Susan Gunelius (@susangunelius) is a veteran marketing professional who has worked in corporate environments for over twenty years. Lately, she’s experiencing the agency side in building her own practice, Keysplash Creative, which offers brand strategy consulting along with writing and communication services.

In addition, Susan has written 10 books not only on marketing and branding, but also on subjects like Harry Potter. She now contributes to sites like Forbes and Women On Business. Our conversation moves from working with clients to managing an agency of one, and the habits required to author a book.

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Show Notes & Links

  • Susan’s website describes her many offerings
  • Susan focuses on Marketing Strategy and Marketing Communications, was a Marketing major in college
  • Ad Agencies are crazy places

“There’s a gap in perception of what the designers are doing.”

—Susan Gunelius

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  • “Tell me about your business” is the hardest question for clients to answer (and it’s not even a question!)

“Clients are so close their business they can’t get out of their own way.”

—Susan Gunelius

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“People are choosing something else if they’re not choosing your product. There is always competition.”

—Susan Gunelius

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“Don’t chase Google; build a business for the long-term.”

—Susan Gunelius

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Tools

Techniques

  • To get clients to be honest about their brand/company 1.) play Devil’s Advocate; or 2.) circumvent the main question and ask unrelated questions.
  • Use questionnaires and forms for clients with tough communication skills
  • Use psychology to get at the heart of a brand
  • Use case studies and real world examples to hammer home your strategy
  • Write content to build credibility (via blogs or books)
  • Narrow your focus to one or two topics
  • “Chunking”, the process of planning your topics, especially chapters in books

Habits

  • Write a section a day, don’t worry about a whole book
  • Build uninterrupted chunks of time
  • Work all day on Saturday (shove the kids onto the husband)
  • Write stuff down to remember them

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About the author: Prescott Perez-Fox

Prescott Perez-Fox is a graphic designer, brand developer, and educator with 18+ years experience in branding, packaging, graphic design, and web design. He runs The Busy Creator.

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