Fly on the E-Commerce Cyberwall

Everything Communicates
I got an email from my daughter. She wanted to bounce some ideas about her business off of me. She runs a growing business that offers acting workshops to children. And one of the things she asked my opinion on was a possible logo change.

She currently uses the traditional drama masks as part of her logo, and has commissioned a more contemporary version of them as a new logo. As I compared the two, it suddenly dawned on me that neither one communicated what her workshops are about.

The drama masks communicate traditional, classical theatre. Her workshops are filled with innovative theatre games that are as much about fostering experimentation and growth as they are about learning to act. And some of the new workshop series that she's developing go even farther into the realm of personal growth.

I suggested she look in another direction for her logo, one that better communicates the idea of exploration and personal growth along with the idea of theatre. I'm not sure what direction she'll go, but my reaction to her logos got me thinking about how easy it is to lose your direction in business when you get yourself married to a particular pet idea.

All of us are vulnerable to these pet ideas. I've had to root out lots of them as I've built my business. They're usually some of the first ideas we come up with that then simply get stuck in our minds. We move forward with them, never questioning them. They become the foundation of our other ideas. And then, suddenly, comes that moment of discovery where we realize, "What was I thinking? That doesn't work at all!"

At least we realize it if we remain open to constantly reevaluating and reassessing everything about our business. Keep a critical eye constantly on your business. Look for better ways to communicate your message in everything you do. Nothing should ever be set in stone. Keep it growing; keep it alive.
Jeff