When I run across an excellent example of branding I want to share it with everyone. And that's just what happened with www.beyondmotherhood.com, the brainchild of Shannon Davis. I stole a few minutes of her time this week to find out how she developed this HR matching site with a twist. Here we go...
Q. Shannon, what are the steps you took to arrive at where you are with your company brand?
A. I had a vision for what I wanted from the beginning. I did the whole research and web tour thing and knew I didn't want to go with a traditional HR "look" with photos of people shaking hands, etc. I knew the colors I liked, I wanted something approachable, grassroots, different than other sites. I found the inspiration for my identity by shopping images at istockphoto.com. I have had great feedback from site visitors and from my printed material.
Q. What print material did you develop to extend your brand offline?
A. We developed business cards, of course, I also created rack cards, bookmarks, and professional posters with tear-off tabs on the bottom. This has been a really great investment and good move, we've gotten alot of mileage from the posters.
Q. What have you learned through launching your site?
A. I think you need to trust the right people and you can't do it alone. When you are working by yourself it's easy to get stuck in your little bubble. I found that working with a board of advisors was really important to help me get out of the bubble. I meet with a couple of them regularly and have informal relationships without at least three more. It has been a tremendous help to me in moving forward, building confidence and believing in the value of my offer. I have also learned to leverage interviews you conduct with experts, i.e. don't ever leave without asking for two or three other names of people you can contact. Often times this is where the mother lode of information lies.
Q. What advice do you have for someone just starting out?
A. Surround yourself with encouragers; don't let other people's negativity drive you down; and stay connected! Join professional groups and associations, there are many virtual organizations to join if you don't have access to many in your community.
Thanks for the advice and encouragement, Shannon, and best wishes for continued success.
Check out Shannon's moxie brand by visiting www.beyondmotherhood.com.