Does your company have the right logo?

What’s the point of having a logo and why do designers and marketers place so much importance on them?

A logo isn’t just a pretty little doodle next to your company name. It’s what people will remember your business by. We’ve all heard that humans are very visual creatures – they respond to images much more than to just plain text. That’s why it’s standard practice to have a logo – think of it as the icon or stamp that sets the tone of your company. So in truth, it really is a big deal and a lot of time should be spent creating the right logo.

Many companies think that any logo will do. Not true. While having any logo is a good start, it actually can be detrimental to your business should you have one the misrepresents your company. A logo should convey the service you provide, the age of the audience you’re targeting and the cost of your services. How does this work?



In looking at the example, we’ll pretend that a small gift and flower shop is opening up. It’s target market is middle-aged women and while it’s a fun and classy joint, it’s not overly priced. The logo at the top is very inappropriate for this business. The letters are all uppercase and feel rigid and too overbearing – this font does not at all represent the organic nature of plants. Furthermore, the letters are blue – plants are green... Catch my drift?

The leaves are nice, as they suggest what the business does, but they’re too prominent. The black “the” in lowercase at the top of the logo sits funny. It feels like it was plopped there simply because the designer didn’t know where to put it.

Let’s look at the bottom example (please note that this took me five minutes for demonstration purposes only – this is not a great logo, by any means). The soft “the” in brown shows that the designer thought about how to incorporate the word into the logo while giving it its own place. The retro-styled lettering of “greenhouse” is slightly playful but also very “vine-like” in feeling. The small touch of the leaves on the end of the “e” give just enough of an afterthought to relate the logo even more to plants without rubbing it in the viewer's face. The overall look of the logo is feminine while elegant. A much more fitting choice.

So, with this I ask you... Does your logo fit your business? Can you tell what products or services you provide by looking at your logo? Does it feel expensive or cheap? Does it look appropriate for the age of your audience? If the answer to any of these items isn’t what it should be, you could be loosing sales and customers. While redoing your logo on your own is a great way to save some cash, hiring a professional to help you get started and to solve these problems is sure to be helpful in the long run.

Getting Permission for Email Marketing

So... yesterday I gave my little ten minute spiel at my PWN meeting. It went so-so. I flew through it in six minutes, strangely. As I practiced before, I kept going over ten. I got up there and kept thinking, "hurry, hurry!" I honestly was suffocating myself in front my peers - I was forgetting to breathe, then my voice started shaking and I think I looked really nervous. This all coming from a girl that spoke at her high school graduation in front of 5,000. Crap. I need more practice.

Okay, so what does this have to do with email marketing. Everything - I just needed to vent for a minute. While I was giving my presentation, shaky voice and all, I decided to pass out an email signup sheet. Not only did I print this right at the top of the sheet, but I also explained that my emails were sent out only once a month. Furthermore, their info was not going to be shared with any the party. Making these points are very important, I feel. People get way too many emails a day already - make sure they know you're not going to SPAM them all day, everyday.

Next, I explained what my emails were all about. They're not stating tid-bits of news such as "Angela just got a new client." No one cares. Instead, I provided the crowd with the idea that my emails are actually do-it-yourself tips on business and self-promotion. You actually gain insight from reading them (hopefully) and I'm out to share my knowledge with you.

Wanna know what happened? I got a full sign up list. In all honesty, this has never happened before. Usually I get one or two email addresses and a lot of "no way" faces. But I actually took the time to talk to people about this and they cared AND responded. Awesome.

Last Promotional Idea (for now)

I have to be honest. I thought by offering a promotional idea every day would not only help folks out, but give me something to write about. It did both, sure. But I think I'm ready to offer different advice.

That said, I found an awesome list today of promotional ideas for the new year. Roughstock Studios, a design and branding firm in California, published a New Year's Marketing Resolutions post and it's awesome. They've also gone to all the trouble of labeling different types of promotions - for example, promotional ideas that build sales, relationships, etc. Good stuff.

So there you have it. That's my half-ass last promotional idea... to send you somewhere else. Sorry to disappoint, but can you tell I'm burning out on this topic?

Why Branding?

There are many business owners out there who haven't caught on to the branding phenomenon. Some believe that graphic design is simply reduced to colors and fonts arranged in an organized fashion. They're not meant to communicate or generate a feeling. Instead, those fonts and colors just look pretty.

It is this lack of understanding that, unfortunately, keeps some businesses from attracting new customers. While having a smartly designed logo and website is sure to help your business promotion, it's only a small piece of the puzzle. Designs shouldn't just look like they belong to your company, they should feel like your company. A company newsletter shouldn't just match the corporate identity system, it should feel like the company itself. There's a major difference here. This feeling or vibe that your business design is sending out creates an impact. Branding is the impression that the audience receives.

It may sound far-fetched - the idea of concerning oneself with the emotional reaction their materials are causing. But if a customer is put-off or feels uncomfortable with your company's design materials, they're likely to find another company to go with.

So how does one go about branding? Where do you start?
1. Think about it. What are your company's core values? How do you want the public to view you? Do you want to be a bold leader or a comfortable service provider? The image you want your business to portray starts with a little homework.

2. Make your materials. So you want to be the bold, well-designed, trendy leader in your profession. Good for you. It would only make sense that your materials reflect such. You shouldn't have a logo that plays it safe and looks like everyone else's in your industry. Have a professional help you to design the logo that reflects the goals of your company. Carry this approach through everything your customer is going to see - business cards, brochures, signage, etc. Be as consistent as possible with your new look.

3. Research your market. You're the trendiest coffee shop in town and you have the design materials and logo to prove it. Don't place yourself in the middle of the most conservative neighborhood and expect folks to wander in. You must know who your audience is and where to find them. Only then can you advertise to the right people.

For example, I once received an opportunity to advertise in a graphic design magazine. Why would I do that? The readers of the magazine are graphic and website designers. They're not going to buy my services, they provide those services themselves. I need to market myself to the appropriate buyers.

I have another example. A sales woman from a movie theater once called me and asked if I'd like to advertise on their movie screens before the show starts. I said no, this wasn't the audience I was going to advertise to. She got very defensive and said she didn't understand my logic. I explained that I help business owners promote their products and services. Those people are not going to be looking for a graphic or website designer while at the movies.

4. Start marketing. Now that you know what your company's image should be and you've designed the materials to help you promote that concept, market it. By networking, blogging and advertising, you'll be placing your brand in front of people over and over. Remember - know your audience. If you're a trendy coffee shop, advertise to college students or young folks. Take your advertising to a cool and trendy metropolitan neighborhood. It's all about making matches - finding the matching audience to your business.

By figuring out "who" your business should be and how it should be viewed aesthetically and emotionally, you're saving yourself a lot of advertising dollars. Money and time is wasted when trying to market to a crowd that won't care to notice you. By branding yourself and reinforcing it to the right people, marketing success is sure to be on the rise.