Visual identity
Identity is at the heart of each individual and object.
How can I stand out? How can I show that I can indeed make a difference?
With organisations searching for the best among the best – resume writing and profile creation has gone to new heights. I have personally seen a whole lot of information dumped into pages and pages under broad industry headings. Having been in the staffing industry for some time, I have grown to loathe the ‘wordy’ resume that makes me groan day-in-and-out! I have helped many a individual – right from a fresh graduate to experienced professionals and managers re-create their resume.
The three guidelines I use are:
- C,mon show me some meaning
- Give me key messages
- Help the reader (viewer), enjoy going through the resume
Now, having become a Visual Communicator by the grace of God, I wanted to create an identity, which will really satisfy the above three criteria.
So do find below my
“At-a-glance” Visual resume (document)
and My identity presentation (PowerPoint)
Now, we at StoryPreso can help you create such ‘identity‘ documents & presentations.
Cave Visual Symbols
Today, I read in the newspaper about how the cave drawings and carvings were not just representations of real things the communicators had seen, but were also symbols that represented a certain meaning to that community of people.
I had always believed that visual language began when God made us and that humans used visuals to communicate, before the birth of letters and numerals. The fact that these visual languages had transcended time, community and language is a real fact for us to consider. These drawings even today, communicate to us to a large extent!
So I began to check the many ways, our ancestors had tried to communicate – and my findings were astonishing. (Though I openly disagree on the millions of years, because I believe we are in a young earth just a few thousands of years old – http://www.answersingenesis.org/ )
“In 1853 George Tate read a paper to the Berwick Naturalists’ Club at which a Mr John Collingwood Bruce agreed that the carvings had ‘.. a common origin, and indicate a symbolic meaning, representing some popular thought.” http://www.crystalinks.com/petroglyphs.html
Just look at these symbols and drawings and check for yourself – the power in communicating visually!
http://donsmaps.com/cavepaintings.html
Social media conversion
Which social media tool do I use?
With so many out there, and so many still coming (with some dead or dying), what is the best to choose?
With Google buzz, storming into the ‘conversation-place’, I did some looking-up.
the learning: Worry about the tools last, not first!
Can you share about your company in 140 words or less? About yourself, your big basket of achievements in 140 words or less? Sounds impossible – then make it possible! Your audience says, “I am a busy guy and I am only interested in how things benefit me” – so 140 words or less (maybe a AT-A-Glance visual)
For what reason are you using social media? Do you really have an objective? Or are you in it, because so many are out there? Sit down – put pen to paper and clarify your objective and then reshape your social media presence.
Are your audience (okay, you call them followers! – makes you happy, right?) – really interested in what you say? Are there benefits for them, from whatever you type? And oh! yes, whom do you want to target in the universe of people who look-u-up at your social media site?
What method of communication really makes a person happy and passionate enough to go through it? – not just look but see, not just hear but listen! Definitely not your bullet-filled presentations or a colorful brochure with graphics and fonts thrown together (screaming it’s all about me!) Can you share the one thing – that drives you, WHY you are doing what you do? Then build the whole social media, around that one passion. Simple. Clear. Passionate. Sticky. Value-add. And that’s where StoryPreso plays a role (Discover the core messages in your passion-filled work, Design around it, with stories dug-out from your experience and Equip you and your team to present it successfully)
Finally, what is it that you want? The goal! the SMART goal? C,mon you must be expecting a result! Is it Awareness, Sales or Loyalty or all of them together? Start with one, and then go for the rest – one goal at a time.
Now, it is time to look at the tools:
The Conversation Prism by Brian Solis and Jesse Thomas
Now are you ready? to rethink how you use your social media!
Skype: Ashley.Vinil
Twitter: StoryPreso
Puppet theatre
One of the most fulfilling things I enjoy doing - is creating something of meaning and value!
And if the same can be used to bless others, then more excitement!!!
Well, we bought a pack of Boost Refill the other day and as I was throwing it into the waste-bag, my son Kevin asked me, “What is it daddy?”. Well, I said, “It is an empty pack and I am throwing it away – it is waste!” He said, “Oh!” in his really understanding way and walked away. But I stood near the basket, wondering if I have taught him anything! (Oh! well, other than the fact that waste needs to be thrown into the waste-bin). That is when God gave me this idea – why not make a Puppet theatre!
So began a journey!
I told Kevin about what we can do and involved him in stapling, gluing and coloring. (and I did the cutting 
) Then after a ‘hard’ labor with lots of fun and ‘fatherly advices’ and ‘children’s never-ending questions’, we manged to put a Puppet theater together. We call it Kevin’s Puppet Theatre.
Then we began to create characters – Kevin named the ones he wanted and I did the sketching and cutting. The final touch was added by making it ready for play with straw stuck behind the characters. So we had this exclusive ‘Father-son’ time!
Audio-visual? Of course! This is using no-technology to tell stories.
Now you can do this with your children, at school , Sunday school and VBS. (Even with youth and adults – I tried something similar – Xmas Story card at our church KMC Home away from Home retreat and each one of the participants became one excited lot, unleashing their creativity and sharing talents and working together as teams to achieve)
Now this hard work – need not remain as a no-tech project. You can actually upgrade it to hi-tech using PowerPoint, Flash or Video. You also need to know photography basics. (Now, I let my son Kevin take these photos with some aid!). And for tips on how-to make the puppet theater and puppets & for conducting a puppet show – Do check the presentation below.
But the core message is this:
Can you share a story that will add value in the life of others?