Who I work with

 

You are an independent, service-based business professional who offers your services as your business.

 

You’re dissatisfied with the amount and quality of work you’re getting. You’re an expert in your field; an entrepreneur, speaker, author, coach, trainer or consultant and you make your living off your talents.

 

Although you are very talented at what you do, you are not getting the higher level clients you feel you are qualified for. You may have written books, speak before audiences about solving problems or you may coach or consult others. You love your work and are driven to become an exceptional leader in your field. You’re an independent business professional that lacks proper positioning and exposure but you are not quite sure how to begin. You know you should be further along in your business growth but you may not be sure how to take a new approach. You know you need help standing out in the crowd and differentiating yourself from any competitors.

 

You understand that a strong brand will attract higher-value clients but are skeptical of so-called “experts” who talk a good game but only provide superficial work. You want to create a higher perceived value and you want to be able to justify charging premium rates for what you do –and want to do it right the first time.

 

You are committed to doing what it takes to create extraordinary results and you know to do that, it takes a certain kind of mindset, and a certain degree of effort on your part. You are driven to succeed and are willing to learn what it takes and master the skills that are needed to make it happen.

 

You are ready to make a major change in your businesses direction and are willing to invest in yourself and your business, because you know that you need to do things differently if you expect different results.

 

If you fit this description in any way and are ready to transform your business and the way you think about it – to create a very high level of service,  I’d like to send you a copy of a comprehensive article I wrote about what you need to create a brand that will position you head and shoulders above any competitor. After you read the article and you think it makes sense for your business - we can then talk about doing it for you.

 

 

My Promise

You will get “real-world”, meaningful information and techniques for building brands based upon the experiences gained from working on a diverse range of brands across many different national and international businesses and industries. You'll get the reasons and rationale behind what is recommended. And, you’ll learn, in simple terms, so you can understand “why”. 
 

You won't get someone that's "winging it" or pulling stuff out of their hat. You'll benifit from the experience gained from work on numerous brands for almost four decades. The concepts used and taught are "time-tested" and they work in a myriad of situations.

 

Finally, expect results. If you follow the methods and philosophy suggested – along with sound marketing efforts – you will increase awareness - and sales. You will learn, "Must Know Brand Secrets" and you will know "How to Make Your Small Business Stand Out in Any Market" - just as my book suggests.
 

 

Why would you work with Dennis Kunkler

 

• I have intentially left this part until last.
  I started this site talking about you and the things you wanted to know about and what you would get. Only after your initial needs are met, would you be interested in who I am. Unfortunately, most small companys begin by talking about I, I, I, Me, Me, Me, - We, Us, Our, My and so on. Nothing any buyer is interested in at that point and that's where most people leave. I will show you why this is important when we work together. There's a lot more to that saying, "It's all about the customer" than most people understand.
   

• Extensive experience in “packaging”.
  I have spent a 38+ year career in the marketing of a multitude of product and service brands – from consumer hard goods to toys, wine & spirits, retail fashion, high-tec manufacturing and manufacturers of guns, watches, electric shavers, safety products, medical devices, and from corporate jets and power tool accessories to insurance, banking and other intangibles: you name it, I've worked with many industries, both as a designer, design consultant and a few times as a salaried employee. That means I will, most likely, be familiar with the product types and the kinds of problems you’re likely to be facing. You probably won’t need to spend a lot of time explaining the basics of your business upon first meeting. Instead, we can cut to the chase and get right to the root of your problem. (I can package anything–including you.)
   

• A broad and in-depth skill-set.
  Although my considerable skills are now being applied to Entrepreneurial Speakers, Authors, Coaches, Consultants and Trainers, my ability to develop packaging concepts and design successfully, takes some of the very same specific skills. Skills like, understanding and attracting the correct audience, defining and communicating benefits and attributes and expressing the competitive advantage visually. Skills that take the same, unique experience and a solid understanding of how to communicate those attributes. That’s what I've done, week in and week out for over 38 years. This narrow focus has enabled me to devote considerable energies to keeping abreast of current ‘best practices’ in the packaging and marketing arena — and being able to share it with clients who may be too busy dealing with their own industries’ issues, to have the time they’d like to devote to keeping up with the latest marketing and branding trends.
   

• A consistent focus on value vs. cost.
  If you throw enough money at a particular problem, almost any marketing result can be achieved. But at what cost? I treat your marketing budget as if it were my own. The bottom line: spend nothing until you know exactly what you are going to do and why. Spend only what you have to spend but always spend what you need to spend. (Hint: Knowing what you need or don’t need.)
   

• Always have you and your goals in mind.
  Purpose driven to moving your business ahead, positioning your businesses competitive advantage to stand out among your competitors all while educating and keeping you, the client informed throughout the entire process.
   

• Where my experience came from.
  Progressing from a Graphic Designer, Art Director, Creative Director, Design Firm President and Consultant, throughoutmy 38+year design career, I have worked, literally, on thousands of projects, for hundreds of clients, and in dozens of industries. Much of his work involved designing, positioning and branding "sales promotion" materials and more specifically, "consumer packaging". His work has encompassed many recognizable brand names as well as large industrial and corporate entities. Because of the scale of various projects and the size of many of his clients, the common elements tying most of the projects together included; research findings, focus groups, position statements, creative briefs, ID manuals and a myriad of other "Brand" directives as a basis of many design considerations. Considerations that most smaller, or even mid-sized company's either never apply or, are simply not aware of. His experience has included project presentations in board-rooms from Broadway, Madison and 5th Avenues in New York to large insurance company’s in Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts. From toy packaging for COLECO, Hasbro, Matchbox, TOMY, Fisher-Price and TYCO and others, to industries and brands as diverse as Perry Ellis, Canada Air, Braun, Speidel, Timex, Friendly’s Ice Cream, Smith & Wesson, Smirnoff, Jose Cuervo, Inglenook Wines, NAPA, NASCAR, Harley-Davidson, Spalding, Yankee Candle and others, too numerous to list here.
   

• Brand Like a Pro is me, Dennis Kunkler, a seasoned, consumer packaging designer teaching and demonstrating meaningful insider branding knowledge and shortcuts, to help service businesses quickly stand out in any market. I sometimes contract other peoples skills as part of my recommendations but, the solutions always come from my beliefs and my experience.

   

  I believe in the concept of giving. I believe the more you give the more you’ll get. When I work with a client, I give 100% and don't hold back my creativity. There's no intensity knob - it's either on or off. (and it's usually always on) As a creative, I do not believe in not sharing my ideas – as if something was scarce and in short supply. Creative’s can always create more – that's what they do.

   

  My belief also is this: I can tell you my most valuable information but you will never quite understand it the same way I do as a designer, having practiced these concepts for the last 38+ years. I will share the same knowledge with the same enthusiasm, when I work for a client, whether they are a large corporation or, an independent service professional like yourself.

• So what?
  With this experience in design, advertising, marketing and branding, you’re getting the equivalent of “senior staff”, from any Branding, Design, Marketing or Advertising Agency. Senior talent working for you to find your authenticity in your brand and showing you how to communicate your brand value through creative messaging. Working one-on-one allows you to move quickly along the development process saving you precious time and money while eliminating costly mistakes that many others often make.
   

• He wrote the “Book on Branding”. Need I say more? Read it and you’ll understand.