5 Marketing Ideas For Promoting Your Small Business
When trying to promote a small business or startup business,http://www.alivenotdead.com/jerrywong998/cheap-MBT-Shoes-profile-2367795.html?newpost_1, it is usually important to stick to a budget. There are many places you can spend that money but if you really want your marketing campaign to be a success, it is a good idea to look at marketing methods that work and cost as little as possible. It is also important that the information you use to base your decision is up to date and easily implemented. The following information has been gathered over the past two years. The featured products are some of the most popular promotional gifts available
Promotional Plastic Pens
Everyone needs a pen from time to time. Even in the age of the computer, pens still play a major roll in our business and home lives. Promotional plastic pens are in fact the most popular promotional gifts in the UK and have been for many years. Printing your logo and details onto stylish low cost promotional pens will get your brand noticed. Promotional plastic pens are not expensive so you can easily and affordably give your best customers a handful or more to use around their office.
Promotional Desktop Gifts
Get a few promotional pens,http://lindong445.artpidia.com/2012/07/26/christian-louboutin-retro-shoes-may-possibly-be-the-conventional-firms-for-its-new-design/, an inexpensive desk clock, an engraved photo frame and/or a stylish full colour printed mouse mat on to your customers' desktops and you are a happy person. Promotional gifts work because the more your brand logo is seen the more people get to know your company. Promotional desktop gifts promote your business in an unobtrusive way by providing your customers with products they need to use often. Printing or engraving your logo onto desktop gifts will help ensure your customers know where to find you when they next need your products or services.
Promotional Mugs
There are now so many different trendy styles to choose from. There are also many ways to personalise your promotional mugs. The newest way is to have your logo etched into the side of the mugs for a permanent imprint that will last the life of the mug. That could be years! Other popular ways to personalise your mugs include screen printing, dye-sub photo printing and colour matching. People drink coffee and tea daily at work. Give them a logo printed mug or five and they could be seeing your logo every time they take a break with their favourite work time beverage.
Promotional T Shirts
Promotional T shirts are ideal businesses builders especially if you have a lot of local customer. Promotional clothing works as a walking billboard for your brand. Whenever you clients or employees do a t-shirt imprinted with your logo and where it around town they will be marketing your brand and building your business.
Promotional Stress Balls
These fun squishy, stress relieving products are becoming a UK best seller. They have been around for years but there are not so many different shapes to choose from. Whatever your industry,http://www.journeytomoscow.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=17854&replies=1#post-20105, there will be a few inexpensive stress toy shapes that can help you promote your business.
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2012年7月26日星期四
6 Tips For Designing an Eye Catching Logo_5320
6 Tips For Designing an Eye Catching Logo
A company logo is often the first bit of literature someone will see,http://heraldbulletin.neighborsink.com/node/165332, so it's important it makes a good impression. If your sub contracting your logo design, here are six tips that you should make sure your designer follows.
Details
Don't' go overboard on the detail. There's nothing worse than a jumbled logo that doesn't give an indication as to what the business does or it's values. As the old adage goes; keep it simple stupid.
Target Market
Remember to have your target market in mind when your designing your logo. It can be easy to get wrapped up in what you think is good,http://blogs.rediff.com/morembt/2012/07/26/ladera-resort-the-best-red-bottom-shoes-luxury-location-in-saint-lucia/, but it's your customers that matter most. Make sure that your not offending anyone in any way, as this will definitely turn them away.
Use Light Colours
Most of the best logo's out there now use light colours, so I advise that you do the same. Pick one or two colours and theme all the design with them. Too many colours can be confusing to the viewer and can indicate that a company is struggling with its identity.
Simplicity rules
Most of the biggest companies out there have very simple logo's,http://www.eltiempohispano.com/want-buy/details-about-ruffner-red-ore-quarry-gyratory-crusher-finance-taxes, so use them for inspiration.
Fonts
Stick to well known fonts that people have experienced before. This will ensure that the logo is clear and any strap line can be easily read. It's also wise to use only upper case or only lower case letters. Mixing between the two can look like a mess.
Shape
Make sure you make it very clear to your designer what shape you want your logo to assume. Square of rectangular are the most popular as they have clearly defined lines.
In my eyes these are the most important tips to consider when your designing a logo, so hopefully they help you out. Take care with each one of them as get one slightly wrong could have big affect on the final result.
Related articles：
A company logo is often the first bit of literature someone will see,http://heraldbulletin.neighborsink.com/node/165332, so it's important it makes a good impression. If your sub contracting your logo design, here are six tips that you should make sure your designer follows.
Details
Don't' go overboard on the detail. There's nothing worse than a jumbled logo that doesn't give an indication as to what the business does or it's values. As the old adage goes; keep it simple stupid.
Target Market
Remember to have your target market in mind when your designing your logo. It can be easy to get wrapped up in what you think is good,http://blogs.rediff.com/morembt/2012/07/26/ladera-resort-the-best-red-bottom-shoes-luxury-location-in-saint-lucia/, but it's your customers that matter most. Make sure that your not offending anyone in any way, as this will definitely turn them away.
Use Light Colours
Most of the best logo's out there now use light colours, so I advise that you do the same. Pick one or two colours and theme all the design with them. Too many colours can be confusing to the viewer and can indicate that a company is struggling with its identity.
Simplicity rules
Most of the biggest companies out there have very simple logo's,http://www.eltiempohispano.com/want-buy/details-about-ruffner-red-ore-quarry-gyratory-crusher-finance-taxes, so use them for inspiration.
Fonts
Stick to well known fonts that people have experienced before. This will ensure that the logo is clear and any strap line can be easily read. It's also wise to use only upper case or only lower case letters. Mixing between the two can look like a mess.
Shape
Make sure you make it very clear to your designer what shape you want your logo to assume. Square of rectangular are the most popular as they have clearly defined lines.
In my eyes these are the most important tips to consider when your designing a logo, so hopefully they help you out. Take care with each one of them as get one slightly wrong could have big affect on the final result.
Related articles：
A Straight Scoop For Designing A Laudable Golf Club Logo Design_2089
A Straight Scoop For Designing A Laudable Golf Club Logo Design
As the golf course is comprised of teeing ground, water hazards, rough surfaces, sand bunker,http://www.teleworkpeople.com/how-might-you-be-a-star-from-the-crowd, fairway and a green flagstick having a hole; thus corporate identities should have these features in common. Golfers, golf clubs and golf balls are also the part of golf; therefore, golf club logos may either be designed as a combination of these elements.
Golf is no doubt an expensive sport, therefore, most of the time golf club owners' doesn't bother to invest much money on its designing process which leads to obviously unwanted results. Most of the time, they even try to do it on their own which alarmingly awakes the possibility of endangering the reputation of the club. Hence, it is crucial that one hires a professional graphic design service to get their corporate identity done.
There are many intangible and tangible features of these brand marks which vary from club to club but there are some certain features that always remain the same for all these corporate identities.
Some of those feature that always remains the same are enlisted below.
1- Colors: Green is the color mostly used by graphic designers in these brand marks to portray environmental field of the game however red, blue and brown are secondarily used in the custom logo golf. In other words, not matter what design you are employing in such brand marks; the color scheme is always the same.
2- Fonts: As golf is the game played by upper-class; thus, formal fonts in bold are preferred in such corporate identities. Since formal fonts are considerably big in size, it increases the overall readability of your company's identity.
3- Graphics: Graphics is the most vital part of such brand marks that really needs to be unique and enthralling.
Elements of graphic may be a golfer, golf club, swoosh or grass on the greens but they have to be used in combination in such a way that goes compatible with the golf course. Moreover, if you are using the above told suggested objects then you will have to make sure that they are used in a very creative and unique way otherwise your brand mark would be lost in so many look-alike corporate identities.
4- Tagline/Slogan: Slogan or tagline in golf logos gives you an upper hand over your competitors as your tagline/slogan makes your business more visible to the viewer. The tagline or the slogan should be created in a way that leaves a long lasting impression on the minds of the viewers. Make sure,http://www.r8ny.com/blog/jjy05021/purchasing_shoes_on_the_internet.html, it is not more than three to four words because the more the longevity of a tagline, the more the reader would get bored.
Last but not least, if your business identities would consist of the preceding four attribute then it would surely be considered as the best brand mark; In short,http://www.trianglemortgagelenders.com/index.php?option=com_blog&view=comments&pid=42353&Itemid=8, it is always better to utilize such attributes in your logos to take your business up in the skies.
Related articles：
As the golf course is comprised of teeing ground, water hazards, rough surfaces, sand bunker,http://www.teleworkpeople.com/how-might-you-be-a-star-from-the-crowd, fairway and a green flagstick having a hole; thus corporate identities should have these features in common. Golfers, golf clubs and golf balls are also the part of golf; therefore, golf club logos may either be designed as a combination of these elements.
Golf is no doubt an expensive sport, therefore, most of the time golf club owners' doesn't bother to invest much money on its designing process which leads to obviously unwanted results. Most of the time, they even try to do it on their own which alarmingly awakes the possibility of endangering the reputation of the club. Hence, it is crucial that one hires a professional graphic design service to get their corporate identity done.
There are many intangible and tangible features of these brand marks which vary from club to club but there are some certain features that always remain the same for all these corporate identities.
Some of those feature that always remains the same are enlisted below.
1- Colors: Green is the color mostly used by graphic designers in these brand marks to portray environmental field of the game however red, blue and brown are secondarily used in the custom logo golf. In other words, not matter what design you are employing in such brand marks; the color scheme is always the same.
2- Fonts: As golf is the game played by upper-class; thus, formal fonts in bold are preferred in such corporate identities. Since formal fonts are considerably big in size, it increases the overall readability of your company's identity.
3- Graphics: Graphics is the most vital part of such brand marks that really needs to be unique and enthralling.
Elements of graphic may be a golfer, golf club, swoosh or grass on the greens but they have to be used in combination in such a way that goes compatible with the golf course. Moreover, if you are using the above told suggested objects then you will have to make sure that they are used in a very creative and unique way otherwise your brand mark would be lost in so many look-alike corporate identities.
4- Tagline/Slogan: Slogan or tagline in golf logos gives you an upper hand over your competitors as your tagline/slogan makes your business more visible to the viewer. The tagline or the slogan should be created in a way that leaves a long lasting impression on the minds of the viewers. Make sure,http://www.r8ny.com/blog/jjy05021/purchasing_shoes_on_the_internet.html, it is not more than three to four words because the more the longevity of a tagline, the more the reader would get bored.
Last but not least, if your business identities would consist of the preceding four attribute then it would surely be considered as the best brand mark; In short,http://www.trianglemortgagelenders.com/index.php?option=com_blog&view=comments&pid=42353&Itemid=8, it is always better to utilize such attributes in your logos to take your business up in the skies.
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2012年7月24日星期二
5 Reasons Why Fortune 500 Companies Buy Eco-Friendly Promotional Products_3656
5 Reasons Why Fortune 500 Companies Buy Eco-Friendly Promotional Products
Want to know why Fortune 500 companies purchase eco-friendly promotional products?
Here are 5 reasons why the titans of business rely on eco-friendly promotional items to further their brand.
The numbers don't lie.
At the end of the day, nothing matters more than the bottom line. It's how we measure productivity - and ultimately how we measure our worth. Without an active advertising campaign, how will people know who you are and what you are selling?
If you wanted to get the word out about your business http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/vip-blog/1685450584@qq.com/1343095753, you might take out a newspaper ad or purchase a radio slot. But according to the cost-per-impression data (numbers that evaluate your ROI) http://comesup.com/view/post:70703, that would be the wrong move.
Did you know out of all the advertising mediums available http://marsabit.kenet.or.ke/node/390800, promotional items win hands down time and time again? Why is that?
Simply put, promotional products have staying power. Eco-friendly promotional products such as tote bags and wearables can create untold amounts of repeated exposure for your brand. That radio ad comes and goes in 15 seconds http://rosettastonecheap.weebly.com/1/post/2012/07/classy-christian-louboutin-pumps-and-healthful-mbt-swept-the-earth-with-craze-of-discount-mbt-shoes.html, while your newspaper ad camps out in the recycling bin.
When it comes to choosing the right eco-friendly promotional items for your next campaign, truly consider the utility of the item you are purchasing. Will it be relevant a year or two down the road? Does it retain shelf life in the mind of the recipient? Ask yourself these - and other - important questions. The answers are very revealing.
Understand the cycle of human nature.
Nothing tells your customers you are environmentally responsible than associating your brand with eco-friendly promotional products. Numerous studies conducted by the PPAI (Promotional Products International Association) and other independent third-parties have revealed customers entertain a high rate of recall (roughly two-thirds of people surveyed) with specific advertisers who actively promote with eco-friendly gifts. Repeated brand exposure forges a lasting impression. Reinforcement is a time-honored learning tool for animals - and humans are no exception.
Reduce your carbon footprint now
Eco-friendly promotional items can greatly reduce the carbon footprint your business leaves behind every workday. Everything from organic and biodegradable fabrics to biodegradable corn plastic to buttons that prevent computers from wasting kilowatts all help reduce your carbon footprint. Encourage your employees to spread the word by having them pass out eco-friendly giveaways to their family and friends. Choose recycled stock or seeded paper next time you have a large direct mail piece going out. It begins with an initiative and grows from there.
Don't ignore your competitor's moves
If you think green promotional products are a passing fad think again. A number of Fortune 500 companies have relied on green promotional items to further their brand's image http://le9.dk/?q=node/20915, so surely if big corporations with staying power are utilizing them why aren't you? Case study after case study is being published by businesses that have noticed sustained growth and increased revenues simply by branding with green promotional products. Implement a strategy and move forward. Goodwill is contagious.
Knowledge is power
Do your research. Look at the different promotional items Fortune 500 companies use to further their brand. Know what makes a fabric organic or what the FTC classifies as acceptable "Green" marketing claims before you jump in and put your logo on the first eco-friendly promotional product you see. Choose items that align with your product or service. Attach a small recycled tag to your promo item that highlights ways your customers can save money by becoming more environmentally conscious. This valuable information might just make it on your customer's fridge for months on end.
Related articles：
Want to know why Fortune 500 companies purchase eco-friendly promotional products?
Here are 5 reasons why the titans of business rely on eco-friendly promotional items to further their brand.
The numbers don't lie.
At the end of the day, nothing matters more than the bottom line. It's how we measure productivity - and ultimately how we measure our worth. Without an active advertising campaign, how will people know who you are and what you are selling?
If you wanted to get the word out about your business http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/vip-blog/1685450584@qq.com/1343095753, you might take out a newspaper ad or purchase a radio slot. But according to the cost-per-impression data (numbers that evaluate your ROI) http://comesup.com/view/post:70703, that would be the wrong move.
Did you know out of all the advertising mediums available http://marsabit.kenet.or.ke/node/390800, promotional items win hands down time and time again? Why is that?
Simply put, promotional products have staying power. Eco-friendly promotional products such as tote bags and wearables can create untold amounts of repeated exposure for your brand. That radio ad comes and goes in 15 seconds http://rosettastonecheap.weebly.com/1/post/2012/07/classy-christian-louboutin-pumps-and-healthful-mbt-swept-the-earth-with-craze-of-discount-mbt-shoes.html, while your newspaper ad camps out in the recycling bin.
When it comes to choosing the right eco-friendly promotional items for your next campaign, truly consider the utility of the item you are purchasing. Will it be relevant a year or two down the road? Does it retain shelf life in the mind of the recipient? Ask yourself these - and other - important questions. The answers are very revealing.
Understand the cycle of human nature.
Nothing tells your customers you are environmentally responsible than associating your brand with eco-friendly promotional products. Numerous studies conducted by the PPAI (Promotional Products International Association) and other independent third-parties have revealed customers entertain a high rate of recall (roughly two-thirds of people surveyed) with specific advertisers who actively promote with eco-friendly gifts. Repeated brand exposure forges a lasting impression. Reinforcement is a time-honored learning tool for animals - and humans are no exception.
Reduce your carbon footprint now
Eco-friendly promotional items can greatly reduce the carbon footprint your business leaves behind every workday. Everything from organic and biodegradable fabrics to biodegradable corn plastic to buttons that prevent computers from wasting kilowatts all help reduce your carbon footprint. Encourage your employees to spread the word by having them pass out eco-friendly giveaways to their family and friends. Choose recycled stock or seeded paper next time you have a large direct mail piece going out. It begins with an initiative and grows from there.
Don't ignore your competitor's moves
If you think green promotional products are a passing fad think again. A number of Fortune 500 companies have relied on green promotional items to further their brand's image http://le9.dk/?q=node/20915, so surely if big corporations with staying power are utilizing them why aren't you? Case study after case study is being published by businesses that have noticed sustained growth and increased revenues simply by branding with green promotional products. Implement a strategy and move forward. Goodwill is contagious.
Knowledge is power
Do your research. Look at the different promotional items Fortune 500 companies use to further their brand. Know what makes a fabric organic or what the FTC classifies as acceptable "Green" marketing claims before you jump in and put your logo on the first eco-friendly promotional product you see. Choose items that align with your product or service. Attach a small recycled tag to your promo item that highlights ways your customers can save money by becoming more environmentally conscious. This valuable information might just make it on your customer's fridge for months on end.
Related articles：
8 Renowned Hardware Store Logo Designs That Depict Quality and Comfort_567
8 Renowned Hardware Store Logo Designs That Depict Quality and Comfort http://ameblo.jp/jerrywong988/entry-11310471101.html
When you think of remodeling your house, you want quality and excellence along with a great deal financially. For a home improvement store http://www.eventoaziendale.com/jcow/index.php?p=blogs/viewstory/227699, it is improvement that superiority in quality is reflected in their brand mark so that they can be distinct from other companies.
Below mentioned are some renowned hardware store logo designs that are a symbol of quality and comfort.
1. Ace Hardware:Crafted in thick fonts and bright colors http://blog.saveyourmarriagenow.net/?p=119830, this design is smart and contemporary. A feature that relates the monogram to the business nature is that the letter A in the monogram is crafted to resemble a house which makes this image memorable and unique.
2. Orchard Supply Hardware:This emblem is created in to resemble a banner. The bright green background of the emblem sets the white colored fonts off to perfection. There is a small image of a leaf in the brand mark which adds an environmentally friendly touch to it. Overall, the trademark is traditional http://few.hu/?q=node/28944, friendly and comfortable.
3. PRO Hardware:This hardware store's business emblem is company name in thick and straight fonts crafted in colors of the furniture. A smart touch that has been added to the design is the small arrow encased in the letter O that is pointing right. This shows the company's resolution for striving to move forward.
4. True Value:This emblem is created to be timeless and classic with its red colored fonts on a white background. The thick and italic fonts add an air of imagination to the monogram while the red color make it eye catching and energetic.
5. HomeBase:This famous British home improvement store has more than 360 retail outlets all over the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. This corporation is renowned for their neon colors for the business mark. The symbol is created in straight and thick fonts that are bright green in color with the letter O crafted in bright orange color.
6. Do It Best:This company's emblem is a bright red colored rectangular shape with the business name encased in it. The color of the type face is yellow and white which makes this symbol hard to ignore. The type face is created in straight and simple fonts which makes the text easily readable.
7. Improvements:This is one of the simplest monograms in the hardware business. It consists of the business name in simple and straight fonts over a white background which makes this design eternal and classic.
8. The Home Depot:This is one of the most widely recognized symbols in the hardware world. It consists of the business name written on a bright orange background. The text is placed diagonally which adds a unique touch to it. This design is as suitable for a video store logo as it is for a home improvement store.
Hence, if you are opening your own home improvement store http://scsnabsuu.com/jcow/index.php?p=blogs/viewstory/5533, then make sure that you include elements of excellence and comfort in your company trademark.
Related articles：
When you think of remodeling your house, you want quality and excellence along with a great deal financially. For a home improvement store http://www.eventoaziendale.com/jcow/index.php?p=blogs/viewstory/227699, it is improvement that superiority in quality is reflected in their brand mark so that they can be distinct from other companies.
Below mentioned are some renowned hardware store logo designs that are a symbol of quality and comfort.
1. Ace Hardware:Crafted in thick fonts and bright colors http://blog.saveyourmarriagenow.net/?p=119830, this design is smart and contemporary. A feature that relates the monogram to the business nature is that the letter A in the monogram is crafted to resemble a house which makes this image memorable and unique.
2. Orchard Supply Hardware:This emblem is created in to resemble a banner. The bright green background of the emblem sets the white colored fonts off to perfection. There is a small image of a leaf in the brand mark which adds an environmentally friendly touch to it. Overall, the trademark is traditional http://few.hu/?q=node/28944, friendly and comfortable.
3. PRO Hardware:This hardware store's business emblem is company name in thick and straight fonts crafted in colors of the furniture. A smart touch that has been added to the design is the small arrow encased in the letter O that is pointing right. This shows the company's resolution for striving to move forward.
4. True Value:This emblem is created to be timeless and classic with its red colored fonts on a white background. The thick and italic fonts add an air of imagination to the monogram while the red color make it eye catching and energetic.
5. HomeBase:This famous British home improvement store has more than 360 retail outlets all over the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. This corporation is renowned for their neon colors for the business mark. The symbol is created in straight and thick fonts that are bright green in color with the letter O crafted in bright orange color.
6. Do It Best:This company's emblem is a bright red colored rectangular shape with the business name encased in it. The color of the type face is yellow and white which makes this symbol hard to ignore. The type face is created in straight and simple fonts which makes the text easily readable.
7. Improvements:This is one of the simplest monograms in the hardware business. It consists of the business name in simple and straight fonts over a white background which makes this design eternal and classic.
8. The Home Depot:This is one of the most widely recognized symbols in the hardware world. It consists of the business name written on a bright orange background. The text is placed diagonally which adds a unique touch to it. This design is as suitable for a video store logo as it is for a home improvement store.
Hence, if you are opening your own home improvement store http://scsnabsuu.com/jcow/index.php?p=blogs/viewstory/5533, then make sure that you include elements of excellence and comfort in your company trademark.
Related articles：
7 Steps To Brand Success_8776
7 Steps To Brand Success
Let's be clear from the outset. The road to brand success is not easy.
It's true that some people seem to fall upon it by chance and readily make their way from one end to the other. For most of us though, it's a route taken with difficulty and marked by mis-steps and wrong turnings.
That shouldn't surprise us. If you understand a brand to be the relationship between you and your customer, then you'll know how hard it can be to plot the course of a relationship with any certainty.
It isn't possible to chart every feature on the road or each twist and turn along the way but we can make plans for the journey that prepare us for what might lie ahead and give us a greater chance of success.
Step 1- Start with the end in mind.
Don't just set off in hope.
Be clear from the beginning what brand success means for you and what a brand can and can't do for your business. Typically http://forum.aspseek.org/index.php?t=msg&goto=33960&SQ=5ac528c15d2d6879eae429c3e14c3dc6#msg_33960, your brand should support your business goals by helping you to build and maintain a great relationship with your customers.
There should be a purpose to this relationship for both you and your customer. You bring them something important (for example, security or pleasure) or move them from one place to another (say, from a state of anxiety to calmness) http://www.livelogcity.com/users/jerrywong988/10127.html, and they give you something in return (usually, but not always, money).
Remember that people make sense of their lives in the stories they tell http://mores987.blog.fc2blog.net/blog-entry-87.html, so you're looking for a story that describes for your customers the experience of that business relationship with you. That story should give your customers sound reasons to invest their time http://fashonshoes.blogcindario.com/2012/07/00026-mbt-shoes-are-choi-jin-young-healthy-favorites.html, energy, attention and money in your business.
Your road to brand success should lead you there.
Step 2- Get the lie of the land.
Check local knowledge.
It's unlikely that you're the first to cross the territory that lies ahead. Others will have made maps and noted landmarks. They'll know which stretches of the road are safe and where there are dangers.
Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes http://darcy285.postbit.com/5-steps-to-hormone-health-red-bottom-shoes-and-weight-loss.html, even plain old gossip can prove useful.
Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the territory well. But don't expect them to make the journey for you. This is your role, you are the leader of the expedition.
You must decide which paths to take and which to avoid, based on whatever information is available to you.
Step 3- Map your route.
Set your course and choose your guiding star.
As you begin your journey, you will be faced with many roads that you might follow, many ways in which you might tackle what lies ahead.
All relationships are founded on a shared set of values. For some, these are values such as freedom or truth. If you are not to lose your way, you must choose which values will guide you on your journey.
Trace the route that makes most sense for you and for your customers and set your course by the stars, by your guiding principles. Avoid the apparent shortcuts that deflect you from your purpose.
Step 4- Equip yourself for the journey.
Take what you need for the road.
Great businesses play to their strengths. Determine what it is you do well and how that is likely to help you build and maintain your relationship with your customers. Then do it to the best of your ability.
But travel light. Too many people weigh themselves down for what can be a long journey. Trust your own resources and keep it simple. Bring only what you need to feed, water and protect yourself and your customers. Leave the rest behind.
In the same way, choose your travelling companions carefully. You will rely heavily on them. Include only those who can best bring something of value to your relationship with your customer.
Step 5- Be prepared to ask for help.
Don't be too proud.
Assistance can come from the most unexpected quarters. Although you must lead the expedition, you are not expected to go it alone. There are others around you who cannot make the journey but can lead you a small part of the way. These can include veterans of other expeditions or those who are on neighbouring roads that occasionally coincide with your own.
Do not forget your customers. They are keen to see you succeed - for in your success, they see their own - and they will usually be only too happy to help you out. Sometimes, it is they who see best of all what it is you do well and they are able to point you in the right direction.
But again, this is your brand, and it's you who must always take and keep the lead.
Step 6- Keep the faith.
Don't give up too easily.
The road to brand success is often long and difficult. It is easy to grow weary and disheartened by the inevitable setbacks that you will meet along the way. Be prepared to retrace your steps when you have gone astray. If your customers see that you are committed to the relationship, they will be patient whilst you recover your path.
Don't simply go through the motions. Steer clear of the temptation to settle for second-best, a shadow of the unique relationship that you wish for with your customers. When the road you have mapped out proves to be misguided, strike out across country if that's what's required and make your own road.
Keep your heart set on your goal and look to your guiding stars to direct you towards it.
Step 7- Head for home.
Don't become too enamoured of the road. It's a means to an end and you must travel its length or not at all.
Complete the journey. Remember that you started out to find your brand story. Make sure that you have achieved your purpose. The place in which you've arrived and the story you have to tell in getting there must make sense for both you and your customers.
Now you can retrace your steps and bring the others with you, your customers and any colleagues that you've left behind. They can now make the journey safely with you.
Step 8 - Don't settle down just yet.
Did I promise you only seven steps? Of course, there's one more. Now that you've achieved brand success, you must work tirelessly to maintain it.
You have found your strengths, so play to them. Use them to deliver on your promise to your customers and commit resources to maintaining the relationship.
Tell your story and tell it often. Secure the road you have taken against rogues and pretenders and make it safe for traffic. Light the way and signpost it clearly so that you and your customers can travel the road often and easily.
Only then can you honestly say that you have taken the road to brand success.
Related articles：
Let's be clear from the outset. The road to brand success is not easy.
It's true that some people seem to fall upon it by chance and readily make their way from one end to the other. For most of us though, it's a route taken with difficulty and marked by mis-steps and wrong turnings.
That shouldn't surprise us. If you understand a brand to be the relationship between you and your customer, then you'll know how hard it can be to plot the course of a relationship with any certainty.
It isn't possible to chart every feature on the road or each twist and turn along the way but we can make plans for the journey that prepare us for what might lie ahead and give us a greater chance of success.
Step 1- Start with the end in mind.
Don't just set off in hope.
Be clear from the beginning what brand success means for you and what a brand can and can't do for your business. Typically http://forum.aspseek.org/index.php?t=msg&goto=33960&SQ=5ac528c15d2d6879eae429c3e14c3dc6#msg_33960, your brand should support your business goals by helping you to build and maintain a great relationship with your customers.
There should be a purpose to this relationship for both you and your customer. You bring them something important (for example, security or pleasure) or move them from one place to another (say, from a state of anxiety to calmness) http://www.livelogcity.com/users/jerrywong988/10127.html, and they give you something in return (usually, but not always, money).
Remember that people make sense of their lives in the stories they tell http://mores987.blog.fc2blog.net/blog-entry-87.html, so you're looking for a story that describes for your customers the experience of that business relationship with you. That story should give your customers sound reasons to invest their time http://fashonshoes.blogcindario.com/2012/07/00026-mbt-shoes-are-choi-jin-young-healthy-favorites.html, energy, attention and money in your business.
Your road to brand success should lead you there.
Step 2- Get the lie of the land.
Check local knowledge.
It's unlikely that you're the first to cross the territory that lies ahead. Others will have made maps and noted landmarks. They'll know which stretches of the road are safe and where there are dangers.
Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes http://darcy285.postbit.com/5-steps-to-hormone-health-red-bottom-shoes-and-weight-loss.html, even plain old gossip can prove useful.
Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the territory well. But don't expect them to make the journey for you. This is your role, you are the leader of the expedition.
You must decide which paths to take and which to avoid, based on whatever information is available to you.
Step 3- Map your route.
Set your course and choose your guiding star.
As you begin your journey, you will be faced with many roads that you might follow, many ways in which you might tackle what lies ahead.
All relationships are founded on a shared set of values. For some, these are values such as freedom or truth. If you are not to lose your way, you must choose which values will guide you on your journey.
Trace the route that makes most sense for you and for your customers and set your course by the stars, by your guiding principles. Avoid the apparent shortcuts that deflect you from your purpose.
Step 4- Equip yourself for the journey.
Take what you need for the road.
Great businesses play to their strengths. Determine what it is you do well and how that is likely to help you build and maintain your relationship with your customers. Then do it to the best of your ability.
But travel light. Too many people weigh themselves down for what can be a long journey. Trust your own resources and keep it simple. Bring only what you need to feed, water and protect yourself and your customers. Leave the rest behind.
In the same way, choose your travelling companions carefully. You will rely heavily on them. Include only those who can best bring something of value to your relationship with your customer.
Step 5- Be prepared to ask for help.
Don't be too proud.
Assistance can come from the most unexpected quarters. Although you must lead the expedition, you are not expected to go it alone. There are others around you who cannot make the journey but can lead you a small part of the way. These can include veterans of other expeditions or those who are on neighbouring roads that occasionally coincide with your own.
Do not forget your customers. They are keen to see you succeed - for in your success, they see their own - and they will usually be only too happy to help you out. Sometimes, it is they who see best of all what it is you do well and they are able to point you in the right direction.
But again, this is your brand, and it's you who must always take and keep the lead.
Step 6- Keep the faith.
Don't give up too easily.
The road to brand success is often long and difficult. It is easy to grow weary and disheartened by the inevitable setbacks that you will meet along the way. Be prepared to retrace your steps when you have gone astray. If your customers see that you are committed to the relationship, they will be patient whilst you recover your path.
Don't simply go through the motions. Steer clear of the temptation to settle for second-best, a shadow of the unique relationship that you wish for with your customers. When the road you have mapped out proves to be misguided, strike out across country if that's what's required and make your own road.
Keep your heart set on your goal and look to your guiding stars to direct you towards it.
Step 7- Head for home.
Don't become too enamoured of the road. It's a means to an end and you must travel its length or not at all.
Complete the journey. Remember that you started out to find your brand story. Make sure that you have achieved your purpose. The place in which you've arrived and the story you have to tell in getting there must make sense for both you and your customers.
Now you can retrace your steps and bring the others with you, your customers and any colleagues that you've left behind. They can now make the journey safely with you.
Step 8 - Don't settle down just yet.
Did I promise you only seven steps? Of course, there's one more. Now that you've achieved brand success, you must work tirelessly to maintain it.
You have found your strengths, so play to them. Use them to deliver on your promise to your customers and commit resources to maintaining the relationship.
Tell your story and tell it often. Secure the road you have taken against rogues and pretenders and make it safe for traffic. Light the way and signpost it clearly so that you and your customers can travel the road often and easily.
Only then can you honestly say that you have taken the road to brand success.
Related articles：
2012年7月21日星期六
5 Wild Animal Logo Ideas to Make Your Brand Mark Earn Respect_1206
5 Wild Animal Logo Ideas to Make Your Brand Mark Earn Respect
The easiest way to make your brand mark look menacing and intimidating to its competitors is to use images of wild creatures in your company trade mark design. That way you can tell the world that you mean business and you are here to stay. Using untamed creatures in your company symbol generates fear and demands involuntary respect at the same time which can be perfect for the cut throat competition in this world.
Top five wild animal logo ideas that you can use in your business mark design are:
1. The cats:
They don't call a Lion the king of the jungle for no reason. Cats signify self-confidence, grace, dominance, speed and strength and all that is done with style. When you look at a company image with a big strong cat http://affinitiz.net/space/fashionsale/content/_76F2BF20-B385-432D-A803-205111B1AEFB, you wish to own it so that some of those animal qualities would rub off you. So whether you are associated with the hotel industry, media house http://jjy05020.fotopages.com/?entry=5051883&back=http://jjy05020.fotopages.com/?page=0#CommentsTop, a car manufacturing company or a sports team, this is the perfect mammal that says supremacy with style.
2. Crocodile
Strong and egoistic, this animal is as powerful on land as it is in water making him the object of horror and anxiety in both the places. For a brand that wants to convey the same message to its customer and competitors, this is the symbol for you. A croc image will give the message loud and clear that 'whatever comes in its way will be eliminated'. It is perfect for any business existing in a competitive industry, i.e. a clothing line, a telecommunication company or a cologne company.
3. Snakes
Sneaky, poisonous and sinful, this reptile is perfect to instigate your opponents' deepest fears and worries. Also symbolizing grace http://notmyproblem.org/Swallow/blog/259833/, wisdom and temptation http://bonedeath.ourthursday.com/topic/wearing-mbt-footwear-during-your-daily-routine?replies=1#post-15466, you can use this animal in your company pictorial if your business is related to creativity and innovation. For example, for a women's clothing line, you can use an image of a snake swirling through the company name or a jeweler can use an image of a snake with a diamond on its head.
4. Bull
Feared for its aggression, hostility and strength, this animal never fails to intimidate its viewers. An image of a red eyed and raging bull with its nostrils flaring can scare the living day lights out of all. This is the perfect choice for a company mark image if you are creating a design for a sports team, a beverage company or a bar. The universal representation of a bmx animal logo is also a bull that represents the bicycle motor-cross stunts.
5. Shark:
A shark is probably the most feared animal in the world thanks to the movie Jaws. A rightly designed image of a shark in your company design can tell its viewers that you mean business. In this world of cut throat competition, a shark image is the best way to portray aggression http://rosettastoneinchea.blog.163.com/blog/static/205011108201262083018970/, violence and anger which can be perfect if you are trying to intimidate a rival sports team or designing a brand mark for a private investigation company.
Hence, why waste words when you can send the same message of dominance and confidence through your animal logos.
Related articles：
The easiest way to make your brand mark look menacing and intimidating to its competitors is to use images of wild creatures in your company trade mark design. That way you can tell the world that you mean business and you are here to stay. Using untamed creatures in your company symbol generates fear and demands involuntary respect at the same time which can be perfect for the cut throat competition in this world.
Top five wild animal logo ideas that you can use in your business mark design are:
1. The cats:
They don't call a Lion the king of the jungle for no reason. Cats signify self-confidence, grace, dominance, speed and strength and all that is done with style. When you look at a company image with a big strong cat http://affinitiz.net/space/fashionsale/content/_76F2BF20-B385-432D-A803-205111B1AEFB, you wish to own it so that some of those animal qualities would rub off you. So whether you are associated with the hotel industry, media house http://jjy05020.fotopages.com/?entry=5051883&back=http://jjy05020.fotopages.com/?page=0#CommentsTop, a car manufacturing company or a sports team, this is the perfect mammal that says supremacy with style.
2. Crocodile
Strong and egoistic, this animal is as powerful on land as it is in water making him the object of horror and anxiety in both the places. For a brand that wants to convey the same message to its customer and competitors, this is the symbol for you. A croc image will give the message loud and clear that 'whatever comes in its way will be eliminated'. It is perfect for any business existing in a competitive industry, i.e. a clothing line, a telecommunication company or a cologne company.
3. Snakes
Sneaky, poisonous and sinful, this reptile is perfect to instigate your opponents' deepest fears and worries. Also symbolizing grace http://notmyproblem.org/Swallow/blog/259833/, wisdom and temptation http://bonedeath.ourthursday.com/topic/wearing-mbt-footwear-during-your-daily-routine?replies=1#post-15466, you can use this animal in your company pictorial if your business is related to creativity and innovation. For example, for a women's clothing line, you can use an image of a snake swirling through the company name or a jeweler can use an image of a snake with a diamond on its head.
4. Bull
Feared for its aggression, hostility and strength, this animal never fails to intimidate its viewers. An image of a red eyed and raging bull with its nostrils flaring can scare the living day lights out of all. This is the perfect choice for a company mark image if you are creating a design for a sports team, a beverage company or a bar. The universal representation of a bmx animal logo is also a bull that represents the bicycle motor-cross stunts.
5. Shark:
A shark is probably the most feared animal in the world thanks to the movie Jaws. A rightly designed image of a shark in your company design can tell its viewers that you mean business. In this world of cut throat competition, a shark image is the best way to portray aggression http://rosettastoneinchea.blog.163.com/blog/static/205011108201262083018970/, violence and anger which can be perfect if you are trying to intimidate a rival sports team or designing a brand mark for a private investigation company.
Hence, why waste words when you can send the same message of dominance and confidence through your animal logos.
Related articles：
5 Important Rules of Designing Logo_5857
5 Important Rules of Designing Logo
Every businessman knows how important a company logo is for them and the company. This logo will be used on everything like your business card http://louciferspeaks.com/metalwork/activity/p/6938/, website, on prospects http://www.worldofwarcraftblogs.com/jerrywong988/note/458648/the-maximum-value-of-mbt-shoes.html, suppliers, press and to reach customers as well. To put in simple words http://www.photoblog.com/mbtshoesvip/2012/07/21/obviously-mealtime-can-be-a-source-of-stress-for-everyone.html, a logo represents your company's work and it's potential. It reaches every person near to you. Since it represents company's potential, your logo must have a positive impression of your business. Always portray yourself energetically, noticeably and dynamically, and then you will look like a professional, even if you don't have a proper office space or office place. When designing a logo yourself or appointing any agency http://www.otroshow.com/blogs/entry/The-Advantages-and-drawbacks-of-Workout-Brand-The-earth-Footwear, always keep in mind and follow these rules.
1. A logo should represent your company in a versatile and unique way.
This sounds something very common, but most surprising thing is there are some businessmen who want a logo for a competition. They always look for a logo that similar with certain changes. But that doesn't work. If your logo is of a graphic design, it should be related to your name, something related to your work, your industry or offers you are giving in competition.
First think what your company work is and then depict the same in the logo. Suppose your company is working on dealing with finance then the logo can be of a dollar sign or a currency for linkage. Use some words that are related to finance or services.
2. Simple logo is always the best.
If you are keeping words in the logo, make it as short as possible. Small and simple logos are more familiar and they are easy to remember. The layout and shape should be unique. It should be recognized even when it is upturned.
A logo should be simple but not sophisticated. Good logos always have something unique in it without being in debt. Just go through some of these professional's logos: Apple, it has an apple logo but it nowhere indicates that it is related to computer company. Now you can consider FedEx logo, it just has a word with a hidden arrow mark in it. Actually it is a shipping company. LG Company logo indicates that it is a human face but LG is a company manufacturing electronic products.
3. Logo should be first checked in black and white.
A logo can be colored in any manner but it looks good in colors only when it looks good in black and white. Colors are always taken as secondary importance. They can be edited or changed at any point of time in the future. Use maximum of 3-4 colors in a proper combination. Try to avoid bright and very dark colors.
4. Logo should be very pleasing wherever it appears.
As everyone knows a logo will be displayed everywhere from small places like business cards to big places like besides the company name on the wall. So, a logo should be pleasing wherever people find it. It should look equally good when its size is changed. It should not be a copy from others and claim it to be the original. Partial copying is also not allowed.
5. Logo should be equally artistic.
To tell you more clearly, the logo should be well balanced. Suppose one part of the logo is powerful than the other than it will not sit in the visitors mind. Actually http://mrbombdiggity.com/activity/p/15431/, a logo remains in ones mind if they go through it for at least 3-4 times. Color, shape and size all influence the logo's balance.
Importantly, to carry out your company name, never ever change your logo. As I said before it takes more than three times for a logo to settle in somebody's mind. If you keep changing them then the audience or the customers come to the point that you are unreliable. Never forget to save these logos in JPG, GIF and EPS formats.
Related articles：
Every businessman knows how important a company logo is for them and the company. This logo will be used on everything like your business card http://louciferspeaks.com/metalwork/activity/p/6938/, website, on prospects http://www.worldofwarcraftblogs.com/jerrywong988/note/458648/the-maximum-value-of-mbt-shoes.html, suppliers, press and to reach customers as well. To put in simple words http://www.photoblog.com/mbtshoesvip/2012/07/21/obviously-mealtime-can-be-a-source-of-stress-for-everyone.html, a logo represents your company's work and it's potential. It reaches every person near to you. Since it represents company's potential, your logo must have a positive impression of your business. Always portray yourself energetically, noticeably and dynamically, and then you will look like a professional, even if you don't have a proper office space or office place. When designing a logo yourself or appointing any agency http://www.otroshow.com/blogs/entry/The-Advantages-and-drawbacks-of-Workout-Brand-The-earth-Footwear, always keep in mind and follow these rules.
1. A logo should represent your company in a versatile and unique way.
This sounds something very common, but most surprising thing is there are some businessmen who want a logo for a competition. They always look for a logo that similar with certain changes. But that doesn't work. If your logo is of a graphic design, it should be related to your name, something related to your work, your industry or offers you are giving in competition.
First think what your company work is and then depict the same in the logo. Suppose your company is working on dealing with finance then the logo can be of a dollar sign or a currency for linkage. Use some words that are related to finance or services.
2. Simple logo is always the best.
If you are keeping words in the logo, make it as short as possible. Small and simple logos are more familiar and they are easy to remember. The layout and shape should be unique. It should be recognized even when it is upturned.
A logo should be simple but not sophisticated. Good logos always have something unique in it without being in debt. Just go through some of these professional's logos: Apple, it has an apple logo but it nowhere indicates that it is related to computer company. Now you can consider FedEx logo, it just has a word with a hidden arrow mark in it. Actually it is a shipping company. LG Company logo indicates that it is a human face but LG is a company manufacturing electronic products.
3. Logo should be first checked in black and white.
A logo can be colored in any manner but it looks good in colors only when it looks good in black and white. Colors are always taken as secondary importance. They can be edited or changed at any point of time in the future. Use maximum of 3-4 colors in a proper combination. Try to avoid bright and very dark colors.
4. Logo should be very pleasing wherever it appears.
As everyone knows a logo will be displayed everywhere from small places like business cards to big places like besides the company name on the wall. So, a logo should be pleasing wherever people find it. It should look equally good when its size is changed. It should not be a copy from others and claim it to be the original. Partial copying is also not allowed.
5. Logo should be equally artistic.
To tell you more clearly, the logo should be well balanced. Suppose one part of the logo is powerful than the other than it will not sit in the visitors mind. Actually http://mrbombdiggity.com/activity/p/15431/, a logo remains in ones mind if they go through it for at least 3-4 times. Color, shape and size all influence the logo's balance.
Importantly, to carry out your company name, never ever change your logo. As I said before it takes more than three times for a logo to settle in somebody's mind. If you keep changing them then the audience or the customers come to the point that you are unreliable. Never forget to save these logos in JPG, GIF and EPS formats.
Related articles：
9 Important Branding Lessons_6690
9 Important Branding Lessons
When my youngest daughter became a teenager, she proclaimed, "I want the freedom to make my own mistakes."
"Well," my wife and I offered, "if we could show you--from our years of life experiences--how to avoid mistakes, wouldn't that be helpful?" Being a teenager, this didn't quite sink in, but in my experience helping companies develop brand strategies, maybe I can impart some lessons that I've learned and help you avoid some common pitfalls.
Lesson 1: Success is in the process itself
So have one! While the results of the branding process are not predictable, the branding exercise can be. So have a plan. Before embarking on the journey to review, audit, or reshape your organizations' brand, build a process that management or other stakeholders can sign off on. Once you have an approved charter, you can proceed in the knowledge that you and your branding team will be following a "blessed" road map making your destination assured.
If you engage a branding agency or consultant, ask to see their process first. While there are no right and wrong processes, the lack of a plan will certainly have you wandering in the wilderness instead of celebrating your results.
Lesson 2: Build a solid team
You've heard it before: get the right people on the bus. When selecting members for your branding team, your decision will often depend on the size of your company and the depth and breadth of their experience. In larger organizations, branding efforts are typically led by the marketing department, but this certainly doesn't mean the team should be populated with only marketing types. You'll often get more holistic results by engaging a cross-functional team including "front-liners"--staff with customer contact. Keep the team small: six to nine members should be plenty
Make sure your team members can commit to the time and effort necessary to participate and contribute in a meaningful way. Developing a brand strategy is typically a several-months process, but it could be one of your company's most mission-critical initiatives.
Lesson 3: Don't brand in a vacuum
Branding is not about locking yourself in a room for a few hours and emerging with all the answers. Before starting down the road on your quest for a brand strategy, gather any inputs, survey results, or data that will help frame the discussions and shed light into the recesses of your organization, its customer, its prospects, and your industry.
And welcome counsel wherever you can get it. I once had the benefit of working with an organization that had a board member with a personal friend--a top-notch branding consultant. She made herself available to review the team's results http://www.collegecrowd.com/blogs/477/20263/choose-one-pair-of-the-mbt, offer insights, and share her knowledge.
Lesson 4: Determine your deliverables up front
Know what it is you're delivering--and to whom--for every step in the branding process. Having that clarity at the outset will help keep the team focused on what results are expected.
For instance, the team deliverable for your company's logo might simply be a recommendation as to whether or not a new mark is necessary--not developing the new logo itself. Depending on the structure and size of your company, other decisions, like a corporate name change, might require the blessing of the board.
Most companies that I've consulted consider the brand platform document--and the recommendations it contains--as the primary deliverable from a brand strategy session.
Lesson 5: Use best practices to run your meetings
Nothing is worse than a poorly-run meeting. Don't subject your brand team members to unprofessional facilitation. Prepare an agenda for each session and distribute it in advance. Have meeting supplies on hand (Post-it(r) notes, flip charts, a white board...you know the drill). Plan your working sessions with the appropriate tools, exercises, and idea starters to keep the meeting moving smartly, elicit productive discussion, and arrive at actionable results. Assign a timekeeper to help the team stay on task and recruit a scribe to record important decisions or follow-up questions.
One trick that I employ universally is the table-knock rule. While spontaneous discussion and creative thinking is always welcome in a meeting, sometimes teams can get off track and find themselves deep in the weeds or a mile off topic. Anyone on the team can knock on the table and bring the group back to reality...and the task at hand.
Lesson 6: Let results come organically
It's human nature to go into the branding process with preconceived notions about where you want to end up. But suppress the urge to detour from the process. Not only will your team members have input and background that you may not have considered, the process itself will yield results that you may not have expected. Additionally, senior management and board-level input might also provide new directions and counsel that could skew your original thinking. Finally, surveys or focus groups will certainly give you food for thought and consideration.
In one organization I worked with, the team spontaneously--and unanimously--arrived at a tagline solution in the first meeting! It was putting the cart before the horse to be sure (we hadn't even begun talking brand position or essence yet), so we consciously set it aside and allowed the process to lead us to a tagline solution naturally. In this case, after factoring in much discussion and considering multiple inputs, we made a minor modification to the original thought and, voila http://asagicigil.com/jcow/index.php?p=blogs/viewstory/56077, we had a new tagline.
Lesson 7: But...don't sweat the obvious solutions
It's been said that good branding is the truth about you...well told. So when, through the branding process http://yeapy.com/node/247409, you unearth a fundamental truth about your organization, it often comes not as a "eureka http://sharetronixtr.com/view/post:57!" moment, but a disappointing, "that's it?" That could be a good thing http://jerrywong986.smartlog.dk/when-you-get-one-or-more-of-the-masai-barefoot-technology-or-mbt-shoes-post711368! If your branding team arrives at an obvious-sounding position, personality, or brand essence, that means you've discovered an authentic, believable attribute about your company. If it's based on authenticity, you haven't failed; you've succeeding in finding the nugget of truth that will resonate with your customers and prospects.
Lesson 8: Build in validation steps
As conclusive and solid as your branding results might seem, make sure that other stakeholders--especially staff, customers, and prospects--have an opportunity to weigh in on your findings. What may sound good to you and your team might disconnect with your core market or those being asked to live the brand. Build in steps at various stages of the brand work to make sure your conclusions are tracking. Surveys, focus groups, and other inputs will be invaluable as you begin the brand implementation process.
Lesson 9: Keep everybody on the same page...literally
To avoid surprises down the road, update your team members and other stakeholders after every meeting or milestone. Something I like to do is build the "brand platform" document--a record of your results and decisions--in stages or chapters after every step in the branding process. Recommendations and key conclusions are captured in the platform and then distributed to the team and others you've identified as requiring input (like senior management or board members).
When you reach the conclusion of the branding process, you'll have the complete story of your re-branded company in a concise and compelling document that will serve as the basis for implementation and any tactical work that will result (like logo design, style and usage guide, etc.).
Related articles：
When my youngest daughter became a teenager, she proclaimed, "I want the freedom to make my own mistakes."
"Well," my wife and I offered, "if we could show you--from our years of life experiences--how to avoid mistakes, wouldn't that be helpful?" Being a teenager, this didn't quite sink in, but in my experience helping companies develop brand strategies, maybe I can impart some lessons that I've learned and help you avoid some common pitfalls.
Lesson 1: Success is in the process itself
So have one! While the results of the branding process are not predictable, the branding exercise can be. So have a plan. Before embarking on the journey to review, audit, or reshape your organizations' brand, build a process that management or other stakeholders can sign off on. Once you have an approved charter, you can proceed in the knowledge that you and your branding team will be following a "blessed" road map making your destination assured.
If you engage a branding agency or consultant, ask to see their process first. While there are no right and wrong processes, the lack of a plan will certainly have you wandering in the wilderness instead of celebrating your results.
Lesson 2: Build a solid team
You've heard it before: get the right people on the bus. When selecting members for your branding team, your decision will often depend on the size of your company and the depth and breadth of their experience. In larger organizations, branding efforts are typically led by the marketing department, but this certainly doesn't mean the team should be populated with only marketing types. You'll often get more holistic results by engaging a cross-functional team including "front-liners"--staff with customer contact. Keep the team small: six to nine members should be plenty
Make sure your team members can commit to the time and effort necessary to participate and contribute in a meaningful way. Developing a brand strategy is typically a several-months process, but it could be one of your company's most mission-critical initiatives.
Lesson 3: Don't brand in a vacuum
Branding is not about locking yourself in a room for a few hours and emerging with all the answers. Before starting down the road on your quest for a brand strategy, gather any inputs, survey results, or data that will help frame the discussions and shed light into the recesses of your organization, its customer, its prospects, and your industry.
And welcome counsel wherever you can get it. I once had the benefit of working with an organization that had a board member with a personal friend--a top-notch branding consultant. She made herself available to review the team's results http://www.collegecrowd.com/blogs/477/20263/choose-one-pair-of-the-mbt, offer insights, and share her knowledge.
Lesson 4: Determine your deliverables up front
Know what it is you're delivering--and to whom--for every step in the branding process. Having that clarity at the outset will help keep the team focused on what results are expected.
For instance, the team deliverable for your company's logo might simply be a recommendation as to whether or not a new mark is necessary--not developing the new logo itself. Depending on the structure and size of your company, other decisions, like a corporate name change, might require the blessing of the board.
Most companies that I've consulted consider the brand platform document--and the recommendations it contains--as the primary deliverable from a brand strategy session.
Lesson 5: Use best practices to run your meetings
Nothing is worse than a poorly-run meeting. Don't subject your brand team members to unprofessional facilitation. Prepare an agenda for each session and distribute it in advance. Have meeting supplies on hand (Post-it(r) notes, flip charts, a white board...you know the drill). Plan your working sessions with the appropriate tools, exercises, and idea starters to keep the meeting moving smartly, elicit productive discussion, and arrive at actionable results. Assign a timekeeper to help the team stay on task and recruit a scribe to record important decisions or follow-up questions.
One trick that I employ universally is the table-knock rule. While spontaneous discussion and creative thinking is always welcome in a meeting, sometimes teams can get off track and find themselves deep in the weeds or a mile off topic. Anyone on the team can knock on the table and bring the group back to reality...and the task at hand.
Lesson 6: Let results come organically
It's human nature to go into the branding process with preconceived notions about where you want to end up. But suppress the urge to detour from the process. Not only will your team members have input and background that you may not have considered, the process itself will yield results that you may not have expected. Additionally, senior management and board-level input might also provide new directions and counsel that could skew your original thinking. Finally, surveys or focus groups will certainly give you food for thought and consideration.
In one organization I worked with, the team spontaneously--and unanimously--arrived at a tagline solution in the first meeting! It was putting the cart before the horse to be sure (we hadn't even begun talking brand position or essence yet), so we consciously set it aside and allowed the process to lead us to a tagline solution naturally. In this case, after factoring in much discussion and considering multiple inputs, we made a minor modification to the original thought and, voila http://asagicigil.com/jcow/index.php?p=blogs/viewstory/56077, we had a new tagline.
Lesson 7: But...don't sweat the obvious solutions
It's been said that good branding is the truth about you...well told. So when, through the branding process http://yeapy.com/node/247409, you unearth a fundamental truth about your organization, it often comes not as a "eureka http://sharetronixtr.com/view/post:57!" moment, but a disappointing, "that's it?" That could be a good thing http://jerrywong986.smartlog.dk/when-you-get-one-or-more-of-the-masai-barefoot-technology-or-mbt-shoes-post711368! If your branding team arrives at an obvious-sounding position, personality, or brand essence, that means you've discovered an authentic, believable attribute about your company. If it's based on authenticity, you haven't failed; you've succeeding in finding the nugget of truth that will resonate with your customers and prospects.
Lesson 8: Build in validation steps
As conclusive and solid as your branding results might seem, make sure that other stakeholders--especially staff, customers, and prospects--have an opportunity to weigh in on your findings. What may sound good to you and your team might disconnect with your core market or those being asked to live the brand. Build in steps at various stages of the brand work to make sure your conclusions are tracking. Surveys, focus groups, and other inputs will be invaluable as you begin the brand implementation process.
Lesson 9: Keep everybody on the same page...literally
To avoid surprises down the road, update your team members and other stakeholders after every meeting or milestone. Something I like to do is build the "brand platform" document--a record of your results and decisions--in stages or chapters after every step in the branding process. Recommendations and key conclusions are captured in the platform and then distributed to the team and others you've identified as requiring input (like senior management or board members).
When you reach the conclusion of the branding process, you'll have the complete story of your re-branded company in a concise and compelling document that will serve as the basis for implementation and any tactical work that will result (like logo design, style and usage guide, etc.).
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2012年7月19日星期四
Herve Leger, seek out whilst your questions
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