When is it Time to Change Your Brand Identity?

All too often I meet business owners who think that because they hired a logo designer when they started their company over a decade ago, they’re done with “branding” their business. For the next ten to twenty years, they’re “all set” and it’s one of those business decisions they’ll never need to make again. That may be true, to a degree, if you’re a household name like Ford, McDonald’s, or Apple, but it’s not true for the rest of us.

We tend to underestimate the power of our company’s identity and the impact it has, especially on an untapped customer base. Even great trademarks need to be updated, if for no other reason than to tell the world, “we’re not getting older, we’re getting better!”

Say you have a friend who likes his favorite suit. He paid a lot for it 10 or 15 years ago and has great memories wearing it. Is it wise of him to keep wearing it? Sure, it’s a little tight and the lapel is on the big side, but it’s “still a good quality suit,” right? Unless you have a very close friend or an enemy who’s going to be 100% honest, how will you learn that you look like a pudgy disco-king?

How do you know when it’s time to update your logo? Here are five indicators that business owners should regard if they really mean business about maintaining and building a strong brand identity.

1. You should never need to explain your logo…

If word ever gets back that people “just don’t get your logo,” pay attention. If someone needs to be educated about what the logo means, and I’m not referring to hidden symbolism here, you are missing the mark and should consider a redesign…soon.

2. It’s been over 10 years since the logo was first created…

Ten-plus years in business is a perfect time to review whether the company’s identity is appearing outdated. It is surprisingly common for business owners to think that if they change their logo, people won’t recognize their brand. Not true, if the upgrade is done well. When a business upgrades its identity, it sends a powerful message in the marketplace and creates momentum internally with employees–having positive impact on the company’s brand.

3. The business is anticipating a move, merger or going to be sold…

Moving or adding a location requires updating everything from stationery to signage. This is a perfect time to consider an identity redesign. A merger, depending on the stature of the companies, will mandate a need for brand clarification and signify that new and better things will be happening. An updated identity is a no-brainer. When selling, any business that is going to be on the market will glean more if its identity is up-to-date and consistently implemented. It’s called curb appeal.

4. Your company has changed or grown in its offerings…

As a company grows, it evolves, and often this maturation leads to significant changes in the business. Additional product or service lines could mandate new markets, which should mandate new messages. This reason to change is the toughest for business owners to see. Often it’s gradual, taking place over time. Sadly, by the time it’s realized, the competition has dominated the market.

5. Your competitors have upgraded their brand identity…

Don’t let this happen: do it before your competitors do! Forward thinking businesses set the pace for their industry. This will include a progressive and continual analysis of a company’s brand identity as well. If your company delays in a critical updating of your brand identity and message, it’s likely your competition won’t. If your competition takes this step before you do, they look like the leader.

PROBLEM: After 35 years, Midway Engravers had progressed technologically and decided to undergo a corporate identity upgrade. IGD was hired to update Midway’s identity, explore names, and to create a trademark which conveyed the unique attributes of their products & services.

SOLUTION: IGD created a shorter, more effective subline and explored representational trademarks which captured the die-cutting process during the symbol development. The new identity is now creatively distinctive and relevant to its industry.  

A distinctive and credible brand identity is only one facet to a business’ success, but it’s one that everyone sees. It’s imperative to maintain your company’s identity intentionally and not just let it happen, or let it go. Failure to do so will automatically lead others to define your brand, and cost you market share you may otherwise command.

Your logo is the face of your business – your company’s identity. It’s the anchor of all your marketing. It should be built right.

Our clients consistently prove to be discriminating business owners. Details matter to them. So does building on a solid foundation.

Foundation & Pillars for a Strong Brand Identity

Today I’m discussing the 3^rd and 4^th pillars in the Building A Great Logo series. If you get these two wrong (and I’ve seen national companies do it!) you’ll have a long-term marketing handicap.

In previous posts, we covered the pillars of a great logo: Distinctiveness and Relevance. In this post, I’m covering the third and fourth pillars: effectiveness and consistency.

Effectiveness means that the trademark works everywhere it’s supposed to. In order for a trademark to be effective, it must be simple and adaptable.

Simple means not complicated. Too many designers feel compelled to create detailed artwork riddled with thin lines, dot screens, drop-shadows and gradients. These are mini-illustrations and don’t reproduce well in various media. Too many details in a trademark causes image degradation when it’s reduced in size, copied or faxed. A successful company trademark should reduce to the size of a matchbook, or be enlarged to the size of a water tower and still remain impactful.

Effectiveness also means that it’s adaptable to a variety of media, contexts, and platforms. An effective trademark should be created in such a way that it will look good in black and white or full color. It should embroider or silk-screen well and look great on stationery, a sign, a website, or cut into vinyl and applied to a truck. It should look perfect. Everywhere. Which leads me to the next pillar of a strong logo.

The fourth pillar is consistency. Your company’s identity should look the same and be EVERYWHERE. Consistency will work when the logo is created effectively. A logo must be implemented consistently to maintain your brand identity. You’re wasting your money promoting your message if it is not attached to your business: I’ve seen direct mail pieces circular ads where I can’t find the company name!

Imagine this scenario: a sign shop is commissioned to make a sign for a Target store in the national retail chain. Their logo is two circles in a red, target-like symbol. Suppose the graphic designer at the sign shop decides to squish the red circles into ovals to fit into a rectangular sign. Is the corporate office going to be OK with a logo that looks like a ripple in a pond? Not on your life. Absurd? Believe me, things like this and stories too gruesome to mention happen at logo slaughterhouses like quick-sign shops all the time!

Details like spacing of logo elements, font styles, white space allowance and colors need to be consistently reproduced. Every serious business has rules of use for their logo. In our industry, this “rule book” is referred to as a Corporate Identity Standards Guide. It’s an excellent tool for anyone responsible for reproducing a logo. Remember: consistency yields familiarity, if it makes the right impact, it makes you memorable. When a customer is ready to buy, you want them to remember your service or product!

If these four pillars – distinctiveness, relevance, effectiveness, and consistency – are working together in concert, they will yield a memorable logo. The objective is to build credibility and be remembered. Consumers make purchasing decisions on both an emotional and rational level. A professionally designed corporate identity which is distinctive, relevant, effective, and consistent will ultimately lead to customer awareness, confidence and increased sales.

Contact us if you’d like to learn more about our logo packages which include a user-friendly Identity Standards Reference Guide.^TM

Bob hired Identity Graphic Design to create his company's identity. It captures his unique style and personality. Click here to visit!

Click Bob's Profile Pic to Click Bob’s Profile Pic to visit his site, learn about his workshops and view his stunning portfolio!

Special Guest Contributor: Bob DiTommaso

Does your on-line head-shot allow potential customers to feel as though you are there connecting with them?

We have all heard the advice that “you only get one chance to make a first impression.”  In actuality you may not even get that one chance in person.  In our world of websites and social media, your electronic communications are often your real first impression.  Electronic media can go a long way toward endearing potential customers to you and your brand, or it can disappoint them to the point that you never even hear from them. A high-quality head shot is worth 1,000 first impressions.

We think in pictures.  If someone asked you to think of your house, an image of your house becomes clearly visible in your mind.  When you think of friends or business associates you can formulate a picture of them in your mind as well.  If you have never met someone and they are seeing your picture for the first time that picture has to speak on your behalf.  Your headshot should clearly convey who you are.  For many it will be their introduction to you, as such it should give the viewer some insight into who you are, and what you are about.  My head-shot (and on-line profile pic) tells you that I have an air of adventure in the way I approach life, and that I enjoy what I do.

We are more likely do business with others when we feel as though we know them, we like what we see and trust them.  Does your head shot help potential customers to get a sense of who you are?  Does it instill a sense of trust?  Does it make you happy when you see it?  It should do all of these things.  The simple act of viewing your photograph should allow potential customers to feel as though you are there connecting with them.

Contact us at Get Shot By Bob to learn about our professional head-shot packages. We create the right impression for you and provide it in every file format you’ll need for on-line and print use.

Salvation Army bell ringers and accountants: what do these have in common? Both bring our attention to giving at year’s end to those in need.

We are happy to tell you about great people giving hope to children who’ve been left to themselves and forgotten.

Have you ever been approached by a hungry child asking you to buy a plastic grocery bag for a penny? 

On a visit to Manila, Philippines, John & Joy Stutzman were. They were so moved with compassion that they began an uphill battle to make a good home for these forgotten ones.

In 2007 they completed the first home that can currently accommodate 30 children. On a flight to the Philippines, July 20, 2011, Joy suffered a heart attack as she napped, and left this world and her work to those of us still here.

Before & After’s of Lives Changed! You may want to hear their story and share your abundance to carry on the work! Here’s how: Click on a photo below.

www.DoorOfHopePalawan.org

Orphans left behind and forgotten.

On the Front Porch at the Door of Hope!

Guest Contributor: Bill Pirtle, Author of Navigating Through the Risks of Credit Card Processing   

(Yeah, we did the stunning book cover*) 

On October 1, 2011 the new debit card rate created under the Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform bill takes effect.

So, how much will this save in processing fees? For most small businesses, not a penny.

The fact is that consumers will now be paying twice and many small businesses will be at more of a competitive disadvantage against the chains. The big-box stores promised to reduce prices in exchange for the reduction in Interchange, but do not expect to see them. Stockholders will not allow it; they will see the savings as windfall profits.

Lobbyists from chain stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot and Lowes wanted this “reform.” On transactions exceeding $100, their costs will plummet. Dick Durbin said that he entered fray after a call from the President of Illinois-based Walgreen. Durbin has said he wanted to help small businesses and consumers.

Most small business owners will sit amazed in November as they look at their statements and wonder where the savings are.

The reason that most small business owners will not see savings is that Interchange is not what business owners think it is. Interchange is not what business owners pay, but a component of the cost of credit card processing companies. What the processor charges the merchant is only based on the Interchange for large companies or those on Interchange Plus pricing (less than 10% of merchants).

This new debit card rate reduces Interchange on debit cards to 0.05% + $0.21 from previous Visa rates of 0.95% + $0.20 for swiped and 1.60% + $0.20 for keyed, along with reducing MasterCard’s rates.

For Interchange Plus merchants, there are three components to what you pay: Interchange (goes to the issuing bank), Dues & Assessments (goes to the credit card brand) and markup (processor and agent share).

All other merchants pay tiered rates. You can spot a tiered pricing structure by reviewing your statement. If you see any of the following items, you are on a tiered structure: Qualified, Mid-Qualified, Non-Qualified, MQ, NQ, or if you pay a rate like 1.79% + $0.22, or similar “flat” rate.

Agents and processors can make substantially more money on a tiered pricing structure. Interchange is part of the wholesale cost. Consider that you own a retail store and Nabisco drastically cuts the wholesale cost of its brand. If your store does not alter retail prices, you make a lot more money on Nabisco products. You may lose customers if your competitors drop prices and you do not, but your profit on product may counter the loss in sales.

With credit card processing, small business owners are the customer. If you want to take advantage of the reduction on debit card costs, you need to be on an Interchange Plus pricing structure. If your current processor refuses to move you to Interchange Plus, look into switching to one who does. However, before you switch, make sure that you are aware of cancellation fees imposed by your current processor. Compare your savings with cost of the early termination fee (ETF) and proceed accordingly.

Bill Pirtle’s company, Merchant Processing Consulting & Training, LLC, has coaches business owners on credit card processing procedures, security compliance, and best practices. In 2009, he founded MPCT Publishing Co. to publish Navigating Through the Risks of Credit Card Processing, an Amazon bestseller.

Find his 5 star-rated book on Amazon!

*Note on the cover design: As in our brand identity work, we achieve the same level of relevance in our graphic design work. In other words, the design should mean something – especially a book cover design. We judge books by their covers, remember?

Anyone familiar with the credit card processing industry knows there are dangers involved if not navigated through carefully. Hence, the image of the iceberg and the hidden or unseen dangers. 

Also, since this is the first of several guides to come, we created a template with the header and footer. When Bill writes additional books, he will already have the brand identity recognition, and therefore a quicker “in” with people familiar with his series. Genius you say? No, just common sense design.

Learn more from Bill Pirtle at http://mpctpublishing.com/blog/!

A logo is an art form, yes, and so much more. It’s the face of a business, product or service. It’s communicating messages with every impression. It’s the anchor of all your marketing. It needs to be perfect. So what makes for a great logo? After 26 years in this industry, I have defined four “pillars” that make an identity (logo) successful. They balance form and function for a dynamic visual brand. These four pillars – distinctiveness, relevance, effectiveness, and consistency – must work in concert.

The first pillar is distinctiveness. This means the visual brand is unique and differentiates a business from its competitors. It’s graphically tailored to fit your brand objectives and ties into that which makes you different. Distinctiveness will enable customers to remember your brand when they are ready to buy. A distinctive trademark will capture attention. If it’s done well, it will stand out in a positive way.

Here’s the challenge: it is must be in harmony with the other three pillars. For example, the whimsical image of a kitten may get some attention. Distinctive? Maybe, though not relevant for a carpet cleaning service.

Expert Carpet Cleaners

In the next few blog posts, I will discuss the other three pillars. Ultimately, the core objective is to be remembered and for the right reasons! A professionally designed corporate identity which is distinctive, relevant, effective, and consistent will ultimately lead to customer awareness, confidence and increased sales. We call it The Remarkable Advantage.

Identity Graphic Design has partnered with area businesses and the host of Igniting Innovation in Michigan, WWJ CBS, to help Michigan Businesses be promoted, learn and network.

It’s happening next week and it’s not too late to submit your application!

Are you funny? Creative? Do you have a great message? Your 60-second pitch could help you wow investors and obtain great prizes!

It’s called “The 60-Second Showdown!” (Yep, we did the logo.)

You could be among the thirty participants who will have an opportunity to give a creative 60-second pitch, promoting your business and what makes you unique in your industry. There will also be investors in the audience. Here’s a great way for you to get your message out!

Click here for details: 

Your pitch must be done in person and your application must be in by Monday, September 12, 2011.

The event is Wednesday, September 14th, from 7:30 AM — 4:30 PM, tickets are $15.
Richard Sheridan of  Menlo Innovation will be the Keynote speaker at the
Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi
All day event tickets include Josh Linkner, CEO of ePrize in the afternoon with buffet lunch, tickets $40.

It will be a great event for networking with exceptional speakers. Hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, contact us at info@IdentityGraphicDesign.com.

Simplicity.

What does the word mean to you? The dictionary defines it as ‘freedom from complexity, or the absence of luxury, pretentiousness or ornament’.

What image does it evoke? A log cabin and a wood fire? A house with minimal furnishings? Perhaps a schedule with nothing scheduled?

A simple life is just that: uncomplicated, uncluttered and content. Peaceful. Living a simple life means getting rid of whatever does not give you value.

The next question becomes, “What is valuable to you?” The answers are as individual as you are, but you need to spend some time really thinking about this one. Often, we think that ‘stuff’ has value because of its cost to our lives. Not true. Price tag does not equal value or benefit. Often, the very things we strive to get become burdensome after we get them.

• A bigger house requires more time and energy to maintain.
• Collections need dusted and shuffled from shelf to shelf.
• Adult ‘toys’ such as boats, RV’s, or motorcycles consume huge quantities of money and time. Fun? Surely. Simple? NOT!

If you truly seek to live a simple life, you will have to face the truth about your current lifestyle. You will have to answer some tough questions. Then you will have to be motivated to make changes consistent with your new ‘truths’. Are you ready?

First, face the easiest challenge: possessions. How much of what you have do you really need? Walk through each room and look critically at everything in it. Is it a blessing or a burden? How much of the clutter do you not even ‘see’ anymore? What can you eliminate? If an item is not functional or beautiful to you, get rid of it. Sell it. Give it away. Trash it.

This is a particularly good exercise for all of us Boomers – we have 30-40 years of cumulative accumulation. Our kids do not want to sort through all of our ‘stuff’. It is up to us to simplify while we have the energy and will to do it! The benefit is less to take care of, move, dust, repair or replace. Ahh. Simplicity!

Next, consider your commitments. How valuable are the things you give your time to? We each have the same non-refundable, non-renewable, non-returnable 1440 minutes in each day. What value are you receiving from your investment of time, money and resources?

Ask yourself,

• How important is this activity?
• Do I find value or blessing when I do this?
• Is it a priority for my life?
• Does it contribute to my personal growth and development?”

If not, extricate yourself from the commitment. Rethink your schedule and redesign your calendar. Learn to say NO without guilt or excuse.

Third, give up the media binge. I think you’ll agree that we all spend too much time watching TV, answering emails and surfing the web. One of the easiest ways to simplify your life is to stop the glut of information that floods your brain, particularly negative input like the news. Truly, haven’t you noticed that ‘news’ really isn’t? It’s old ‘news’ by the time you hear it – nothing you can do to change it – depressing to your mental and emotional health.

The same is true of all those drama series on nightly TV. Why not use that time to do something you enjoy, something uplifting and positive? If you’re going to put your brain on auto-pilot, at least give it something happy to watch, something that makes you laugh!

Fourth, move into slow motion. Busy is the new ‘buzzword’ in our society. It doesn’t have to be yours. Slowing down is emotionally comforting, mentally calming and spiritually relaxing. Warp speed is for spaceships, not people.

• Spend quiet time alone.
• Play calming music.
• Eat slower.
• Take time to connect with people you love.

Last, value money more than things. We all want to enjoy a long and active lifestyle. That requires a commitment to saving, not accumulating. Give yourself at least a 24-hour wait-time before buying that thing you ‘just can’t live without’. You will find that your new simple life doesn’t need or support all those cravings for stuff. Ignore the bombardment of advertising and take pleasure in watching your savings and investments grow.

Learning to live a simple life is actually simple, uncomplicated. It merely requires a simple change in your thinking. Begin now to simplify your surroundings, your schedule, your commitments, your activities and your money habits. You will soon reap the pleasures and freedom that a simple life provides. What are you waiting for?

For more information on developing life skills, better relationships, and becoming the best YOU possible, visit http://www.seebecksolutions.com. Sign up for the FREE 5-part Series, What Matters Most. You will also receive a FREE subscription to “Solutions for Success”, a weekly Ezine of inspiration, information, motivation and humor.

Ruth Seebeck has built a reputation over the last three decades as a life-skills coach, mentor, Christian counselor and friend. She is a business owner, author, community volunteer and event coordinator whose passion is helping others overcome life’s challenges.

by Guest Contributor: Minesh Baxi

Let me ask you – Have you ever set a goal that you did not accomplish?

I have set enough goals that I did not accomplish.  Identifying these three phases has enabled me to set milestones, measure progress and get those goals accomplished! So let me give you the three basic phases of achieving every single goal. Once you understand this process, you will be clear about accomplishing your goals.

These phases give you a strategy, a place to start. Every accomplishment needs a starting point.  You may find yourself evaluating what took place in the past that hindered you from accomplishing your goals. These phases will help you set goals right now and help you get to a point where you can say, “Okay, I need to do ‘X, Y & Z’ before I achieve this goal.

Let’s talk about the first phase which I call the “I Must.”

This is the stage where you identify enough compelling reasons to accomplish your goal.  What does that look like?  Suppose you were in the situation that if you did not make a certain sale, your house would go into foreclosure.  Do you think making that sale becomes a “must?”  The consequences would be terrible if you did not make that sale happen.

Now the situation does not have to be that dramatic!  It could be that you have a desire, such as a boat you’ve dreamed about, a car you want to buy, or a vacation you want to take. Perhaps you look at your situation in life and say to yourself, “If I keep doing this for the rest of my life, would that life be really worth it?  Perhaps you are making good money and enjoying life in general, but are you really accomplishing all that you want?”

To push yourself out of a comfort zone into change, you need to have enough reasons and you should have them from both a positive and negative angle.  What would be the positive outcome if you did accomplish it? What would be the worst case scenario if you did not accomplish it?  If you have both of those together, you can leverage the power of that intensity and say this is the reason I must accomplish the goal.  If it is not a “must” in your mind, then the other stages do not matter.  The attitude of “I MUST” keeps you moving toward your goal.

The second phase is “I Can.”  In this stage you must have a strategy. To accomplish a goal, you need a strategy.  It’s optimum to have a proven strategy, a tested strategy.  Either you have seen somebody accomplish a similar goal or you have found a way that has worked for you in the past.

Now it is time to actually have that strategy in front of you.  People often say, “I want to lose weight.”  Once they have the “must,” they need the strategy. There are different strategies available; anything from Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig and a host of other programs enable you to say, “If I am serious about accomplishing weight loss, this is the approach I will take.” If you want to start a business or make your current business grow, find someone who has had that success. Use their business building strategy. If it is proven, when things get tough, you will have the confidence that will help you stay with it until you’ve achieved success.

The third phase is “I Will.” This phase is where you actually follow through consistently using that strategy.  You are going to be consistent in saying, “Okay, I need to do this daily in order to accomplish my goal. I will do this when I don’t feel like it or when it doesn’t seem to be working. I will do this when others say I can’t. I will.”

Now there are times when you might have to find a different strategy. There are times when you are going to reevaluate and say, “I need to approach this differently.”  That is okay, that is part of the learning process. When you have the “I will,” eventually you will have worked your strategy long enough in order to get the result. “I will” is a commitment to yourself.

What is commitment?  Commitment is doing the things that you said you were going to do long after the mood has left you. We can get anything we want, but if commitment is lacking, we will not do what it takes to push past obstacles, continue in our strategy, and accomplish the goal.

Ask yourself the following questions about the goals you are setting:

What does my life look like if I do not accomplish this goal? Is this goal a “must?”
Have I found a proven strategy to achieve this goal?
Am I committed to following the strategy consistently to actually accomplish my goal?

Accomplishing a goal has rewards beyond the goal itself. Stop robbing yourself and make that goal a reality!

Minesh Baxi is a successful author, speaker and business coach. To watch “Three Steps To Unlimited Clients” go to www.Mbaxi.com