That Which We Call a Rose – How You Can Build a Stand-Out Brand

Posted by
Joan Wackell – Maestro Strategic Marketing
Marketing Consultant – “The Maestro”

Have you ever met a business owner who passes along a business card that says something like: John Doe, Consultant? Contact information is included but nowhere does it say what his business is.

Or, maybe you’ve received a card with a business name like Azalea’s. What does that name conjure up in your mind about her business, that she owns a florist shop or a landscape company? When the truth is that she owns a bakery but simply picked an inaccurate name because she loves azaleas.

If you are planning to open a new business or, if no one can figure out what you do- you have missed a very basic step in ensuring that you succeed. Whether you’ve reached one of the following stages: naming your business or re-branding it’s time to tread thoughtfully and strategically. Branding is a process that follows several key steps that, in the end, lay the foundation for you to:

Develop a business name – A good place to start is to explore what you do and how your business name can communicate that to customers. Hilliard Communications – Newsletters Plus www.hilliardcommunications.com clearly conveys the services that she offers.

Reminder: In naming your business, check to see if you can buy a URL that is relevant to your business name.

Create a tagline – A tagline is most likely the second most noticeable element of your corporate identity. It can summarize what you do, build an element of trust or drive business your way. Several creative and targeted tagline examples include:

• Tube Media Production’s www.tube-media.com tagline is “Simply effective video.”

• Another is Imagine Web Designs’ www.imaginewebdesigns.com “Reaching the world. Dare to imagine.”

Write a core positioning statement

The core positioning statement captures the essence of what your business is –   its uniqueness and how it benefits the client. Estate Preservation Law Offices www.estatepreservationlaw.com is a good example. The firm’s tagline is “Protecting assets during your lifetime. Preserving them for future generations.” Notice how the core positioning statement expands on that:

Estate Preservation Law Offices is a law firm whose skilled professionals are committed to protecting clients assets’ during  their lifetimes and preserving them for future generations –  through integrated estate and asset protection planning.

Corporate Identity-Your Look

You have now arrived at the stage where you work with a graphic designer to design your corporate identity. Everything you’ve done so far in this process sets the stage for the designer to develop your image. The following visuals are examples of corporate identities that were professionally designed.

Remember: If you are planning to open a new business or, if no one can figure out what you do – you have missed a very basic step in ensuring that you grow a successful business.