Intro:
Developed as a signature service, the Stark & Splendor Articulation Intensive is a monthlong brand key messaging workshop. Leadership developer and Founder of Teach To Lead (T2L) Shayna Hammond recently went through the process. Here is a snapshot of how clearly defined communications have helped her move her brand and business forward .
The Brief:
Shayna approached me in November 2014 with the need to get clear on who T2L was and how to convey that message in a clear, concise, and memorable way.
Established in 2012, T2L was already successfully helping charter school principals develop into more effective leaders but, ever the visionary, Shayna's sights were set on impacting leaders well-beyond the education sector. She needed to establish brand key messaging that would prime T2L for growth.
The Work:
In January 2015 Shayna and I embarked on a bespoke, monthlong Articulation Intensive that not only addressed T2L's pressing communication challenges but also how to differentiate the organization from its current and future competitive set.
The Deliverables:
- New, clearly defined brand essence
- New internal positioning language
- New mission and vision statements
- Refreshed value statements & brand pillars
- New brand tagline - "Leading with the lights on."
- New brand key messages
- New service key messages
After the Articulation Intensive, Stark & Splendor then collaborated with T2L on a number of writing projects including sales proposals, print collateral, course descriptions, and most recently e-marketing campaigns.
The Results:
Stark & Splendor continues to work with Teach To Lead but the deliverables of our first phase of collaboration are already having a positive impact on the organization. In Shayna's own words:
"The Articulation Intensive was incredibly invaluable for me and my organization. The process invited me to journey back to the genesis of Teach To Lead in a deliberate, compelling, and surprisingly succinct way. In a very short period of time, Stephanie was able to thoroughly understand and synthesize the distance between where our organization is and where we want it to be 25 years from now. As a result, we have powerful messaging that authentically speaks to both who we are and what we're here to accomplish. I have better clarity about our unique positioning power and can better articulate it to my team and clients. I highly recommend this process for early stage entrepreneurs who are preparing to grow!"