From the beginning, the branding for Talk About Speakers was imagined as part of the marketing strategy. One of several company names under consideration for this new speakers bureau, you might say this one spoke to us. But we still had to sell it.

Not every presentation you do will happen in a boardroom with great tech support. Sometimes your show’n tell gets presented across a desk in a private office or in this case, across a table in a public space. The usual presenting devices were considered—laptop, iPad—but that could still attract unwanted attention to a confidential subject. The solution was to go low tech—flash cards. That brought a smile and points scored for thinking outside the screen. Here’s the simple presentation that launched the brand strategy.

Having established the company name, work started on the visual brand identity. This is always an exhaustive undertaking. Research establishes the character of the market, the approach of competitors and possibilities for positioning this brand in a fresh, unique way.

Design is a process. Sketches and doodles evolve to finished renderings. Dozens of them as you can see in the video below. Many of the designs would work for a speakers bureau but one we thought offered opportunity for marketing beyond the mark. We shortlisted five of the best prospects and sent a package to stakeholders for rating and comments. The preferred design scored well and those rating it best did so enthusiastically.

The red lips design is not so much a logo as it is an element of the brand identity. It is a tool to be used in many ways, freely disassociated from the brand name as a standalone element or in combination with other messages. It functions as an arrow for navigation and points to focus attention. In some instances, it can be reflected.

We’re really just getting started with the marketing rollout but this identity has incredible potential. The brand name and visual identity are powerful tools. The business of speakers bureaus is all about talk. Many professional speakers now refer to their presentations as a talk. We are using the word talk creatively and extensively. In visual messaging, words are spoken by the lip symbol. When a sales conversation gets down to business it’s time to say, “Let’s talk about speakers.” It’s a clever way to keep the company name top-of-mind.

Let’s talk about @ToesLaw and his Attitude Revolution. https://t.co/LaaTmm9jNc #speaker #attitude #inspiration pic.twitter.com/Hb9FDoD9E1

— Talk About Speakers (@TAspeakers) May 19, 2016

We sold the name Talk About Speakers with the concept that every piece of communication would build the brand. It is the focus of the marketing strategy and sales message. Talk About Speakers: Speakers your audience will talk about. The brand identity is the message.