January, 2016
HOW TO TURN THE “ME” STORY INTO FINDING A “NEED” STORY!
When you are speaking, teaching, offering to do business, is your storytelling all about “ME”? It is a fine line we all walk in telling our story; telling folks about what we do and what we offer; the side that tells all about “ME”, and the side that speaks benefit and solutions to others’ “NEED”. Continue reading
Imagination: What does the other person need?
October, 2015
IMAGINATION: WHAT DOES THE OTHER PERSON NEED?
Some of my past blog posts have talked about imagination and the importance of creativity. We create our services, brands, offerings from our constant Imagineering. It’s a valuable tool in creating our brand, finding out our paths and expressing our purpose and missions to the world. We are all excellent at articulating what we “do”. What about what others need? Continue reading
One rule of change: Set your rules!
September, 2016
ONE RULE OF CHANGE: SET YOUR RULES!
When planning my upcoming trip to New England I have been thinking of all the villages I used to visit and live in, the countryside full of strong stonewalls marking edges of farms, communities, and homes. Walls that are loyally repaired have stood for over a hundred years. There is a sense of stability and safety seeing these boundaries; stone walls. Visual markers that clearly state “container” limits, mass, and form. Continue reading
Creative Brand tip #1: Release YOU
August, 2015
CREATIVE BRAND TIP #1: RELEASE YOU!
How many blogs have you recently poured over in search of great new tips and ways to make your brand “pop”? I know I have put out a few tips recently, and I too am bombarded with numerous articles, emails, notes, and offers to give my brand more oomph. You are told to “use this template”, follow this and that, use colors that activate certain parts of the brain, and of course…take that next class that will unlock the gates to the Emerald City of Brandland. Continue reading
What in the world is “quick sketch”?
January, 2016
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS “QUICK SKETCH”?
Recently I have answered many questions about “what is a quick sketch”. In other words…what do you “do” exactly? In short; quick sketch illustration is a quick way to translate words, copy, ideas into clear, focused, visual picture telling.
A few ways we communicate to another are with words, body language, and visuals. We are all “storytellers”. “Quick sketch” is a universal way of telling story through visual illustrations of communications. There is a story in all of our talks, business, brand, life path, teachings…it is about the “why”, “how”, and “what” we communicate.
Continue reading
Creative Storytelling: How to connect into your own creative story!
September, 2015
CREATIVE STORYTELLING: HOW TO CONNECT INTO YOUR OWN CREATIVE STORY!
Trust me, you are creative! You are connecting one creative memory to the next for each of your day’s stories.
The big story these days is “story”. So how is story defined? Most of us know story has a beginning, middle, and end. That is the structure of a story. Continue reading
Tips on how to find your story heartbeat.
August, 2015
TIPS ON HOW TO FIND YOUR STORY HEARTBEAT.
How do you find the heart of your story? The essence of your story is the magic that is pure YOU. What makes your heart really pump is your purpose, and we all have unique purpose. All those “whats”, know-hows you have placed into your toolbox are wonderful. Ever think about the “toolbox” itself? Your “heart” or core essence / purpose is what drives the beat of your activities in life and in business? Continue reading
Creative storytelling: Quick brainstorming tips to breath life into your big ideas.
July, 2015
CREATIVE STORYTELLING: QUICK BRAINSTORMING TIPS TO BREATH LIFE INTO YOUR BIG IDEAS.
Does money grow on trees? Grow that myth into the concept that all your great ideas will simply “happen” and actualize out of the clear blue sky. Great ideation (from start to actualization) does not happen on its own with one individual. That flash of brilliant insight, the light bulb going off, that “aha moment”, is actually only the beginning. The “light bulb” needs to be fed by current, turned on, seen by others, and finally shining light onto new paths. That is where brainstorming “aha moments” as a process is priceless. Continue reading
Creative Storytelling: 10 purpose filled “rules” that change life into art.
July, 2015
CREATIVE STORYTELLING: 10 PURPOSE FILLED “RULES” THAT CHANGE LIFE INTO ART.
Have you thought about how “change” happens in your business and life? Change can activate from our plans, or as life gives us its “plan”. Having some creative “rules” gives us tools to navigate change, use both our minds and hearts, to create a most artful life and business.
For my entire branding / ad agency creative career one of my “beacons” guiding me somewhat gracefully through change, poured light into my creative and business life is Milton Glaser (Push Pin Studios, NYC). Famous for his art, design ( “I Heart NY”, Olivetti, etc.), teachings, philosophies, sharing, mentor…he just plain “shines” the light of essence into his creation of thoughts, form, images. I have worked with him during my East Coast years and learned much from his approach to projects, art, life, and from his philosophical conversations given with great generosity and insight. Continue reading
Creative Storytelling: The Master Formula for Success.
June, 2015
CREATIVE STORYTELLING: THE MASTER FORMULA FOR SUCCESS.
“Effectiveness equals motivation multiplied by confidence, multiplied again by concentration, and reduced by resistance.” quotes Serge Kahili King, PhD / (Kahuna, Big Island, HA) with his Master Formula for Success.* Does your “story” follow this simple formula? In business, in life?
Using Huna philosophy gives positive, creative, and effective guidance for my business. Here’s my quick “share” interpretation of The Master Formula for Success and how following this “formula” helps me help others with creative storytelling:
Continue reading
ValYOU storytelling: Feature your benefit instead of your feature.
June, 2015
VAL-YOU STORYTELLING: FEATURE YOUR BENEFIT INSTEAD OF YOUR FEATURE.
Your ideas, services, products, knowledge…your story; are you telling benefits or merely features? The big difference is between the “about” and the “how” in what you do or give. “About” = feature. “How” = benefit. Benefits give value and value is how you shine YOU!
James Cash Penney says: “It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.” That “service” is the something unique or extra that only you can offer as you solve their needs…your benefit. This benefit is usually something marked by your passionate point of view, which makes it so much “more”; your value. As you look at “features” vs. “benefits” there are some distinct basic traits for both. Continue reading
Join strategy and emotion: Talk in pictures to turn on your big ideas!
May, 2015
JOIN STRATEGY AND EMOTION: TALK IN PICTURES TO TURN ON YOUR BIG IDEAS!
The auditorium is packed, standing room only, the room is dark, there is only one huge visual of a small boat between two giant waves above the stage dimly lighting the room. The keynote speaker is at the podium and begins to speak…”It was a dark and stormy evening, our boat was slamming against each wave…” You wonder WHAT does this have to do with “increasing your efficiency during growth” as the talk content has been advertised. Continue reading
Creative Storytelling: “Monkeys do not have to be brown.”
May, 2015
CREATIVE STORYTELLING: “MONKEYS DO NOT HAVE TO BE BROWN.”
Are you using your unique quality to express your story in an engaging creative manner, or does your story look, sound, and feel just like your competitor’s? The key to an engaging story is to break free of conventionality, express your true colors. As my mother told me when I was 5 years old: “Monkeys do not have to be brown.” Continue reading
A Seagull showed me success “how-to” by merging creativity and strategic goals.
May, 2015
A SEAGULL SHOWED ME SUCCESS “HOW-TO” BY MERGING CREATIVITY AND STRATEGIC GOALS.
Nature has a way of finding creative solutions for survival needs. Animals, plants, nature, use “creativity” combined with practical strategy in forming essential habits and tools in order to thrive in the web of life. Combining creativity and hard strategies is what a super business does to also thrive in its environment and grow. Why not find some clever “combos” demonstrated by nature…in this case teachings from a Seagull, to show you and me a few business survival skills? Continue reading
Your Story: Is your “what if” half full or half empty?
April, 2015
YOUR STORY: IS YOUR “WHAT IF” HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY?
Half full or half empty…how are you communicating your story? Are you touching your teams, partners, audience, with positive influence, powerful possibilities, or is your message a platform of lack with connections that halt creativity, are fearful, or needy? During change (or just plain old everyday activities) you have a choice to use or ignore a powerful (and free!) creative energy source to tell your story, this choice is birthed and lives in how you see your “What if”. Continue reading
Story messaging “change”: A cause to “run back to the barn”?
April, 2015
STORY MESSAGING “CHANGE”: A CAUSE TO “RUN BACK TO THE BARN”?
If you have ever done any horseback riding you know if your stead is “spooked”, it tries to flee, and it races towards familiar safe grounds…the barn, with or without you.
Just like in the movies, the horse comes back sans rider, back to the barn where there is a familiar stall, food, safety, and a beautiful concerned heroine or sidekick. When “change” rears its head, most folks think of “what is familiar that makes me feel safe”? Right back to the “barn”…the old ways, the KNOWN ways that are now stagnant, no longer productive, not working any more (but feel real safe!). Continue reading
Is your key marketing message lost in a barrage of bullet “blahs”?
April, 2015
IS YOUR KEY MARKETING MESSAGE LOST IN A BARRAGE OF BULLET “BLAHS”?
Are you trying to make your point, by making more and more points? A long list of bulleted points can and does create a sea of “Blah”, making it almost impossible for your audience to realize or resonate to that one key point of value, the story you want to deliver. Continue reading
Tips on how to draw an “800 lb Gorilla” out of the room.
March, 2015
TIPS ON HOW TO DRAW AN “800lb GORILLA” OUT OF THE ROOM.
Have you ever known a large, heavy, awkward silence that creates tension, causes folks to be “stuck”, ideas and progress stalled out? No one seems to be able to articulate this beast so things can get “unstuck”. Say hello to the “800lb Gorilla” that sucks the energy out of the room and now dictates “stuck” into your culture. Continue reading
Do you have too many “chefs” in your brand kitchen?
March, 2015
DO YOU HAVE TOO MANY “CHEFS” IN YOUR BRAND KITCHEN?
Have you diluted your brand’s passion message; that one thing that makes you unique, by mixing up a brand recipe filled with other’s opinions or comments? Too many brand chefs ruin the soup! Keep your brand “recipe”, your story coming from your point of view… grow it with your special sauce and of course your main single ingredient: your core value. Continue reading
Evolving your brand: Change is Uplifting!
March, 2015
EVOLVING YOUR BRAND: CHANGE IS UPLIFTING!
#2 in a series on brand “safety”
Your brand is your business’ visible mountain made up of your rock solid core values. Are you lifting your brand up by bringing along your team for a shared view from the “top”? Or…are you climbing a mountain of change solo, not leading or creating an “expedition”, sitting in an overcrowded base-camp, not knowing how to use and belay the ropes of shift? Continue reading
