From our first segment on Multi-Faceded Branding, I talked about your business name and logo. It’s important to understand that there is more to branding than meets the eye. The fun part about branding is the story that relates to the name, logo, and reasons behind them all. Once you have a visual representation about your brand, it will be up to you or your people to talk about it, share it and build a community around it. Let me explain.
Once you have decided on a direction and vision, you now have to decide on a way to communicate it. You can do this many different ways and in many places. The key is to have a simple unified message. There is no need to clutter it with fancy language and jargon. People don’t want to feel stupid, or for you to seem like your talking over them. Trust me, just don’t go there. Here are some questions you may ask yourself when it comes to your communication and brand awareness.
How do I want my message communicated?
Who will be in charge of communicating this message? (A hint: Everyone!)
Will these people be in company apparel, everyday clothes or dressed to impress?
Will there be tangible materials that can be handed out or presented? Is that something I want to do?
Will I create a tagline to become more memorable? What will that feel, look and sound like? Where do I start with a tagline?
Remember these are things that are better thought of now instead of later. This is the fun part of building and growing a business. Your brain is getting the best workout it can and you’re getting creative because of it. Build it, grow it and get creative. This process will take some time, but I promise you that it’s time well spent. How will you communicate your brand?
This week I made my way to downtown Des Moines. I had been meaning to check out Finders Creepers, the most unique store I know of in Des Moines. In fact, City View voted Finders Creepers ‘Best New Store‘ in 2010. Once there, I was amazed by the scale and size of the store. From wall to wall hangs artwork, paintings, sculptures, and anything horror films, zombies, monsters and beyond.
The store was started by Erin Bollman, who opened the business, because of conflicts she faced holding art shows of her own. She had no intention of stopping, so last October she opened Finders Creepers. She has networked with other artists across the country, and has been able to fill her shop of over 2,000 square feet. The store offers a large wrap-around room upstairs and three medium-sized rooms on the lower level. Artwork lines the walls, and the cases hold something more for you hardcore fans.
To learn more about Finders Creepers and the artwork, you can become a fan on their Facebook page. You can also check out their upcoming Zombie Fest and Bake Sale this Saturday, August 28th. Finders Creepers will also be hosting the second annual Des Moines Zombie Walk, October 2nd.
When we talk about branding, many people neglect to look at all the potential aspects. Yes, your brand is your logo. Yes, your brand is the colors in your logo, the colors you would bleed if cut. Yes, your brand is your name, how it’s spelled, and the font used. No, these are not the only important aspects of your brand. Many of the most important things that are related to your brand are under the surface. Let me explain.
Your name, the aspects of it, the colors your choose, and the logo are part of your brand. These things are very important for visual identification and reference, but there is more to it than just a logo and your name. There are very important questions that come into play before bringing everything into play with this.
What does my business name mean? Does it mean anything?
Will people understand the message I’m trying to communicate?
Do the colors I’ve chosen represent anything? Are they random? How should I communicate this?
Does my name and how it’s written gel with my logo? Do they contradict each other, or mean different things?
It’s important to make these fun, yet sometimes difficult, and time-consuming decisions. Decide to make them now instead of later. It’s much easier to change your mind before you present them to the world. I also believe that taking the time upfront will save you internal conflicts later. You want people to be engaged with the name and logo you choose. Sometimes it’s a good thing to leave room for interpretation or small simple questions. You just don’t want large questions over everyone’s head.
When starting a new venture or direction, think about the things under the surface. The things people can’t see and may not know. It’s much more fun if you have a story behind your business anyway. What’s your story?
At this month’s Central Iowa Bloggers (CIB) meeting at Panera Bread on University, I met Matt Morgan. It was Matt’s first time at CIB and my first time meeting him. Everyone was passing around a manilla folder with photos in it, I had no idea what it contained. I soon found out that it was some of Matt’s very unique handy-work and art.
Being an artistic, creative, single guy, Matt likes to keep busy. The idea to create these three diminutional works of art stemmed from an empty wall in his house. After a few weeks Matt started to create what became an eleven foot guardian, a character from the Lord of The Rings Trilogy. The guardian is made from cardboard and paper mache. Matt then started to create other pieces for friends and family; some of the more current pieces being made from Styrofoam. He’s done Star Wars, the Cullen Crest from Twilight, and logos and names for businesses. Each piece is made from hand and is cured so it won’t weather, and afterwords can be painted.
Matt can carve it, crack it and age it to his standards or a client’s desires.
Do you know who Mark Fuller is? It’s highly possible that you have no idea who I’m talking about. What if I gave you a few hints? What if I mentioned The Fountains of Bellagio or The Dubai Fountain? Chances are that you know what I’m talking about, or have even seen it with your own eyes. You still many not know who Mark Fuller is, what he likes to eat, or his favorite color. Don’t worry, I don’t either, but I’m sure you have an understanding for what he does.
This past Sunday I watched the CBS Sunday Morning show. They talked with a man named Mark Fuller who owns and runs a company called Water Entertainment Technologies or WET. Where many artists use paint, clay, or a camera, Mark uses water to make works of art. All the works of art he’s created are interactive and engage you. You can become part of the experience. To better understand the magnitude of some of his wet creations, take a look at some of the photos. You have may seen some of his work and never even knew it. I know I have.
Some of the fountains and artwork he has created have been places of proposals, anniversaries and family vacations. Mark has created big picture visions and made them reality. You can easily get lost in the idea of artwork that’s engaging. Artwork that you can be part of and that is, in many ways, alive. You can learn more about Mark and Water Entertainment Technologies on their Facebook page.
I love works of engagement, what about you?
Please note that the photo above is a miniature version of The Bellagio Fountain.
This past week has been hard for thousands of people across the world. Here in Iowa we have had flooding, lots of flooding. The floods of 2010 surpassed the floods of ‘93 (1993). Across Central Iowa people have lost their cars, homes, possessions and even their life. I look at this week as a place and time to rebuild, to get stronger and to rely on our community, family, friends and neighbors.
To get an idea of the degree of the damage take a look at this bird’s eye view. The world around us is also suffering from floods. Pakistan also saw its worst floods in over eighty years this week. Many have lost their homes and lives. While those who survived try to rebuild, they also search for family and friends. This is a good time to reflect on those in your community, to take your family and friends and bring them in close. We can all get through tragedy, if we band together.
Please take a moment to think of those less fortunate than yourself, and those who are also suffering. We are all Iowans, but we are all people first. This is a time to truly practice our compassion.
We all know where the economy, job market and overall feelings are across the country. People are paying attention and are being careful with how they spend their money, and what they spend it on. Many consumers are walking the tightrope of experiences and products. A recent study showed that spending money on things that create a memory or experience makes us happy. In an article I recently read, people question their happiness in relation to what they purchase.
When we think about buying something we really want, or think we want, it’s the anticipation that gets us. Some products right out of the box loose their luster. We have them, there’s nothing more to want. After a while, we start to want something else, so we purchase it and continue the endless cycle. We purchase things to feel good about life, to feel good about ourselves and not all products complete that void.
If we know consumers feel they get more bang for their buck with experiences over products, what do we need to be doing? Can your product also offer an experience? We know that product and service businesses exsist, what about experience businesses? Can you offer or market your product or service as an experience?
When less is more, it’s the relationship that matters most. Consumers are paying close attention to where their money is going. Why not listen to what they want and need, and find a way to solve their problems. That’s your job, isn’t it?
If you’ve ever been in sales, you understand the idea of closing. Some of the greats had simple tactics to get people to say, “yes.” These tactics have been written about, spoken about and taught in college classes for years. Closing is a very important aspect in business and sales. It’s not, however, the most important in my opinion.
Have you ever had a time where you bought something and it didn’t meet your expectations? I have, and I’m sure you have too. The thing I feel is most important in business and sales is backing the product or service. What’s most important happens after the sale, the service.
Have you ever had an experience where the product or service didn’t live up to your expectations? What did you do? Have you ever been in a situation where the service after the sale was not good? I’d love to hear your stories. Please share them below.
I’ve been in many offices that, on at least one wall, hangs a motivational picture and phrase. The pictures sometimes contain a symbol of strength or passion. I’ve seen many that allow us to dream and feature a tropical vacation or fancy car. Sometimes throughout the course of a day or week, we need a little reminder. We don’t want to feel so alone and we seek encouraging words of wisdom. If you are looking for an extreme example please click here.
Entrepreneurs and business owners each have a secret to their success and motivation. For many, it’s as simple as getting out of the office, i.e. golfing, boating, and sporting events. Keep in mind, these are just a couple examples and some may not disclose their secrets. At one point, I had several motivational pictures and phrases in my office. I’ve taken them down. Due to their large size and my new office decor, they just don’t gel anymore. I’ve got a much simpler route.
I’m lucky to have a very supportive wife. She looks at things with a child-like wonder and tries to help keep my stress level down and motivation high. She’s quick to point out that no matter what, I need to keep moving. More to the point with this blog I need to remember to”just keep swimming“. With an amazing story of growing up, life’s challenges, and cool graphics, Finding Nemo seems to speak to those looking for their own way. Motion creates emotion, its important to move around. If a shark stops swimming, it will die. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, check the clip.
How do you keep your stress levels down and your motivation levels high?
I know there are hundreds upon hundreds of self-help books out there, many I’ve read. Most of those I’ve read were amazing and I found some type of value. A lot of the great ones have a focus on building and maintaining relationships. I believe this is important and I know I don’t have to explain why.
This week I wanted to take a step back and look at how relationships are built, where they come from, how to nurture them, and how to effectively allow them to evolve. I believe that to be good at building and maintaining relationships, you first have to be a good networker. Having the ability to build instant rapport with someone you have never met before. My dad could have easily written a book on this subject. He could win you over as a friend in seconds. He was amazing at this, because he wasn’t trying to sell you anything.
I know countless other amazing networkers and relationship builders who are very much the same way. They want to truly become your friend. They will worry about you first, and they will focus on the relationship first. They will do business later, if ever. Those people understand that, even if you are never a client, they will will push you forward. Push you in the direction of amazing relationships and great business opportunities. They become your unofficial sales team and your network.
Building and maintaining relationships where there is mutual gain for both parties is amazing. Many of us strive for those type of relationships, business opportunities and friendships. Being an amazing networker plays a large part at being amazing at building instant rapport and relationships. Once you have built amazing relationships, its essential that you maintain them.
How and where do you build relationships? How do you maintain these relationships? Please share your experience with us.
