Monday, May 18, 2009

Branding

I woke up this morning thinking about logos. I'm about to launch my online serialized novel, and since I plan to put out more than one of these stories I need a name and logo for the "parent" company (me) that is producing them. I can't spin the title of this company around me - "Jennifer Stories" - because in time I'd like to be pulling in stories from other people. I need a more global name - a kick-ass, hip, drags-your-butt-into-the-seat type of name.

And I need a kick-ass logo.

Branding a product is about more than coming up with a picture or word to represent what you're selling; it's about spinning a story - a compelling story that reels your customer in. When you buy a Diet Coke, for example, you're not just buying a soda; you're buying fun, youth, energy, activity, happiness, excitement....



I've been thinking about the story I need to tell about my, well, stories, in order to get people to understand what my product (serialized novels) is all about and why they want to spend their time reading them. As I've pondered the message I want to send, I began to think about how we do something similar to branding with our lives.

Think about it. What is your story? My story is that I'm a maverick - someone who bucks the system, thinks outside the box, and never takes the easy path through the woods. My story is that I'm a rugged individual, an entrepreneur and a forward thinker. I'm a modern day Renaissance woman, with my finger in many pies, and I'm a pioneer, someone who experiments with new ideas long before they become mainstream.

That's it - that's the Jennifer "brand". The story I tell myself as I walk through my days making choices about how I spend my time....and, honestly, about what I buy.

Are you aware of your story? What's your brand?

2 comments:

Alea Milham said...

I think it good to be in control of your "branding" rather than allowing yourself to be "labeled" by others!

DebMc said...

I'm late to this discussion, but I find it an intriguing one. What is my brand? What does my brand stand for? What would my logo be? What colors say DebMc? Interesting questions. I've had several small businesses over the years and naming them has always been both a joy and a trial.

It's better and more in keeping with who I am now to figure out a brand for me...

I may be pondering these thoughts over on my blog soon. Thanks for the impetus to think on this.