Personality Shelf Life

As RAD enters it's sixth year of business, I have become acutely aware of the shelf life of a business's personality. Everything from the look of it's advertising, website and even it's logo to the culture and attitude within the business itself.  It is one of those things that kinda sneaks up on you in broad daylight.

I have experienced this with clients and right here at RAD. It's an unsettling feeling. It's a sinking feeling really. You are, day by day, becoming boring and irrelevant to your audience. There is always something new and exciting popping up and then there is you. You are slowly but surely becoming "last season" and eventually, if you do nothing, you will smell of mothballs.

Is there a set shelf life for a business's personality? I don't think so. It's a feeling that just comes when it comes. You will feel it in your bones...so to speak. My advice? Do not ignore it. Deal with it immediately. Begin planning how you are going to remain fresh and on the edge.

Redesign, re-brand, rethink, readjust. Your bones and your bottom line with be better for it.

The View

The view out of my car window, in my mailbox, on my computer, in brochure racks and even in some of my favorite publications is not great. More often than not, it stinks. It's what we see all day everyday. From the moment we arise to the moment our heads hit the pillow. This multi-colored, mix-messaged, million-words-per-inch vista that we call advertising is everywhere.

It's like we have lifetime front row seats to a show that makes no sense. To a game that has no rules. To a concert performed ad lib. It's advertising. More specifically, it's advertising with bad design. You see, advertising accompanied by solid design makes sense. We understand it. It speaks to us in ways that we want to be spoken to. It's attractive. Possibly even improves the scenery around us.

The vast advertising landscape is here to stay. I, for one, want a better view.

Success Sans "The Numbers"

As I am reviewing and reflecting on the work RAD has completed in 2010 I begin to ponder a question. Even struggle a bit. Was 2010 a successful year for RAD and it's clients? How does one calculate success? Well, from a business standpoint, I suppose one must use "the numbers". I could go into detail here but we all know about "the numbers". I'm speaking of the lofty numbers that are set in January and seem to fluctuate just enough throughout the year to stay just beyond our reach (kinda like the rabbit on the rail at a Greyhound track). Large companies, small businesses, even solopreneurs create these conspicuous, devilish and often delusional digits.

So I decided to blaze my own trail. Agitate accountants, business people and professors worldwide. I decided to throw out "the numbers". I wanted to determine success sans "the numbers". After all, I am a designer. Numbers aren't really my thing.

First thing's first. Unlike most formulas, mine begins by subtracting a couple elements (probably not acceptable from a mathematics perspective but like I said, I'm a designer). Completely remove society's definition of success. That means how much money was made and how much stuff was acquired. Next, remove ego. O.K., now (however you see fit) factor in the following: overall happiness throughout each workday, how well needs were met, how well proper priorities were maintained, the quality of your relationships with family and friends, time spent away from work and how well resources were allocated. Others could be added, combined or subtracted as one sees fit but you see where I'm going with this.

Bottom line: When it's all over "the numbers" that seem to be the most important now will, I believe, be the one element that matters not. Now there's a formula that makes me smile.

The RAD List

In the past, I would peruse my client list on a regular basis. I had no purpose in mind, no strategy or real reason for doing so. If I were to be painfully honest with myself, it may have been just to pat myself on the back. A few weeks ago, I was again participating in a self gratifying list inspection when it happened. I had a revelation. An epiphany. A sudden insight about the RAD client list that was unseen before this moment.

The people and businesses on the RAD list have something in common that I never noticed before. They are all proactive. They are go-getters. They don't wait around and hope for the best. RAD clients plan their work and work their plan. Always thinking. Adjusting. Innovating. Failure, even mediocracy is not an option. For the people and businesses on the RAD list there seems to be but one option...success.

Right now you may be wondering why this insight is so important to RAD. Well, it tells me who RAD seems to click with. More importantly, it narrows down the list of future clients and as a result, provides RAD with a focus for future growth. That excites me.

BTW...I gave myself a pat on the back for this.

Social Media convert

O.K. I admit it. I was skeptical at first. Maybe even reluctant. I was skeptical that this social media thing was worth my time and reluctant to follow the crowd. I heard people speak of how crazy it was. How awesome it was. Weird. Scary. Cool. Etc. So I tested the waters.

First Facebook. It was everything I had heard. Then LinkedIn. Then Twitter. As with everyone else, I immediately found old friends from high school and college. Colleagues from old jobs. People I had only known for a few months and even people who I did not know I knew. I have been on FB for almost 2 years now and old acquaintances are still finding me and me them.

But after most of my known friends and I found each other something else began to happen. I began to make connections with people within my industry whom I had never met, and would have never met otherwise. Wow. What power. From a business perspective, my eyes were opened. I can find anyone I want and connect with them in a way they like to be connected with. Then move forward from there and see what happens.

I've met some great people and am working with some right now via social media. So you follow me and I'll follow you. You be my friend and I'll be yours. You connect with me and I'll connect with you.

Let me know what you think...

Hey everybody. If you don't mind drop me a line and let me know what you think about the website. What you like and what you think I should add or improve. Thanks!

Logos, Logos, Logos

I am working on a couple logos right now for some great clients. Great logos are hard to come by! Designing just the perfect mark with the perfect message can be a challenge. Sometimes the ideas flow quickly and the design follows smoothly. That's a beautiful thing. Other times, hours fly by and your still searching every crack and crevice of your brain in hopes of uncovering the answer. But when you finally find it, shape it and present it...it satisfies (better than a Snicker's Bar).