Corporate Branding - Will they remember you?

A great video to understand what branding is all about. Tyson Fenech's article shows why it is important to stand out from the crowd.

Corporate Branding - Will they remember you?

By: Tyson Fenech

In today's market selling quantity seems to be the rule of the day. Slap together something quick and don't worry about what flies out the door, it doesn't even matter who the purchasers are.

Companies who focus on branding will stand out amongst the crowd. Why? They have recognized that most buyers' especially online buyers need confidence in doing business with an established entity. Nothing shows your commitment to your business like a well developed branding strategy. Having a great logo is the first major step towards cultivating this development. Sure there are plenty of "out-of-the-box" logo solutions and the prices are more than appealing to a business that doesn't recognize the value of their corporate image.

The Difference

Why should you spend more than $300 on a logo? Would you buy a car for $1000? Chances are if you do you'll be paying a lot more for maintenance and the headaches it will bring. You always get what you pay for. This can't be stressed enough. If you are willing to sabotage your business from the very beginning by neglecting the image you portray to your potential clients, that logo will be costing you a lot more than you're willing to invest. A professional Graphic Designer will invest a lot of time, researching to produce a logo that is truly unique (vital to branding and making your mark) and introduce you to a solid first step in Branding your company as a powerful entity. A logo is further enhanced by the elements built around it. With everything related to design, everything should be custom made, now more so than ever because the competition for capital is increasing. You have to be better than your competitors in as many ways possible.

For the young start-up company, budgets may disallow you the option of working with a professional designer. There are plenty of great designers out there that won't gouge your pocket book but be certain that they are capable of creating exactly what you want and that they have the experience to expand upon the logo design provided. You want someone who is business savvy and has demonstrated their applied knowledge. They must be able to foresee the bigger picture. The success of your business rests on this.

Putting it Together

Generally speaking the more experienced the designer the higher the rates charged. With the experience you will usually get a product that has been developed and refined over time. A veteran Graphic Designer will be designing with the big picture in mind taking your investment dollars further. The numbers quoted are relative to what they generate, a client will be happy to invest money when they see return. If the image developed for them attracts customers price becomes secondary. Recognize the value of your image and take your logo very seriously. As human beings we are visual.

For the long haul

Generally a business that has quality services to offer and takes their image seriously will understand the value of investing in professional design. Most successful businesses know how much they must devote to marketing in order to generate the sales they desire. Those marketing dollars will be more effective if your Branding approach was cultivated properly. If you take your business seriously chances are you'll attract the same. How do you want to be viewed?

A Bit about the Logo

For the most part focus was placed on the business mentality rather than the logo itself. There are different types of logos. Many large corporations utilize strictly text or abbreviations. Companies like DELL, IBM, RCA, ABB, etc. Text logos are very popular and are easily integrated across the Branding board. Iconic treatments are also utilized by many businesses. An icon can be very powerful in identifying a company. Take Apple or Nike for example. Using imagery is a very powerful strategy in branding. Symbols guide us in our lives and daily activities. Icons can be very simple and clean to more complex utilizing gradients and simulated 3D. Illustrative (beyond iconic) is less frequently used but can work effectively for companies that usually want to portray a timelessness or "natural" homey feeling typically found on a bottle of tomato sauce or organic potato chips.

Everything outlined above can dictate the price of your logo. The logo is a powerful aspect of your company. It should take time to create and will require much attention if it is to create a powerful Branding strategy. Be sure that the logo designer of choice is willing to provide you with mock ups and multiple revisions and is willing to help take your company to the next level.

Author Bio

Tyson Fenech is the Creative Director for Core Creative Concepts. Designing web sites and print materials for the past 7 years helping both small startups and Fortune 500 companies.

www.coregraphicdesign.com

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http://www.articlegeek.com/business/branding_articles/corporate-branding-remember.htm

5 Proven Strategies to Promote Your Ecommerce Website

Dale Harris with great content in his article once again on 5 proven strategies to promote your e-commerce website and a video with 12 great killer tips.  Try them out and let me know how well they work for you.  I’d love to hear your feedback.

5 Proven Strategies to Promote Your Ecommerce Website

by Dale Harris

If you’re looking to make some money online, setting up an E-commerce store is a great way to do so. They’re simple to design, only need basic maintenance, and can rake in some serious cash.

However, that last part is a lot easier said than done. Especially if you’re not accustomed to having to promote your website.

If this is your first dip into the E-commerce waters, you’re going to want to have a bit of fanfare and publicity to get the word out. Here are 5 proven strategies to promote your website and get people buying!

1. Post About It

One of the most effective ways to promote your website is by running a strong SEO campaign. With the right selection of keywords and a strong enough ranking, you can draw in clients from all around the globe.

But in order to have a strong SEO campaign, you’re going to want to create great content.

Once you’ve selected your keyword, write up a quick post about the exciting opening of your new site. Let readers know what they can expect from your E-commerce store by plenty of photos and details.

Blog posts are a great way to build hype, and you’ll strengthen your website’s ranking at the same time!

2. Get Social

There’s no ignoring how powerful of a tool social media is in today’s world. With billions of users around the world, social media can help you reach customers in a newer, more modern fashion.

Best of all, you’re going to where your audience is. No need to worry about bringing them to the content. After all, social media is about more than just the ‘likes’ and ‘shares’. It’s an incredibly simple way to generate some business for free.

Set up social media channels for the big 3: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and get to posting. Make sure that your pages look professional and reflect your business values.

3. Run an Ad

Of course, there’s nothing wrong a more traditional method of advertising. After all, banner ads have been an internet staple for a good reason — they work.

And now, thanks to Facebook Ads, you can combine the power of social media with the pinpoint accuracy of an ad.

It’s relatively cheap and you’re able to target customers directly through demographic options. Best of all, it actually works and you can track your results in easy to understand ways.

4. Host a Giveaway

While advertising fads come and go, one thing remains constant: people love free stuff. If you’re looking to drum up some quick interest in your site, connect with some businesses for a giveaway.

It doesn’t even need to be your own product. You may choose to use ticketliquidator.com to give a lucky winner some great seats to an event!

It’s hard not to get excited about free things, so keep this easy psychology hack in mind.

5. Run a Sale

If you can’t quite afford to give away free stuff, no worries. You can always discount some goods on your store.

Sales are a fantastic way to draw in new customers and move old stock at the same time. Just make sure to publicize your sale ahead of time so people know about it.

Final Thoughts on How to Promote Your Website

Thanks to social media and easy to use E-commerce sites, it’s easier than ever to promote your website. Keep these tricks in mind and your business will thank you.

And for more great content, don’t forget to sign up for your free Article City account!

Source:  Dale Harris

https://www.articlecity.com/blog/5-proven-strategies-promote-ecommerce-website/

16 FAMOUS LOGOS WITH A HIDDEN MEANING (That We Never Even Noticed)

What an eye-opener this video is on hidden meaning behind branding showing how important it is to have well thought out branding.

Logo Design and Branding - Points to Remember

By: Ray Smith

A good logo design is highly instrumental in establishing a business brand and creating a long lasting impression among its customers. It should be able to create a powerful impact on the viewers and successfully exude the nature and attitude of a business. Ideally, a company logo design should be able to communicate your company ethos, principles, mission and the nature of product/service offered, to the viewers.

A professional logo design would establish a professional image of your company and strengthen your brand. Actually, in most cases the consumer gets the first impression about the company through your logo. Your business logo should build a brand that is strong enough to give your consumer a visual imagery of your company. People should be able to identify your company on sight of your logo.

Trend shows, most of the good logos are simple and often text based. Think of the IBM, SONY or Microsoft logo, even if you view a part of it you will be able to recognize the company. It is extremely essential for a logo to be easy for people to remember.

This principle of simplicity applies n most cases, however, we often see exceptions in Government Organizations, Hotels and Luxury resorts etc because they want to put up a classical exclusive image. This again brings us to a very important point that should be considered for a good logo design - the nature of business.

While simplicity can be the basic principle for any logo design, the designs might vary widely depending on the nature of business. For example, a financial institution might like to use a bold face font to express solidarity and stableness where as a courier service or transport company might prefer italicized fonts to express the speed and movement involved in their business.

In addition, while specifying the design requirements for your logo you should consider the fact that you will probably have to use your logo on your fax cover and other places where it will be in black and white. You should ensure that your logo looks equally good and attractive in black and white.

I would also suggest avoiding a very trendy look for your logo if you are planning for a long-term business because what we concern "modern" today might be backdated tomorrow. It is very important that your logo designer knows how to maintain this balance.

While any professional logo designer should be able to create a custom logo design once you have provided them with your specifications, you should be careful to select an experienced designing company and not land up with some single designer start up venture.

Last but not the least important factor is price. You are paying for your logo - something that is going to be used to establish your brand and represent your business for years, so you should be ready to pay a decent amount while it is also not necessary to pay some big amount like $350 for a logo. With the online logo design firms coming into business, now you have a wide choice of price for your logos and it should not be difficult to find a logo designer that fits your budget. Some logo design sites would even allow you to quote your own price for your logo.

If you have still not got a logo for your business or are not happy with your existing logo, it's time you get your new logo. Wish you lucked with your logo hunt.

Author Bio

Ray Smith is a marketing Expert with years of experience in different industries and specialized knowledge on branding and Internet marketing.

Custom Logo Design

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Branding, Branding, Branding - are you getting it right?

Revealed – Why branding is so important and why it is important to get it right when using MSN.  Is your branding working for you? Rob Sullivan’s article takes a look at some of the mistakes it is easy to make.

Branding, Branding, Branding - MSN fails to keep it Straight

By: Rob Sullivan

Sometimes you see promotions come along and you wonder: did they just do that? The current MSN promotion called msnsearchandwin is a prime example of this.

Not only do they use "black hat" or at least "questionable" tactics on the site, but the messaging is inconsistent.

In this article I look at the new MSN promotion and ask the question: Why bother?

By now you've probably heard about the new MSN promotion where you can win prizes simply by using MSN search.

They did do something right by registering a domain name that implies that message. If you go to msnsearchandwin.com you will see the familiar MSN search box.

Wait a minute...Why is this search box blue? Didn't MSN just rebrand with a nicer, cleaner silver grey look?

That, my friends, is mistake number one. It's as if the technical team and the marketing team didn't get together to discuss this program.

I mean, when you go through something as complex and massive as a rebranding, you should make sure the messaging is consistent across the various media. Especially when the promotion and the rebranding launch within days of each other.

This is eerily similar to the article I wrote about Superbowl Ads. In that article I talked about how advertisers spend millions on a 30 second or 1 minute TV commercial yet they fail to carry that messaging over onto their website effectively if at all.

And here we have MSN - probably one of the most recognized brands on the web and subsidiary to the company with one of the most effective and ruthless marketing arms in the world - and it can't seem to communicate it's message that MSN is rebranding.

I mean, how hard would it have been for someone in Tech to phone up someone in Marketing and say, "By the way, you know that search and win promotion you are doing? Be sure that the colors match the new look of MSN that's launching in a few days."

But wait, it gets better.

First spotted by Kerry Dean, if you view source of the msnsearchandwin home page what do you see?

That's right, about a million keywords stuffed into the keywords tag. (OK maybe not a million but there are 256 keywords in the meta keywords tag).

It gets worse. Immediately below the overstuffed keywords tag you will see a bunch of keywords stuffed into a comments tag. Again the same 256 words used in the meta keywords tag.

So tell me, is it OK for a search engine to spam itself?

Perhaps we could all learn a little something from MSN's marketing mistake: Keep it Consistent!

Author Bio
Rob Sullivan is a SEO Consultant and Writer for www.textlinkbrokers.com. Textlinkbrokers is the trusted leader in building long term rankings through safe and effective link building. Please provide a link directly to Textlinkbrokers when syndicating this article.

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http://www.articlegeek.com/business/branding_articles/branding-msn-straight.htm

4 Steps to Effortlessly Boost Your SEO Traffic | Increase Your SERP

Do you know the secrets of how to get found online?  What would it look like if you could boost your online traffic?  Here are some secret tips and tricks in this great video.  The article by Ron Hutton is not bad too! Enjoy.

How Sneaky Links Increase Your Click-Throughs

By: Ron Hutton

If you find that your site visitors have developed a high level of resistance to clicking through your affiliate links, you're not alone. What is it that makes affiliate links suspicious to people? They're certainly not meant to be offensive.

I believe that it's the same kind of thing that automatically activates your defenses when you walk onto a used car lot and are promptly accosted by a guy wearing a green and orange plaid sports coat, pink neck tie and white patent leather lowtops that zip up the side.

Do you hate the feeling that someone is "selling you"? I really think that it's the same thing when visitors see what's obviously an affiliate link (or a poorly disguised affiliate link) and start looking for a way to buy "straight from the source" thinking that they're going to get a better deal!

If your website sells affiliate products, here's a simple "Sneaky Link" tactic that will help you with affiliatephobes.

Note: This article has a free corresponding step-by-step video tutorial that demonstrates the exact steps to creating your own "Sneaky Links"... www.gothrive.com/sneaky-link-video.htm

Street-smart webmasters and marketers understand the importance of taking every possible step to get visitors to let down their guard. We seek information but we resist being sold.

So, the following sample source code can be used on any web page to create "sneaky links" that don't have the appearance of affiliate links. You're not running a non-profit organization are you? No? Well, let's just let someone else believe that you are.

Here's an example of source code that will bare your soul to the world. Note: the tags are altered with a period that needs to be removed if you intend to edit and use this source code in your web pages.

No mysteries here:

<.a href="http://www.pluginprofittoolbox.com/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=100">Plug-In-Profit-Toolbox.com<./a>

Now, let's get sneaky. ;~)

<.a href="http://www.pluginprofittoolbox.com/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php? id=100" onMouseOver="window.status= 'http://www.pluginprofittoolbox.com/'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true; ">http://www.pluginprofittoolbox.com/<./a>

To assist in understanding how the "sneaky link" works, let's do a little link anatomy study. 

Here are the pieces and parts of our link:

Part 1, Beginning anchor tag: <.a

Part 2, Target URL (affiliate link): href="http://www.pluginprofittoolbox.com/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=100"

Part 3, "MouseOver" attribute: onMouseOver = "window.status='http: //www.pluginprofittoolbox.com/ '; return true; " onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"

Part 4, Link Text: http://www.pluginprofittoolbox.com/

Part 5, Ending anchor tag: <./a>

So, what's the trick? It's in part 3, the mouseover attribute. This nifty little piece of source code tells the web browser what to display in the status bar (very bottom of the browser window), and if the "window.status" is the same as the link text, it appears as though there's no trickery going on. But, we know better.

Is it possible that this link could be found out, discovered and revealed for what it really is? Sure. If someone were to apply a single right-click to the link, the web browser will reveal the actual target URL. However, the average user won't know this so the "sneaky link" tactic can be very effective in getting people to let their guard down.

End result... your click-through rate goes up, you make more sales and we all live happily ever after. Go forth and create some "sneaky links" now.

To view this article's free corresponding step-by-step video tutorial that demonstrates the exact steps to creating your own "Sneaky Links"...www.gothrive.com/sneaky-link-video.htm

There's a zip file available for you to download (no cost, of course) with the exact source code that's shown in the video.

Author Bio
Ron Hutton is a 20 year sales and marketing veteran with a passion for coaching and training. Subscribe to "GoThrive Online", for Free Video Tutorials for Internet Marketing and big juicy marketing tips in small, easy-to-chew, bite size servings. Free Video Tutorial Archives Here: http://www.gothrive.com/free-video-tutorials.htm

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com

Take proper control of your company web site

Do you have control? What do you think would happen if you don't take control of your business website?

Are you missing this trick in your marketing of your business?  …

Take proper control of your company web site

By: John Philip

I recently carried out a web-site review for a solid and successful company. It had followed most of the 'rules' for getting high traffic, but had somehow missed the mark. I suspect that a large number of visitors found the site unconvincing, uninspiring and unmemorable. The site certainly did little to enhance the company's otherwise very high reputation. I quickly spotted the problem, but it took me a while to figure out the underlying cause.

The problem itself was really very simple. Each page was fine on its own, but the site as a whole was not coherent. Some pages had long paragraphs while others were written in bullet points. Sentences varied hugely in length and complexity. Key staff were profiled by some departments, but not by others. Even key branding language varied, including, believe it or not, the name of the company!

The root of the problem was somewhere in the overall co-ordination of the site. The obvious conclusion was that whoever was in charge was not sufficiently skilled as an editor. But that was not enough. Why were senior executives not dealing with it?

The company's paper publications were excellent, with attention to detail and a common style across the range from annual reports and press releases to marketing materials and recruitment leaflets. Each department's copy passed through the hands of a small editorial team who corrected and improved the language and transformed it into a coherent company style. Beyond this, a director ensured consistency and co-ordinated the output of different departments in accordance with the board's strategic demands.

The web site was a totally different ball game.

The company leaders regarded the web site as a techie issue. The different departments were giving well-written copy, but there was no-one with proper editing experience to pull it together. Executives were satisfied with the web pages that were relevant to their own departmental responsibilities and were happy to leave the site management in the hands of someone who understood the technical issues involved. This was the equivalent of leaving paper publications in the hands of printers and graphic designers.

The lessons are clear. First, ensure proper executive oversight of your website. If it isn't already, your site will soon be the most frequently viewed representation of your company. Second, make full use of professional editors for your site's text. It depends upon your company's circumstances whether you are better off doing this in house or outsourcing.

Author Bio
John Philip has been a writer, editor and educator for over 30 years. He now mainly provides consultancy to businesses, professions and public services and continues to work for befirstgroup.com, which offers writing and editorial services.

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http://www.articlegeek.com/business/marketing/take_control_company_website.htm

Do you know the secrets of attraction marketing?  How would your business look with the secret ingredients of attraction in your marketing formula.  David Pineda has written a great article on the subject.

How To Attract Prospects To Your Business Magnetically

By: David Pineda

A magnet has the properties to attract certain metals, and a magnetic person has the qualities, talents, or skills to attract others in a magnetic like manner.

In the world of network marketing, how can someone acquire that type of personality, how can someone become a magnetic sponsor, and develop a large base of customers using magnetic like attributes?

Before I answer that question, read this quote:

"Nobody who bought a drill actually wanted a drill. They wanted a hole. Therefore, if you want to sell drills, you should advertise information about making holes - NOT information about drills!" - Perry Marshall

There is a lot of meaning behing this quote, but in a few words it contains the secret to becoming a highly successfull magnetic sponsor.

Would you rather spend $200 bucks on a drill, or first get free or inexpensive information to learn how to operate that drill properly and effectively? If you are like me, I am sure you would first learn more about how you can make a good hole with this tool before making that kind of purchase.

Would you rather buy from a salesperson who insists that his/her drill is the best tool for what you want to do? I wouldn't. Because I don't like to be sold, and I don't like people to pitch their sales number on me.

Would you rather buy from a person who gave you free information or inexpensive information on how to properly operate, and get the best results from that tool, and who did not try to pitch a drill on you?

Again, if you are like me, you would buy from a person who first took the time to educate you on how to make that hole proper. In your mind, this person is an expert in his/her field, he/she knows what he/she is talking about. So you sell yourself on buying that drill from him/her.

This is what many network marketers keep doing, they keep pitching their opportunities on their family, friends, relatives, and get all hyped up on the net, on their ads, and every one they encounter. But guess what? People do not care about your business opportunity, what they care about is a solution to their problems. In other words, you did not buy a business opportunity (drill) because you wanted one. You wanted a solution (hole) for more free time to spend with your family, be your own boss, earn a living online, or get rich, etc..

So, what you need to do instead of pitching your opportunity to your prospects, is to sell them inexpensive or give away free information that shows how to solve problems - how to drill that "hole."

If you can show them how to make that "hole", your prospects will come to the conclusion on their own without you pounding hard on them that they need a drill from you. Why? Because you gave them free knowledge or inexpensive information on how to accomplish their goal, and therefore earning their trust in you.

This is one of the main principles that will allow you to become magnetic and attract your prospects to come to you, instead of you chasing after them.

Author Bio
David Pineda is an active affiliate of Magnetic Sponsoring and of Turn Words Into Traffic. To request the complete free 10 day boot camp training course send an email to: networkmagnetism@sbcglobal.net or go to: www.davidhpineda.ws

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http://www.articlegeek.com/business/marketing/attract_business_prospects.htm

Give 'em a Taste (and they'll likely come back for more)

Are you wondering how to get customers coming back for more? Alicia Forest reveals top secrets for not only attracting your prospects but how to keep them coming back for more.

Give 'em a Taste (and they'll likely come back for more)

By: Alicia Forest

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the original ice cream shop that offers you a taste of any flavor ice cream you want before you make your decision on which scoop you are going to enjoy.

Giving you a taste (or as many tastes of different flavors as you'd like) is a brilliant way to ensure that you not only order a cone at that moment, but it's also a way to bring you back to try more flavors on another day.

You can use this brilliant marketing strategy in building your business, too. Offering your prospects a taste of what it is that you provide is a proven and easy way to get people to become part of your community, and part of your marketing/product funnel (the funnel is the "journey" (that builds a relationship over time) that your clients follow from the first visit to your website, where they enter by giving you their contact information, down through each level as they make their way through each purchasing step in the funnel). By offering them a sample, you're giving them an opportunity to get to know you without risking anything more than perhaps a bit of time.

In your marketing/product funnel, the taste you are giving your potential clients is at the top of the funnel, the widest part. The taste is your freebie/complimentary/gift offering and is your first (and usually only!) opportunity to engage your prospect. Your taste needs to be something of value that you offer for free to people who visit your website in exchange for their contact information, usually their name and email address.

This is often one of the most overlooked steps in building an online business. A prospect needs to see your message many times (it ranges anywhere from 5-10) before they will feel confident enough to risk handing over their money to you. In order to build a relationship with people you need to be able to contact them again, which means your goal is to capture their email address before they click away from your website.

If they leave, it's unlikely that they will come back, so don't lose the opportunity to welcome them into your community, your funnel. They landed at your website because they were looking for something (usually a solution to a problem they are having, right? :)). Give them a taste of the solution you offer. And remember to make it easy for them: make your sign-up form or email so obvious that they'd have to trip over it not to notice it (yes, that includes pop-ups and the like, because even if they annoy you as much as they do me, they work!).

So, what can you offer of value in exchange for their email address? A newsletter, an ecourse, an audio clip, or a special report, are all good options. Personally, I like the offer of an ecourse AND an ezine. You give them a taste of what your services are like with the ecourse, and then you keep in touch with them on a regular basis with the ezine. The ezine allows you to build a bond with your readers in a uniquely personal way, letting them get to know, like and trust you over time, with you having to build that bond one-on-one.

So, one caution is to not offer any one-on-one interaction with you at this level. You want to leverage your time, and offering free consultations or one-time meetings with you is not a good use of your time. Let them get to know you over the course of your freebie offering. When and if they become serious about you and your products or services, they will move further down the funnel (from free to fee) without you having to "sell" them on what you provide during a complimentary session (how nice is that?).

So what is your taste going to be? Here are some other ideas:

·     write a Top Ten article about the benefits of your products and services, convert it to a PDF file, and offer it as a special report.

·         record a short audio about the three key things your niche needs to know about X.

·         create a mini ecourse that encompasses the five steps to getting started for your market.

·         or create a quick-start guide that helps your market focus on how to get started.

Once you've given them a taste, they will likely come back for more, eventually turning from a prospect to a client. Creating a taste of what you provide is easy and it's fun. Try it and watch what happens!

Author Bio
Alicia Forest, MBA, Multiple Streams Licensed Coach, & Founder of www.ClientAbundance.com, helps coaches and other solo service professionals to attract more clients, create profit-making products and services, make more sales, and ultimately make more money.
For FREE tips on how to create your own Client Abundance, visit www.ClientAbundance.com  

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http://www.articlegeek.com/business/marketing/give_them_a_taste.htm

What's In A Name? The Six Essential Elements You Need To Know

Is your branding making you stand out? Are you getting the results you want from the branding of your business?  Here’s a great article on six essential elements you need to know about branding.

What's In A Name? The Six Essential Elements You Need To Know

By: Susan Friedmann

Selecting a name for your new business is not easy. A name does more than identify your company. It tells customers who you are, what you do, and more than a little about how you do it. Your name differentiates you from your peers, peaks customer interest, and invites further investigation -- if you do it right.

I didn't do it right. At least, not at first.

All entrepreneurs make mistakes, and I made one of my first ones right off the bat. Thrilled with the fledgling business I was starting, this precious enterprise so near and dear to my heart, I christened my company Diadem Communications. Diadem means crown-- a fitting name for what I felt was a
crowning achievement.

What does Diadem say to you? Does it evoke thoughts of me coming into your company, training your sales team to be the best booth staff ever, ensuring that every single trade show you attend turns out to be amazingly successful? Does it make me sound so good that you just can't wait to hire me?

No. It doesn't say that to me either. And even worse, it didn't say that to any of my potential customers. Going by name alone, no one would be able to determine the least bit of information about me, my company, or the services we offer. The name said nothing, and it did nothing for me.

The name had to go. More importantly, it had to be replaced by something effective. How do you come up with an effective name? Consider these six elements:

An Effective Name:

1. Tells Who You Are: Your name should reflect your identity. This is an essential aspect of branding. You'll be promoting this name, getting it in front of as many eyes as possible as often as possible. How do you want the public to think of you?

For some, that means integrating your personal name into the name of your business. This is very common in some professions: legal, medical, and accounting leap to mind.

Others prefer a more descriptive name. One successful small baker runs her business under the name "The Cookie Lady" because that's how her first customers identified her. It's doubtful that most of the customers even know her first name (It's Pat) but everybody in her market knows "The Cookie Lady".

2. Tells What You Do: It's incredible how many company names give little, if any indication of what type of work the organization actually does. Take the following examples:

·         Smith and Sons

·         Hulbert Brothers

·         Only One

Can you tell me what any of these companies does? Of course you can't. They're relying on customers already knowing who they are (a tricky proposition for new businesses!) or by having their name found in 'context', such as a yellow pages or on-line business directory.

3. Tells How You Do It: Words are very powerful. By carefully selecting what words you use in your name, you can convey a great deal about your company's image. Consider the names of three different massage and bodywork centers:

·         Champlain Valley Therapeutic Massage

·         Clouds Above Massage

·         Speedy Spa

All three companies are providing the same service: massage therapy. Yet the first appears to favor a more medical approach, the second, a dreamy, luxury approach, and the third focuses on fast service.

4. Differentiates You From Your Peers: Your company name is the first opportunity to tell customers how you differ from the competition. This can be done by emphasizing what makes you unique, pinpointing what aspect of your products and services can't be found anywhere else -- or that you do better than anyone else.

Consider the massage therapy example we looked at in number three. Each organization clearly has a different focus and approach to their customer base. They're attracting different types of clients, who are seeking fundamentally different approaches. All of which is conveyed in less than five words.

5. Peaks Customer Interest: Creating customer interest is an art and a science. Think carefully about your target audience. What qualities of your services are of the greatest import to your customers? What kind of words are likely to appeal to them?

Emphasize the important qualities in your name. For example, busy homeowners are drawn to the inherent promise of speed offered by "Bob's Instant Plumbing" while a reader in search of a good mystery will gravitate toward "Crime Pays Books".

Word choice is also important. Two yarn shops can both specialize in specialty fibers, but the one who labels themselves "All Hemp All the Time" will draw in a decidedly different crowd than the one named "Natural Beauty: Organic Yarns".

6. Invites Further Investigation: Customers are funny creatures. What one group finds to be funny and engaging turns another group off. You want your name to be inviting and approachable -- as those qualities are perceived by your target audience.
The best example of this may be seen in the individual investor segment of the financial services industry. Charles Schwab has spent years cultivating a classic, formal image -- but now that the consumer base is changing from 'old people with money' to 'everyone with a 401K', Charles Schwab has launched the "Talk to Chuck" campaign in an effort to be more approachable.

Make sure your name doesn't intimidate customers away! Some industries are more formal than others, but adopt pretension at your peril.

After following a series of simple step-by-step instructions to match my corporate identity with my service offering, I came up with the quintessential name: The Trade Show Coach. This name instantly tells customers what I do - assist companies with trade shows - and a little of the manner in which I do it - coach, rather than dictate, direct, guide, or organize.

See the difference? So did the buying public, some of who quickly became my best customers. The same thing can happen for you -- if you pick the right name.

Author Bio
Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies," working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. For a free copy of "10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make", e-mail: article4@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: www.thetradeshowcoach.com

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