Imagine this: try creating a story that explains what you envision for your next website, logo or brochure. I was reading an article in Inc. Magazine the other day that shared a vision statement for Zingerman’s Farmers’ Market:
“It’s the longest day of the year; the sun is at its pinnacle of warmth and light. Throngs of people are milling around the Roadhouse parking lot, amazed and excited at the abundance of locally produced goods, ranging from several gorgeous varieties of tomatoes to handmade soap and artisan crafts, to herbs and plants, plus a very strong synergy of Zingerman’s items—cheese from the Creamery, breads from the Bakehouse, and the ever-energetic Roadshow crew caffeinating all the vendors and customers. Every vendor is selling the best of what there is to offer, growing or producing themselves what they sell. There’s a tangible truth patrons have come to trust—that all these products have a story and none of them traveled very far to get here. Tents and awnings cover the stalls, creating a colorful and festive mood. There are 15–20 vendors at the Market, so it’s accessible and maintains variety but remains magnetic and welcoming.”
As a designer, this gives me a glimpse of what Zingerman’s sees as their brand vision. From this short statement, it gives me a solid foundation to build a logo, website, signage, brochures and more. It would be our unifying, simplified story that I can use as inspiration for all the marketing materials needed to share their vision with the rest of the world.
What is your vision? It’s not as funky and esoteric as it may sound. Your vision is a picture of what you see as the successful result of your marketing project. It includes answers to a slew of questions:
- What does this project look like?
- How big is it?
- What is it known for?
- Why does anyone care about it?
- How do people experience it?
Complete this visioning process, and as we work on the project, we all will have a clear idea of the end product—something that won’t change as more elements are added. When all the elements are in place, they’ll fit to complete the picture that you saw in the beginning.
A great vision is inspiring. It gets you and everyone involved in the project excited to sweat blood to bring your vision alive. This is not an exercise in making impossible dreams possible. It needs to be strategically plausible. If it is, a vision statement like this will help you get there.
Send us an email to share your current visions of a project you have in your mind’s eye. We can help bring it to life.