Imagine, new and improved

For some time, I’ve had the sense that the word “marketing” no longer accurately conveys the full spectrum of activities we’re involved in at Imagine. The word seems vaguely old-fashioned, as if the speed of technology has passed it by. Over the last few months, this discussion has been a central focus of our entire team. Recently, we reached consensus that Imagine is, first and foremost, a communications company. That is the concept that ties all of our offerings together, the one constant that keeps us ahead of the market.

And so it is with great fanfare (insert virtual sound effect here) that Imagine Marketing is now Imagine Communications. This is not a decision we came to lightly. After all, we’ve spent the last 11 years building brand equity for our previous name and logo. A lot of strategic thinking, relationship-building and plain old hard work went into that effort. We certainly don’t want to lose any of the credibility we’ve so painstakingly established. Still, the new name is a more accurate reflection of our true identity. Think of it as an evolution, not a change. This will become clear as you take a look at the services we offer:

· Strategic Business Planning

· Messaging

· Branding

· Graphic Design

· Media Relations

· Social Media Development and Management

· Media Buying

· Consultation

· Facilitation

· Government Affairs/Lobbying

· Video Production

· Animation

· Publishing

· Event Planning and Coordination

· More

I threw the “more” in there because I’m sure I left something out. Or maybe it means that there’s “more to come.” Either way, I felt we needed a loophole.

If you had reviewed our list from just three or four years ago, it would have looked entirely different (and shorter). The newer additions are a response to the economy, the marketplace and to our own emerging skills and interests. And we’re surprisingly good at all of them (if I may brag a bit), thanks to a team of dedicated, enthusiastic individuals who never settle for less. If you know any or all of us, I hope you’ll agree that we’re a good group to work with. Results-driven and fun at the same time.

I believe our new name and logo communicate all of that. A little bit corporate, a little bit entrepreneurial, but still capturing that intangible “stuff” that makes us who we are.

I wonder if we can get Donny and Marie to sing our new theme song.

Brian Rouff serves as managing partner for Imagine Communications. Despite his Donny and Marie reference, he likes to think he keeps up-to-date on current industry trends. Email Brian at his new email address: brouff@WeAreImagine.com.

It’s not about where you network, but how

Why do you network? Do you attend networking events to gather as many business cards as you possibly can? Or, do you attend them in hopes of finding key people you really like and want to do business with? Though the first option plays to my naturally competitive nature, I would rather leave a business networking event with a few cards of people I will keep in contact with, rather than 50 cards of people who offer services I will never need. I like to work with people I like and the only way to know if I like someone is by getting to know them. Getting to know them goes far beyond the information a business card can provide.

With the rise of social media, networking no longer requires you to get dressed up to make the best first impression. Networking can happen anytime from the comfort of your own home by accessing your favorite social networking sites. Whether you network online or off, the rules are, essentially, the same. The most effective networking isn’t about quantity, it’s about quality. It’s about building relationships that can be mutually beneficial. Business is done by people, not Twitter accounts. Putting time into building strong relationships will pay off when you need a partner on a project, advice or even your next job.

I have heard many complaints that both networking and social media can be a waste of time, but my question in response to this is, “Are you putting time into creating the type of relationships you want, or are you just collecting business cards and friends on Facebook?”

Megan Lane is part of the client relations team at Imagine Marketing.
Contact Megan at mlane@imnv.com.

Where do logos come from? (The birth of a logo)

Some things you can do yourself ... others should not be attempted

The conception- When I design a logo, the first stage is to meet with the client and gather all the information possible. We discuss the service or product the company is offering, who they’re targeting, their likes and dislikes in regards to colors, etc., and of course, the name. In this meeting, we must discover the feel of the company in order to put together the right look. From there, we go into brainstorming; sometimes this occurs with the client, and other times it is an internal process with the Imagine team. From this brainstorming session and meeting, we have what we need to move on to the next step, which can be compared to the process of being pregnant, though usually it doesn’t take quite as long.

The 1st trimester- During this phase of the logo process, I do what I call a mental flush by writing any words or short phrases that have anything to do with the client and the service or product until nothing further comes to me. This process allows me to open up my mind and to move through the obvious into the original. At the finish of this process, I take my list and start circling the words and/or ideas that will take me to my next step.

The 2nd trimester- After I put all the ideas on paper, I pull out my pencil and a pad and begin drawing while consulting my list of words. At this point, the drawings are very simple, just enough to communicate the idea. I will try many variations of the same look as well as creating completely different looks; the further I can delve into it, the more original it becomes. At the end of this process, there can be anywhere from a page to several pages of small sketches. Of these sketches, I will once more go through and circle the most promising ideas.

The 3rd trimester- Once I have chosen the ideal sketches, I will saddle up to the computer to recreate the sketches digitally. I then provide the client with three completely different versions of the logo. I have found three to be a happy number, not so many as to confuse, not too few to lack variety.

The birth- Of the three versions, the client might choose one right off the bat. Or I might have to go back to the drawing board, where I will tear the logos apart, reconfigure them and present them once again to the client. During the birth of a logo, it can go back and forth between designer and client multiple times, or it can go quickly and easily. Just as in childbirth, there are no real deciding factors. Once the final logo is born, I bundle it up and send on its way to live a long, full life making the client happy.

NOTE: A good logo makes the company look good. By the same token, a poorly designed logo makes the company look bad. Therefore, designing and deciding on a logo is a delicate process. Since a logo identifies the company it represents, hiring a good designer is a great investment. There are people who will “design” a logo for $20, and there are “logo designing” programs that can be purchased. However, many factors are taken into account when designing a logo that truly represents a company. If done correctly, your logo will be a true reflection of your organization’s identity.

Cynthia Carbajal serves as Graphic Designer for Imagine Marketing.

Email Cynthia at ccarbajal@imnv.com.

Market Research You CAN Afford

Before coming to Imagine, I worked as a marketing manager for a small business. Working for a small business meant that sometimes I had to get creative with ways to stretch our marketing dollar. We knew who we wanted to target and we knew who our customers were. Social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and Mail Chimp were all great, inexpensive ways to reach our customers. Cross promoting with complementing businesses was a no brainer. Using trade or gift certificates in lieu of cash for sponsorships? Done.

Traditional media like radio and television were a bit trickier. Media sales reps would parade in and out all day with reports and numbers about how their station was number one! Granted, that could mean anything since they could be number one…from midnight to 2am with 65-75 year old men. Since we didn’t have the means to do formal market research and find out more detail about what and how our customers watched, listened and read, I used a much easier method. I snooped.

Free market research is all around us. One of my favorite places to monitor people’s television viewing habits is at the gym. Most gyms now have individual monitors on every treadmill, Stairmaster and elliptical machine. Vary your workout times and you’ll quickly learn which programs and channels are most watched and who is watching them. Stop by your local library, take a stroll through the computer area and you’ll see which sites are being visited the most. Eavesdrop at a restaurant or coffee shop by major work places the day after a highly anticipated show airs and hear who’s talking about it and what they’re talking about. Roll down the windows in your car and you’ll get snippets of what people listen to in their car. Satellite radio and MP3 players may be taking over but in severe weather or traffic jams, the first and easiest place drivers turn to is their local radio station. Even something as simple as striking up a conversation in line at the grocery store can lead to new revelation in your research…and make sure to take a peek into their grocery cart to see what their buying habits are while you’re at it!

Too often, we’re quick to dismiss the idea of traditional media and “old school” methods. This is a dangerous mentality. Traditional media still works, especially when supported by the new media. Using this non-traditional method of market research can help you learn more about your current and potential customers – no matter how you chose to market your business.

*A portion of this blog published originally on: Nadia's Notes

Nadia Zerka works on the Client Relations team at Imagine Marketing.
Contact Nadia at nzerka@imnv.com

Brilliance doesn’t just happen

Working in a creative business, we are expected to always be thinking of new ideas. Sometimes this can be a challenge. After all, brilliance doesn’t just happen. Great ideas don’t happen in a vacuum (usually). Sometimes we all need a little push outside of our comfort zone to remind us where good ideas come from.

Over the last few months, I have participated in a monthly conference call with my co-worker, Nadia, and various marketing and sales professionals from all over the country. The purpose of the calls is to discuss and brainstorm about various social media ideas. The discussions only last an hour, but during that short time, something amazing happens. I find myself becoming reenergized and excited, and the ideas and questions begin flowing even faster than usual. I am able to take this newfound energy and re-focus it back into the work I am already doing. Without consciously knowing it, participating in these teleconferences has been the push I need to be the best at my job.

We can’t sit behind our computers and expect great ideas to just appear. Innovation comes from collaboration and is allowed to flourish and grow when inspiration is added to the mix. It’s easy to fall into the routine of only attending meetings that are required and brainstorming only when there is a need for a new idea. Instead, shake it up and find new ways to collaborate with others. You’ll find that new ideas or solutions will come to you for challenges you didn’t even know you had.

Here’s a few ways I have discovered lately that have not only broken up the monotony of the work day, but have reinvigorated me and reminded me why I love being part of a team that is encouraged to find and implement the next big idea:

Organize discussions. Pick a topic and use your networks to bring together others who have the same interest. For example, if you would like to discuss new ways to network, reach out to your friends on Facebook and Twitter and see if anyone else has any interest. Your group doesn’t have to be large to be effective. Once you have a few interested participants, choose a platform to get together. If everyone in your group lives in the same area, having breakfast or coffee together works well. If geography doesn’t allow you to meet in person, a conference call or video chat is the better alternative. Establish a time, topic and moderator and let the ideas flow.

Collaborate with the competition. Being in the same line of work doesn’t mean you can’t have constructive conversations with someone else in your industry. Without sharing too much information, you can talk through issues, empathize and even brainstorm with your competitors. These conversations can even pave the way for sharing leads later on, once you understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Attend events with experts. Attending events that focus on a topic you are interested in is not only a great way to network within your industry, but it’s also a way to educate yourself about the latest trends and gauge how well you measure up to others doing the same thing you do. Occasionally I have found myself attending an event only to realize I might just know more than the expert. This is a great way to stay on top of your game and can also be a little confidence booster from time-to-time.

Hold impromptu brainstorm sessions. In a perfect world, we could go to work every day and accomplish everything on our list without any distractions. Not only would that be unrealistic, but it would also be pretty boring. Sometimes the best ideas come from unplanned discussions that have little to do with the task at hand. Give yourself flexibility to allow these discussions to happen; you never know what you might miss.

Bookmark places of inspiration. When you come across websites that get you excited about your industry, bookmark them so you can revisit them later. Here are a few sites I visit when I am looking for some inspiration: http://www.colourlovers.com, http://www.springwise.com and http://sethgodin.typepad.com.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in everyday tasks and forget that there is an opportunity not only to do the work, but to create the work we want to do.

Now I will throw it to you, the reader. How do you reenergize and refocus your mind?

Megan Lane is part of the client relations team at Imagine Marketing.
Contact Megan at mlane@imnv.com.

Service: from a customer’s point of view

As a customer, I always want to retain my identity and not become faceless in a crowded store or on a customer service line. Lately, however, it seems like some companies are slipping in their otherwise satisfying customer service. “Have a nice day” is about as considerate as some service representatives get today – at least with me – which is funny because, in a tough economy, I thought the idea was to retain customers. However, bad experiences allow me to learn. If the notion “one person’s bad experience is another’s learning experience” is true, here are some tips I’ve collected over the last few weeks:

• Listen. There is nothing worse than telling a story over and over because a customer service representative isn’t listening.
• Recall. Remembering even a little about a client goes a long way. My tax preparer works with hundreds of people every year, and she remembered things about me this year that really helped me with my tax return. Customer for life.
• Focus. Being distracted while you’re speaking to a customer or client makes you seem disinterested. Focusing on customers’ needs helps them feel important, and since they like to feel important, they will keep coming back.
• Pay attention to detail. This one sounds more difficult than it looks. Spelling a person’s name correctly is a small detail that can mean a great deal to a client, especially when it’s a difficult name no one ever seems to get correct.
• Be nice. In a customer service world, being nonchalant isn’t going to cut it anymore. Being genuinely nice will go a long way. Don’t let a bad day ruin a good experience for a customer.
• Be helpful. Even when you can’t solve a customer’s problem, try. As much as I love Yoda, his mantra, “Do or do not; there is no try,” doesn’t apply here. Doing what you can will let customers know, again, they’re important and their problems matter. Even if their problem can’t be solved, at least they are left with a pleasant conversation.
• Know your limits. Know your customers. Before I went back to my old tax preparer this year, I tried someone new. When I made the appointment, the receptionist should have asked a couple questions to make sure I was given a preparer with experience in difficult tax returns. However, because she didn’t, I ended up with a sweet, inexperienced preparer who was way over his head. Had I not jumped ship and went crawling back to my old preparer, I would’ve lost nearly $1,000. Sometimes a couple questions saves time and money for the customer and the business.
• Be confident. If you know what you’re doing, act like it. Don’t be afraid to show your skills. Nothing is worse than working with someone with that uneasy feeling in your stomach that he or she has no clue.

While I’d rather not have racked up enough bad customer service experiences over the past few weeks to flesh out an entire blog, I hope some of my experiences can benefit you and your business in some way. After all, it’s often the little things that truly make or break your clients’ view of your company.

Tiffannie Bond serves as media relations specialist for Imagine Marketing.

Contact Tiffannie at tbond@imnv.com.

Hiring new employees is kind of like dating

At a recent meeting of the Henderson Libraries Business Book Club, we discussed a fascinating book called “SWAY, the Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior,” by Ori and Rom Brafman. Writing in the breezy style of “Freakonomics,” the Brafman brothers shed light on the real reasons we humans often behave in ways that are counterproductive (and sometimes downright stupid).

I was particularly intrigued by the section on hiring new employees. As a partner here at Imagine, I’ve been involved in this process enough to know that it’s an iffy proposition at best. We’ve been extremely fortunate in bringing new folks into the fold but, as the book points out, there’s a large element of luck involved. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the 10 most common job interview questions:

· Why should I hire you?

· What do you see yourself doing five years from now?

· What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

· How would you describe yourself?

· What college subject did you like best? Least?

· What do you know about our company?

· Why did you decide to seek a job with our company?

· Why did you leave your last job?

· What do you want to earn five years from now?

· What do you really want to do in life?

If these sound familiar, you’re not alone. They sound familiar to your job candidates, too. Which makes it that much easier for them to game the system. In that respect, it’s kind of like dating.

In fact, according to the authors, only one of the above questions has any real value. Can you guess which one? (Cue “Jeopardy” theme.) Time’s up. It’s “What do you know about our company?” The reason is that it shows initiative on the part of the prospective employee.

Rather than relying on these essentially meaningless questions, the Brafmans recommend standardized tests as the best method for identifying the right people for your organization. Compatibility is a key component, another similarity to the world of dating. Eharmony, for example, emphasizes that element above all others.

At Imagine Marketing, we’ve used tests like “Strengths Finder” for some time now. But we’d still be hard pressed to completely abandon the interview process. (Actually, multiple interviews with multiple Imagine team members.) Maybe a combination of objective testing and gut instinct is the best approach. Now, if we could just find a way to quantify luck.

Brian Rouff serves as managing partner for Imagine Marketing.

Contact Brian at brouff@imnv.com.