You had a burning desire to make a difference in the world plus you have something unique to say or offer potential customers.
Sure there may be several others who do the same type of product or service as you.... but YOU are different....
YOU care....YOU have passion.
So how do you convey all of the above to your target audience? Where do you start? Who do you speak to first? And more importantly how do you advertise your service or product?
Ah that's easy I hear you say... all I need is a business card and maybe a facebook page and I am good to go.... well there is a little more to consider here..
Most of the time we start our businesses without much thought to how our business will look to others, and more often than not we 'make do' with something until we can afford to have something created more professionally.
How often have you heard (or even said yourself) "but I don't have much money so I will just 'make do' for now. I know how to use word, how hard can it be to design my own logo? and while I am at it, my own business cards."
Not very hard at all .....however now that I have your attention.... Let me repeat this sentence....
"how will my business look to others"
This simple little statement I believe is the most important element when marketing any business.
We live in a world that is all about perception. How we appear on the surface is how we are judged.
Did you know it is the same for your business?
Wouldn't it be better to be judged as the professional, the go to person in your field and stand out from your competitors?
Over the years I have witnessed businesses who have a wonderful service to offer or a fabulous product however they have not taken the time to really think about what message their branding (if any) is conveying to their potential customer and more often than not they are having trouble marketing their business because of the mixed message their brand is 'saying' to the market.
Getting it right in the first place will save you dollars. Dollars in lost sales due to confusion from your audience not to mention lost dollars in time wasted when the right design could have been working for you from the start..
So here are a couple of hints to help you think about the 'look' of your business:
1. Ask a friend or better still someone who is not so close to you if they 'get' what you are trying to offer by simply looking at your branding or logo.
2. Is your design simple and clear to the viewer? or is it giving mixed messages that may confuse your target audience.
3. Look at other famous brands, see what makes their design 'stand out from the crowd', what are the elements they have used. Is it colour? Is it style?
These are just a few of the basics to think about so when a designer starts to create the 'look' of your business you will end up with a brand that truly represents YOU and your business and one that will attract the right client from the start...
Until next time...
Liane Barker Inspired Business Design
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