Branding...

I got a question from my friend Mariposa Blessings.

I knew her way back.  Mariposa worked for me when I was training people to work for a Filipino Restaurant chain called Jollibee.  She was my Heddi Spaghetti.  I knew her then as Vanessa.

She found me again at Christmas I'm very happy to have her back asking me questions.

Vanessa asked me about branding.  She keeps hearing about it.

Here is what I do with my branding.

On youtube I'm boswicktheclown
on instagram I'm boswicktheclown
on facebook I'm boswicktheclown

(starting to get it?)

My business card is yellow background.  My postcard is yellow background.  My type on my business cards, postcards and website are Helvetica.  My videos are the same font.

I try and match my promotion.  It's sort of like seeing A brown truck coming down the road and knowing UPS is delivering so you better run to meet the driver.

The idea is when someone sees a bright yellow clown card they already know it's Boswick the Clown.

It's a pretty high level of marketing.  I think it's a good idea because it will make your promotional material look nicer.  If you're thinking about a new web site, you can match the look.

My opinion?  I don't think it matters as much as people think.

Of course if you are UPS, Ford, Starbucks.  It's necessary.  For us...I think just doing something  is way more important.  It's easy to throw up roadblocks.

If you have no money for a graphic artist.  It's ok to make a simple card from Office Max.  Any business card is better than no business card.  If you don't have a postcard to give to people.  Microsoft Word has some very cool templates.  Use the template and put your pictures in there and print them at home.

Here's the better question though.  When you make a business card or flyer.  What's this piece of paper for?  Ask it over and over.

Here is my answer. I want my business card to go on the refrigerator so people think of me when they have a party.  It's a nice clean fun image.  It's got my phone number on it.

My web site has an email button nice and big on every page.  Because that's what I want.  People to call or email.

There are so many web sites I look at or business cards where I have no idea what the business offers.  I get handed DJ cards all the time.  I throw them on my dresser.  I look at them two weeks later and can't figure out what business this is.

My thought is do something.  Get your name out.  Then start to pick the image you want and start following the colors, images and fonts. Keep your name the same, keep your costume the same.

Tired of Explaining Myself...

Last night I met my friend's new girlfriend.

She had the "oh, clowns scare me thing"

She's very smart.  In fact, should have known better than to keep insulting me.  She's a therapist.  So also very educated.  And had no clue she made me very uncomfortable.

My article has been out a very short time, so everyone wants to talk to me about it and what it's like to be "famous"  (Nothing  to report so far).  So, my friends were there asking me questions.  She said, sitting next to me was difficult for her because she dislikes clowns.

So, I went into my academic explanation of clowns.  The history, all societies have clowns.  Of course you can make a scary clown.  The clown is a profoundly powerful character.  It's easy to make it scary.

I figured out last night while lying in bed why I was bothered by this conversation.  

My piece in New York was about the rude treatment we get and the surprise I feel about people not liking clowns.

I generally have accepted the conversation.  I figure it's like a dentist at a party with someone saying I don't like dentists.  Or a lawyer hearing a lawyer joke.

The difference.  I think people will say something rude to a dentist or lawyer but then say.  "I'm sure you're very good"

I have to defend my profession.  That's so odd.  And It's just tiring.  I don't think a dentist has to defend what they do.

Last night at dinner, I put on a nice face but I had to sit there next to a person that declared her dislike of me.  At no point she said.  "hmm.  you're right, kids like clowns, I can see that"  or even anything nice about me.

I'm very thinned skinned.  This stuff keeps me awake at night.

I thought having a whole fabulous researched article would give me legitimacy.  I would be one of the good ones.

Same crap, not a thing changed.  Even a whole article about me
didn't phase her.

I should have studied dance.