Justin and Mary had me quest posting over on their blog last week while they are off doing a workshop in Australia! LUCKIES!!! They asked me to write about my first 3 suggestions for defining a brand when you are just getting started! Their audience is mostly photographers, so I wrote it geared towards that industry. But after re-reading what I wrote I think there are a lot of things to be taken and applied to different industries. So, I thought I would share it with you! Here it goes:

Everything you do in your business is a representation of your brand. How you respond to emails, how you post processes your images, or how you conduct your client meeting can all be a representation of your “brand”. And your visual identity (which is your logo, website, or print materials) will help showcase that brand and tell a brand’s story. So, before you jump straight into the designing phase… you first need to define what your brand IS!! Most people never think to start the process with DEFINING the brand first, and instead start designing blindly almost like attempting to design a book cover before the book has even been written. What happens is the design won’t be a true reflection of the book at all. You will just be shooting in the dark and may end up with a visual identity that represents other people’s expectations, fluff, and trends, rather than encompassing the nitty gritty of who YOU are. So here are my top 3 tips for avoiding that!

1 // STUDY YOUR BUSINESS
The first step towards identifying a brand is studying your business. And to study your business you must get experience doing it! Shoot, shoot, shoot, develop a process, work with different types of clients, learn who you are and how you work. You will learn what you love and what you hate about your new business. And all of this information is so important and valuable as you move forward, and you will learn all kinds of things that you would have never guessed otherwise. My main point here is to encourage you to get experience doing what you do, and take however long you need to. In the meantime you’ll still need a way to present your work. So I would suggest a very simple website that puts the focus on your work and not on any particular graphics.

2 // COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN
Now that you have gained experience and studied your business. You have learned all kinds of things about your self and about your business. So, USE those things to your advantage. Identify and decide upon the key components in your business that make you unique and different. This is where your “brand” starts to take shape. Here are a few questions that might help you articulate your unique point of view: What are you passionate about in your business? What makes you different from your competitors? What are you most confident in in your business? Now, how can you creatively push that forward or up a notch? Can you specialize in any of these things? Take some of these traits and make them the focus in your business. For example: If you are most confident in your interactions with your clients… why not flip over to video mode and capture some of the fun you are having at each shoot?!? Make these short videos a fun staple in your business for clients to look forward too. That way you are building upon your strength and pushing it forward and up a notch for people to really take notice.

3 // SHOWCASE IT
Now this is where the visual fun comes in. Obviously my favorite part….because I’m a designer. Now that you have done all the hard work, you have gained experience, and written the book… you are now ready to design the book cover. The main goal here is to showcase everything you learned in phase 2 while representing your personal style and attracting your dream clients. Start this step by collecting visual inspiration that represents YOU and your personal style. And when you are ready… send everything to your hired professional designer. Be sure to collect and curate items that mean something to you… not just random items that you found on Pinterest. Pinterest is a great resource for inspiration… but I would encourage you to know what you are looking for when you log on! Here are several ways to curate items that are unique to YOU! 1 // Browse your closet for suggested color schemes, patterns, and overall style. Jot them down then hit Pinterest with your list. 2 // Create a personal profile that includes everything about you and pull out words that have visuals associated with them. For Example: Let’s say you love making crafts. Explore the different craft supplies that you use on a regular basis. Feathers? glitter? fabric? lace? buttons? etc. Jot those down and then hit Pinterest with that list as well.

I hope some of these tips have helped! You will find that your brand will always be changing, evolving, and growing. And that’s what you want and need from your business. By approaching your brand by defining it before you try to design it, you can make sure that your brand is always a reflection of you as you grow & evolve with it.

Sometimes you just want to collaborate with your friends. Do YOU? I do. So we did.

We wanted to have fun, collaborate, throw around some cool ideas, think freely, inspire each other, have a really amazing weekend, and create something awesome for someone…. or for 10 someones! So, my friend Nathan Braceros and I collaborated on a website design that will only be available for 10 people to purchase through my company called SiteHouse.

I started this company to offer really cool websites where people can buy them and make them their own. I am a lover of originality, so the idea of selling “templates” wasn’t really an idea I was into until I explored the possibility of this concept. I then realized that I could make it what I wanted. I could make it cool, exclusive, and completely customizable enabling people to create a unique custom site for themselves starting with my design as the foundation. Basically, I wanted to create something that I would want to buy. That all became possible with Showit’s drag and drop website creating software. No coding necessary. It’s drag and drop. It’s like Photoshop that codes itself, and that gets me really excited because there is truly nothing like it out there. It’s  something that I can get behind, promote, celebrate, and be a part of.

WHY WE COLLABORATED
If you asked any business man in the world he would probably say that our collaboration effort was not a “smart” business move because only 10 of these designs are available for purchase. Wen they are gone, they are GONE!!! DONE! Never to make a penny again.

The reason we did this was because of YOU! I’ll explain why:
1. We value uniqueness. We created an exclusive option for a select few that didn’t want a standard “template” offered by other cookie cutter companies, and didn’t want a completely custom website either. Only offering 10 sites guarantees that the chances are very slim that anyone would have a design that looks like yours. Plus with the ability to completely customize the design, that drops your chances to zero of having a site that looks like anyone else. The power is in YOUR hands to make it want you want.

2. We felt that two designer heads were better than one – two professional designers getting together, throwing around ideas and executing the best possible options. We were refreshed, energized and our inspiration endorphins were at their best to say the least. hahaa. Okay that sounds weird. But getting to collaborate with your friends and getting refreshed and inspired is a COMPLETELY different type of paycheck in the end. That’s the type of paycheck that I want more of.

All of that being said, I am really excited that we took this chance and stepped out on the limb to try something new and differen that ultimately benefits EVERYONE in the end! I LOVE helping creative businesses, and if this is the small role I can play I AM STOKED to be able to do it!

ABOUT THE DESIGN
Above are a few screenshots from the design. It has a classic rock and roll feel to it. It’s typography based making the site complete with visually pleasing photo galleries paired with sleek bold typography. The design has room for so much personality to be displayed! Talk about making it your own!? I can’t wait to see what people do with the room for descriptions, intros, and extended about sections. My favorite feature of this site is the four different gallery options. Everyone likes their images displayed just the way they like them, and this design let’s you choose and enable the one that you are most drawn to. I think that’s a really powerful feature – one not to miss. You can view more of the details on the website. Also, Check out the matching Client Site that comes with the design.

The photos that were used in the site are by the beautiful and talented Andria Lindquist!  The RAD video was by Jason Smart.

In another life I think I would be a cat lady! Ya know… one of those ladies that wears layers of really bright colors, has crazy hair, lots of bracelets, and doesn’t leave her house? YUP!!! I COULD BE one of those ladies. Minus the cats. I like cats…. but I like my puppy more. Can I admit something that is going to make you think less of me?!??!! I have *not* left the house (in a car) since Sunday!!! SUUNNNDAAAYYYY!!!

Do you think less of me now?
I think my “normal” friends do. They think it’s crazy. And that maybe I have a problem sometimes.
BUT, I think it’s crazy that we travel so much. So much that I almost NEED 5 days to recover at home…especially an introvert. Like me. Well, I think the Personality People would call me a “social introvert” or something like that. Is this something you can relate to? Please tell me yes! heh!

Here are some snapshots from this past week! I had some friends in town last weekend to shoot a video of the behind the scenes process for a Site House limited edition design that we are launching next week! There’s a small preview at the bottom of this post! You can also see the video on my Facebook page. I am posting there a lot now!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Promise Tangeman-Wurzell, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU! I’m pretty sure I’m the luckiest guy in the world to be able to call you my wife. This day, 3 years ago, marked the beginning of the best decision I have ever made in my life…marrying you! One of my great joys in being married to you is HIJACKING your blog to tell the world how much I love you (I even tried to resize the pictures to get the sizes right…how’d I do? haha.)!

I remember on this day, 3 years ago, feeling an overwhelming and indescribable joy as I got ready to watch you walk down the aisle so we could make this thing official. It was the perfect setting with all of our family, friends and loved ones. I remember arriving to the University of Redlands anticipating seeing you for the very first time…and WOW did you look good. Like…WOW!!!!! The picture below is right before you tapped me on my shoulder so that I could see you in all of your wedding day beauty…I think my heart must have been ready to explode in nervous excitement.

I remember you tapping my shoulder, turning around and being overtaken by the fullness of your beauty! Do you remember? And then I cried (and I still cry when I think about it)…I cried because I could not believe you chose me and that God had led us to be together. I cried because the beauty you possess is one that encompasses the fullness of who you are and as much as your striking beauty on the outside is obvious, so it is with the WHOLE of who you are. I cried because I knew that I was marrying a women that wanted to follow Jesus with me however that looked. I cried because I knew that you really, truly loved me for being uniquely me…just as I am…no strings attached. I cried because WE WERE BECOMING ONE and that’s worth crying about when you really think about it!!

Promise, you are the joy of my life. There is such a thing as unforeseen gifts and I have to say that being able to call you my wife is the pinnacle of those kinds of gifts for me. You are grace displayed to me in human flesh, every day.

I want the world to know how much I LOVE YOU! I want EVERYONE that I know and everyone that you know to know that I AM YOUR HUSBAND and that YOU CHOSE ME (somehow you got the short end of the deal here!).

Anytime I get the chance to talk about you, I just smile. I smile because I know that we get to spend the rest of our lives together enjoying all that God is leading us into! What a ride…thank you, Lord!

So here’s to 3 years & to many many more! Promise, I love you with all of my heart & you have me completely! Thanks for loving me so well and for being the best wife I could have ever been given. You are truly gift! Smile today…you are loved!!! Happy 3rd Anniversary, Lover!

I leave you with OUR song and the soundtrack to our first dance 3 years ago! The words are still true of what I want to say to you 3 years later! I LOVE YOU and ‘Let’s Stay Together’ in all that we do!!!!!!!!!! Happy Anniversary!!!!

A fellow designer (and quite amazing might I add) asked a GREAT question in a design group and I thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion today. She asked:

How do I break up with a lead? After having a conversation with them I just don’t feel like we’re a good match. I’m wondering how I nicely convey that to them without making them feel unwanted. 

Although we all wish we could take on every inquiry…it’s just not a reality. We need to create a balance between good opportunities, inspiring opportunities, & money making opportunities to keep us inspired & push our business forward. But sometimes we get too far into a conversation or design lead… just to realize it’s not going to work. Maybe we’re just not inspired for it, it’s out of our technical abilities, or  it’s too time intensive for our current schedule, etc. For whatever reason it is… my advice would be to keep the clients BEST INTEREST in mind. Because let’s be real, if you were the client you would NOT want someone taking on your project if they didn’t want to do it, weren’t passionate about it, or weren’t skilled enough for the job.

So, I’ll share the way I handle this situation and then I would love to hear how you handle it. Here it goes:
I take whatever it is that isn’t a good match, spin it in a positive light (considering I have their best interest in mind) and then suggest someone else for the job. For example: Let’s say the client needs and wants a clean corporate design… and personally, I am skilled and passionate about working with artsy/creative clients not corporate clients. This is what the response *could* look like:

“It was great talking with you and finding out more about your business. I agree with you that a straightforward corporate design is the best way to go for the direction you are heading. Unfortunately corporate design is not a focus of expertise in my business right now and therefore I don’t believe I would be the best fit for the job. I do know of some people that are KILLING it in corporate design and I can give you their contact info if you are interested!! I am really excited to see where your business takes you in 2012…yada yada”

I believe it’s important to say that you are not the best fit for “the job” as opposed to “not the best fit for YOU”. That makes it less personal and keeps it focused on the project.

So what about you? How do you handle breaking up with a lead? And what are your thoughts in response to this approach?

LET’S DO A MEET & GREET!
Starting NOW!!
1 // Name, 2 // what you do, and 3 // any links you want (Facebook, website, etc)
Can’t wait to read and go-a-clickin! And hopefully you all will have some new finds to check out! Don’t leave here without chiming in!

There is also one going on over on my Facebook page if you want to participate in that one as well.

photo by Andria Lindquist

I always love changing things up, whether it be my work environment, the arrangement of my rooms, closet organization, laptop filing system etc. So, today I revamped my desktop with this design I created including this great quote I found last week. I love the reminder and I think we can live to express a lot of different things in our lives: thankfulness, patience, our faith, our story, our need for each other, and our need for God.

I hope you enjoy it, and use it… as it’s a great reminder, especially staring you in the face in the middle of your desktop. haha. Here are a few standard sizes below. Love you guys & girls! Thank you so much for your love and support for my life and for my craft. I appreciate YOU!!

13in laptop (1280 x 800), 15in laptop (1440 x 900) 17in laptop (1920 x 1200)

I am sooo excited for everyone that registered for the SiteHouse Go live Event that I announced on wednesday!! It’s going to be KILLA!!!

Release day!! This has been on the radar and in the works for sometime now and we are really really excited about the opportunities & possibilities with this new SiteHouse workshop called the Sitehouse GO LIVE EVENT! It is a two day intensive workshop for photographers that want to learn the ShowIt software, implement their SiteHouse design, ask questions, get feedback, and prepare to hit publish all in two days! It’ s kind of like your college all-nighter work party without the all-nighter (or so we hope). We will be laughing hard, eating well, and making new friends while we’re at it. We will be taking goooooood care of you, and together we will create a fresh online presence that you will be proud to call your own. The first one will be held on June 19th-20th in Phoenix Arizona. HECK YEA!!!

EEEKKKK!!!! Check out the website for the full details and agenda. Email us with any questions at info(at)pomisetangeman(dot)com. Spaces are extremely limited for this event!

HOPE TO SEE YOU IN PHOENIX!!

I have a little house tour for you today! It’s always been a work in progress for sure… but just as of lately I have been enjoying making it, well, more of a HOME in some ways. Little personal and quirky touches that make it US! haha. And our new little pup adds SOOO much!! haha! I still have tons to do but I like where it’s going, I think. I hope you have a GREAT monday!

I have a special announcement on Wednesday for all you SiteHousers. GET READY!!!

Well hello!! I am back this week with a fun and *simple* project that I just finished for my home. I have been enjoying doing some home improvement projects the last couple of weeks, so I hope to maybe post a little house tour soon. We shall see. But until then I wanted to share with you a very simple art installation project. I realized that my downstairs didn’t really have any personal photos, clippings or anything to make it, well, a “home”. So I got a few photos printed, used some items found around my home, and busted out a simple, yet effective little art installation for my kitchen… and I also captured the process for you to check out too.

If you have been around here for a while you probably know that I like to repurpose simple items around my home in unique ways. For example: THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, and THIS. I think a DIY should be just that… DO IT YOURSELF!!! and anything with sewing, building, or reconstructing anything serious is certainly NOT a DIY. haha. Well, in my opinion that just gets crazy! I like simple, easy, and stupid proof for a true DIIY project. haha.

In this DIY we are striping clothespins, stringing wire around nails, and hanging our photos. Sound easy enough? Here it goes:

0 // INGREDIENTS
Personal photos, scraps, or clippings, sharpie pen, clothes pins, nails, wire, and a hammer (I didn’t display a hammer…oops. I just use anything heavy around…like my measuring tape)

1 // STRIPE CLOTHES PINS
Yep!! It’s as easy as it looks people. All I did was draw lines on the clothes pins with a sharpie marker. I just eye-balled it. Some stripes are uneven, etc. And I think that adds character. #stupidproof

2 // SELECT PHOTOS & CLIPPINGS
I put together some of my favorite photos, scraps, and paper. I made little groupings of what I thought looked good together.

3 // SECURE NAILS AND WIRE
I wanted 3 strips of wire in my space, so I just eye-balled where I wanted to put the nails and wire.They are all different heights for a fun variation! I put the nails in first… then wrapped the wire around the nails.

4 // HANG PHOTOS & IMAGES
I took the clothes pins and hung up the collection of images. I rearranged it a few times until it was pleasing to the eye.

I hope you enjoyed this simple tutorial. Link up in the comments if you try it!! I would love to see.