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Can I Advertise My Site with a $150 Monthly Budget?
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What Does She Have That I Don't?
Copyright 2005 Karen Saunders
Have you ever asked yourself why a competitor's business gets
more attention than yours? The answer just may have to do with
the elements that go into how memorable the business is. And
that has to do with branding.
But exactly what is branding, anyway? Think of branding as
predefining what a company is all about in the minds of its
clients. Good branding differentiates your products and services
in a positive way that really sticks in the minds of potential
customers.
Let's say you have been traveling around town without your
morning coffee and are getting just a little cranky. Quick!
What's the first coffee shop chain that comes to mind? Chances
are, you thought of Starbucks. Why?
*Attractive and easily read logo; *Consistency of product,
décor, signage, and interior; and *A great product
Assuming your product is fabulous, it all comes down to image.
Graphic design can play a huge part in that image. But what are
some key things to consider?
A great logo is key.
You have already given a great deal of attention to your company
name and believe that it speaks to who you are and what you do.
Great! Now you need to wrap a graphic image around that name to
carve out a prime piece of real estate in the mind of your
target customer. That is exactly what a great logo can do.
Whether or not you eat fast food and regardless of your opinion
as to what might constitute the best in fast food, my guess is
that the name McDonalds conjures up an immediate image of the
golden arches. Those golden arches really work as a logo!
The McDonalds logo is a good example of merging a symbol with a
letter in the company name. It is also a good example of
simplicity, another key element to great logo design. A good
logo also:
* has a strong, balanced image with no little extras that
clutter its look; * is distinctive and bold in design, making it
easy to see at a glance; * has graphic imagery that looks
appropriate for your business; * works well with your company
name; * is done in an easy to read font; * communicates your
business clearly; and * looks good in black and white, as well
as in
color.
Consistent visual identity is also key.
If you are going to capture that prime piece of real estate in
the customer's mind, you must provide not only a compelling
image, but a consistent one. The Statue of Liberty just may be
one of the most compelling images in the world. But what if you
owned the rights to that image, put it on your business card,
then put the image of an American Bald Eagle on your stationery
and the Liberty Bell on your web site. The American Bald Eagle
and the Liberty Bell are also compelling images, but as a group,
each dilutes the impact of the other.
Each of the three images has its own distinct personality. You
may be tempted to give your stationery, website, business card,
brochures, and other marketing materials different visual
personalities, but to do risks the equivalent of having the
Statue of Liberty competing with American Bald Eagle and Liberty
Bell.
All of the materials that represent you, from business cards to
brochures, need to have image consistency in order to be
immediately recognizable by your customers...and potential
customers...as being related to the unique brand that is your
company. Logo, color scheme, fonts, and layout that are
consistent from letterhead to business card and from envelope to
ad suggest credibility and stability, in addition to taking up
more of that prime mental real estate by virtue of repetition.
Inconsistency of graphic elements among materials not only
suggests uncertainty and sloppiness, it is just plain
forgettable.
Creating a great logo and maintaining consistency among all your
marketing materials will take you a long way towards creating a
memorable brand that just might make your competitors mutter,
"What does she have that I don't?"
About the author:
Karen Saunders is the author of the book, "Turn Eye Appeal into
Buy Appeal: How to easily transform your marketing pieces into
dazzling, persuasive sales tools!" Karen has helped thousands of
small businesses to increase their sales over the past 15 years
using her award-winning marketing design strategies. For more
free tips by Karen, and to learn more about the book visit
http://www.MacGraphics.net
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