Storytelling for Entrepreneurs
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Transcript of Storytelling for Entrepreneurs
Who is this guy?•16+ years of design experience•Owner of a successful firm for 6+ years•President of a start-up that crashed and burned
•Probably should be awarded an honoraryJD and MBA as a result.
We believe when passionate people come together, there’s no limit to what can be accomplished. We are a multi-faceted design studio working hard each day to make a difference for our clients—and the people our clients serve—by delivering tools and methods that provide value through communication.
We believe when passionate people come together, there’s no limit to what can be accomplished. We are a multi-faceted design studio working hard each day to make a difference for our clients—and the people our clients serve—by delivering tools and methods that provide value through communication.
Our services include:Brand Development and Strategy•Logo, Icon, Tagline and Wordmark Development•Letterhead, Identity Systems and Graphics Standards•Communications Plans (including social media strategies)
Print•Book Covers, Book Interiors, and Editorial Design•Viewbooks, Catalogs, Brochures and Annual Reports•Posters and Point-of-Sale Materials•Direct Mail and Advertising•Product Packaging, Hangtags and Instructions
Our services include:Interactive•Websites and Web-Based Advertising•Social Media•Newsletters and Media-Rich Emails•Videos•App Development
Environment (Interior and Exterior)•Signage Systems•Murals and Large-Format Artwork
Today we'll focus on two areas:•Telling a compelling and genuine story to people who care.
•Setting clear goals and understanding when you've reached or exceeded them
Study the unusually successful people you know, and you will find them imbued with an enthusiasm for their work which is contagious. Not only are they themselves excited about what they are doing, but they also get you excited. — Paul W. Ivey
Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is. — Ernest Hemingway
The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but escaping from the old ones, which ramify, for those brought up as most of us have been, into every corner of our minds. — John Maynard Keynes
Errors Entrepreneurs Make•No clear message regarding product or service benefit (i.e. elevator pitch)
•Not being authentic or telling an interesting story
•Holding the brand too sacred and not be willing to partner with a complimentary business.
Errors Entrepreneurs Make•Selling features, not benefits(burying people in details)
•Staying safe and sticking with what they know (and thinking small)
•Following the latest trend
Errors Entrepreneurs Make•Lack of capitalization, strategy and success metrics (not having a plan or budget)
•Unrealistic expectations, often due to lack of research
•Throwing money at the problem
Errors Entrepreneurs Make•Not being in it for the long-haul (to build relationships)
•No congruency (“The Shotgun Approach“)•The “Field of Dreams“ mentality•Not delegating when professional expertise is needed
Develop a business plan•The problem you're solving and the marketexperiencing this problem.
•A marketing section•A budget and breakdown of costs to start your business and to keep it running
Additional Thoughts•Pull in advisors and hire professionals when the time is right
•Actively listen both on- and offline•Developing and managing a realistic budget once things are rolling along
•Becoming an expert in your field
Magazines and Websites•Inc. Magazine (Inc. 500/5000)•Fast Company•BusinessWeek•Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)•TED Talks (ted.com)
Professional Organizations•The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)•The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)•American Advertising Federation (AAF)
Fifth LetterElliot Strunk, Creative Director (or Ringleader)
336.723.5655 or [email protected]