Why Brand Yourself?
What is a brand?
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.
A Brand is a Promise!
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”!
Do I need to stand out?
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!
Check Your Message!
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!
HY BRAND YOURSELF?
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.
BRANDING FACTS
• 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…
5 Steps to have your Website be better than your Competition
STEP 1: Find the “Competition”
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!
STEP 2: BE CALCULATING IN LEARNING WHO THEY ARE
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
STEP 3: FIND THEIR WEAKNESS/STRENGTH
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
STEP 4: DO SOME ROLE PLAYING AS A CLIENT ON THE SITE
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
STEP 5: FIND OUT THEIR STATS
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
How to become a Top Online Marketer in Twitter
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.
How to Set a Facebook Fan Page Domain Name
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
1
Log in to your personal Facebook account.
2
Open the address “http://facebook.com/username” in your Web browser.
3
Click the page you want to add a user name to from the “Page name:” drop-down menu and click the “Check availability” button.
4
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
Meanings and Symbolisms for each individual Colour
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
What do colours mean and how do they effect people?
COLOUR IS EVERYWHERE IN BUSINESS, IN LIFE, ON THE WEB AND THE WORLD OF SALES!
THERE IS DEFINITELY A PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND COLOURS. YOU CAN CONVEY POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. HERE ARE SOME BREAKDOWNS OF COLOUR AND THEIR MEANINGS.
THE SYMBOLISM OF BASIC COLOURS
RED- Energy, warmth, strength, excitement, love and dominance
PURPLE- Spirituality, magic, faith, dignity, creativity, passion, mystery and awareness
BLUE- Spirituality, trust, truth, cleanliness, tranquility, understanding, security, technology, coolness, cold and masculinity
GREEN- Nature, growth, renewal, freshness, hope, youth, peace, good luck, coolness and envy
YELLOW- Cheer, hope, enlightenment, communication, optimism and egoism
ORANGE- Energy, warmth, hot, cheer, excitement and activity
BROWN- Nature, durability, reliability, realism, warmth, comfort and homeyness
BLACK- Power, sophistication, unknown and emptiness
WHITE- Purity, cleanliness, truth, innocence, chastity, spirituality, refinement, sterility and newness
GRAY- Neutrality, intelligence, modesty, technology, secure, tranquility, cold and retirement
HOW DO COLOURS EFFECT THE EYE?
RED- Advances, thereby creating the impression objects are closer than they actually are
PURPLE- A hard colour for the eye to discriminate
BLUE- Recedes, creating the impression objects are farther away than they are
GREEN- Restful, colour for the eye. Green offers a very broad range of hues
YELLOW- The colour the eye processes first. The most visible and luminous colour to the human eye
WHITE- Pure white can produce glare and cause optical fatigue when used in large quantities
GRAY- The simplest colour for the eye to see
Trevor Joyce
Mobile app usage trumps web usage in June
Interesting information I thought I would share. The world is going mobile! Are you?
This month, consumers’ mobile application usage overshadowed their web browsing for the first time, according to a recent study from Flurry, revealing the impact of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets on personal computers.
Consumers spent only 74 minutes online per day, compared to 84 minutes spent interacting with mobile apps every day, according to Flurry’s report, which compared data released by comScore and Alexa. Nine percent more of consumer’s time was spent on mobile applications compared to the internet – the majority of which was on social networking or gaming apps.
As consumers interact with a greater number of brands via social networking apps, firms should ensure they have a strong business marketing strategy that includes Facebook and Twitter. According to a report by Pew Research Center, Twitter usage is on the rise, with 13 percent of consumers interacting with the network – 5 percent more than just six months ago.
Build your Direct Mail Campaign in 10 Steps
1. Get Prepared
- Have you done this in the past? What were the results?
- Ask around about other’s experiences – learn from it
2. Get your timing on point
- Make sure to confirm timelines with printing company
- Can you deliver it in the time frame you anticipate
- Document results to compare/forecast each year
3. Is it possible?
- Define your campaign, objectives (qualitative and quantitative)
- Define what you feel is successful and how you will measure it
4. Start recording your plan
- Define the opportunity and how you want to support the opportunity
- What is your objective in terms of your marketing goals
- How will this impact client acquisition, cross-sell growth or retention
- S.M.A.R.T objectives: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time specific
- Who are the key competitors in the market?
- What is their philosophy, products and or services in comparison
- To what scale is their market (by region or nationally etc)
- What is their marketing strategy
- What is your prospects wants, needs, concerns and challenges
- What are your tactics and how do you execute?
- What do you want the recipient to do after receiving your material?
- What are the fulfillment options?
- What are you accountable for after you deliver your product or service
- Any price changes to take effect by_____ date?
5. Know your target audience
- This will help develop your strategy to appeal to the masses in that community
6. How creative can you get
- If you are capable run with it, if not seek help from the professionals
- Professionals will develop a creative brief for you to review
- Once a concept is approved by you (that represents you the best) they will begin the actual creative development
7. Look through it with a magnifying glass
- Review the data once you see the almost finished product, ensure everything you requested in accurate and exactly what you want
8. Time to promote
- Get copies for your personal handouts when you are networking/working
- Set up your direct mail with Canada Post or distribution company
9. What was the outcome
- Identify what you have learned
- Identify future opportunities
- Make recommendations (there is always room for improvement – expand your area or get more specific and farm a smaller demographic)
10. Try it again but do it even better!
- Now that you have the experience and knowledge you know what you need to do…so go forth, refine and generate those leads!