Posts Tagged ‘rebranding’
Step Up, Step Out, Stand Out
I was NOT happy.
My Mom had just lifted me out of the boat and now my feet were in the muck and mud. I can vividly remember the feeling of this strange, new substance oozing between my toes.
Get me out of here, FAST!
It was the flood of 1960 in northeast Oklahoma. The flood waters had not reached her home, but the only way to/from my grandmother’s house was by boat. I had just turned four and figured out very quickly, I DO NOT LIKE STRANGE substances touching my feet. What the camera does not show is how fast I ran towards the house, screaming.
Fast forward several decades, and I still DO NOT like being stuck in the muck — even metaphorically speaking.
Our business is growing, and although we are on target to double last year’s sales, I can still get caught up in the muck of temporary slow periods or hign-maintenance clients (no, not you). When I step back into the muck, business slows down, clients tend to pay more slowly, and I have the tendency to isolate (not good) . . . or run towards the house screaming.
So how do I get back into the flow of clarity and Step Up, Step Out and Get Going?
- I take the small, 1″ Post-its and start posting “gratitudes” all around the house
- I catch up on returning phone calls and get current with emails
- I pay a bill . . . even a small one . . . to let the Universe know I’m interested in the flow of money
- I move to “receiving mode” . . . if I get a gift or an invitation, I accept it and say, “Thank You!”
- I add “Sir” or “Ma’am” after every “Thank You!”
- I ask for help with something I’ve been avoiding
- I stop trying to “hold it together” . . . I let go of the “hold” . . . I surrender
- I smile at strangers and open doors for everyone
- I give away a perfect parking spot to a total stranger
- I pay for the person behind me in the drive-through lane
- I rest. I breathe.
And sometimes, I DO NO THING. I value my silence and my “alone time”. I sit (or lay) in silence with my eyes closed. Some call it meditation . . . I call it “plugging in”. It restores my energy, which allows me to better serve our clients.
I’m ALSO learning that when you run a business, the “muck” will always be there. How I choose to react to it is determined by me. If I don’t like to be in the muck, I’m learning to step out of it.
So, the next time you find yourself stuck in the “whatever” with your business, give me a call.
If you’re ready to STEP UP and STEP OUT of the muck, I can help you look good, STAND OUT and attract more clients.
LOGO Innovation vs. Renovation?
When is it time to update a logo?
John Deere has updated their logo 8 times in over 120 years. Why? 
- Company Expansion
- Target New Markets
- Outdated Fonts or Colors
- Re-Position the Company with their Competition
A well-designed Logo will:
- Be simple, easy-to-read, yet memorable
- Distinguish your company from your competition
- Evoke the essence of what you do/sell
- Look good on business cards as well as billboards
- Look appropriate in black and white as well as color
- Define your business through the use of fonts and color
What does your current logo say about you?
Is your existing logo designed by a graphic arts professional? . . . Or perhaps you tried to save some money and have your cousin’s ex-girlfriend design it in PowerPoint? Your logo is a direct reflection of how your consumer perceives your business. Lack of attention to detail shows.
Your company is growing.
The original Apple logo on the left was a sketch of Isaac Newton with an apple dangling over his head. Luckily, it was only used for a year before Jobs hired a professional graphic designer to come up with the familiar Apple (used 1976 – 1998), using the six primary colors of the rainbow. Today, the shape is still the same, but the look and feel is much more timely and techno-savvy.
You are adding new target markets.
So, you’ve decided to “up your ante” and target new prospects with bigger wallets. That’s a great idea – but how are your new prospects going to perceive you? Are you still the “local guy” with the hand-drawn logo that no one can read, or are you ready present yourself and your company as professional and knowledgeable?
You want to appear “current” and up-to-date.
You deliver your brand message in everything you do. From the shirt on your back to the sign on your door, your logo should appear on everything your consumer sees and/or interacts with. Having a professionally designed logo allows you to create consistency in message and embeds your brand in the mind of your consumer.
Choosing the right designer is vital.
Just about everyone claims that they can design a logo, but it takes experience, insight and creativity to design the right logo. Professional designers also understand the value of intellectual property rights and will always provide ORIGINAL art, custom-designed just for your business — never copied nor plagiarized.
Your visual brand is a unique opportunity to connect with your consumer and help them identify who you are and what you do — it creates a MIND STAMP — a visual bond. It’s all about making an impression — hopefully yours is a good one.