I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday. I enjoyed it very much. Now let’s go back to Branding! I can’t stop talking about it. It’s all about consistent and successful branding.
We already know that whether you are branding for the first time or re-inventing your brand image, it’s imperative that you choose the right name, the right logo, the right catch-phrase and the right personality for your business.
A strong brand creates trust and emotional attachment that influences a prospect’s buying decision, translating your message into profit. This is not merely achieved through brand image; a strong brand is achieved through brand awareness.
>>First, brand right; then, get the word out
A prospect is aware of your brand when he/she:
Recognizes your brand – the prospect has been in contact with your brand: knows your name, your tag line or has seen your logo somewhere…
Recalls your brand – the prospect associates your brand image component(s) with your product/service/business category, or better yet, with the need or want you satisfy (the problems you solve).
Brand Awareness done right? “I don’t need to spend MORE money!”
You are, of course, right! I find myself bashing the tri-fold again (can’t help it), but in today’s world, market AND economy, your marketing dollars are better spent somewhere else…
Remember perception? If you’re in business, you need a website! To assure return on your investment, hire a web professional with a marketing background so you’ll get a good-looking site that acts as a powerful marketing tool. The best of both worlds! (Hannah Montana really ruined that one for us).
Speechless? Being shy doesn’t feed the piggy bank. Give a speech at a conference or event and make sure the attendee handouts contain not just your name and industry, but your logo and, yes, your URL. Help make it happen and get $pon$or $tatu$ – did I mention perception? Just making sure!
In the News – In the newsletter, that is! Save on print (and a tree, while you’re at it), send an opt-in e-newsletter. These babies are a beauty because you can remind your prospects and clients you still do what you do, provide value and even track your traffic, no survey needed.
Be Active in the Rain – It doesn’t get any better than FREE! You can network and blog and network and blog and network and blog: traffic, traffic, traffic!
Please Read – PR stands for Public Relations or Press Release, if you will – have a current press kit, write articles and submit. 3 easy steps that require time and consistency – well anything in life that is worth something does, too.
“Good Cause Branding” – If you are in the Ego business, forget the billboard. How about donating the cash to a local charity? At least this way it’s justified. Hey, I’m not judging! You can also host an event; donate your time or your product(s), if you sell any.
Autograph 101 – Use an HTML branded e-signature for all outgoing messages with hot links to your website, your blog and – why not? – to helpful resources for your clients. Don’t forget to include your tag line for an added connection.
If you Must Spend – Include your brand name, logo, tagline and URL on EVERYTHING you print. Show your true colors: avoid black and white unless they are your corporate colors. Think outside-the-box and create unique materials for a memorable experience.
Reward Loyalty – Is another way to spend wisely. I love Gratitude Marketing! Practice it and you will too! Send thoughtful correspondence and gifts to your most loyal clients when less expected, and you’ll learn why.
You can work with your marketing consultant to determine what media or strategy is best for your particular target market to ultimately position yourself as The Choice brand on your niche.
Create a strong brand and be truthful to the tangible and intangible promises you make and you’ll gain exposure through word of mouth, also FREE and invaluable.
Hope you enjoyed my post. Have a powerful day!
This article is intended to educate and it constitutes the sole intellectual property of Elayna Fernandez and Designed 2 Impress. Any full or partial reproduction or duplication without the author's express written consent is strictly prohibited and will be considered copyright infringement.
About the Author:
Elayna Fernandez is a marketing consultant in the Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL area. Her company, Designed 2 Impress, is dedicated to assisting individuals and small businesses in Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL in creating successful and consistent brand and achieve their marketing goals.
For more information, please contact Elayna Fernandez or call 239-465-7868.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
I have lived in the United States since December 2001, and have grown to become very fond of the Thanksgiving Holiday. It is a time where I see people very excited to reunite and gather with friends and family, as well as express thankfulness for the everyday blessings they receive in their lives. I am a firm believer that expressing gratitude creates positive energy and the path to a fulfilled, enjoyable life.
Gratitude is also an elemental marketing practice.
Thank you for knocking at my door!
You want your phone to ring, your website to have more traffic… Well, when someone does come to you, do you take the time to thank them for their interest? Show appreciation for their time and make sure you answer each and every question with enthusiasm. Maybe they will never need your service, but I bet they know someone who does!
Do you get so caught up in attracting new clients that you take your past and existing clients for granted?
Acknowledging your clients’ loyalty and expressing your gratitude makes your clients feel appreciated and it’s a great way to keep them loyal.
“We know you have many choices and we appreciate you flying with us”. I can still hear the flight attendant over the P.A. I already knew I had other choices, but it felt good that they admitted it…I hear it every time I fly home and it doesn’t get old that they value my business. Thank your clients for their purchase, for their business and especially for their repeat business. They’ll play it back in their mind…and that’s where you want to be when they are ready to make “that choice”.
“My friend says you are the most responsive person she’s ever worked with”. Thank your clients for referring business to you and live up to the expectations they set. Your client is counting on you to make them look as good as they made you look. Don’t fail, show gratitude, and the referrals will keep coming.
We welcome your feedback! I know you thanked your client for writing you that amazing testimonial that you use on your promotional materials to instill trust on prospect clients. But not all feedback is great, is it?
“Because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude” Wallace Wattles (1860-1911)
I certainly love this phrase and it is a part of my everyday life. It’s easy to express gratitude for the clients that praise you and refer you, but how about those who complained about something that went wrong? You apologized “for any inconvenience caused”, but did you thank them for giving you an opportunity of correcting the situation, for making you aware of the glitch/problem? “Negative” feedback is necessary for growth and whose opinion is more valuable than those of your clients? Go out of your way to show them you treasure their comments and suggestions and you’ll have clients for life.
Take the time to show your clients what you’re thankful for:
Thank them verbally
Send them a handwritten ‘Thank You’ note
Send them an e-card
Repeat as needed!
Whatever you do, be natural and specific in your gratitude. “Thank you for being a great client” just doesn’t cut it.
If your budget allows and it seems appropriate, an occasional gift is nice; however, be sure to steer away from logoed items: no matter how fancy the pen, mug or even golf clubs, they will be perceived as a promotional material and not a heartfelt gesture.
I hope you found this information to be useful. Now it’s time for me to convey my gratitude to all of you, my treasured clients, my valued and cherished readers, my colleagues and friends! Your time is truly appreciated, thank you for stopping by and thank you for your support!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope you enjoyed my post. Have a powerful day!
This article is intended to educate and it constitutes the sole intellectual property of Elayna Fernandez and Designed 2 Impress. Any full or partial reproduction or duplication without the author's express written consent is strictly prohibited and will be considered copyright infringement.
About the Author:Elayna Fernandez is a marketing consultant in the Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL area. Her company, Designed 2 Impress, is dedicated to assisting individuals and small businesses in Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL in creating successful and consistent brand and achieve their marketing goals.
For more information, please contact Elayna Fernandez or call 239-465-7868.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
Ok, you’ve taken care of branding, so you’d think you’ve completed your Corporate Identity. Not quite.
What’s left to do? Well, let’s see…your corporate identity is comprised of the following elements:
Corporate Design: refers to the creative, visual representation of your brand.
Corporate Behavior: delineates what you/your organization believes in.
Corporate Communication: Refers to how you present your company/product/service to the media.
So let’s talk about your corporate behavior! This concept is usually also referred to as organizational culture or corporate philosophy and I like to call it Your Corporate Personality. Your corporate personality components play a distinctive role in how your brand is perceived by customers. This is my favorite part of branding because it is where you really put into words why you do what you do and how you do it and allows you to really connect with your audience at an emotional level in order to persuade them on why they should choose you from the rest. It gives you a chance to answer their question: why should I do business with you?
So before you think about distributing that “oh-so-popular” tri-fold brochure to show off your creative and effective brand, there are some concepts that need to be defined:
Your Mission Statement–or what some call the “elevator pitch” (implying that you should be able to narrate it while going from one floor to the next in an elevator). This should be a short and concise, but very specific statement that specifies your business purpose, goals and priorities, clearly describing who you want to sell to, what you want to sell and why you do it (as in why should they care and what’s in it for them!
“ By combining her passion for sports, her sharp negotiating skills in real estate and her positive attitude, Mindy Sylvester makes it possible for professional athletes and their families to enjoy a confidential and informed relocation to the finest communities in Naples FL”
Your Vision – This should be a short, succinct and inspiring statement summarizing your aspired achievements in the marketplace, sort of a corporate affirmation. Forget about the boring “become the first choice (or even worse… leader!) in the [industry] market”. Make it sound like your ultimate goal is to EXCEL at satisfying your client needs and wants (and mean it!).
Your Values – How do you run your business? What moves you/your team? What causes do you support? How do you describe your lifestyle? You’ll be surprised how itemizing these principles will instill the necessary trust to attract wonderful prospects. Deliver on the promise and turn them into a client for life!
Don’t forget that all elements of your corporate identity should be consistent with the core marketing message you want to communicate.
With your marketing consultant’s assistance, you can compose compelling text that emotionally engages your target while communicating a consistent core marketing message that infuses credibility and loyalty to your brand.
Hope you enjoyed my post. Have a powerful day!
This article is intended to educate and it constitutes the sole intellectual property of Elayna Fernandez and Designed 2 Impress. Any full or partial reproduction or duplication without the author's express written consent is strictly prohibited and will be considered copyright infringement.
About the Author:Elayna Fernandez is a marketing consultant in the Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL area. Her company, Designed 2 Impress, is dedicated to assisting individuals and small businesses in Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL in creating successful and consistent brand and achieve their marketing goals.
For more information, please contact Elayna Fernandez or call 239-465-7868.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
You have a brand name and a logo, quite the achievement! It’s time to stop brainstorming…or is it time to start? If you guessed the second, you’re right! If you did your homework right in naming and assigning a tangible image for your brand, you are almost there. The last touch is maybe the most critical touch: The business tag line, also known as “catch phrase”, “motto”, “marketing core message”.
Before you start brainstorming (like crazy), answer the following questions:
* Who is my target audience? Define your clientele’s demographics and psychographics.
* What benefits do I offer? Define what you do while in the client’s shoes and point out all the benefits they get from you, highlighting that one thing you do that no one does (dig deep, there’s gotta be something!)
* What emotional connection do I want to suggest to my clientele? Is it safety – knowing they are in good hands? Is it empathy – knowing you know what they are going through at this moment?
* What is my goal? If I can only choose one thing to say about my services, what would that be and how would I communicate it.
It may take you 2 seconds or 2 weeks to answer these questions, but once you are 100% comfortable with the answers, then you move on to researching on what the competition and successful companies in other industries are doing. You do NOT want to copy anyone, but you will get a feel for what makes a good tagline and what doesn’t.
Keep these tips in mind:
Short…again! The mind can only keep 7 bits of information in short term memory. Keep it UNDER 7 words. Are you seeing a pattern? I hope so!
“Attitude is everything” Communicate your enthusiasm, willingness, cordiality, positivism and all those great qualities you get complemented on (you know them better than I) and let your client feel the vibe and the urge to choose you from a crowd.
Don’t be a brag! I personally think “the best”, “the most”, “better” (and all superlatives, for that matter), are bad taste. Communicate a genuine attribute or quality you offer and no one else. You are talented and unique and don’t need to put anyone down to let your ideal clientele know.
Procrastinating is Costly. Don’t leave it for later. Your tag line is an excellent tool to back up the message you want to convey to your audience with your brand name and logo. Get your “brand trinity” together before you think promotion.
Web Proactive. Wouldn’t it be great to come up with a tag line so perfect it could serve as a URL and SEO keywords at the same time? It’s no coincidence. Your online and offline marketing efforts should all be unified and …oh yes…consistent!
As with all you do, make sure you own it. You don’t want to promote someone’s brand as so genius you had to go and steal it … ouch!
So, go “Just do it!”. Write a short statement that powerfully compels and engages those you want to sell to, because it communicates solutions only YOU can provide to THEIR “problems”.
Did you notice how many times I used the word “communicate”?
Hope you enjoyed my post. Have a powerful day!
This article is intended to educate and it constitutes the sole intellectual property of Elayna Fernandez and Designed 2 Impress. Any full or partial reproduction or duplication without the author's express written consent is strictly prohibited and will be considered copyright infringement.
About the Author:Elayna Fernandez is a marketing consultant in the Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL area. Her company, Designed 2 Impress, is dedicated to assisting individuals and small businesses in Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL in creating successful and consistent brand and achieve their marketing goals.
For more information, please contact Elayna Fernandez or call 239-465-7868.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
After you identify and name your brand effectively, the next step is to establish an image your clients and/or customers will associate with your brand. This is when logo design takes place, a critical step to creating your brand.
You may take this statement lightly, after all, if you are your brand, a picture will more than identify who you are. It does! But it does not identify what you offer. You may also think paying for logo is money down the drain, but it is no coincidence- or a secret- that Fortune 500 companies set aside millions of dollars in brand development, and you may say it's worth it.
Well, before you go spending (way less than millions, I hope), I want to offer you some tips that will help you make an informed decision in adopting a new logo design:
Now that you know the basics, think about your ideal logo. Brainstorm with your friends, family, team or most trusted current clients. Your view and brand self-image is vital for your logo developer to come through. I always stress the point that no one knows you or your uniqueness like you and I encourage you to be an integral part of the process. It's time well spent (I should say invested).
After getting the first approved proof of your ideal logo, you should print it out, fax it, photocopy it, look at it on the screen and look at it at different resolutions (or ask your designer to provide it in such formats).
And speaking of formats...make sure you own rights to YOUR logo. Have your designer deliver your logo in different versions, including black and white. Ask for the source files, don't just get a JPEG or PDF...extensions like PSD, EPS and INDD may not mean anything to you now, but they will when you're trying to order certain promotional materials. If a "fancy" font was used, make sure you get that too. Although you should choose a more widespread corporate font, you may use your "fancy" font for "special design occassions".
If you follow these tips and advice, your logo design will serve as a fantastic branding tool for you. A credible logo will give you powerful recognition and will weigh in as an important factor on an individual's purchase decision in your desired share of the marketplace. And wouldn't that be nice?
Hope you enjoyed my post. Have a powerful day!
This article is intended to educate and it constitutes the sole intellectual property of Elayna Fernandez and Designed 2 Impress. Any full or partial reproduction or duplication without the author's express written consent is strictly prohibited and will be considered copyright infringement.
About the Author:Elayna Fernandez is a marketing consultant in the Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL area. Her company, Designed 2 Impress, is dedicated to assisting individuals and small businesses in Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island, FL in creating successful and consistent brand and achieve their marketing goals.
For more information, please contact Elayna Fernandez or call 239-465-7868.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
Proud mom, blogger, author, teacher, marketing strategist in Naples FL, founder of http://www.positivemommies.com - The Positive Mommies Network. Follow me on twitter @positivemommies
I was born and raised in a small town named San Jose de Ocoa, in the Dominican Republic. Spanish is my first language, although I also speak English and Italian. I am the oldest of 5 children and very family-oriented.
I am a proud mom of 2 wonderfully beautiful and smart girls. Elisha is 6 and Elyssa is 5, both full of life, smiles and stories. I love reading, learning, cooking and going to the movies. Music is one of my greatest passions; when I hear it, it becomes inevitable for me to sing and dance to the tune.
I am also the Founder of the Positive Mommies Network and the Guided Success Workshops, seeking to empower women and moms all over the planet to raise positive children and follow their dreams.
As a true islander, I love the beach and the outdoors. I collect friendships and spoons! Those who meet me know that I love to smile - all day long!
I have been living in the United States since 2001 and moved to Naples FL in 2004. In 2005, I incorporated Designed 2 Impress, Inc. to blend my love of marketing, computers and the World Wide Web, to assist small, sometimes one-person businesses (like mine) in creating a successful brand and identity in Naples FL.
For more information, logon to www.ElaynaFernandez.com or call me directly at 239.465.7868 for a complimentary 30 minute, no-obligation consultation.
Marketing has been my passion since childhood. While my friends and classmates were busy being kids, I was busy finding a way to create products/services or make them more attractive for sale.
After obtaining my high school Diploma at only 15 years old, my infatuation lead me to major in Marketing at Apec University, where I had the opportunity to put my imagination to work and excel at what I always dreamed of doing.
While in college, I gained invaluable experience working for various U.S.-based companies, as well as attending seminars and workshops, and reading any marketing books I could get my hands on.
I moved to San Diego, California at the end of 2001. I was expecting my first child, Elisha, and unable to work so I decided to get back to school and learn web design.
I moved to Naples, FL in December, 2004 and started working on Design 2 Impress, while maintaining full time jobs in the legal and real estate fields.
Designed 2 Impress was incorporated in April, 2005, with the vision to offer independent business contractors and small businesses in the Naples, Bonita Spring, Estero and Marco Island areas with valuable business start-up advice, marketing consulting, as well as numerous resources to creating a successful business image that is consistent both on-line and off-line.
I love marketing and I love the web! I love working with individuals that love what they do and need a professional to assist in marketing their services and creating a powerful consistent brand.
My legal and real estate experience are allies for my understanding of working with real estate agents and entrepreneurs that need assistance with incorporation and business startup forms.
Designed 2 Impress takes care of all branding aspects: from business name to forms, stationary, direct mailing, printed collateral and web marketing to e-flyers, e-signatures, blogging and network marketing.
I believe that an efficient marketing professional must be able to analyze and interpret information to identify an organization’s strengths and weaknesses, respond to opportunities and threats in the marketing environment. Having superb communication and organizational skills as well as creativity will help a marketing professional get your message across effectively to your target market through your branding and corporate identity to position you and/or your company the right way in the Naples competitive market.
For more information, logon to www.ElaynaFernandez.com or call me directly at 239.465.7868 for a complimentary 30 minute, no-obligation consultation.
I am Your Marketing Aid and will assist you in creating branding and identity that is 'Designed 2 Impress'. Designed 2 Impress is your single source for marketing solutions. Our marketing services in Naples FL include:
Branding: Logo design, graphic design, stationery design, e-mail signature design, label design, business forms design.
Identity: Corporate Philosophy.
Collateral: Printed materials, postcards, stationary, marketing kits.
Web: Web presence, website design, networking online, blogging, online resources, SEO, e-flyers, newsletters
Advertisement: Media, PR and Promotional items.
Marketing is challenging, rewarding and fun! Working with a professional that is assertive, decisive, resourceful, relationship-oriented, proactive, reliable, enthusiastic, detail-oriented, organized and dynamic, will save you tons of time...and money!
Designed 2 Impress serves the Naples FL, Estero FL, Bonita Springs FL and Marco Island FL areas in Collier County and Lee County in SWFL.
For more information, logon to www.ElaynaFernandez.com or call me directly at 239.465.7868 for a complimentary 30 minute, no-obligation consultation. You may also e-mail me at elayna@designed2impress.com.
Thank you for taking some of your precious time to read my profile, please be sure to check out my blog!
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