Fight the Bull

I don't admit this very often, but there are times when I sit in business meetings and I haven't a clue what people are talking about. The jargon is flying, acronyms are bandied about, and well, frankly, it all just starts to get piled on a little too thickly. If you know what I mean.

I recently came across a great book, Why Business People Speak Like Idiots, that renewed my faith in my ability to detect . . . er . . . misuse of the english language. I highly recommend a visit to their site. My favorite feature: the Mystery Matador. Just copy and paste the latest missive from your lawyer or insurance company, and the Mystery Matador will highlight the "bull" and send them an anonymous message, enlightening them by pointing how that perhaps they could speak a bit more plainly.

Ole!

A Definition of Branding

If you ask 10 marketing professionals to give you their definition of 'branding" you'll probably get 10 different answers. While there are a plethora of books and articles out now about branding, I find most small business owners and those who work for non-profits are more confused than ever about branding.

So now, for your consideration, I present my own definition of branding:

Branding is the perception of your business that's created at every point of contact.

Branding is different than your brand. Your brand is what you create: a logo, a color palette, a website, marketing materials, etc. And those are all important because you only get one opportunity to make a good first impression. But branding isn't always the impression you intend to make; it's the impression that's created by someone's perception. In the world of branding, perception is reality. Sometimes our best attempts to communicate get misinterpreted.

The good news is that effective branding doesn't have to cost a lot of money. I'll write more about this in another posting, but for now I'll say that providing customers with a good experience goes further to create loyalty, and can have the added benefit of employing one of the most effective (and free) marketing tactics you could ever have: word-of-mouth.

Branding is Branding

I wasn't sure I'd have an opportunity to post while I'm traveling in Southeast Asia, but I've come across a great example of good branding that I want to share it with you.

I'm staying at The Narima, a wonderful group of bungalows here on the island of Ko Lanta in Thailand. (Life's rough, I know.) The Thai owners, Wan and Yodchai, are a lovely couple who've retired from successful careers in Bangkok to live by the sea. They've done no advertising whatsoever, and yet they're full every season. After a long chat with Wan, I realized that successful branding is the same all over the world because it's all about building relationships and having integrity.

At the heart of it all, Wan and Yodchai sincerely want their guests to have a good time. They go out of their way to accommodate any request, their first priority in hiring staff is to find people who are equally sincere about being in the service industry, and they've created an environment that's welcoming and relaxing. We've heard horror stories about other businesses on the island that not only rip off the tourists, but treat other businesses badly. They stay in business because the demand for accommodations is so high, but they miss out on repeat business and end up with a bad reputation all around. As useage of sites like Trip Advisor increases, this will become more and more of an issue because word-of-mouth can spread news like wildfire.

Regardless of what field you're in, the basic principles of branding still apply. Do what you love, care about your customers, and communicate effectively about yourself. Or better yet, give your customers such a great experience that they'll do the communicating for you.

Making Choices

Quick turn-around, quality work, or affordability. Pick two of these, and let go of the third.

Really. I know there are people out there who insist you can have all three. But, truly, you must pick two. If you want it quickly, you're going to have to pay or sacrifice quality. If you want high quality, you're going to need more time and/or pay more. If you want it cheap, it will either take a long time, but, more likely, the quality won't be anything to write home about.

I've been in this business for 24 years now, and this rule has always held. My best advice: plan ahead. That's the one item you have the most control of, and wouldn't you rather have quality AND affordability?

One Thing at a Time

A recent article from one of my favorite e-newsletters, Wylie's Writing Tips, talks about performing "message triage" -- the act of whittling your message down to one, single, focused point. The less your readers have to remember, the more likely they'll remember what you have to say.

According to Wylie, "political strategist James Carville preaches the gospel of 'exclusivity.' That is, to come up with a single message -- not two, not three -- for your campaign. Carville famously chose 'It's the economy, stupid,' for Bill Clinton's successful presidential campaign. Less famously, he had to convince Clinton not to dilute that message by also talking about eliminating the national debt. Carville says the communicators' toughest job is to convince the client to stick to one message or theme. 'People say I fill empty vessels,' he says. 'But I empty full vessels.' "

Graphic roulette: choosing the right designer

In an earlier post I said I’d elaborate on why you shouldn’t hire your neighbor’s son who’s taking a PhotoShop class to design your logo and/or print materials. OK, here it is.

First of all, I’m sure he’s a very creative guy. He’s young, he’s probably up on the latest visual trends, he’s fearless with a computer and, most importantly, he’s willing to work for free. But ask yourself this: does he know the right questions to ask to understand your target market, and the best way to reach them? There’s a lot more to design than making stuff look good. And if you’re looking to save some money, I’d argue that scrimping on design probably isn’t the best choice. After all, you only get one opportunity to make a good first impression.

Choosing the right graphic designer is kind of like choosing a stylist for your daily walk down the red carpet. Instead of paparazzi, your red carpet is lined with potential customers and clients. And odds are that you’re one of several people walking down it. So you want to stand out, make a great first impression, and be asked to step up to the camera to answer some questions so you can get the job.

Here’s what to look for when considering a graphic designer:

Look for variety in their portfolio. You don’t want a one-trick pony; you want someone who speaks several different visual languages. Unless you’re absolutely certain you want a specific style, it’s much better to work with someone who knows the right questions to ask to put your information into the most effective visual format for your target audience.

References are crucial. Ask for at least three professional references, and call them. Find out how this person is to work with. Are they easy to get a hold of? Do they create, and stick to, a timeline and budget? Did the client feel listened to and understood? Were they happy with the design work they received? Would they hire them again?

Take the time to meet in-person. Ultimately, you need to interview this person to decide if you’d be comfortable working with them. Trust your gut. Does this seem like someone you can trust? Does this person behave professionally? Are they a good listener?

And, in the end, if you still want to hire the neighbor’s son, go for it. Just be aware that you’ll probably have to help him understand who your target audience is. Oh, and make sure he doesn’t put you in something that makes your butt look big.

New Year's Resolution: Taming the E-mail Beast

It's that time of year when many of us look ahead and wonder what we can do to make the next year a better one. I woke up yesterday morning to a story on NPR on an issue that business-consulting firm, Basex, terms the "Problem of the Year: Information Overload". Actually, I think this is the Problem of the Millenium. Sometimes I open my e-mail program feeling like a lion tamer at the circus - whip and chair in hand.

While it seems like stating the obvious, that we're all feeling inundated, and often times frustrated, with e-mail, what I didn't realize is how our Pavlovian response to "you've got mail!" diminishes our productivity and efficiency. Apparently to the tune of $650 billion to our national economy in 2006.

But all is not lost. The top two tips I came away with were these:

• Turn any auditory reminder of e-mail off, and try to check it only every hour.
• Use the letters "NRN" in the subject line, indicated "no reply needed," and "NTR" for "no thanks required". I suppose what should be added to that is to resist the urge to send any "me, too" replies to messages. Not that the world needs any more acronyms (just ask anyone working in the aerospace industry), but these two seem like a good idea to me.

In researching this subject a little further, I found an interesting blog called Taming Email, the goal of which is helping you empty your inbox. Imagine that . . . an empty inbox. One can always dream.

So, happy new year, and good luck with those resolutions! Maybe by this time next year I can retire the whip and chair.