I take it personally
Personal investment in branding is not a policy we adopted — it’s the only way we know how to work. Every project that has left this studio since 2004 carries some part of us in it, for better or worse. That personal investment in branding is what separates a mark that lasts from one that simply gets approved.
Sometimes I get involved in a branding project where I accidentally bump into people who think halfway there is a good start.
Thinking like that will only get you in trouble.
In this immense and fast-paced communication world, the importance of branding is probably as high as it will ever be. The branding, the story, and the product must be done, finished, perfect, over the limits, and through a few brick walls. It sounds like a lot of work. Well, it is.
Is perfection worth the trouble?
Imagine you put something out, knowing it could be better. That little voice in your head would just not stop yelling. Most of the time, perfection is an illusion in the pursuit of that form, but you can get close, and it is worth it.
The trouble is, when it is out, it is out.
And there is nothing you can do about it (not in the short term). Most of the time, you blow your chance. A high percentage of people will click that link the first time you share it, read what you have to say, check the product you have, and see the service. This will not happen the second or third time you tell people what you are doing.
Remember the costs of hiring the wrong person to do the job—any job? Or the time you need to do it again—all over again?
How do I change that?
We usually hear, “Don’t take things personally. It’s only business.”
Perhaps it’s not your business, but it is mine!
One of the most important things is to get personally involved. Those little design and concept things are a big part of us. So I take it personally. Everything. From start to finish, yes, working like this will get you in trouble. It happens. It wouldn’t be the first time we lost a client because of that—since there is no joy in standing down from a project, we must do everything in our power to explain all of the ups and downs of this before we start. If not, time and effort will be wasted on both sides, and you can’t get them back. You have the vision—that is why they hire you. Our minds are trained to know how a project will evolve over the years. The only way to see that is by getting completely involved in it—the same way as the client must be. In this way, we can predict how certain things will work over time, but make sure you:
I demand you all work on a solution.
Demand that you are talking and working with decision-makers.
Deliver mid-range results and trust your intuition.
Double-check if they know you take everything personally and what that does to your work process.
They are there for the project, and we are here for the craft and visions we possess.
Are you ready for a long-term relationship?
There is an important catch to this whole thing. To deliver, you need to think of the client, and the client needs to completely understand your vision. It takes around two years of working together to achieve that.
In more than 20 years of doing things, I would rather see projects done as they should be than halfway there.
What Personal Investment in Branding Actually Demands
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