Are You Hiding Behind Your Logo?

Jim could barely contain his excitement when he picked up the phone.

Now in his sixties, you would have sworn Jim sounded like a revved up 10-year old; still on a sugar high after a cotton-candy overdose at the county carnival.

For the first time in his storied business career, Jim is expanding beyond his tried-and-true business model as he enters the recreational vehicle market. In addition to used cars, he is adding boats, ATV’s and all kinds of toys for big girls and boys which will fall under the umbrella of his existing brand. But, never in his wildest dreams could Jim have imagined the response his small-town operation is generating from some heavy-hitting international suppliers.

For years, “Canada’s Huggable Car Dealer” has served as a shining example for business owners in any town and any category on how to humanize their brand; in a way that fosters a genuine, more personal connection. 

Jim would be the first to tell you that far too many CEO’s and small business owners are still sitting on the sidelines and not taking advantage of a wide-open window to spark new conversations through digital story-telling. But, no one says you have to sit with the rest of the spectators and second-guessers.

This week, Jim Gilbert will challenge you to re-think whether or not you are Hiding Behind Your Logo with a first-hand account of how a “Heart Video” on the home page of your website can dramatically impact any business and brand – especially in the B2B arena – on this edition of The Reinvention Chronicles.

“When you begin to talk in stories, your black-and-white words turn into color. Your drab requests turn into a mission. People find you to be more compelling. And once that happens, others will see that stories work, and they’ll start telling stories, too”      ANNETTE SIMMONS

On a more personal note, allow me to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day and welcome to the new weekly publishing calendar for The Reinvention Chronicles. Starting today, our weekly posts will be shared bright and early on Wednesday mornings and hopefully give you the opportunity to look forward to something that may re-invigorate you in the middle of the week. It’s something we’ve been mulling over for a while and with a new website and a number of new initiatives in the mix, this felt like as good a time as any to adopt this new mid-week approach.

p.s… As Jim Gilbert so eloquently explained in our conversation, the marketing winners of the future will recognize the advantage in being front-and-center; in putting yourself out there for all the world to see. In case you were curious, this is what Jim Gilbert’s “Heart Video” looks like.

There isn’t a tribal chief or elder who ever handed out statistical reports, charts, graphs or lists of facts to explain where the group is headed or what it must do. Abraham Lincoln did not deliver the “Emancipation Analysis” and Martin Luther King did not proclaim. “I Have a Plan”. If you truly want to move mountains and change the world like my friend Barb Stegemann, you will need to sharpen your story-telling chops as a way to slice through the noise.

Some of the really big boys – like Proctor & Gamble – are starting to take this story-telling stuff more seriously.

You really can tell a story about ANYTHING …even shoes!

Or, you can even create an interesting story around a boring, data-driven subject area like supply-chain management. Here is how Ottawa-based Kinaxis did it.

Are You Planning a Speaking Event for 2018?

As the wheels of business turn faster each quarter, many organizations and trade associations are making plans to stay ahead of the über-fast relevance curve. In that spirit, the 2018 calendar is already getting a little jammed for upcoming conferences and events eager to have Gair Maxwell deliver keynotes and workshops that inspire audiences to achieve a new level of “STADIUM-SIZED PERSPECTIVE”. For booking inquiries, please contact us.

Got Brand?

Looking for help to DIFFERENTIATE your business and brand in 2018? Start HERE.

Could Your Personal Brand Become “Legendary”?

Successfully launched in 2017, Gair has an exclusive 1-on-1 coaching program for entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid of the challenge that goes with punching above their weight class and becoming “larger than life.” It’s called THE LEGENDMAKERS?, based on a coaching model that is heavily influenced by illustrious figures such as King Arthur, Batman, Sir Winston Churchill, Henry Ford, Amelia Earhart, JFK, Vince Lombardi, and Walt Disney, among others. If curious, send us an email.

Explore Other Resources on the Road to Reinvention:

• Could your business become a ‘CATEGORY OF ONE’? Enroll at HUGGABLE UNIVERSITY and get ready to INSPIRE YOUR TEAM & IGNITE YOUR BRAND. Sharing secrets from one of Canada’s greatest small business success stories, our monthly, video-based sessions can help your company discover how to BE DIFFERENT. BE UNTOUCHABLE. BE REMEMBERED. Get Your FREE session now.
• Purchase the critically-acclaimed, NUTS, BOLTS AND A FEW LOOSE SCREWS. Available at Chapters.ca and Amazon.com.
• Decipher the REINVENTION CODE, get updates and continue the DISCUSSION on FACEBOOK.