Industry News
Your Logo is Not Your Brand
How Small Companies Can Benefit from Branding Without Spending
a Fortune.
It is a common misconception, probably started by graphic designers, that a great-looking
logo is critical to branding success. The truth, according to many experts, is that
a great-looking logo is only a small part of building a successful brand. Indeed,
some believe the quality of the logo is relatively unimportant.
In an article for smallbusinessbranding.com, marketing expert, Nick Rice tells readers
that the logo really doesn't matter. "Would you choose MSN as your search engine
over Google because of their logo," he writes. "No, having a nice professional logo
is great, but it very rarely increases sales."
While Rice is not opposed to using an attractive logo, he advises his readers not
to spend a fortune on designing one. "It is more important to include your logo
on every piece of communication," he says. "Put it on business cards, letterhead,
envelopes, invoices, yellow page ads, building signage, newsletters, etc."
Another marketing writer agrees. Steven Bradley writing for the blog vanseodesign.com,
tells us that the swoosh is not Nike's brand. "It's their logo," he writes. "Nike
has done such a good job getting that swoosh in front of us that it immediately
calls to mind their brand, but that swoosh is not their brand. Nike could have chosen
a circle as its logo and they would still have essentially the same brand."
Bradley believes that a different logo would not change the sum of associations
consumers have about Nike.
What Exactly is a Brand
According to Wikipedia, a brand is
...a collection of experiences and associations attached to a company, organization,
product or service; more specifically, brand refers to the concrete symbols such
as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of
all the information connected to a company, organization, product or service.
That definition describes a "total experience" not just an image or logo. "For small
businesses, that experience can mean the way your people answer the phone, the narrative
voice in your direct mail, your track record on deliveries," says Joseph P. Giunta,
contract training manager for Joliet Junior College's (JJC) Corporate and Community
Services (CCS) division. "It really is the sum of all customer experience with your
company."
Where to Start
Good branding begins with knowing what your company is good at doing. If you are
great at competing on price, don't promote yourself as a "high-end" provider. If
quality is your strength, don't try to compete on price. The important thing is
to know what you do best and communicate that consistently.
Consistency is key says Bradley. "If you want to be seen as easily approachable,"
he writes, "then using corporate blue in all your marketing doesn't make sense.
You start building a stronger brand by being in harmony with yourself."
What's in a Name
Shakespeare told us that a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. Apparently,
he was a marketing genius.
In an article appearing on allbusiness.com, a D & B sponsored blog site, the
writer tells us that a web site's domain name doesn't necessarily have to relate
to what you sell in order to be successful. "How does the name 'Amazon' relate to
books and other products? Or 'Google' to a search engine? These are successful names
and brands, but it's a stretch to say they have anything to do with the companies'
offerings," says the writer.
In a time when getting the domain name you want is becoming increasingly difficult,
it is comforting to know that it really doesn't matter.
What does matter is using your web site as an extension of your offline branding.
The web site should support your brand, not conflict with it.
To read more, visit:
http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/655/branding-tips-small-business/
http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/branding/branding-for-small-business-and-bloggers/
http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/branding-brand-development/1216-1.html
If you would like to learn about branding for small businesses, please contact Joe
Giunta at (815) 280-2729, or e-mail jgiunta@jjc.edu.
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