How to Create a Great Logo Part 3

Part 3 How to Create a Great Logo

Before you read this, you may want to read parts 1 and 2 which are elsewhere on this blog.

Why every business needs a logo.

It captures the attention of its viewers immediately.

It sets your business apart from all competition.

You occupy a place in your prospect’s and customer’s minds, it’s memorable.

It establishes your business as being professional and reputable.

It “brands” your businesses.

It offers name recognition.

It adds necessary consistency in all of your advertising.

It creates marketing cohesiveness.

It is a silent ambassador working for you 24/7 telling your prospects and customers the “who, what, where, why and how” of your business. Yes, it is all in that simple symbol; or it should be!

It “positions” your business in the minds of your prospects and customers.

Your logo should be used on just about everything with very few exceptions. Also be sure that you have strict guidelines as to how it should be used for different applications. Large corporations are much strict on all of this; as they should be, because they need to maintain consistency of use by all their locations, dealers and representatives. Having this “end in mind” should also be considered when creating a logo.

Places to display your logo would include: business card, stationery, all of your marketing materials such as brochures, within your videos, indoor and outdoor signs, POP displays, promotional items like pens, calendars and hats (get great prices and service at: www.myimprintrep.com; this is one of my companies), and even on magnetic signs for your car. Truly, the media for using your logo is almost endless. Always protect and respect your logo and use it on media that reflects only what you believe in and matches with your USP and everything that your business “stands” for. Always be sure that when you advertise and use your logo that it is “relevant” to the market where it is used. Finally, only advertise and use your logo in association with other companies that espouse similar philosophies as you do.

There really is much that goes into a stellar logo, one that says everything it needs to say, and one that will say it for a long time, bringing you business and maintaining your business for years to come.

I understand that I feel pretty strong about creating logos, and it’s because I see so much “visual junk” that reflects poorly on a business. I wish that I could state more in this short article, but I find that it’s easier to answer questions and comments. So please leave them here and I will be glad to help in any way I can. You may also contact me at my webpage: www.terscott.com/contact.

Also, your logo will be treated right when you use it on any of our thousands of imprinted products at: www.myimprintrep.com. “Is your imprint rep, My Imprint Rep”?

Create a Great Logo Part 2

Part 2 How to Create a Great Logo

First be sure to read Part 1: http://terscott.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-create-great-logo.html

Unless you are a graphic designer or this is what your business is, have someone else do this. If your business is selling furniture or dentistry, concentrate on sofas or teeth. Let a professional do the creative work of using psychology of line, color, shape, and everything else that goes into your one of a kind symbol that is “all you”.

Don’t get a logo in a box, either. Do this right. Don’t be afraid to have a professional create your logo. And by “professional” I don’t mean your best friend’s brother’s kid who is good on the computer or is taking or has just completed graphic design training. I know that some of these students are great at what they do; I’ve taught graphic design at the university level, but would you trust a brain surgeon who has just started his or her practice? Your business health and longevity relies much on having a great logo, so don’t settle for less.

When I create a logo I spend a lot of time on first getting to know the originator’s philosophy about the business, I learn about the industry, and I learn about who the customers are. Then I use the psychology of color and design to put together a symbol that looks good in black and white and in color and on most of the different shapes of image areas. For instance a rectangular logo looks great on a long pen where a square shape may lose something in its “look”. Also, there has to be a “reason” for everything in a logo, so there has to be a reason that the logo is a long rectangular shape instead of a circle or square.

For me to design and have a logo created for a company can take between 3 months to a year because of the many steps and care I go through but then most of my logos have been in use now for well over 10 years; they endure the test of time. A fine handmade guitar, for instance, takes well over a year to make and like anything that is “made to order” a great logo that will speak well of your business and “work” for you every time someone sees it, is worth the wait and the cost!  

I invite you to leave your questions and comments here or I would be glad to communicate with you via my contact form at www.terscott.com/contact.

Also, your logo will be treated right when you use it on any of our thousands of imprinted products at: www.myimprintrep.com. “Is your imprint rep, My Imprint Rep”?

 And be sure to return to read Part 3 of How to Create a Great Logo. (Consider joining the "Follow by Email" and get each post by RSS feed in your email when published so you'll never miss an article).

Here are my Marketing Thoughts about Business Cards

MONDAY MARKETING MINUTE

Some would tell you that a business card is a “mini-billboard”. Not so, people are not driving by your business card at speeds over 55 miles per hour, so you can state more on your card than the typical rule of 5 to 7 words for a successful billboard. (I’ll speak more about billboards elsewhere). But just because one can state more on a business card isn’t license to do so; more is not necessarily “better”. Also, I believe one should follow a checklist when creating a business card so you don’t miss anything (how many times have you seen a business card without a zip code or phone number for instance) but following a cookie cutter template for every business card is not the answer either. Of course, I’m not dismissing the fact that one would use the template approach for all cards within a business for consistency in format and design. I have a check list that I follow when constructing business cards and you can have it free by requesting: “Free Business Card Building Checklist” using my contact form at: www.terscott.com/contact.

Think of your business card as an advertisement because that is what it is. Marketing this advertisement would be your distribution plan of handing them out, posting them on bulletin boards, placing them in every product shipment and more. It’s amazing just how many business people are “stingy” in using business cards to promote their product and service and keep them in their desk drawer! Get them out there working for you; hand them out. I like to keep the back side blank on some of my cards and when having conversations or writing notes and numbers for people and give them my card with the information on it. When someone asks me for a phone number or a reference or directions, out comes my card from my pocket, I write notes on it, and it goes in to their pocket; marketing accomplished. I learned from Tom Hopkins, “The Sales Champion Guy”, years ago about how he would give a business card to check out clerks when buying his groceries, and place them in the envelopes when he would pay his utility bills (these people need your product too). One day he got a call from someone who either worked at the electric company or his grocery store (it’s been so long that I don’t remember) and said I’ve got a drawer of your business cards; now I’m ready to buy a house! So, the lesson here might be that it’s OK to have your business cards in a drawer, but it should be your prospects drawer!

When creating your business card “ad”, as with any advertising, consider your audience, know your intent, and only “say” what needs to be said. When I consider my audience, I sometimes go as far as to ask myself things like “what is my prospect doing when he or she gets my card” and you can also do the same by taking this a bit further than the usual demographics, and psychographics of your audience. Then depending on your intent, you can state on your “business card” only the content that is required. (I put “business card” in quotes here because your business card could be a magnet, a pen, even an imprinted baseball cap; and I’ll talk more about that later. You can get great pricing and professional service on these “business cards” at my company: www.MyImprintRep.com). What I mean by using only your “intentional content” (the phrase that I coined) is that, let’s say you want to promote your website; then using “intentional content” you would state your web address and nothing else- no phone number and no physical address. Absurd you say, “I pay $100 for 1000 cards! I want all that I can print on that little 2 by 3.5 inch piece of paper to get my money’s worth”.  If you are not having people see your card and take action in contacting you and buying something, you are not getting your money’s worth. When someone sees your card, and is not distracted by “Hmmm, should I call, fax, email, or walk in” and only sees your web site’s address, and thinks, “Wow, haven’t seen a card like this”, visits your website where they get more information and buys something then or later, that’s marketing, and that’s “worth it”.

 

I wanted this to be a 3 Part article but I’m thinking it may become 4 or more. Pleae come back and read about The Traditional Business Card, The  Non Traditional Business Card and When a Business Card is Not a Business Card (and maybe something else as my creative mind directs me about this magnificent marketing piece for any business). Don’t forget, the easiest way to never miss an article is to “become a follower by email” on this page. You’ll sign up for an RSS feed to your email and get articles as they are posted.

Make it a great day!

Ter Scott!

How to Create a Great Logo

A business logo to me is a personal thing. It should be the fingerprint of the originator’s soul translated into an image that at a moment’s glance says everything about what a business is and what it does. And I have to say, most businesses (and their graphic designers) get this wrong. Frankly, to me, over half of the logos I see are “embarrassing”.

How to Create a Great Logo Part 1

Here’s how to be sure to have a great logo:

Be prepared to spend some time on it; don’t settle for throwing a couple of symbols together. Also, don’t create two or three designs to choose from. Start with many and gradually narrow your choices. I start with one hundred ideas before I start to narrow my choices, combining ideas and throwing out others. As my number of choices gets smaller, then I bring in the client to get feedback.

Take time to get away from the drawing board and get my mind on something else so I always return with fresh eyes. I also get the “eyes” and opinions of others who are in the industry and outside the industry. (I do this cautiously and I’m careful who sees this because the creation of a logo is a private and confidential thing; especially before it is published).

Read a lot about the business, the founder, the owner, the industry. Eat and breathe this and you’ll give birth to a great logo.

I invite you to leave your questions and comments here or I would be glad to communicate with you via my contact form at www.terscott.com/contact.

Also, your logo will be treated right when you use it on any of our thousands of imprinted products at: www.myimprintrep.com. “Is your imprint rep, My Imprint Rep”?

And be sure to return to read Part 2 and Part 3 of How to Have a Great Logo

You've got a great business, now "attain" a great life.

As a business person you spend hours preparing and planning the marketing for the year. Here's something similar but you do it for yourself without the charts, and graphs. Imagine what your own personal life could be if you gave it the attention that you do your business. Most people are so busy building a business that they don't have a life. Get my newest Kindle book and a life!

 

Whatever you do, whoever you are, you probably want to get more from your life, your career, etc. I’ve put together a book that show you how you can turn your life around within twelve months. People want instant fixes but we must remember that we didn’t get into our present situation “instantly” it took some time to get where we are with the good and the not so good. Get my book, create your own reflection and projection holiday and put it on your calendar. Give yourself twelve months time to see results. As the old commercial stated, “Try it, you’ll like it”. It’s only $4.99 (priced this low for a limited time; no, really. The price goes up soon).

 

Tony Robbins says that by the 15th of January most people have quit their resolution, that is why he one of his passions is to help people 365 days a year. And, that's why I just published my Kindle book: Attainment Revelation Celebration. It explains how you can create your own holiday in which you create a list of wishes, set them aside for twelve months, when you come back to them on your personal holiday to reflect and project; and repeat the process for another year. Plus, you can start this at any time; not just at the beginning of the year!

 

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