Why my stubborn streak is a friggin asset for your business.
And why we need to reframe creative stubbornness…
There have been many times with potential clients the delicate art of negotiation and persuasion, in the early stages of our relationship, has been called upon.
That awkward stage when we’re sussing each other out, seeing if we get each other and trust each other’s judgment.
It always come down to one thing: the misunderstood value and NEED for strategy by some naïve business leaders before we start designing anything.
The idea of non-tangibility being non-valuable.
The idea that more ‘stuff’ is going to fix underlying issues.
The idea that ‘stuff; can unlock the real potential in your business.
I am proud to have held onto my stubbornness with past non-clients and watched them walk away claiming I’m ‘too process driven’, ‘over egging the real need’ and ‘I really just need a website/logo/insert whatever stuff here’.
Why do I let my stubborn streak (as my mother will observe I have had the vast majority of my life) reflect how I deal with clients?
This is why.
Say a potential client doesn’t want to pay for strategy – for any of the above reasons, and fundamentally doesn’t want to PAY for it. It can’t be touched or marketed so they struggle with its valuation. They ‘just’ want a logo and website and stuff.
They can NOT go with me and find a designer at a fraction of a cost who can navigate that task – and they may produce something that looks lovely.
But without strategy, it’s like having an incredible party venue, all decked out, the bar stocked high – and no invites have been sent, or it’s in a castle in the Outer Hebrides and all your mates are in London, or it’s a black tie do and everyone rocks up in fancy dress…
Misalignment.
Mixed messaging.
Miss the mark.
And you’ve paid for that.
And it’s taken you 3 months.
And it’s not working.
You blame the designer, probably. I’ve been that designer too.
So then you’re back to the drawing board…. ‘Maybe I do need to think about this differently, maybe I do need to think about it, maybe I do need strategy’.
Only this time you’ve wasted 3 months and spent money on a solution that’s not fit for purpose. Who’s the winner here?
And so, my stubbornness about my process (strategy first = drives creative = great brand solution) is to save that pain. To save time and money. To save the energy and frustration.
AND BECAUSE IT FRIGGIN WORKS.
I’ve done it time and time again.
Jumping straight into delivery of stuff rarely ends well in the long term.
If you want to build a really valuable proposition that people want to be part of, engage with, exchange their time, money and energy over – then don’t rush it.
Ask the right questions up front, build in that time to really understand your audiences and what they want, to drill into your idea and it’s unique positioning, to find it’s voice and identity that will really reflect all that.
So, if you’re not vibing with my stubborn streak, then it really is your loss.
Because doing things my way, is in your best interests, it will really pay off.
Just ask any of my clients.
Get in touch if you’re ready for a brand building partner that’s a bit different.
In my experience, the most common reasons leading to that feeling are:
- Your brand growth is stagnating
- Your audience aren’t as engaged as they used to be
- You cringe whenever you look your outdated logo
- Your brand has evolved and ventured into a new direction but your current branding doesn’t reflect this
That sixth sense is worth trusting and if one of the above scenarios hit a little close to home, it might be worth having a re-look at your brand.
But before you throw the baby out with the bathwater, here is something to consider …
In my experience, not all brand projects look the same. Sometimes a brand refresh is all you need (think of this as a spruce up). In other situations, a complete rebrand is needed (a knock down, rebuild type scenario).
If you’re not sure whether your brand needs a refresh or a rebrand, I’d encourage you to download my FREE Brand Refresh vs Rebrand eBook.
In this eBook, I help you identify the source issue, go through your options (including case studies on what a Refresh vs Rebrand looks like) and how to make your decision about the next steps to take.
Click here to download it now >>>
Lauren 🌱