by Bill Kleist

Why invest in a logo? First, when I talk about a logo here, I’m talking about the logo as the face of a business. It also means that your logo is presented professionally everywhere it is seen.

One major return on your investment in a professional logo is immediate perceived credibility.

Perception is reality.

When you look like you know what you are doing, people will believe you. Like it or not, books are judged by their covers and so, too, companies by their logos. If your prospect’s impression is that your company appears homespun or outdated, they may likely attribute your business’ products and services are of the same, lesser quality. When your company’s professionally created logo has the wow factor, the impression created is that you are a credible business and quality products. This increases trust in your brand.

Trust is huge.

In this global economy, give your business the remarkable advantage of instant credibility. Visit www.TheRemarkableAdvantage.com

by Guest Contributor-Betty Meneghin, SynTaxWorx

At Identity Graphic Design, we are all about giving you The Remarkable Advantage. Our client, SynTaxWorx, will give you the advantage you want in your profit margin!

What is your first weapon against eroding profits? It is a break-even analysis. If you’ve never created a break-even analysis, this article will walk you through the steps. The break-even analysis is an important financial tool for your business. It will help you identify the minimum sales you must generate to avoid sustaining a loss, calculate your desired profits and make financial projections.

When a business achieves a break-even volume, then total sales will equal total expenses. It’s a break-even point when the business doesn’t make or lose money. Break-even operation results are a bench marker to help management maintain and improve operating results.

To calculate a break-even analysis for your business, first, separate variable costs from the fixed costs. Use only true variable costs that are directly related to the number of units sold. Variable cost will increase or decrease in direct relationship with sales. Fixed costs do not in-crease or decrease in direct relationship with sales but instead are used to support sales regardless of the number of sales.

How Do I Allocate My Over Head Costs To Make a Consistent Sustainable Profit?

Today we will work with the following example:

Fixed Cost

• Rent $1200
• Utilities $350
• Office staff payroll $2396
• Advertising/marketing $500
• Office supplies $200
• Repairs/Maintenance $10
• Travel $200
• Meals/Entertainment $100
• General Insurance $150
• Accounting Fees $250
• Taxes $500
• Phones $250

Total Per Month Overhead = $6106

Variable Cost

• Direct labor to produce or sell a product or service
• Direct materials used to make or sell the product

For Example:

Job one takes your staff 2 hours at a rate of $14/hour to complete.

The material costs are $100 to make the product available to sale.

Total variable cost for one unit to be produced would be

(14 x 2) + 100 = $128

First we need to understand what makes up fixed and variable costs.

In this example, one unit of product or service is selling for $250.

Stay with me now…. You CAN do this!

The next step is to calculate a contribution margin. Contribution margin is defined as sales less variable costs. In our example the contribution margin would be as follows:

• Sales $250.00
• Variable costs 128.00
• Contribution Margin $122.00

Profit planning focuses on the accumulated contribution margin anticipated from a business’ total sales volume. A business will sustain a loss from its operations as long as the cumulative contribution margin remains insufficient to pay its fixed costs.

Alternatively, a business breaks even at the volume where the accumulated contribution margin from its sales equals its fixed costs. Identifying that point provides the foundation for the profit planning process.

Let’s start the profit planning process by calculating the Break-even Unit in Sales Volume using our example.

The formula is:

• Break-even Unit = Fixed Costs
• Sales Volume Unit Contribution Margin
• Break-even Unit = 6106
• Sales Volume 122 = 50 units

A 50-unit or $12,500 total dollar sales volume (50 X $250) will provide the cumulative contribution margin necessary for this business to breakeven. Each sale in excess of the 50 units provides a $122 profit. Should the business sell fewer than 50 units, the cumulative margin will fall short of the amount necessary to cover fixed costs. That will create a loss equal to $122 for each unit the business drops below the break-even sales volume. Don’t throw your hands up in the air yet! We are almost there!

Now you have all the pieces to figure your Consistent Sustainable Profit.

To calculate your desired profits, use the formula below:

• Break-even Unit = Fixed Costs + Desired profit
• Sales Volume Unit Contribution Margin
• Break-even Unit = 6106 + $10,000
• Sales Volume 122 = 132 units

A 132 unit or $33,000 total dollar sales volume (132 X $250) will provide the cumulative contribution margin necessary for this business to breakeven + produce the $10,000 desired profit. Each sale in excess of the 132 units provides a $122 profit. Should the business sell fewer than 132 units, the cumulative margin will fall short of the amount necessary to cover fixed costs + $10,000 desired profits. That will create a loss equal to $122 for each unit the business drops below the break-even + desired profit sales volume.

To check your calculation, put your figures into a profit and loss format. In our example,

Sales $33,000

Less COS 16,896

Contribution Margin $16,104

Less Fixed Cost $6,106

Consistent Sustainable Desired Profit $9,998

Most businesses carry a number of different products, and the various products typically have different sales prices, variable costs, and, consequently, contribution margins. Practical break-even analysis often requires a different calculation process. Still, the critical concepts do not change.

Congratulations, if you are still reading this, you have what it takes to hit your own books and take control of your business! At SynTaxWorx, we want our clients to be educated, informed and empowered.

SynTaxWorx planning packages for small business include the breakeven analysis along with many other financial and tax planning tools to help your company put your cash flow into a plan that will drive sales, protect assets and accumulate wealth all while controlling tax liability.

“.. Everything about our new brand, SynTaxWorx, is so perfect! IGD helped us develop our name, sub-line and logo and they will be implementing it into all of our print and web materials. We are thrilled that we decided to make the investment into an identity that represents our accounting firm’s vision. This brand will take us to a national franchise level.”

- Betty Meneghin, founder SynTaxWorx

In its simplest definition, “branding” is becoming the business that you want to become.

This means a business succeeds in creating a perception about its products or services through its message and the experience people have with that company. The goal is to build trust, loyalty and make a connection on an emotional level.  Based on this brand experience, the customer wants to buy from the company again and again.

People want to be part of and spend their money on what they feel good about. When it is time to choose a restaurant, law firm, hospital, plumber, wrist-watch, or car, some element of a particular seller’s brand influences the buyer’s decision.  Brand loyalty is the result of successful branding.

Now more than ever small businesses need successful branding too. Based on a set of objectives (or brand strategy) a company’s brand message is created. Remember, company’s brand is earned. It is the collection of many experiences and associations can take years to establish.

A company’s brand identity (logo), however, is created. It is the first visual impression, the tip of the spear, the look that people see. It creates the critical first impression. A vital step toward establishing your brand is first giving your business a professional brand identity. Properly and consistently implemented, the logo is the common thread, or anchor, that unifies all of a company’s visual communications.

The identity is the face of a business. As stated, visual branding is when a company’s identity aligns with its brand objectives. Professional visual branding is the successful alignment of a company’s brand objectives with its desired graphic personality.

Brand Objective + Identity = Visual Brand

In this context, when I refer to a logo or a corporate or brand identity, I am referring to the visual brand of a business. A short-sighted approach is to get a logo fast & cheap. A long-term solution is a thoroughly researched and carefully designed name, symbol or wordmark and sub-line that reflects and directs the brand objectives of a business.

Especially for smaller businesses, when done properly, a successful visual brand provides a remarkable advantage in the marketplace.

You have everything it takes to make your business a success:

a stellar product, a hungry market and your expertise.

So, in a cluttered, noisy marketplace…how do you get noticed?

The April Protégé Series seminar, hosted by Minesh Baxi, offered attendees the opportunity to learn ways to define, build, present and maintain their company’s brand. Business owners can use branding in a powerful way in today’s marketplace to be noticed and remembered for all the right reasons.

If your organization would like to present Branding for Small Business with George Piliouras and Bill & Linda Kleist, contact us today!

Say Something Believable in a Powerful Way

- George Piliouras – George Piliouras & Associates

Discover how to unleash the power of your brand and stand out in the market.

Learn what you need to know to GO PACKAGE YOURSELF!

The 7 Keys to a Great Brand Identity for Instant Credibility

- Bill & Linda Kleist Identity Graphic Design

The remarkable advantage is the perfect impression created without saying a word.

It’s instant credibility – in the blink of an eye.

Looking for a new challenge? Here’s an opportunity!

Shape your words and your future with Toastmasters.

We are big fans of Toastmasters, where club members can take the opportunity in a professional and supportive environment to practice and improve speaking skills. Make better sales presentations and learn to proficiently handle impromptu speaking opportunities.

Our chapter is having a Visitor’s Day, Monday, April 18, 2011

8:15 AM Networking, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Meeting

University of Phoenix, 5480 Corporate Drive, Room 101, Troy, MI 48098

Please join us for coffee and bagels and learn how you can become a better communicator and leader!

Momentum Toastmasters meets regularly the 1^st and 3^rd Monday of the month.

Contact us to RSVP or for further information. Hope to see you there!

Featured Speakers:

SAY SOMETHING BELIEVABLE IN A POWERFUL WAY

Presented by George Piliouras

Discover how to unleash the power of your brand and stand out in the market.

Learn what you need to know to GO PACKAGE YOURSELF!

George served as Sr. V.P., Exec. Creative Director at J. Walter Thompson leading Ford’s regional ad campaigns nationwide with American Idol’s Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Hicks and Country Music superstars, Toby Keith & Alan Jackson. He also led creative for Dollar General in the US. His work has been recognized with a multitude of top National and International awards throughout his career.

George Piliouras & Associates offers clients big agency thinking and ideas, without the big agency cost and coaching on Dynamic Presentation Skills. He offers proven expertise in branding, advertising, marketing, in all media. George is also an Adjunct Professor of advanced copywriting at the College for Creative

THE REMARKABLE ADVANTAGE:
The 7 Keys to a Great Brand Identity that Gets You Instant Credibility

Presented by Bill and Linda Kleist

The remarkable advantage is the perfect impression created without saying a word.

It’s instant credibility – in the blink of an eye.

In 1993 Bill & Linda Kleist, principals at Identity Graphic Design.

HOSTED BY BAXI & ASSOCIATES

Protégé Seminar Series

Minesh Baxi – Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur and creator of the Baxi System for Success. Minesh has helped business owners and sales teams attain greater success than ever before imagined.

Click Here to be a part of it!

Did you ever attend a summer business dinner party overdressed? I did. Everyone was wearing shorts, and I wore a business suit. It wasn’t because I couldn’t fit into last summer’s shorts, either, no matter what my husband tells you. I was overdressed, because my marketing skills were horrible.

Fortunately for me, I learned from that experience to not only research my target audience, but to speak their language. I would ask: whose point of view is most important to my business? Which customer group can easily afford me, and can easily be reached? Do I care about clients under the age of 20? Are they Detroit basketball fans? Outdoor hikers? You can define the target audience by behavior, demographics, topical interests, or whatever is relevant to your business goal. This information will help you build high trust relationships with your clients.

This is an absolutely critical point. As a Six-Sigma Green Belt trained professional and certified cultural facilitator, I use my system to research an audience. As in other marketing efforts, the more precisely you can define your ideal client, the more effective your marketing will be. So, ask yourself these questions:

- Do your clients prefer nutrition, breads, condiments, beverages, in-store ambience, take-out service, or environmental impact surrounding the food you sell?

- With a new appliance, as an example, do your clients look at recycling issues, service experience, cleaning tips, or energy efficiency?

- What language does your target audience speak? (**Super Important** The Japanese are the most active social networking audience on the Internet right now. If you’re a global company doing business in France, Germany, Japan, etc. where the Internet is significant and English is not, you need to search in the native culture and language.)

- What are the age, gender, socio-economic, ethnicity and nationality culture of your target audience?

- Are your clients more likely to watch a video, listen to audio, or read your materials?

Not sure on how to define your target audience, or how to research them? I can tell you that having the RIGHT team using the RIGHT skills to teach you how to conduct the RIGHT research and observation is crucial to the success of your business. And, it saves you money in the long run.

Kim Schott, your Global Client Communication Mentor, is the author of the Keys to Client Communication System™, the step-by-step, paint by numbers client communication program help self-employed service professionals to attract more clients in less time. To receive your weekly how-to articles on consistently attracting more local and global clients in less time, visit http://www.SchottCulturalConsulting.com

Bill Kleist, Identity Graphic Design

WHAT IS BRANDING AND DOES IT REALLY MATTER TO SMALL BUSINESSES?   Part 2

In its simplest definition, “branding” is becoming the business that you want to become.

This means a business succeeds in creating a perception about its products or services through its message and the experience people have with that company. The goal is to build trust and loyalty. Based on this brand experience, the customer wants to buy from the company again and again.

People want to be part of what they feel good about. When it is time to choose a restaurant, law firm, hospital, plumber, watch, or car, some element of a particular seller’s brand influences the buyer’s decision. Customer loyalty is the result of successful branding.

Now more than ever small businesses need successful branding. Based on a set of objectives (or brand strategy) a company’s brand message is created. A company’s brand is earned. It is the collection of many experiences and associations and can take years to establish. It can also be destroyed in a day.

A company’s brand identity is created. The identity (logo) is the critical first visual impression, the frosting on the cake, the tip of the spear, the feel that people see. A vital step toward establishing your brand is first giving your business a professional brand identity. Properly and consistently implemented, the logo is the common thread, or anchor, that unifies all of a company’s visual marketing.

The identity is the face of a business. As stated, visual branding is when a company’s identity aligns with its brand objectives. Professional visual branding is the successful alignment of a company’s brand objectives with its desired graphic personality.

Brand Objective + Identity = Visual Brand

In this context, when I refer to a logo or a corporate or brand identity, I am referring to the visual brand of a business. A short-sighted approach is to get a logo fast & cheap. A long-term solution is a thoroughly researched and carefully designed name, logo and sub-line that reflects and directs the brand objectives of a business. Your logo is how people will identify and remember (or forget) your business.

Especially for smaller businesses, when done properly, a successful visual brand provides a remarkable advantage in the marketplace.

Visit www.TheRemarkableAdvantage.com to learn more.

In the business world brand and branding have become very popular terms. Often, though, their meaning is misunderstood. Having a good grasp of what branding is all about will help anyone who wants to be successful in business.

A common definition of brand may be a trademark or distinctive name that identifies a product or manufacturer,” but the term has come to mean so much more. The trademark, or logo, is what I refer to as a visual brand.

THE BRAND, THE LOGO, AND VISUAL BRANDING

One way to describe a brand is first to identify what it is not. A brand is not a logo. Throughout history craftsmen, noblemen, and tradesmen used a form of branding with unique shapes and letterforms in order to identify their work, property or position.

These symbols have been used throughout history to not only identify “who owns this,” but also “who made this,” and for persons of significance, “who is this.”

Today, brand doesn’t merely describe the symbols or icons that label. In business, a brand is not the surface perception the seller presents to the buyer, but the internal perception the buyer has of that seller.

Surface perception: a symbol or wordmark with the intent to identify and distinguish-a logo.

Internal perception: the emotional and rational connection buyers have with a product or service-a brand.

A brand resides in the hearts and minds of those familiar with it. It’s the visceral reaction that occurs within people when they look at, hear of, or experience that company’s goods or services. A brand is formed through impressions that take place on these three levels. The impressions either positively or negatively impact the brand of a business.

To illustrate, what comes to mind when you see or hear reference to the “golden arches?” The fast-food chain, McDonald’s®, has an international brand presence. For some, this name makes them hungry for hot fries and burgers, and brings back wonderful memories. Others may have an entirely different perception.

McDonald’s has invested millions over the years to establish and build its brand. The success of its branding endeavors is evident in that the company has retained leader status of an enormous fast-food market. Why? Any business that wants to be successful must be concerned with the message of its brand and that it generates good feelings in the minds of its buyers. The McDonald’s brand is the perception people have of its restaurant chain. The perception people have is influenced on many levels. The company works to Influence its brand in many streams, including the company’s charity foundation, the Ronald McDonald House, its updated fresh alternative menu, and its sophisticated new architectural look. “‘McDonald’s promises to be a forever young brand,’ says John Miologos, vice-president of worldwide architecture, design, and construction at McDonald’s Corp. ‘We have to deliver on that promise.’” (Business Week 2006) To be “forever young” is one of McDonald’s brand objectives.

How the company is perceived is its brand. The visual brand is the alignment of the company’s visual graphic presence with its brand objectives. McDonald’s visual brand, its identity, consists of the iconic golden arches– its logo–which are strategically woven through everything the company does.

Today, even for the sole proprietor, having a professional visual brand can mean the difference between competing at the top of your game and just getting by. Does a logo appear out-dated or amateurish? Having an effective professionally created identity, or logo, gives a business a remarkable advantage over its competitors. It has the power to communicate credibility, leader status, and leave a positive impression that is remembered! Every startup business should budget a portion of its initial capital to building a visual brand, it is the foundation of their presence in the minds and hearts of their target market. A positive impression builds trust: trust leads to sales.

Business owners who make this investment realize how critical a dynamic visual brand presence is to positioning their company as a serious and competitive player in their industry.

Contact Identity Graphic Design and mention this article for a no cost consultation. Whether starting a new business, launching a new product, or needing to upgrade your company’s presence, Identity Graphic Design can give you the remarkable advantage of a dynamic visual brand. www.TheRemarkableAdvantage.com

by Linda Kleist

If you are a business owner and could prove to yourself that the right logo would increase sales, would you make your logo a high priority?

To help keep things clear, let’s define some terms. Brand is a big buzz word, and it’s important. It’s also important to know that your brand isn’t your logo.

The brand is what people think and feel about your business, product, or services based on what they see, hear, and experience. The logo is a slice of the brand experience. But it is a very important slice… like your first piece of hot pizza!

Your logo is the face of your business. It’s how people recognize you and your business or product. The logoidentifies: it’s the face of a business or product.

Imagine networking in a room with 200 people, and you glance over and see someone you know walk in the door. You know instantly who that person is. How? You have identified them by their face. Things you know and feel about that person come flooding into your mind and emotions in a moment without saying a word. That is the brand experience.

That’s an example of what a logo does for a business. When people see your logo-the face of your business, what people think and feel about your business follow.

What if a person doesn’t know anything about your business except for the logo they see on a business card, a sign, or brochure?

Here is something every business owner should take note of: The importance of a face.

Psychological Science published an article in July 2006, summarized by Eric Wargo, with the results of research by two Princeton psychologists Willis and Todorov. In a series of experiments, they showed respondents photographs of strangers and asked them to measure specific character qualities, such as competence, attractiveness, trustworthiness and aggressiveness. Two qualities that people felt the strongest about wasattractiveness and trustworthiness. So, without any information, except for the person’s face, respondents strongly judged whether a person could be trusted.

Q: How long do you think it took them to look at a photograph of a stranger and come to that conclusion?

A: One-tenth of a second. In the blink of an eye!

Furthermore, the longer the respondents were able to look, the more solidified they became in their opinion! Their first impression remained the same and even grew more resolute.

Now, we don’t like to think of ourselves as judgmental, but we must face the music: we are a judgmental species and we DO judge a book by its cover. (So, when you write a book, make sure you have a good designer because the right cover will drive sales!)

People will judge a stranger’s trustworthiness without any facts, just their face-in 1/10th of a SECOND! One of the fundamental factors in business is trust.

We often hear the phrase that Bob Burg turns in his book, Endless Referrals, “People do business with people they know, like, and trust.”

Marty Neumeier, in his book, The Brand Gap, says that “Trust is the ultimate shortcut to a buying decision, and the bedrock of modern branding.”

What does trust have to do with your logo? Since the logo is the identity, the face, of your business, people are making judgments about the quality and trustworthiness of your business.

I have heard business owners declare that it’s only price and service which matters and that a logo is just “fluff.” If that’s true, then why do the big guys spend the big bucks to get it right?

If your logo is out-dated or amateurish, you risk communicating that you are a novice or that you are not progressive or a leader in your industry. Your customers have to “get past,” even on a subconscious level, that message in order to do business with you. Or, they may be going past you to your competitor who looks more competent, professional, reliable – someone they can trust.

Getting back to the phrase, “People do business with people they know, like, and trust,” If a logo communicates trust, can it also help your prospects and customers know and like you? Sure!

Can your logo help people feel comfortable, like they know you? People will relate to a feeling and personality and feel like they know your business. Will your target market relate to your product or service if you look more relaxed & approachable, or strong and loyal, masculine or feminine? The right logo (identity) will communicate the right brand message and credibility that will give people the right impression and confidence to buy from you.

Attractiveness was the second strongest feeling that was measured in the Princeton study. We like what we find attractive. A logo that is busy rather than sophisticated, dull rather than dynamic, or common rather than memorable will not be as attractive and “liked.”

If a prospect knows little about your business, and their first impression is your logo on a business card, stationery, vehicle, trade show display, sign or brochure, they will likely make the same judgment as the people in the study…in the blink of an eye.

It takes years to build a solid brand and a lot of work to keep it. Your logo can help build a solid brand, or work against it. Like a well-dressed and personable salesperson– who never sleeps–it can get you in the door and give you the advantage.

Identity Graphic Design gives you the Remarkable Advantage of a credible visual brand…in the blink of an eye!

The remarkable advantage is the perfect impression created without saying a word. It’s instant credibility, in the blink of an eye.

Make the investment into your business that will yield returns for years to come.

July 2006 www.psychologicalscience.org