by admin | May 1, 2012 | Standard Posts Theme
Is your brand losing you business? Trust us, the quality of your branding can mean the difference between success and failure. No matter what size your business is, branding is essential to differentiate yourself from the competition. It’s your personality. And it doesn’t cost the earth. How you’re perceived will depend on the effort you put into your marketing communication.
Your logo is central to your brand. Compare your logo with your competitors. If it’s not better or at least as compelling, then you need some logo surgery. And soon. Without a logo — or worse, with a poorly designed one — your organization may look amateurish. You may be thinking, “I can live without a logo.” Yes, you probably can. But, a great logo will help your customers identify with you and is more likely to help you succeed. We’ve got lots of experience creating great logos.
It isn’t just about your logo though. Keep a similar look and feel through all your communications to help people become familiar with your brand. Familiarity leads to trust. Trust leads to sales. And we don’t have to tell you what sales lead to. Apply a consistent look and feel to any marketing material, products and advertising through a coherent use of colors, themes, design elements and typefaces. We’ll help you with this. Remember, if you can see it, you can brand it.
by admin | Apr 13, 2012 | Marketing Tips, Standard Posts Theme
A great brochure can do wonders for your organization.
Before you start, think about the answers to these questions and it won’t be long before your competitors are sobbing into their tissues.
What’s the brochure’s purpose?
Will you be mailing the brochure by itself or as part of a bigger pack? Is it for an exhibition? How will you distribute it?
Who’s your audience?
Existing or prospective customers? All of them, or just a section? Who will be reading it — executives, creatives, techies, kids?
Who should be involved?
It’s best to get decisionmakers involved at the early stages. Have a brainstorming session to thrash out your ideas.
How much can you spend?
It’s best to know your budget from the outset. That way, we can find the best solution without breaking the bank.
Who’s going to write it?
You got good English grades and want to write the copy yourself? Many people do. Pick up a book on copywriting and get some tips. But edit yourself aggressively. If you can use half the words, do. We can help with a bit of polish if you want us to.
Who’s going to design it?
You may cook a wicked lasagne, but could you cater for five hundred? If you’ve tinkered with a design package, you may consider designing your brochure yourself. Do so at your peril. You may end up with a lame brochure that does more harm than you think. Leave it to the pros. We’d love to help — get us involved early in the project.
What photography will you use?
Photos sorted already, or will you need some taking? Or will low-cost stock photos do the job? How many will you need?
How much detail do you need?
It’s tempting to include every little nugget of information. Great brochures are often uncluttered, with lots of white space. Keep it clean and relevant to your audience.
What are your competitors doing?
Gather together competitors’ brochures. This will help you decide what to cover. You need to look at least as good, if not better.
Who’s going to proof it?
Not anyone who’s been involved! People tend to read what they think they’ve written. Use a fresh pair of eyes and meticulously check every detail. It’s worth the effort.