Ever served on a large committee? Then you know how impossible it is to find a simple idea for a brand that everyone likes. More often than not, discussions go on and on until the strongest beat the weakest into submission, leaving the fledgling idea to fight an uphill battle against impossible odds. Result? The committee fails, good ideas are wasted, and much time has been wasted on producing complex reports that no one understands.
We are often asked to explain the process we use to find a simple brand idea. Our process is streamlined and fast. We work in a group of two; one to think, the other to evaluate. The roles often switch between us as we ponder the problem. We focus on finding the solution and brainstorm until we find a smorgasbord of ideas which are simple and powerful.
Working with our clients, we narrow the selection down to two or three which are then examined more closely. Based on client feedback, we decide on the best way to use the best idea. This simple and cost-effective way of working is helpful in finding new ideas which can then be tested quickly and efficiently, if the project allows.
So the next time your organisation is faced with the dreaded committee monster, resist temptation and appoint a team of your best two people instead.
You won't be disappointed.
Know when to hold ?em; know when to fold ?em
You can't make yourself or your company successful. Only your customers can do that.
It pays to keep customers on-side, as your business changes and grows. Sometimes growth is so gradual, that subtle changes in the way you do things are not noticed until business is affected. Then it's all hands to the pumps!
Even the best, most fabulous strategy doesn't last forever. Rest assured, the time will come when your business needs to refocus.
We recommend an audit every 3-5 years to make sure your business is still ahead of the pack. The audit must cover the way your business looks, the way it acts, how new and existing customers feel about your business, and staff concerns.
If you discover that your organisation is offering new generation products and services but languishing behind yesterday's ideas, then the easiest, fastest and most cost-effective way to achieve an instant face-lift that signals a new direction, is to invest in a new corporate ?look?.
There's nothing quite like a new set of clothes to invigorate, motivate and focus. It's also a great excuse for a party which will bring you closer to staff and customers, an enjoyable side-effect that can't be underestimated.
Website Design: Keep it Simple One of the keys to a quality web site is simplicity. You've heard of the KISS principle? Keep It Simple Silly. This applies doubly for websites. Design Web Friendly It is inexperience than can make you want to use every bell and whistle, every feature and every new trick. It is nice to be able to create complex frames and tables, use large busy fonts, use flash and animated GIFs, but will end up with too many features competing against your message. It's more than likely your audience is quickly going to be overwhelmed, rather than impressed. Just because you can create a flashy effect, doesn't mean you should. Ask yourself if the flashy addition is improving my page, my design. Decide if there is actual value in the addition and does it add with this technique? Is this the best way to communicate my message? A simple design doesn't necessarily mean uninteresting and dull. Lots of people confound fancy effects with effective communication. Keeping it simple means you should think about how people will be using your pages. Then present your information to them so it matches their requirements and expectations. Earn their attention Use technology and effects where appropriate and where they make for more effective communication. You're not designing web sites for yourself to look at. You're publishing a web page because you expect someone to stop by and visit it - your audience. The more you know about and understand your audience, the more effective you can gear your communication and marketing appropriately on your site. Does your audience still use dial-up service that still relies on slow modems? Then be aware of file sizes and download times. Are they expecting to hear your band's music clips? Then you'd better think about an audio format. Ease of use is critical in web design, so above all else your site easy to navigate. Many small factors can quickly add up to create easy paths through your site. For example, one thing you can do is keep the number of choices small, that way people are less likely to become lost in a long list of options. Simple in design is simple design. Did you know that the average human mind sees five or fewer items as one group, but when it encounters more than five items it has to divide them into smaller sub-groups to process them? It makes sense, then, to try to keep your selections arranged in groups of five or less. That makes it easier for your readers to quickly see the options and select one.
Both Carolyn R Morgan & Andy123 are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Carolyn R Morgan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Kids and Teens and Gardening. Carolyn Morgan is a graphic designer, writer and illustrator who specialises in creating positioning and brand identity strategies for a wide range of businesses. To see examples of Carolyn's work, go to www.carolynmorgan.com.au. Carolyn R Morgan's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.