A brand isn’t just a logo, it’s the perception that a customer has about a product or service. Jerry McLaughlin of Forbes Magazine explores this idea in his article “What is a brand, anyway?”. He delves into the history of the word from it’s origins as a cattle marking system to what we know as a brand today.
We can’t stress the importance of a strong brand enough! Lois Geller, another Forbes contributor, explains that “you know what you’re going to get with a well-branded product or service”. Read this informative article and learn why she is “rendered speechless” when a client requests a “quick Brand”!
Every day we are exposed to thousands of “brand messages”. It takes a lot to stand out from the crowd. TheFinancialBrand.com explores that idea in this video. It reminded all of us here at ICONICA that a successful brand makes a huge difference when it comes time for the consumer to make a choice! Think about an everyday product like cereal – when was the last time you went to the grocery store in search of a box of “Wheat O’s”? You probably wouldn’t because Cheerio’s is a more memorable brand.
THIS WEEK at ICONICA we are offering 15% off all branding services! Click Here to Contact us NOW and lets get you on the right track!
When branding your business, you may wish to avoid some of the mistakes others have made. Whole Foods has been called “Whole Paycheck” and, during the 1990′s, FORD took on the moniker “Fix Or Repair Daily”. These negative brand perceptions are not as bad as some of these restaurant names featured on stocklogos.com. Who would want to eat at “Soon Fatt Chinese Take Away”? Take a look and have a big laugh!
A Brand is more than a logo. It is the identity of your business. You need a Brand to:
• Secure the emotional connection between you and your target audience.
• Establish your reputation and be recognized as the choice within your industry.
• Create a consistent message that helps people remember you.
• Build client loyalty. Loyal clients will refer more business to you.
• Demonstrate to your client that you will perform at a standard of service that is unsurpassed.
• Be more effective with less effort. Let your Brand work for you.
• Motivate your client to see you as the only person that provides a solution to their problem.
• Clients are likely to transact at a higher price point for a Branded service or product.
• A branded product or service is 10 times more effective then an unbranded one.
• A strong Brand provides proof that your business is competent and able to get the job done.
• Your Brand is an organic communication tool. Your Brand communicates to you and your client. Your Brand expresses your personality. Your Brand experiences the relationship you have with your client. If your Brand is healthy, your business is healthy. Your Brand is you!
• Your Brand is a commitment your client telling them that you are the only one who can provide them what they need and when they need it.
• If you do not have a Brand, you must reset your relationship with your client every single time you interact. You will have to remind your client who you are, every single time.
• Perception is the key to definition. Define yourself. Be the Brand…
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Order an HD Video Tour & Get Property Photography FREE!
Go the extra mile with your next property and reach a broader audience using our HD Video Tours! For every property video created THIS WEEK, we will shoot the photos of the property for FREE. To get this great deal all you need to do is like our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/iconica.ca or by clicking the like button below! Then, send us your order at info@iconica.ca
See all our HD video tours on our vimeo chanel HERE *voice over charges not included in sale* |
Templated Websites are NAY ok!
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The question we often hear at ICONICA is “I have signed up with a web service and I have their basic template website, I would like to do something to make it look different from everyone else. Can you help?”
Until recently, our options were limited. We could create a banner on the top of the website. Maybe we could help the client edit their colours. But fundamentally what we could do was nothing more then “lipstick & hair dye”.
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Now, we can really help! |
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We saw a desperate need for a fully functional, fully customized web service. Now it’s here! We have partnered with Real Web Solutions to bring the phenomenal functionality of their MLS compatible web platform together with the awesome graphic design & branding created here at ICONICA! Now, instead of starting with a website template and decorating it, we can start by focusing on the client’s needs, content & branding. Then we can determine the visual layout & function of the website. We have absolute versatility to develop the best possible option for each client! |
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You might think, “is this important?” Let’s try to take a step back to think about who the website is made for. Johnny Homebuyer, is browsing the Internet looking for a Real Estate agent in his area. He searches for Toronto Real Estate Agent and is greeted with 11 MILLION Google hits! Johnny starts browsing agent sites and notices a trend; they are all the same. |
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In the modern world, our first experience with any major decision often takes place online. Whether it’s a car, a house, or a wedding proposal, the web points our way. The fact is that our first Real Estate agent is Google, and what we find there dictates which agent we chose.
From the first time a viewer hits your site you have less then 5 seconds to differentiate yourself from your competition. If you look like everybody else, if you won’t make a strong first impression. If you don’t have some kind of personality or if the site is boring, confusing or difficult to navigate, you won’t get a call and your competition will.
That’s where we come in. We can make sense of the madness, give form to function, and integrate your brand identity into the design of your website. Let us separate you from the competition and make the clients decision an easy one.
The 2012 holiday season has started early at Iconica!! We are pleased to announce the 2012 Holiday Cards! We are offering eight uniquely designed cards, fully customizable with your personal information and greetings. We have 2 sizes to choose from.
If you would like your branding or agent photo on it, we can add these elements to your card for a small additional fee.
Please call us if you have any questions or would like further customization!
Happy Holidays from Iconica Communications!
15% off business card orders plus free shipping for the month of April when you quote promotion code at time of order or payment. Promo Code “ICONICAPRINTS”. Applies to all of our unique stock.
14pt card stock, 16pt card stock, 18.5pt matte lamination and gloss lamination ( add a spot uv), 24 coated or uncoated, 26pt matte lamination and gloss lamination. 14pt 100% recycled paper also available. Give us a call to learn more about our unique business card product options.
They “offer” supposedly what you do… but do they? Can you improve on what they have currently? Figure out what you have and what they don’t and what they have and you don’t. Then add to your list of products or services. Step up your game! Try catering to more wants and needs
• Pick up to 5 competitors to monitor
• Learn who they market to demographically
• What is the pricing and level of quality
• Understand their philosophies and services
• Remember it doesn’t matter whether you have heard of them or not, they are competing for your business!
Are they better than you? Well not for long. What is it about them to come to this conclusion? Quality vs Quantity? Service or Tailoring? Location?
• Sometimes if the price is low the quality is also low
• Be innovative and consistent, clients will take notice
• If your client knows of somewhere they think is better they will tell you, so make sure you are prepared to retain there business by offering something the competition wouldn’t do or have
You hear the rumours and they are true, make sure you don’t make those mistakes. Company X is “amazing” everyone talks about them…why? What makes them so special?
• You must offer something original with your product or service that only your business offers
• Make your website user friendly and interesting so you get the traffic and become known in your industry
• Some companies have partnerships, so think of synergy partnerships that can give you a competitive advantage
• Do they have a brand? Complete a USP and set yourself apart because you are unique! Create YOUR BRAND/IDENTITY
What do you like? What don’t you like?
• Grade them when you are finished to determine if they met your needs as a client
• Start planning how you will improve your site based on your criteria
What is that? Well it is a way to monitor your competition as well as your company on the web
• Check out Google Alerts, Technorati, and BlogPulse for details
1. Extreme opinions
2. Have some sort of consistent anticipated content
3. Introduce friends who can help, to friends who need help
4. Think of free advertising: refer and promote (you and others)
5. Be social (it helps to have tech savvy family and friends)
6. Just type…. be spontaneous
7. Have a question and answer period
8. Use as a resource to collect info
9. Talk about your hobby
10. Have a sense of humor
Be interesting and interactive every chance you get. Balance your professionalism, with humour and show your personality. Your followers will appreciate your content and feel connected to you if you can successfully achieve all the above with grace and consistency.
Facebook allows you to create community pages for companies or topics that other users can join in with, contribute to, and support. The Web address for these pages is generated by the Facebook system and is often long and complex. Once the page has 25 or more fans, you can apply for a unique user name for that page. By applying this user name to your Facebook page, its Web address is significantly simplified, making it much easier to communicate to new visitors.
Instructions
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Log in to your personal Facebook account.
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Open the address “http://facebook.com/username” in your Web browser.
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Click the page you want to add a user name to from the “Page name:” drop-down menu and click the “Check availability” button.
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Click the “Okay” button to confirm the choice of user name offered by Facebook. If you want to change it, enter your desired user name in the “Username” box and click “Okay.”
5
Enter the new address for your Facebook page in the Web browser’s address bar to test it. The URL will be in the format “http://www.facebook.com/YourPageUsername.”
Article taken from www.ehow.com
Read more: How to Set a Facebook Fan Page Domain Name | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8175399_set-facebook-fan-domain-name.html#ixzz1WXlLZ9sS
BLACK - POWERFUL, SOPHISTICATED, STRONG, MAGICAL, OMINOUS AND EXPENSIVE
APRICOT - HEALTHY, FRIENDLY, CHEERFUL, INVIGORATING, TASTY, FRUITY AND WARM
BISQUE - COMFORTING, GENTLE, DELICATE, SWEET, HAPPY, FLORAL, SPRING-LIKE, BABYISH AND FEMININE
BRICK - STRONG, FRIENDLY, ROBUST, EARTHY, RICH, MAJESTIC AND WARM
BRIGHT GOLD - RADIANT, CHEERFUL, STIMULATING, ENERGIZING, INVIGORATING, SUNNY, FLORAL, FRUITY AND WARM
BRIGHT OLIVE GREEN - BOTANICAL, PRIMORDIAL, RAW, ACIDIC, EARTHY AND WARM
BRIGHT RED - DYNAMIC, POWERFUL, AGGRESSIVE, IMPULSIVE, STRONG, EXCITING, FESTIVE, GOOD LUCK, FAST AND HOT
BROWN - EARTHY, NATURAL, HEALTHY, WOODSY, AUTUMNAL AND WARM
BUBBLEGUM - HAPPY, FUN, COMFORTING, SWEET, CHILDLIKE, FEMININE, COSMETIC, SPRING-LIKE, FLORAL AND WARM
BURGUNDY - SOPHISTICATED, ARISTOCRATIC, MAJESTIC, DIGNIFIED, ELEGANT, HIGH QUALITY AND EXPENSIVE
CHARCOAL – DIGNIFIED, INTELLIGENT, HIGH TECH, CREATIVE, EFFICIENT, EXPENSIVE, UNADORNED, SUBTLE, NEUTRAL AND COOL
COPPER – EARTHLY, SPICY, TASTY, INVIGORATING, ZESTY, HEALTHY, AUTUMNAL AND WARM
CORNFLOWER – PEACEFUL, CALMING, QUIET, PASSIVE, SPIRITUAL, UNDERSTANDING AND COOL
CRANBERRY – FESTIVE, DYNAMIC, ENERGIZING, SEXY, FRUITY AND WARM
CRIMSON - DYNAMIC, POWERFUL, AGGRESSIVE, REBELLIOUS, IMPULSIVE, EXCITING, FESTIVE, GOOD LUCK, FAST, WARLIKE AND HOT
DARK MAUVE - SOPHISTICATED, RELAXING, COSMETIC AND WARM
EMERALD - DEPENDABLE, DIGNIFIED, PROFESSIONAL, RESPECTABLE, SECURE, SOPHISTICATED AND EXPENSIVE
FEDERAL BLUE - DIGNIFIED, TRUSTWORTHY, PROFESSIONAL, OFFICIAL, INTELLIGENT, RESPECTABLE, SECURE, EXPENSIVE AND NAUTICAL
FLUORESCENT PINK - ZANY, ELECTRIC, FESTIVE, VIBRANT, ECSTATIC, WHIMSICAL AND HOT
FOREST - EARTHY, WOODSY, DEPENDABLE, NATURAL, ECOLOGICAL, STEADFAST, SECURE AND WISE
GOLD - AFFLUENT, MONEY,HOPE AND EXCITEMENT
GRANITE – REFRESHING, NATURAL, EARTHY, HEALTHY AND COOL
GRAPE – ARISTOCRAT, ELEGANT, DIGNIFIED, PHILOSOPHICAL, CREATIVE, PASSIONATE, MYSTERIOUS AND FRUITY
GRASS – DEPENDABLE, PROFESSIONAL, SECURE, BOTANICAL, ECOLOGICAL, NATURAL, STEADFAST, HEALTHY, QUIET AND COOL
GRAY - DIGNIFIED, INTELLIGENT, HIGH TECH, CREATIVE, EFFICIENT, EXPENSIVE, UNADORNED, SUBTLE, NEUTRAL AND COOL
GREEN - BOTANICAL, ECOLOGICAL, NATURAL, HEALTHY, HEALING AND COOL
HUNTER GREEN – NATURAL, PROFESSIONAL, SECURE, STEADFAST, HEALTHY, QUIET, ECOLOGICAL AND COOL
INDIGO - DIGNIFIED, TRUSTWORTHY, PROFESSIONAL, OFFICIAL, INTELLIGENT, RESPECTABLE, SECURE, SOPHISTICATED AND NATURAL
IVY – BOTANICAL, ECONOMICAL, NATURAL, LUCKY, HEALTHY, HEALING AND COOL
KELLY GREEN – BOTANICAL, NATURAL, PEACEFUL, CALMING, DEPENDABLE AND COOL
LAGOON – DEPENDABLE, COMFORTABLE, SECURE, NATURAL, DIGNIFIED, AQUATIC, SOPHISTICATED AND PROFESSIONAL
LAKE - DEPENDABLE, UNDERSTANDING, NAUTICAL, SPORTY, MARINE CALMING, MASCULINE AND COOL
LIGHT GRAY - CALMING, UNADORNED, UNPRETENTIOUS, NEUTRAL, SUBTLE, SUBDUED AND COOL
LIGHT LIME - SUNNY, VIBRANT, TANGY, CITRIC, SPIRITUAL, LUMINOUS, ENERGIZING, JOYOUS, FLORAL AND WARM
LIGHT MAUVE - HAPPY, FUN, FESTIVE, TROPICAL, FEMININE, COSMETIC, FLORAL AND WARM
LIGHT TEAL - HEALTHY, RELAXING, SOOTHING, REFRESHING, AQUATIC AND COOL
MAHOGANY – DEPENDABLE, STRONG, ROBUST, FRIENDLY, NATURAL, EARTHY AND WARM
MARINE RED - INVIGORATING, POWERFUL, ZESTY, TASTY, SPICY AND HOT
MAROON - ZANY, ELECTRIC, FESTIVE, VIBRANT, WHIMSICAL, TROPICAL AND HOT
MEDIUM BLUE - DEPENDABLE, UNDERSTANDING, SECURE, CALMING, MASCULINE AND COOL
MELON - STIMULATING, HEALTHY, INVIGORATING, ENERGIZING, HAPPY, SUNNY, TASTY, FRUITY AND WARM
MIDNIGHT - REGAL, DIGNIFIED, ELEGANT, EXPENSIVE, PHILOSOPHICAL, INTELLIGENT, SPIRITUAL AND MYSTERIOUS
MIST - PEACEFUL, SOOTHING, CLEAN AND COOL
MOSS – BOTANICAL, RAW, ACIDIC, PRIMORDIAL AND SOUR
ORANGE - STIMULATING, ENERGIZING, EXCITING, CHEERFUL, FRUITY, AUTUMNAL, INEXPENSIVE AND WARM
ORCHID - SPIRITUAL, DELICATE, ROMANTIC, SPRING-LIKE AND FLORAL
PAPRIKA - ZESTY, SPICY, NATURAL, INVIGORATING, EARTHY, HEALTHY, AUTUMNAL AND WARM
PINE - HEALTHY, ZESTY, BOTANICAL, FRESH, CLEAN, CLEANSING, ELECTRIC, MINTY AND COOL
PLUM - SOPHISTICATED, ARISTOCRATIC, MAJESTIC, ELEGANT, EXPENSIVE, DIGNIFIED, SPIRITUAL AND FRUITY
PROCESS BLUE - CLEAN, REFRESHING, MARINE, AQUATIC AND COOL
PUMPKIN – STIMULATING, ENERGIZING, EXCITING, CHEERFUL, FRUITY, AUTUMNAL, INEXPENSIVE AND WARM
PURPLE - SOPHISTICATED, ARISTOCRATIC, EXPENSIVE, ELEGANT, DIGNIFIED, CREATIVE, PASSIONATE, MYSTERIOUS AND SPIRITUAL
RAISIN - VIBRANT, SPIRITUAL, PASSIONATE, FLORAL AND FRUITY
RASPBERRY - VIBRANT, FRUITY, FEMININE, COSMETIC AND WARM
RED - EXCITING, AGGRESSIVE, INVIGORATING, IMPULSIVE, TASTY AND HOT
SCARLET - INVIGORATING, POWERFUL, IMPULSIVE, STRONG, SEXY, ZESTY, TASTY, SPICY AND HOT
SEA BLUE - CLEAN, REFRESHING, PEACEFUL, AQUATIC AND COOL
SEA FOAM GREEN - NATURAL, BOTANICAL, DEPENDABLE, CALMING, DELICATE AND COOL
SKY - INSPIRATIONAL, SPRITUAL, MYSTICAL AND SENSITIVE
SLATE - EARTHY, BOTANICAL, STRONG, NATURAL AND COOL
SMOKEY TEAL – DIGNIFIED, SOPHISTICATED, DEPENDABLE, SECURE, PROFESSIONAL AND PEACEFUL
SPRUCE - BOTANICAL, ECOLOGICAL, NATURAL, LUCKY, FRESH, REFRESHING, HEALTHY AND COOL
STEEL - STRONG, KNOWLEDGABLE, HIGH TECH, MASCULINE, TRUSTWORTHY, SECURE AND COLD
SUNFLOWER - JOYOUS, SPIRITUAL, LIVELY, LUMINOUS, SUNNY, SUMMERY, FLORAL AND WARM
TEAL - HEALTHY, RELAXING,SOOTHING, REFRESHING, AQUATIC AND COOL
TOMATO - INVIGORATING, SPICY, ACIDIC, RAW, TASTY, EARTHY, AUTUMNAL AND WARM
TURQUOISE - FESTIVE, WHIMSICAL, ZESTY, REFRESHING, RAW, CLEAN, NATURAL, AQUATIC AND COOL
VIOLET - SPIRITUAL, ROMANTIC, SPRING-LIKE AND FLORAL
WARM RED - COMFORTING, GENTLE, DELICATE, SWEET, HAPPY, FLORAL, AUTUMNAL AND FEMININE
WINE - ROMANTIC, COSMETIC, FLORAL, FRUITY AND WARM
YELLOW - JOYOUS, VIBRANT, SPIRITUAL, LUMINOUS, ENERGIZING, SUNNY, FLORAL, TANGY, CITRIC AND WARM
