Nathan Sarlow at Cobalt Cow Creative had a pretty great idea for a blogging project. Allow logo designers to design logos for each other anonymously to see how they interpret the other designer’s vision and work. Nathan included 11 different designers in the project, including me. Below is how Trish Schaefer of Contemporary Native interpreted “eGrace Creative.” And definitely click here or on the image below to read the whole project post.

By the way, Trish’s brief (explanation) of her design is on the post too.

If you haven’t visited LogoPond, you should, and you should bookmark it and subscribe to their feed. This goes for potential clients too, so that you can understand why your logo designer doesn’t want a 3d rotating rainbow in your logo. Here are some of my recent favorites…

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I see sites popping up all the time that offer logos for $99 or so, and they all promise to deliver a “brand.” They don’t know your company, they don’t understand your vision, but they are great with vector art. Their popularity reflects a terrible misunderstanding about branding and it is that a logo is not a brand and a brand is not a logo.

What is a brand? It’s a story. It compels people to listen and respond. Why is Target able to target a different shopper than Wal-Mart? Why do you keep buying the same potato chips, t-shirts, and deodorant? Because you’re familiar with the story of the product. Don’t misunderstand. You probably have no clue who runs the company or how large it is – and that’s not the story I’m talking about anyways. Here’s the scoop on the story…

• Target sells nicer stuff in a nicer way.
• Lay’s potato chips are better than the generic ones.
• Kids’ cereals are chock-full of vitamins.
• The latest exercise tape will give you tons of energy.
• Nike thinks you’re a great athlete.

Are these true? We have no idea, but we often believe the story, so we listen and we buy. If you want a logo for $99 you’re sure to find a company that will churn one out for you, but don’t believe for a second that they are offering you a “brand.” What’s your story? Are you telling it well? The only way to answer that is to find out whether people believe it or not.

I just finished reading a great article on GetEntrepreneurial.com written by Terri Zwierynski about marketing yourself honestly. She asserts that putting lipstick on a pig doesn’t necessarily help as much as honesty and self-disclosure, and I must surely agree.

When I started eGrace Creative, I used the word “we” a lot, as in, “we” offer web design services. Now, I offer my services. I’m also honest with people that web design and marketing aren’t the real priorities of my life. My faith, family, and ministry come before any creative design work. I think this is an important marketing principle. You can probably generate more sales by being a little dishonest in an attempt to build credibility. But in the end, you actually hurt your integrity with others. I think this is why some of the world’s greatest salespeople aren’t very well-liked – they are too good at being salespeople and not really that great at just being people.

As you develop the marketing of your business, you also have to consider that every business has a human side. Your personality will drive your business, especially if you are the owner or manager – people will follow you and fit the mold you cast, so it’s important to work on being the best you that you can possibly be. After all, God only made one of you!

Our church is located on a major highway in Bentonville, Arkansas, the home of Wal-Mart. About 250 people attend a couple of services in a building that seats less than 200. Imagine if we had a tiny little 2′ x 3′ church sign on cardboard, or imagine if we had a Vegas-style blinking billboard. Instead, we have a church sign that proportionally matches our congregation. Why? We want to be honest and let people know when they turn in what kind of church they are attending.

When you over-market yourself, you’ll disappoint people. On the other hand, if you lay the false humility on too thick, you won’t inspire confidence in clients. So be yourself, but be positive. Think bigger, but be realistic and let people see the human behind the business.