Digital developments have brought businesses closer to clients than ever before. Presentation is key when it comes to connecting with potential clients, and that is exactly where RainCastle comes in. And we aren’t the only people that think so.

Earlier in my career, I was part of a national organization of creative firms that met in different parts of the country. I recall sitting at bar in the French quarter of New Orleans, a few cocktails in, when a colleague from New Orleans said, "You know the difference between branding firms in Boston and those down here?" He paused, "Y'all live above the neck... we live...below the neck!"

As well as being highly amused, I recognized the depth of his colorful statement and it caused me to reflect upon the top ten attributes to look for in a Boston based branding agency:

Naming is fun, rewarding, creative and interesting. How's that for negating just about every post about the pitfalls of naming or how tedious it seems to be for many people? Granted, naming in a world of diminishing dot com availability is a challenge, but overall, I've found naming to be more gratifying than frustrating — when you have the right approach.

I've distilled four criteria that when followed, will greatly increase your chance for success and provide awareness of where the pitfalls lie so you can minimize time-intensive dead ends.

If you're in the marketing field, you've probably heard of "Buyer Personas," but what are they exactly, and why do you need them?

For fans of the Showtime series, Homeland, you may have seen super sleuth antihero, Carrie Mathison, sitting cross-legged, surrounded by an array of suspect's photos, including bios, histories and known associations. These are personas. In the case of "Homeland," these are Terrorist Personas. Fortunately, we live in the less perilous, yet often elusive world of marketing, but share Carrie's need for a deeper understanding of our targets; what they look like, what they like and dislike, where they congregate, what they read and who they associate with on a regular basis.

Amidst the blow-by-blow coverage of Donald Trump, and by association, the other candidates (including Democrats), there has been surprisingly little said about the 2016 candidates' taglines and their impact, or lack thereof, thus far. This post should not be construed as an endorsement or opinion of any candidate, just their brand strategies as represented through their use of campaign taglines.

To understand the power of a tagline, look no further than Barack Obama's success in 2008 with his two taglines: “Hope” and “Change We Can Believe In.”