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In God we trust…all others bring data!

Published by Jeff on October 29, 2009 in Strategy. 0 Comments

I sat in on a sales presentation earlier this week with one of our long-time clients. The presentation started very quickly (and to my thinking, very poorly) with an assault on the use of traditional advertising mediums…everyone DVRs all TV programs, everyone listens to satellite radio in their cars, all newspapers have gone or are on their way out of business, blah, blah, blah…subjective and irrelevant information designed to baffle.

The product this company is selling is very compelling on its own terms and along with our strategic use of traditional mediums can very likely be accretive to advancing our client’s business to a new level. All in the meeting recognized this fact.

So, here’s the thing…go sell your product based on its own merit, based on results, based on anecdotal information from real case studies. DO NOT INSULT your target audience by launching a truckload of scud missiles. (We all remember scud missiles from Iraq, right? Missiles with no intelligence and subsequently little to no impact.)

Sell based on intelligence! With a wealth of available resources, consumers are more intelligent now than at any time in the history of the world—always assume you’re dealing with smart people. One client remarked recently that he’s found his consumers to possess highly sensitive and highly active “BS Meters.” I can’t agree more.

Therefore, I’m declaring the days of being able to “baffle ‘em with BS” officially over.

Cheers!

Going up?

Published by Jeff on August 21, 2009 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

A client introduces himself at a social event. He’s among doctors, lawyers and other respected professionals. He states his profession and can literally feel the other guests physically withdraw and look away—he’s been dismissed. There’s absolutely nothing objectionable about this man’s occupation; he owns a business in a critical financial market segment, his products and services add value to many lives and he likely earns a higher income than the family doc or the local attorney.

This gentleman’s problem is a communications issue—he didn’t communicate the big idea quickly and in a manner that won instant favor with his publics. We see this same issue all the time. Decisions today are made at the speed of light and first impressions have never been more critical. When you get the opportunity to tell your story, you have to compel your publics to engage.

elevator speech

A quick and compelling missive about your company, product or service wrapped tightly around one or two core messages and delivered within the time span of a short elevator ride.

As part of unearthing and building brand for a client, we fit the company tool belt with a very tightly constructed, on-brand elevator speech. This quick and compelling missive can be delivered in a social setting, but more importantly is used consistently with customers to help soften the point of entry and open dialog.

About now you’re thinking this is a no-brainer, so do me a favor. Go out into the bullpen and ask five employees to tell your company’s story in 30 seconds or less. I’ll wait. Okay, how many told the exact same story? How many were on-brand? How many got you excited? If your team responded like most, you’re probably feeling the need to start writing your elevator speech.

Start by writing two or three core messages that encompass the unique characteristics and key differentiation that inspire your company, product or service. Work to blend these core messages together to yield a simple, cohesive, tight and logical train of thought. Now add enough anecdotal flavor to make it conversational without diluting the message. And finally, practice your delivery. Use role playing and fun games to ingrain core messages and your brand new elevator speech up and down throughout the organization.

Build a great elevator speech and you’ll keep others from looking down while you’re going up.

Of sticky logos and octopi.

Published by Scott on December 4, 2007 in Branding and Design. 0 Comments

Recently, SG was tasked with creating a fresh new identity for an established Wichita church. The client required a new logo that would support the new, unified direction in which the church was heading. Before coming to us, the church struggled with numerous, disconnected subministry identities and a logo that had morphed into a hybrid version of its original design.

Previous Eastminster Logo

To ensure that leaders’ voices were heard and opinions counted, we hosted a two-hour, guided ideation session. At the completion of the ideation, we knew that we needed to create an identity that was attractive to a younger crowd, while paying respect to and not offending an older audience.

We launched the logo design process. After a number of sketch rounds, we arrived at a logo that was both strongly progressive and rooted in tradition. By combining hand-lettered, modern type with the historic Celtic cross, we were able to create a look that appealed to a wide age spectrum.

New Eastminster Logo

Our work, however, was not done. We needed to devise a strategy that incorporated 18 distinct subministries into the at-large identity.

This might sound like a strange analogy, but this church identity needed to become a swimming octopus—I know, bear with me. The church’s many subminstries needed to become the tentacles and the logo the octopus’ head. As the octopus propels forward, the tentacles need to work in conjunction behind the head.

To create this swimming octopus, SG created a consistent format for the subministry names in combination with the logo, allowing the subministries to work with the main organizational identity rather than against it. This created a main-brand focus that allowed the smaller ministries to point back to the church’s main identity.

Subministry 1 Subministry 2

When building an identity for an organization that is made up of smaller entities, creating a concise, consolidated logo will help you build a sleek, sticky brand—your very own swimming octopus.

What’s in your gun?

Published by Jeff on October 23, 2007 in Strategy. 0 Comments

Silver Bullet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The metaphor of the silver bullet applies to any straightforward solution perceived to have extreme effectiveness. The phrase typically appears with an expectation that some new technology or practice will easily cure a major prevailing problem.

Read. Read. Read. Read everything. But as you begin planning for 2008, we encourage you to consider replacing the search for illusive, magic silver bullets with more practice at the range firing time-tested ammunition and developing repeatability.

The times have rendered us completely impatient. Results can’t come fast enough. Change doesn’t happen quick enough. I remember way back in the late 80s, during the total quality revolution, when we needed “change agents” to overcome inertia and we operated in frozen fear of change. Fast forward 20 years…change is everything…just look at Madonna. In contrast, The Rolling Stones have changed very little (except getting sober, maybe).

Here’s my point in this diatribe of mixed metaphor…I fear the perceived need for change and magic silver bullets has everything to do with our lack of results. We need to commit to do a few, proven things consistently this coming year, like the Stones surely have done for the past 40 plus. I believe the results will follow.

In 2008, patience will still be a virtue. And magic bullets will still be for Lone Rangers.

High-yo Silver!

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