Ever since Built to Last was published in 1994, companies have been “core value” happy. Walk into almost any corporate office and you’re bound to see words like INTEGRITY, TEAMWORK, and this a good one, QUALITY, displayed on lackluster decals. Actually, there’s a better chance that you’ll gloss right over them – but they are there. Attempting to implement core values in this way is not only ineffective, but potentially harmful to your business. Thankfully, there is a more effective alternative- guiding principles.

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Know Your Why

The world is overflowing with goods and services, and trying to set yours apart by simply explaining their features and benefits is no longer effective. There’s too much noise to cut through, and possibly a lot of competition in your field already. However, you do have something unique at your disposal. You have that beautiful moment of clarity when you realized WHY you wanted to start your company. You have your brand story. Continue…

Earlier this month, HMG Creative hosted our very first webinar, Brand Story: The Foundation. Led by our Senior Brand and Marketing Strategist, John Paulsen, this webinar was the first in a three-part series to help bolster brands. With a huge team effort, our first episode was a hit! We focused on helping businesses navigate their brand presence during this transitional time in our world. By sharing a sneak peek into our methodologies, we showed participants a few key steps to help their brand find its purpose again. Here’s how we did it:

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People are storytellers. For thousands of years, we have used the power of story to preserve history, pass down lessons, and convey ideas. There’s no better way to get your message to stick than to frame it as a tale that is being spun – and a brand is no different. As consumers, we want to buy into a story. Continue…

The internet is an immensely crowded place. With thousands of new websites being created every day, yours is inevitably going to have some competition. While creating a high quality website is certainly a great foundation, quality alone will not ensure people get to your site. Continue…

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” – Peter Drucker

There is some debate whether Drucker actually said this but since his passing, we’ll never know. Either way, it’s a safe assumption that he believed it.

The Importance of Company Culture

If culture is so important, do you think it’s disingenuous to strategize it? After all, transforming a company’s culture can be one of the toughest undertakings an organization can assume. I’ve seen plenty of organizations that have tried basically everything with little success.

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The Bold Beginning

At the age of 18, James Trumbly enlisted in the Marine Corps, kickstarting a lifetime of ambitious pursuits and bold endeavors. Four years later, after completing a tour in Iraq and Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, James returned home, wrapping up his military career and embarking on the next exciting phase of his life: business ventures. With an entrepreneurial spirit, James joined a friend in opening a car dealership and auto brokering business. The business flourished, bringing a host of opportunities and connections, as well as a need for improved marketing resources. James knew a web presence would be crucial to the business’ continued success, so he took on the task of designing and developing the company’s first website.  Continue…

A company with a mission or a mission with a company.

The difference is what Blake Mycoskie identified early on in his development of TOMS Shoes, a for-profit shoe business that quickly became one of the most successful and influential business models in recent times. TOMS is based on the one for one model: buy one pair of shoes and another pair will be donated to a child in need. Continue…