Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts

August 15, 2014

Visual Storytelling - 6 reasons why stories with pictures are awesome.

I spoke in a panel at BlogHer14, called "Developing Your Visual Voice". My segment was about eighteen minutes pulled from my workshop on Visual Storytelling. The response was positive enough to follow up with a more in-depth "how to" series here on my blog. I am nice.

Let's get started.

Why should we tell stories with pictures?


1. Welp. The world is full of noise.


If you're doing business, if you're an educator, or an independent artist, writer or blogger; if you're content marketing in any way, images will help you stick out of the pile.


There's a lot of bloggers out there - not a lot of them draw. And NO ONE draws like you (whether you think you can draw or not).



2. Stories will pictures have sticky-power. People have short attention spans - they often skim rather than read.

I'll bet you're reading this.

So putting your message into pictures is a perfect way to be instantly seen...


...and remembered. And shared.


Hurrah for sticky-power!

3. Be instantly recognizable. Use certain colours and styles consistently to establish your visual voice. Remember that visuals add your personal touch to any kind of media. Some folks call this 'branding', but it really means you being 'you'. Know who you are.


Your "look" should be visible on all your social media platforms, your audio-visuals, PowerPoint presentations and your print media.


4. Pictures are empathy triggers. They grab people and make them feel something. The more personal your drawing is the better, i.e. if you draw it yourself, then you're using your own authentic visual voice.

And if you can engage on an emotional level, it becomes a two way conversation.


You talk to them and they talk back - people like to be heard, it makes them feel good. We all want to feel that we are a part of the story.


You can capture the hearts and minds of your audience with visual storytelling.


But that's not all. These four points contribute to one great result:


5. Drawing is good for your brain. Whether you draw it yourself or hire someone else to draw it for you, being able to think and express yourself visually will make you a better communicator and a better storyteller.


6. Duh. Stories with pictures are fun. You can put things in drawings that enhance a story and add layers of meaning. Visual storytelling is value-added.


I mean, which book would you go for?

Next up in this series: simple digital tools. 


March 25, 2014

@LittleAnimation is now The @AnimatedWoman.

When I got on Twitter back in 2010 I was tweeting under my company name, @LittleAnimation. But now the situation has changed: my blog has evolved and I'm The Animated Woman and stuff. So it's time to change my Twitter handle and embrace the branding a little bit.

I wanted  to be @JCLittle, but that name is already taken by a chap in the UK. I asked begged pleaded offered actual money for the handle...


... but he just laughed, dammit.


Onward!

The next best thing is to become The @AnimatedWoman on Twitter and since I keep that handle in case of Twitter Jail I simply swapped the names. If you followed me as @LittleAnimation nothing will have changed - you'll still be following me under my new handle and I'll still be following you.

I drew a fresh Twitter background just for this new handle dealio. I hope you like it.


Thanks to everyone on Facebook who voted overwhelmingly in favour of my new handle. It was practically unanimous with all but 4 out of 100. I'm keeping @LittleAnimation as an alternate account for a while, to redirect anyone who gets lost. And in case of Twitter Jail.

Please help me spread the word and "Click To Tweet" HERE. I wonder if there'll be any previously unforeseen fallout from this change...?