power that a mere image on a business card can't quite accomplish because in this day of instant gratification, somewhat unreasonable expectations and a weakening of community, what makes your clients and customers slow down and take notice is connecting with them. Designing your brand around a backyard fence experience that is reminiscent of days gone by is how you begin to make that connection.

In the world of fashion, style is recycled from one era to another with slight moderations. What goes out of season one year will likely come back in the not too dist

A recent conversation with a former client made me realize there is a major disconnect in the world of small business.

Here's what happened...

While enjoying my decaf vanilla soy latte one afternoon with Jane (not her real name), she shared her excitement over her newly designed brand and how effortless it is to talk about her business, get the attention of more qualified prospects, and begin to fill her coaching practice.

Of course I sat across from her beaming with pride...she wasn't especially outgoing when we first met making the process of marketing, promoting and selling her business a challenge. Now, she sat before me more confident, assured and beginning to look at her business from a strategic point of view. You'd be proud too!

Jane posed an important question..."so now that I'm branded Liz, what do I do next?" There's nothing I enjoy more than someone who looks to the future and is anxious for her next step. The following article is an edited synopsis (minus a few 'no kidding' and 'get out of town!' comments) of my response to Jane and food for thought for you...

Since the 1960's, branding has evolved from a trademark driven claim and slick comparisons for stand alone products to a strategy that involves making an emotional connection, a relationship with audiences.

Gone are the days of merely thinking of branding as a logo, tagline or other 'gimmick' to stand out and get noticed. Instead, branding has moved from the world of flash to the world of backyard fences.

Do you remember the Flinstones? In virtually every episode, you'd catch Betty Rubble and Wilma Flinstone catching up, sharing their troubles, their joys and always by the backyard fence.

Home Improvement, the sitcom from the 1990's, used the backyard fence as the introspective gathering place to wrap up the show with some backyard wisdom from their mysterious and always veiled neighbor, Wilson.

The backyard fence is a metaphor for branding - an experience you design that brings your audience together with you as the catalyst. In other words, your brand is the connection that brings them together. When you do that, they will naturally be drawn to you.

That's the power of branding. A power that a mere image on a business card can't quite accomplish because in this day of instant gratification, somewhat unreasonable expectations and a weakening of community, what makes your clients and customers slow down and take notice is connecting with them. Designing your brand around a backyard fence experience that is reminiscent of days gone by is how you begin to make that connection.

In the world of fashion, style is recycled from one era to another with slight moderations. What goes out of season one year will likely come back in the not too dista

process of marketing, promoting and selling her business a challenge. Now, she sat before me more confident, assured and beginning to look at her business from a strategic point of view. You'd be proud too!

Jane posed an important question..."so now that I'm branded Liz, what do I do next?" There's nothing I enjoy more than someone who looks to the future and is anxious for her next step. The following article is an edited synopsis (minus a few 'no kidding' and 'get out of town!' comments) of my response to Jane and food for thought for you...

Since the 1960's, branding has evolved from a trademark driven claim and slick comparisons for stand alone products to a strategy that involves making an emotional connection, a relationship with audiences.

Gone are the days of merely thinking of branding as a logo, tagline or other 'gimmick' to stand out and get noticed. Instead, branding has moved from the world of flash to the world of backyard fences.

Do you remember the Flinstones? In virtually every episode, you'd catch Betty Rubble and Wilma Flinstone catching up, sharing their troubles, their joys and always by the backyard fence.

Home Improvement, the sitcom from the 1990's, used the backyard fence as the introspective gathering place to wrap up the show with some backyard wisdom from their mysterious and always veiled neighbor, Wilson.

The backyard fence is a metaphor for branding - an experience you design that brings your audience together with you as the catalyst. In other words, your brand is the connection that brings them together. When you do that, they will naturally be drawn to you.

That's the power of branding. A power that a mere image on a business card can't quite accomplish because in this day of instant gratification, somewhat unreasonable expectations and a weakening of community, what makes your clients and customers slow down and take notice is connecting with them. Designing your brand around a backyard fence experience that is reminiscent of days gone by is how you begin to make that connection.

In the world of fashion, style is recycled from one era to another with slight moderations. What goes out of season one year will likely come back in the not too dist

1960's, branding has evolved from a trademark driven claim and slick comparisons for stand alone products to a strategy that involves making an emotional connection, a relationship with audiences.

Gone are the days of merely thinking of branding as a logo, tagline or other 'gimmick' to stand out and get noticed. Instead, branding has moved from the world of flash to the world of backyard fences.

Do you remember the Flinstones? In virtually every episode, you'd catch Betty Rubble and Wilma Flinstone catching up, sharing their troubles, their joys and always by the backyard fence.

Home Improvement, the sitcom from the 1990's, used the backyard fence as the introspective gathering place to wrap up the show with some backyard wisdom from their mysterious and always veiled neighbor, Wilson.

The backyard fence is a metaphor for branding - an experience you design that brings your audience together with you as the catalyst. In other words, your brand is the connection that brings them together. When you do that, they will naturally be drawn to you.

That's the power of branding. A power that a mere image on a business card can't quite accomplish because in this day of instant gratification, somewhat unreasonable expectations and a weakening of community, what makes your clients and customers slow down and take notice is connecting with them. Designing your brand around a backyard fence experience that is reminiscent of days gone by is how you begin to make that connection.

In the world of fashion, style is recycled from one era to another with slight moderations. What goes out of season one year will likely come back in the not too dist

oys and always by the backyard fence.

Home Improvement, the sitcom from the 1990's, used the backyard fence as the introspective gathering place to wrap up the show with some backyard wisdom from their mysterious and always veiled neighbor, Wilson.

The backyard fence is a metaphor for branding - an experience you design that brings your audience together with you as the catalyst. In other words, your brand is the connection that brings them together. When you do that, they will naturally be drawn to you.

That's the power of branding. A power that a mere image on a business card can't quite accomplish because in this day of instant gratification, somewhat unreasonable expectations and a weakening of community, what makes your clients and customers slow down and take notice is connecting with them. Designing your brand around a backyard fence experience that is reminiscent of days gone by is how you begin to make that connection.

In the world of fashion, style is recycled from one era to another with slight moderations. What goes out of season one year will likely come back in the not too dist

power that a mere image on a business card can't quite accomplish because in this day of instant gratification, somewhat unreasonable expectations and a weakening of community, what makes your clients and customers slow down and take notice is connecting with them. Designing your brand around a backyard fence experience that is reminiscent of days gone by is how you begin to make that connection.

In the world of fashion, style is recycled from one era to another with slight moderations. What goes out of season one year will likely come back in the not too distant future.

Can recycling a sense of community be that far away? And, can visionary entrepreneurs take the challenge of designing and perhaps repackaging their brands to bring back what was once the cornerstone of a solid and reliable business.

There's no question that times they are a changin' and with that business models must change to meet the growing needs of the markets they serve. Traditional business tends to default to what is familiar because it's comfortable, easy and it's what's always been done and that includes using outdated models...yesterdays blueprint.

The movie "The Secret" and other introspective movements are trending loud and strong, which is causing a shift from the status quo to something more. Will your business be poised to meet this growing need for more by shifting from either having no model, an outdated blueprint or one that is relational and that differentiates your brand in a memorable and meaningful way?

The choice is yours.

My conversation with Jane didn't end there. Stay tuned for next weeks edition in which I share the rest of the story...

©2007, Liz Pabon. All rights reserved.