By Karen Post, Branding Diva®

I’m one of the luckiest people around. I get paid to create, talk and help people grow their businesses. Except this morning when my clock went off at 4 AM, I wasn’t feeling so fortunate or, for that matter, creative.

I have a speaking gig in Memphis, TN on Wednesday. The event hosted by a very cool company called MEDSEEK. They are another American success story. Founded by entrepreneur Gale Wilson-Steele in 1996, the company’s model is based on the concept that the Internet puts computers to work doing what they do best: storing, sorting and delivering information; and it can be used to answer the universal need of all people to confidently obtain competent medical care. MEDSEEK initially offered an Internet directory of physicians and webpage publishing services as a dot.com replacement for yellow pages advertisements. Today MEDSEEK specializes in online healthcare solutions that empower patients, physicians, employees and consumers to securely exchange knowledge, interact with healthcare organizations and access medical records online.

I’m very excited about my presenting my program, which is to MEDSEEK’s clients, Healthcare marketing and Web executives from around the country. The focus of my message is “How to transform a thoughtful brand experience into lifetime customer loyalty”. More later. I will be sharing some insight on how you too can infuse more loyalty building connectors into your brand experience, environment and your marketing.

Back to travel and early flights.
Whenever I’m scheduled on early, early flights, I can never sleep the night before. I worry about not waking up, I think about my presentation and I can’t turn my brain off with all the open projects I’m working on. I went to bed at 6:30 PM, took a sleeping pill, made my room dark and didn’t drink wine. Maybe I slept 30 minutes. If you have any ideas or tips, send em on, I have another early flight next week.

My flight was uneventful and on time. After reading the Wall Street Journal’s piece Flying Foul: Passengers Behaving Badly – thank goodness for empty seat pockets. If you need something disgusting to add to your day, read that article.

Memphis, a beautiful day in May.
I landed in Memphis at 7:48 AM a bit brain dead from no sleep. I was greeted by a friendly-faced gentlemen named James. He gave me the update on what’s happening around town, proudly touted how he used to run into Elvis on the street corners and then whisked me to the Peabody Hotel. The Peabody is classic and elegant. The signature ducks quack away with an air of confidence, as they know they are an important part of this legendary brand. I’ll be reporting back with some good tales and “on the road” brand experience marketing scoop, too.