A fun part of any design process is choosing color. Color will play an important role in many aspects of your marketing and will be very useful when used effectively. For this particular blog I want to talk a little about color and color accents. And no, this is not a Pinterest blog, we’re not…
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My good friend Judy Ryan likes to say that all human actions, feelings, and reactions are driven by two things, and two things alone – love and fear. When you’re in a state of love, you’re willing to be open, accepting, transparent, and vulnerable. When in fear, you’re guarded, limited, and seek protection at all…
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The other day at the coffee shop I overheard a conversation between two business owners. They were talking about having a new “brand” designed. It didn’t take long for me to figure out that they were really talking about their logo. They discussed the fact that their “brand” looked tired and out of date. As…
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Kolbeco has been around 17 years. In that time, we have watched some businesses explode and some implode. So, as we have reflected on the successes and failures, we see a common theme. The ability of the organization to develop a clear mission, their brand, the ability to hustle and to think through the details…
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Terrible grammar, I know. Before you call the grammar police, let me explain. My business mantra is that marketing and operations are connected. What I’ve found is that the aspect of BEING is often forgotten in the world of marketing. What I mean is this: living out your brand (or failing to do so) has…
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Tis the season for the Fall Freakout over anything minutely related to “pumpkin spice.” The mere announcement that pumpkin spice lattes are coming at Starbucks causes many in the yoga pants wearing community into a fitted frenzy. Beer lovers wait feverishly at the turn of the fall leaves for their beloved pumpkin beer to hit…
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The rules that govern most human relationships in the business world are the same ones from the high school cafeteria. As supposed adults, our bodies may get bigger, but our systems for understanding the people around us tend to advance very little. Often an entrepreneur or executive will do and say what they must to…
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One state in particular has a cult following and you can see their state flag throughout the world. What state is that you ask? It is Colorado. But when you see their flag, it isn’t only flying high next to a bunch of other flags. It is on people’s hats, shirts, hoodies, socks, bikinis… You…
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I don’t know what it is like at the Volkswagen offices as of late. But it must smell a lot like a funeral. A few weeks back, the news broke that VW had purposely tried to defraud their customers and governments with the environmental claims of some of their vehicles. Then they lied about doing…
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Most of the time, when I talk about a brand making an emotional connection, I’m concerned with connecting to a chosen audience. But what about you, a business leader, being emotionally connected to your own brand? After all, it all starts with you and your team, believing in your brand promise, living it each day,…
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