Unique Marketing - POW!

Working among a throng of right-brain professionals, I often find myself saturated with unique and creative ways to sell our business. One such idea that was sparked several weeks ago was meant more as an internal exercise than external marketing material. During one of our weekly staff meetings, a few jokes were made about one of my colleagues who is known for the occasional inappropriate quip. He later earned the nickname: "HR Man." Realizing the diversity in the room, our business manager tasked us with individually brainstorming on super hero style nicknames for everybody at our office. A few weeks later, we'd vote on them and everybody would have a new persona.

We eventually did finalize our nicknames and I walked away with "Binary Man." I received this name because of my expertise in technology. A few other names: "Zippy" for our facility manager whose creativity with the uses of zip-ties and gaff tape has saved many of days, "Longshot" who is often tasked with the most impossible sales calls, "The Phantom" for the young woman who took a job elsewhere for several months and then returned, and "Cruncher" for the accountant. Having completed our task, most of us moved on and never thought of the names again.

That changed on the eve of an important meeting. We were introducing our entire team to a potential client who could bring the potential of quite a bit of repeat business for all our divisions. Prepping for that meeting, our business manager ("The Purple Cape") suggested we break the ice by introducing ourselves as our super hero names. Being a visually minded person, I didn't see how the idea would come across effectively. I was concerned that our audience would be confused when I introduced myself as "Binary Man." If not confused, I was afraid they may think I was unstable.

At this point, somebody suggested we have a visual representation of our names to give an explanation beyond just introducing ourselves as alter egos. An idea occurred to me that if we were to introduce ourselves as super heroes and incorporate something visual to explain it, why not create our own comic book? Given the fact that it was already after lunch and the meeting was the first thing in the morning, I had very little time to create a comic book or anything for that matter. I bolted back to my office and began crafting our graphic novel.

I must admit, humbly and candidly, that I am no graphic designer. Outside of touching up photos, I am virtually useless with the tools of the trade. However, after a few hours of piecing together images, creating cartoon-like photos for everybody, and researching as much about comic books as I could, our own little piece of graphic marketing started to come together. Placing the cartoonized photos with short little write-ups about each employee (in comic book style, of course), I created a couple of page book that we printed, folded, stapled together at the spine, and cut. Using what we had available inside our office, I had assembled twelve "comic books" and didn't have to stay too late.

The end result allowed us to break the ice in front of potential new business, give them something very unique that introduces our team, demonstrate our creativity, and prove to us that with a tinge of ingenuity and a decent paper cutter, we can separate ourselves from the crowd. Though I am no graphic designer, printer, or super hero for that matter, I did feel like I accomplished a bit of the impossible during the eleventh hour. But I would be remiss if I didn't thank my trusty sidekick who helped me out... "The Intern."