Ann Laura-Parks @bemonsterful is here to help make #NAMPC dreams realities - get that executive buy-in http://t.co/GBpSSlhQF2 #ARTSBlog

— AmericansForTheArts (@Americans4Arts) October 10, 2014

This article was originally posted on the Americans for the Arts ARTSBlog on October 10, 2014:

Ever come back from a conference inspired, energized, and ready to unleash your brilliant ideas on your colleagues? You’re cruising along on a creative high until you hear, “That’s a good idea BUT…” followed by the reasons why it can’t be done.

When yours truly was a young worker bee, I heard some reasons that made head/desk contact a regular occurrence:

“We don’t need a blog. Nobody reads those. They are just vanity projects for people with big egos.” – executive director of a large nonprofit

“Why on earth would we ever want to post anything on YouTube?” - marketing director at a federal agency

More likely, though, you’ll hear something like, “I’d love to but we just can’t spare the money/time/staff for that.” If you want to avoid the quick, early death of your idea, getting the go ahead from the authorizers in your organization will be your first challenge.

Read the rest at the ARTSblog >

Terri Longfellow Fuller is creative director and owner of Red Berry. She is an award-winning creative who likes to produce work that is beautiful and relevant. She has served a diverse group of businesses and nonprofits with projects ranging from motion graphics for the Oprah Winfrey Show, to complex design packages for Turner Entertainment, to streamlined campaigns for small organizations.

Two Secrets to Effective Branding - Part One

I am going to share my two best secrets for developing an effective brand. Many organizations do not understand the power of a strong brand identity. But the only way to reach your customer in today’s media-saturated marketplace is with clarity and consistency of message.

Your brand is another’s perception of your product or service. Think personality, character or charisma! At the highest level, a brand is an expression of your company’s essence. At the most basic level, a brand distinguishes you from the competition.

Secret #1: Define your brand at the start.

Terri Longfellow Fuller is creative director and owner of Red Berry. She is an award-winning creative who likes to produce work that is beautiful and relevant. She has served a diverse group of businesses and nonprofits with projects ranging from motion graphics for the Oprah Winfrey Show, to complex design packages for Turner Entertainment, to streamlined campaigns for small organizations.

 Part One: Define your brand at the start >

Two Secrets to Effective Branding - Part Two

Secret #2. Make it all match.

Truly! I’ve built an entire career around the concept of consistency. From online content to the lobby décor, every interaction with your client differentiates your brand. Visual or verbal contradictions can confuse your customer, thus diminishing your business.