I’m acquainted with a professional artisan who does no advertising. She doesn’t have a blog, a Facebook fan page, Etsy shop or Twitter account. She has studio staff and has grown a successful small business.
Want to know her secret?
She does everything deliberately.
The proof is right in front of you
Encounter her at a show and it’s obvious—her work is beautifully designed and expertly executed. Her booth is elegant, well-lit, and professional. There are no stools or chairs in the booth—no one lounges around eating a sandwich or reading a newspaper. Price tags are visible, but unobtrusive. Her carefully-chosen packaging works perfectly with her business cards, her display, and her product.
There’s no hard sell. As a customer, you’re greeted with a relaxed smile. If you need a special order, there’s no hemming or hawing—you’re told how long the order will take, and it will be delivered on time.
You get executive class treatment.
No one has to tell you it’s executive class. The proof is right in front of you. In fact, if that message was presented to you literally, it would take away from your experience.
Your reputation is your brand
This artisan makes beautiful, high-quality work and provides excellent customer service. The feeling you get when you walk into her booth, the visual appeal of her work, the feel of it in your hands, the way she interacts with you—all these elements have helped her establish an excellent reputation.
The total experience she gives her customers establishes that reputation—in other words, it builds her brand.
I’ve had the opportunity to talk with her about how she started out. She approached her business with unflinching intention. She got good training. She knew what she wanted to do, and was sure enough of what she was creating, both in her art and her professional practice, to confidently ignore some pointed advice from a mentor. She learned how to present her work in its best light and how to keep her customers happy.
She goes to the right venues. She knows not every show is a good show. She takes the time to find out which shows are good for her, and which ones to avoid.
She treats her customers the way she expects to be treated, and her standards are high.
Yes, you can
You may have noticed I haven’t identified the artisan by name or medium. There are two reasons for this: first, she’s a private person and I don’t have her permission to say who she is, so I’m not telling. Second, and more important, identifying her medium opens the door for yes-buts. Yes, but everybody likes… yes, but the price is…
Nope.
I know people doing different kinds of work who are equally successful. Medium is not relevant to this discussion.
Set your intention
The biggest takeaway I can give you is this: there is absolutely no sense of hesitation. Everything is done with purpose. Everything. Design, execution, display, packaging, public interaction, even communication with staff. The intention behind every business decision does not waver, and it’s obvious.
You can achieve the same results in a way that aligns with your own work. If you’re eco-conscious and have no budget, you can make packaging out of newspapers and twine. You don’t apologetically or hastily crunch it around your work—you fold it beautifully to create packaging that will delight your customer.
You decide you want something special, and you figure out how to do it. You give that to your audience. You figure out a way you can afford to do it in terms of both materials and time (and you price everything properly). You don’t fret and say, “I can’t possibly…” and list a dozen reasons why you will fail—you say, “I’m going to learn how to make this work.”
You set your intention, you maintain your purpose, you follow through. People notice. You build your brand.
Over to you: does this case study change the way you think about a brand? Where do you look for examples of creatives who really set the bar?
Possibly related posts:
Stacey, you’ve hit the nail on the head. If you’re not sure of who you are, or what your brand represents, how can you expect others to be? She sounds like a wonderful example for everyone: not just creatives. Thanks for sharing this story.
[Reply]
Stacey Cornelius Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 12:57 pm
I think sometimes we feel so self-conscious we forget that, Pamela. But it’s really the most sensible way to go about it.
[Reply]
What a great story! I love how you emphasize the leverage point to success is making the most of what you have and using the tools that resonate for you to their best advantage. Plus the regular dose of Stacey “excuses will not help you create better art or sell more of it.”
[Reply]
Stacey Cornelius Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Like Popeye says, “I yam what I yam.” It works for crafting your personal brand and writing about it
[Reply]
I’ve said it before… design your business around YOU. She clearly has done exactly that. She has decided what kind of business and client she wants and works towards that end. It is what making a great business is all about. I suspect you enjoys what she does far more than the one who makes no concrete decisions and simply throws darts at the wall in an attempt to make something stick.
Xllent post, xllent reminder.
[Reply]
Stacey Cornelius Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:00 pm
I agree, Yolanda. When you have your feet under you, it shines through. When you’re not sure why you do what you do, that sense of unease is also apparent.
[Reply]
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by thestudiosource: Creatives: how intention makes a brand (new post): http://bit.ly/cJFBAA...
When you simply “be yourself” coming up with a brand isn’t that difficult to do.
People who come up with “fake brands” around something they really don’t believe in will be uncovered quickly – especially with the way social networking works. What is that 5,000+ year old oracle advice? Know Thyself? 
[Reply]
This was a knock upside the head today. I’m sitting here scrunched over my work and feeling like I’m losing out to the pressure to keep it affordable. Meanwhile, I’m not taking any time to work new designs or delight myself with my own work.
Duh.
And thanks.
[Reply]
As you know, we English love our pubs. It’s become quite a trend over the last 10 years for gastropubs where the food is excellent and people come for that more than they do to drink.
Outside most pubs in the UK there is a sign that says – ‘good pub food served here’. Except for the gastropubs – they don’t need a sign. You can just tell the moment you see it what kind of food and service you are getting.
Sounds like your artisan is the same. The irony is if you go to pub that boasts what wonderful food they serve, you can guarantee they don’t!
You are absolutely right, branding needs to be well thought out and permeate everything you do. No obnoxious sign needed.
[Reply]
Ohh, and how key it is to select the best venues. Product – whatever that may be and whether for sale or not – placement is key.
I’ve made it my mission to only write for pay. Why? There seems to be a 1-to-1 ratio. It’s a misconception to think that you will gain anything for free. 0 dollars out, will eventuallly pull nothing in.
[Reply]
Stacey Cornelius Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Exactly. If you try to run a business on the cheap that *looks* like you’re running it on the cheap, and people will believe you. Show clearly that you believe in what you’re doing, start to finish, and that message comes across, too.
[Reply]
Stacey, you make an important point. The kind of deliberateness you mention is the result of thinking through how you perceive yourself which leads to the perception other people have of you.
Because I have photos for exhibits professionally printed and framed, I am perceived as a “professional” although I make very little money at photography yet. It’s part of branding (as you would agree). Just because I don’t make money at it does not mean that I will present my work in any way other than at its best, at MY best.
On the other hand, I don’t give my work away, either, except rarely as gifts to friends.
It’s taken years (10, now?) of annual exhibits of professionally presented photos but I’m finally reaping some rewards. If the photos weren’t well-presented, I wouldn’t be invited to exhibit year after year.
[Reply]
Stacey Cornelius Reply:
February 27th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
And if people didn’t respond to the work, all your professional framing would be money lost for good. It starts with the work, but if you don’t treat it like you really care about it, others won’t, either.
[Reply]
Epic quote: You set your intention, you maintain your purpose, you follow through. People notice. You build your brand.
Great post!
[Reply]