You’re a Good Human But Your Business Brand Sucks: Discuss
- Victoria Hogg
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
What’s going on, you lot? |
This week - we’re going straight in. So, your heart’s in the right place, you know your business offer is full of golden nuggets, and your intentions are pure. And yet, when it comes to conveying that to the world… your messaging is about as clear as mud. As Gerry Cinnamon sings, there are “Diamonds in the Mud”, it’s just that no one can tell they’re buried in there. Get this. How often do people say what they do, but offer no clue who they help, how they do it, or why it matters? Maybe it’s because the classic ice-breaker is, “What do you do?” And we answer it directly. But what if we answered differently? Would that make the conversation, and the brand, more interesting? Stock answer: “I’m a school teacher.”Better answer: “I help build confidence and unlock potential in children so they’re ready to take on the big wide world.” Sounds more fulfilling, doesn’t it? |
You’re a good human but your Business Brand sucks: Discuss
TRY IT OUT: Nail Your One‑Sentence “What You Do” Statement
Write down: “We help [ideal customer] achieve [benefit] by doing [what unique you do].”
Then test it: If a friend asks, “So… what do you do?” and they look confused after hearing your answer, rewrite it. Repeat until they say, “Ahhh—that’s clever.”
“Products are made in the factory. But brands are created in the mind” Walter Landor, pioneering brand designer
Something funny…
Last weekend, I (Paul) performed in The Comedy Tent at Guilfest music festival. Backstage, I found myself hanging out with comedians Bobby Mair and Darren Walsh. Now Darren has a brand. He’s the “jokes-on-the-street” guy. He riffs puns on the spot based on suggestions from passers-by. Looking for feedback, he rattled through a dozen new gags he'd written that day. All clever. Not all passable, according to Bobby. Harsh, but fair, from Mair.What did I learn? You’ve got to kiss a lot of frogs to find the proverbial Diamond in the Mud. There are gems, but the street (and the audience) will tell you what's working. Branding’s no different.
Something on stage…
Just like in business, improv on stage relies on clarity — fast. You’ve got to establish three things in the first few moments: Who you are, Where you are, and What the situation is. Nail those, and the audience is with you.
So which works better?
“Hi, I'm Dave, your plumber.”or“If I fix this one last pipe, I’m finally retiring. And I’m taking you with me.”
That’s who, where, what, and even why, in one line. Improvisers call that a strong offer. And guess what? Brands need that just as much as scenes do.
“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand” Paul Rand
Something new…
IMPROV Inc. isn’t so new now. We’ve been around nearly two years. But what is new is our website. It began as a holding space while we figured out whatIMPROV Inc. stood for. And as we refined the business, the site stood still. Eventually, it stopped representing what we’re actually here to do.
Not anymore.
Improv teaches us to diverge, to explore, create, play. But good improv also converges. It finds a focus. And that’s what we’ve done. We’ve converged on three strong pillars. Look out for the new look in a week or two.
All the best,
Vic (and Paul)
