Monoculture: How we Can Change the Story

Monoculture: How One Story is Changing Everything by F.S. Michaels is one of these books. It made me stop and think at the end of every chapter and confirmed some of my thinking. I found the chapter about the Arts very interesting, especially how in the past everything we made with our hands was Art and not just Fine Arts.

Moaning about how things aren't as they should be and how everything has become about economics is not really effective. The last chapter of the book really shows that there is another way of doing things.

We make our own stories and decide which ones we want to live in. If you don't agree with what is happening then change it. You don't need someone's approval, just do it. If you need an approval, then you have mine. If you want to make the world a better place, then show it with your actions. If you want to be with someone that is from a completely different background than you, then be with them. If you want to work with a start-up even though it's a very high risk, then do it. If you want to improve education, then start supporting your local groups. Even one person can make a difference.

Stop evaluating things with an economic lens and focus on your passion and what makes you feel good. As the author says at the end of the book (spoiler alert):

The choice is yours.
What stories will you live?
What stories will you tell? 

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

Most Valuable First

The best way I've found to start the day, is working on things that are of most value to me. Whether that's writing, working on a project or taking a walk and thinking, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you do something that inspires you.

If you don't start the day with something of value, you run the risk of spending your day endlessly chasing emails, checking social media, browsing websites and doing busywork. 

What I've found is that when I focus on what's of value to me, then I have one of those days that I feel like I have achieved so much and when I look at the clock it's still 3pm.

Try it out and let me know how it works for you.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

The Value of a Brand

There I was sitting at the presentation room observing the discussions between two "big" companies. The one, a very well known FMCG brand. The other, an eager service provider hungry to sign a new contract.

Everything was going well, the client liked the proposal but then started discussing a point that was missed on purpose during the presentation. The buyer (big FMCG brand) was asking for a sign-on bonus from the supplier. The reason behind it? Their brand is so big and so valuable that just mentioning the supplier's name in the press release would have an impact on their reputation and share price.

That's how valuable a brand name can be. It can affect not only your future but also the future of the people you work with. Investing on your brand is a wise choice and something that lately even affects the financial value of a company.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

The Luxury of Simplicity

Your customers are always looking for the greatest comfort and to feel that they are taken care of. They want this luxury in order to feel that they matter to you and that you are doing your best to serve them.

By simplifying you will be able to provide this luxury to them. If what you have created is easy to use, works well and feels effortless when using it, then people will love your services and products. As I posted last week, not only will they choose you over your competition, they will also be willing to pay a premium for it.

Think of all the big brands and the luxury brands, most of them use simplicity to their advantage in their communication, design and aesthetics. They have realised that when it comes to luxury, simplicity is key. When you are paying a premium for a service or product you expect it to work well and be effortless to use. This is what you need to apply to your products and services.

Remember that simplicity is key to showing that you are different than your competition. It will give you an edge, attract more people and leave them feeling happy that they chose you.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

The Premium of Simplicity

Simplicity has a premium and thankfully you don't have to pay for it. Your customers are willing to pay a premium for simpler experiences and interactions. This was even one of the findings of the Global Brand Simplicity Survey 2010, by Siegel+Gale.

As our lives are getting increasingly more complex, people long for simpler solutions that feel effortless when being used. Your part is to make sure that everything you create is as simple as possible. This of course needs time and resources from your part but the advantages outweigh this effort. Once you have created a product or service that is simple, people will be willing to pay more as they will feel like you are valuing them.

Simplicity is no longer a "nice to have", people are starting to make decisions based on how simple or complex a product or service is. If you want to be ahead of your competition, put in the effort to simplify your products and services. People will not only choose you from your competition, but also pay more for it.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

Good Design is Cheap

The value of good design is often not calculated correctly. By definition, something that is cheap is "worth more than its cost". So if we take into account how transformative good design can be, then its value increases.

Sadly the value of design is often measured as a pure cost without taking into account any other variables. That's why some people tend to go for the cheapest cost, and not what is trully cheaper.

Let me give an example to put this into perspective. If company XYZ is looking for the design of their entire identity (logo, business cards, website, the whole shebang) they usually have two options. The first is to cut as many corners as possible, do things themselves, outsource some smaller pieces, get freelancers, crowdsource and anything else that will keep the expense as close to zero as possible. The second option is to trust the project to professionals, who will work on it for days using their knowledge and experience in order to create the best result.

The big difference between the two options above is that if you go with the first, the end result will be something less polished, probably looking a lot like the competition and doesn't give any advantages. On the other hand if you have chosen the second option and found a good studio/agency to work on it, you will end up with an image that helps you stand out, communicate what you do, show that you are professional and that you care about what you do.

The differences don't stop there. If you now look at how good design affects your business you will find that a company that has the right image and looks professional will probably perform better that its competitors. If we look at it from a revenue perspective, the design that cost you close to 0 but didn't help you get business is much more expensive than the design that cost you several thousands but brought you new clients and increased your revenue.

When measuring the effectiveness of something, don't just look at its monetary cost. Think about its effects and if those make the initial investment worthwhile.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

Your Brand is an Asset

The dictionary defines an asset as "a useful or valuable thing, person, or quality". Your brand is one of your biggest and most valuable intangible assets. Yet when it comes to branding, people see it as a nice-to-have, instead of a must-have.

The reality is that you cannot afford to leave branding to luck and not invest on it. In the end, your brand can make you unique, different from your competition and will attract the right customers. Any amount you spend on your branding is an investment and not an expense. It's an investment because if the money is spent right and you build a strong brand, you will then become more profitable.

In order to capitalise on your brand you need to work hard on building a brand that works and attracts the right customers. Even if you are taking a lean approach to how you run your business, don't skimp on branding. If you don't have enough money to spend, then spend more time on it. The important thing is that you understand how valuable a brand can be and how it can make you different.

Creating a strong brand is tough but in the end it will definitely pay off. Invest what you can and you won't regret it.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

The 2010 Global Brand Simplicity Index

Large organisations have one big benefit. They have the resources to do research on their topic of interest.

Siegel+Gale has produced a great report on the results of their global brand simplicity survey, which can be downloaded from their website.

The results are as we expected them. The value of simplicity is increasing and people have started demanding it. The good news are that the industry is listening to what the consumers want and are making experiences that make life simpler for them.

One important finding is that simplicity has a premium, and not a negative one. People will want to pay more for a product or service that makes their lives simpler. Take this on board and start simplifying. 

Posted by Harry Mylonadis 

I Want You to Listen!

When we meet with a client, a potential partner, a friend, we all do our best to sell what we are doing. We start an endless talk of achievements, goals, aspirations but we rarely stop and listen to what the other person has to say.

By listening I don't mean letting the other person talk while your mind is drifting away hearing seagulls at Brighton beach. This kind of listening is passive, and that's why people who aren't interested fall asleep in lectures. Instead you need to do active listening. This means that not only do you have to pay attention to what the other person has to say, you also need to understand what the underlying feelings are.

After listening careluly and actively you will start understanding what the other person's real problems are and what worries them. You will build rapport and then they will be able to trust you with the advice that you have to offer.

Open your ears, sit back and listen it will be the most valuable thing you will ever have done to build your relationships.

Posted by Harry Mylonadis