December 16, 2011

Your Visual Brand Begins With You, Not Your Graphic Designer

Imagine you’re about enjoy Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the local community theater. The stage is barren. No furniture reminiscent of 19th Century London. No painted scenery.

The narrator comes on and delivers her lines well enough, dressed in contemporary street clothes. Scrooge enters stage left, as mean-spirited and miserable as ever. But he’s not wearing a costume, either. And the lighting is terrible.

The story is there, except there’s no visual context. Just a few actors talking on an empty stage.

This is your brand, without the visual elements—basically just a story on a plain white page or screen.

Graphic designers are the set designers of small business branding. They create a visual context in which your audience engages with your brand story.

But before you can expect a graphic designer to work his magic, you need a script, or brand narrative.  If  you can’t afford to hire professional to help you define and craft a written brand narrative that describes the qualities and characteristics your brand embodies, at minimum you need to know:

1. Who You Are

Can you articulate exactly what your business is, what sets it apart, and the principles that guide it? What are the essential characteristics of your brand, who is your customer and why is your business the best solution to what ails them?

2. What You Want

“Just sketch a few ideas and I’ll tell you if I like them,” is a graphic designer’s worst nightmare. After you give them the full story of your business, provide links to websites (competitors’, too) and logos you like and tell the designer why you like them, and what you don’t like about them.

After a lot of thinking and sketching and research, most graphic designers will come back with three or more general design directions. From here, the ultimate design begins to emerge.

3. The Value of Good Design

Be willing to pay for good creative. In many cases, it’s the only face of your business that your clients will see. Most freelance designers charge between $75 and $100 an hour. A logo with business card and stationery design can run anywhere from $1000 to $3,000, a website starts at $2,000. It’s possible to get visual branding for less, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.

4. Who The Expert Is

Nothing can kill a great logo or website like design by committee.  Don’t ask for input from your mother or your best friend. Remember, you’ve hired an expert to create a visual brand that will make you stand out. So let them do their job.

The process is more collaborative then you might think, and most designers enjoy the challenge of integrating your ideas. It’s your brand after all.

Three Graphic Designers I Love Working With 

Erwert Creative: Edgy, artistic, and skilled, Scott Erwert designs high-end coffee table books, movie posters, websites and brochures for Lucas Films and other clients. http://www.erwert.com.

Laura Stoll Design:  A gifted visual brander, Laura began her career in magazine publishing. Now she creates highly original logos, collateral, and websites for a variety of corporate and small business clients. http://www.lstoll.com.

Molly Morris Design: Super creative and easy to work with, Molly does branding and print collateral for Cutting Ball Theater and other clients. She’s a fabulous choice for new business owners and solo-preneurs. http://www.mollymorrisdesign.com.

 

 

 

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December 8, 2011

Writers With Brands

Frankly, using the words “writer” and “brand” in the same sentence makes me squirm.  But like anyone else with a product to sell, the reality is that writers have to market their butts off–and this means telling a brand story that appeals to their readers.

In most cases, publishers don’t have the time, budget or expertise to brand individual authors. Fortunately, most writers learn very quickly (all it takes is that first book) they can’t just sit back and expect their books to fly off the shelves.

They do readings, hold workshops, teach, and attend book fairs. They print postcards, and create websites. Some tweet, set up Facebook Fan pages, and hire publicists.

The most successful authors (read: those who sell a lot of books) know it’s not enough to throw up a website or build a fan page—they need to tell an engaging story. Fortunately, writers are good at this.

All the talk about authenticity and personal branding? Here are four examples we can learn from:

Lewis Buzbee

http://www.lewisbuzbee.com

Books are Lewis Buzbee’s muse. Both his work and his own narrative draw their power from the magical world of books, writers and readers.

A former bookseller, Buzbee is the author of Yellow Lighted Bookshop, a memoir about books and bookstores; Steinbeck’s Ghost, The Haunting of Charles Dickens; and the forthcoming Bridge to Time, in which two San Francisco eighth-graders travel back in time and meet Mark Twain.

Buzbee is a book evangelist for the willing and non-willing alike. The top of his homepage reads: “Books and Stuff.  And for Those Of you Who Don’t Care about Books, We’ve Got Books.”

Geneen Roth

 http://www.geneenroth.com

Geneen Roth is all about helping her millions of followers unravel—and heal–their complex relationships with food. Roth’s retreats, workshops, online events and social media marketing follow a compelling and highly focused narrative summed up by the first sentence on her homepage: “Your relationship to food is an unexpected path to almost everything.”

Author of When Food is Love, Women, Food and God, Lost and Found: Unexpected Revelations about Food and Money and other books, Roth has become synonymous with the idea that examining our relationships with food can bring us personal freedom and spiritual growth.

Mary Reynolds Thompson

http://www.embraceyourinnerwild.com

Author, writing coach, poetry therapist and “Voice for the wild,” Mary Reynolds Thompson’s personal brand narrative blends her lifelong passion for language, writing and nature with her personal story as an alcoholic who found solace and recovery in the natural world.

Reynolds Thompson’s first book, Embrace Your Inner Wild: 52 Reflections for an Eco-Centric World, a collaboration with nature photographer Don Moseman, is about enter its second printing—only two months after its release by White Cloud Press.

A former copywriter and corporate brander, Reynolds Thompson’s own brand narratives draws power from her commitment to helping others experience their inner “wild soul” in order to our precious planet from destruction.

 Stan Slap

http://www.slapcompany.com

Stan Slap’s edgy style (both personal and literary) cuts right through the usual business management consultant’s jargon.  His personal brand conveys credibility and off-the-beaten path solutions to the problems corporate leaders face trying to compete, and run companies. The author of Bury My Heart at Conference Room B, Slap’s narrative is irreverent, yet compassionate.

Slap Company’s website’s pull-no-punches content manages to be both in your face and engaging. For the thousands of business leaders who’ve engaged in the Slap brand and products—his story is an antidote to business-as-usual.

 

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November 18, 2011

What’s a Personal Brand, Anyway?

The other day, I was talking with a group of other small business owners–most of them solo-preneurs. One of them asked me to define “Personal Brand.”

Here’s roughly what I told the group:

Brands aren’t only for big companies. You have a brand story to tell, too. This is called your personal brand story.  A strong brand story differentiates you from the competition and creates a meaningful connection with your target market.

A brand story is far more than your logo or name. In an ideal world, your brand story defines the content, tone and graphics in your marketing—from your logo to your website to your digital video and print promotions.

A personal brand story is infused with history (if your grandmother taught you how to bake and you have line of baked goods, this bit of your history is relevant), accomplishments, purpose, and values–and the passion you have for your profession. It originates out of who you are and shapes how you present yourself on every level.

Most important, your brand story establishes an emotional connection with the communities and people you want to reach.

Yet, a personal brand story is difficult to craft.  We’re too close to it. Or we have blind spots that keep us from recognizing what makes the story authentic, and believable.

Every solopreneur is a brand in the rough. When cut, polished, and communicated clearly, your personal brand story will dazzle your customers and prospects. Equally powerful, it will inform everything you do professionally–from the clothes you wear to the fonts you choose to the topics you speak and write about.

As such, a personal brand story is essential to success.

 

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November 10, 2011

Parenting and a Moose Named Eric

I’ve written a couple of posts about fiction genres and how they show up in brand stories like Apple and Starbuck’s. Here’s a post on Abercrombie & Fitch, with a parenting twist:

One look at the black-and -white ads of nearly naked, anatomically gifted (or at least airbrushed) young models, and it’s easy to peg Abercrombie & Fitch’s brand story. Theirs is a steamy, on-campus romance designed to appeal to the target market’s penchant for intrigue and the forbidden fruits of young love.

It’s brand that our daughter, not yet twelve, loves. I say this with regret, because I’m her Mom and the idea of her as the target of this provocative brand story bothers and terrifies me.

Until recently, I kept her away from the movie-screen-size posters of gorgeous, scantily clad late teens lusting after one another. We’d pick up A&F jeans and shirts second-hand. The quality and fit are good, and shopping at Outgrown in San Rafael beats paying full retail for a pair of jeans she’s going to grow out of in a month.

The other day, we were shopping for a coat for her class trip to Mt. Lassen. After going to half-a-dozen stores and trying on three times as many coats, we found ourselves in the Abercrombie & Fitch store, where my daughter found a coat on sale.

I bought it, somewhat unwillingly–and even less willingly as I watched the girl behind the counter slide our purchase into a shopping bag featuring a huge photo of a young man’s torso. We’re talking Adonis with a marble-carved six-pack. (Actually, it’s more of a nine-pack, my daughter informed me.) A “V” of pure muscle points at the forbidden fruit, behind a pair of oh-so-soft, low-cut jeans.

Watching my daughter as we left the mall, I weighed the pros and cons of chastity belts, convents, and preaching abstinence.

The same week, she went on her class trip and I discovered–through another Mom–the Alice series she’s been reading is a lot racier than at first-blush. Not  just kissing, but also fondling. Immediately, I read three Alice books to find the scenes so I could discuss them with her.

The whole week felt like a perfect storm of early adolescence, sexuality, and parenting.   I kept thinking, Wait, this is all happening too fast.  I’m not ready.

I relaxed a few days later, when our daughter, back from her trip, reminded me she’s still a kid.

At breakfast, she pointed to the logo on the V-neck sweater we’d bought second-hand and said, “I named the moose, Eric.”

A couple of days later, she decided the coat was too bulky and asked if we could return it.

 

 

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October 26, 2011

Apple as a Creation Myth

In my last post, I talked about genres in fiction, and how archetypal stories affect the way we respond to different brands. Apple, the world’s biggest brand, tells a classic creation myth.

The Norse god Odin created earth, sky and humanity; Yaweh in Genesis light from darkness; the Greek goddess Eurynome order from chaos. In these and hundreds of other creation myths, human beings have found meaning and a context for their lives and stories.

Sounds like Apple, doesn’t it? The company made a new world–inspired by first-movers Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs—and populated it with never-before-seen devices and passionate believers.

Apple worship isn’t blind–far from it. Students, educators, scientists, business owners, artists and other users love Apple’s cool design; but it’s the story behind the products that engages and enthralls them. It’s a story of creativity, innovation, and possibility.

And like all powerful stories, brand or otherwise, Apple’s evolves as each person makes it their own.

Filmmakers pushing artistic boundaries. Graphic designers and writers crafting incredibly creative media and messages. Software developers creating applications that change the way we work, play and communicate.

Then there’s the father who recounts a trip to the Apple Store with his wife and their ten-year-old daughter, who’s saved enough allowance and babysitting money to buy an iPhone Touch. They discover the store is closed for the next hour. But the manager, touched by the girl and her mason jar of coins and bills, opens the doors for her.

Or my own father, a public school teacher, who started the first computer lab in the Monterey County School district in the 1980s, equipping it with Macintosh computers.   It wasn’t only a classroom. It was the place to be at recess and after school.

Those kids, now in college, took these memories with them. At my dad’s memorial service last year, a former student told a story about being in the computer lab and listening to Miles Davis playing softly in the background while the class clicked away at their keyboards. He recalled the black-and-white posters of Amelia Earhart, Winston Churchill, Martha Graham, and innovators from Apple’s famous ad campaign. And talked about how Mr. Doyle had made him a better student and person.

Then there’s the small business owner who uses an iPad, iPhone, and iCloud to develop and market other products and services that will help customers create still more narratives of business and personal success.

Odin created earth and sky, inspiring the  great human narrative and the infinitely complex web of stories around it.  The myth of Apple promises the same.

 

 

 

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October 21, 2011

Starbuck’s as a Victorian Novel

What if I told you the most successful brand stories correspond with common genres in fiction? And that these storytelling archetypes give the brands meaning and power?

Take Starbuck’s, for example.

The Victorian era inspired Charles Dickens, George Eliott, Elizabeth Gaskill, and other novelists to explore the individual’s place in society. It was a period of tremendous change, when people gathered in the marketplace and private parlors to converse about the issues of the day, gossip, marry off friends and family, and to feel a sense of rootedness.

Starbuck’s is the 21st Century coffee house version of 19th Century Victorian society in a warm, and pleasantly predictable environment (Starbuck’s being the master of the customer experience). Here, people gather with their book clubs, church groups, and associates; and to study, write and surf the Internet in the company of others—all for the price of coffee drink, served up to the individual’s exact specifications.

Even the name Starbuck’s originated from Victorian times. (Starbuck was the first mate on the whaling ship Pequod in Moby Dick, published in 1851.)

Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at some other major brands and their corresponding fiction genres to see how–and why—their stories resonate so powerfully.

Looking at your brand narrative: Is it an Victorian novel, adventure, romance, or thriller? Myth or folktale?

 

 

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October 19, 2011

Process, Patience, and Polish

From instant mac ‘n cheese to Instant Manifestation, there’s not much you can’t get by pushing a button.

Except for maybe a compelling brand story.

Crafting a narrative for your business takes time, patience, digging, and polishing. I recommend hiring a professional, unless you have the objectivity and ability to recognize the gems in the rough that give make your brand story sparkle.

Here are some of the steps I use with small businesses:

1. Have the client answer 7 Essential Brand Story Questions.

2. Query a dozen or so of the client’s customers about their experience with my client. Ask them what problem my client solves to see if their answer matches up with what the client thinks.  If it doesn’t match up, we address this immediately.

3. Have the client answer 5 Questions: Arc of a Brand Story. These questions (included on my blog) draw on the main elements of fiction to get at the nuances of the brand.

4. Compile this “data,” looking for common themes and responses to shape the narrative. Let the information percolate for several days, and see what my right brain comes up with.  This is the art part of the part-art-part-science of discovering a good brand narrative.

5. Polish and then present up to three story ideas (roughly a one-paragraph synopsis for each idea) and work with the client to decide on the idea “feels” the most believable and engaging. If I feel strongly about one idea over another, I do my best to steer the client in that direction.

6. Polish the chosen idea. I write a one-page narrative that describes the brand. This piece isn’t for publication; its purpose is to inform the content and visual aspects of your brand—a logo if you need one, website graphics, video, and other marketing.

Throughout the process, you need to willing to toss out good ideas for better ones. In fiction, this is known as“ murdering your darlings”–getting rid of sentences, paragraphs and even entire scenes the writer has fallen in love with but that aren’t believable or don’t move the story forward.

By the way, your brand story should do both: Be believable and move your business forward by engaging customers and communities.

To learn more about this process, email me. You can also go to my blog to read about central conflict, heroes, villains, and other aspects of a good brand story.

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October 14, 2011

Like Breathing

Story is with us all the time. It’s so automatic, so integral to our human experience, we don’t notice it’s there.

Life is built on and around stories.

Imagine, not telling your spouse about the pelican you saw learning to fly inches above the surface of the bay, catching its beak in a wave, and then tumbling out of control. Imagine, not telling your best friend what it was like growing up without a father. Imagine a successful company without a story to tell.

Think about it: Without story, there would be no friendship, no schools, no media, no religion, no political movements, no psychotherapy, no community, and no businesses.

Story helps us understand ourselves and the world, and make sense of life’s complexities.

When I was nine, I wrote the story of my family. It was a tough time. My mother had died, my father had remarried, and I found myself in a blended family of seven. I’d been the oldest of the three children my father had had with my mother. Now, I was number two under one of my two, new stepbrothers.

I don’t remember how much I wrote, or even if I finished the story, but I knew intuitively that writing it was essential.  And while I was writing, I felt the presence of an imaginary reader. By telling this “reader” I was telling myself, and creating meaning out of a situation that felt confusing and chaotic.

Story is the complex, connective tissue of human experience. And, oh, yes; story differentiates brands and informs and inspires customers and communities, too.

It is as natural and necessary as breathing.

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September 21, 2011

It’s Not All About You

Your About page is one of the most visited pages on a website. Its content can make or break an introductory phone call or email from a prospect.

So what’s makes an effective About page?  Is it more or less important than your homepage? What should you include and what shouldn’t you include in your bio, and why?

Your website in three parts

Think of your website as three main parts. The homepage is part one: A benefits-rich, attention-grabbing description of the problem you will solve for the customer, and how. Part two is the about page, this is the part where the main character (the customer) meets you and decides if there’s enough potential “chemistry” there to merit an email or phone call. Part 3 is the product/services page that describes and hopefully differentiates you from the competition.  (You have a contact page and other pages, and hopefully a blog; but these first three are your primary pages.)

It’s your story, sort of

Your About page should convey information about your skills, job history, training, associations, and hobbies in terms of how this information contributes to your ability to solve the customer’s problem.  This is what makes your bio relevant. Otherwise, it’s just a glorified resume.

Look for the unique storyline.  What themes continue to show up throughout your life, regardless of the specific job, training, or education? One way to answer this is to look at your values.  It may be making a positive contribution to humanity, financial prosperity, striving for the highest quality customer service, or creating new systems.  This the essence of your personal brand story—the “what-makes-you-tick” that helps would-be customers decide if you and your product or service are a good fit.

TMI?

A long, long time ago;  I cleaned motel rooms to make money for extra clothes, my own phone, and other stuff my parents couldn’t afford to buy me. To entertain myself while I was working, I made up stories in my head about the guests who’d stayed in the room. The wrappers in the trash, a forgotten comb or tie pin were my story “prompts.” This tidbit about my past illustrates how innate storytelling is for me.  And yet, my stint as a motel maid is probably more than prospects need to know about me.

Chris Brogan wrote a great post about the limits of authenticity in business. Your customers don’t need to know about your broken relationships or nut allergies.  Your job is to instill confidence and convince prospects of your unique ability to solve their problem.

Want to brainstorm–gratis–for 15 minutes on your About Page? Contact me at lee@crediblecommunications.com or 415-302-0356.


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September 7, 2011

Lululemon Totes The Story of The 21st Century Woman

I’m a sucker for cool yoga wear.  I’m also a seeker of less earthly possessions, like inner peace and better relations with my fellows. lululemon knows this about me.  They also know that there’s nothing like a cute pair of yoga shorts to ease the torture  of dripping sweat and pretzeled limbs during, say, Eagle Pose (see my post on the Bikram Yoga brand).

Lulemon understands the paradoxical story of the 21st century Marin County woman: On the path to enlightenment, looking sexy is part of the journey.

They company also knows that every customer touch point is an opportunity to deepen their customer’s connection with their brand, through story.  Their coveted red and white and black-trimmed, reusable tote bag is one of these touch points.  A textual collage of positive affirmations, healthy living statistics and self-help tidbits like,  “Breathe deeply and appreciate the moment,” and “Do the one thing a day that scares you,” lululemon’s story is strictly a feel-good narrative.

The story, which lululemon calls its “manifesto,” is crafted to appeal to the target market’s yearning for a fulfilling, well-balanced life–and hip, high-quality yoga wear. The narrative goes something like this:  “If I take care of myself, think positive thoughts and work and play hard, I’ll have a happy life.” Ultimately, the story works because it belongs to the customer. It’s a story she lives and breathes inside and outside the yoga studio.

It’s lululemon’s ability to engage her in her own story that creates emotional resonance for the customer and fosters a strong connection with their brand.

Speaking of modern Marin County women, Lynette, the main character in the novel I’m working is going through some major stuff. Maybe she needs to do some yoga…wearing lululemon pants, of course.

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