According to Andy, many business owners confuse
branding with identity—the name and logo. “When they
realize,” he says, “that branding is a package of
specific products, messaging and plug-ins that put life into their
business and ignites their marketing efforts, it’s a great
pleasure to witness.”
Orbit has developed a unique program and guide entitled “Genius
Simple Branding.” Andy explains: “It
includes our Branding Map process, which plugs branding values
into our Marketing Machine model. This program has been developed
specifically for growth-oriented small and medium sized businesses.”
Q: What do you find most fulfilling
about running your business?
AC: I really enjoy helping people get on track
to their individual business success. I also feel that marketing
materials are often quite beautiful in both form and function.
Q: What motivated you to start
this business?
AC: I started out writing for the Rocky Mountain
News and Denver Post. It was great fun to see my
name and work in print. Then the thrill went out of it. When the
artists went to lunch, I used to work on their layout tables for
fun. I became fascinated with design for marketing.
Q: What book has been most helpful
to you in your business?
AC: I just finished The Culture Code: An Ingenious
Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as
They Do by Clotaire Rapaille and The Laws of Simplicity
by John Maeda. The best book, however, is the Tao of Leadership
by John Heider. I had a motivational tape by Rick Fairchild of
Amway that I played so much it wore out. I am not a member of
Amway, but that guy could really light you up.
Q: Who has influenced you most
in your life?
AC: My dad, always supportive and inspiring, proud of
me no matter what.
Q: What has proved to be your most
successful marketing strategy?
AC: Developing the Branding Map process and Marketing
Machine model so our clients can put authenticity and drive into
their marketing efforts.
Q: What have been the greatest
challenges you have had to overcome, or are currently facing,
in your business?
AC: Accounting. It bores me out of my skull. The worst
thing is that I am ultimately the one responsible for it.
Q: How did you benefit/are you
benefiting from participating in a Make-it-Fly®
program?
AC:Make-it-Fly® is one of the
best things that has happened to me in business. First, I am a
great admirer of Victoria and Dave. They are highly intelligent,
well informed, highly motivated, thoughtful, fun, and still they
are modest. Make-it-Fly® is infused
with these qualities. I find more quality people among Make-it-Flyers
than any other group; allies, vendors, value-added resellers,
yes, and even customers.
Make-it-Fly® places no emphasis whatsoever
on lead generation yet is far superior at generating leads than
any leads group. Why? I am much more likely to refer business
to a Make-it-Flyer because they are not afraid of accountability;
they proactively want to improve their businesses; they are not
obnoxious know-it-alls; they genuinely want to help other people.
Make-it-Flyers always have my instant respect.
Q: What would you say to other
business owners who are contemplating getting involved in a Make-it-Fly®
program?
AC: Make-it-Fly® is like Field
of Dreams: “Build a relationship and the business will come.”
I have thought about this question and have recently changed
my approach. Knowing Dave and Victoria’s five criteria,
I try to recommend people who merit being Make-it-Flyers.
I think that it’s a privilege, so I have begun telling people
what it has done for me. Just knowing Dave and Victoria is worth
the price of admission so they can “try to get in”
to Make-it-Fly® but I can’t guarantee
they will gain admittance.
If I could have a cup of coffee, one-on-one, with every Make-it-Fly®
alumni this year, I think it would enhance my business tenfold,
but I would never get to sleep.
Andy Cleary can be reached by phone
at: 303-433-1616, or visit his website at: www.orbit-design.com.
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