Lean Marketing and Branding

Why a grant?

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-08-14T18:50:18-07:00

First question I get about the Capacity to Care Program is what is the catch. Second if there is a tax advantage for calling it a grant?

Well there is no catch, like any business and perhaps ours more than others is asked to support good causes with contributions of time, talent, product and money. It is very difficult to say no to some and yes to others.

Accountants may not think it is to smart because if you figure overhead and labor into the equation then selling something that is already competitively priced for half ... is not the way to run a business.

I believe that your overhead and labor are expenses that you are going to pay regardless of whether you have excess capacity or not .. so you might as well put that excess capacity to good use and do it in such a way that you generate enough income to cover materials and part of your costs.. and do a lot of good in the process... hey, nothing wrong, so long as there is capacity that would otherwise go to waste.

Speaking about process. I hope that this program will keep us all sharp, continuously looking for ways to improve on our process and look for ways to cut out steps in the process. That is what lean is all about.You find those improvements when you work towards capacity .. when you are working below capacity the motivation to focus on improving your process to increase your capacity is just not as strong.

I will keep you posted and please ask questions by posting a comment on this Blog, because it is probably a question that someone else has.

Capacity to Care

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-08-13T16:16:25-07:00

Like most industries, there are busiy seasons that when it rains it pours and other times when it is not as busiy was we would like. We are increasing our capacity to produce daily with improvement in our process. So what do we do with our excess capacity?

We decided to make good use of it by starting a matching grant program for non-profits.

In short, it provides them with a dollar for dollar match or in other words a 50% discount on our goods and services to qualifying non-profits who plan ahead.

Before starting a business I worked for the American Heart Association. For 17 years I worked with and for terrific people who were on a mission to reduce premature death and disability from heart disease.

Well there are many good causes in America and we are are going to see how much capacity we have to care about as many as possible.

I figure that given ample time to squeeze a job in, we should be able to do a lot of good. http://www.bellagraphics.com/capacitytocare.htm

Lean Thinking Articles

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-04-13T13:27:39-07:00

From Curious Cat Management Improvement Connections comes a list of favorite articles on Lean Thinking.

This is an excellent place to start if you are looking for "lean" in a nutshell.

Lean Marketing Insights

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-04-11T15:04:26-07:00

Michelangelo Celli considers six sigma and other lean manufacturing concepts as a way of bringing more science to improving the marketing process.

Aditorial - Ad with substance.

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-04-03T21:58:02-07:00

Lean marketing is always about process. Part of our "Bella's" marketing process is to develope a "case" for each new product offering. In that case we strive to provide reasons why our clients need our offering.

We are about to introduce a "Branding Guide" to our clients via a combination of aditorials. ads with substance, and how to articles. Oh how we struggled to keep the following short.

We are from Sheridan, Wyoming. . The #1 western town. Its spring which means it is branding time. Our clients are from all over the country .. but branding time to our local market rings a special bell.

Smart Businesses Rely on Visual Identity to Increase Sales—Branding
Bella Graphics full service graphic design firm creates visual identity for businesses

Special Report by Ron Kensey

Branding will likely become more important for businesses as technology advances increase consumer awareness of products & services

A media rich 21st Century is fueling demand for products & services. Branding experts say that for businesses to keep their marketing efforts effective they need to first examine their brand(s).

So what is a brand? A brand is a name, logo, and design scheme that is used as a visual cue to help prospects recall what they know about a company, product or service. An effective brand doesn’t require interpretation or explanation; it is elegantly simple, unique and easy to recall.

The process of developing elements of a brand, such as its name, image, unique quality and relevant marketing messages is derived from examining why consumers or businesses buy from particular organizations and how branding affects the purchasing decision.

Bella Graphics & Display, a full service graphic design firm based in Sheridan, Wyoming, consults its clients on their brand(s). Bella’s experienced team helps create or freshen up existing brands by developing a branding guide for its clients that clearly identifies visually how the brand should look in a variety of formats.

The guide specifies the exact corporate colors, fonts and design schemes including suggestions on how to incorporate the brand in web site design or web site banners. Printers and vendors appreciate the guide because they know exactly what is expected of them in a language that they understand.

Bella provides the branding guide on CD to its clients. It contains a brands logo in a proper .eps file format as well as several useful ready-to-use templates for business cards, letterhead, envelopes and fax cover sheets. Should Bella clients need additional visual ads, such as sell sheets, advertisements, brochures, or a hard copy of their website, these creatives can be created and included on the branding cd.

The guide is a tool that works well for implementing the organization-wide use of the brand. The guide saves businesses time, money and has the piece of mind that the branding tools are in place to ensure consistent use of the brand.

Examine your brand today with Bella Graphics visual imaging experts by calling 307-675-1007 for a free consultation. Let Bella’s advertising and marketing expertise help you keep your products and services in front of your customers! Visit http://www.bellagraphics.com/theguide for more information.

Lean Blog: Looking for Lean Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-04-03T21:29:55-07:00

Lean Continuous Improvement started on the manufacturing floor .. Lean is about managing the process and removing waste and unnecessary steps. Marketing is a process .. or should be and there are a number of steps in that process that need to be examined... and its no surprise, there is waste in the marketing process ... what a shocker!

Here are some terrific quotes on Lean

Lean Blog: Looking for Lean Quotes: "'If you see a snake, just kill it - don't appoint a committee on snakes.'

The New Marketing Age to replace the old Ad Age

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-04-02T09:48:16-07:00

You ARE a marketer. Deal with it comes to us from Kathy Sierra for Passionate "Creating Passionate Users"

Mass marketing is out .. and the new marketing concept of viral marketing is in. Focusing on niches is the key.

It may be more important to identify market segments with names like "sneezers" and "early adopters" than "boomers" or x'ers ...

Corporate Identity Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-29T13:20:25-07:00

Here is a great collection of the Branding Guidelines for specific companies. It comes to us from
A Website about Corporate Identity This is the English version of a Dutch site that contains lots of examples of real corporate identities.

American Heart Association Branding Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-29T13:00:27-07:00

My first career was with the American Heart Associaion. I worked for a period of time at the national office in Dallas. That is where I first learned about graphic standards.

I came accross the American Heart Association Branding Guide and it is excellent.

Printers and vendors love it because with a branding guide they have exactly what they need at their finger tips. They also know exactly what is expected of them in a language they understand.

Staff like it because it provides templates for stationary, business cards, fax cover sheets are available in template form.

Stained Glass Prints

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-26T10:46:26-07:00

Here is a project that we have been working on with Pella Window Company. www.durableprints.com

We actually print on clear acrylic .. which is quite a trick since it has taken us over a year to produce a quality product.

My point is .. that the digital revolution has opened up all kinds of display opportunitites and this is one is hot.

Think about printing one at a time .. and often one of a kind images on clear acrylic .. hum .. how could you use this technology?

Branding

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-23T10:31:28-07:00

Found this on Adgoodness. It struck me as a creative way to use large format printing in a new way to advertise a brand.

Branding

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-22T21:25:47-07:00

There are many opportunities to display your brand. On stationary, business cards, envelopes, brochures, web site, shopping carts, point of purchase and trade show displays, print advertising, signs, posters product labels, brochures and dozens of other specialty items like key chains, calendars etc.

On screen within a web site, shopping cart, video production, television commercial, etc.
In audio production as in radio commercial or pod cast.

Branding is something a business does constantly and in a consistent manner in order to be recognized to achieve the recognition of potential customers.

Steps in Creating Brand Recognition

Create crisp memorable graphics as a part of your businesses visual identity.
Incorporate that visual identity into a “Style Guide” that tells printers and vendors and your own staff how the logo can and cannot appear in print and on the screen.
Train key staff in the reasons and use of the style guide.
Supply vendors with access to the style guide at the time that a quote has been requested.
Compare proofs against the style guide.
Inspect the finished product against the proofs/style guide.

Picture This

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-12T14:45:36-07:00

I found this and several other "views" of the same project posted on the Ad Goddess .. Ad Goddess is one of a handful of excellent blogs on advertising. It delivers the creative, unusual, and often edgy ad design.

What caught my attention was the use of large format print to shape an alternate vision. In this case the Red Cross wants you to see of a “post disaster” situation to remind you that disasters happen and they will be there to help.

In reviewing the comments, the Red Cross message or motive bothers some.

To me the creative display technique was very valuable.

I started thinking of ways to use the same technique on a more positive project on a before and after of a street or building renovation for instance.

Cut Out Printed Shapes

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-02-07T15:05:00-08:00

We are rolling out a shapes promotion. http://bellagraphics.com/shapes.htm

Our thought is that cut out shapes draw more attention that print "inside a square or rectangle box" Having carried a cut-out of Miss Wyoming through the crowed auditorium at the Miss America Pageant I can tell you that shapes draw eyes.

Miss America Brand Roll Out

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-01-19T19:48:51-08:00

We reached 19 early adopters in our Miss America Brand roll out. I think that is outstanding! There are 52 contestants and our offer was to donate the design and first print of fan merchandise in support of their entry into the Miss America Pageant, Las Vegas, January 29th.

We support Miss America. Miss America more likely to appear in a business suit than a bathing suit. The difference between Miss America and the other's is that the grand ol lady of pageants puts a high value on confidence, intelligence and talent.

This campaign is an example of social marketing. We believe that the consumer is over saturated with tv, magazine, and Internet advertising. It is all spam because it interupts people.

Social marketing targets an audience that opts to be interested in what you are saying, doing, or offering. As long as you are offering useful things like information, opinion and product that solves a problem, satisfying a need or helps them achieve a goal ... then you are in good shape.

In other words, social marketing is building a fan base. It works for Miss America, for Bella Graphics and you. It is a lot more fun and the results are measurable for a change.

What is a good Digital Photo Image

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-01-12T12:36:38-08:00

I found a great answer to this question on "All About Digital Photos"

The article says that a good quality digital photo is one :

taken with a good quality digital camera (good optics and digital sensor)
a photo that has not been enlarged either in post-processing or by in-camera digital zoom (never (ever) use digital zoom).
a photo that has been properly shot (good lighting, no blur)
a photo shot within the camera's ideal ISO range (usually a low ISO such as ISO 100)
a photo that has been stored in either a loss less format (i.e. TIF) or a very low compressed JPEG (highest camera JPEG quality setting).

In other words take the highest quality of photo that your digital camera allows and then provide a copy of the original photo .. right off the camera .. before it is opened in photoshop or any other software.

The quality of the printed image is directly related to the quality of the image.

Odd but remarkable

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-01-11T15:20:54-08:00

Do you think it is odd for me to provide commentary on a program roll out like Miss America Brand? Some might. Blame Seth Godin. Seth writes riffs (short thoughts) on marketing, respect, and the ways ideas spread.

He inspires me and affirms that not only is it ok to be different but it is absolutely necessary ... people are burnt out on "interuption marketing"

I have found that it is much more fun to be creative. We are just learning how to create a buzz and be remarkable.

That is how we are rolling out the Miss America Brand Project. .. we are creating a buzz over there and giving your the inside story over here. Buzz Buzz

Miss America Project

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-01-11T14:59:09-08:00

Things are really heating up on the Miss America Project. We are getting a terrific response. I draw your attention to it because we are quite proud to be able to roll out a promotion program before your eyes.

It is all an experiment. We are working with shapes .. by shapes I mean cut-outs ... cutting rigid print into shapes or silhouetting the image creates an interesting dimension to prints and displays. It is great technology and you I will be writing more about it soon. So stay tuned and subscribe so you don't miss anything.

Visit our Miss America Brand Site and follow the roll out of this promotion.

Miss America Brand Project

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-01-07T10:57:58-08:00

I want to tell you more about a project that we are working on. I am a big believer in cause related marketing. You can imagine how often we are asked to donate product and services. We do a fair amount of it to support our community. We get our name on the credits.

That isn't cause related marketing. Cause related marketing is when you pay for the opportunity to partner with the non-profit for the benefit of both the giver (business) and the receiver non-profit.

To demonstrate the concept we initiated our Miss America Brand project. We really believe in consistent visual image. By that I mean carrying a visual theme (color and background, fonts and alike through out a promotion. You will notice that.

We are also using the project to launch our shapes product. We can take any image .. sign, display board and cut it to the shape.

All of this by providing a service that is very much needed by this group.

On this blog, I will share with you the behind the scenes thinking as we roll out this offering.

I hope that by the end you will consider a cause related marketing program in your marketing plan and agree that a consistent visual image is important to any business or promotion.

This should be a lot of fun, so subscribe now.

Lean not mean customer service

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-28T19:31:48-07:00

There's value in suppliers who help clients make good choices then deliver precisely what is needed, on time, to where it is supposed to go. But, the true test doesn't occur until something goes wrong. Remarkable companies fix wrongs. Poor companies ditch their customers instead.

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2006-12-25T09:26:55-08:00

Bella Graphics is the presenting sponsor of Miss Wyoming 2006. A presenting sponsor pays for that designation with cash and in our case a combination of cash and services and product. To us it is a part of our marketing plan.

Two things are happening in January. Bella Graphics will launch it’s “shapes promotion” and we’ll send Miss Wyoming off to The Miss America pageant in Las Vegas.

By shapes we mean rigid print images on gatorboard for instance are cut into shapes or silhouettes to add a new dimension that will attract more attention. That is what Bella is in business to do, help our customers attract favorable attention!

We are featuring Miss Wyoming and her aerial talent performance in our “shapes promotion” As we do that we are promoting a real statewide send-off and we are doing that lean. As a newsworthy public service promotion.

There are only about 440,000 people in our entire state. Heck we could email each one of them and accomplish several things:

We would introduce them to Miss Wyoming and encourage them to visit the Miss Wyoming Web Site, show their support, buy something, book Miss Wyoming for a future appearance, and watch Miss America Pageant on CMT on January 29th.
While they are at it they might be so inclined as to follow a link to our web site.

Is this a good way of spend the marketing dollar? We’ll see. Cause related marketing is a fresh approach in an advertising age that is stuck in the mud with more and more of our messages tuned out, deleted, or thrown in the trash. .

People are tired of one way marketing. That one way is usually “we have”, “you buy” TV or radio adds that try to be funny or cute but aren’t memorable. But it is only worth as much as you are willing to put into it. The good thing is you can get a lot of distance by investing time and effort. There are plenty of opportunities to standout out by helping out.

Cause related marketing is much more creative and captures the curiosity because it can be remarkably different. You might view an email from a company like Bella Graphics as spam and have an entirely different perception of something that came from Miss Wyoming. Are bet is that our recipients will be curious.

Curious and secure in the source enough in the source to open, read and click.

To make cause related marketing work you have to know the difference between promoting the cause and shameless self-promotion. Self-promotion is sniffed out by the consumer like stink on a monkey.

Desperate Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2006-12-25T09:24:39-08:00

What have we here? Trying to get our attention? Trying to draw us in?
I'd be afraid that once inside the owner would shout in my ear

Not my fault

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-02-14T21:07:04-08:00

From Seth Godins's Blog

Graphic Image Standards

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-02-14T21:08:47-08:00

Supporting the business’s reputation is important. A small but significant component that support is an accurate and consistent use of graphic symbols that stand for the business.Every business has an identity. This identity is influenced by the look of all things done by or associated with the organization—its programs, services, products, print material, advertising, signage, stationery, vehicles.

Because of this profusion of elements, it is essential that a graphic system is in place to clearly and easily identify the organization as one.These symbols include the logo and word mark, the use of “corporate colors” and the design of material such as letterhead, business cards, fax forms, address labels, etc. These elements may seem consequential and mundane, but they represent who the business is to the world at large. They provide a fast and easy cue of an official communication from your organization.Consistent and correct use of these graphic elements helps build a strong impression. Here are some examples.

Minimum size of the logo in print. Some logos are complicated and don’t reproduce well beyond a certain size.
Name of typeface for business/product name. Sometimes the name alone is a strong brand. Good graphic standards will spell out what is allowed and what is not. For instance it’s probably not a good idea to “stylize” name in some wild and crazy never used before font to promote a special event.
How and when can logo be used by itself? How can it be used in conjunction with other words or images?
How the logo or name will not be use. For instance it is not a good idea to decorate your logo with Christmas lights for example.
How name with logo will be used together what should be the size of logo in relation to the size of name.
Determine which “acronyms” or abbreviated names can be used and how and when?
Colors (specific pantone and now web colors)
The use of your logo with the logo of others (same size or larger)
Logo in “PowerPoint presentations”
Use of logo in posters, banners, signs.

The Problem With Homegrown Design

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Kensey) — 2007-03-28T15:26:19-07:00

I did it myself for 20 years. I mean I designed my own marketing materials and ads. I started Kennon Aircraft Covers out of my garage. Money was always tight. We spent $60,000 to $80,000 on ads a year but next to nothing on professional design.

As I look back, here is how I rationalized it:
No one knows the product better than me.
I know how to scan images and use Adobe Pagemaker to layout the text. Might as well use what I know.
I will save time if I do myself because I won’t have to communicate with anyone. In fact, I never have to leave my office. A few magazines occasionally "reworked" my ads. They must have been really bad.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but the quality of the ad design is a reflection of the quality of the magazine. They reworked the ads, and spared me the embarrassment of ad rejection because of poor design.

Things changed when I started Bella. Our graphic artists took over the design responsibilities from this novice and now I look back and see how silly I was over all of those years to spend well over a million dollars publishing my own poorly designed ads. I am a believer in professional design, not only because I own a business that provides that service, but because I was blind but now I see.