A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dave James, one of my past clients for a chat around branding and impact statements. I’d like to reflect on what was said.
The power of brand consultation and asking the right questions
At one point in the interview, Dave commented on my process of brand consultation.
He stated that “when we sat down, and we talked about my logo…you kind of said ‘what do you want the brand to portray? What’s the background behind it?’ It’s not how do you want it to look, it’s how do you want people to feel when they see it. And that was a huge thing for me”.
Listening to this I got the sense that I achieved my goal in that component of the process.
Having a meaningful discussion around design and attempting to solve the problem they’re faced with.
It’s a simple thing for someone to come and simply ask “I’m looking for this…How much for it?”
Very early in my career with design, people simply wanted logos, as their perception of me was simply a designer.
“I need a logo. How much do you charge?” was more often than not the question posed to me.
After going through a plethora of orders, I realised something.
What they went on to do with my finished products (whether that be logos, flyers, posters, etc.) was more valuable than the initial idea.
I needed to increase the value of the industry.
How would I achieve this?
By asking the right questions.
Take for example an average day after I’d made this realisation. A client would approach me with “I’m looking for a logo. This is what I want. How much is it”?
“Well, what’s the problem?”
Some people would be baffled, stopping in their tracks, and asking, “What do you mean? I just want a logo design”.
These sorts of questions force you to have a meaningful conversation around the purpose of your brand.
- What’s the goal that you’re trying to reach?
- What influences it?
- Who is your target audience?
The client finds themselves in a conversation about design that they never thought they’d encounter.
More than anything it provides clarity for them in their moment.
The gratitude that they present afterward in my experience is so rewarding.
Impact statements
What does this term mean?
Let me give an example.
You’re sitting in a networking convention business.
Two people stand up, state their name, business, and what they can achieve.
“I’m Jane from Jane accountants. We ensure that you keep on top of your finances”.
As soon as the operative word (whether that be architects, accountants, I.T. consultants, etc.) is stated, you lose interest. Your mind associates your knowledge of their profession, and you find you don’t need it right now.
Contrast this with an impact statement.
“80% of businesses are going to die this year and it’s not because of a pandemic. But it’s because people don’t understand where their money is coming or going. The 20% that are left come to us, because we help them survive that first year of business through a unique process that we call Cash is King”.
This statement is, simply put, impactful.
You’ll want to have a conversation with this person because of her statistics regarding business, there’s a high chance you’ll be amongst the casualties if it’s your first year in operation.
What did Jane leave out of her statement?
Her occupation.
She told you the kind of impact statement that piques your interest.
You’re intrigued to know what she’ll say next.
If you want to survive as an enterprise, she’ll help you solve your problem.
And finally, what’s the outcome of this service?
You’ll survive as a business.
From attending these conventions and mulling over what a person would want I realised something.
I would need to provide quick wins to my prospective clients, and from that, the impact statement was born.
If you wish to utilise this in future networking opportunities, I’ll break it down for you.
- A statistic/data specific to your industry. Preferably something fresh and factual. It’s here that you generate curiosity for the client.
- This is the interest piece, telling the audience how we solve your problem, whatever that may be. For me, it’s “I help people discover their unique competitive advantage”.
- The third and final component in this is the result of them working with you. One example I can think of for me is, “Once you’ve been through our process, the result of working with us is that you can start to grow again with confidence in your brand”.
The important factor here is hinting about your profession, but not allowing the audience to understand or make assumptions about the company.
By going through this process with the audience, you’ve attained curiosity and interest in how you can solve their problem.
You’ve also given the outcome that would occur if they worked with you.
Now you may ask what’s the next question in the client’s mind?
‘How do you do that?’
You’ve single-handedly presented a specific problem, which they can relate to.
This is how you kickstart compelling conversations around your business.
This single statement has helped boost the growth of my business over the last year.
The chat with Dave was incredibly reflective, and I think we both walked away with a productive exchange of ideas.
