We recently met with a potential client and had an interesting conversation about how marketing and branding work and differ from one another. He was a very smart guy who had a good handle on what he was trying to do with his website and overall brand, but as is nearly always the case, he was too close to it to be able to articulate it clearly, and uniquely, and needed a little help with how to make it look and sound the best it could.
Brand Identity: Creative Access Website
No, I am not talking about wearing a freshly pressed suit and a tie, although sometimes that is entirely appropriate. I am referring to looking professional across your social media channels.
Brand Identity: Continental Contractors Logo, Website, Brochure, Display
As communicators, we like to think we don’t use jargon to describe what we do. We often counsel clients to avoid using industry jargon, referring to these terms unaffectionately as “weasel words” — words designed to make something sound like more than it really is. But the truth is, although we try not to, we, too, use jargon terms for some things. And I think the term “brand strategy” is one of those. So, let’s simplify things and define what a brand strategy is in practical terms.
I recently conducted a workshop on how important your brand is within the social media arena, particularly when your business focuses on selling a concept, service or other intangible. This particular workshop happened to be for churches, but they are not unlike many of the businesses we advise, who sell consulting, advice, conceptual services or ideas. Let’s face it, churches are probably among the most conceptual of all, promoting not only events and services, but an ideology.
Brand Identity: Fitness and Medical Exercise Logo
Our logo design for Fitness and Medical Exercise
There’s so much buzz and competition these days to try to make content go viral, that it has, by nature, become more difficult to do. But it is still possible. Going “viral” only means that a piece of content has enough appeal, either broadly or narrowly, that people take the time and effort to spread it to their friends and colleagues with their endorsements or commentary.
I came across this idea on the blog, Brand New, and was instantly compelled to check it out. Basically, it is a map made up of logos. Although this concept is fairly new, I think the idea behind it is amazing and they do such great job of pulling it off. As a designer, I know it is hard to make a collection of different logos look good when they all need to be placed in such a small area. But the company that creates these maps, CityMaps, achieves it beautifully.
In a previous blog post, Finding your voice: Content marketing dos, we mentioned the importance of content marketing, and how it is necessary to constantly publish content so that you are providing value to your clients, and so that search engines display your web content in organic search results. But, you may be wondering, “what should my content say?”
Brand Identity: Connections Therapy Website, Brochure, Display
Trust me when I tell you, the excuses abound. Let’s see, “we don’t have time,” “don’t know what to say,” “can’t write,” “lack a good email list,” “don’t know what software to use,” “have no ideas,” “won’t be able to keep up with it,” “don’t know how to make it look professional.” Breathe. “Don’t have enough expertise,” “don’t see the point,” “don’t want to turn off our customers”, “don’t want to give away our secrets”, “think emailers get blocked anyway”, “aren’t creative enough,” and our favorite of all time, “I don’t want to bore people.”
