Jul 16

Branding Mistakes To Avoid

By Andy Scherer Branding, Marketing Strategies 4 Comments »
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Attending several business conferences and seminars throughout the years, one constant themes rings loud and clear: be strong, consistent, and efficient in your branding efforts.  Along with the resounding theme, they give you tips on how to be a better brand marketer.  However, what they generally fail to do is tell you what to avoid throughout your branding trials and tribulations.

One of the biggest mistakes that companies make is trying to make everyone happy.  Remember that you have a target audience and you need to appeal to them.  It is their job at that point to be your champion and market your product by word of mouth.  So, make your niche market happy and allow them to carry your product or service onto the other audiences.

Another error that is significant throughout many branding efforts is using too much industry verbage.  Keep in mind that you are speaking to your audience, and the majority of your target audience will not understand technical jargon.  However, they will understand and respond better with language that they can comprehend.  The rule of “keep it simple” absolutely applies!

Thirdly, remember that your company is not vastly different from your competition.  I don’t mean to insult you or your company with this comment, but the truth of the matter is that there are several other marketing and design companies out there to choose from.  However, you are here reading this blog for a reason…the way we deliver our products and services.  If you are going to be different just to be different, you might as well throw your branding and marketing efforts out the window.  However, if you are able to be significantly different in how you deliver your product it’s a slam dunk!

Furthering that same thought, not having a dedicated marketing plan is one of the most significant mistakes that companies can make.  Businesses will generate tens of thousands of ideas on how to market and establish a brand identity.  However, they typically will not follow through with these ideas due to their financial resources, or manpower.  Make sure that you have a well thought out marketing plan that will help you establish a significantly strong brand identity that works within your financial and human resource budget.

Finally, overbranding and not understanding when you have got a good thing going is the most significant mistake that companies can make in establishing a brand identity.  Know and understand when your brand is established by analyzing production results in comparison to your marketing efforts.  Remember that you do not want to change something that is working until the change is necessary (your audience shifts interest, your target audience expands, your products and services expand, etc).

Overall, it’s very simple yet very complex to establish a consistent brand identity.  It is up to you to know when to stop establishing your brand and maintain identity.  It’s also important that you create and stay dedicated to your brand marketing plan.  Remember that your company is different because of how it delivers products and services, and that your target audience needs to understand the message that you are utilizing through your marketing.  The key here is to make sure that your niche audience stays happy!  With all of that said, if you need assistance with establishing your brand identity, please feel free to contact Impact!  We would love to consult with you and help you reach your brand marketing goals!

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Jul 07

Keeping Color Continuity In Marketing

By Andy Scherer Branding, Customer Analysis, Marketing Strategies, Print Design, Website Design 10 Comments »
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Business owners large and small implement various scales of marketing campaigns.  With every one of these marketing campaigns there is a certain set of brand standards utilized.  Brand standards (or guidelines) descriptively define uses of your logo, pictures/graphics that are used or avoided, specific font families, and the visual or illustrated effects incorporated in the marketing material.  However, one of the most important aspects of establishing a brand standard is the company’s color palette.

color wheel 267x300 Keeping Color Continuity In MarketingEffective color combinations and efficient utilization of that color palette can significantly enhance an audience’s retention of that your company which gives you a definitive advantage over your competition.  Along with this, if the appropriate color combination is used for a particular company, it can increase an audience’s understanding of the marketing material by 73%.  To top those off, if you are able to use a meaningful color palette with your company’s marketing, you could also increase brand recognition by 80%.

Alright, now that you are sold on the idea of color consistency and fully understand why you should maintain brand standards for color, let’s take a look at a few quick tips on how you can maximize your color choices:

  • Utilize your color palette and logo throughout all marketing material.  Remember, the trick is to expose your target audience to your brand and logo as much and as efficiently as possible while increasing brand recognition and memory retention of your company.
  • Establish new (full-color) marketing material that is consistent with your logo and chosen color palette.  This will help draw attention to your materials and help your audience remember your company.  However, never settle on just one format of these materials.  Always experiment, research, analyze, and adapt your marketing campaigns so that you are consistently changing with your audience’s needs/wants.
  • Choose colors that compliment each other and will enhance the aesthetics of your marketing campaigns.  It’s not just about what the colors mean individually, but it is all about how the appropriate colors compliment each other and enhance your brand.  This also goes hand-in-hand with the retention of your company as well as how your company is recognized against other competition.

While we will always suggest that you attempt to learn how to establish these brand standards and help yourself, these are not easy tasks to handle by yourself so if you need assistance or advice please contact us at Impact.  We specialize in branding and marketing and would love to help you out, and as always, if you have a comment please leave it below!

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Jul 05

Web Design Tips For The iPad

By Andy Scherer Branding, Internet News, Marketing Strategies, Website Design 25 Comments »
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With the emerging popularity of the iPad, web designers are forced to reconsider how they look at creating a positive user experience for website owners.  Let’s take a look at the top 5 hints for designing websites for the iPad.

  1. Width — The iPad allows users to view a website in either landscape or portrait settings which means that web designers need to utilize a fluid width in their sites.  As a recommendation, javascript and CSS used efficiently together can present an outstanding experience for users on the iPad.
  2. Multiple CSS — While using a fluid width is preferred, there are certain situations that a web developer simply cannot accommodate the needs of the website with using a fluid width.  In these situations, web designers need to have various CSS for various devices and device configurations.
  3. Exclude Hover Effects — Remember that the primary navigation tool of the iPad user is his/her finger which means that the hover over effects that you include on your normal sites will not be used by iPad users.  For web designers, it is now more important than ever to include descriptive navigation menus that do not drop down, but can get the user to what they want within that 2 to 3 click depth.  However, this also can be solved by using various CSS (see tip 2 again)
  4. Linking — Along with the navigation bars not having the ability to drop down with a hover effect, the same goes for links on the pages or posts.  Make sure that the links you use are either a different font, a different size, bolded, or have some effect that will not require a hover over action to allow your user better access to those particular links while using the iPad.
  5. Reinventing The Wheel — Keep in mind that you are not reinventing the wheel with this website design, but enhancing the usability of your current sites within the iPad device.  So, maintain keyword placement, maintain quality content, and continue to work for your website rankings.

ipad 150x150 Web Design Tips For The iPadIn conclusion, the iPad presents a lot of challenges for the web designers out there, but it also allows the web developers expand on what they are currently providing and truly bring their clientele to the next level.  If you have any comments please feel free to leave them below or contact Impact for help designing your iPad site.

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Jul 03

The Importance of Having Great Photography on Your Site

By Ken Liebeskind Branding, Marketing Strategies, Print Design, Search Engine Optimization, Website Design No Comments »
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Utilizing photography on your website is a key to success because pictures illuminate the copy. Websites with pictures beat text only sites hands down because they enable you to get a better sense of the products quickly. Remember, first impressions are crucial online when you sometimes only have a few seconds to grab a visitor’s attention. So do it with alluring pictures that will draw the visitor into your site and then they’ll read the content.

You can use your own digital pictures, find free photos at a range of sites or purchase stock photos for as little as $1 each. The key is to make sure they’re relevant to your product and convey the image you want to project.Photography

Once you have great photos on your site, visitors will take notice. Also, you can submit the photo pages from your site to blogs that will increase your traffic.

There are a number of ways to add photography to your site. WordPress is most popular now. You can upload photos directly from within WordPress with the file uploading utility or use other software programs, such as FlickR. You can also use Dreamweaver to add photos to your site.

Check with your website design firm to determine the best way to add photos to your site and make sure you include them to illuminate the message you want to portray that will boost your business.

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Jul 02

Top Apps To Help Market Your Business

By Andy Scherer Branding, Email Marketing, Internet News, Marketing Strategies, Search Engine Optimization 3 Comments »
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When you break down the machine you know as your marketing campaign, there are a few things that you are attempting to accomplish: (1) communicate easier and faster, (2) enhance or add to the experience your audience gets with your company, (3) improve the relationship that you already have established or create a new working relationship, and (4) add a little excitement and uniqueness to your product or service.  With this in mind, it’s now time to take a look at some of the apps out there that will help you in your marketing venture.

Apps for Facebook
  1. Countdown Calendar – Promote a grand reopening, a sale, or anything else you please through this great app that will count down to any event you specify
  2. LinkedIn — Allows a LinkedIn badge in your profile as well as a direct link to your LinkedIn profile page.  This is a great way to market your networking abilities and demonstrate your online presence
  3. Causes — I would suggest being careful with this app as you want to make sure your causes directly relate to your product or services
Twitter Apps
  1. Tweet Late — This app allows you to setup an auto-responder message that gets sent to anyone and everyone that follows you.
  2. Twitbeep — As a blogger, you want to know when someone uses your keywords.  This app will send you an alert when a tweet uses specified keywords
  3. Tweetlevel — A rating system for Twitter followers which measures how many people listen to you, how many people follow you, how active you participate, and whether people “believe” you
Mobile Apps
  1. MobiOpons – An outstanding app for manufacturing companies or retail companies as you create mobile coupons  for your clients, and the only time you pay is when the coupon is redeemed.
  2. MobileStorm — Mobile e-mail marketing at its best.  This app truly allows full featured, fully trackable, and totally efficient e-mail marketing from your mobile device
  3. Trumpia — If you want to do it all in one shot, this is the true be-all-end-all of e-mail, text, and social marketing via mobile device.

If you are able to cover these three areas with efficient apps you are more than starting on the right foot, and if you need any help with these (or have any comments) feel free to leave them below or contact Impact.  Enjoy the marketing help!

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Jun 25

Add More Profit With Great Ads

By Andy Scherer Advertisement Design, Branding, Print Design, Search Engine Optimization 6 Comments »
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Advertisements can either be a tremendous burden financially, but if created correctly they can produce excellent numbers to positively effect your bottom line.  Companies have tried everything from pictures in their print ads, videos in their online ads, crazy voices in their radio ads, but they fail to recognize the basics of what an advertisement needs.  So, let’s break down an ad and talk about how we can emphasize those areas so you can take a step ahead of your competition:

Headlines

A good, strong, and catching headline is one of the most important aspects of your ad.  The headline should be what sticks in your clients’ minds, and is something that should be resounded throughout your entire company.  Yes, that means that when you launch a specific campaign that you answer your phones with that catchy headline, you sign off of your e-mails with it, and you put it on your voice message as well as including it on your letterhead.

When you create the headline of your ad, keep in mind that you want the statement to:

  1. Precisely outline the benefit that your product/service provides
  2. Specifically define or speak to your target audience
  3. Efficiently summarize what the ad is about
Text Content

This is one of the largest debates among people within the marketing industry; is a large amount of copy better than a smaller amount of copy (and vice versa).  However, studies have shown that longer copy tells the story and answers more questions which reassures target clientele more-so than short copy.  In other words, long copy is better (if done right) than short.

Now, let’s take a look at 3 quick tips to make your body copy more effective:

  1. Succinctly and effectively deliver your story through short paragraphs and descriptive action verbage
  2. Utilize an easily read typeface for the copy; the easier your text is to read the more understood your product/service will be (i.e. serif text)
  3. Emphasize pertinent words and/or statements through bolded, underlined, or italicized text
Content of the Copy

As you now know how to format the copy efficiently, it’s important to also know how to create effective and meaningful content.   The objective of your text needs to capture your story, but it also needs to sell.  Here are some great ways to utilize the copy to increase your productivity:

  1. Sell a self-interested benefit that will likely improve their quality of life
  2. Incorporate action and descriptive words that will entice the reader to move further with their business relationship
  3. Include at least one call to action which is subtle but to the point
Ask For The Sale

This is absolutely the most important thing that marketers forget to include; a method to close the sale and improve their cost efficiency with their advertisements. Within the copy, I suggested to include at least one subtle call to action. However, at the end of your ad you need to get a little more aggressive and close the sale with your audience.

As you come up with the ideal closing, keep in mind that the close should:

  1. Provide motivation to act immediately and not wait until a later date
  2. Emotionally drive the audience to move forward with your company
  3. Include a benefit for acting promptly

Overall, an advertisement is an outstanding way to increase productivity within your business, but there needs to be a certain high level of delivery within the ad itself.  In order to do that you need to increase the efficacy of your headline, format your copy accordingly, include interesting and informative copy, and close the sale with the clients.

If you have any other ideas on how you can truly make an ad more efficient please feel free to add a comment below, or contact Impact if you need assistance with branding and marketing!

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Jun 22

5 Ways to Get More Customers

By Ken Liebeskind Branding, E-Commerce, Search Engine Optimization, Website Traffic Analysis No Comments »
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If you’re looking for ways to get more customers, there are a number of marketing techniques you can use, and here are five of the best.

1. Affiliate marketing: Promoting a web business in which affiliates are rewarded for every visitor, customer or sale provided through their efforts.
2. Article marketing: Short keyword articles promoting your business are posted, with links to your website so readers will be driven to visit your site.
3. Buzz marketing: Viral marketing techniques generate the release of personal information from consumers that can be used to create a database of prospective customers.
4. Direct marketing: Direct mail and other forms of direct marketing utilize call to action methodologies to generate sales and accurately track results.
5. Database marketing: A form of direct marketing that uses databases of customers to generate personalized communications to promote a product or service.

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Jun 04

Business Cards 2.0: Make The Jump From 1.0

By Andy Scherer Branding, Print Design 2 Comments »
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In the first part of this min-E-book series we talked a bit about why your business cards need to stand out, but now let’s take the next step and talk about how you can start that transition from a 1.0 business card to a 2.0 marketing tool.

business card plain 300x175 Business Cards 2.0: Make The Jump From 1.0I’m sure that you have all seen the good ole fashion common business card.  It has a small logo, small text with the business-person’s information, and nothing on the backside of the card.  The biggest way that you can stand out is to utilize the space provided on a business card and then think outside the box.  Remember that you want to get the most bang for your buck with the space provided.  So, in order to take your business cards to the next level:

  1. Select a background color that is associated with your logo, or implement an lightened image or pattern that is affiliated with your business as the primary background.  A great example for a photographer is to use a lens side camera on the front part of the card and the viewfinder side of the camera on the backside (or vice-versa).  Keep in mind, though, that you don’t want the image or pattern to become the focus of the card so lighten the image to draw more attention to the logo, contact info, and other pertinent aspects.
  2. You get one shot to make an impression through your text.  Make your name, your business’ name, or your company’s message stand out by using either stronger text in the same family of font, or bold out the current font that you are using for the content.  Remember, you want to highlight the most important aspect of the card be it your name or your business message as that is what people will remember when they think about your business card.  This is your shot to make that one major impression.
  3. Place your professional picture on the card to help put a face to the name and business. This is one of those personal touches that we will talk about consistently, and studies have shown that people tend to hang on to business cards with pictures on them over cards with no pictures.  Your target audience wants to know who you are and what you look like as they have an innate need to feel confident with whom they give their business to.
  4. Provide incentive to use your card and give your audience a reason to keep and utilize your card.  For example, place a bar code on the back of each card and label it (Good for 10% off purchases of “x” amount or more).  Another example would be to add the “Bring-A-Friend” function (i.e. “Present this card at our registration desk and your guest gets in free”).  Whatever your business may be, there can be a higher calling for your business cards.  Find it and us it as often as possible.

nice business card 300x188 Business Cards 2.0: Make The Jump From 1.0Overall, remember that you need to take the time to upgrade your business cards from the old 1.0 layout to a 2.0 design with overall functionality.  If you are able to successfully reposition yourself (either with our help or by yourself) with more efficient business cards, you will take another step above your competition and consequently increase your productivity.

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Jun 02

Business Cards 2.0: Why Make Them Stand Out

By Andy Scherer Branding 3 Comments »
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Here’s a riddle for you:

What does almost everyone in the business world have, but almost yet almost nobody in the business world knows how to use?

The answer?  A business card!  Plenty of people have business cards, but very few people actually know how to use them effectively.  In this three part mini blog series (Business Cards 2.0), we’ll touch on:

  1. Why you should make your cards stand out
  2. How to transition your cards from 1.0 to 2.0
  3. Strategic and efficient marketing plans for your business cards

BusinessCard 300x216 Business Cards 2.0: Why Make Them Stand OutFirst and foremost, it’s important for you to know that while your competitors will spend the time to upgrade their logo, they will not take that same time to refresh their business card appearance.  That means that while they are still delivering an ineffective 1.0 version of a business card, you have already taken the step to bring your business card to the next generation.  By making your cards stand out you have a clear cut advantage over your competition that is hitting the same target audience.

Second, you need to realize what your business card is…an significant extension and vivid description of your business.  I already know the answer to the next question, but do you really want your business card to say that you are a second rate company?  I hope you are screaming “Absolutely Not”!  In that case, you want to make sure that your cards speak your message loud and clear that you are a cut above the rest.  Let your business cards take your company to the next level as they deliver a clear description of you and your business.

Finally, now that you have started to realize that you need to refurbish your business cards make sure that you understand that, in today’s society business cards have become an afterthought.  That’s right, one of the most direct ways to promote your company (for free I might add) has dropped in significance because of website designs, blogs, and other high tech marketing strategies.  However, you have the rare opportunity to change that by taking your business cards into a new playing field.  You have the ability to go from afterthought to always on their mind which directly translates into more business for you.

Remember, just because you have business cards doesn’t mean that your work is over.  Make sure that you maintain the appearance of your card in order to make it stand out among your competition by letting your cards speak loudly and clearly which will help you (and your business) go from afterthought to being on their memory speed dial!  Now that you have the general idea about making your business card stand out, stay tuned for ways that you can accomplish that stand-out star quality!

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