Having a concise, clear image that you project to your clients
and customers is important in today's market. More and more
people are leaving the job market and creating their own
business, whether by choice or necessity, so the competition
continues to expand. Therefore it is increasingly important to
stand out among your competition. You want your business to be
memorable!
Customers remember images and feelings that are evoked more
than just a name on a business card. What type of feeling do you
want your business to evoke in your customers / clients? How do
you want to be remembered? Do you want to be the first one your
customer thinks about over your competition? Of course you do.
But what do you want to be remembered for?
?Your excellent customer service?
?Your winning smile?
?Your product?
?Your prices?
?Your logo?
How are you different from your competition? What makes your
business special? Ask yourself these questions and then look at
the answers. Maybe you are already projecting a particular
image. It is cohesive, or is it sloppy? Do you even have an
image? Do you have a brand name? Do you have any sort of
identity?
What about your services? Does each one have a different
look, feel and image, or does it tie into the image of your
business? Can you look at your services and see the brand name,
image or theme running through each description? Choosing to use
the same logo on all your materials, sticking with a consistent
color theme and playing off a specific theme is part of branding.
For example, a recent episode of Taking Care of Business on
TLC television highlighted a company that custom designed baby
gift baskets. Their logo, color scheme and theme were brought
together to expand their image. The professional business
mentors assisted the owner with creating press releases and media
kits for his baby company that were done like birth
announcements. This created visual interest, continued the theme
of the company and along with the logo and color consistency, the
branding was top notch. As a result, he had several articles
written about his business in key magazines that target his
specific market.
What about your company? Does your image reflect your
product? Do your customers recognize you by your business name
or a product name? Are you consistent with your marketing
message? These are ALL important questions whether you are
starting a business or looking to expand your existing business.
So, ask the questions, listen to the answers and create a plan
for branding your business!
? 2005 Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster is a managing partner in Baraka Bay, a visionary business and organization development consultancy. They offer unique knowledge, techniques, and expertise to provide solutions, services and products for businesses, organizations and individuals. http://www.BarakaBay.com
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