This is not how it is for Start-ups
Whatever you sell, a lot of other businesses are offering something similar. So if you're a Start-up, that's not you to the left of the dotted line; you're on the right in a WHERE'S WALDO marketplace of competitors.
Four Start-up realities
YOUR TASK: As a Start-up, your job is to make it look and feel like you’re in the TOP 3 choices.
YOUR PROBLEM: You have 3-5 big competitors who have more resources, employees, and market knowledge to beat the s*** out of you if only rational factors are considered.
YOUR OPPORTUNITY: Studies show that 95% of purchasing decisions are subconscious, which means only 5% of customer choices are entirely rational. That gives you a 95% non-rational window to be persuasive.
YOUR BRANDING: Branding is the leading part of your persuasion, but to succeed, it has be strategically accurate and emotive.
YOUR VERBAL STORY:
Finding powerful things to say
Competitor Research
Who are you competing against?
What are they offering?
Where are they better than you?
Where are their ‘bad’ gaps?
How well are they marketing ?
Who do wish you looked like?
Customer Insights
What are the different market segments?
Who wants what? Mapping the needs + problems of each audience
Which targets are a good match for you? Who should you ignore?
Finding your own story
What is your history? Why are you doing this + how did you get good at it?
Translating ‘What do you do’ into ‘What is that worth to the right customer?’
Why should anyone choose you? What do you do well or better that a customer would care about?
What is unique about you and your offerings? Can we create that unique factor?
Where are you weak + how much does it matter to the right customer?
Business personality
A business’ personality is the set of human characteristics you attribute to its brand. It's how you'd describe your company if it were a person.
Your company personality will show itself in your messaging, the tone of voice you write in, the images you use, etc.
Customers need to like your business. So what personality could you own that your ideal customer will connect with?
Key words and phrases
A handful of perfect words and phrases will do the heavy lifting of communicating the right message and feel. We need to find them.
Business Name: Dogs Should Not Meow is my company name. Let’s find a compelling one for you.
Strapline: It’s a one-line sales pitch, a short phrase that captures the essence of what your brand company is all about. Here are four of the best straplines ever: DOLLAR SHAVE CLUB: “Shave time. Shave money” + AIRBNB: “Belong anywhere.” + DISNEYLAND: “The happiest place on earth.” + APPLE: “Think different.”
Key ideas: a series of important concepts that need to feature over and over and over again in your marketing. It’s drops of water that erode the rock.
YOUR VISUAL STORY
The power of looking good
Logo designed
This is the most shorthand identifier there is.
Your business doesn’t stand or fall because of your logo (the Nike logo is average, but their products and marketing are so damn good, you read everything back into the logo, which makes you love it).
Having said that, a simple and powerful logo should do some of the heavy lifting for brand recognition.
Colour Palette
Colours evoke emotion. The right blue communicates trust and security. Oranges speak of adventure, creativity, and friendliness.
Don’t choose your favourite colours for your business. Choose the primary and secondary colours that communicate the right ideas.
Used consistently, good colours make you memorable and recognisable. I say McDonalds and you see…
Graphic elements
Think of a person you know who has a definite style: the clothing they wear (tight, loose, traditional, flamboyant), the way the walk/stand, their haircut, makeup, their go-to colours, etc. They have a look that you recognise.
We need to do the same for your business. That is the job of graphic elements.
Patterns, style of illustrations, photography, shapes, textures… when you define these and use them consistently, you become recognisable and memorable.
Fonts + Typography
Don’t underestimate the power of the right (or wrong) fonts. They carry personality, so we need to find the 2-3 fonts that align correctly.
The wrong fonts + too many fonts turns people off. It tells people you don’t care enough about your own house to care properly for theirs (metaphorically speaking).
The right fonts build credibility
Start-up collateral
Business cards
Email signatures
Vehicle signage
Social media imagery
VERBAL + VISUAL STORY
The entire package
Competitor Research
Who are you competing against?
What are they offering?
Where are they better than you?
Where are their ‘bad’ gaps?
How well are they marketing ?
Who do wish you looked like?
Customer Insights
What are the different market segments?
Who wants what? Mapping the needs + problems of each audience
Which targets are a good match for you? Who should you ignore?
Finding your own story
What is your history? Why are you doing this + how did you get good at it?
Translating ‘What do you do’ into ‘What is that worth to the right customer?’
Why should anyone choose you? What do you do well or better that a customer would care about?
What is unique about you and your offerings? Can we create that unique factor?
Where are you weak + how much does it matter to the right customer?
Business personality
A business’ personality is the set of human characteristics you attribute to its brand. It's how you'd describe your company if it were a person.
Your company personality will show itself in your messaging, the tone of voice you write in, the images you use, etc.
Customers need to like your business. So what personality could you own that your ideal customer will connect with?
Key words and phrases
A handful of perfect words and phrases will do the heavy lifting of communicating the right message and feel. We need to find them.
Business Name: Dogs Should Not Meow is my company name. Let’s find a compelling one for you.
Strapline: It’s a one-line sales pitch, a short phrase that captures the essence of what your brand company is all about. Here are four of the best straplines ever: DOLLAR SHAVE CLUB: “Shave time. Shave money” + AIRBNB: “Belong anywhere.” + DISNEYLAND: “The happiest place on earth.” + APPLE: “Think different.”
Key ideas: a series of important concepts that need to feature over and over and over again in your marketing. It’s drops of water that erode the rock.
Logo designed
This is the most shorthand identifier there is.
Your business doesn’t stand or fall because of your logo (the Nike logo is average, but their products and marketing are so damn good, you read everything back into the logo, which makes you love it).
Having said that, a simple and powerful logo should do some of the heavy lifting for brand recognition.
Colour Palette
Colours evoke emotion. The right blue communicates trust and security. Oranges speak of adventure, creativity, and friendliness.
Don’t choose your favourite colours for your business. Choose the primary and secondary colours that communicate the right ideas.
Used consistently, good colours make you memorable and recognisable. I say McDonalds and you see…
Graphic elements
Think of a person you know who has a definite style: the clothing they wear (tight, loose, traditional, flamboyant), the way the walk/stand, their haircut, makeup, their go-to colours, etc. They have a look that you recognise.
We need to do the same for your business. That is the job of graphic elements.
Patterns, style of illustrations, photography, shapes, textures… when you define these and use them consistently, you become recognisable and memorable.
Fonts + Typography
Don’t underestimate the power of the right (or wrong) fonts. They carry personality, so we need to find the 2-3 fonts that align correctly.
The wrong fonts + too many fonts turns people off. It tells people you don’t care enough about your own house to care properly for theirs (metaphorically speaking).
The right fonts build credibility
Start-up collateral
Business cards
Email signatures
Vehicle signage
Social media imagery
Full disclosure...
I'm not a website guru. What I am is a copywriting designer who can:
Create websites that are persuasive.
Build websites that correctly position companies in the minds of consumers.
Write compelling content + create compelling imagery.
For entrepreneurs who...
If you sell services, I'll make a stand-out website for you.
If telling a great story is part of your pitch to customers, I'll help you tell it with enough power and persuasion.
BUT: If e-commerce is your business, I'm not the website designer you need.
I wonder if he could...
If you're thinking, "I wonder if Mark can do such-and such?" then let's have a chat. I'll be upfront about whether I can deliver.