| A graphic designer spoke to me last week. His | | | | material. That's when you introduce your other |
| graphic design firm -- let's call it XYZ Design -- | | | | company, "JKL Graphic Design" and "PQR Web |
| was numero uno in designing labels for a large | | | | Design". Same company, different positioning and |
| wine company. Let's call that ABC Wines. Now | | | | certainly different brand names. What this does, is |
| ABC wines had some really super wines. They | | | | it helps clients compartmentalize their thinking. |
| loved the incomparable graphic design of XYZ | | | | They now think you have specialist groups |
| design, and continued to use them for several of | | | | working on specialist projects taking extra special |
| their major brands. This one client alone generated | | | | attention.This Does Two Things...1) It helps each |
| tons of work and income for XYZ design right | | | | of your businesses take on a 'character' of its |
| through the year.Then It Happened...ABC Wines | | | | own without affecting the other, much like Air |
| sold out to another wine company. This new wine | | | | New Zealand is premium and Freedom Air is |
| company had its own in-house graphic designers. | | | | budget. The public knows they're one company |
| That effectively meant XYZ Design's income and | | | | but still compartmentalizes them into two. You |
| work flow were severely hit, causing them to | | | | can change the character of each company, and |
| scramble for new clients to fill the gap."If only I | | | | help boil it down to the smallest possible niche, |
| had done what you said," said the owner of XYZ | | | | making you an expert in the category.2) The |
| Design, " and not line extended into web design | | | | client sees your multiple brands as different |
| and other forms of graphic design and | | | | brands. When they need web design services, or |
| communication, I would have gone down the | | | | when they need to recommend them, they call |
| gurgler too"Not true.Line extension doesn't mean | | | | the web design experts. And so on with graphic |
| you run just one business or have one | | | | design and wine labels or just about anything that |
| product.No, it doesn't mean that at all.Multi-tasking | | | | you are handling.Everyone Loves A |
| existed long before the advent of computers and | | | | SpecialistWould you allow a GP to work on your |
| the more skills you have, the better off you are | | | | triple bypass? OR would you prefer a heart |
| in today's world. However, you have to name | | | | specialist? Even better, a doctor who does only |
| each 'twin' differently to give it a very distinct | | | | triple bypass surgery? If you feel the difference, |
| identity. When you do that, your client recognises | | | | so does your client and to ignore this basic human |
| the difference and chooses that 'twin' for its own | | | | instinct is to do so at your own risk.How It Works |
| individual personality and character.How Do You | | | | Not Just In Business But In The Workplace TooIf |
| Line Extend Without Line ExtendingIn the case of | | | | you're working in a job, the same rule applies. Be |
| XYZ Design, it would have to work in this manner. | | | | known as a genius for something. Know how |
| To all wine companies, they would enter the door | | | | several things work. But branding yourself in one |
| as a 'wine label design Specialist.' To every wine | | | | skill makes you the expert. Every time the |
| company in the country and overseas, they | | | | company has a fire in that section, you will be |
| would be known, not as XYZ Design but more so, | | | | known for your fire-fighting skills.On an ordinary |
| as XYZ Wine Design Specialists.'This would give | | | | basis, most employees are not known for any |
| the wine companies a specialist to deal with. It | | | | particular skill and wonder why they are on top of |
| would help XYZ Wine Design specialists to build | | | | the redundancy list. Bosses don't know what you |
| their reputation in the wine industry to a point | | | | do and why you're special, because you haven't |
| where if any wine company decided to design a | | | | been doing the 'branding bit'. It's better to be a |
| label, XYZ Design would be one of the main | | | | specialist than the 'safe unknown.'As Dire Straits |
| contenders.Now, wine companies don't do just | | | | sang in one of their songs, "Sitting on the fence is |
| labels. They do brochures, leaflets, annual reports, | | | | a dangerous course: You could get a bullet from |
| websites and tons of other stuff. Your question | | | | the peace keeping force."Funny (But True) |
| would be, how can I afford to lose out on that | | | | Phrases When You Forget To Obey The |
| market?Why You Never Lose Out On The Rest | | | | RulesJack of all trades, master of none. A bird in |
| Of The StuffIt's called backdoor entry. Everyone | | | | the hand, is worth two in the bush. And the best |
| (including your competition) is banging on the front | | | | one of all: Keep it simple, stupid!Keep putting these |
| door, trying to get in. You, on the other hand, | | | | principles in action and you will see a marked |
| quietly slip in through the backdoor, pick your | | | | improvement in your business.Wouldn't you love |
| goodies and slip out.This is how it works in | | | | to stumble upon a secret library of small business |
| practice. If you do really good work designing | | | | ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas on |
| wine labels, it's almost inevitable that clients will | | | | marketing strategy, psychological tactics, and |
| ask you if you can design other associated | | | | branding. |