Effective branding is just like producing a good vodka, says Steve Woodruff of StickyFigure.com, one of our new author’s at SBB.com.
Quoted in Friday’s article on TheStreet.com titled Better Branding, Steve advocates that simplicity sells.
Just like producing a good vodka, the message has to be distilled to its essence. “You’ve got to explain in a few words what you are doing and why,” Woodruff adds. “You build all your branding and marketing off that core message. If you don’t have that, you don’t have anything.”
Steve believes that branding has changed since the dot-com era, “when the credo was to make as much noise as possible, gain as many eyeballs as you can and worry about the long-term later.”
Click here for the full article by Annika Mengisen and find out what Steve says you must do in today’s market! This is a great read on better branding for small business.
Have a super-simplistic week!
Danielle
One of the guiding principles of my own life/business/spirituality is the famous quote by author Antoine de Saint-Exupery:
I have always defined simplicity in this way – whether I’m designing businesses for the web or the direction for my family.
I love that quote Dawud. That’s so true.
The appeal of simplicity makes sense when you realise that it’s so difficult to achieve. These days when I see a brand image & message that’s really “tight” I have immense respect for the people who created it, because I now know what’s gone into achieving that!
It’s interesting that you mention simplicity in terms of your life and spirituality. Such a concept seems at odds with life in the 21st century doesn’t it. I like your approach. The older I get, the more I crave simplicity in my own life, as well as a life by my own design, and I’m convinced that it’s a very worthwhile goal.
Thanks for sharing.
Simplicity is always the end result of communication. Simplicity is knowing when less is too little and more is too much. Simplicity also involves two major processes: eliminating the redundant elements, and integrating things to make them flow. That is the easy part. Defining what is “too less”, “more” “redundant” and “things” is more difficult. I have defined these as company credibility traits in branding. Credibility is “trust” but it is also the “core competency” of the company. How specific credibility traits for each company is communicated with simplicity, therefore, is real branding.
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Having a simple approach towards life and living always helps. Business is the same. Some of the best businesses are ones that just meet a certain need and focus on it.
A lot of people would rather deal with someone that knows a specific thing, say plumbing, then a guy who tries to do and be a bit of everything. Simplicity adds to the value of a brand i think, it makes it easier to sell to a wider range of people and capture more people’s attention.
Just my 2 cents… have a happy easter!
Luc
Hey Danielle, nice post. I think this is a key issue in branding today. With the thousands and thousands of messages we (as audience) are getting on a daily basis, there is nothing more powerful (& sticky) than simple communication.
As well, now more than ever I think, brands need to have a clear and simple message to communicate. Long gone are the days of multiple positioning statements (if there ever was a good time for them). Now it’s all about keeping it real and simple.
Thanks,
Ron E.
http://brandcurve.com
Bill ~ I love your definition of simplicity, and your explanation of the two major processes involved is very enlightening. I’ll have to chew that one over!
Luc ~ I think you’re spot on – simplicity is about narrowing your focus, which makes it easy for people to “capture” your essence in an instant. Happy Easter to you too!
Ron ~ I had to laugh at the phrase “multiple positioning statements”, as in perhaps being so awkward to say leaves a clue about how awkward they are for consumers! I really like your point about keeping it real. I think it’s a key point that’s so easy to overlook in preference for trying to appear the way we think others want us to (in order to buy). I think “simple and real” is very under rated.
Thanks so much for adding to the conversation.
Danielle