One Logo to Rule Them All

Josh — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:37:48 +0000

We don’t want to confuse our audience or consumers, do we? No, of course not.

If you have more than one logo, you may very well be doing just that. Having more than one image that defines your brand can lead to a confused and unmotivated viewer. Do you think that Nike or Pepsi have stuck to the relatively same logo for all these years because they couldn’t afford to have a new one designed? Or because they weren’t progressive enough to move forward? No. They have been building their brand. When you see the Nike swoosh you automatically think of basketball shoes. Michael Jordan. Excellent tools for a craftsman in the athletic trade. You think of a business that is consistently setting the standard and creating trends in the industry to which it is a major player. You don’t think of an old, worn-out logo.

However, too often we see brands and organizations using more than one logo on different marketing materials and platforms. Why? Is it because they feel like trying a new one out to get some feedback? If that’s the case, don’t bother; just run it past a panel of judges that you trust and make a decision. Don’t confuse your audience by showing them logo #1 on the flyer, logo #2 on the website, and logo #3 on your business cards. It’s sloppy, confusing, and unprofessional.

Clever logo designed by Sean Heisler for Killed Productions

Also, don’t create a logo that just looks cool. It needs to have substance. Some meaning behind it. Whether the meaning is in the color palette or the design itself is up to you. Perhaps the tagline is where the meaning is. Whatever you do, make sure it’s not a cookie cutter design or one that is based off of an existing (especially successful) logo.

Creative logo design created for Horror Films by Siah Design

Consumers will notice this and it sends the message that your organization is not able to lead, but instead follows. Nobody wants to do business with a company that isn’t leading the way.

Creative logo with “2″ instead of “N” designed by Action Designer

Also, another point to keep in mind is that the logo ultimalely has to be appealing to your audience. It does not matter how much you like it if nobody else does. At the same time, don’t just create something that you think others will like; you have to look at it day in and day out. Makue sure that it’s a design your comfortable with. Find the balance.

Have a quality logo designed that fits your company. One that expresses who you are and what you do. It’s worth it. Trust me.

Twitter; Is It Worth It?

Josh — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:48:12 +0000

MySpace. Facebook. Live Journal. Xanga. Yammer. YouTube. WordPress. Twitter. Why? Why all of the different means of disseminating information about our boring lives? It’s interesting to see how different people utilize the sites. The creators have their own intentions and plans for how the sites should be used, but we always sign up and come up with our own variations. It never fails.

I remember when Xanga was released. I had never had a blog, so it took awhile for me to get used to it. I soon realized that it was only useful or worth my time if people read it. And why would anyone read a blog about me? I had to keep it interesting so people kept coming back; otherwise, what’s the point? So, I made sure I was always writing about the things in my life that people might find interesting, or want to know more about. There were times, of course, that it was difficult to come up with anything “blog” worthy. I’m sure we’ve all been there; you know it’s time to update your blog or site, but for whatever reason, there is nothing that you can think of that would be of any interest to someone other than your mother. Enter Google.

I’ve found Google to be a great resource for finding new topics. Search the news in your industry and research some topics. Develop thoughts and opinions. Then write about it. But that’s a whole other post. Let’s get to why I’m writing this particular post today.

Twitter. Surely you’ve heard of it. More than likely, you’ve got an account. Have you told the world what you are doing yet? My first few weeks on Twitter were fruitless. ”I’m getting my morning cup of coffee”. ”Taking a shower, then off to get some food”. ”I have a headache”. These were the kind of updates, or “tweets”, that I and many others were posting. Then, I started looking more closely at the people and companies that have 5,000 or 10,000 followers, or even 100,000. How did they get this many? Well, for one, some people will use automated “bots” to follow people, thereby garnering followers in return. Twitter actually has daily limits on how many people you can add in 24 hours (it’s possible to contact them and have this restriction lifted). If you add too many people too fast, you run the risk of having your account blocked or deleted. Is the name of the game getting as many followers as you can? Does that possibly diminish the value of your list of followers? These are a couple questions to keep in mind. Remember, though, that the number one strategy to growing your online following, whether blogs, Twitter, or whatever else, is to maintain one-to-one relationships with people on a regular basis. This shows validity and authenticity in what you do. It shows that you’re not just a robot spitting out deals or an author only trying to drive sales. You need to build relationships!

So, I had to find out ways to have people truly want to know what I was writing about or doing at the moment. The main difference between the people with 20 followers and the people with 20,000 followers is content. If you only remember one thing from this article, remember this: CONTENT IS KING. Yes, it’s a cliche. As much as I dislike cliches, this is a true statement. People will come to your blog, website, or Twitter if you have something to say. By that, I mean something of use to your would-be visitors. Everyone takes showers. Most drink coffee. We aren’t benefitting the community by letting the world know that. However, including a little of your individual personality in your online activity is key. It shows that you’re a real person with some feelings.

So, “what do I tweet about?”, you ask? Well, for starters, if you find an extremely useful news article relating to the taxes in North Dakota, or a great sale on a particular website, pass it on! If you are an expert in your field or profession, write about what you know. These are some very simple tips to helping you have repeat and loyal visitors. This is what will drive people back to you each week. Not the fact that you dropped the kids off at school and then went to yoga class. People will only follow you if you have something of use that they can benefit from. I cannot for the life of me stress that enough. If you are using Twitter for your business, freelancing, or entrepreneurial endeavors, you need to show the world that you have something of value to say. If, however, you’re using it as a 12 year old, then post whatever you want. Even college students and such can benefit from it. Try posting a question about a particular topic and see the response and help you’re likely to get from your followers. In return, if you come across something that pertains to current events that others should know about, let us know!

In conclusion, Twitter can be extremely powerful. 140 characters at a time. Just don’t let the world know that you didn’t brush your teeth today. Nobody really wants to hear that. Trust me. Now, forgive me; I have to go update my Twitter status ; )

Never Hand Out a Single Card Again

Josh — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:32:22 +0000

You just ran into someone on the subway, in the store, or at a festival. You start talking and realize that they could really use your service. They realize this, too, and ask if you have a business card. You open your wallet, pull one card off the top of the twelve you have in there, and ask them to stay in touch. You go your seperate ways and remain busy repeating this when you meet people that need whatever it is you offer.

You get back in the office and two, three, or even ten days have passed. You remember you met someone that was a great lead and seemed very interested in your company or service. But you can’t remember their name, email, phone number, what company they work for, or where they’re from. You can’t remember this because you made three big mistakes.

Mistake #1

When you first meet someone, ask about their background, what they do, and where they’re from. Do not immediately start your spiel and try to get their interest. Invest in them on a personal level and don’t appear like you’re trying to sell them anything. Don’t rush through finding out about them either. If they just keep talking, let them. They’ll feel more of a connection if they know that you know more about them.

Mistake #2

Chances are, they’re going to use your card to write some notes down after a phone call with someone else, wad their gum in, or as a bookmark. Don’t assume they will commit it to memory and file away for a time they need your service. Instead, beat them to the punch and ask if they have a business card. Better yet, ask if they have two, that way, if you know someone else that can benefit from their service or product, you’ll pass their card along without having to lose the one they gave you. After you’ve asked them this, they will be grateful, and that opens the door for you to give them two of your cards. That way, if they do lose one, they have the other. Or, they might give the extra card to a colleague and you just got another potential lead.

Mistake #3

This is tied to Mistake #2. You didn’t get their card, so you couldn’t remember who they were or what they did. If you do the right thing, you’ll get their card. It has their name, number, and probably location on it. After you’ve parted ways, immediately write where you met them and a personal note about them directly on the card. When you get back to the office, you’ll be able to remember their name, service, where they’re from, and something you guys talked about in your initial conversation. Mention that little bit of information that you talked about (“Hey, hope your vacation in the Bahamas went well!”, or “How about that Cubs game last weekend?”) and they will be more likely to remember who you are and where they met you (because they probably didn’t write down your info on the cards you gave them; pass this blog link to them!).

I don’t know how many people I’ve met and not even asked for their card. I thought that them having my card was enough. I never heard from them, and I had no way of contacting them. Or, I got to the office and unpacked to find 23 business cards from other people. And I had no idea who was who, or what they did. Now, every time I get a card from someone, I write where I met them or the name of the event, and one little detail I learned about them. They won’t know that you wrote that stuff down after they left; they’ll just assume you have a great memory and were truly interested in them when you met them. If you make this a habit, I assure you that you will generate more leads and that translates into more sales.

It’s Happening. Right Now.

Josh — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:19:47 +0000

We’ll keep this one short. If you’ve been here before, you know that we’ve recently undergone a complete overhaul of our site. Please bear with us. It hurts us more … Continue reading