Branding

Building a Brand on Sex

2008-06-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

It's a known fact that sex sells. But does it build lasting brands? If you ask Calvin Klein, he would say yes. Over a 2.5* billion dollar business built on provocative and sexual images isn't bad.

For years, cars, beer, perfume and recently, deodorants have been sold to males through images of scantily-clad, perfectly sculptured woman. Tapping into the basic instincts of man - sex is a universal interest. Watch a beautiful woman walk down a street and you will notice others following her every step. Sexy images drive eye balls (especially men's who think about sex every 7 seconds!)**.

Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch markets its sexual brand image to college-age adults but ends-up attracting many younger teens (including my 12 and 16-year-old kids). Not only do they show beautiful youth in their advertising, but they hire the best-looking, young people to model their clothes in the stores. They made sure the brand lives not only in the advertising but in the stores. I wish beer stores respected the brand the same way.

Sex comes with many risks (not including rashes and bumps in areas that we don't want to talk about). Klein doesn't apologize for pushing the envelope in what is deemed decent and what isn't. "Sometimes people look at the advertising and resent it or feel threatened by what they see - but in the end, if the sales are good, the images must be OK," Klein said. The fact is CK's men's underwear owns the underwear market ever since Mark Wahlberg wore nothing but.

Both Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch continue to walk the fine line between sexy and soft core porn. Consumer groups have launched boycott campaigns against both companies over the years and have successfully had campaigns removed from public viewing. Just recently, the Virginia Beach police seized photos from an Abercrombie store that were deemed indecent.

The fact is beautiful airbrushed, naked people can help sell products and build a sexually compelling brand. Dove had recently taken a different approach by showcasing their products on naked, everyday, wholesome women, so maybe we're not as superficial after all. They did get bad press when it was leaked that they digitally enhanced some of the women's images to make them better looking. OK maybe we are superficial.

Sexy is an easy way to accomplish edginess and draw attention, but does it fulfill your brand promise and is it sustainable? Just make sure you use this power wisely and don't flaunt it unnecessarily or it could do more damage than good to your brand. Remember; over-promising can only lead to disappointment and negative feelings which aren't brand builder.

Your audience will always have the final say and they'll tell you at the till. So provoke, shock and engage, because as long as your audience has given you permission, they'll eat it up like a Coolwhip® bikini.

*1996 was the only sales figure I could find as the company was private until sold to Phillips Van Heusen Corp. in 2002.

**Kinsey Institute's disputes this claim; they state that 54% of men think about sex every day or several times a day and 43% a few times per month or a few times per week.

accounting blog news

The Concepts Of Branding

2008-06-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

Branding refers to the concrete symbols such as a name, logo, slogan, design, fonts, color scheme, symbols and sound for easy identification of the product. It helps to differentiate one product from another. The American Marketing Association defines a Brand as "A name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller's goods and services as distinct from those of the other sellers". The various concepts of Branding are classified as under: -

1. BRAND MANAGEMENT: - It is an art of creating and maintaining a brand. "A Brand that captures your mind gains behavior. A brand that captures your heart gains commitment" - Scott Talgo.

2. BRAND RECOGNITION: - If a brand is widely known in the market and minds of the consumer it is termed as Brand Recognition. let me state an anecdotes : - A lady sitting next to Raymond Heowy at dinner, stuck up a conversation

"Why", she asked "did you put two x's in Exxon",

"Why ask", he asked

"Because", she said, "I couldn't help noticing",

"Well", he responded, "that's the answer".

Source: - Alan Fletcher, the art of looking sideways.

3. BRAND FRANCHISE: - When Brand Recognition builds up to a point where a brand enjoys a critical mass of positive sentiments in the marketplace, it is said to have achieved Brand Franchise. As righty said by Martin Lindstorm that a global brand building strategy is in reality, a local plan for every market.

4. BRAND EQUITY: - It measures the total value of the brand to the brand owner and reflects the extent of brand franchise. According to Christopher Betzer, "Brand Equity is the sum of all the hearts and mind of every single person that comes into contact with your company."

5. BRAND IDENTITY: - How a company wants the consumer to perceive the product or the brand is referred as Brand Equity. Features such as color, design, logo type, name, symbol etc identifies as well as distinguishes one brand form another in the mind of the buyer. Lexicom once rightly said that a brand name is more than a word. It is the beginning of a conversation.

6. BRAND PROMISE: - If the company commits anything to do for its customers it is recognized as Brand Promise. Stuart Agres believed that a brand is a set of differentiating promises that link a product to its customers.

7. BRAND POSITIONING: -This concept is clearly explained by the famous words of Jack Trout, "Positioning is not what you do to a product. Positioning is what you do to the minds of the prospect. That is, you position the product in the minds of the prospect".

8. BRAND DEVELOPMENT: - It measures the infiltration of product sales, usually per thousand populations. For e.g.:- if out of 1000 people, 100 buy a product, the product has a Brand Development of 10%. "A house of brands is like a family, each needs a role and relationship to others" - Jeffery Sinclair.

9. BRAND EXTENSION: - An existing strong brand name can be used as a vehicle for new or modified products. Over 80% of all new products are categories as Brand Extensions, emphasizing the importance of their success. Ahuwalia's finding says, "Stretching a brand makes it important to target an audience that will be able to process and understand the relationship of a brand to the new product. Getting it right the first time is crucial, because early success with a target audience can help with future extensions. And the broader a brand gets, the easier it is to stretch next time".

10. BRAND MARKETING: - It focuses on communicating the brand message to drive awareness and affect attitude. Stephen King feels that a product is something that is brought by the customer. A product can be copied by a competitor, a brand is unique. A product can be quickly outdated, a successful brand is timeless.

11. ATTITUDE BRANDING: - It is the choice to represent a large feeling which is not necessarily connected with the product or consumption of the product at all. "Products are made in a factory, but brand is created in the mind" - Walton Landor.

12. INDIVIDUAL BRANDING: - It is assigning a unique/separate name to each product in the organization, which may even compete against other brand of the same company.

13. MULTI BRANDING: - It is when the company has more than one product competing with each other in a given market. According to George Bull, "Well managed brands live on- only bad brand managers die."

14. PERSONAL BRANDING: - It is righty explained as a process whereby people and their careers are marked as brand. It involves the application of one's name to various products.

fundraising

Hiring a Graphic Designer

2008-06-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Hiring a Graphic Designer When starting a new business it can be difficult to budget for everything. However, to aid the future success of a business, a budget should be set aside for the design and print of initial marketing materials, such as a logo, business card or website. Many new business owners may feel that they cannot afford to budget for a professional graphic designer, although in reality, the success of a business may depend upon it. You may have developed a fantastic product or offer an amazing service, but if you have a poorly designed logo or website, potential customers or clients will judge you by those standards. Amateur design suggests an amateur business. When choosing a graphic designer or studio it is important that the choice will be right for you and your business. To enable you to do this, there are a few things that you may wish to consider.

Do you like the designers work? Opting for price alone may be your sole priority, however if the designers particular design style does not fit the image you envisage for your company, it can lead to an unproductive and tense relationship for both parties. You may find that the designer who's style you prefer is not necessarily the cheapest.

Are they trustworthy and will they deliver? When looking for designer, especially via the internet ensure that you feel comfortable that they can deliver the service they are offering. If you have a particularly large project, it may be necessary to have multiple designers. Ask how many people work for agency, how long they have been in the design industry or in business and search for references of testimonials. If they are an internet-based business contact them via email and review their response times.

Are the prices fair, will you receive an unexpectedly large invoice? If the designer is paid by the hour, ensure that you can agree a budget at the start of the project and ask the designer to inform you if the project is at risk of going over budget. If the project is at a fixed-price rate, be sure that you know what is included in the cost and / or that the designer knows exactly what is expected from them during the project.

Will you like the designer or design studio? Communication is key to the success of any design project. If you feel that you can't connect with your designer or you sense they are rude or arrogant, then it is unlikely that your relationship will be successful. Look for a designer that has the qualities you need, if you wish to have constant contact, be sure that the designer will be happy to offer this, some designers prefer to be left to design. In most cases you will find the answers to many questions from the designers website. It is important to ask the designer directly if you have any unanswered questions. Most designers are more than happy to offer help and advice as if they prove to be the right designer for you it is a relationship that can be mutually beneficial for many years ahead.

fundraising

Bad Design is Bad Business

2008-06-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

When starting a new business, little cash-flow and a tight budget can lead to many businesses deciding that a graphic designer for marketing purposes or to design a professional logo, is just an expense they cannot afford. Often new businesses will opt to develop their own marketing materials at the launch of their business, rather than creating a professional image. This then makes it more difficult to entice new clients and in worst cases will contribute to the failure of a business. Frugal entrepreneurs may choose to design their own marketing materials such as a logo or business card to save money. They may involve a friend or relative who have amateur design skills. Although this may seem like a perfect solution, there are a number of reasons why this could be detrimental to a business.

Amateur logo = amateur business Not everybody can create beautiful designs, however many people do recognise poor design, and an amateur logo or business card will give a business the appearance of an amateur business. It can suggest that the company is not stable, and likely to be short lived. This suggested lack of longevity may make potential clients shy of doing business due to a lack of confidence in a company. Clients will want to know that after purchasing an item or service, that if help is required further down the road, someone will still be there to offer assistance.

It looks like they don't care If a business does not have a professional logo or marketing materials, potential clients may get the impression that they don't care. If clients come to this conclusion about its professional image, they can only assume that a business will not care about the level of service or quality of work that they provide. Simply put, the image that is created for the business such as a logo or business card is a direct reflection of the service or product that is offered.

Inconsistency is confusing Inconsistency in marketing materials and design will make a business look disorderly and confused. If a business card has one style of design and the website another, this will give the general impression that a business does not really know where they are going, and can lead to an identity crisis. It is important to have consistency within the design of marketing materials, as it suggests that a business has a long term plan, knows who they are and where they are heading. It also makes it clear to potential clients that they will be dealing with one stable company and not several.

About 50 percent of all new business will fail within the first couple of years, and an even larger percentage within the first 5 years. Reasons for failure are varied, however amateur or ineffective marketing materials can lead to many major reasons. The difficulty in attracting new clients and the inability to stand out from competitors are just a couple. Professional design and a professional image are incredibly important to the success of a business. Large companies understand this, which is why they spend millions on adapting and updating the image they portray to their customers. The credibility and memorability of a business can depend on that initial impression made by a logo or business card. The necessity of getting this right should not be underestimated, and although it may seem a prudent decision to save money on the cost of design, that cost-cutting decision may lead a business to failure.

entrep

How to Develop Your Company

2008-06-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

In my consulting work, I take customers through a branding exercise for a period of a few hours. I leave with a mindset that focuses on what they want the end user customer to think about their business where the name comes to mind. Unfortunately, most small businesses do not spend any time on this component of a marketing strategy; they do is also an afterthought rather than thinking about it with basic commodities.

Here are some steps taken high level of developing a corporate strategy that you can use today to shape the direction of your small business or home so that you are for something in the spirit of customer.

Survey competition: You will need to investigate the market that you are watching the market related categories and determine whether a category that are easily to your product or service. Always keep in mind that if your product is defined narrowly, a category May not exist! This May means that part of your branding strategy will create a new category.

Determine what you want to be known for: When one thinks of the word "blank", what does this mean? We can think about a record store, an airline, a credit card company and the list can go when in fact a virgin is a person who has not undergone sex. "Virgin" is for something in the mind of the customer and then the 1st thing that the business owner must do - to determine what you want the customer to think when your company is mentioned.

Consider the company name: You May choose a name that relates directly to the product or service you produce, however, this limit May your branding strategy if you decide to add another service or product n ' is not in accordance with the same name. A name like "Virgin" gives a company the ability to provide various services under the same name.

Decide where in the market for your product is: Do you want your product or service to sit near the basic level or high level of premium? Products decline in business level (such as bread and milk) are used interchangeably, people buy brown bread and not necessarily a mark of bread. However, when individuals go to buy beer or cigarettes in nine out of ten cases, they will purchase a brand - it comes from loyal customers and leads to long-term revenue generation.

Set your pricing strategy: After determining where in the market you want to be positioned, you will need to set your price accordingly. Never forget that pricing must be made from a client. Often, we price cheaply, thinking we attract more customers when, in many cases, this only serves to promote the idea of low quality and low prices!

Start your campaign branding from the outset, following the process of the above measures to put your company on a more solid basis for future growth and the introduction on the market and minds of end users.

ethics news

Corporate Branding Through Beautiful Floor Fountains

2008-06-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Your brand is important to your business, but what is just as important is how you present it you're your customers and employees walk through your front doors. If you're looking for a way to add a new flow and dimension to your branding, then corporate floor fountains may be the new look you've been searching for.

Floor fountains are incredibly versatile and they allow you to add a new dimension to your building's design, style and environment. Everybody loves to work in a place that has a relaxing feel and a floor fountain can do just that. The sound of flowing water has been shown to be beneficial in reducing stress and improving morale. If you're looking for a way to reduce the stress levels in your business, but promote your corporate identity at the same time then you're going to love the options that are available to you through floor fountains that feature your corporation's custom logo design.

Set up a floor fountain featuring your company's logo to be placed in your lobby, behind a receptionist's desk or another location that you feel would suit your company's custom floor fountain. Once you have the style of floor fountain you would like in mind, you will then want to order the fountain and the logo to be engraved in the stone. Custom logos for floor fountains are sandblasted into the stone and then filled with an epoxy resin. You are able to select the color of epoxy resin that best suits your company's logo design. Custom logos can be created in almost any design and all you have to do is send the image file.

Custom logos are typically an additional purchase to the floor fountain. This allows you to choose the fountain of your choice to have the logo engraved in. You are not going to be limited to the style of floor fountain that you want for your location or venue and your logo will be placed into the fountain in a manner that best suits the logo design and the floor fountain.

As you can see this is an incredibly unique way to add another level of aesthetics to your company's overall atmosphere and feel. Corporate logos can also be added to wall fountains, indoor fountains, and outdoor fountains. Your options are limitless when it comes to customizing your fountain and you will be able to add a new dimension to your company's brand.

Franchising

What's in a Name - Do Not Be So Paralyzed by "Branding" That You Forget to Be Working

2008-06-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

In the last few weeks of working with clients on ezines and blogs and website revisions (oh my), it seems the common word stuck in everyone's throat is branding. I just want to put my two cents in and say that the name-game has really become a roadblock for more than one of my colleagues lately. Honestly, I don't care if you call yourself Joe Shmoe -- if your product kicks ass, people will buy it. Spending oodles of money and buckets of time worrying about whether to call myself Freelance Writer to the Stars or Commander of the Written Word is just silly. Does having a catchy tag have value? Sure it does. But you can mull it over during the next six months while you work your ass off. Do not stand like a deer in the headlights and be paralyzed wondering what to name the baby.

(By the way, I have decided to call myself Good-Bye Fat Secretary.)

The truth is that names do not generate clients. Marketing generates clients - and WORK generates clients. Even if you have to give your work away - keep working. I don't mean to de-value yourself or your product - but do stay in front of your client base. Offer to give free seminars and webinars to anyone who will let you. If you're an accountant, go in to your local high school and talk about the impact of learning to save and budget before heading off to college. If you're a cook, lecture at the local women's organization on 20-minute meals (a life-saver for working moms). And you know what? It will be amazing how this kind of networking turns into clients and cash.

And no matter what type of business you have or what you do for a living, in today's world, not having a website is like not having a telephone. It is an important reference tool and snapshot of who you are, what you do, and what sets you apart from the crowd.

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Logo Design Services - The Importance of Logo Design Services

2008-06-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

A company logo is best created by a professional logo design firm. Its designers handle a countless concepts besides simple design.

Your logo is an essential element of your business identity. It is what invites a customer before they have an opportunity to experience your products or services. For this reason, your logo design must mull over the high quality of your company.

The crucial responsibility of a graphic design service and its focus is creating a good logo. They do extremely well in creating logos that come out at the customer and grab their attention. Their designers are professionally trained in creating simple, yet outstanding concepts that appeal to expressions about a product or service. They are well aware of what colors and styles work best in a particular industry and how to design something unique upon your specified instructions.

Creativity of Logos

Logos, like enterprises, tend to evolve over time. They may basically transform color or add an element. It can be totally revamped to reflect new management or a change in the style of the business. Design firms provide recommendation on logo revision and services in design renovation for variable charges.

Other Logo Design Services

Logo Design Services provide many other servings since that their business is graphic design, part consumer relation and stationery. These servings may include:

Business logo design

Stationery design and printing

Brochures and Marketing campaigns

Graphic design

Custom Website design

For such services, design firms may charge extra compensation from you but they will create everything in deep accordance with your company logo.

change management

Spring Cleaning For a Brand

2008-06-09T04:54:00.000-07:00

One question that I am often asked is, "How do you refresh or freshen up a brand?"

Yes, my response comes with a story to be told, but that is what a brand needs to do, tell a story. In a world where information is readily available, where people's dreams come true through a click of their mouse, and where a product's 'twin' is just a few searches away, how do you differentiate yourself and standout from other brands and products?

A brand needs to define how they fit in the market and what their value proposition is for the customer. Thus, expressing a brand's assets through various well crafted messages, which should include creations of experiential marketing materials, and experiential articles exploiting a brand's assets, creates a compelling look into a brand. The key component is getting a story told so that it draws a connection with a brand's desired audience. Regardless if a brand is launching a new product, trying to extol the virtues of an existing product, or updating customers on changes that have taken place, it is important to connect a brand's values with that of the customer's.

For certain brands their human element (example: family owned business, passionate leadership, or an engaging story on how they got to where they are) is an obvious connection to the customer and for others they overlook the human element, which in some cases is one of the most powerful assets that a brand has. With some brands, the passion, focus, and ambition that drove them to greatness is not projected and thus an emotional connection to customers, via the human element, is lost. Emotions along with passion are very important factors when customers make purchase decisions.

In addition to telling a story, a brand will need to find out about their audience's behavior so that they can target and distribute their message, as well as obtain feedback so they can act accordingly.

There are other ways to compile content, snippets of information, and experiences that can be turned into fresh new stories. The use of Web 2.0 technology may open up channels of interaction with customers that may never have existed. If using Web 2.0 is too early in the process, then a brand may try to target their message via word-of-mouth, though tracking all the different channels and paths that a word-of-mouth campaign travels may take some time. On the positive side, you may be rewarded with some excellent examples of how a brand had a positive effect on a customer, and what better story to tell than a firsthand experience.

There is an old saying, "Choose your partner's wisely." This is very true when expanding a brand's image, especially if a brand is looking to freshen up a tired or stale image by associations with other brands with similar demographic or psychographic attributes. Cross-pollinating stories between brands opens up new channels of visibility, as well as it can create a positive situation by association.

The result of a refreshed brand is not an ad campaign, but it is a story that captures and builds a connection with a customer's needs and imagination.

continuity disaster recovery

Promotional Products As Panacea to All Business Problems

2008-06-09T04:07:00.000-07:00

Businesses today confront a number of problems. The growing competition among the businesses has thrown a challenge to most of the businesses. Promotional products are the remedy to all the problems faced by your business. The promotional gifts will spread the name of the business among the potential customers. Thus, they will help the businesses flourish and achieve the results.

The promotional products contribute greatly towards the success of a business. They increase the awareness about the brand and its products. The promotional items have the great power to penetrate into the soul of the customers and communicate with them effectively. This feature of the corporate gifts makes them the best brand promotion articles. It also distinguishes them from the conventional advertisements which give a pompous display of the brand. When the advertisements fail to convince the customers about the genuineness of a product or service, the promotional gifts reach to them in the natural way, in the form of a friendly gift. Thus, they acquire a special position in the minds of the customers. There are thousands of promotional gifts available today. All of them are competent as brand promotion articles.

The range of promotional products available at leading online stores includes the smallest gift items such as the keyrings, pens, sticky notes or stress toys. They also cover the largest and the expensive gift articles such as the clothing, business trolley bags, laptop bags or computer accessories. In between, there are many other categories of promotional items including desktop gifts, conference gifts, travel articles and writing articles. All of these articles offer a lot of scope for printing the brand name on them and advertising it in the public. Compared to the print or broadcast advertisements, the promotional products are less expensive and hence offer to be the best alternative for them. They bring immediate results from the brand promotion activities.

The achievement of promotional products is best visible by their popularity in the market. Almost all businesses today are seriously engaged in the practice of distributing promo gifts to their customers and clients. They not only improve the relationship between the company and its customers, but they also earn goodwill to the company. The promotional gifts produce a long-lasting impact in the minds of the customers. In a business they perform different roles. Apart from acting as a freebie to motivate the customers, the promotional products act as motivational gifts or rewards to the performing employees. The attractive gifts will give a boost to the morale of your employees; in turn, they will contribute to the growth of the business.

ethics news

Give Promotional Products to Customers to Bring Joy in Their Monotonous Life

2008-06-09T03:21:00.000-07:00

Gifts can bring happy moments in everyone's life. They will bring excitement and joy in the monotonous life. Any small article, for that matter, can be a surprise gift. The promotional gifts, therefore, find a lot of significance in the present world. When you gift a promotional product to your customer at an unexpected moment, it will spread smiles on his/her face which will further spread to hundreds of other people associated with the recipient. The promotional gifts have the power to pull the crowd towards the brand. Thus, they help the companies to achieve their target in the prescribed time period.

There are many occasions where the company can regard its customers by giving promotional gifts. The most common thing among them are the great shopper rewards, the direct mail gifts, and the awards and prizes for customer interactive programmes. Most of the businesses today attract customers towards them using the promotional products. This method was popular among the retail stores in the past. However, currently every business including IT, banking, entertainment, education, etc., are motivating its customers using promotional gifts in the form of rewards, thank-you gifts or motivational awards. There are many gifts that are used in such occasions. Online, you can find a great collection of promotional gifts under different categories. All of these gifts have proven their success in different brand promotion events at many businesses.

In order to distribute the promotional products among the prospective customers, many businesses plan and create occasions. They call them as brand promotion events. Seminars, conferences, exhibitions, marathons, out-door campaigns - they are known by different names. However, all of them have one purpose in common, i.e., to spread the brand name among the customers. According to the situations, the companies choose different gifts for their customers. They vary in their size, shape, and brand promotion features. The popular categories of gifts include the Clothing, Writing Articles, Desktop Items, Travel Accessories, Umbrellas and Mugs. There are many other items that are made customer-specific and are distributed to specific category of customers.

The impact produced by the promotional gifts is high. The customers assume them as the friendly gifts from the company. They find pleasure in procuring a free gift from a company. To receive a gift during a monotonous life is highly enthusiastic for them. They will cherish the memories of the gifting occasion for a long time. All the while, the brand name will remain active in their minds. Thus, the promotional gifts will facilitate a healthy association between the brand and its customers. To know more about the promotional products, please visit our website.

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Messaging - How To Tell The Story Of Your Business!

2008-05-28T13:58:00.001-07:00

How many networking events have you been to where the question "What does your company do?" results in an answer that is either undecipherable or is too vague to make a memorable impact? Or, perhaps it's YOUR company description that falls flat. It's true what they say; you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

Your company messaging needs to be tight, clear, and compelling-but it must be CLEAR before CUTE! Your positioning statement needs to describe what your company does and for whom, identify the key benefit(s) that drive your customers to purchase your products or services, and demonstrate the "unfair" advantage you have over competing brands. And, you must do this in 50-words or less.

As you start the process of developing your brand positioning statement, or revamping an old one, remember its purpose is to be actively communicated to the target audience, so be sure to keep them in mind as you determine your word choice, tone, and style. In fact, I recommend you poll your customers, employees, and strategic colleagues to come up with the following positioning structure:

The Elevator Statement (25-Words)

An elevator statement is your positioning statement in 25 words or less that can also be "delivered" verbally in 30 seconds or the time it takes to tell someone what you do in a ride on an elevator. It describes WHO you are, generally WHAT you offer, and for WHOM.

50-Words

Now add more detail around the single UNIQUE BENEFIT a customer gets buying from you and your COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. Your 50-word describes WHO you are, generally WHAT you offer, for WHOM, for WHAT result, and WHY you.

100-150 Words

Finally, add more detail around your product/service offering to create your 100+ word version. Your product/service detail should be in a bulleted list, with only a small description of each product IF you have space. The 100+ word version describes WHO you are, for WHOM, WHAT you offer (general), WHAT you offer (detail), for WHAT result, and WHY you.

Brand Story

Once you have 25-, 50-, and 100-word positioning statements, it's time to create your brand story. Your brand story describes your history and background, highlights how your products and services grew from that past background, and illustrates how your unique philosophy or methodology impacts what you offer.

And now that you have solid messaging, it's time to Execute! The key to successful messaging, after being tight, clear, and compelling, is to be CONSISTENT. Marketing is very much like brainwashing-repetition, repetition, and more repetition. And finally, you must self-enforce and LIVE IT! If you say you target a certain customer, be sure you really are targeting them. If you say you offer something, be sure you do offer it. And, if you say you offer a specific benefit, be sure you are committed to ensuring your customers see that result!

continuity disaster recovery

How Printing Services Help You Make Your Mark In The Industry

2008-05-24T01:08:00.000-07:00

Have you tried every trick in the book but still haven't found an answer to what will make your business a success? Have you placed great consideration on all four P's of marketing such as the product, place, promotion and price? Maybe you can add up another P into it. How about incorporating printing services on the list?

Finding affordable services that will give you quality results is a gem in itself. It will help you a lot with your print ads. If you have found the right printing company, you just have to work on establishing a good relationship with them.

If you own a small biz, do not be alarmed if at first it seems that you are not earning. With the right attitude and steps towards your goal, you will achieve what you want in the right time.

You may have heard of so many tips and tricks already. But here are some things that you can add to that.

1. Start with an efficient marketing plan.

With a plan acting as your map, you can easily decide on things just by simply consulting with your plan. Make sure to highlight on important matters. Set out goals for each day, each week, month and years ahead.

Match the plan with a working calendar. This way, the first things that you see when you are at the office are those that need your attention.

2. Create a fan base.

The first step in attaining loyal customers is by targeting the people who will really be interested with your products. When you already have the right names on the list, it's time to turn to the right printing services to come up with ad materials that are meant for them.

Use your ads to make your clients feel important. Use the tool to update them with the latest happening and promos of your company. Follow up on them and send out greeting materials on special holidays and even on their birthdays.

With a good PR, you will slowly get these people's loyalty. Through time and with proper service, they will definitely become a fan.

3. Take care of your brand.

When you are just starting, you do everything to make your name a brand. You do this by promising what's your edge with your competitors and what you can do to suffice your clients' needs.

To be able to nurture your brand, you must not do anything to tarnish its reputation. You must do as you promised. And you should always deliver quality service to your customers.

4. Create excitement through your promos.

The competition is always tough. So you must not be left behind. You must always think of ways to turn ordinary business days into extraordinary ones. This will be possible when you've got the right gimmicks according to the occasion.

By choosing the right printing services and matching that with precise strategies, you will be able to make a mark in the industry. Just take care of that, preserve it and do things to make it prosper.

continuity disaster recovery

The Top Five Mistakes Made Branding Yourself In Cash Gifting

2008-05-24T00:39:00.000-07:00

Branding yourself when it comes to cash gifting is very important. You do not want to be used as leverage for someone else! This is something only the most honest of the big players will tell you. In this article I will be covering the five big mistakes made with branding and cash gifting!

Mistake number five is going to be sending people to someone else to handle. This is a hard one because no one wants to talk with people. I have personally lost thousands by letting call back centers handle my prospects. This is a huge mistake. To generate cash with a system like that you need to be driving an insane amount of traffic and doing a ton of advertisements.

Mistake four is your web page. Make sure the page ONLY BRANDS you. You need to make sure your inviter will not be on your page at all! I always provide my team members with a custom page for no charge. This should be a mandatory requirement for you when asking about any cashgifting programs and for your true success!

Mistake three is failure to have a 1-800 number. A lot of people do not want to call you direct but they want to get more information to make a choice on how to get involved. I suggest a short story about yourself as your greeting. This provides your prospects with an idea of who you are and they will recognize your voice and personality when you call.

Mistake two is promoting the cash gifting club before yourself. Do not include the name of your program in your website. If people have already heard of it they will ignore your advertisements and go on to someone else. This one was a toss up for number one but I decided to place this as the second biggest mistake made with cash gifting programs and cash gifting in general.

The granddaddy mistake of them all is failure to choose the right sponsor. If your sponsor does not have your success as their number one priority. You will fail. Do your due diligence and search for the best sponsor you can find. A true test is to ask them about coming on at $500 dollars. If they push you for more, then you know what their real concern is, and it is not you or your cash gifting success!

If you need any help with picking the right inviter, feel free to call me toll free 1-888-210-5013.

Randy Naimo

The Only Millionaire Mentor in Cash Gifting

entrep

Are You Relevant?

2008-05-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

How are your lives? We'll I hope to better them now...
Almost every marketer, or successful individual on the internet says you have to be an Innovator. You have to distribute, supply, and create a product or service that is in demand. And make it so your customers believe you are the best and only option for that product or service.

Something that is important to your online success is, you have to brand yourself first before your business. Provide free helpful, useful information to your customers or who ever you come into contact with. This creates the also important credibility, credibility will set you apart from the millions of people you have to compete with on the internet.

The product or service should be your own idea, not a product or service that is built off another idea. As a entrepreneur your success depends on creating, or developing and building a structure or foundation in which you yourself are passionate about. A common mistake that many people have is there creating there website for themselves.

This is a mistake, you are taking in no consideration of what your customers want and how they will react to your website content. Your website content is most important for search engine optimization. Ranking high in the top search engines mainly has to do with the quality, and the quantity of your website content. Your focus should be on establishing pages of pages of quality content, hung around your chosen niche using keywords for your titles and descriptions for top search engine ranking.

Ideally a seventy-five to eighty-five page wedsite should do find. Your website content should focus on everything having to do with your niche. Thus bring free search engine traffic to your website.

We are all defined as an entrepreneur, and we know in order to innovate and make a name for ourselves...We are required to make sacrifices and take calculated risks. Entrepreneurs are defined by three key words... risk, sacrifice and someone looking to create credibility.

The question is...are you willing to take all your sweat and blood...your resources...your time and money to create your innovative visions. Your success depends on these calculated risks (among others) and sacrifices. You have to put your whole big heart into it, every moment should be used for educating and expanding your mind to help yourself create a solid website and leave no doubt that you put your all into it.

Your drive...your desire...your will...your relevant...your purpose...your credibility. Turns diamonds into Tiffanys, coffee into Starbucks, drop outs into millionaires, dreams into visions.

You have to find your purpose...by helping others which in the long-run, helps yourself obtain success in this cruel, relentless, heart breaking place called the Internet.

Now you have become relevant, as people all over the world are provided with information on the daily bases. There are college students right now, being educated for a job that doesn't even exist at this point in time... How do you stay on top of your customers minds? Becoming relevant would be the correct answer to this question. Thus, there is know room for weakness...no room for laziness...and I guest there's no room to see that either.

If you noticed in search engines like Yahoo or Google. The top searches are usually people.
Let me tell you a secret that you can keep with you for the rest of your life, "People who talk about, and think about people are unsuccessful. People who talk about, think about, and Test Ideas are the successful ones." Mike G.

Because we are all connected by a string by a God. Thus We have little or know control of our own actions. The thickness of our string depends on how relevant we are. Because we will strike ourselves down before we say the words, "I can't succeed" or "I won't succeed." Because we have control of our actions, It is in our nature to want to succeed!

The question I have for you today is...Are you relevant?

But tomorrow will you have the

Answer...

Here's my other important observation for you. Now the two most popular trends you should capitalize on today is one, online social networking and home based business. Why? because between 2008-2010 web advertising is going to double... Now what does that mean for you we'll I'll put it simply...big boy money for you. How many of you like pie. Even better profitable pie...We'll did you know that Microsoft made an incredible...$240 billion dollars for a get this...
1.6 % Share with Facebook.

Bottles the mind doesn't it...

Think big...

There are millions and millions of people you have to compete with. All trying to accomplish the same goal you are... success. So how do you obtain your Success? We'll First you have to surround yourself with successful people...The quote, "Surround yourself with a millionaire, and you'll become one to" has a lot of truth to it. Because they know what it takes, because they've already did it.

entrep

The Advantage Of Wearing Company-Sponsored Caps

2008-05-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

Corporate branding is an effective means of advertising, especially in this modern age, in which many consumers have grown resistant to the idea of "commercials" and in-your-face sale. Corporate branding allows a company to put its logo on a variety of apparel items, including shirts, bags, jackets and caps. Not only does this type of branding serve to unite employees together in spirit, it can also help to build brand identification in the eyes of the public. Those targeted may actually enjoy the idea of a free gift cap.

Caps are one of the most popular items to customize, by both companies and consumers. A company may request a series of baseball caps featuring the official logo, whether for a friendly competition, for their customers, or for their employees. There is also a wide variety of hats to choose from. You may prefer baseball hats for their contemporary and inviting design, or you may choose a more low profile design. There are also economy hats and higher quality hats that can on which you can implement your ideas for custom logos.

You also have the option of ordering company-sponsored brim hats, flex-fit hats, visors and beanies. You can order a straw hat, a sportsman hat or even a fancy outback hat with your company name on it for a low price. Where can you find a deal on custom-designed company hats? Whether you seek to order a handful of hats as a marketing test or want to bulk-order a hundred or more, you can find help online.

Distinctive Threads can help you, as this company offers hundreds of cap styles and colors, along with your own personally selected logo. For more information on the company's prices, varieties and other custom-designed products visit the official website at DistinctiveThreads.com

fundraising

Understanding The Power Of Corporate Branding

2008-05-19T14:39:00.000-07:00

There is something of an air of confusion around the idea of branding a business. Everyone knows what it is but no one seems to be able to describe it or even begin to put it into words.

Perhaps the power of branding can be better understood by looking at what it can get you. A business with a good solid brand is very likely to outperform a business which hasn't taken the time to come up with a brand at all. Take a look at businesses like Coca Cola, Virgin and MacDonald's. Now they have all got a strong brand that has pushed them to the top of their field, and that's why you need to identify a brand for your own business too.

Now you might think that a business as small as yours doesn't really need a brand. After all you are part of an online community that is so large you won't stand out anyway. One thing is true however - you won't stand out without a brand, but if you do have one you stand a better chance of pushing ahead and making a real impact on whatever your particular marketplace happens to be.

Branding is all about making your product or service larger than life. If you succeed in creating a strong brand for your business you won't have to stand there and explain it to people anymore. The mere mention of the name will bring about a sense of recognition in people and a nod of the head that says 'Yes, I know all about....' whatever it is.

So how do you create a brand? Where on earth do you begin to create a buzz around your business?

The answer is with a spot of brainstorming. What sets you apart from your competition? If you can't answer that with anything concrete then you need to find something that does set you apart from the competition. You might not be the fastest or the best, but there should be something that you can point to which you do better than everyone else. Make that part of your brand. Do it differently and make it memorable and you are on your way to creating a strong brand for yourself.

You should understand that it takes more than half an hour to think of a good brand for your business. This process could take days or even weeks of brainstorming, note taking and observing your business in a more detached way to finally get to the answers you need. Be prepared for it to take a while, since jumping on the first thing you think of might lead to a brand that doesn't really carry any weight. It's not enough to say you are good at what you do - your brand needs to shout from the rooftops and attract attention for the best of reasons.

So go and take a fresh look at your business from your customer's point of view and see what it tells you. By getting at the root of the matter you will be able to create a stunning brand which brings in more sales both now and in the future.

accounting blog news

Small Business Marketing and Advertising: Branding.

2008-05-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

Too often, small business advertising and marketing campaigns prioritize branding at the expense of direct response--i.e., actually getting leads and/or sales right now. That is almost always a foolish and even dangerous proposition.Small Business Branding Advertising and Marketing an Oxymoron?Unless you're a ubiquitous consumer products company, the value of branding is far, far less than the value of direct response. What good impresses someone with your brand if he or she never comes into contact with your business again? Why would they come into contact with your business again if you haven't gotten a direct response?Branding is essential for Coca Cola and Microsoft and all the other consumer giants because they don't need direct response. Their offering is available every time you drive down the street, so burning their logos into your eyeballs will actually make you more likely to buy. But if you have to search out the business, having a logo floating in your consciousness won't be enough to motivate you.Even if branding alone could drive business, how long will it be before that logo or slogan or jingle has left your memory forever? A few hours? A day?One of the basic requirements for branding is repetition. Numerous repetitions. Like seeing the little Microsoft flag every single day, in the lower left corner of your screen, on your computer's case, in magazine advertisements and on television commercials.One visit to your website or one glimpse of your advertisement won't accomplish thousand remember, unless you have Microsoft's budget, one exposure is all you'll likely get if you don't get a direct response.In reality, even numerous exposures to your brand might not be enough. There's only so much room for logos in people's minds, and you've got an awful lot of deep-pocketed competition for that space.In contrast, if someone requested a whitepaper from you, or called in for more information, you would have their attention for much longer, even if you never followed up--which you could do, since you had their contact information.
The Two Cases when Branding Makes Small Business Marketing Sense
1. When branding enhances direct response rather than detracting from it.Good branding enhances trust in your business. A good tagline, graphic design, and logo can also make it instantly clear what your business does, allowing users to go directly to your message without having to decide if you're worth listening to.Simply put: if you're a watchmaker, put a watch in your logo, and the word "watch" in your name and your tagline or slogan. When you're selling services picking a logo can be trickier, but it can be done. UpMarket Content's logo is a scroll and pen. Just make sure your logo communicates what you do, rather than something foolish like a black rocket for an advertising agency.Yet while branding usually enhances direct response, you should not hesitate to sacrifice branding if it hurts your response. If you find that a different tagline or font does significantly better in getting responses, run with them.
2. When you actually do have the opportunity to impress your brand on the same person dozens of times over the course of an average month.For branding to work, you don't just have to maximize total exposures, but exposures to unique individuals. Lets be absolutely clear: in terms of branding, exposing 1,000,000 people to your brand once each is infinitely less valuable than exposing 1,000 people to your brand 1,000 times each. You have to maximize exposures to the same individuals. Aim for a hundred exposures per individual if you want to really enter peoples consciousnesses.
Of course, it may take far fewer than a thousand individual exposures. If someone is sitting in front of your branding advertisement for more than a few minutes, they may in fact be exposed to it dozens of times, each time their line of sight crosses it. But this kind of long-term exposure is likely going to cost you more.How can you ensure that your brand advertising will maximize your brand exposure per unique individual? Place your brand advertising where users will come back often to see it. For instance, a banner on a website that has a strong following of returning users, or an advertisement on the local diner's placemat.
Even when branding does make sense, direct response will often also make sense, so you should combine the two if possible. For instance, at the bottom of a banner advertisement with your logo and tagline looming large, put a button labeled "get more information."Or, underneath your businesses sign, put a telephone number with an offer to get more information.
Because if they never visit or call, who cares if they have your logo burnt onto their retinas?

customer services

Fame & Celebrity Today Much Easier Through Internet Branding

2008-05-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

When I got home last night I grabbed the remote and turned on a cable news program. I was busy in the kitchen and couldn't see the screen but I heard a voice that I remembered always sent chills down my spine. I walked into the living room and sure enough, staring me in the face, swastika on forehead, cigarette in hand, was Charles Manson further "branding himself". "Egad", I thought, "Andy Warhol promised 15 minutes and this jerk's had 50 years!"

I did a double-take. I shouldn't have been so surprised that the media had given him yet anotherAndy Warhol 15 minutes; I worked in the media for nearly two decades before saying "enough is enough" as I saw it going in a direction in which valuable camera-time was being handed over to the infamous, rather than the famous; and often the famous had worked hard and been productive all their lives to get where they were. In other words, sensationalism was winning out over positive broadcasting. I am not saying stories of such notorious characters should not be mentioned or remembered. It is important to remember the Holocaust. It is important to remember Hilter; and for obvious reasons. It serves the educational process. Media can have a powerful effect on teaching a government, a citizenry, an entire nation on how not to repeat the errors of the past.

So I said to myself, "Okay, maybe it is time for Charlie to show his mug to remind us what we don't want to be. The problem I had with the program was he was given an entire hour of nothing but his predictable rambling. He was having a blast. The media was showing the world, "Look, doing something crazy like brainwash people into killing other people, and you two, a half century later, can still be a big celebrity." And that is exactly what was happening.

Manson was allegedly driven by fame. Did you know he (and Steven Stills) both tried out for the 60's band "The Monkees" when they were forming?

I don't think that is what Andy Warhol had in mind with his "15 minutes of fame" theory.

Do you want your 15 minutes? Do you want fame? Freud said something drives everyone. Maybe it is not fame. Maybe it is money. Maybe it is doing good in the world. Maybe it is having money and doing good in the world with it. Whatever it is, chances are, you are willing to work for it.

As a cartoonist and writer, I have had way more than my 15 minutes, and I am grateful for it.I have been able to help other people, animals, and environmental causes, and do things I never dreamed I could do.

What were the steps?

Have a dream. A dream can't come true unless there is a dream with which to begin.

Take action on that dream. Write it down. Make a plan. Seek out the right people to help youmake it happen. Use the Internet to accelerate that dream. Andy Warhol and his friends Marilyn Monroe and so many others did not have the luxury of the Internet. Norma Jean never had a blog and Andy did nosocial networking. You can. You can learn article marketing. Do it. Don't stop with just a few articles. Find the top Ezines and stay at it.

Find a product or service with which you want to be involved, offer it better, faster, more affordable, more unique, and every other angle to make a customer your customer (or fan) instead of someone else's. It is really that simple.

Franchising

The Business Of Branding

2008-05-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

BRANDING ..... WHAT IS IT? Branding is much more than the creation of a logo or a name. A brand reflects the customer's perception of your company and the quality of products and services you provide.

A 'brand idea' is the message that companies communicate to the marketplace about their products and services. Companies control the message they deliver, but have little or no control over its perception by the marketplace.

Immures goal is to ensure that: Company Brand Idea = Consumer Brand Perception
REMAINING FOCUSED One of the biggest challenges that companies face is maintaining a constant brand idea, that is, communicating the brand consistently and effectively across multiple mediums such as television, print, internet etc.

It is important to focus on a single brand idea that can be reinforced by repetition. This allows customers to not only develop a firm understanding of your brand, but more importantly to remember your company or product when it comes time to make a purchase decision.
Confusion is a brand's worst enemy.

A brand idea must remain focused to deliver a single message to ensure the meaning is never lost. Sometimes it is best to keep things simple!

BRAND DELIVERY Ineffective brand delivery leads to miscommunication of your company's core message and values, eroding any goodwill you may have in the minds of existing and potential clients.

Focus on the quality of your branded message as it may be more effective than the quantity. With so many potential delivery mediums, it has become increasingly vital for companies to establish a consistent brand idea. Poor execution in one medium effects the perception of the brand as a whole.

Traditional avenues of delivering the brand idea are becoming ineffective and costly. This is due to consumer awareness of competing products and the over stimulation of advertising in the market, especially on television. It is necessary for companies to be innovative in the way they place their brand in the market place, ensuring a strong point of difference from competition.
BRAND LOYALTY Good branding is an investment that when executed correctly, ensures your company is 'top of mind' when an existing or prospective client is considering a purchase in your chosen market.

This attracts and maintains customer loyalty, and works as your best defense against competitors and those targeting your clients.

REBRANDING & BRAND DEVELOPMENT establish a 'brand plan' for your company and/or product that outline future brand directions with the potential to cater for change in the market place. It is important to continually revisit the brand to revitalize and strengthen it, but remember, too much change can be threatening or confusing to the consumer.

It may take years to establish a brand but it can take seconds for the meaning to be lost. To quote Jack Trout (author of Big Brands Big Trouble):

"Remember the Titanic!"

It is imperative that companies evolve their brand position, differentiate themselves from their competitors and invest quality time on being innovative.

LEVERAGING BRAND RELATIONSHIPS Establish working relationships with complementary companies for brand leverage. Associations with other credible brands can assist in reinforcing your brand idea.

An example of this is when Immere assisted New Idea with point of sale branding for a joint promotion with Bosch and Channel Seven's The Auction Squad. Each brand offered something unique and complementary, building on the credibility of each brand's history to ensure the success of the promotion.

It is important when considering working with other brands that a careful eye is kept on maintaining the individual brand ideas. Leveraging other brands is a fantastic way to enter new markets or gain further exposure for your brand, but it is pointless if it confuses or conflicts with individual company brand ideas.

accounting payroll news

Successful Network Marketing Starts With Branding Yourself For Success

2008-05-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Branding yourself in your business will separate yourself from your competition and will bring in a mass flow of traffic to your home based business. In this day and age when you set yourself apart from the competition you will see that branding yourself is the key to being different. All the top network marketers will tell you that it was not an easy task to earn a substantial amount of money online, it takes hard work and the desire to become successful.

A few things you need in order to make a name for yourself, learn to build trust in yourself and strengthen your relationship and build a strong customer base. Create a funnel system let people know that you can be of true value to them. This is what your customer expects when looking for a new home based business.

A few ways to start a self branding business is to write blogs, a blog is a short website where you can list certain topics about your home based business. Learn to create video that will bring your customers in to your home to see what it is that you have to offer them. Today's stats say that over 100 million videos are being watched each and every day. It is wise to use social networking sites like myspace, Facebook, and Yuwie. This is a way to meet new people and create the relationship needed in order to have mass success for your business. Create certain products and services that will help others is a good way to self brand yourself. Things like free e-books and downloadable software that will help a newbie marketer get a grasp on your network marketing business.

Remember to stay focused in what you do online and have the right mindset so that you can build value in your customers eyes. Having these type of skills will help your journey into the promise land so that you can pick the fruit off the tree.

change management

Three Tips for Increasing Your Imprint Impact

2008-05-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Positioning - When placing your logo on the item, look for the most obvious spot first. Put yourself in the position of your audience. Look at the product and find out where you would most likely see the artwork. For example, on a shirt the right breast pocket would be an obvious spot. On a mug, it would be the outside wall. On a baseball cap, the front part would be an ideal place for your brand.

Next, think of other possible places for imprinting. Ask yourself the following questions:

* Where will the product be used most?

* When will it be used?

* How will it be used?

Now, look at the marketing potential of unconventional imprint areas. For instance, if you're giving away a cap for a sporting event, look beyond placing the logo on the front. The back part is also a very good option. Imagine a stadium with bleachers - that answer the where question. It's in broad daylight - that answers when. People are sitting in rows while watching the game - that answers how. In this situation, people will be exposed to the back of other people's heads for the duration of the game. Having your logo on the back of the giveaway caps is like putting your brand right in front of your audience.

You can do the same exercise for other sets of promotional products. For mugs, you've got the outside covered, how about the inside? Getting your logo on both places is hitting two birds with one stone. Everyone who sees your recipient using the mug gets exposure to your brand, when the user finishes his or her drink, you get another hit.

Some promotional products have multiple imprint areas or at least very big ones, so take advantage of that as well. A lanyard is one example of such. It can take multiple imprints of your brand name without making the product look over-satiated with copy. T-shirts are another example. You can work the front and the back.

Colors - While you may be limited to your company's colors for the artwork itself, the backdrop is an entirely different issue. Here, you can play with a wide range of choices. Pick neons to highlights your brand. The gamut extremes - black and white - are great at complementing or contrasting any color. You can also go with your company's colors to lessen the number of colors to be imprinted. Keep the following tips in mind when choosing items and imprinting your colored logos:

* For screen printing, you need an underbase to let the dark colors show through on top of a dark substrate. That will incur an additional charge.

* Every logo color that you use for screen printing means a separate screen set-up and printing. That costs money, so the less colors the better.

* Custom logo colors that require PMS ink color matching may be priced more. As would specialized inks that provide metallic or glitter effects.

* If your substrate is glass, metal or leather, you might want to try imprinting methods that do not use colors. Embossing, debossing, etching and engraving are a classy way to render your logo. It looks perfect on these materials despite the lack of tone.

Size - Yes, it matters. Generally, bigger is better, but never sacrifice the quality of the artwork. If your logo is too big, it may look overstretched or worse, it may be unrecognizable to your audience. As for the copy (the words you use in your tag line or message), better to keep it short and simple. Too much information is overbearing and may be the very reason for audience resistance.

Remember, you are not printing a poster; you are imprinting a promotional product. Keep it to a size that says the item came from your company but you are not trying to use the recipient as an obvious walking ad.

careersemp loyment

What Is Branding?

2008-05-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

A brand, in terms of marketing, can be tricky to define. What does it mean? What does it actually describe? Essentially, what is a brand?

It's not a word for a singular physical object you can actually lay your hands on, but so much importance is placed on the brand and branding that you have to ask, what is it, and why do companies spend enormous chunks of their budgets on getting it right?

Originally, a brand was a mark of ownership, and to this day I suppose it still carries the same connotation. These marks would be burned into the hides of livestock or onto property as an easy and visible means by which to distinguish the rightful owner; from which the idea of the corporate logo was more than likely conceived. You'll have seen the practice in the Westerns they always show on TV of a Sunday afternoon, where the cowboy sears the cattle's side with a sizzling iron, straight from the red hot coals. Hardly a pleasant experience for the cow, you can probably imagine.

But branding for the purposes of marketing, as opposed to simply marking out possession, didn't come about until the 19th Century.

Production - specifically of packaged goods - was becoming centralized with the dawn of the Industrial revolution, whereas before it had always been a very localized and small-scale operation. Factories were now mass-producing everyday household items on a grand scale with the intention of shipping them far and wide and these would be branded with the company insignia for the purposes of breaking into local markets that were only used to local produce. It instigated a familiarity with the product, which succeeded where generic packaging had failed. Bass Beers were the first company to register a brand with the red triangle that is synonymous with their product and also one of the world's oldest recognized logos. Even though Bass Breweries no longer exist, their brand is still going strong today.

Since then company brands have sprung up and fallen by the wayside at a rate of knots. Strong brands become instantly identifiable. You only have to look at the likes of Coca Cola, Apple or Nike, for instance, to see how successful branding can permeate the consciousness and instill a sense of understanding for the product, just by the name alone.

And that's what branding does.

That's what the brand is. It isn't just the logo design or the company name. It's the paper; the letterheads; the fixtures and the fittings. It's the whole identity. It's the copy protection; it's what distinguishes your company ahead of the crowd. It's the familiarity factor. It's the concept of knowing exactly what you're getting or what the company stands for without having to think. It creates the awareness of not just the product but the company too.

So you can see that a brand isn't simply something you can hold in your hands, touch, or feel. Without wanting to sound either pretentious or away with the fairies, it is all these things and more. It's what can make or break a company, regardless of the quality of its product, and it's a multi-billion pound industry.

careersemp loyment

The Essentials Of Logo Designing

2008-05-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

The advertising school of thought suggests, "If the customer has heard of you, you've done our job." This is what is known as "Branding". It is the messaging work a company does to encourage consumers to feel a certain way about their product. From touchy-feely character attributes to laundry lists of product features, it's a marketer's job to help you assimilate these ideas. The goal of all branding is to create an emotional tie between your clients and you. Branding isn't simply slapping a logo on a hat or coffee mug. It's the whole package of attaching a unique identity to a product or name in order to distinguish it from other variants. The biggest misconception in branding is the belief that branding is about market share, in fact it will always be about MIND AND EMOTIONAL share. A great book out there right now is, Emotional Branding by Marc Gobe, which goes into some very intriguing detail about what, obviously on the surface, seems like common sense.

No matter how big or small you are a focus on mind and emotional share will help you retain and attract clients. A logo is a very strong instrument for creating this. Your logo is: your culture, your personality, and YOU. A logo can not survive unless it is designed with simplicity and restraint, because a logo seldom gets more than a glance. In a world of clutter the simpler a logo, the easier it is to remember. Simplicity implies a meaningful idea that can be easily recalled. The simple logo reflects one or more aspects of sustainability. The key goals of sustainability are to live within our environmental limits, to achieve social justice and to foster economic and social progress. The logo design should be reproducible in full color (RGB and CMYK) and mono. The mono version should be designed to reverse. The logo must be reproducible in all sizes and formats from single-column newspaper size to banner display size.

Planning and design coordination are essential components in a corporate identification program, which interrelate to achieve the desired total impression. A professional and consistent image is essential for your corporate identity. A good logo design brief ensures that no time is wasted, and that you receive targeted logo options as soon as possible. The logo brief also helps us focus our attention on the areas that best serve your business, making you much happier with the final result. A good logo creates an atmosphere, and especially an alphabet of compassion. People relate to words, their meaning, and what they recognize around them. Words have strength and significance, which equals trust and belief.

The proper combination of characters and/or graphics should be used to create a single design to identify a company or organization which shall be often trademarked and included on all company printed materials and ads. A logo gives a complete professional image that a business wishes to project to make it recognizable and distinct. It is a successful business identity that is consistently carried through all aspects of a company's access to the public, customers, and potential customers: business card, letterhead and envelope, brochures, print advertisements, Web presence, media advertisements, signage, etc.

accounting payroll news

Logos - A Graphic Reflection of Your Product

2008-05-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Adding value to your company, the logo design is a visual outlook of your products. An eye-catching logo design sells your company well. Reflecting the company's profile in a distinctive style, the logo design of the company is a mark of your company's credibility and professionalism.

A professional high quality logo design, which differentiates your company from others, will help in creating an impression on customers. It sends a message of your company's goal. As such, a professionally designed logo is a must for your company to reflect your vision and also to create a lasting impression.

What do you expect in a perfectly designed logo?

In simple words, the logo should be impressive, eye-catching and clear. The logos should be able to tell about your company in a clear manner. The logos should come in straightforward designs, depicting brilliant colours. Good typography has a great importance in your logo design. The text added in your logos should be clearly visible and should be able to give an understandable message to your consumers.

Understand your need

When you want a logo design for your company, it is important that you access your need. You should have a clear picture about the type of impact you want to create on your consumers through your logo. Once you associate a logo with your company, this will be your identity. It is not easy to change your logo design once people in the business start recognising your logo. It is important that you have a professionally designed logo for your business from the very initial stage of your business. Proficient commercial logo designs do not only grip the clients by their eyes but force them to create a sense of trust for the company.

Creating an impression

If you have a look at the logo designs of some of the top business groups, you will see that their logo designs are simple but impressive. Hence, one of the main aspects to be kept in mind while designing your logo is that your design needs to be simple but unique. A simple logo design is easy to remember and you have lesser chances of imitations by frauds as they can easily change your complicated designs minutely and mislead your consumers ruining your company name.

Target your audience

Know your probable consumers well. If you want to target the youth, it is important that your logo design should be colourful and peppy but if you want to target the elderly you need to get a design that is much more sophisticated. Thus, it is good if you market the products and the company name through a professional who can get you to success. Getting success is within one's hand. Just choose the finest professional for your business logo design and things would just turn out what you always wanted.

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A Home Based Business Is All About Branding Yourself For Success!

2008-05-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

I learned in the home business networking enterprise in order to position yourself for success you have to keep yourself ahead of the trend and by doing so you will be able to dominate yourself in your business online.

The way to do this is you need to position yourself and brand yourself first before any thought that goes into marketing your companies products and services. The people who make the most money in the direct sales industry know the secret of branding yourself first for 100 percent growth. In order to do this you need to be in social networks and learn how to brand yourself in the web 2.0 industry.

Myspace and Youtube is a powerful way to promote yourself online also there are a handful of other social networks that are now in pre launch online. You have to remember to be professional and DO NOT sell your business or service on that web page, that turns people off it's about value and making friends and building relationships first then your business comes after that. It's all about getting traffic to your profile on MySpace. I recommend a program out there called MySpace Friend Blaster. Google it and you'll find it. It's a very inexpensive piece of software that allows you to add 100's of friends a day on autopilot.

Make friends and build relationships with everyone and continue that process over and over till you have so many leads that you will need to hire someone to manage your list. This is how you can use the power of the internet and social networks to build your MLM or direct sales company.

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The Power of the Brand

2008-05-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Many times I am asked the question, "What can I do to let people know more about my business and what I do?" One of the greatest tools at the disposal of the business professional today is their brand.

Webster defines a brand as a mark used to identify. So I guess the question would be, what identifies you with your prospective customers?

There are many different types of brands. In this particular article we will focus more on the business brand. Let's talk about business branding. This is where you, as the business owner or manager, are sending a message to the community about who you are as a business and what your and your business can provide.

There are three key points that are significant here. Number one is the look of your business. What message are you sending to your prospective customers? Is your place of business warm and welcoming? Are people drawn to you or your place of business? These are key in separating yourself from your competition. Remember, you have heard it said, a first impression is a lasting impression. Making your customers feel welcome and that you want their business is the key.

Secondly, what kind of relationships are you establishing? There are two types of relationships. The first is what I like to call the outer surface relationship. This would be a first meeting or breaking the ice if you will in a first time conversation. You do not yet know each other, but you both feel comfortable talking to one another. Then there is the inner surface relationship. This when both you and your customer both develop a sense of trust and doing good business with one another. Remember, people buy from people they like, so it is important that you focus on developing this type of relationship. The relationship that you have with your customers is also going to be the bridge between your look and your product and or service.

Now, the third key is the product and or service. You want to make sure that you are fully competent of what it is that you sell and go into each meeting with a full knowledge of that product or service. You must also believe in what you sell. If you do not believe in what you are selling then friend, quite honestly you may be in the wrong field, if you do believe in what you are selling, then you are sure to have a rapid pace to getting the results that you so deserve.

Now again, remember that people buy from people they like. Your prospective customers must feel as though they know you and trust you. If people feel like they know you, they will open up to you and you can look forward to building that inner surface relationship which in most cases will result in long term customer relations in business.

With these things in mind, I am also a big fan of giving back. People need to see that you care for your community. One of the best things that you can do for yourself and your business is to show others that you truly care. You can do this by getting involved in a non-profit organization. You can plug into serving with your local chamber of commerce, or other service groups.

One of the greatest quotes that I heard recently was this: "When you are blessED, be a blessOR, by becoming a blessING." The universe will repay to those that give back to their communities and quite frankly, your current customers and prospective customers will take notice as well.

So remember, branding is the key. What are you marking yourself with and how do people view you and your business?

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How To Self-Brand On The Internet

2008-05-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

The Internet today is a lot different place than it was years ago. In years past you could put up a landing page and drive traffic and make sales. But todays Internet is different. This is why self-branding is essential. Let's look at the ways that people are branding themselves online today.

Self-Branding Through Blogs

One of the latest ways that people are branding themselves online is through blogs. What is a blog? Well a blog, short for web log, is a website maintained by an individual, with regular entries or commentary about a specific topic. These entries are normally displayed in reverse chronological order. When a blog is properly maintained and constantly updated with up to date valuable information, the owner of the blog can become an authority on a subject and create a loyal following, which can help to build relationships and may lead to sales.

Self-Branding Through Video

YouTube has totally changed the world of online sales and branding in general. YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload view and share video clips. This is a great way to present your business opportunity to others and it also give you a great wayto brand yourself through video. Creating a channel around your subject matter is a another great way to create a loyal following. Some stats for videos reveals that more than 100 million videos were being watched every day (as of July 2006).

Self-Branding Through Social Networking Sites

MySpace, since its inception has taken networking online to a whole new level. Before MySpace and social sites like this there was very little ways outside of chat rooms to meet and great others online. MySpace has made it possible to communicate and share ideas at the speed of the Internet. This is where you tell viewers about yourself, your likes and dislikes and what types of business your in. You can then share and network with other people that share like interest.

Self-Branding Through Product or Services

Creating products or services that help others increase their online potential is another way to branding yourself. These include e-books, websites, application packages, and software. Adding you name to an e-book or a some other product can create a viral type of marketing that is unstoppable with the right content. The same goes for the products and services. With the right product or service that carters to your industry you can find plenty of people that are willing not only to use your product but they will also see you as an authority and check your business at the same time.

Staying Focused

There are many ways to brand yourself online, these are only a few. What ever you decided to do make sure that you choose one avenue before adding another. Here's to your self-branding.

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Branding Yourself Is The Fastest Way To Success

2008-05-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

Branding yourself is the artistic production of separating yourself from your contention. It is what attracts new customers with district little surgery no work at all.

Branding yourself is a concept that represents everything about your business or company. It sets your business and products apart from the competition. Branding yourself is a big task, but also necessary. Overall branding yourself is more important than branding one product.The notion of branding yourself is not new. Branding yourself is a cool thing, I would love to brand myself. I love to make my name, my entire self a brand which creates an awareness itself.So That is exactly what I have done.

Branding yourself is the key to professionalism not promoting some hotshot. Our team has a template system that you can plug into. Branding yourself is essential. You know when you read my work, you'll come across a "y'all" and a "damn" and an "eff.".It's just the E in ME, communicating that way. Branding yourself is one of the most important marketing tricks on the books. We can make you stand out with branding that will make you proud.

This is one of the most important marketing tricks on the books; it is about being an expert or learning how to be an expert and then telling everyone about your knowledge. It is one of the most important tasks you have as a small business marketer. Branding yourself is just as bad. Branding yourself is more than just employing millions of dollars worth of repetitive marketing. That is not why the marketing programs for chains work.

Branding yourself is extremely important. I own over 500 domains and sometimes I spend weeks trying to find the right name for my sites.

Businesses know that marketing is about providing customers with what they need. Their brand message is all about communicating that they fill the customer's needs. Business cards are cheap to get and easy to create. Your contact information (especially your url) should be placed on front and your band logo on the backside.

Branding yourself is the key to being different. A replicated site will get you replicated results.

Branding yourself is important, because if you don't do it, others will do it for you, and no one wants to be a punk.

Anyone who has read anything about marketing yourself has read at least a dozen or more articles on the importance of branding yourself. Anyone who earns a substantual amount of money online will tell you it did NOT nor will it happen over night. If they tell you that you will, they have fabricated the truth.

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How To Brand Your Business On A Puny Budget

2008-05-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

What do slogans, logos, mascots, jingles and trademarks all have in common? They are all elements of developing a brand.

Individually, each one of these components can act as a powerful recognition tool to create awareness for your business. However, in the same way that a single musical instrument can render beautiful melodies, when several are combined, as in an orchestra, the results are infinitely more potent.

And, just as with an orchestra, in order to accomplish magnificent results, the individual components need to be in tune with each other and under the direction of a knowledgeable conductor.

When it comes to branding your business, you are not only the conductor, but most likely the composer as well.

Branding is a billion dollar industry. And even if you don't have the budget to develop branding at the level of Nike or Coca-Cola, you can still compose an effective brand for your company geared towards achieving the same objectives of awareness, recognition, customer loyalty and viral growth.

It is important to note that consistency is the most important element when building your branding orchestra. It is this feature that keeps the instruments in tune with each other and sets the stage for magnificent results.

Here are some very inexpensive ways that you can begin to develop a brand for you business.

1. Type style - Pick a font for the name, logo or tag line of your company and use it faithfully wherever you display these. The simple, most widely used type faces like Times New Roman, Veranda or Tahoma are your best bets to ensure widespread availability in various media like newsprint, internet and computer applications.

2. Color - Pick a simple color scheme for your company and use it faithfully. This is one of those times when less is more. Two colors are preferable and definitely not more than four. Study the big guys and you'll see that they adhere to this guideline. It's not a coincidence. They have spent big bucks to understand the psychology behind color schemes that sell.

A good brand will trigger an almost Pavlovian response from your audience. Have you ever seen the Golden Arches on the horizon and suddenly become aware that you are hungry? It takes a long time and a lot of money to infiltrate the collective subconscious mind to that degree.

While you may never have the funds to achieve the level of brand awareness that Mickey D's has mastered, it is not only possible but probable that, through the consistent, well orchestrated execution of a combination of branding methods, you will earn your own little corner of real estate in the mind of your target market - which could prove to be far more valuable than beachfront property on Cape Cod.

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Internet Advertising Agency - Learn New Ways Of Branding

2008-05-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

An ordinary term can becomes a brand and it take lots of hard work to make that happen. It is a fact that marketing of any product or services becomes easy if it is associated with any brand but the question is how a brand can be developed. Can we make brands? If yes then how can we do brand promotions and is there any tool which can help in branding. This all can happen by a little endeavor and assistance by an Internet advertising agency.

Internet advertising is producing exciting results in India as it is a country with around 65 million computer literate people among whom about 46 million users are using Internet. An Internet advertising agency works to utilize these Internet users for your brand promotion. There is no doubt in it that your online presence can make you meet uncountable number of customers who are waiting for you because most of the people are utilizing Internet. Whether it is for job search, property search, matrimony search, Internet is being used for myriads of activities.

There are some genuine Internet advertising agencies in India that help in search engine marketing, e-mail marketing, display advertising, affiliate marketing, blog marketing and other kinds of Internet marketing. Many companies are using the Internet as a great tool for the advertising and so speculations are that the online advertising would become the biggest advertising medium till 2011 and it may surpass the newspaper advertising also and a major role would be played by the online advertising agencies.

In fact, a considerable number of agencies, advertisers and publishers are using the Internet advertising as a great tool and they are opting for the services of online advertising agencies. These agencies work like a bridge between your company and different websites. Also, speculations are that by the year 2012, nearly 50% of the world's Internet population would be living in the Asia-Pacific region. So, a whole new world of advertising world is in the making.

advertising blog news

Creating A Logo That Reflects Your Business

2008-05-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

Your company logo is quite important. Very important, actually. It appears on your Web site, letterhead, business cards, maybe even your company's building. Your logo can show your business's personality. It's the first impression people have of your company. You want to make a good impression, right? Follow these tips for designing the best logo for your company:

1. Your logo should be a sign of what your company represents. What do you want your customers to think of when they see your logo? Your logo needs to be unique - you don't want a customer to mistake you for one of your competitors. Perhaps you have a trait that you want your customers to think of when they think of your company. For instance, if you run a pizza delivery company that guarantees a hot pizza at every delivery, something that connotes heat, like steam, could be incorporated in your logo.

2. Make sure your logo is clear and not convoluted. Don't make it fancy and hard to read or understand. Forsake fanciful design for a clear message. Simple logos are more easily recognized than complex ones (think McDonald's, Nike).

3. Make sure your logo looks good in black and white as well as color. It's much cheaper to print in black and white than in color, and it'll be easier to make copies. On the flip side, your logo needs to look good for commercial color printing for bigger, more important marketing opportunities, such as billboards.

4. Make sure your logo can be enlarged or shrunk. A good rule of thumb is the "business card/billboard rule": Your logo should look good on both, without being stretched out or shrunken so small that you can't tell what it is. You may want to consult a graphics designer or graphics printing company for more guidance.

5. All parts of your logo should carry the same weight. What this means is that no one part of your logo should overshadow other parts. This contradicts good flyer design - you want one thing to focus on in flyer design, but with logos, it should all balance out.
There are some experts that say logos should last at least 10-15 years. But the bottom line is, create a logo that you love that is clear. Once you have a logo designed, the most important rule is: Don't change it! Keep it just the way it is. For a long time. You might get tired of it, after looking at it every day for years, but just remember that all your potential customers are seeing it for the first time. If it's worked for you in the past, it will keep working for you in the future.

The Power of Your Brand - A Public Relations Morality Tale

2008-05-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

April 23rd was a quiet day in the Spring of 2008, a nice day; but 23 years ago, April 23 became a day that will live, as FDR put it, in infamy-at least from a marketing and public relations point of view. It was the day Coca-Cola introduced New Coke. It is nothing new to say that you need to protect the image of your brand, but that lesson was driven home with uncommon power-and violence-by the debacle that was New Coke.

Coca-Cola has been around since 1886, when Dr. John S. Pemberton, an Atlanta, Georgia, pharmacist, first produced the syrup for Coca-Cola. He took a jug of the syrup to the nearby Jacobs' Pharmacy, where, according to Coke lore, "it was sampled, pronounced "excellent" and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink." In the years since then, Coke went from a syrup mixed with soda water to a bottled beverage that could be easily distributed throughout the region, then the country and finally the world. Throughout this period, the message was clear: Accept no substitutes, drink only the real thing. In fact, "The Real Thing" became one of Coca-Cola's trademark phrases and its most recognizable tagline. It was also something that would come back to bite the company and its executives.

The Pepsi Challenge

Coca-Cola's greatest challenge was its arch-rival, Pepsi. Just after World War II, Coca-Cola held a 60% market share, but under intense competitive pressure from Pepsi, that market share had dropped to 24% by 1983. Beginning in the 1970s, it became more and more evident that the American public was growing more interested in sweeter soft-drinks. The Pepsi Challenge, blind taste tests between Coke and Pepsi held in public places, demonstrated the point since the results were overwhelmingly in favor of Pepsi. What's more, the introduction of Diet Coke, sweetened with aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) showed Coke executives that a sweeter formulation was in order and extensive market research supported that conclusion.

The key to this research was the top-secret "Project Kansas," headed by marketing vice president Sergio Zyman and Brian Dyson, president of Coca-Cola USA. They sent the marketing department out with samples and surveys. The results of Project Kansas taste tests showed that:

The high fructose corn syrup formula tested much better than either Coke or Pepsi.The majority (88%) of tasters said that they would buy and drink this if it were Coke but that they would need to get used to it. 12% of the tasters were angry. Resenting the change, they said that they might stop drinking Coke entirely.

The surveys were actually far more positive and their results led to the decision to change to a sweeter formula. This was fine with Coca-Cola CEO Roberto Goizueta. While in charge of Coke's subsidiary in the Bahamas, he had improved sales by adjusting the drink's flavor. This success led to his belief that a change to the taste of Coke could increase profits. No one paid attention to the clue offered by that angry 12% among the tasters, a decision that would have great consequences in the months and years ahead.

So, Coca-Cola management went ahead with the plan. That sweeter formulation, made to go along with the success of the sweeter Diet Coke (which had edged 7-Up out of its place as the Number 3 soft drink), became New Coke.

The Introduction of New Coke

April 23, 1985, New Coke was introduced to the world at a Lincoln Center press conference in New York City. It was a day that Goizueta and the other executives that mounted the stage had high hopes for. They were about to overturn a century of tradition-the formula had changed from time to time over the years but it had never been completely changed before-and the press, with many questions provided by Pepsi, wasn't about to let them off easy.

They didn't. The questions were demanding and the answers considerably less than stellar. Goizueta's attempt to describe the new flavor was ridiculed in the press as well as the industry as a whole, especially since he was one of the companies best flavor chemists. In the end, they were just happy to have it over and done with. Other events and give-aways followed and pretty soon the customers were back and sales even started to go up. In spite of the rocky start, it looked as if it was working.

Up to this point, Coke seems to have done everything right. They had recognized industry trends, examined the success of their chief rival, conducted extensive market research, prepared a massive public relations and marketing effort and it all indicated that New Coke should be a big hit.

What went wrong?

The Angry 12%

The research from Project Kansas indicated great support for the new formula, but it also registered a small but vocal opposition. In light of the overwhelming positives, this segment was ignored. That was a mistake since it indicated the possibility of a major backlash among consumers, which is precisely what happened.

After early acceptance among consumers nationwide, the backlash came. Centered in the Southeast, where Coke got its start and where it still is a cultural icon, resistance to the new formula soon spread across America. Some of the highlights of this backlash include:

Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene's widely reprinted articles poking fun at New Coke and attacking the company's executives for changing it. Ridicule from talk show hosts and comedians. Fans booing New Coke ads that appeared on the scoreboard at the Houston Astrodome. Long-time Coke drinker Fidel Castro called New Coke a "sign of American capitalist decadence." Over 400,000 angry calls and letters received by the company. A psychiatrist hired to analyze phone calls to the company hotline reported that some people sounded like they were discussing the death of a family member.New Coke product boycotts.New Coke bottles being emptied into the streets of southern cities.Customers attempted to import stocks of the original formula from overseas.Legal action and a potential boycott from the bottlers over syrup pricing and the backlash they faced individually over New Coke.

With chaos within its consumer base and Pepsi working hard to take full advantage running ads (such as the one where a first time Pepsi drinker exclaimed "Now I know why Coke did it!"), Coca-Cola executives were in a panic trying to figure out where they went wrong. By May they were discussing the reintroduction of the original formula and when the June sales figures came out and showed a leveling off of sales, there was real fear that profits would fall. Pepsi's gains were, however, very small. The fact was that alienated customers didn't switch to Pepsi, they simply refused to buy New Coke.

It didn't take long for it to become chic to hate New Coke, and the peer pressure coming from that new social aspect was devastating. The executives at Coca-Cola knew from positive letters and calls that new formula did actually have a following among consumers, but they were like Nixon's "silent majority" and said very little in the face of the loud, strenuous condemnation. According to Don Keough, the President and Chief Operating Officer at the time, he overheard the following conversation at an Atlanta country club:

"Have you tried it?"

"Yes."

"Did you like it?"

"Yes, but I'll be damned if I'll let Coca-Cola know that."

By June 23rd, it wasn't a question of "if" they would go back to the original formula, but "when."

Going Back to The Real Thing: Coca-Cola Classic

On June 11, 1985, less than three months after the introduction of New Coke, the Coca-Cola company announced a return to the original formula. It is a reflection of the power behind the feelings of the people that Peter Jennings interrupted ABC's regularly scheduled programming to announce the news and Senator David Pryor brought attention to it on the Floor of the Senate, referring to the reversal as "a meaningful moment in U.S. history."

New Coke continued as Coca-Cola while the original formula-now based on high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar cane-was called Coca-Cola Classic. By 1992, the new formula was marketed as Coca-Cola II and after a while it was taken off the shelves here in the United States (it lasted in certain areas around Chicago until 2002). It has, however, a following in certain foreign markets. In 2006, Coke II was still selling in Micronesia, American Samoa and French-speaking Quebec, Canada.

Lessons from New Coke

"There is a twist to this story, which will please every humanist and will probably keep Harvard professors puzzled for years," said Keough at that July 11th press conference. "The simple fact is that all the time and money and skill poured into consumer research on the new Coca-Cola could not measure or reveal the deep and abiding emotional attachment to original Coca-Cola felt by so many people."

Coke spent over $4 million and came close to losing their business altogether just to learn the lessons of New Coke, all of which can be summed up in the advice of Polonius to his son, Laertes, in Act I, Scene III of Shakespeare's Hamlet:

This above all: to thine ownself be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

For a century, Coca-Cola had developed its following on being "The Real Thing." Yet, when they felt the pinch from Pepsi-a pinch that had more to do with its merger with the Frito-Lay company and the benefits of the new distribution channels and shelf-space agreements that came with it than direct soft drink competition-their executives didn't stand on the quality of their product, they decided to change it. They were not true to themselves, true to their customers, true to their brand or true to their product. Perhaps, they thought that they were being true to their stockholders, but in the end it really doesn't matter what they thought they were doing or being. What matters is the fact that they had the most recognizable product in the world and they decided to change it to make it more like the competition.

When you take your products or your services and make them more like your competition, what does that accomplish? If it is a long-standing brand, it leads to trouble with your market. However, it leads to more than that. It removes any real difference between you and your competitors. In the days of New Coke, I switched between New Coke and Pepsi without a thought since to me there was no discernable difference between them. I no longer cared, the only question I had was, "which one is on sale?"

Your brand is important to you. It is your name in the marketplace, your reputation among your customers and it represents what sets you apart. These things make it valuable and deserving of your attention and protection. In their panic and zeal, the executives at Coca-Cola forgot that and it cost them a lot of money and even more prestige. How much would it cost you if you were to forget?

To thine ownself be true!

customer services

Creating Value for Your Brand

2008-05-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

Branding is an evolving process; it is not a linear path that can be mapped from start to finish. A strong brand is created and defined over time through trial and error. The best place to look for your inspiration for your brand is within yourself.

There are three steps that you should consider when evaluating your branding techniques.

First, define your message. If you don't know what you stand for it will be hard for others to determine as well. When you are evaluating your message, keep these questions in mind:

1. What are our company's values?

2. What's different about your products or services?

3. Why should your customers care about your company?

These will form the basis of your message. The answers will define the most basic element of your brand definition, and they will determine the most effective method of marketing your brand.

Secondly, build and market the image you have defined. You know what the key features of your campaign will be, so now it is a matter of creating that image and marketing it with the most appropriate methods. It takes time to build a brand, so your message should be consistent and aggressive. Both visually and verbally, you should be communicating the company's values and creating a foundation for your brand.

Third, and most important, live your message. As long as your message is real and honest, it should be no problem at all to support and maintain it. If you are pushing false image, it won't take long for your customers to figure it out and move on to more honest and reliable company. Your customer's experience must emulate the message, if it doesn't, your brand will face the consequences.

Customer feedback is a valuable asset to your company. If you create a proper venue for them, your customers will provide effortless market research. Putting power in their hands, your customers will let you know if you are following your brand message. As your brand grows, you will be able to add more services or products and meet a broader audience. The more you live and share your message the easier it will be to reinforce your values, and the values of your customers.

When starting out, you should always remember that you are your brand, and everything that you do in the name of your company either creates a positive or negative message. Branding activities should start at the beginning of your process, not at the end. You should always keep your core values in mind and reevaluate them when you feel that you may be getting off track.

Effective branding gives the impression that you are the biggest and best in your industry, if your market has any doubt about this then you will not succeed. People want to buy products and services from trustworthy companies that they believe will still be around in the future. If you stand by your values, create a solid product or service and make an effective plan for the future, your potential and existing customers will be loyal to your vision and want to stand by your company, as you grow and evolve with them.

Franchising

Branding - How Will They Remember Your Business?

2008-05-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Marketing is about "branding" your business. And branding is about putting your company name out there in such a way that your targeted audience remembers you even when your company is not in their presence.

For instance, what do you think of when you hear, "Nike?" Do you think of shoes? What kind of shoes? Do you think of long-lasting? What about confidence? And sports? Think about the other high-profile products on the market today, what do you think of when you hear the names of those companies? Do you automatically know what product(s) that company sells? Do you have an image in your head? What does that image say to you? Do you hear a jingle or song and right away relate it to a particular product or company?

When you begin your marketing campaign, it's important to determine the "brand" you want to portray when people hear your company name. Don't be too quick in picking your "brand." Take your time. Is your "brand" something you will be comfortable in using year after year? Is it something that can grow as your company grows? Is it something that cannot be easily mistaken for another company's brand? Is it something worth fighting for when others try to ride on your shirt tails?

Once you have your "brand" down, you'll need to work on your marketing campaign. Do you have an advertisement in mind? Will that advertisement be a television commercial? Does the jingle or skit portray your "brand"?

Think marketing in every aspect of your business, including the actual process of doing business.

Think about your "brand" and leave behind a signature "extra" with every service or order! Julie of Jules Jewelry developed a signature sterling silver heart dangle that she includes with every piece of jewelry she creates and takes it one step further by including that very same dangle on the gift bags she puts the jewelry in. I read somewhere that a lady started a housecleaning business with the word Daisies in the name of the company. When her gals finish cleaning the home, they place a small vase with daisies on the kitchen table to signify they'd been there.

What can you do to remind others of your "brand"?

Business online blog

Challenge Coins - How to Promote Your Business Brand with a Challenge Coin

2008-05-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

How do you get customers to identify your products or company from other businesses offering similar services?

If you're selling your products online or offline it's hard to gain the trust of your customers. Online is more difficult because you don't meet your customers face to face. Branding helps win loyalty and trust from your clients. It separates you from all the other businesses that offer the same or similar services. You'll know when your brand is successful when your clients associate your business name with your products or service.

One of most unique ways to brand your business is creating a customized challenge coin. They were used by the military to symbolize unity, integrity and camaraderie. The uses of challenge coins have now expanded to include associations and business companies.

A challenge coin that is customized to suit your business will distinguish yourself from similar companies. It's a symbol that is treasured by it's members because it lasts forever and can be passed on to successive generations. It gives the impression your company will be around for a long time.

How to promote your customized challenge coin:

*Give it to your members - it will build pride, unity and friendship within your company

*Include it in your stationary - potential clients will easily identify your brand

*Use it as logo on your web site - visitors are first attracted to visual images on the Web so they will immediately associate your challenge coin logo with your company.

Conclusion

Promoting your business brand with a challenge coin will help you sell more products and services because customers will identify them with high quality, great service and integrity.

Franchising

Does Your Brand Have A Personality?

2008-05-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Consumers are usually faced with two options when it comes to purchasing: selecting a discounted brand with no connection or choosing a premium brand - usually at a higher price - in which a connection has already been made. What do you do?

This moment is crucial for businesses to understand the importance of building an emotional relationship with their customers. As much as people think they buy on rational thinking or logic, it really comes down to how they feel about that brand. These decisions are more unconscious than conscious, as emotions tend to tug at the heartstrings - and the wallet.

Studies show that an emotional connection with a brand delivers return and customer loyalty. Although small businesses may not have the means to execute mass marketing campaigns, the means to which they build their brand and their customers is what matters the most. Here are some tips on how to show the emotional side of your business:

Be consistent across all touch points of your business from your marketing materials to the staff.

Create an identity to your company. Building a brand is more than just having a logo. Develop a person to which your clients find an attachment, thus will return again.

Back up what you promise. If your advertisements, taglines, marketing materials promote a value, service and trust, then that is exactly what customers expect and is what helps to build that emotional tie.

The consumer's perceived notion of your brand is central to building an emotional and real connection. Having a "personality" behind your brand can strengthen your relationship and build a strong customer base.

accounting payroll news

Why Your Business Brand Shouldn't Be An Exact Mirror Image Of You

2008-05-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall... Who's The Fairest One Of All?" The wicked witch uses this line to ask her magic mirror about her beauty, and time and time again, the mirror always says, "Why, you are, of course!" Then, one day, the mirror answers "There is one fairer than you-and her skin is white as snow." This simple truth sends the witch on a rampage. She disguises herself, poisons poor Snow White, and puts her into a magical coma.

This tale of jealousy and deception cautions children everywhere that nothing good can come of vanity. But if you ask the average small business owner what differentiates their business from the competition, one of the first answers you'll hear is "Why, I do. I'm the best at this in the land!"-or some variation on that refrain.

Vanity is not the "fairest one of all."

Vanity, even when backed by your business acumen or experience, is never pretty. And it's not universally attractive to customers-unless they've worked with you in the past or know you socially. The fact that it's you running your business probably won't mean much to the average new customer.

Customers and prospects are more concerned about their needs, their businesses, and their situations than they are about how good you are. What they want to know is how you're going to help them. And if you're a one-person business, they're likely to be more concerned about the fact that you're the only one there rather than being thrilled about your experience.

And this is where a brand steps in.

Your business brand's job is to take your one-person business and make it seem established and stable-rather than fly-by-night and risky to work with.

A brand should also make your business seem more "businesslike"- and that means credible, dependable, and customer-focused. A business brand can help you position your business as helpful, concerned about clients, and capable of delivering.

Finally, a brand allows you to speak about and present your business as a separate entity-instead of constantly talking about your, you can talk about your business. In other words, a brand helps to take the spotlight off the entrepreneur and give the business a personality of its own. This allows you to do a bit more "crowing" about your business, without seeming as if you are bragging about yourself.

Keys to separating your business brand from you.

1. Think about how big you want your business to eventually be. If you're planning to stay a one-person business, then your business's brand can probably be closer to your own personality than if you're planning to grow your business and eventually hire employees. If you are planning to hire people, make sure that your employees will be able to demonstrate the brand characteristics you choose.

2. Look at other businesses in your industry and how they present their brands. This can help point you in the right direction for your brand and also help you make sure your brand will stand out. Look at the things they talk about and how they talk about their businesses.

See which business's materials and brands you're most drawn to and the lessons or suggestions you can pull from their materials and repurpose for your own. Just don't copy them exactly, or your brand won't be unique. Look at the pictures they use and the words they describe their businesses with-both elements contribute to your brand.

3. Figure out which of your personality traits are most valuable to your business. The best way to do this is to think about your target audience and the reassurance it needs to go from being interested in doing business with you to making the committment.

Some of these traits are likely to be those expected of any business worth working with-fair pricing, good service, and the list goes on and on. So you also need to think about the factors that differentiate you from your competition. You also want to focus on factors that make you appealing to the people you want to hire you.

This is a pretty tall order, but try out your brand on your target audience and see what resonates with them before "carving it into stone"-which, in the case of your brand, means before you print any marketing materials. Test your ideas out with temporary materials or by incorporating them into an elevator pitch at your next networking event. At the very least, call up some of your best clients and run your ideas by them.

4. Consider creating a logo as the face of your business. If you use a photo of yourself as the primary graphic for your business, it suggests you're always going to take personal care of all client accounts-which isn't a message you should send if you're planning to grow your business or hire subcontractors or assistants. Using a photo also brings in the vanity aspect again. "Look at me, I'm here to do business with you." may not be the best message to send.

If you keep these 4 steps in mind and create a brand that leaves you and your vanity out of the picture, your business won't come across as a wicked witch. Instead, you'll create a brand that will make your business "the fairest one of all" to your best clients and help you live happily ever after.

careersemp loyment

The Brand, The Experience

2008-05-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

In today's market, what drives revenue? Is it the brand or the experience?

This is not a trick question, but there are some who say the brand and the product are everything, but in the end, if the experience is not what was expected then the brand and product fail. This may seem obvious, but for some brands, success is perceived when they establish the brand's image and the direct marketing of the brand. Where many fail is they do not connect with the customer to know if they are delivering the experience they promise. It is a fact that people like to establish a connection with a brand and this why they call this the experiential economy.

The experiential economy (aka marketing the experience) is about understanding the touch points that a customer has with a product. The process of building and managing this relationship is at the heart of a brand's success. A relationship is not a one-way interaction, there needs to be a conversation or a method to exchange ideas between the customer and the brand for the relationship to prosper and grow. In a recent article I saw a stunning statistic that while more than 80 percent of brands believe that they deliver a superior customer experience, only 8 percent of customers agree.

So, why is there a discrepancy between brand and customer beliefs? First, if the gap is this big then there is no interaction between the brand and the customer. The brand is not delivering the right experience to the right customer, as well as they have not established a strong communication process to hear what the customer is saying. If a brand is looking to stay in the game for the long run, they have to establish a method to interact with their customer.

It does seem a bit strange that this could occur as brands spend a considerable amount of money to establish their image and this is followed by direct marketing to target their message to specific groups of consumers. So, once the connection is made where is the commitment to stay in the game for the long haul and get to know their customer? I can account for some of the discrepancy between the brand's 80 percent and the customer's 8 percent belief due to the process of establishing and fine-tuning a target market (the right product to the right customer). During the initial direct market process, a brand is delivering a quality experience, but if they are not reaching their desired market there is an inherent discrepancy. Leadership in a company should account for the introduction time (ramp-up) in the pursuit of connecting with the right clients, but after that there is no excuse.

So, once we believe we have reached our target market how do we mange the relationship to ensure that we have 'truly' reached our targeted market? If we do not interact with the customer then how do we know what we did right, and what we need to improve on? Change is inevitable so brands need to stay in touch with their customers. It is essential to extract feedback from the customer at every point in the process, even if the targeted markets were not right, there is something that can be learned from the process. Along with collecting data to validate that this was not the correct market, there may be indirect information with regards to methods to use for creating an interactive relationship.

The Internet continues to provide one of the strongest mediums to create communications between a brand and a customer. The Web2.0 techniques, e.g., social networks, wikis, podcasts, blogs, and folksonomies, offer many different options for a brand and a customer to communicate. It is the brand's responsibility to know their customer and provide different methods for the communication.

When a brand is establishing a budget they need to allocate funds that are dedicated to establishing and managing customer interaction. Managing the relationship starts when they drive their brand image, increases as they move to direct marketing, and is the foundation for maintaining a customer relationship, and their ability to stay in the game.

advertising blog news

Choosing a Name for Your Business

2008-05-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

When choosing a name for your company, take care to choose a good name for it. This sounds like basic advice but remember that your name will ultimately be one of the defining parts of your brand, and become what your known for. Think about a company like Google. It has become a verb that people use to mean to search something. What about Xerox? Many times people don't copy things, they Xerox them. Xerox has worked so hard to build up a brand reputation that many people that is the first and only thing they think when they think copying.

Do not think that your name should be too cute, but also don't make it something that will so business oriented that it is hard to remember, or doesn't reflect what you stand for or your business is about. From a tactical viewpoint, the most important thing to consider is choosing something that no one else has taken or is using as a domain name online.

To get the best of having a domain name, you should try and get one that is the exact same as your offline companies name. For instance the company 1-800-flowers website is 1-800-flowers.com It is really easy for people to remember one or the other and so it works great when they are interchangeable.

Once you have decided on what name you like it is time to register it. For domain names just search around online for places that offer domain name registration for cheap. Go-Daddy.com is an extremely popular place to go for domain registration. I really like the company Netfirms since I have had no complaints whatsoever about their products or service and their prices are rock bottom low. I recommend registering the domain name first because that way you make sure that the name is still available. Also it is a good way to discover if there is another company with your same name in another state or country. If the name is not available, time to reconsider your ideas for a company name. If it is, time to move on to registering at a state level.

customer services

Tracking Brand ROI

2008-05-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Brand ROI or Return on Investment is a measure of how much a company is able to profit from the use of a brand when marketing its products or services.

A brand can be a name, design, term, or symbol that is a label of ownership. A brand can become a very important asset for a company and it can likewise drive success in financial and competitive markets. In advertising themes, a brand is a very valuable element. Usually, a marketing department seeks to align customer expectations behind a brand name. Marketers attempt to assign certain qualities and characteristics to a brand so that customers will be able to distinguish their product or service apart from the others. Brands can be so powerful that they can attract sales even without much promotional effort from a company. It is for this reason that many marketers have endeavored to specialize in brand management, the art of brand creation and maintenance.

When a brand becomes very popular to its target market segment, it achieves brand recognition. When brand recognition reaches the point of critical positive mass, a brand achieves brand franchise. The ultimate goal in brand management is to place a particular brand on top of its product or service category. A brand name may also be classified as a type of trademark, especially if it identifies and determines the brand owner as the commercial source of some products and services. When this is the case, the brand owner may apply for proprietary protection by registering its trademark.

According to a survey compiled by Interbrand Corp. and published through Business Week, the top five global brand names are Coca-Cola, Microsoft, International Business Machines (IBM), General Electric (GE), and Intel. The values of these brands were calculated by determining the percentage of the company's revenues that can be directly credited to the brand. When this was done, they projected sales revenues for five years and deducted the value of intangibles, like patents from this figure. Other less in-depth methods of determining the value of a brand are the use of name-brand price advantage and higher company valuation. Through the first method, brand recognition can be measured through the differences in the prices of branded products and generic products. This is based on the fact that branding increases the perceived value of products and services. The second method which is higher company valuation is based on how investors value well-performing brands.

Brand valuation is a crucial factor in brand management. Brand valuation involves calculation of potential earnings from a brand throughout its expected life down to its present day value. A brand value tracker may be designed to monitor the effects of any advertising or marketing strategy on brand value. Competitor activity, sales figures, market trends, and other key performance indicators (KPIs) may be integrated into a brand value tracker. Having all these data together in one page allows easy analysis and comparison. Moreover, this setup makes it easier for managers to build the relationship between some factors and brand ROI.

customer services

What's Your Brand Promise?

2008-05-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

Before we can answer the question of what your Brand Promise is, we must first all understand exactly what a Brand Promise is.

In its simplest form, your Brand Promise is the one statement you can make to a member of your target audience to stimulate your Desired Reaction. If you can't make a compelling promise to your audience, why on earth would they do whatever it is you want them to do?

The basic format of a Brand Promise is...
When you ______________,
you will _________________.

Filling in the first blank is normally pretty simple. Most of the time, it's filled with your ultimate Desired Reaction. In other words, the first blank is whatever it is we want the audience member to do. Here are a couple of real and hypothetical examples. When you visit GiggleFliggle.com,

When you bring your car to QuickOil,

When you buy a Zippy Car,

When you work with Smith, Jones & Washington,

The second blank can be a little more difficult to fill in. This blank has to tell your audience members what's in it for them. It must sum up the most important benefit of your product or service.

The second blank can be tangible or emotional. It can be straight-forward or esoteric. It can be a simple product benefit or a broad statement of confidence. Here are some endings to the hypothetical Brand Promises started above. When you visit GiggleFliggle.com, you will find the smartest toys available.

When you bring your car to QuickOil, your car will receive the best possible care.

When you buy a Zippy Car, you will own one of the best cars in the world.

When you work with Smith, Jones & Washington, you will be confident that you're receiving sound advice.

But one simple question may still remain in your clients' minds: "Why?" And the answer to this question is, "Because." Well, maybe that's not the entire answer, but it is the first word of the answer.
When you _______________,
you will _______________,
because _________________________.

This third and final blank (what we often call the support for the Brand Promise) can sometimes be a little more difficult to fill in. And in many cases, you may have different and changing support statements depending on the audience, the medium, and what is going on in the marketplace. However, to give you an idea of how to support your Brand Promise, here are some potential support statements for the Brand Promises listed above. When you visit GiggleFliggle.com, you will find the smartest toys available, because all of our toys inspire creativity, are made in the USA, and are non-toxic.

When you bring your car to QuickOil, your car will receive the best possible care, because all of our technicians are QO certified.

When you buy a Zippy Car, you will own one of the best cars in the world, because we recently won three Automobile of the Year Awards.

When you work with Smith, Jones & Washington, you will be confident that you're receiving sound advice, because we have the most committed consultants in the industry.

Because these support statements may frequently change, it's important to nail down the first two blanks first. And then, continually revisit the third blank to make sure it's right for the specific tactic at hand.

Depending on how your audience is segmented, you may have multiple Brand Promises.

For example, a toy company might have one Brand Promise about "fun" to kids who will play with the toys, and another Promise about "education" to the parents who will buy the toys.

A flooring company may have one Promise to retail customers that's all about selection and price, and a different one to homebuilders that focuses on reliable installation and meeting deadlines.

An athletic shoe company may have a performance-based Brand Promise to athletes who wear the shoes for their sport, and a fashion-based Promise to those who wear the shoes as a part of their everyday casual apparel.

In addition to having different Brand Promises for different segments of your target audience, you may also need different promises for different products, product categories, or services you offer.

For example, the Brand Promise for a Dodge Caravan is bound to be different than the Promise for a Dodge Viper. Maybe that example is a little too obvious. Here's a subtler one. A company that sells deodorant might have one Brand Promise for their original line of scented antiperspirants, another for their line of athletic deodorants, and yet another Promise for their line of clear deodorants.

But no matter what your Brand Promise is, and how many of them you have, every piece of marketing you produce must explicitly state or at least imply this Promise. If not, what reason would your audience members have to act in the way that you desire?

advertising blog news

Getting your Logo Designed by Professionals and Experts

2008-05-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

A logo design from experts can do wonders to your efforts to build a brand and take in more money. It lends credibility to your company in a way that few things or tricks can. A professional design looks great no matter where it is placed, whether it be a company website, your business card, or the envelope you use to send mail to your customer, partners, clients as well as others.

At the same time a logo from experts helps build a visual image of a company and boost marketing fire power triple fold without a lot of extra costs. It is all about subconsciously offering a company's main products with a focused and strategic message to attract customers and grab public attention.

There are significant advantages of having your logo designed by professionals and experts who have designed custom logos for several businesses of your size, industry and aims.

The logo is supposed to be the identity of a company. To make sure that your logo has a positive and effective impression on the customer, you can rely on the creativity and talent of expert designers. A professional designer puts more muscle in your marketing campaign and forms a pillar for your promotional material.

Among the most important contributions a logo makes is towards adding credibility to your company. Competition in most industries these days is at break neck and often small businesses find that they have to slash their margins to get the products of the shelf. In this case, a strong brand name can help create a strong brand that nurtures a loyal customer base.

fundraising

The Difference Between Corporate Identity and Logos

2008-05-03T11:18:00.000-07:00

On many websites now, you can create an avatar to represent you. An avatar is basically a caricature that you can tweak to look as much like you as possible, without being an actual picture. As you chat or send emails, the people with whom you are communicating will see your avatar. When you are talking to someone whom you have never met, it helps them get an idea of what you look like.

Your avatar, however, is not you. It is only a representation of you.

Keep that thought in mind as you embark on starting a business. One of your primary goals will be to create a corporate identity; to establish what your business is in the business world. At some point, you will also create a logo for your business. These two things (corporate identity and logo) are not the same thing, though they are often considered as such. Let me explain.

Corporate Identity

Your corporate identity is your business. Everything that is projected by your business, taken as a whole, is your corporate identity. Every image that your company projects, every ad that you design, every catalog printing that you distribute, every booklet printing that you send out in your company's name: all of this makes up your corporate identity.

Whenever a customer thinks of your company, the image that he or she sees is, to that person, your corporate identity. Every decision you make, from the most important to the most mundane, contributes to your overall corporate identity. It is not something that is created overnight, but is instead cultivated throughout the life of your business.

In the example of the avatar above, your corporate identity is you. Your logo, however, is like the avatar. It is only a representation of you.

Logo

Your logo is only a part of your corporate identity. If you have a good logo, then customers will think of it when they think of your company. They will immediately recognize your logo. Still, it is only a part of the overall image of your company, which is your corporate identity.

Your logo, if designed correctly by a professional company, is your corporate identity all wrapped up into one little image. Through colors and fonts and design features, your logo is made to project the purpose and drive of your company. It is supposed to convey all of these things to customers, simply by being on a sign or on the pages of your catalog printing.

Your corporate identity is something that you have to constantly work on and revise. You must always be conscious of how you are perceived on the market. Your logo, however, is designed with these things in mind, but is then left to do its work. You will likely want to change your logo from time to time, but for the most part it remains static.

Do not let your customers confuse your logo with your overall identity. The logo is only a small part of the big picture.

Resources:
logodesignguru.com/A/Corporate_Identity.asp
hainesdesign.com/
www.logoorange.com/

entrep

Branding Your Company - Logos and Tag Lines Aren't Enough

2008-05-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Rebranding may be the most complicated and most risk-prone challenges of a business owner. You take a company or a product that people have come to know, trust and love....and you change it. Risk? Yeah. You screw this up and everything you've built disappears and you have to start from scratch.

Just ask Wendy Piersall.

Wendy launched eMoms at Home as a hobby. Now, just a few years later, the site is a seven-channel blog network and a legend in blogging and home-business circles.

The company recently pulled off one of the most difficult tricks in business: rebranding. The eMoms blog network is now known as Sparkplugging, so named because the bloggers and readers of the site are "Spark Plugs" - people who make things happen.

Branding is about more than logos and taglines. It's a process of definition. It's about finding your essence. It's about creating your identity.

Consider the following:

Logos

Taglines

Color schemes

Fonts

Company name

Brand promise

Verbal descriptors of your company

Packaging

Buildings/interiors

Each of these is an important part of your brand. But before you begin on logos and taglines, take a look at things like brand promise. Words and pictures are symbols - how can you choose the symbols that represent what you stand for if you don't know what you stand for?

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to get started:

What is the emotional need I satisfy for my clients? (Don't confuse this with your products or services)

Do the solutions I provide (products and services) measure up to the expressed and implied promises I make to my clients?

If my company were a person, how would I describe its character?

How should I position my company to best appeal to the clients who are most likely to invest in my product or service?

Are "How I want my company to be perceived" and "How I portray my company" consistent?

Could my business be more profitable if I re-evaluate my assumptions about what my clients are looking for?

Once you've begun to answer these questions, your copywriters, graphic designers and other marketing team members will be better equipped to create or re-define your brand.

accounting blog news

Fast Track Business Solutions Inc. Is At the Top!

2008-05-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Is Your BUSINESS Well-Branded?

Do potential customers even know who you are, and most importantly, what you can do for them? That's what successful brand development is all about! Sales opportunities are developed through efficient and effective marketing first, aren't they?

What's in a brand? Do you have a branding strategy that utilizes target segmenting versus mass distribution to achieve reach? Why should you target market and what are the benefits?

Look through this site and learn the benefits and returns of carefully developing a strategy to reach the types of customers you want to reach. It's all about brand! You have a desire to reach, you have intentions to grow, but how do you influence??

"Build awareness", "create recognition", "gain access" and "be considered". These are the things that lead to sales opportunities, not waiting around for the phone to ring!!

THE FAST TRACK BUSINESS SOLUTION

With Fast Track Business Solutions you can grow your book of business in a systematic and cost-effective way. One of the biggest problems we hear is the lack of follow through and coordination of multiple sales and marketing campaigns. The Fast Track Business Solutions system is designed and built to exactly handle this challenge. Often, prospecting and sales activities get lost in the shuffle and good sales opportunities are missed. Employing some best practice in this area can result in significant gains for your agency. But first, you must understand this:

Ask yourself a very important question, "if I'm not advertising how will people know who I am or what I sell; why will anyone buy my product instead of my competitor's product?" The objective of all advertising is simple: to generate more potential sales for your business. So, why advertise?

Awareness: Advertising generates awareness of your business, product or service. Out of sight is out of mind. Awareness studies show that when you advertise, awareness for your product or service increase.

Image: Consumers tend to do business with companies they know and like. Advertising is your first opportunity to build an image in the minds of consumers towards your product or service. Both your message and how it is delivered will impact the image that builds in the minds of customers.

Differentiation: The information you provide, the image you create and the media you use all help to differentiate you from your competitor and offer the motivation for customers to do business with you instead of someone else.

Listed below is the step-by-step, best practices process we recommend to successfully implement Fast Track Business Solutions into your business workflow:

Step 1: Identify the target classes of customer you want to pursue (i.e. Residential Builders, Auto Repair Shops, Printers, Florists, Drug store operators, etc.). Collaborate with your product manufacturer reps, or internally identify what YOU want to pursue because you're good at it. Then, with our system, utilize the "Leads" tab to generate contact lists for each target class, scrub and refine the data, then keep the prospects in your agency space. With the "Campaigns" function, set up a campaign, based on workflow you want producers to follow, and then assign the prospects to a specific producer.

Step 2: Personalized advertising pre-approach is the most cost-effective way to impress prospects (see white paper). Utilizing a state-of-the-art direct mail fulfillment toolkit, you can create "multi-touch" marketing communications in advance of tele-follow-up and tracking. This can be achieved with our system in limited quantities, so you maximize budget dollars, yet reach the target segment with the desired, relevant messaging.

Step 3: Tracking the data is key to understanding what works and why you earn a customer's business. Simply having producers update within a few clicks the status of each prospect helps agencies understand what works and what doesn't. With proper tracking, the ability to send follow-up letters, close and collapse prospect activities, record expiration dates, and even loyalty campaign from prior efforts is available.

ethics news

Become A Business Celebrity And Boost Your Profits

2008-05-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Jim Rohn, a titan in the speaking business once said, "No matter what goals you set in life, there will always be some simple things you must identify - and do - along the way." For instance, if you want to lose weight, you'll have to cut back on saturated fats and sugar - drink lots of water - exercise - and add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Do these things and, like magic, the pounds will begin to melt away. If you want to be a better spouse, you'll need to spend more quality time with your mate and family - help out around the house - and be more respectful of your spouse's time. If you accomplish each of these interim goals, you'll reach the larger one, too.

Your business is no different. Setting and reaching a few simple interim goals can lead you to the larger one - a recognizable business that soars above all others in your field. Here are a few simple tips that can make a huge difference.

First of all, remember the words spoken by the famous actor, Don Cheadle: "... mediocrity is what's rampant, but excellence is rare." Always produce a quality product. If you're sending emails, make sure your document is well written. If you're printing T-shirts or publications, use top-notch images or photography. Your attention to detail speaks volumes about you and your business. Quality always beats quantity - and your prices can reflect your demonstrated expertise and concern for your clients. Just ask Porsche or Rolls Royce.

Secondly, if you advertise in print, spring for a full page or cover so that you'll leave a large and lasting impression. Most business owners are satisfied with business cards or quarter-page ads. To achieve celebrity status for your business ... a full page is a must and repetition is the key.

The third tip that can help you become a business celebrity is to fall in love with taking risks and though you may be afraid to step out into the unknown, do it anyway. You'll separate your business from the rest of the pack when you take just one extra step. You don't have to run an entire extra mile. Trust me, you can soar above the crowd by doing a little bit more. Most people would rather remain comfortable with where they are, rather than move forward. So ... take a risk with one extra step and you'll get some attention. Always remember, succeeding in business is all about taking risks.

My fourth tip for you is to promote your business as an expert source. You know your strong points. Accentuate those attributes. Write them down. Keep them in front of you when you're talking on the telephone. What makes you an expert? Why do they need your product or service? Develop a catchy slogan or jingle and make sure you have a great logo and website design.

Tip number five: stick to your niche. It is better to dig one deep well than many shallow ones. If you're in the printing business, for example, set goals to increase your business progressively. You might start with your own printing press and progress to offering graphic design while planning to establish a full-service distribution company. As you add more services within your niche, your revenues will grow, allowing you to offer even more aligned services.

And finally, network, network, network. Promote your brand image as often as you can. Attend trade shows, health fairs and other events. Talk about what you do with as many people as possible. Increase your web presence. Pitch a TV or radio show. Write a book or an e-book to establish yourself as an author and an expert in your field. In other words, find a way to serve more people.

Stay on this "celebrity model" course to brand your business and the public will be more likely to remember your organization when they need your product or service. And increased revenue? That's a natural by-product of celebrity.

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A Well Designed Logo Can Change Your Identity

2008-04-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

Visual representation of a business is very essential for gaining an identity. A logo is the most crucial tool for representing your company, your products and your services with an unforgettable identity. The logo is the first object people look at to build an impression about the organization. Now, the question arise can a logo successfully communicate a corporate or product image? A logo exactly do it but in a very subtle way. In this world of globalization, logos are created to differentiate between products and customers can easily recognize the difference. What is important is that how much your company logo is able to create a visual impact upon customers. Although to some extent this visual impact comes from repetition, the very act of seeing a familiar symbol on a continual basis. The recognition of your company logo by the audience is very important too. Don't you recognize the brand name "Nike" when you found a "a swoosh" mark on your dress.

Identity of your company is a very vital asset. "Branding" is a buzz word through out the world today. A great time and resources is needed while developing a brand identity for your organization. A compelling brand identity increases recognition and builds businesses. A consistency however should be maintained, with your logo design since it is the sole identity of your company. The key to success in building a compelling brand identity lies in the development of a well thought out action plan and consistency in all you do, send and touch in the community. Image is very important in this corporate world. To give a corporate image to your logo is very important and the most significant thing for this is integrity which itself is again composed of strength, completeness, visibility and lots more. Value is another important thing for a corporate look of a product. The person buying your company product should have the impression that they will be receiving something of worth for their money.

Innovation too is needed for this purpose which is another important component of image. The image used in your logo should be creative and able to meet consumer needs with best products and services. Fonts, color, size, pictures, design and lastly the tagline under the image are crucial while making logo. Some images require a sense of movement in the logo design; some need the strength of heavy block lettering; some need a strong color all these things should be synchronized according to the need of the corporate look that you are willing to give your brand. Your logo should be present as a communicator of the corporate image.

Keeping in mind all these factors, a logo designer should create a logo that catches the public eye and imagination and sends a subliminal message about your company's image. Some logos are so powerful they become universally known as symbols of a complete profession. Logos are generally used for two purposes, one to identify your company and secondly to represent a specific product. A successful logo is one that reflects the image of a company or its products. Branding is especially important to small and growing businesses. One of the most important parts of the corporate branding program, the logo is the reflection of the organization's culture, its purpose and goals, as well as values and aspirations of its customers. A professionally designed corporate logo will allow you to create your brand and effectively market your product or service.

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Logo Design

2008-04-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

A company's Logo Design is a mean of establishing a visual representation of what the company represents and stands for. A quality logo needs to be unique and simple which should be to portray the company's services. Due to the increasing number of products promoted by various companies it is becoming highly significant to have designed logo to make a visual impact on the market and sets up an identity. An effective design needs to be simple, a complicated logo would require more time and effort to reproduce and maintain. It needs also to be able to communicate with the audience; the logo needs not to be complicated and out of touch of the customer's needs. Remembrance is another key factor it is the only thing that make a good corporate logo design in a household product.

No doubt, a logo design needs to be memorable but it also needs to fully represent the company's services and products that it offers. In one way or another, the logo needs to represent the relevance to the product. The design also needs to be unique; it should be straight forward such that it can easily be identified among its competitors in the industry. It is always advisable to research the product and the market it is going to be sold in that way the design shows more relevance to the common styles of the market however, it also needs to be free of any infringement. Otherwise, the product is not going to do well in the market.

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Free Logo Design

2008-04-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Free logo designs are simply not worth. They are like Frankenstein trying to sell his monster for free! Besides this free logos are probably some online guys putting large fonts and clip art through an out-dated software and claiming it to be a worthy logo. Most of the time these logos are infringed and breaking trademark policies. However, a major problem with free logos and free logo websites is that they are developed by marketers and not professional designers that know how to make a good logo. They want to make money and not necessarily provide quality that the client asks for.

The free logos are basically off the shelf and not original, many other people would be using this logo. You would certainly not want to represent your product with a common and infringed logo. Trademark lawyers are very keen on originality of a logo. For proper brand protection it's highly crucial to trademark your logo. You need not to loose this protection by purchasing a free logo.

Furthermore, the free logo is probably a bitmat low resolution image only. Such bitmat images are not suitable for website usage and certainly not for print usage. Free logos do not provide a vector format which is essential for printers to operate. Free business logo designs are a waste of time and effort. The worst aspect of this entire process is that even though you have a free logo, it costs you a lot of money in the end than it would have if you had bought a custom designed logo.

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Business Logo Design - Professional And Affordable At The Same Time

2008-04-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

The logo design is of fundamental importance when it comes to growing customer base. Professionally designed and yet affordable, logos in the internet age are better and less costly than ever before. Never before have had small businesses enjoyed the kind of low price they can now pay for a custom logo design. Today, company and business logos communicate a well designed branding message on behalf of a business and its products and services.

Affordability is the number one concern for most small and medium sized businesses. Shrinking margins, higher costs and a recession have all added extra burden on the already shrunken balance sheets of business on both sides of the Atlantic. In this kind of an environment, an affordable and yet effective branding campaign spearheaded by a creative and ingenious logo can produce much better results per dollar spent than say slashing margins out right.

Small private businesses can also reduce their costs by choosing logo designs that are cost-effective at the time of printing too. Certain logos costs considerably less at the printing press and are therefore lighter on your pocket.

The key to efficient, cost effective branding is to get the lowest price deal without compromising on the quality of the papers. Many of these top professional logo services companies have won prestigious design awards and are yet within the grasp of most businesses in terms of pricing. It can not be understated that the quality of the design can not be compromised upon for the sake of lower prices from freelance designers.

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Corporate Branding vs Personal Branding

2008-04-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Branding is a very important part of any company's marketing campaign. No, I'm not talking about that thing they do to cattle so everyone knows who they belong to. I'm talking about branding, as in the identity that a company or product takes on.

The goal in corporate branding is to create a brand identity that is instantly recognized by a wide array of customers.

There are many examples of successful corporate branding. When you think of a big, yellow "M" with rounded arches on the top, what do you think of? The chances are, you think of McDonald's, the fast food giant.

When you think of a type of tissue that you use to wipe your nose, what do you think of? You probably think of Kleenex. Kleenex, however, is actually just one brand of tissue. Although customers regularly buy other types of tissue, such as that made by Charmin, they still call it Kleenex.

These are examples of highly successful corporate branding campaigns. These have been so successful that they have transcended the industry in which those companies exist. The work Kleenex has become synonymous with the tissue product, and McDonald's is seen as the epitome of fast food restaurants around the world.

In recent years, this strategy has also taken on a personal tone. There has been an increased focus on what has become known as personal branding. Like corporate branding, it seeks to build an identity, only instead of building an identity for a company, it does so for an individual.

There are some similarities between corporate branding and personal branding, as well as some differences.

Visual aspects are important to both types of branding. Whether you are trying to build recognition for your company, or form an identity for yourself, you have to do so with attractive marketing. In the case of business marketing, you will likely use color printing to convey a bright and intriguing picture for your company. In personal branding, you will predominantly use colorful language or actions, both of which have visual aspects.

The primary difference between the two is the usual approach taken in each. In corporate branding, companies try to lure customers in with a small item or product, and then branch that out to every part of the company, building brand recognition along the way. In personal branding, you start with the big picture instead, and work your way down. You first try to give people an overall picture of you as a person, and then work on smaller details as they become more comfortable.

Corporate branding has been around for generations, while personal branding, at least as a concept, is relatively new. However, they both play a major role in today's business market.

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Choosing A Shop Logo That Drives Traffic

2008-04-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

Logos are especially important for retailers. Any business with a physical presence benefits from attracting attention from walk-by traffic. When a company's logo is the focus of your outdoor signage, you need to be sure that the logo is going to stand out and pull customers into your store.

This article outlines three important points to consider when you are seeking custom logo design for your shop.

Cut through the noise

Busy retail streets will often be plastered with dozens of different brands crying out for attention. Your logo needs to be distinctive enough that it shouts out past your neighbors. What makes a company logo stand out? You may as well as ask, "What makes anything stand out?", because the answer is the same.

Logos - much like people or noises or pretty much anything - will attract attention purely on the basis of being different from those around them. There is no secret formula of colors or shapes that will guarantee success. What will give you a better chance of attention is to look at what your neighbors and competitors present, and then look for a way to be different.

Are there are colors that other nearby businesses aren't using? Is there are certain style that is commonplace in your area? Is there any good reason why you ought to follow their examples? If not, be different!

Stake out your territory

Once you have the attention of a walker-by, your next task is to foster some interest. If the person has a specific need for your product, or simply feels curious, then you might lure him or her in to your store to investigate.

If that person isn't in the window-shopping or purchase frame of mind, generating interest is still important. If you make a good enough impression you stand a better chance of being top of mind next time he or she is in that frame of mind.

To create some interest in your potential customer's mind you need to connect to a specific need that person has. This need could be a concrete intention to buy a certain object, or a general interest in information related to your product, or merely a general curiosity about your category.

Regardless of where that person's head-space is at, in every case he or she needs to be absolutely clear on what your business does. Your shop, your signage, and most importantly your logo must clearly carry this message in a fraction of a second. Interesting names are great for differentiating your business, but on the basis of the name alone few pedestrians will take a few seconds to uncover what a shop called "Blue Goldfish" actually does. The job of your logo (and your signage or window display) is to clarify what line of business you are in. Whether "Blue Goldfish" is a pet shop or a caf?your logo needs to reflect that in a glance.

Set the right standard

Many retailers start out in business with a logo designed by a friend, cousin or nephew. Unless your friend, cousin or nephew is an experienced logo designer, taking this cheap branding option may hurt your business.

There is a lot of competition out there today, so you owe it to yourself to give your business the best possible branding. Your logo will be seen hundreds of times per day by as many people. It's well worth spending the time and money in getting it right, and fortunately there are some resources out there that will help you find what custom logo design deals are available online. Selecting the right logo is an investment that will repay you many times over.

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Brand Building During A Recession

2008-04-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Times are tough right now and it's a normal reaction for businesses to make cutbacks during these trying times. Heck, I've cut back on drinking less milk and juice and drink more water from the tap, sold my gas guzzling truck to buy a more fuel efficient car and started a garden to grow my own vegetables. If you look at what I just said you'll notice I made cutbacks on certain things like what I drink, what I drive and how I get my food, but what I haven't done is give up on them entirely. I still drink juice and milk, I still drive a car that needs gas to go and I'm still eating my vegetables. I've just adapted my lively hood to overcome higher prices.

This same concept rings true for branding or marketing your business during tough economic times. It's not healthy for me to give up on drinking milk or eating vegetables and it's not healthy for your business to give up on advertising your brand to your consumers or target audience.

During the late 1980s to early 1990s, the United States went through a recessionary period which was peaked by the start of the Gulf War in 1990. During this time, many businesses started thinking about cutbacks with hopes of weathering this recession. The first item on most budget-cut lists was the marketing expenses. Many companies all but eliminated their spending on advertising to the point that they seemed almost nonexistent.

Back during this time, I was working as a Graphic Designer for a small ad agency in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The agency's biggest concern was that clients were pulling back from their advertising plans causing the agency itself to fall short on profits and have to possibly enforce layoffs, but the agency owner had a plan. It was time to re-educate our clients on the importance maintaining their visibility in during these weak economic times. After countless meetings with clients, about two-thirds of our clients heeded the message and decided to take steps to build their brand in the marketplace when all of there competitors were in lock-down mode.

Two months after the meetings with clients, they began to see payoffs in the form of increased sales. These sales were tracked directly back to our clients' various marketing strategies that literally catapulted them to the top of their respective markets. It made that small ad agency look larger than life, but what it really was was common sense that was worth repeating.

So remember that when times get tough, it's also time to toughen up your brand. Let your consumers know that you're a pillar of strength in the market, that you're company is designed to handle adversity and that you'll be here for years to come. By the way, be prepared to see an increase in consumer loyalty to your brand because of it.

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Setting Your Brand Apart From the Rest

2008-04-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, a successful business is one that sells more than its competitors. The bottom line is always important. But, when it really comes down to it, the businesses that succeed (and ultimately sell more) are the ones that can separate themselves from others in the minds of the customers. Making your company stand out from your competitors is the key to survival.

How do you make your company stand out and come in first in the race for the customer's mind? Well, there are several things you must concentrate on:

1. Decide what about your company makes you different.
2. Advertise the qualities that make your company different.
3. Give your customers what they expect.

Decide what makes your company different

Let's say you are a florist is a moderately sized city. There are at least a dozen other florists in town. What makes you different - and, more importantly, better - than the other 11? This is a critical question that you must know the answer to before you can effectively sell your company to the public.

Do you offer a wider variety of floral products? Do you offer lower prices than most florists in the area? Do you guarantee the fastest delivery in town? Whatever it is that gives you an advantage over other florists, make note of it, and flaunt it.

Advertise the qualities that make you different

Now that you know why you are better (or at least different) than any other florist in the city, you have to let the people in town know that you are better, and why. Obviously, this is where your advertising strategy comes into play. Whether you are posting flyers, or running newspaper ads, or whatever else you do to advertise, remember to tell people why you are different. Remember that you are building a brand identity, which will help customers think of you when they think of your product. Keep hammering home the things that set you apart.

This also plays a role in smaller-scale advertising, as well. As you talk to people in the area, even when you are not working, keep building your brand identity. Invest in business card printing, and always have some cards on hand. And make sure they look good - get full color business cards, not bland colorless ones. Most importantly, find room on each business card to mention why your company is better than your competitors.

Give your customers what they expect

Okay, you have identified what sets your company apart, and you have effectively advertised that quality. Now you have to follow through. When customers come in, they are going to expect to see what they saw on your ads. If your full color business card says you have the lowest prices in town, then don't jack your prices up when the customers start rolling in. You will kill your business in a hurry if you violate the qualities you presented in your marketing efforts.

Your goal is to make your company memorable in the minds of customers. You have to stand apart from your competitors, or you will never reach the level of achievement you have been dreaming of. There is something about your business that makes it better, so find it! If you can't find anything, then you either need to reconsider your business as a whole, or you need to make something about it better.

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The Important Role of Branding

2008-04-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

When we think about any major corporation such as Disney, Starbucks, or Microsoft, a certain image will come to mind. This image, quite often, is directly related to the product being offered by these companies. The large, playful letters of Disney's name gives a person a sense of not only what the company is, but also a certain feel for the playful nature and the youthful quality of their business. Everything you see associated with Disney will carry this logo, which is a prime and powerful example of corporate branding.

Any business needs to be memorable if it wants to be successful and this truth becomes a more pressing need when a company starts to offer multiple services and products. To stress this concept, let me continue with my example. Whether it's on television shows, movies, toys or candy, anyone would know if it's a Disney production or creation. In the same way, so should a person know everything your company excels in. This is where the effective use of commercialized color printing can help a business develop an effective brand and bring all their products under the blanket of their logo.

The design of a company's logo is going to be one of the most important details. If you're going to take the time to brand every product you want to create, make sure it's something people will be quick to recall and will be pleased to look at. A brand needs to be a reflection of the business. It needs to be eye catching, something only printing with brilliant colors can achieve. A black and white logo will quite often fade into the background of the product. To cite another major company, there's a reason why the logo for Microsoft Windows is multicolored. And it's the same reason why people can immediately identify the logo as Microsoft. People mostly remember unique color schemes, interesting designs, and of course memorable icons or images.

The significance of branding doesn't just apply to larger companies, either. Personal branding can be just as important to a small business or a freelancer as it is to an entity like Microsoft. The only difference of corporate versus personal branding is that you brand yourself, not so much your products and services since if you really look at it, YOU are the product or the service.

Just like with bigger companies, the end goal is to make a person feel comfortable and familiar with you and, most importantly, remember you after every transaction. You should also always be prepared with promotional materials like business cards, catalogs, letterheads in case someone's interested in learning more about you. And of course, on all of those should be your beautifully crafted, colorful logo. Every kind of color printing you do for your company, no matter what it is, the brand should always be there. Consistency is key.

Gaining trust in a company is the greatest desire of any customer. If anyone buys a product or hires out a service, they want to know they can trust whatever they're getting. And once that trust is gained, they'll be quick to stick with the people they know are reliable and delivers high quality goods. Consistency with branding strategies allows people to recognize those companies they've come to identify and trust. Why make it harder for them to recall who you are by using a mediocre, non-descript and constantly-evolving logo when you could hand them a distinctive brand name, elegantly colored and printed crisp and sharp on every product or service you provide. Keep these points in mind and the next time customers need your services, they'll remember exactly who you are.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Important-Role-of-Branding&id=1100619
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What A Brand Says About A Business

2008-04-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

A brand is the public image of a business. It is the face a company is putting out for everyone to see, and quite often it is what the public will derive first impressions from. If business is down, a brand can be tarnished, and if business is booming, a brand can be the mark of success. When people see a familiar brand on a product or service, they're more comfortable about what they're getting.

It's no longer a secret that brands can have a significant impact on your business-customer relationship and if your company doesn't have a brand already, you should put serious thought into getting one. But for this article, I'll go off of the assumption that you already have one and instead go straight to the next question: How well does your brand represent your business?

One factor you have to determine is whether or not your brand is something people readily recognize and easily associate with your company. In addition to this, when you print your flyers or brochures or postcards, along with anything else you're sending out, does it have your brand name in an appropriately eye catching place?

If the answer to these questions is no then perhaps you aren't marketing appropriately. Being great at whatever your business is supposed to be doing isn't the only way to boost your brand.

A strategy used by most businesses these days is that they come up with a very distinguished logo and distinguished tag line for an overall stand-out brand that people can recognize before they even experience the products or services you provide. That's why using commercial printing to send out various advertisements in mass is a great vehicle to get people talking about your business and the brand it carries.

Another factor to think about in determining your brand's effective representation of your company is if you're targetting the right type of audience you need for your brand name to really take off. Find out who needs your services the most and then send them postcards or brochures in order to cultivate a familiarity between your business, your brand and their needs. The ultimate goal is to make your brand name synonymous with the industry your company excels at, something a business can only accomplish if they're regularly making their presence known with consistent advertisements.

A brand name is one of the most important elements a company should put much thought into if they wish to establish a sound presence in the industry. Remember that brands should be easy to remember, sticky enough for anyone to recall long after they've purchased a product or used a service.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?What-A-Brand-Says-About-A-Business&id=1113203
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Logo Design Mistakes - Your Existence Questioned!

2008-04-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Take for example some of the successful logos in business today. Nike, McDonalds, FedEx...they have something in common. They are simple, clean, small and targeted. Here are some common mistakes that we see all the time.

1. Readability

Often logos are designed for a single purpose, but later realized that it's needed on several different forms of media. In today's technology, it is required that your logo is available in several different sizes and formats and each on of those needs to be legible.

2. Amateurish Design

Logo design is no place for rookies and amateurs. You must engage a professional who is trained and experienced in working with businesses to design the perfect logo to fit their position. Investing in your logo will prove its worth immediately. Be proud of your logo, which will eventually make it a powerful selling tool. You and your company will enjoy supporting the brand if you have taken time to develop and designed it by a professional designer.

3. Consistency

Often you will encounter logos using wrong colors, incorrect sizes, scales and even improper placements. This will reduce your logo integrity and cause confusion for your brand. One of the most important goals is to keep it consistent. Take the help of a style guide, who will provide simple rules on how to use a logo.

4. Complexity

First, if your logo is complex it will cost you more. The use of images, gradients, too many colors and fonts makes it difficult to reproduce quickly causing an increase in costs. In addition, if your logo is too busy it will make less of an impact. Do not go for clip art or stylized type logos. Stylized type might look good to you but it's highly unlikely your customers or clients will notice that it is your logo or remember it. A logo can be complex if too many fonts are used, which will eventually make your logo un-readable.

5. Inappropriate Wording

Make sure that your logo speaks to clients the purpose of your business. Often times you'll find logos using a somewhat unrelated image or use techniques that speak to the wrong audience. It is highly recommended not to include the followings in your logo:

Long string of words Potentially offensive wording Mission statements

6. Designed for Only One Media

Most business owners would not realize that a logo designed by an amateur will not work in all of today's media. Logos designed professionally will work in all applications- the web, email, print advertising and more.

The single most important selling tool for your business is your logo. Your goal is to get people remember you. By having a consistent and simple logo, the likelihood of attaining that goal is greatly increased.

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The Face Of Your Company - Logo Development Tips

2008-04-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

Logo is often the first interaction clients come in contact with as it is seen on every marketing and promotional piece. Logos come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some include tag lines while others rely on a mere symbol. Whichever combination you choose, the logo is a powerful marketing tool that can communicate a lot in a little amount of space.

Think about the next time you go to the store to make a purchase. Look at how many products are on the shelf offering the same service. Do you choose simply because of the brand? And how is that brand communicated? Do you recognize the product based on a symbol?

There are many key factors to take into consideration when designing your logo.

- Is it consistent with the nature of your company and business?

- Is it unique? Will clients immediately recognize your company?

- Is it easily replicated? Your logo should be easily recognized whether it is on a billboard, a business card or an envelope. It should convey the same meaning in color and black and white.

- Do you have a catchy tagline to accompany your image?

A logo and tagline combo is like the one, two punch of your brand. A simple image and message can be memorable, lasting and valuable - a powerful combination you want to hold over your clients.

From the designer perspective, below are some sample questions that I use to help develop a winning logo.

1. What are you selling? - I know that you are a physical therapist but how do you sell your service? Packaging a session or hourly, etc.

2. Who is your target audience? (gender, age, location, etc.)

3. What makes your service different from others?

4. What knowledge do you have that provides extra value to your customers?

5. How are your services better than your competition?

6. Why would someone choose your service over competition?

7. What is the largest customer problem, need or desire your service address?

8. How would you like to see your business 3 years from now, 5 years from now, and 10 years from now?

It is amazing to see how much thought and effort is put into what appears to be a simple image or symbol. But really, the logo is a reflection of your company's vision. Once you can implement your logo with a strategic marketing plan, you are on your way to building a successful brand.

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Creating A Brand Identity With Professional Design

2008-04-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

The design process is crucial to any business, whether it is creating a simple company logo, or the design of an entire corporate campaign.

Once your business is up and running, any form of corporate identity will act to represent the company visually creating a brand. If you look at big corporate companies you will notice company branding stands the test of time for many years before it is appropriate to re-develop.

Many companies never change their logo design dramatically but only make the smallest of changes to keep the design looking fresh.

It is worth taking time and not rushing a company logo or corporate identity design as your design will represent your company and be around for a very long time.

Logo design is creating a unique symbol / graphic to reflect your companies image and vision. A successful logo becomes a symbol of your companies identity, shows your professional and should be used on your on business cards, letterheads, compliment slips, vehicle signage or website.

When you choose to have a logo designed ask for a few different designs to choose from, each logo should have its own character and style. Giving you the best options to suit your needs.

Your logo design should be professional and prove to be a statement of your business to new / existing clients, suppliers and staff, your logo design needs to easily identify its purpose and values of your company and bring instant credibility.

If you own a small company, with a well-designed logo your business will look big. It will look more professional inspiring confidence to your customers.

A striking logo is paramount for the image of any business, small or large. The design creates a starting block for a companies corporate identity, the right colours, fonts and is of great importance when starting to design business cards, compliment slips, letterheads and a website, keeping all styles consistent throughout creating your brand identity.

Logo design types

High / Low resolution

If you are looking at starting a new business, you will need a logo. All logo designs should be unique to your business, no templates, no free graphics or clipart, just bespoke designs for your company.

Below is a break down of the different types available:

Logo designs for onscreen
Low resolution RGB 72dpi

Ideal for websites, emails, PowerPoint presentations and general onscreen viewing only. Because of the small size they can be downloaded very quickly but are not suitable for print.

Logo designs for print
High resolution CYMK 300dpi

High Resolution Logo Design

Must be use for printing high quality material e.g. letterheads, business cards, compliment slips, banners, posters etc. This means your logo will be clear and crisp when printed, if a low resolution logo is used it is likely that the end result will be blurred, blocky and illegible.

Logo design - redraw and enhancement

Alternatively, if you do not require full logo design service, you could re-design, redraw or enhance your existing logo for print or website use.

By Ben Smith

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The Power of Branding You on the Internet

2008-04-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

What are you known for on the internet? If you Google your name, what results do you get? In today's information age, it is crucial for your business success that you develop an online brand with your name and that when someone Google's your name, the information they find is interesting, relevant to your profession and business, and presents you as an expert in your field. If you have a popular name and there are several people who share your name then this can be more difficult but it is still possible. Here are some ideas about how to brand yourself on the internet as well as some thoughts about what having a strong online brand can do for your business.

1. Register yourname.com if it is available. If it is not then register yourname.net or yourname.ws or whatever domain you can obtain with your name in it. Use this site to post information about you, your story, articles you have written, your blog etc.

2. Brand yourself with articles. Articles are a very powerful way of generating links to your website and getting yourself known. Make sure that the articles you write offer real interesting and useful information not just ads or spam. Make sure that they also send the right message and develop your brand you in the way in which you wish to be known.

3. Use your full name whenever you register on forums or online communities. This makes it easy for people to associate your name on a forum with an article you have written or your blog.

4. Make sure that your personal website and any business websites have a recent picture of you. People need to see that you are a real person and get to know you.

5. Develop a strategic plan for developing your you brand and for making yourself known. Decide where you will post articles, and videos, what you will blog about and who your target market is.

6. Make sure that for every action you take online you have a you brand goal and result in mind.

Developing the brand of you can take time but it is well worth it. People will get to know you. They will feel like they know you and like you are someone they feel comfortable doing business with. The more people see your name online, the more they will see that you are serious about your business and that you will be there in the long term.

continuity disaster recovery

The Added Weight of Logos For Businesses

2008-04-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

Off the top of the head, I am betting almost every person in this country can think of at least one company logo. We live in a society filled with logos.

How many cars have you seen lacking a company logo on the front? When you look at any car odds are the first thing your eye will be drawn to is that bright, silver logo. The mere fact that you will recognize what company it is proves how effective logos can be. When accompanying a company name a logo can help shape opinions about the business, and, best of all, stick with a person for long after they are done looking.

Logos are almost always composed of simple and colorful designs for a reason and purpose. For most people, company names are not always the easiest thing to remember, but when accompanied by a nifty little image, people find it easier to remember them both. That fact alone is reason enough for a business to put serious thought into creating a well-balanced logo attached to their company name and to embody their business.

No matter how good a logo is people have to see it in order to remember it. Your duty is to make sure you place it on everything you can think it. Of course your base of operations should be labeled with it, just as every product you send out needs to have your logo in an easy to see position.

Those car logos are front and center for a reason, not to mention how much the silver shine almost forces you to shift your gaze to look at it. Make sure your logo does just the same thing. The colors you use and the design you pick need to create an image people want to look at.

So you have your logo made and you have it placed on every product you sell: what should come next? Commercially printing business cards for mass distribution is the most obvious way to get people to see your logo outside of the actual products, but why stop there?

Every letter you send out, every brochure, magazine, postcard, and everything else you can think of should carry it as well. When people think of your company you want to make sure they think of that logo first. The more mass commercial printing you do the greater the odds people will quickly come to associate the logo with your company.

Do not make the assumption that something like a logo is only for the large corporations. The history of effective logo use is all around you.

Next time you glance at that logo and immediately recognize the company it represents, just ask yourself how much you would enjoy people being able to do the same with your company.

accounting blog news

Designing A New Logo For Your Company - Hire A Designer Or Do It Yourself?

2008-04-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

For your new, or expanding, business, a logo can be one of the most painstaking, but ultimately rewarding investments you can make. When it comes to developing that logo, there are numerous avenues you can take. Economical design software makes Do It Yourself logo design possible. The Internet makes it possible to seek out designers of almost every imaginable skill set and experience level. Which should you choose? Let's take a look at both -

Design it yourself!

Do It Yourself is one of our primal instincts in attaining anything that would be considered important or reflective of our personality. There is a 'need' to experience the pleasure, pain and resulting satisfaction in developing, starting and finishing something. The do-it-yourself option (if the rickety shed my father made from some wood and some nails is any indication), when it comes to developing your own logo may not be the best, unless you understand some design and technical fundamentals.

The desire to design your own logo is certainly understandable. There will never be anybody as familiar with your company as you are - the service you provide, the products you produce are all your 'babies'. With that intimate knowledge it's quite possible that you may be able to produce some pretty decent design concepts or ideas - if you have some creative skills. If you're new to graphic design, there is a likelihood that you'll create a design that only you understand, or worse, looks amateur in this era of branding and marketing overkill. Your logo has to stand out in an intensely competitive marketplace, look professional and give the viewer an impression of the love with which you approach your day-to-day business activities. Can you meet that rather daunting challenge? Perhaps. And even it you manage to jot a nifty idea onto a napkin, what about turning it into your new logo?

That requires a familiarity with various file formats, colour systems and resolution issues that sound to the non-designer as so much techno-babble, but are of critical importance when it comes to using your new logo on a business card, letterhead or website. You may have the beginnings of a 'design eye' but it takes learned skill, talent and ability to develop a technically sound logo from its infant doodle form.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not doubting anyone's ability to conceptualize the beginnings of a decent logo. I'm merely stating that the nuts-to-soup process is not so simple - particularly if you want that knock out logo- and that realistically, it's an unlikely achievement on your first attempt. Which brings us to our next option - hiring an expert.

Hiring a Designer

There are currently a plethora of professional designers available, locally (though the time-tested Yellow Pages) and via the Internet. Any designer with decent experience is going to have a website with a few samples of their previous work so you'll be able to gauge what they've created for other business owners like yourself. And if their style is compatible with the image you're trying to portray. Keep in mind that just because someone calls themselves a designer, it does not necessarily equate to suitable experience and talent. it is best to hire someone who demonstrates proficient skills - ask to see their portfolio of previous design work and their logo samples. A designer with decent experience will be more than happy to share their design 'war stories'. Once you've selected a suitable designer, they'll be able to take your cocktail napkin doodles to the next level.

It's always beneficial when you, as the client, are a part of the creative process - your participation in the development of your logo should be considered crucial. Most designers will welcome your rough ideas as they try to understand how you want to be represented by your new logo. They'll even suggest new design options that may not have occurred to you. And once the visuals for your new logo are completed, an experienced designer will insure that properly formatted files and logo formats will be made available. This will prepare you for any reproduction contingencies as you go about your marketing and advertising duties.

change management

Using Colors in your Brand

2008-04-12T00:49:00.000-07:00

Color is the most important part of your brand image, as that is the literal picture people think of when they imagine your business. If your brand has colors that fit your business, the results can be quite powerful. Unlike other business decisions, choosing colors takes knowledge of psychology and art, plus the designer must also be very creative and unique if they wish to make an appealing and thought-provoking color scheme.

Choosing the colors for your business is difficult, as you need to take a long time to think about what would work. Once you pick your colors, it is difficult to change them, because then the majority of previous branding work would have gone to waste. Color schemes should match the aura and feel of your business. If you sell a light, calm product and want to be seen as easy-going, you should use a mix of two or three tinted colors. If you want to be seen as a very strong, powerful company, then multiple, heavily contrasting colors should be used. Unlike other parts of your brand, color scheme cannot be changed later on without drastic negative effects.

If your business goes through a large change, such as moving from a medium sized company to a large company, or adding several additional categories of products, then some changes to the scheme could be made. However, it is not the colors that should be changed, but the way they are arranged. For example, if your color scheme was gradients of black and red in a rectangle, you could change to gradients of black and red in a yin-yang as a symbol of your growth. As long as the shape change is not too drastic (a yin-yang is essentially a circle and rectangle to circle is still consistent with geometric shapes), it can be executed successfully.

Changes can potentially work out very well, especially pre-planned changes. Letting your customers know of a big alteration can stir excitement and anticipation. Websites that pre-announce redesigns usually see substantial response from their visitors/members, and the same could work for any business. Whatever changes are made, the colors must stay the same, because those colors are in everybody's mind and you do not want to throw all that away.

advertising blog news

Corporate Logo - Your Tool For A Successful Business

2008-04-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

A corporate identity of your company is the visual image of your brand. A company's values and attributes as well as personality are reflected through the logo of your company. This is the one which demarcates between your company and other companies. However one thing is very essential to learn before creating a logo, that is the usage of the principles of visual communications and merge them successfully with basic production techniques. Your company logo is the spirit and soul of your brand. It is better to communicate a powerful idea of your brand through a visual representation rather than abstract representations. A good logo design creates an everlasting impression upon your customers. Now whether you are starting a new business or you are looking to refresh your company identity, a good eye catching design will enable you to portray the right image for your company with a designed one. Two important things - originality and distinctiveness should always be the essence of your company logo.

A company logo should be created first while creating a corporate identity of your organization. A common design should be used to build a corporate image. It will help in the brand building process. The image should be such that it will be remembered by every people. The best designing draws upon the unique aspects of your concern and will help in creating a corporate identity as well as brand building. This type of designing does not use your company's attributes while creating a corporate one, but particularly when creating a whole company logo collection. You should pay for the best designing and should create a corporate design that reflects your corporate identity.

A style professionalism can easily be communicated to your customers by a quality logo design. The philosophy of your organization and the services performed are understandable by it. A logo should be simple rather than be trendy. "The simpler, the better"- This should be followed while designing it. The most crucial aspect of creating this, is the process of conceptualization. A good professional logo designer will develop many conceptual ideas for the logo and will combine various things before giving the final shape to it. They basically transform their ideas into sketches.

The most valuable asset of an organization is the brand identity. The logo is a strategically important part of the branding program. A corporate branding starts with it. A distinguish and a recognizable look is the key to the success of a company's identity. Your company logo should send the right message to the public. Brand identity is the most valuable asset an organization to gain a long term competitive advantage. A good logo design is ideal for better brand building; it should be lively and modern in appearance. It should not be altered and modified completely modified from its original design.

change management

E-branding - 7 Mistakes to Avoid

2008-04-11T01:52:00.000-07:00

I am always astounded when companies treat the Internet like one big TV commercial. Banner ad click-throughs are almost non-existent, yet ad-buying continues onward and upward, ignoring the cold hard facts, (click-through rates are so low that time spent on a site is now considered a unit of measurement).

Social networking, e-shopping, viral videos and mobile phone content are in, banner ads out. The Internet is a golden opportunity for marketers to create a 1:1 relationship, but all too often, getting that close to a customer is too scary for most. Time to think out of the box with your Web initiative. Here are just a few clues to get you to stop treating Web 2.0 like a television commercial and kick your Search Engine Optimization strategy into high gear. The following are mistakes to avoid:

Mistake 1: You're treating your online brand like a brick and mortar brand.

According to The Cluetrain Manifesto, markets are conversations and the Internet is one of the biggest, most fragmented conversations ever created. It's a broadcast arena, a storefront, a publisher, a support group, a social network and something else we've yet to discover. It's about physical borders disappearing in favor of common networks - people gathering together to talk and it is anything but passive.

If people are hanging out on the Internet doing their thing, how do you think marketing is viewed? Marketing to this giant conversation is viewed as a mechanical intrusion to be completely ignored. Doc Searls, in his preface to The Cluetrain Manifesto, points out that, "Markets are conversations; and conversation is fire. Therefore, Marketing is arson."

What marketers assume is that consumers can't see this fake conversation, and that is where the big disconnect is taking place. Consumers have formed a story about your brand that has nothing to do with the official corporate message. Time to wake up.

Brands that have been created exclusively for the Internet, get this. They know that the Web is about creating trust not banner ads. They have formed a relationship with an Internet-savvy customer that respects their individuality. People are not "consumers" in cyberspace - they are people.

Commerce in the Internet Marketplace is secondary to the Internet's main purpose: conversation. Today a brand must romance the digital native and give them what they want, when they want it and how they want it. It may take you months to develop a relationship before getting a sale.

Brands that started in the Brick and Mortar World are seen as the outsider - a buzz- kill attending the biggest party in the world. You just won't be accepted as a Web brand no matter how hard you try.

This is why Amazon is the leader on the Internet while Barnes & Noble is number 2. What if Amazon tried to build a store in every mall in America? They'd fail. An Internet brand can't compete against a real world brand anymore than a real world brand can compete with an Internet brand. The overhead alone would drive the Cyber company out of business.

Read my Blog article, The Online Brand Vs. The Real World Brand for a rough idea of what I am talking about.

Want to reach your online audience? Try hiring an Internet-savvy marketer. That's the first step to winning some credibility. Don't just look at the resume, ask her what was the most unusual way she reached her target and met her goals. The cyber- savvy is the one you hire.

Mistake 2: You have nothing more than an online brochure.

I was recently consulting with one of the largest consumer brands in the U.S. when their VP of Interactive Development asked me why their site wasn't getting any return visitors. I told them point blank that, although they had flash all over their site and it was well designed and had SEM software and support staff, they had nothing more than a very expensive brochure.

Look, Web 2.0 is about figuring out from your customers what they like, then give it to them, even if it doesn't appear to affect the bottom line. Figure out how to create that one-to-one relationship with them and your brand will be golden. Stay on your toes - today social networks and viral videos are hot, tomorrow, who knows?

But, here's the scary part of all this: You have to get rid of the wall between your brand and your customer - it's no longer a closed system. It's not about a bevy of corporate lawyers giving you a list of stuff to say on your FAQ section. It's about one human being forming a relationship with another group of human beings that just happen to be working for your brand. It's a chance to be a part of the online conversation and join in on what is being said about you. Scary yes, but rewarding.

When your people talk with customers, remove the shackles of corporate speak you have locked around their necks. Train them instead to be themselves. Remember, people can sense a lack of authenticity. If you aren't part of their online conversation, the real conversation, you are dead.

Mistake 3: Your content is old.

This one needs very little explanation. If you haven't updated your site's content, there is no reason for people to revisit. Do you think that might be the reason no one is coming back to that web site you built a year ago?

Take a page from your favorite Blogger. Some Web Log Authors give us new and fresh musings everyday, while others only once a month. Either way, be consistent, personal and in-depth. Give your audience something to sink their teeth into, otherwise forget it.

Try twittering. It allows you to send out mini content to a list of cell phone surfers and online supporters. Keep it short though, twitter is about one or two sentences. Steve Jobs twittered that he was nervous before a keynote address. The audience picked it up on their iphones and were more receptive when he came on stage. It also allows for a human connection to a very popular executive.

I wish more CEOs twittered. It would go a long way to building their company's brand and engender trust by their shareholders. The Information Age is about staying in touch.

Mistake 4: Your strategy is not bold enough.

Recently Burger King decided to take the Whopper off the menu. They did it half-heartedly by doing it at a few of their restaurants, and then filmed people's response. It did nothing to affect the bottom line. We yawn and life goes on.

But Starbucks, on the other hand, closed down all their stores all across the United States for an entire evening. Bold and decisive, Howard Schultz took a stand against mediocrity, closed every store and retrained every Starbucks employee on what coffee meant. The next day Starbucks opened to fanfare and a return to great customer service. People noticed and wrote about it in The New York Times.

Bold moves like that can only get bold results, and I predict Starbucks will have a 15% increase in revenue this quarter as a result of such action. It creates a buzz on the street. Try it sometime.

Mistake 5: You're not facing the truth about your Brand.

Dunkin' Donuts recently started to provide lattes on their menu. They've had flavored coffee for years, but the lattes were an attempt to compete with Starbucks, and with that one action, I could see just how much of a disconnect Dunkin' Donuts has with their customers.

You see, Dunkin' Donuts is an all-American brand that served a working nation for over half a century with delicious donuts. Coffee is necessary for their brand because coffee and donuts go together like hamburgers and French fries. But coffee is their secondary market, (sales may seem like coffee is their primary market, but tell that to the customer). Dunkin' Donuts may try, but they have very little in common with a high-end coffee chain that provides coffees from around the world.

Remember, your brand has a position in the customers' mind, and that position represents one thing and one thing only. Starbucks represents coffee. Dunkin' Donuts represents donuts. One is a white-collar brand and the other is a blue-collar brand. The customer for Starbucks wants to pay top dollar to feel as if they are getting the Italian coffee shop experience, while the Dunkin' Donuts customer is looking for value and speed. The consumer will NEVER see them as equals, because consumers NEVER change their minds about a brand. For Dunkin' Donuts to think they can compete with Starbucks is a lesson in futility. But try telling that to the board of directors.

Don't be afraid to listen to the online conversation about your brand. David Felton was so frustrated with his local Dunkin' Donuts that he built an online message board to complain about his local franchise. The complaints from regular customers were so great that the 5,000 franchise owners were forced to respond and correct the mistakes...sometimes within hours. It made Dunkin' Donuts a better, stronger and customer-focused company. But somewhere in the executive suite, they didn't get it. Felton's Website was shut down after much harassment from Dunkin' Donuts. They paid Felton an undisclosed sum, but DD never seemed to understand what was happening. The market was telling them they weren't perfect. Instead of being the first company to listen to complaints and adjust accordingly, they chose to silence their customer - the lifeblood of their brand. They didn't like the message they were hearing and instead of listening, they ended the conversation.

Take a lesson for your own brand. Yes, it may not be what you want to hear, but at least it will be honest. After that, work on meeting and exceeding customers' needs.

Mistake 6: Are you focused too much on the Internet, traditional marketing or both?

Years ago, many a business needed nothing more than an online brochure. Today, the online store is so easy to build and maintain that not having a web presence is seen as a major red flag to a company's stability.

Many a mega-brand has an online store because it is a duel channel for sales. Best Buy is a good example of this. I love to browse their brick and mortar stores and grab some bargains. But their online brand is very important as well when I have no time to physically shop.

Maintaining a 1-800 number and a Web store at the same time can be hard. But if you want to do it right, then I suggest that you take a look at QVC, HSN, the above- mentioned Best Buy, Circuit City, B&H Photo and others too numerous to mention. Take a good look at how they promote one store against the other. QVC and HSN promote their sites from their popular television shows. They drive traffic through a live broadcast, but it doesn't end with the program. The site continues to run the promotion for a limited time. Updated content and limited time offers will drive traffic and if the offering is a good one, it will create conversion, (browsers who buy).

On the other hand, maybe you are a restaurant and need to have a web presence. Try offering take-out orders through your website with an automatic discount for orders over $25. I've seen restaurants do 70% of their evening business through take-out. Some even have to shut down the restaurant so the kitchen can handle the online orders.

Try it. You may find a nice blend between your Web presence and your brick and mortar stores.

Mistake 7: You're too literal in your message.

Many years ago I attended the annual stockholders meeting for a company in which I I was heavily invested. The executive team took several actions that irked me. These changes made me realize they would be going out of business. The first mistake they made was a name change. Someone believed that adding the word Digital to their brand would change the markets' perception of what they did, (They were an interactive design agency).

The second thing that irked me was they changed the company's tag line to "A Full-Service Interactive Agency that Forges 1:1 Relationships through Channel Marketing Partnerships with Strategic Players in the Online World." I felt like I was reading an article for a science magazine instead of a company whose job was to bring powerful experiences to the web-savvy visitor.

I dumped my stock as quickly as possible.

If your primary marketing message is attempting to convince shareholders how great you are in dry corporate-speak, you have a problem. Your message should be simple, on target to your consumer audience and, most importantly, stir the emotions.

When your marketing message sounds like a bank poster, time to rethink your marketing...quickly.

What will help most is that you begin to understand that the Web is not a passive media. People go online to do research for every product they buy. The research they get is not from a corporation telling them how great the product is, they are getting their insight from regular people who are using the product now. They're asking questions about how well your products work, and what isn't so great about your brand.

Try listening to your consumer by creating advocacy sites and real dialogue through social networking. Listen to the conversation and follow through with the changes. Or you can continue as usual - ignore the marketplace, market around the problem and hope the next version will fix itself. If your product stinks, no amount of marketing can fix it on the Web. Word gets around fast these days and the one thing Netizens are really into is telling the truth.

Listen to the conversation and change with it. By focusing on getting it right, your SEO strategy will become easier and more profitable. Jumping on a band wagon because everybody else is will teach you a lesson on how to waste money. Being strategic and listening to the market will help build a better relationship with your customers. Let me know how it works.

change management

Hollywood Stars As Brand Promoters

2008-04-11T01:13:00.000-07:00

Brand, in the viewpoint of the manufacturer or service provider, is a feature that distinguishes the product or service in a market. A user may define brand as one that he can recognize and identify as an integral part of his life. In this age of modernization and industrialization, the consumer has emerged as the uncrowned king. He is the monarch of all he surveys. In addition, to attract his attention, organizations are ready to innovate and upgrade the ideas of promoting Hollywood stars as brand promoters.

The 4P basic idea of Product, Pricing, Promotion and Place has come to evolve mostly around Promotion, as market surveys indicate that consumers likes to buy a brand, not a product or service.

Moreover, to display promotion, companies are making a beeline for the most sellable of products, that is, the Hollywood stars. A popular proverb says that one can even sell dreams in Hollywood.

It is but natural that when the celebrities, who are the substance of our dreams, wave to us from the silver screen or stare at us from flashy bill boards endorsing a product, we simply cannot ignore the plea. After all, even for a flitting second, the user will feel that he or she is sharing something with his favorite idol.

Brand promotion by Hollywood stars not only enhance the longevity of the product, but also add to its quality and mass appeal. The conveyed image of a successful individual using the product creates a sense of demand and urgency for the consumer to get hold of it.. Better still, he begins to identify the product with the star, thus adding immensely to its recall value.

A user only sees a product when it is seen. Brand Promoters need some external factors and internal conditions to help them. Perception of familiarity, trust and contentment are foremost conditions that influence the choice of a particular brand over another.

Since the flashy world of entertainment and razzmatazz has easy recall value, the faces we adore and the style we follow compel a consumer to select that particular brand from the bouquet of choicest of products existing in the market. Market analysts have even noticed the trend of consumers to shift from one product to another once their favorite star leaves one company and starts to endorse another.

As Hollywood spawns the magic over almost the entire world, enticing the young and old, the poor and rich by its continued tales of fantasies and glory, emotions and intricacies, fervent admirers of the stars follow the fashion and style with bated breath. To some of them, turning down the plea of Hollywood stars to use his product is akin to sacrilege. It gives a sense of vicarious pleasure to the consumer and awards him a sense of supremacy over his idol, as he feels that he is doing a favor by adopting the product promoted by the star.

As the company and Hollywood stars laugh together all the way to the bank, the consumer is left clutching with his straw of imagination that has been so well played upon by the promotional blitz of a brand by a Hollywood star.

Business online blog

Branding Yourself Will Bring Greater Success

2008-04-11T00:36:00.000-07:00

Branding yourself can actually have such a dramatic effect that you will become hunted rather than being the hunter for your next job opportunity. Branding yourself can actually have such a dramatic effect that you will become hunted rather than being the hunter for your next job opportunity. Branding yourself can make all of the difference in the success of your business and your career.

Create a Personal Brand that tells customers how you're different from your competition and build your relationships with them daily. The Brand Called You is the ultimate resource for building your Personal Brand, one that sells you, not your product or company. Creating a continuous stream of income from the internet has been the dream of all internet marketers. Many people are trying hard to build their online business through affiliate marketing.

Branding yourself is part of the many things that will help you create success, because it will help you to attract people from all walks of life to be your friend, your network contact, a new client for your business, or maybe someone who wants to introduce you to other of the same type of interest.

Branding yourself is a major part in internet marketing or the network marketing industry. Branding yourself is one of the most important marketing tricks on the books. We can make you stand out with branding that will make you proud. Branding yourself is the key to being different. A replicated site will get you replicated results.

Branding yourself is required to succeed in any field of work. Fluency in a foreign language tends to stand out quickly enough and is guaranteed not to be forgotten. Branding yourself is one of the keys to being a successful REALTOR?. Each Flyer will give you the option to include your picture, company logo, web site, and contact information. Branding yourself is just as bad.

Branding yourself is a concept that represents everything about your business or company. It sets your business and products apart from the competition. Branding yourself is the best way that you can generate sales and gain profits.

A business without a brand name is like a product that does not have a name. Branding yourself is the art of separating yourself from your competition. It is what attracts new customers with as little or no work at all.

Branding yourself is key to building your network of influence. When you volunteer for positions, help with fund-raisers or help with organizing committees make sure that what you do is fairly high profile. Branding yourself is part of a bigger picture that includes branding your website. Branding yourself is the key to professionalism not promoting some hotshot. Our team has a template system that you can plug into.

Branding yourself is more critical; the traffic you'll get isn't as important. Remember to include keywords in your byline: You want to be associated with the topic as much as possible. Branding yourself is one of the most important marketing tricks on the books; it is about being an expert or learning how to be an expert and then telling everyone about your knowledge. Branding yourself is one of the most important tasks you have as a small business marketer.

Branding yourself is a concept that represents everything about your business or company. It sets your business and products apart from the competition.

continuity disaster recovery

How To Buy UL Labels

2008-04-10T01:33:00.000-07:00

UL stands for Underwriter Laboratories, which is an organization that is an independent, not-for-profit product safety certification organization that has been testing products for consumer safety for many years. Many of these products require a label to designate that the product has passed the UL inspection and is safe for the consumer.

UL labels can be complicated to understand because different label material is specified for different surfaces they are adhered to. If your product is aluminum, galvanized steel, stainless steel, and has acrylic paint, epoxy paint and porcelain, there is a material that will work and help keep your costs down as long as your temperature range is no higher than 150 C or 302 F and no lower than -40 C or -40 F.

Buying this UL label material will not cover your application if your surface is an acrylic powder coat paint, polyester powder coat paint, epoxy powder coat paint or urethane powder coat paints in the same temperature range. This application requires a much different pressure sensitive label to meet the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) standards.

Labels developed for use as UL marking require a printer and ink match if the customer is printing the label in house. Zebra, IIMAK, Sony and ITW all have UL approved ink that works in the most popular thermal transfer printers in the market. IMMAK designates their ribbon as the SP-330 and SH-36 series. ITW just announced they have a B324 Broad Spectrum resin ribbon that is now approved for about eleven 3M label stocks.

Saving money on UL/CSA labels is the opportunity here. Without expert help, a customer can pay way too much for a very high end ribbon and label combination that may be approved for any surface, when all you need is the correct combination to fit your specific product material.

The first think you need to know on how to buy UL labels is the surface material the label is going to adhere to. Once this surface material is identified, then the temperature range is needed. Pressure sensitive label materials for UL use come in silver, white and clear. The white can be flood coated with other colors to match any customer need. Chose the material color, size and quantity and you are ready to order your UL labels and get the correct match for your application.

Documentation is the key if a customer ever gets inspected. All UL approved label stock will have the proper documentation to support the use in your facility. If you are printing on a thermal transfer printer, the same documentation is available for the ribbon you are to use.

continuity disaster recovery

Your Company's Image - What Are You Portraying?

2008-04-08T04:21:00.000-07:00

All company directors are aware that much of their company's success can be attributed to the way their company is perceived by its customers. It is not enough simply to offer brilliant customer service or to stock a wide range of products; the company must also project exactly the right kind of image in order for it to remain a memorable supplier.

A variety of alternative and eco-friendly corporate gifts can really boost your companies corporate image to customers and employees alike. From pedometers, massagers and luxurious bathroom products to a full range of corporate gifts and merchandise made from recycled materials, these gifts are a great low cost marketing tool for companies of any size.

Distributing desirable promotional and corporate gifts is one way to ensure that the company is being marketed effectively. All too often, companies will market themselves purely to their intended customers, through advertising. It is easy to forget the powerful effect that corporate image also has on employees. Choosing top quality promotional gifts can incentivise your employees, enabling them to buy into the company's positive corporate image in the same way as customers. When employees do this, they feel greater levels of commitment and motivation towards the company, usually leading to an increase in productivity which could raise profits.

Companies operating across a wide variety of industries are now seeking to promote a much healthier image of themselves by moving away from such marketing staples as branded mouse mats and keyrings, and producing altogether higher quality, more creative promotional products. These include such promotional products as personalised gym equipment, for example skipping ropes and dumb bells, and even company branded mineral water.

ethics news

Trends In Logo Design For 2008

2008-04-08T03:40:00.000-07:00

Your logo is one of the most important tools you can have in your marketing arsenal. In fact, your logo is your most fundamental mark when it comes to distinguishing your company from the rest of the competition. Hence, your logo would be the most ubiquitous in your marketing tools such as your business brochures, advertising flyers, and even your color business cards. For 2008, here are three from the numerous logo designs that graphic designers and marketers have predicted to become popular trends this year.

Web 2.0

The Web 2.0 is a trendy logo design that speaks of modernity and technology that is being used by many customers nowadays. The name was borne out of the actual use of many consumers of particular technologies such as the Ajax and Ruby. And because of its popularity, the internet has a notable number of tutorials that lets designers create their logos into the web 2.0 design.

What makes this logo design different? They are characterized by brilliant colors and color levels, with smart and appealing icons and 3D effects, shiny surfaces, shadows and reflexions. The fonts used are typically simple and most of the time rounded. Sometimes graphics designers use the color levels, shines and 3D effects on the actual lettering.

Transparency

Transparency have always exuded a more elegant quality that's why it has always been a fashionable logo design ever since it came out in the industry. With transparency, many designers were able to create quality perspectives that suggest growth, development, as well as both combination and connection especially in brochure printing jobs. In addition, transparency allows you to design effects that are considered unique that can effectively grab the attention of your target audience. Transparency also lets you develop a design that is much brighter, and provides for the fine transition from one element to the next.

Waves

Waves are actually the new generation of swooshes, swirls and curves in logo design. Expert marketers and top graphic designers commonly apply this type of logo design to add flexibility and fluid transition into the design itself. It reflects the idea of movement, marked by a technique that applies fading from one color to another. The rounded shapes of the waves also allow for elasticity that provides for qualities of movement and communication. Unfortunately, they are not that easy to use. That's why most designers when they are able to apply the waves to their logo project can maximize its effect which makes it a stand out among the crowd.

These are just three of the trends that are predicted to dominate this year's logo design. Will they stay for long or are they just in fashion for a couple of months? They're definitely something new for the year 2008 that you can use to make your logo design more effective in getting you the leads you need to boost your business.

change management

How a Small Town Business Can Out Brand McDonalds and Starbucks

2008-04-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

Lets face it, it's impossible for a small business to beat out McDonalds, Starbucks, and other large companies when it comes to national branding. These companies have deep pockets and can spend a fortune on branding campaigns, getting their message out more then any small company could hope to. Small Businesses however have a huge advantage marketing in a small town. This advantage stems from Geo-Targeted focus and direct knowledge of your towns customer base.

The internet is changing everything it is now possible to show your ad on the internet thousands of times to those in your little town only for as little as a dollar a day. You can build a website that is interesting and unique for your customer base, providing them with direct interaction with you. One idea for adding content to your video site would be to hold a competition for best short web video in your town, offering different levels of free coupons to winners and participants. This could attract everyone in your town to your website repeatedly, to see what the newest submission is and of course to see who the winners are. This is better then any ad McDonalds could make because it was made by the people in your town.

You can help to support local bands, using their music videos as your video ad campaign, as will as part of your website. Further as large scale restaurants can only afford so much national marketing you can show more internet ads then they do in your small town, allowing you to become the dominate brand there.

The first thing you need to do in order to become a dominant brand is figure out what your brand is. Think of what you stand for, come up with a few words for your personality and stick to them. Next figure out what this personality means, is it best suited to serve families, teenagers, dating couples? Figure out exactly who you want to market to and then find the websites in your ad network that fit this. Build landing pages and content for this group, if for example your main demographic is dating couples build a mini-site discussing dating, this way you can have a search ad campaign dedicated to this as well.

Think carefully about the marketing methods that are best suited for your restaurant, and are the most affordable. It is strange to think that so many restaurants will advertise in the newspaper no matter what their demographics are. For example many restaurants trying to reach the younger crowd will advertise in the newspaper. But very few high school students read the newspaper, and this form of advertising is very expensive. For the price of a single newspaper ad that is seen by 5,000 people and only a couple dozen high school students a restaurant could have their ad seen tens of thousands of times on MySpace, You Tube, and other popular places for teenagers online. Mix your campaign with video ads, banner ads, local Google ads, and text ads. All of these have there place and each can help to expand your brand.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-a-Small-Town-Business-Can-Out-Brand-McDonalds-and-Starbucks&id=1087635
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Create Goodwill and Strengthen Your Brand, Corporate Gift Style

2008-04-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

Keeping a cohesive brand means making sure your employees, not. Corporate gifts are the perfect internal compliment to your external promotional products and other marketing efforts. Corporate gifts can also be given to preferred clients or partner companies. Make sure your employees and friends are as enthusiastic about your company as you want potential customers to be!

What kind of promotional product would qualify as a good corporate gift? It depends on the approach you want to take with it. It has been suggested that a gift to your employees be approached with a similar mindset you'd take with any promotion. Consider what makes a promotional item good for the tradeshow floor, the sales floor, or any other environment and then apply it internally. Your gift should be useful to your employees and have a purpose, but also be "out there" where your employees will see it often. A customized desktop clock or calendar can be a good idea if your employees don't already have them (in the promotional industry, we get more of these as presents than we could ever use). Maybe settle on something that is more appropriate to consider a gift aligned with the theme of your marketing campaign. If you're advertising your low carbon footprint or championing cancer awareness, there is definitely a promotional product out there that you can give to your employees to enforce the branding message.

Another approach to consider may be to give some corporate gifts that aren't necessarily related to an external marketing campaign, but still fit your brand. In a very short amount of time, regardless of the number of employees you have, a unique office culture will develop. You can really garner the appreciation of employees by tapping into that culture and giving away corporate gifts that show you're in the loop. There's usually a long-running inside joke of some kind in every company, and tapping into it with a funny corporate gift is priceless. Even customizing your corporate gifts to specific departments can be in order, because even a general office culture can still have little niches. Make sure corporate gift decisions are made by everyone who might be called "boss" because the manager of the accounting department will probably have a different idea about what qualifies as a good gift than someone in charge of sales.

There's always the middle road, a corporate gift that is both branded and indicates a personal touch. It doesn't have to be obvious marketing material being given out as a gift or something that has some personality to it, it can be both! A specific example is a little hard to come by because what would work as a good corporate gift depends on so many variables. Still, put a little thought into it and the uniqueness of your office place will mean there's a unique gift out there that your employees won't get anywhere else.

So what does personal touch mean? If you were to hand out baseball bats for everyone, no problem. If you handed out an insulated wine sack it is more personal and more opportunities to offend. But, if you work in a winery I doubt the wine sack is going to be an issue. Every company has its own culture, sometimes it is shaped and sometimes it is shaped for you depending on the type of employees, managers and product or services involved. Discretion comes into play when selecting on a more personal level so use it wisely.

It doesn't just end with your office, either. Make clients happy with smart corporate gifts while you're at it, and you've got pretty much all your bases covered. Happy clients and happy employees will mean happiness for you all!

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Create-Goodwill-and-Strengthen-Your-Brand,-Corporate-Gift-Style&id=1083170
change management

How to Check the Pulse of Your Brand - Is it Alive and Well?

2008-04-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

More than ever, these economic times demand particular attention around your brand. It's a matter of survival and if you're mindful of your Brand Pulse, it'll change your everyday brand experience and transform your business.

One of the important things to understand about brands is that they are highly personal, very particular, and need a nurturing hand. Each one of you, as entrepreneurial-driven business owners are, of course the 'Brand Guardian' of your brand and, as such, it's important that you're mindful of the pulse - the current state - of your brand.

Consider, for example, that brands have preferences.Brands prefer being ON the radar screen versus sitting in the dark. Brands prefer being vibrant and alive versus being bland. Get the idea?

So here's your Brand-Pulse CheckList. Check your response to each statement below. If you can NOD YES to each one, you can assume your brand is healthy, alive and growing, hopefully, booming! If not, you might want to think carefully about nurturing your brand a little more, and dedicating some real time to making sure your brand's vital signs are in good shape, and as truly aligned with YOU as possible!

Here goes. Just ask yourself: Can you say YOUR brand fits each description below?

1. All good brands prefer feeling vital, alive, significant and meaningful. YES/NO

You'd be surprised at how many entrepreneurial business owners are NOT paying enough attention to their brand, let alone whether it's working in their favor or not. Is it expanding as your business grows? Totally aligned with your offer, deliverables? If your brand is lacking luster or has no real sense of energy, this could be the time to pay some serious attention here. Then watch the response from your target audience.

2. All good brands prefer taking the front seat position. YES/NO

The favorite position for brands is high visibility: Up There & Out There. Shining Bright. Shining Big. Standing out. Soaring. Flourishing. In fact, the more attention your brand gets, the better it is for your business. And, if your brand is catapulting into new stratospheres way above the competition, then you know you're onto a good thing for your business and your bottom line. Congratulations!

3. All good brands deserve the best. Your best. YES/NO

Brands don't like to appear bland. If you're tired of the way your branding and marketing collateral looks/feels online or offline, then you can be pretty sure that your brand is communicating the same bland message to your target audience. This is a sign your brand is in deep trouble.

4. All good brands prefer to excel. YES/NO

Brands are ambitious. They like to show off a little/a lot to the world, show that they can be the best they can be. They don't like appearing to be apologetic, insincere, uninspiring, insecure or inauthentic. They like to show VALUE, purpose and meaning, and that they bring great benefit, prestige and visibility to all your clients. Think about how to make your brand stand tall above the rest, stand out and allow a little pride into your brand language and visual culture. Watch what happens!

5. All good brands adore passion and excitement. YES/NO

When your clients see your brand marketing materials or product, does it make their heart beat a little faster? Are they getting that gut feeling that yes, you are the ONLY and best person to be working with? If your Brand Story and Visual Identity (= words + pictures) reflect your passion, desire and personality, your brand is going to hit home, big time. You'll get the idea when your phone starts ringing off the hook.

How did your brand pulse score? If you've discovered it's time to pay more attention to your brand, then think about crafting a powerful Brand Story and Visual Culture so you land a sweet spot on the New Brand Landscape in 21C AND soar above the competition.

change management

Logo Design A Priority For All Companies

2008-04-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

A logo is the visual representation of a company and a great means to communicate a powerful idea about your business. It reinforces the image of a brand and increases the recognition of your company. Visual representation is very essential for your business to gain identity as well as popularity. It's a logo through which the themes of integrity incorporate and it conveys many meanings including strength and competency of a company. Logo is basically a very successful tool which will represent your company, along with the products and services that are offered by your business. One important thing is to project your company's services clearly and consistently with one distinct image of a logo. Consistency is the key to build a strong corporate identity. When it all works well together, it sends a strong message about the values, character and professionalism.

Logos are basically created to distinguish and identify between companies of similar products, which will help people to recognize the product they preferred. One of the most crucial thing is that your company logo should be very simple which will convey the message of your business very easily. Think of McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Reebok. All these brand company have very successful images that are, at the same time, very simple. Again the consistency used in these logos has been imperative in creating a strong, unified image for the customers.

To design a logo is one of the difficult task. It is essentially the heart of a corporate marketing strategy. Company logo designs should be unique to deliver the message to the people that the company is extraordinary, credible and professional. The interior of the logo should remain in contrast with the background, and not match the color of the background. The logo should not appear either over or under text.

Ultimately it is the logo which stands for everything a company represents. No doubt it is one of the most important parts of an organization's corporate branding strategy. The logo is the reflection of the organization's culture, its purpose and goals, as well as values and aspirations of its customers. A recognizable look to a logo is the key to the success of a company's identity. A logo design can mean all the things we want it to mean. When it all works well together, it sends a strong message about the values, character and professionalism of your business.

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Branding - Stand Out From Your Competitors With a Challenge Coin

2008-03-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

Most businesses forget about trying to brand their company because they haven't thought how it may boost their profits. Instead they continue to run their business day to day without thinking how it will stand out from similar businesses that offer the same items or services.

Why consider branding your company?

Why do customers purchase Niki's over some unknown brand? Both brands may be equal in quality, even though the Niki is more expensive. The customer prefers Niki because it's familiar to them and has a developed a good reputation.

When developing a brand name spend time thinking about a unique and catchy name. The name should reflect the reputation and confidence in the company.

A great example of this is the Toyota brand. It became the brand of choice for American cars because it built a reputation of reliability and good performance.

Keep your brand name simple so customers can easily remember it. A unique and distinctive brand name will separate you from the competition. If it's too similar to your competitors customers may get confused. This may result in a decrease in sales.

Develop your brand exposure with a Challenge Coin

Challenge coins are a great way to brand the identity of your company. They were originally developed for the military but are now used for all types of associations and companies. Even NASCAR uses them. The beauty of a challenge coin is that it is something the members of the company or organization can be proud of because it's a high quality symbol of lasting value that symbolizes unity , integrity and friendship.

Build your brand exposure by placing an image of your challenge coin on your web site and stationary. This will help expose your brand to the public so they can easily identify your company and want to do business with you.

A challenge coin will develop brand loyalty amongst company members. You will also get repeat customers because they can easily identify your company with it's unique brand.

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I'm Sorry To Have To Say This But Branding Is Dead, Over, Finished!

2008-03-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

And if Branding is the cause of advertising what lies next for advertising? Because today, the deal trumps image every time!

After all we're in the 21st Century and venerable, once solid brands are vanishing. And direct marketers are flourishing. After all look at the detritus of branding. Here's Levitt, a giant name in home building: Chapter 11, Levitt follows automobile brands Plymouth and Oldsmobile: Vanished. Then there's Intel, one of the most highly advertised brands with huge chunks of market share lost to a little-known AMD.

Then there's Merrill Lynch the giant revised its entire securities marketing structure to be able to compete with Web upstarts.

And so it goes on. Compete or lose. Wal-Mart had a next to zero image and Sears had a next to 100 image. AT&T and Xerox had their universe to themselves. IBM owned the PC market. Kodak and Polaroid were riding brand-horses long after their steeds were dead. Jordache jeans were de rigueur. And so it goes!

The Internet stamps across brand worship. The Web is price driven, and it has become the dominant sales medium, the new mantra is. Adapt or lose!

The "How much do you spend on advertising" advertising agencies interpret the whole concept of branding as brand awareness however today's potential customer both in consumer and business are very cynical. They are after a deal they can regard as reliable and certainly not a tribute to an arrogant chest thumping no longer competitive brand.

If branding were paramount, New Coke would have succeeded. It was an extension of what many regard as the best-known brand in the entire world. The Wednesday version of CBS-TV's "60 Minutes" wouldn't have flopped. Linux wouldn't have scored such a gouge into Microsoft's turf. Want me to buy your brand? What's your deal?

So where next for advertising? Generating Brand Loyalty? Difficult? Ask any car dealer about how hard it is to hold on to the customers who used to trade in cars every three years but this year got an extra $100 discount from a dealer 30 miles away!

Total dependence on brand as a marketing force parallels a marketing student striving for an "A" when using lecture notes his grandfather scrawled during kinder, gentler pre-Future Shock times!

Outside it's freezing. You want ethylene glycol antifreeze in your car. Do you care which brand, as long as it's ethylene glycol?

You have a mild prostate problem. A prescription for Hytrin, on which Abbott Laboratories spent many millions of dollars, costs more than $100. A prescription for the generic, terazosin, costs about $20. Your doctor and pharmacist probably suggest the generic. So do Wal-Mart and Target, which sells the generic for $4. Hey but wait please, the generic has no brand, no image. Maybe not, but it has the primary contemporary incentive, price.

Perhaps combining brand with 21st -century awareness is the Kingdom of Heaven, but that kingdom opens its borders to those who actually combine instead of bowing to a personal prejudice based only on tradition.

In closing may I say how surprised I am that direct and brand seem to be out of sync with each other. I find myself defending direct as a stand alone, surviving when brand isn't a factor. Does Direct need a defense? - No. Does Branding need a defense? - Yes.

fundraising

Branding And Messaging - Overlooked By Most Small Businesses

2008-03-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

While teaching a class for the Small Business Development Center, I found that more than 80% of all small businesses represented in that class did not have a defined approach to their marketing. Most had no idea how to begin, much less define their messaging. A few had logos designed and a business name picked out, but usually it was designed haphazardly with no thought to any cohesiveness of how they would be presented in print, and on the Internet. Most did not have any idea what colors were used or that it mattered if they wanted to present a consistent look to their potential customers.

Branding can communicate many different things to a potential customer. One client of mine wanted to communicate humor, good nature, and that he is unique. He chose to place humorous graphics on his website that presented an outer space theme for his company, Stellar Insurance Services. His logo was designed with the "stellar" in mind using a bright star graphic alongside the name. Throughout his Web site, stars were used as bullet points. Subliminally, he was also presenting the idea that he provided stellar, meaning high quality, better services than his competitors.

Many small businesses don't realize that time spent on defining their branding and messaging can be fun, and deliver great results. Logos don't have to be huge, or overly grandiose. Who doesn't know what the GE meatball looks like? Who doesn't know what the Coca-Cola typeface looks like? Sometimes, it is as simple as selecting the right typeface in order to develop a logo that stands out and can be recognized.

When starting out to define your look and messaging, begin with defining what you will offer to your clients. Then ask yourself what type of client do you want to attract? Who will be your audience? Do you know the best way to reach that audience? Defining your audience helps in determining what your branding should convey.

What messages do you want to communicate to your customer? Professionalism? Skill? Knowledge? Best In The Business? Exciting and new? When defining your messages, it is important to choose words and placement carefully. You don't want to be telling your customer that you are the best at breaking their plumbing pipes, but rather fixing them. You also don't want to tell the older generation customers that you are the "coolest" or "hottest" in town if they would respond better to "trustworthy" and "responsive."

A professor of mine once said to use the airplane barf bag method of picking out your good ideas. The idea was you dump out all the ideas you have into the bag, and then begin to pick out the less effective ones, leaving you with the good stuff in the bag. Sit down and begin a list of words and phrases that you think you want people to associate with your company. Build a list of words that describe your services or products. These words will help you later when you build a Web site and need keywords and descriptions for Search Engine Optimization.

Once you have all the words and phrases, examine them and see how they work with different ideas and concepts you could present to potential customers. As you review them and try them out on others, you will begin to see what works and what doesn't. With one of my clients, I attended a networking meeting and when introducing him, I tried out different phrases to describe the company just to see what kind of results they would get. One phrase in particular stood out and garnered lots of interest every time it was used. That was the phrase I recommended that they use consistently in their messaging.

Defining your branding and messaging actually helps you to define your company and its direction and should be done when you begin business or very soon after. Occasionally, branding and messaging will be adjusted and redefined throughout the life of your successful business when new types of customers need to be reached, or your growth warrants a "fresher" look. Be mindful of the reactions customers have to color, as well as design when defining your look. Most of all, have fun with this part of your business and try to enjoy it.

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How Important Are Logos Any Way?

2008-03-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Logos... They have been around since one king whipped another king in battle and wanted to "advertise" who was now in charge. The method most widely used for this purpose was called a standard or as we know it, a flag. The most recognized standard was the Roman eagle.

Pirate Captains that roamed the Caribbean attacking merchant ships had their own distinct flags from Black Beard on down to Jeane La Feet. These pirates' standards when struck said "Give us what we want and we will let you live and be about our business." The flag most people did not know about, "The Crimson Flag." This flag was red , stained red with blood, the sign that no one will be breathing when they leave. You are probably saying...yeah I know all that, what has that got to do with business. Recognition. With out it no one even knows you exist. Kings used it. Look at the Cost of Arms of the King of England. Everything on it means something, right down to the colors used.

Heck, most people don' know what the job of a logo is? It is more than just pretty pictures. Recognition maybe? The two Logos most recognized in almost any country around the world, Coca cola and Pepsi. The red circle with white letters along with the saying "Things go better with" and the red and blue ball with the white stripe "It's the real thing".

What is the point in telling you all this? Choose your logo wisely. Once you have chosen a logo, there can be difficulty in changing it and still have the recognition all ready established. Pepsi, Coke, Sugar Pops and Sugar Smacks have changed logos, look at the chance taken if they had been smaller companies.

Branding As A Constant Process

2008-03-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

Companies are constantly exploring ways to reinvigorate their business to achieve their ultimate goal of increasing their profits. They continuously look for ways to improve their products or services to stay on top and to simply exceed the competition. They also consider new techniques in creating their marketing campaigns such as a new batch of business card printing.

'Why buy me?' is the single most important question companies have to answer. Yes, it is a simple question but one that would require a not so simple answer. Companies realize that the answer to this question involves self assessment, and a look at how their products are currently doing. They need to first take a look at their current brand positioning. But before we go on any further, let us first examine what brand positioning is.

There are two words to this concept: brand and positioning. These two words mean creating a specific place in the market for a particular brand and product. Brand positioning is focused towards capturing a specific type of consumer or customer and delivering benefits that meet or exceed the needs of this particular group.

In the event that a particular brand is experiencing declining sales, loss of consumer base, stagnant product benefits, then the company must find ways to immediately solve these challenges. One strategy that can be adopted is what is referred to as brand repositioning. Brand repositioning is determined by how the company repackages and communicates the new benefits of the same certain type of product or service to consumers and users.

What's next after identifying the reasons for pursuing brand repositioning?

A four-step brand repositioning approach will help guide you through the process and allow your company and brand group how to best regulate based on timing, budget, and resources to get the job done.

Step 1. Identifying the Current Status of Your Brand

You must first understand the company and the brand to obtain a clear picture of how it is perceived in current times. This will offer a clear insight to opportunity identification and assessment.

To understanding the brand means reviewing the complete history of the company and brand, including its current brand positioning, the original positioning, how it has evolved, and most importantly, what the company and brand stands for today.

Step 2. Have a Feel of What Your Brand Represents in Today's Times

You now need to have a sense of how consumers feel about your company and brand. You may want to talk to more people to determine what your company and brand stand for today. For instance, if you have milk and yogurt as products, you might want to talk to moms and kids to have a feel of how they perceive your particular brand.

Getting a clear insight to the way consumers feel and relate to your company and brand will give you a good starting point.

Step 3. Developing the Brand Positioning Platforms

Now that you have a good understanding of the basics, the next step is to find out how far to grow, expand, and stretch the brand. This process will develop and create several key brand positioning platforms to showcase how far your brand can move to retain existing customers and acquire new ones.

Step 4. Refining the Brand Positioning and Management Presentation

After going through the first three steps, you now have to review and refine the new brand positioning and communicate to all function departments in order to align efforts. It is important that everyone on the brand team and all function areas understand, buy in, and support the new brand positioning. Essentially, this will become the umbrella strategy for the brand group dictating marketing programs and tactics.

Creating A Successful Brand

2008-03-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

A successful brand is the marriage of your own strengths with what your customer base wants. That's why it's essential that you don't rush into any kind of business before you decide what your brand is all about.

So what exactly is a brand?

Put simply, a brand is essentially something that you can offer to your customers that no one else can. They say there's nothing new under the sun, but you need to find a fresh spin on something that is already being offered by other people. Think about the difference between the brands of Pepsi and Coca Cola, for example. They are both unique, very different brands for a very similar kind of drink, but most people would agree they look for one or the other when they go shopping to buy that drink.

So you need to start with what you want to sell, and research that market thoroughly. What can you offer that isn't already being done? It may be a specific way of selling the product. It may be a unique recipe or way of presenting the product. It could be the fact that you supply a free gift with each purchase. You might decide to market your offering in a different way, to reach a slightly different audience.

All these factors can influence how you create your own brand - and they are just the beginning.

A brand can also relate to how your product or service is perceived visually. Think about all the big name companies in the world... and how recognisable their logos are. A logo can strengthen your brand and make it more familiar, which is essential to your long term success if you are selling a consumable product which you will want people to come back and buy more of. A brand can also include a slogan of some kind, which encapsulates the things that make you different from your competition. Together with a logo these aspects can form a very strong marketing base to work from.

The key to creating a successful brand is to research the market you want to enter, to decide how you can make your own mark. Don't try to copy what is already out there - apart from getting yourself into trouble you won't succeed that way. Be daring and do something different. Make your brand stand out for all the right reasons, and remember it's essential to put in the time to create a strong brand in the first place.

If you do this, it will pay you back many times over for years to come.

Catchy Business Names - 5 Easy Steps to Generate Business Names Ideas

2008-03-25T10:57:00.001-07:00

Catchy Business Names are a sure fired way to get your Business noticed in a world brimming with competition. You need to use every trick up your sleeve to be the one that stands out in your chosen field.

Making the decision on what to name your business can be extremely frustrating. You could pay a sum of money for someone to come up with a name for you, but I feel your business name represents you as a person, just like your business does, and it should be something that you choose and feel right about!

Step 1. This is the most important step. You will need to decide if your business is going to stay with the product / service that you are currently providing or if you may, at a later date expand / add or change that range.

The reason I say this is because you will not want to change your name further down the road because the name you chose initially no longer reflects the business you have built and expanded on.

Example: You start selling designer socks and you choose a catchy business name around socks. You then decide to expand and sell other underwear ranges, your business name will not reflect the other products you sell, and this will confuse your market.

Step 2. Write down all the names you can think of that describes your business.

Example: Use different words like underwear / lingerie etc.

Step 3. This is where your business names ideas start forming. Go to Google and type in keyword selector tool. This will take you to a site where you can enter the keywords on your generated list and it will give you a list of related terms to your keyword.

The list also tells you how many people are searching for that term. This is a great indicator of the popularity of that term.

Step 4. Take a term that you like the sound of and put a spin on it. Catchy business names can be funny, unusual, weird, funky or just 'different' to the norm. Write down all the ideas you have and jumble them around. Use misspells. People always remember those! Miss letters out, e.g. 'R' instead of 'are'. Be inventive and step outside your comfort zone.

Step 5. Run the list you have finalised by a number of family and friends. Get a census together of the most popular names. You will probably find they will come up with some great ideas to add to your list.

Finally, when thinking up catchy business names, remember the effect of that annoying tune that you heard and can't get out of your head. It keeps popping up and you can't seem to stop singing it. Well apply that principle to finding your business names ideas and you won't go far wrong!

Personal Brand Marketing - Brand Buzz 101

2008-03-23T05:47:00.001-07:00

I understand the importance of visibility. As a small business owner, being "known" can be the difference between a steady flow of revenue or closing your doors. Yet, being visible is not enough. Being remembered is most important and means you occupy some prime real estate in the mind of someone. Garnering "share of mind" means that you somewhere along the way they sampled your character and competence and you became memorable.

Marketing, by definition, is creating an exchange environment. For an individual, that could mean exchanging a referral, speaking positively on your behalf, a promotion or an introduction. Branding, by definition, is an emotion or image tied to a product. YOU are the product. Even in businesses, people are the brand and define the company, more than any mere mission statement hanging in the lobby. So, how does an individual create "buzz" for their brand for visibility and more importantly to be remembered so that they can develop credibility?

1. Know what makes you unique.

Whether you're job hunting or wanting a position on board of director's, you need to confidently know what value you bring to the table.

2. Get really good at communicating what makes you valuable.

Ninety-three percent of communication is tone and body language. Spend time on the words so that what you say and how you communicate are congruent with your value. Yet, know that communication includes your image, the way you present yourself, your workspace, your phone skills and even your lunch meeting etiquette. They must all be congruent with what makes you valuable. Any discrepancies will jeopardize your credibility and could produce negative word of mouth which is a problem that I will address in future articles.

3. Manage that communication.

If you're creating "buzz" around your brand, it will require you proactively managing the communication. For example, if you're new to a company or a position you will need to build a credibility wall. Yes, a physical wall if possible. It showcases every plaque, certificate, service honor, licensing, certification and degree you've received. This wall is your visual third party testimonial on the character and competence of your brand. Since that wall cannot travel with you, make sure that anytime you're honored for volunteer service or recognized for a contribution that a copy of the "thank you" letter, note or card be placed into you personnel file.

Even if you're on your own, these "proof of credibility" tools will take you far. As the vice president of a business fraternity in college, I booked speakers to speak to our fraternity for professional development. I asked each of them to write a letter for me about their experience working with me so that I could include that in my personal portfolio. Many of these speakers went on to become regional directors, chief operation officers, chief financial officers, company presidents and further that my portfolio has become quite valuable. Actively "buzz" your brand! Doing that will develop credibility; credibility will lead to influence; and influence with lead to leadership.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Personal-Brand-Marketing-Brand-Buzz-101&id=1051541

Branding the Mind

2008-03-23T05:09:00.001-07:00

Branding makes it easy for people to buy. Without brands people would just see categories i.e. shoes, jeans, computers... and shopping would be confusing, time-consuming, and difficult.
The aim of branding is to conquer its category. For example, for a person to say: "I feel like a Coke," instead of: "I feel like a soft drink" is an incredible brand statement.

A brand may never have the ownership over its category like Coke does, but branding is the signpost that leads consumers to products and services. And with proper care, branding builds and continues a customer relationship throughout the years to come.

Although the advertising messages a consumer views are visual, it's the invisible that gives a brand its edge. The backbone of a successful campaign or effective communication is based on a single coherent brand message.

Branding is created from a process of paring down complexities into a single statement of intent. A brand's statement must be crisp and clear to drive through the clutter, not only on the street, but in people's minds.

There's no mistaking a powerful brand in advertising and marketing; its very logo alerts the consumer instantly to what the brand is about.

Branding identification carries an important message to the consumer: what a product or service means in relation to them. The more meaningful the message, the more successful the brand.

If a brand stands for nothing, it means nothing to the person in the street.

A Brand Needs a Reason for Being

A successful brand has a passionate ethos behind it. Some brands even shift away from the product itself and just leave the ethos behind. For example: The Body Shop would not be as successful as it is today, if it didn't advocate for humanitarian causes.

Humanitarian brands are different to brands with human qualities. Apple stands for individuality. Its human qualities are expressed in the product's design that appeals to human needs like ease of use; and to human senses like touch, feel, and see. If a Mac computer looked and functioned the same as a PC, it would have no identity; and price would be the only qualifier.

It's the brand identity or personality that communicates the brand's ethos. When the consumer identifies with the personality of the brand, they feel proud of the association. The most successful brands are the people's choice.

Branding says More about the Buyer than the Maker

It's the responsibility of branding to match the ideals of the target market to the brand offering. A brand can't be all things to all people: a well-defined brand strategy communicates to whom is most likely going to respond to it. If you try to be everything to everyone, your message loses its crispness, and so, its power.

Companies lose market position because they don't move with the times. Culture is forever changing and affects people's daily lives: the unpredictable shift in consumer trends, or the fast pace of changing technology. A brand strategy is ongoing: it re-evaluates the brand's strengths and weaknesses in relation to the market and its culture.

A brand of longevity is about its cultural relevance. A successful brand is consistent in its message, but changeable to global happenings by its organically geared nature.

If there's no awareness of the culture in which you sell, competition arises fast, and if well-prepared, a competitor can dominate an industry at any time.

A Brand Thrives with Competition

A competitor adds credibility to an industry, broadens its scope, and brings more attention to it.

In Tibetan Buddhism, a competitor is a teacher - they can actually enlighten the way. In this positive light, there's an ability to strengthen the position of a brand on the back of another.

A strong competitor makes it easier for a brand to position its product or service as different to their opponent's; and this gives a brand the spark it needs to pale the competitor in comparison.

Branding is the one element that differentiates one product against another. This is why big brand names purposely position themselves in second place instead of going head-to-head with a powerful leader like Pepsi did with Coke, like Apple did with IBM. It takes courage, strong ideas, and a vision for the future.

A brand needs time to build - it grows from a well-thought out strategy focused on long term outcomes, not quick fixes. For instance, Nokia invested heavily in building and maintaining their brand worldwide. Their aim was to differentiate their brand from their rivals. And they succeeded by advertising the human-like features of their products with simple messages: 'Talk to me,' 'Hold me,' and 'I'm with you.'

Since 1865, Nokia has been up for the challenge of competitors. Like most successful brands, Nokia has taken off slowly, and stood the test of time through perseverance.

Branding Tools

Effective advertising sells ideals, but its message is firmly rooted in reality. Even when it's over-the-top advertising like the cheeky Diesel advertising. Their latest Global Warming campaign has Diesel models carrying on with life in the extremes of climate change. Like Homer Simpson says: "It's funny because it's true." It may be a stretch of the truth, but nonetheless Freud said all jokes are a way of telling the truth.

Powerful advertising tells the truth. A brand is not just selling a product or service, it sells an industry and a culture - good and bad. Everything needs to be considered in carefully planned communications.

Consumers want to know what they're buying. The more an advertiser unveils in their advertising, the more the brand builds trust. This must be done to interest the reader, and done so in simple terms.

Before Intel, the market didn't know what a micro-chip was. Intel described in their advertising the technology of their computers in simple terms, the same technology of any computer, but since it was expressed by the Intel brand, the technology was related to them specifically. And Intel took ownership of their category.

What makes a brand stand out is a message based on fact - preferably, a fact that has not been uncovered by others. The problem with communicating the facts is advertising copy is often tackled by people suddenly possessed by J.K. Rowling: they set down to write fantasy fiction.

Advertising should drive a razor sharp message into the mind of the consumer, but this can only be done only if its message is plain, clear, and real. In mediocre advertising copy, adjectives are so overused that they lose their meaning. Good copy gets to the point; it's value is in its simplicity, action, vitality, information, and meaning.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Branding-the-Mind&id=1049003

Keeping Constant Market Contact to Strengthen Your Brand

2008-03-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

Continuity. Business continuity. Contact continuity.

If you look it up, continuity means constant chain of sequence. In marketing, it means continuous chain of your marketing campaign throughout the whole year.

It is all about continuity of your relationship with your clients and prospects. When you want your business to flourish, you need to create an environment of you delivering what you have promised and getting your clients to purchase your product or avail of your service.

This is why you should always make it a point to continue with your marketing campaigns such as your flyer printing pieces and advertising posters. You just cannot stop them from circulating even if you have reached a point where you had enough leads to boost your business.

And even if the season's over for your kind of products, it does not hurt to still continue advertising so that when your time comes that your target clients need you you are already there at the top of their minds.

Think about how you will be able to create a marketing campaign that will help you to continue providing your services to your clients and new prospects. Your clients have already tried it so it would not be too hard for you to promote with a repeat purchase as your expected outcome. Making a follow through even when you are not needed can go a long way in creating a more stable and solid relationship with your clients.

Mind you, you might find out that only a few of your clients would actually act according to your message. A few might even be encouraged to buy from you again which will create returning profits for your business. And it may take off a few dollars from your company coffers, but continuity in your marketing campaign can go along way in making sure that you maintain your customer base.

If you have to, you can do it on a monthly basis. Always remember that if you do it consistently, it would definitely increase the flow of your return of investment. Especially if you have a product that needs to be advertised continuously. It would surely get you a significant increase in your profits.

The key here is to keep your contact with your target audience constantly. By doing so, you not only strengthen your position in your market, but most importantly, you solidify your brand and position in your clients' minds by having them rely on your for their needs.

customer services

Promote Brand Loyalty and Attract Housewives With Your Postcards Design

2008-03-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

Brainstorming about the right design of your postcard can be hard. Postcards design can be a tough job especially if you constantly try your best to cater to what your clients want. Capturing their interests is important. After all, you do want your postcard to be noticed when you mail them.

You cannot go wrong with your postcard because it is your advertising tool. Spending money in printing and mailing should not be wasted. It should instead bring profit to your company.

Your Postcard Recipients

What is the most basic solution to this problem? Well, know exactly who receives them.

If you know who receives your postcards, then you know what to put in, what design to pick, or what kind of tagline would surely attract attention.

Housewives are often at home. Most of the time, they are the ones who receive this postcards and actually decide which ones to throw and which ones to keep. So you must get their attention.

How exactly must you do this? Follow these basic tips on how to make your postcards design most appealing to moms or housewives.

1. Try to make your postcard colorful. This is important in catching their attention. Color is the most basic thing that you should remember.

2. Do not go for anything too dark or heavy for it is not attractive to the eye. Instead, use colors that are bright and relaxing. Pastel colors would be a good option for you.

3. Show that you care. As much as possible, give the feeling that you care for your clients well. To do this, you may offer promos and discounts or freebies that make your customers feel that they are important.

4. Giving free services like massages, and the likes to moms specifically will surely gain you much profit in return. Remember that moms are patronizing. Once they like you, they tend to go back again and again.

5. Give them a feel that they are important and they are sure to gain trust and confidence with your company. And so, always deliver on your promises.

6. Make it a point to show how affordable your products and services are. Moms do budgets, and they know exactly what can be thrifty or not. They often do the work of scrutinizing whether the family needs to buy something or not.

7. Do not over state an idea. Just a sentence or two telling that your products are less costly than the others is a must see in a postcard that is appealing to moms. Say it in the nicest way possible.

8. Use taglines that suggest the need for your products or services. In this manner, you are sending the message that your postcard should be kept just in case they might need to contact your company.

You must remember that pleasing these women is important. Though their relevance is often overlooked, they often have the decision on whether your postcard should be read or not. Therefore your postcards design must also cater to what they want. This would be very effective in order for your postcards to surely be read by your clients.

fundraising

Innovate Your Business Or Expect To Fail

2008-03-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Most businesses that fail, are failing for one reason the: the inability to innovate. There are 3 types of businesses: An Explosive Growth Business, A Stagnant Swamp Business, or A Matter of Time Business. The business quote by Peter Drucker, "Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation" is one of the most important business quotes of all time. Innovation comes before marketing, because without innovation you have nothing to market. To give a little more background here are the descriptions of the 3 types of businesses that exist.

A Matter of Time Business - is defined by a business that may or may not be profitable, but does nothing to innovate or believes in innovations that don't matter to the consumers. This business type is out of touch with its consumers. It really is just a matter of time, before this business closes its doors. But this business type can always decide to change course, they can go from a Matter of Time business to an Explosive Growth Business in a very short time.

Stagnant Swamp Business - is defined by a business that may or may not be profitable, but does nothing to set itself a part from the competition. Most businesses fall into this category. These businesses are usually moderately happy with the incomes they achieve, but feel that they could or should have more business. Surprisingly both very small businesses and large fortune 500 companies fall into this Stagnant Swap category. This type of business is also just one good idea away from being an explosive growth business.

Explosive Growth Business - is defined by a business that may or may not be profitable, but has at least one thing that it does that makes it the industry innovator. These businesses sometimes aren't profitable because they are experiencing growing pains due to rapid growth. This sometimes can cause a problem, but it is easily remedied with the proper employer/employee team. These businesses are often the businesses that are constantly adding new staff and testing a lot of products.

Where does your business fit? If you don't know you are either A Stagnant Swap or A Matter of Time.

So Who Needs Innovation, Anyway?

Every single business... Let me say that again... Every single business with absolutely no exceptions. Businesses need innovation like humans need air. Innovation is not optional. Every business who wants to achieve success needs innovation, without innovation you are just taking up space and not perfecting your craft. If you are going to own or work in a business you need to do it to your full potential and that full potential includes innovation and lots of it.

What is Innovation?

The classic definitions of innovation include:

the introduction of something new.

a new idea, method or device.

the successful exploitation of new ideas

change that creates a new dimension of performance (Peter Drucker definition) Something new - must be substantially different, not an insignificant change. In economics the change must increase value, customer value. Innovations are intended to make someone better off. The term innovation may refer to both radical and incremental changes to products, processes or services. The often unspoken goal of innovation is to solve a problem.

What is the most innovative product of all time? When you think of innovation what comes to mind? A light bulb, right? So is a new fluorescent energy saving light bulb innovative?

If you could create gum that tasted great, and had flavor that lasted as long as you chewed it, could you sell a bunch of gum? Could you charge twice as much as your competition? So what in your business could be gum that lasts forever?

Innovation and Marketing

With a mom and pop type business, they are usually too busy trying to keep their heads above water to innovate and move forward. Large companies are usually out of touch with the end consumer. Companies should have an innovation department, before a marketing department. Your marketing department, CAN NOT be your innovation department. The innovation department should include at least equal representation from all levels of your organization, if not weight heavier with those closest to the consumer. Innovation should be based heavily on consumer input and performing the impossible.

Before you place an ad, you need to know what your message is. Your message is based solely on your company's ability and willingness to innovate.

Innovation starts with analysis. You first need to develop a team. If you are a one man show, it won't take long to assemble your team. If your company is bigger, it will take longer. Remember, Innovation is not an option... It is a necessity!

change management

Branding - Fitting It All Together

2008-03-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, whether you are a small business entrepreneur or a Fortune 500 conglomerate, branding is part and parcel of your advertising efforts. It doesn't matter if you're operating on a very limited budget, your organization and the products and services you offer have a brand.

So what is a brand? It is everything you have that creates that distinct impression in your clients and prospects. Whether it's in the way you provide customer service, or how you design your full color brochures, or even what kind of brochure printing method you apply - it all boils down to your kind of brand, which makes a positive or negative impact on your readers.

It is that important indeed. To leave out branding from your marketing efforts is like committing suicide in your industry. Your brand actually helps you succeed or be a total failure in your particular niche.

Expert marketers and advertisers would tell you that your brand is your business' personality. If you take great care every morning to clean up and make yourself presentable to everybody, that's also how it is with your brand. Your brand is your personality. Whatever you present to your clients and prospects would be the one thing that would make that impression on them, and the very thing that they would remember for a very long time.

It's your name, the way you package your products and services, your price, the choice of advertising - whether it's full color brochures or advertising flyers - and the kind of product and service you offer. This is your brand. That's why it is so important that you present good quality branding if you want to get a big share of your target market.

So how do you fit all your elements to create just the right brand for you? The very first step is to identify your benefits. This is a fact that you should always remember when creating your brand - it is less of your company and more of what benefits you can offer. It doesn't matter if you're a small one or already known for a hundred years, if you offer a benefit that your clients and prospects need, you'd surely get recognized and remembered.

The next step then is to create your visual palette. Your visual palette is a combination of all your elements to come up with a distinct design that will promote your brand. It'll be in all your marketing tools, be it print, presentation or online materials. When these elements are mixed together, they form an image that makes you different from the rest of your competition. Once you have it, everything and everyone in your organization should use your marketing tools to help you build the brand that you would want your clients and prospects to remember you with.

The bottom line is to fit all your pieces together to form the kind of brand you need to promote to your target audience. Your brand is your foundation of trust and a lasting relationship that you'll be building with your clients and prospects. And hopefully, it'll last you for many years to come.

How To Do Brand Management

2008-03-12T23:11:00.000-07:00

What's in the pool of "Traditional Marketing techniques"?

The concept of traditional marketing that is "Features and Benefits" is changing, but the main base remains on the same. The components of any kind of a marketing approach are:

1. Features and Benefits
2. Narrow definition of product categories and competition
3. customers are rational decision-makers
4. Methods are analytical, quantitative and verbal

The perceptions and associations consumers have about brands go beyond their functional attributes and benefits, and include non-functional, symbolic qualities, often referred to as "Brand Image". Among these aspects of brand image are perceptions and associations about the brand's "personality," the "set of human-like characteristics associated with a brand". This brand image is the only thing that is to be kept intact to get the maximum "Customer life-time value" or the "Customer equity value".

Culture as the basis of Brand image building:

The brand perception is an important factor while taking any decision regarding the brand image building for any type of product category. The perceived personality of a brand can be shaped by marketers via "transferring cultural meaning" into it in various ways, such as by associating the brand in communications with an endorser or place that already possesses the personality or meaning considered strategically desirable for that brand. Any brand value can be factored into five components which differentiate one from the other.

The factors as leveled are:

a. Sincerity (sample item: honest)
b. Excitement (daring)
c. Competence (reliable)
d. Sophistication (upper-class)
e. Ruggedness (tough)

The need for "Consumer Oriented Marketing":

Now-a-days the concept of "Experiential Marketing" is gradually up-coming, so the marketers need to follow the suit and design their products to satisfy the customers at the maximum possible level. The companies are offering strategic Experiential Modules (SEMs) which have its own distinct structure and marketing principles.

The marketers need to be familiar with all the relative measures, like-

a. Sensory experiences(SENSE)
b. Affective Experiences(FEEL)
c. Creative Cognitive Experiences(THINK)
d. Physical Experiences and entire Life-Style(ACT)
e. Social Identity Experiences (RELATE)

CRM as the new weapon for the marketers:

In the present era "Cause Related Marketing "is taking a huge space in the marketing arena, so the marketers are opting for viable opportunities which would strengthen their positioning in the market place. In most of the cases the consumers feel an ownership with the brands and that should be the strategic objective for any marketer. Marketing aesthetics practically equated "equated needs" with "aesthetic needs".

Brand characteristics:

A major avenue for revenue growth in companies today is the extension of their existing brands into new categories, requiring the systematic study of many candidate categories on "personality" and "image" dimensions to see which ones "best fit" and "match" the personality of the brand being extended. Many companies also seek to leverage their existing brand assets via licensing deals to other manufacturers in other categories or via co-branding promotions and arrangements. If the "recall rate" is good enough, the company launch its new varieties and if it's not, then it has to re-launch the present entire product portfolio.

Try to differentiate between "Category personality" and "Brand personality":

The "Category personality" and "Brand personality" are the two different things which are to be differentiated by thy marketers. In any case, any factor analysis of a (pooled brand ?category data matrix) must partial out the "category personality" from the "brand's personality," for otherwise it could confound the two. The "category generic" attributes are common to all the products in the same product range. Those brands which best capture a category's mythic "desired" personality might gain in preference, since their brand personality is now most "relevant" to consumer choice criteria in that category. There exists a need for the development of research methodologies that keeps apart product category influences from brand personality perceptions.

Brand Stewards:

The brand stewards or the brand managers, marketing managers are responsible for the welfare of any brand. Brand stewards also include those who work on brand assignments at marketing communication agencies and who have a major influence on the brand's marketing program. The "Brand Team" is referred to that group who ideally complement each other in managing brands and their identities.

Branding Rules:

Marketers urgently need tools to manage vast groups of brands, not as individual elements or collections under one corporate roof, but as complex systems that transcend corporate boundaries. The popularity that a brand carries with it is to be well maintained to move up to the value chain. So it is all about the correct decision at the correct time and everything that does matter is the execution part of the whole cycle. New formulations are to be made to beat the competitors; a brand survives in the minds of consumers. Most of the customers fall under "impulse buying category".

Experiential Brands are the market leaders:

Brands are the most valuable assets of any company, so while launching a brand a company must look into its feasibility by doing market research and compare that with the competitor's product. These steps always give an insight about the fate of the brands. Definitely the war has started between brands and not between any organizations. So to continue with this kind of stature that the brands posses, the companies need to offer more and more lucrative proposals. The brand value or brand worth is always in a stake if not taken care properly.

Is It Time To Brand You?

2008-03-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

When Tom Peters first wrote about branding yourself it was revolutionary and cool. Today it is a necessity if you want to succeed in the corporate world.

Like a plumber with a leaky tap, as a professional communicators you too can get so caught up in doing what you do that you can forget to apply all that great knowledge you have to your brand and career.

As a communicator and marketer being bland is NOT a way to stand out and sizzle as a model of what you teach. If you really want to boost your career and be an expert in your field, then you can't be passive. You MUST be able to stand behind your personal brand without fear or embarrassment.

In a conversation I had recently with one of my wonderful coaching clients, she discovered that she had such a strong fear of other people judging her. Her need for approval was such that she wasn't being her authentic self and certainly wasn't living her personal brand and being visible.

Coaching around this was fun and enlightening! We discussed her strengths, her target market and what she wanted to really be known for. In particular, we took time to explore the language she used to describe herself when meeting others as well as the self-talk going on in her head.

What she came to realise was that she was trying to be everything to everyone and in the meantime was draining all her own energy. PHEW! The relief on her face was visible when she made the decision to focus in on her personal brand, to allow herself to be what she wanted to be and to form new brand messages for herself. The result was a refreshed, congruent and confident woman, with a newly refined career objective and a new personal brand image.

So do yourself a favour and take a moment now to pause and reflect...
Are you happy with your personal and professional life?
What's missing? What do you really want to be doing?
What are you putting off?
What getting in your way of you doing and being all that you want?
Are you letting others tell you where your career is going or are you being bold and developing your own unique brand?

Take the effort to explore where you're selling yourself short and enjoy the freedom that being YOU and living your brand can bring.

The Downside of Business Branding

2008-03-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

Reports of consumer product defects and recalls are coming in fast and furious these days. The media onslaught appeared to begin with tainted Chinese products and the surrounding political uproar. Big name manufacturers have been outsourcing for decades, so why all the noise now? Much of it has to do with the sea change in editorial departments across the nation. "Help Desks" are popping up everywhere in an attempt to thwart dwindling circulation. Politically-driven blogs have become the rage, and scare tactics at Network TV and Cable news networks are always popular during sweeps weeks.

There is one daily newspaper in my own hometown that reports product recalls almost everyday. It's a great public service, in my opinion. If there is bad beef or chicken at my local grocery, I want to know about it.

But I can't help thinking, how much of the reporting is being blown out of proportion. And how exactly are businesses coping with all the negative publicity?

Too many stick their heads in the sand, hoping the crisis will blow over. The general consensus, according to crisis management sources, including the Institute for Crisis Management is that the best crisis management deals with potential crises swiftly, before revenue streams and stock prices can be impacted.

If word has spread to the media and the general public, a crisis communication plan should be implemented to control corporate disruption and any resulting financial damage. With a simple, effective plan in place, organizations are not only in a better position to minimize damage, they are more often in a better position to handle future crisis situations that could disrupt the business and affect its operating expenses, profits and ongoing operations.

Still, creating a crisis action plan is easier said than done. Fear or flight is a visceral reaction to such situations.

One misconception pointed to by the Institute for Crisis Management is that there is usually no warning before such events occur. The fact is, however that problems more often than not have been simmering for a long time, and management often knows about it before any public dissemination. Natural disasters and employee actions play a minor role compared to management decisions, which are most likely to lead to big, bad business news.

The power of branding is an awesome responsibility--and a powerful tool--when implemented by experienced managers who understand the downside costs that effective brand management brings to the corporate table.

fundraising

Challenge Coins Build Brand Identity

2008-03-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

When there are many organizations that look similar it's difficult for yours to stand out amongst them. You need to create a lasting impression in the minds of your members as well as potential members who wish to join. Building a brand identity has become a necessity for many organizations because they want to stand out from the crowd, sustain members loyalty and achieve their long term goals.

How to build brand identity

This can be achieved in a number of ways.

1. Create a custom challenge coin

Challenge coins were originally used by the military to promote unity, morale and camaraderie, however their popularity has been extended to include other types of organizations outside the military. These include police and fire departments, rescue units and even NASCAR. Members appreciate challenge coins because they have a high quality and last forever. This means they can be passed on to successive generations leaving a lasting tradition. You can get a customized challenge coin built that can become the signature symbol of your organization.

2. Build a web site

The beauty of building a web site is that it can be accessed by anybody at any time. It can serve as your organization's brochure by including photos, articles, meeting times, news etc. An image of your customized challenge coin could be used as a logo for the web site to help make it stand out from the millions of other sites on the Web. You can also make the site interactive by creating a discussion forum where members can talk with each other through an online medium. Adding a blog could provide news updates. You are only limited by your imagination.

3. Stationary

Building brand identity can also be achieved by including your logo and web site address on your letterhead, visiting cards or anything else that promotes your organization. If you are doing an advertising campaign include these materials in your television ads, media press releases and/or sponsorships.

Conclusion

Consider creating a customized challenge coin to build a unique brand identity for your organization. It creates a lasting impression that your members will be proud of and wish to pass on to their future descendants.

accounting blog news

Attraction Marketing - How To Use Attraction Marketing RIGHT!

2008-03-10T00:48:00.000-07:00

I started out as a network marketer who did not use attraction marketing. I used traditional methods of marketing on and offline, including:

- hounding friends and family
- paying for leads
- using PPC advertising that linked directly through to my company web site
- linked to my company web site from forums/discussion groups
- paid for traditional advertising in print magazines
- paid for banner ads on targeted site online.

First off, let me tell you, if you are using ANY of the above mentioned methods to market YOUR network marketing business, STOP RIGHT NOW!

Ahhh...pheww. I'm so glad I saved you countless more hours of wasted time and money marketing the OLD way...

It just doesn't work anymore (did it ever?)

Enter the new way of marketing online, the way only select few people have really begun to apply in their businesses. It's called ATTRACTION MARKETING. A method of marketing that literally attracts people to you, because they appreciate YOU!

Sound good? You bet it is.
With Attraction Marketing, there is no reason to be anyone you're not. You can present your true self - including your interests, skills and desires, and guess what? There are thousands of people online each and every day who will love to do business with you!

OK, let's get to the do's and don'ts of Attraction Marketing - the real purpose of this article:

DO:
- share a photo of yourself
- include your story (briefly! and only for the sake of showing people who you are and how you can help them)
- keep your presentation with everything you do online professional and clean
- become the leader you NEED to be to attract people to you...and then show your leadership qualities
- provide VALUE to people with whatever you do online....
- have an attitude of abundance
- show your prospects sites that do the selling for you, so you can focus on building relationships with people.

DON'T:
- SPAM anyone. For goodness sakes, nobody in their right mind likes this, so if you're shoving your products down anyone's throat on or offline, QUIT IT NOW!
- have flashy, gauwdy web sites with flashing buttons and cheesy backgrounds - simple is best. Keep the focus on YOU as the star, not your gimmicks
- post anything online for the sole purpose of getting people to click on your links - it's too obvious.
- ramble on too long. Always consider WIIFM (what's in it for me).

And finally, start applying Attraction Marketing right away into your business. Learn everything you can and get started, because soon, you will be the honey thousands of bees are swarming- no kidding!

Also, let me know if I can help you out in any way...I'd be happy to.

fundraising

Branding - Can it Make A Difference?

2008-03-09T23:55:00.000-07:00

Most consumers don't pay much attention to branding. They just simply adhere to the brand names that have become synonymous with their day to day lives, and thus many people greatly underestimate the power associated with an influential brand name. Have you ever purchased a product over another one of equal value, purely because it was from a more reputable company? If you're purchasing habits are like mine, then the answer is yes.

What's in a name?
Developing a unique and catchy brand name involves more than just merely picking a name out of a hat. A powerful brand name will evoke a positive set of emotions, and should inspire confidence in your particular product or service.

It's also important to keep your brand name simple, because potential customers may have trouble remembering an overly complicated brand name. You also want your brand name to be unique. A distinctive brand name is what separates you from your competition. If your brand name is too similar to one of your competitors, people may confuse the two, leading to a decrease in sales/revenue.

Brand Exposure
Always communicate your brand identity to your target audience. Everything you say and do, from the way you answer the phone, to the way you format your emails should reflect your branding image. Utilize your color scheme and logo on all printed materials from letterheads to invoices. Your website should also reflect your companies branding image. It's always important to constantly look for new ways to incorporate your company's logo and color scheme. The more your potential customers are bombarded with your companies branding the more apt they are to continue their patronage.

Developing Brand Loyalty
Brand loyalty is an important aspect of any companies marketing efforts. Typically, your potential customers will have a choice of products or services within your industry segment, and a successful company will entice customers to re-buy a particular product or reuse a specific service.

Many companies develop brand loyalty by offering incentives such as coupons and frequent customers discounts. Also, another common technique utilized by many online companies is to gather information concerning their customers purchasing habits, to better tailor advertisements and future promotional endeavors.

fundraising

Brand Effectiveness is Key to Membership Growth

2008-03-09T22:56:00.000-07:00

The visibility, awareness and effectiveness of your organization's brand directly impact your ability to recruit and retain members. If your organization isn't the first thing member prospects think of when they turn to industry issues, there's work to be done.

But where to start?

As popular wisdom has it, knowing and admitting you have a problem puts you half way to solving it. In this case, that means doing a little member research to determine how your members and prospective members view your organization through its brand. This can take one of several forms, including a quick poll on your website, a phone survey, an e-mail or electronic survey, or a paper/mail survey.

Regardless of the format, the recipient list should be equal parts members and prospects, to get both perspectives and spot any disconnects between those that know the organization from the inside versus what the brand alone presents to the outside world. The included questions should be formulated so that the responses returned are actionable, and give you some indication of their perceptions of the brand and the organization behind it, based on their actual experience with you, as customers, as members, as industry participants.

Reading the results in a timely fashion is important, as the cyclic nature of non-profit schedules creates peaks and valleys in the brand perception and awareness level, depending upon what time of the year it is, and how high the level of activity involving members is at the time you launch the survey. For organizations that have even more volatile years, it may be necessary to do two sets of surveys at different times of the year and compare the results to get a good reliable read on the level of awareness you can count on.

The results of your survey are one source of data, but there are other sources that while less formal or quantifiable, are just as valid in getting a read on your brand awareness and effectiveness. These include interviews with Board members, committee members, volunteers, chapter presidents or directors, vendors, other related professionals, including members of related associations, and members of ASAE.

Once all this data is collected, it needs to be interpreted accurately so that the actions you take drive your brand efforts in the most effective direction possible. Some items will be readily apparent if the surveys and interviews were constructed correctly.

One good tool you can use to read your results is to retrieve the set of brand characteristics from the marketing archives, and see how many of your responses line up with those characteristics. If your responses, including the open-ended comments, use some of the terms and attributes that make up your organization's brand, then you've got a good solid start on reading your data correctly and rating a good score on your brand effectiveness.

Conversely, if very few or none of the responses include those attributes on the list, there's a good chance there's a disconnect between what you're trying to convey with your brand, and how it's being perceived by the various populations it's designed to serve.

Now that you've got a read on how well you're doing, how do you go about improving? The answer is, much as it's been overused by too many of us in today's litigious society - it depends. It depends upon what your data tells you, and every case is different. However there are some common scenarios and a few valuable remedies to match them.

Scenario #1 - Our brand registers very low on the surveys for memorability. Typically this means that your customer base doesn't remember your brand in response to a question designed to illicit a favorable response unprompted. Your organization isn't top of mind for them as relates to your products or services, and someone else's brand is. That could mean that your exposure frequency is too low, they don't see enough from you to keep memorability high enough.

It could be that a competitor has captured some key emotional connection to the customer that you have not, despite an inferior product or service - they're not as good, but customers remember them because they're "out there" more. This can be remedied with some increase in exposure to key audiences - your top buyers should hear more from you in a positive light to reassure them that you offer the product or services that give the best value.

Putting your brand in front of them for positive reasons, like a price discount, a new offer that really saves money, rebate eligibility or other product or service related reason other than to sell them something should go a long way toward remedying this issue. It will boost memorability without seeming like you're overselling them, a positive cognitive light that will cement the brand in the uppermost memory of the customer.

Scenario #2 - Our brand rates favorably and has high memory retention among customers, but neither do as well among prospects.

Usually, this indicates that your product or service has to be "seen to be believed" - it's value is best seen at delivery or in the transaction, rather than prior to receiving it. This is a sticky problem that has to do as much with promotional direction and relevance as anything else. Your customers know you and have experienced your value, been satisfied with the product or service upon and after delivery and the reputation of the brand was reinforced positively.

Prospects, on the other hand, only know you by your "public" face - advertising, packaging, direct marketing, sponsorship associations. The brand unfortunately has little carriage by word of mouth, based on the fact that satisfied customers are not waving your flag and passing on the good word to prospects themselves. Prospects only get a read based on what you tell them.

Look to your research and find those key hot buttons of your best customers, and promote those attributes to prospects more heavily. Also, compare your reading on prospects versus customers in other areas of your brand - you may find another disconnect in their perceptions that could cause this effect, and you can remedy both with a shift in your promotional or creative approach to highlight those key elements more heavily. Align your creative with those highest ranking attributes of your best customers, and the prospects should get the best, most relevant perception of your product.

These are just two of the possible outcomes to this type of analysis. Suffice to say that if you're brand is aligned with your message and your audience, you've got a strong package for success.

advertising blog news

Branding Efforts Drive Sales When Combined With Direct Response

2008-03-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

The term "Branding" has been in use in American marketing vernacular since the 1800s, first being used for cattle in the west to identify members of the herd belonging to a single owner, but branching out to consumer goods shortly thereafter, one of the first of which was used to identify beer served at certain pubs, with a small symbol on the door that was also used on the beer's label.

Brands can be a symbol, a word, a name, even a graphic element (think the Nike swoosh), but each brand carries a set of characteristics that are brought to mind whenever someone sees it.

Direct marketing practices came into being shortly thereafter, when a now-defunct soap miller created a flyer posted on people's doors that offered a free soap sample if they brought the flyer into the store, but it was only distributed to the people on the west side of town, where the rich people lived, thus the list select was wealth and geography!

These two disciplines have in the past been seen as divergent in goal and practice, but current thinking would have it otherwise. Studies have shown that sales boosts can be achieved by using a combination of the two approaches, mixing the heavy rotation and creative enchantment of branding, with the mechanics of call to action, offer and response device of direct response. This extends from creative executions to media strategy to back-end mechanics and PR.

Longitudinal studies performed by a select group of high-volume consumer product marketers have shown a synergistic relationship when combining branding type creative executions with direct response mechanics and back end, to the tune of 50-75% improvement over sales of the same product using either approach singly.

The Ads Have It . . . In most cases, marketers and ad agencies have been creating branding ads in order to raise awareness, launch brand extensions to existing products, shift perceptions of the product or announce or formulate a new use for a product. They simply presented the product, reinforced the brand visually and ideologically, and repeated the process heavily to build consciousness among the audience.

The targeting was largely done with media alone, for television using the program viewer demographics, for radio the listener demographic and stations or program format serving as differentiators.

Not much thought was given to tracking, or accountability of branding ads, as it was widely understood that few could unequivocally demonstrate a direct cause and effect relationship between the appearance of the branding ad and the increase in sales among a distinct population sector.

Sales were tracked on a regular basis, broken out many different ways on reports using a variety of analytical tools, but none could correlate a sales blip directly with the appearance of the ad, and could not use such a correlation to quantify the "dosage" or frequency, or the program selection or timing of the placement. Thus, the ad schedule could not be used as a predictor of sales activity, and conversely, the sales build up could not be used to fine-tune the ad placements to maximize their impact.

Additionally, with no response mechanism other than to buy the product at a retailer, there was no reliable way to market test one creative approach or offer against another directly as is common practice in direct response. However, even knowing this, U.S. and global companies spend billions of dollars each year on branding ads in an effort to keep in step with their competitors, build awareness and broaden their appeal to consumers in a general way.

Longitudinal studies were conducted by the Ad Council and other academic organizations in the late 70s regarding advertising's effectiveness in general. The conclusions were contradictory, and noted that the more you advertised, the more likely it was that sales would rise, up to a point of saturation.

Far from clarifying the situation, this study muddied the waters for corporate marketers for years, until larger corporations with deep pockets and savvy media departments could develop ways to maximize the value of the dollars they were spending. Media costs have far outstripped creative and production expenses in most media including radio, TV and Print, and distribution is the largest of all the concerns for advertisers, according to a study by Ad Age Magazine circa 1990.

Direct Is The Way . . .

On a parallel path of development, direct response, the art of targeting the right audience with the right message at the right time, was having its own growing pains. Marketers realized early on that there were several major components to success in their business model and that efficiency topped the list for direct marketers. Fewer pieces mailed meant lower cost, and lower cost meant higher profit margins. But in order to mail fewer, the package had to be more effective to make up the corresponding loss in response volume.

Testing proved to be the path to optimizing effectiveness, and testing programs are a staple in any good modern direct mail program. The simple act of changing a color on an outer envelope could have notable, significant impact on response, so wide spread testing programs have become common.

Direct response is not limited to the postal system. Direct response radio and television hit a huge wave of popularity in the mid-80s, when direct response, long-form television was developing. Pioneers like Ron Popiel (of the famous Ronco company), started pitching products on TV in larger blocks than the traditional :30 and :60 spots, using product demonstrations to highlight the product's benefits, and aggressively urging viewers to "Call now, operators are standing by to take your order," creating urgency and driving response ever higher.

These ads were usually run in the very late evening, and early morning hours, primarily because media costs dropped disproportionately with viewer numbers, and a block of thirty minutes could be had for pennies on the dollar compared to daytime, prime time viewing hours. In the hands of skilled pitchmen, these products looked extremely powerful and valuable, painting scenarios in which ordinary people could easily envision themselves, and offering a solution for just a few dollars.

For Just $19.95 . . .

The leading price point for most of these products was $19.95, on the assumption that if you broke out of the $20 ceiling, you would lose a predictable portion of the potential buyers due to risk aversion among the late night, post-2AM audience profile, largely blue collar, often night shift workers, security guards, insomniacs and nursing mothers.

Some of these ads took on a new direction in the later 80s after many of the basic functions had been put in place and the infrastructure to support the burgeoning DRTV industry had grown more robust. With very low-price point products, the cost per unit was so low, that you could literally sell two or three of the product for the originally advertised price, and the additional volume would outweigh the additional cost. Sales soared, and clones came out of the woodwork.

Value Addeds reached the point where if you could capture the personal information from a potential buyer by getting them to respond to virtually anything, then you had captured unlimited marketing use of that bit of data, and huge house lists of buyers developed based on buying a $4.99 - $9.99 product range. They were essentially giving away the product to capture the name. The key is to find a product that reveals something useful about the buyer, like selling a cleaner that works well on teak boat decks to uncover a niche of boat owners to sell sails or fittings to.

A landmark study conducted by the Communications Department of the University of Oklahoma showed that after a certain level of frequency, virtually any advertisement could be used for branding, and shown to increase recognition for the brand it carried, which translated to retail sales of the product even in a direct response situation. In short, if you sold products in retail environment that had been previously available only through DRTV, the brand carried, and it took with it extra cache for having been "seen on TV".

Products like Ginsu Knives, the Pocket Fisherman, Juice Tiger, and others entered the popular vernacular, often synonymous with cheap or just entertaining, but nonetheless moving units in record numbers.

The net result of this is more units sold for the product manufacturers and marketers, at a minor cost of the dilution of the direct response pool of data. By this time, however, list analysis technology and consumer information and data modeling had become so prevalent, available and cost effective; the effect on direct marketers was minimal.

DRTV remains a viable channel to launch new products of any price point, thanks to the breakthrough of some high-ticket items adopting the strategy of breaking the price into credit payments.

Products such as the Bowflex exercise gear, a giant machine promising fitness benefits beyond belief, is currently available via retail, e-bay, and direct online, but started out as a DRTV staple. It sells for thousands of dollars, but the ads still cling to the Easy Payment model, at the $39.95 price point - they've just increased the number of payments.

Together Is Better . . .

The Oklahoma Study opened the doors to brand ads to extend their reach into the direct response realm, and conversely, for brands that didn't have a good hold on the broad consumer market to gain a foothold through high frequency buys and shorter adapted blocks of time. 2-minute spots that both push brand and offer a phone number have increased their prevalence, and are working well for established products with solid order processing infrastructure.

Direct buying via the Internet has increased the general public's comfort level with buying through alternate channels to retail. The rise of credit availability, and America's accompanying indebtedness as a result, has also boosted the confidence of direct retailers and built sales dramatically for some products. All these factors delivered together have formed sort of a "perfect storm" of retail sales, allowing directly sold products to develop brands more readily, and to allow for branding ads to engage the audience more directly through the internet.

Drive to web branding ads have become commonplace, and nearly every product on the shelves today in the traditional retail environment has a web address on it somewhere, whether for customer service purposes or for more product information.

Cross-selling opportunities abound through this channel, as real estate on the Internet is relatively cheap and virtually unlimited, and a full range of products can be presented in multi-media fashion, offering both advertising and a direct marketing channel in one instance through a single website. It's the perfect blend of branding and direct response, and it can come to full fruition now that broadband access has risen to a common level nationally and globally.

Predictions Are Worth Their Weight . . .

Based on the factors related above and a landmark study conducted by media specialists at Michigan State University that showed that retail purchasing on the web will eclipse all retail in volume by the year 2015, it appears the future could be now . . .

Clearly, the media mix is changing, differentiators between media are blurring and blending, the power of selectivity and targeting is on the increase across all media, including print, and the power of one-to-one marketing will finally become a full-scale reality, as brands drive reputation once again, and response can be measured accurately. As systems converge and centralized media monitoring becomes possible and later practical, media rates will stabilize, and a new scheme for media payments will develop, based solely on audience participation.

Product purveyors will do well to keep on the cutting-edge as this convergence develops, as the sidelines are widening and getting further from the center of relevance, and the speed of convergence is accelerating beyond the ability of large firms to catch up if they get too far behind.

Franchising

Building An Identity

2008-03-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

Being successful in your chosen field depends largely on the image you have. If you were able to build an identity that speaks of hard core professionalism and expertise, then you would definitely stay in your business for many years to come.

And it all boils down to who you are and how you would want to be known as when you present your marketing tools to your customers and prospects.

What your customers and potential clients see in your promotional print tools is what leaves that positive mark. Your brand and identity rely on the first impression that your professionally designed custom business cards or business letterhead provide your clients. Hence, it is crucial that you make a great first impression. It is therefore important that your aim for your print materials should be able to convey an identity way beyond that of your design and message.

Two of the most basic identity system package that any business should have is your custom business cards and your letterhead. This is where your clients would see your logo and hence, the kind of image that you would want to communicate.

One of the most crucial elements when designing your identity system package is to learn your business inside and out. Everything there is to know about your business and your particular niche you should be able to convey. If you know your business inside out, you would be able to provide a successful system.

Here are a few questions you need to answer when preparing for your identity system package so that you can get the most from it:

1 - What kind of business do you have? Do you have a niche?

2 - What are your products and services?

3 - How many years have you been operating? How long have you been doing it?

4 - Do you have competitors? If so, who are they?

5 - Who is your target market?

6 - How do your target clients see your business? What about the industry you are in?

7 - What is the purpose of your identity system?

8 - Do you intend to focus on a particular group of your target market?

When you are done answering these questions, you can now put forward the identity you would want your clients and prospective customers to retain in their minds. Putting your best foot forward surely helps in creating that positive image of your business to your clients.

Business online blog

Follow Through With Branding

2008-03-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

A marketing campaign needs branding to successfully operate one's business. A brand lets you build a satisfying relationship with your clients and prospects that help you stay in the business for many years.

An experienced and professional marketer would tell you that branding is one of the most significant parts of any marketing strategy you could have to make your business a success. It is very basic indeed that no company should be without one.

So what makes up your brand? Your brand usually reflects the image and identity you would want to be known to your clients and prospects. It is all the elements combined that can be associated with what your company or business is all about. As a result, it displays your identity, the values, beliefs and principles of your organization, as well as the people directing the operations.

Your brand says what kind of service you are capable of providing. It tells of your unique and distinct quality that makes you stand out from the rest of your competitors. Your brand is definitely the thing that makes it possible for you to accomplish your goals for your business.

And it all starts with your logo design. Your logo design is a mixture of your name, logo and your tag line. This powerful combination provides the identity that people would be able to recognize for many years to come. It is therefore crucial to invest as much of your time and budget in creating that brand that conveys the right message to your target audience and clients.

Hence, it is not surprising that you should get professionals and experts to develop your brand for you. As it should show how well you are supposed to provide customer service, your brand should be made to have a great idea and not just a good one.

When do you start branding? It starts even before you start your operations. And it continues as long as the company is still alive in the industry. That's why there should be a collaboration between top management (who will finally decide on the final outcome) and the brand developers. For as long as your company lives, your brand would be the thing that is constant in your business.

So how do you make your brand work for you? Your brand is not only made to make that first impression to your clients. Your brand should also be the clincher that would convince your clients to finally buy from you. Your brand is so powerful that you'll be able to make use of it even with the follow through process in your marketing campaign. Even when you're looking at booklet printing as part of your direct mail campaign, your brand would be the one to determine your success or failure.

The key is never to stop reinventing your brand. Branding can help you a great deal in ensuring that your business can achieve all the goals you've set out to do.

Franchising

Brand Recognition and Beyond

2008-03-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

Brand recognition is the extent to which customers recognize a brand and their attitudes toward the brand. When a new brand is introduced, brand recognition develops according to 5 progressive stages:

Brand Rejection.

If customers have a negative experience with your product, they may make a conscious effort to avoid your brand in the future. It is important not to ignore customers' negative experiences, but to address grievances and complaints before brand rejection escalates. For example, if you are aware of complaints against your customer service department, create a logo or slogan that advertises your commitment to excellent customer service. Once you accept that some consumers may reject you or your product, you can develop strategies to alter the situation.

Brand non-recognition.

If your product is not clearly distinct from your competitors, customers may not recognize your brand at all. It is crucial to emphasize what makes your product unique. Carefully label each individual product or service with a distinctive name, just as you branded your small business as a whole. Make sure that names for products and services serve to highlight and reinforce the unique features of your brand.

Brand recognition.

If you are stuck in the brand non-recognition stage, brand recognition is your primary goal. In brand recognition, customers simply recognize your brand. At this stage, customers will choose your product over a competitor's product that they cannot recognize. However, brand recognition never confers a permanent advantage because your competitors are also working hard to distinguish their brand from yours.

Brand preference.

Once customers can differentiate your product from the competitors', customers who believe that your product uniquely meets their needs will select your brand. Like brand recognition, brand preference confers temporary benefits: at any moment, the competition may intensify their marketing campaign by adding value or lowering prices. Therefore, independent business owners should not stop at mere brand preference but should strive for the ultimate form of brand recognition, brand loyalty.

Brand loyalty.

This is the highest level of brand recognition. Customers who are loyal to your brand will chose your brand every time, even if they experience occasional poor service or a superior product is introduced to the market. Only highly differentiated products achieve brand loyalty; remember that intangible elements such as customer service can help to distinguish your brand.

customer services

Logo - A Must Have Tool for Your Brand Identity

2008-03-06T22:15:00.000-08:00

There is a popular saying that "Rome was not built in a day" similarly a logo design of a company cannot be build in a day. It is the epitome of your company's business, brand conception and vision. Create a logo that will covey an on the face message about your business. However the targeted customers of your business should be kept in mind while creating your logo. When the world is advancing so rapidly, you have less and less time to impress your customers. Your logo is your identity so it should be unique. In an increasingly competitive market place it is essential to have a unique identity to stand out and succeed. Identity is a vital asset that must be invested in, leveraged and managed to ensure a company's success. To create a unique logo does not mean that you will have to use a variety of colors to grab the attention of the customers. So, instead of using many colors in a logo, you should use a single or a combination of colors that will be soothing to the customer's eyes as well as at the same time attractive and appealing.

Aeschylus's philosophy of life should not be followed while creating a logo of your company. Your logo should be simple and at the same time memorable. Colors play an important role in the recognition of your brand of your company. This is another key area and needs to be handled with utmost care and thought. The world today is more concerned about the brand name than any other thing. Hence, you have to put two and two together to make it four. A unique professional logo design which will become the brand identity of your company and at the same time will visually convey the inherent strengths of the organization.

A well-designed corporate logo that is representative of your brand and of your company is important in any industry. A business logo design is the image of your company. So, whether you are starting a business or already have an established business but looking to revamp your identity, you should get a professionally designed company logo. A superior logo will provide a lasting impression upon your target customers. The first impression is very vital in today's competitive world. A high quality professionally designed logo will give the customers a confidence and a belief in your company of its high quality.

The logo becomes a symbol of making a positive impression to the stakeholders in the businesses. A quality logo can instantly and intuitively communicate the style professionalism, overall presence and even philosophy of the organization.

ethics news