Big Gnome

What do artisan coffee and gourmet design have in common? The guys at Orange Coat arranged a coffee cupping at Liquid Highway yesterday to learn how to taste and talk about specialty coffee. The larger lesson was to have us experience how this exercise can be similar to how we strive to create a common language when talking with clients about design. A client saying they want something with “edge” or the color “green” is most likely going to mean something different from one client to the next.

While we smelled, stirred, slurped and savored the coffees, there was some passionate talk about how to help clients articulate and explain what they want. I agree with much of what was shared – understanding the client’s ultimate goals with their business is a major starting point – not asking “what is your favorite color?”.

One approach Big Gnome uses is to ask clients to share their feelings on the brands they love intrinsically and visually. If that makes sense and works well with their goals, we’ll use that as a muse. Unfortunately, some clients cave in too quickly to what they think their customers will want or expect their identity to be.

When a business owner is afraid to do something different or to be themselves, they fall back on what everyone else does or what’s traditionally accepted. For example, they want a globe in their corporate mark design because the word “global,” “international” or “world” is in their business name.

I think often the client’s choice to be bland is rooted in fear. Fear of rejection from their customers. If it is fear, we try to uncover the reasons why and evaluate how to more forward. It is awesome when we can help clients tackle those fears and go somewhere new and more effective with their identity. Sometimes it feels like design therapy. If there’s no road to recovery, we have to decide whether or not Big Gnome is really a good fit for them.

I’d like to tell this to some people, but I play nice. Not because their current firm isn’t good…I think businesses do not always need a PR firm to get great PR. Jason Calacanis, founder and CEO of Mahalo, and who also founded and ran both Weblogs Inc. and the Silicon Alley Reporter, wrote a solid guest column for GSATC last week, “How To Get PR For Your Start-Up – Fire Your PR Firm.”

As a public relations professional, is it bad that I agreed with Jason? He offers advice to CEOs of startups on how to secure and manage PR including: picking up the check, approaching smaller publications and web outlets; being “everywhere,” and being a human being. That’s my number one.

Being human isn’t putting the hard sell on a prospect every time you see them – it’s interacting, listening, and developing a rapport and relationship with that person, whether it’s a potential client, or a journalist or editor. We all want to be listened to, acknowledged and cared for. And, everyone has a need.

If a PR firm or person is not the right fit for that need, then you’ve “saved” some bank for something more critical. However, what if a business owner doesn’t know what to do and needs help? First, read Jason’s article. If you need more hands-on guidance, then maybe we should talk.

Add a burst. Make it pop. Bump up the logo. Adding every logo on the planet. Guaranteed parts of the design process. This is funny.

Redesigning the Stop Sign

While having lunch with Alison Lee, owner and lead consultant of Hullabaloo Events, she recalled a Big Gnome blog post from November 2007 that she said stuck in her mind (in a good way). It was cool that she’d remember a mere posting, which had been inspired by an article I’d read and thankfully not by true events.

So here it is again, dear reader.

“Once upon a time, there was a firm that wooed a potential, beautiful client. The firm presented said fair client with gifts, like concepts, logos and taglines, that could be theirs with two simple words, “I do.” Well, the client wanted more than the firm could give. Discounted rates. More spec work. And no clear idea as to where the relationship stood.

This is a nightmare. The quickest way to wake up from it is to click your heels, drop the deal, and cut your losses. Don’t do free consulting, even when you want to show a client how much you know and how much you can help. They’ll take it and run.

Taking time to qualify potential clients in terms of agreements on costs, expectations, and commitment to the relationship, may mean you say no to more work than not. It’ll save you from having to kiss frogs.

We’ve all been there. If you haven’t, shoot us a post, so we can all learn from your infinite wisdom.”