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Today's
Entrepreneur - Designing the Image of Your Business
by Regina Crawford-Martin
Designing
the Image of Your Business
You keep handing out business cards to the same people over
and over again, and no one seems to remember receiving your
card in the past. How can you make your business cards and
your company standout in the crowd? You design an image for
your business that distinguishes your business from other
companies. This can be accomplished by employing one or all
of the following methods of company branding.
One:
Company Colors.
This is the least complicated, and most economical way to
establish an image for your company. First you must decide
how many colors you plan to use in creating your company image.
Let me suggest that you adhere to the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple
yet Sassy) rule when deciding on your company’s color
scheme. Two complimentary or contrasting colors work best,
however, you can use as many as four colors. You want to choose
colors that either have some personal meaning to the owner(s)
of the company, or reflect the products/services you offer.
Two:
Company Motto/DNA.
This is different from your operating credo, but just as important.
Nike’s motto is ‘Just Do It’, and Sprite’s
motto is ‘Obey Your Thirst’. Deciding on a motto
can become quite complicated, however, I learned a nice little
trick from the founder of Caribou Coffee. He stated that you
should know the DNA of your business, and the DNA for his
coffee shops is ‘Drink Normally Asked For’. In
other words, his staff should learn the type of coffee ordered
by its daily customers. People enjoy knowing that their wants
and needs are important to the people they are doing business
with, and knowing a customer’s preferred drink makes
them feel important. The DNA for my company is ‘Designing
New Aggressive Alternatives’, which describes all five
divisions of my company. Whether I am creating a new computer
system, or marketing/advertising campaign, or web site, or
letterhead and business cards, or a poem, I am always designing
something new that provides my customers with an alternate
way of doing business aggressively.
Three:
Company Logo.
This is the most complicated technique for setting your company
apart from other company’s in your area, and they don’t
necessarily have to be competitors. If your logo is distinctive
enough, people you have networked with will remember your
company and can recommend you to a colleague who requires
your services. Just as with the colors, the company logo should
have some personal meaning to the owner(s), or reflect the
product/services offered. For instance, if you offer typing
services and have a passion for elephants, then your company
logo could be a picture of a typewriter with a sheet of paper
coming out the front with a picture of an elephant on the
top of the paper. However, you want to make the picture of
the typewriter and the elephant unique so that they stand
out, and make an impression on the receiver of your business
card, letterhead, or any other printed material. Also, be
sure that your company colors enhance the graphics you have
chosen for your logo. You wouldn’t what your elephant
to be brown or black, which does not give your logo a distinctive
look.
All
three of these branding techniques can effectively distinguish
your business from other businesses as long as you remember
to approach creating an image for your company with a K.I.S.S.
For
more detailed information contact G Styl Productions Incorporated
at Prod@GStyl.com
ReGina Crawford was born and raised in Wheeling,
West Virginia. ReGina graduated from Central State University,
Wilberforce, Ohio in 1990 with a degree in Computer Science.
Since moving to Cleveland, ReGina serves as the 1st Vice President
of Women Entrepreneurs of America, Inc., and is also the owner
and president of a home-based business – G Styl Productions
Incorporated. She is also a contributing columnist to the
Call and Post with a weekly column titled DNA Level C
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All Freelance Work is a Community for Freelance Workers Including Free Portfolios, Job Search, Job Posting, Helpful Articles, Forums, & More for the Self Employed.
