Cogitations, Ruminations & Recommendations . . .
From GroupLevinson Advertising, Branding, Websites, Social Media & Public Relations
Logos are important, but does your business have an iconic graphic connected to your logo? Often, like the Nike Swoosh, the icon becomes a shorthand reminder of your company. Especially in these days of social media headers, posting, etc. There’s no room for a logo, so your icon can represent your brand.
Are you able to articulate your brand? In other words, if someone asked you what is your brand, would you be able to describe it in a sentence or two? For extra credit: can your employees communicate your brand?
A friend of a friend introduces his “amazing” (in his mind) new product at a trade show, at great expense. Surprise! His product has a great deal of competition. Can’t stress enough the importance of researching the competition before proceeding to commercialization.
When was the last time you had your logo refreshed? If it was more than 15 or more years ago, you may want to have it professionally updated. A logo is the first impression about your company that communicates leadership, modern, state-of-the-art, solid business and other qualities.
Oops, I almost forgot, too. At a recent networking meeting, when I introduced myself, I told everyone about what my company does, instead of what my company does to solve their problems. Make sure your intro solves problems not lists services.
Important branding tip: what is your brand relative to both how you see your company and how others see your company? It should be similar, or at least moving others in the direction you want them to see you. But the brand evolution must be believable and reinforced by your story and consistent messaging.
Although your company is special and offers unique advantages, your brand is not an “island”. This means that it exists within the context of your industry and competitors and should highlight meaningful, relevant advantages, reinforcing your exceptionalism. Your logo, as well, should be designed to stand out within your targeted environment.
Today’s tip discusses type font boldness and the image it communicates. Boldness communicates strength and leadership. Lighter weight fonts communicate accessibility and finesse. San serif fonts communicate a modern image. Choose your font & weights appropriately to reinforce your message and brand.
Reinforce your brand in your Powerpoint presentation and claim ownership of your talk by creating a page template that at least includes your logo, small in the corner. If possible, include your slogan and even brand colors in your header or footer to communicate brand consistency.
Color selection in your logo and advertising shouldn’t be accidental. Research your competitors. Compare your color to be like them, to stand apart or to underscore a point, like using red and blue to subtly remind people that you’re a U.S. company.