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A few years ago at the suggestion of a fellow designer I read a couple of books by Marty Neumeier about branding which I thought articulated some very interesting points about branding and brand strategy. The two books The Brand Gap and Zag are quick easy reads that are helpful especially when you are working on or thinking about writing a business plan.
Most indie designers that I work with through Beehive started out by crafting in their spare time as a creative outlet and for a sense of fulfillment. Slowly, as their products become more successful and their desire to grow their hobby into a full fledged business articulated itself, it becomes more and more necessary to put down on paper (often in the form of a business plan) "who you are", "what you do", and "why does it matter".
Although too many designers I know have not taken the time to do this, I feel strongly that this is an essential step for building a strong brand, a sucessful business, and differentiating yourself from all the clutter out in the marketplace. All the strategic decisions you make about marketing, PR, product development, identity, and financial investment to name a few are informed by your core vision of who your brand is and where you want it to go. A business plan can save you alot of missteps and alot of time and money in the long run. It keeps you honest!
Here are a couple of interesting thoughts on brands I gleaned from The Brand Gap:
- "A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or company. It's not what you say it is, it's what they say it is."
- "Branding is the process of connecting good strategy with good creativity."
- "The foundation of a brand is trust. Customers trust your brand when their expectations consistently meet or beat their expectations."
- "Over time, specialists beat generalists. The winner is the brand that best fits a given space."
- " Your brand is not an entity but a living organism".
There is so much competition out in the marketplace, even for micro producers like indie designers, that's why it is even more important to think outside the box and present your product in a way that is compelling, meaningful, different and cohesive. That is the essence of branding.
I know, this takes the fun out of creating something and throwing out into the world to be appreciated and consumed by fans. But the reality is, if you do want to take it to the next level then these are important things to act on. In the five years that I have been running Beehive, it is the designers who do this due diligence that slowly but surely make it to the next level. And who knows in another 10 years maybe they will be the next Burt's Bees or Kate Spade's of the world - we all start somewhere!
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