommended using a polyurethane spray foam insulation instead of the fiberglass batt insulation that was originally used.

"The polyurethane foam insulation is sprayed into the area, so it completely fills every crevice and hole that may be present," Jones says. Not only does this type of insulation block all moisture, but it is also known for its energy-efficient elements.

Jones' knowledge and expertise was very beneficial to his clients when dealing with a hidden issue like mold during their bathroom remodel. They were very happy to have detected the problem early on, before structural damage could occur.

Recognizing issues early on

Do you have moisture issues in your home? Jones provides the following tips to ensure early detection of moisture issues and preventative measures for mold growth:

Staining. By the time you notice staining, you can be sure that water either has been or is present. "Drywall and paint is easy and cheap to replace, so when I see staining, I recommend clients cut through the drywall immediately and locate the problem," Jones says.

Odor. Many times you don't need to physically see the mold to know that it is present because it will have an odor. If you walk into a room or basement and notice an odor, it's time to investigate.

Blistering. Paint that is peeled or blistering is another sign of water damage. Also bulging dry wall, and screws or joints that are popping out is evidence that the wood is warping from repeated water exposure.

Ventilate. Areas of the home that have accessible water systems or could face water exposure from the outside are extremely susceptible to mold growth and must have proper ventilation. "I suggest a bathroom fan with a wired timer, that will continue to run 30 to 60 minutes following shower use to keep the moisture level down," Jones says.

NARI is the source for homeowners seeking to hire a professional remodeling contractor because members are full-time, dedicated remodelers who follow a strict code of ethics that observes high standards of honesty, integrity and responsibility.

Visit the NARI.org site to get tips on how to hire a remodeling professional and to search for NARI members in your area.

Click here to see an online version of this press release.

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About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry.  The Association, which represents 7,000 member companies nationwide?comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors? is "The Voice of the Remodeling Industry."® To learn more about membership, visit www.NARI.org or contact national headquarters, based in Des Plaines,Ill., at (847) 298-9200.