Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Logos and Branding-Maximize their Power

By: Jessica Dockter

Most of us know effective marketing is the result of consistent marketing efforts to target audiences, but it’s easy to forget about incorporating your logos (or branding) effectively. A few questions you want to ask before you start a massive marketing effort are:

  1. Does my logo represent the services or products I’m trying to sell?
  2. Is it appealing?
  3. Is it easy to read?
  4. Does it correlate to my website?

If you answered all these questions with a yes, it’s time to look at the many ways you can use marketing tools such as a logo to improve customer loyalty and increase your visibility. Everything you use should have some consistence. Is your logo the same on all business cards, letterheads, outdoor advertising, website, cars banners, etc? I realize this may seem obvious, but it’s surprising how often businesses and individuals may use a certain type of look for paper marketing tools, another look for web marketing tools, and still another look for outdoor advertisements.

There is a very successful landscape firm in my area. They use a large single (oak shaped) green leaf. Underneath their leaf they have attractive lettering in black giving the company name and phone number. It’s is easy to read. I can always tell it’s them. Their trucks, marketing flyers, newspaper advertisements, business cards and bus stop ads are all the same. During the summer, I may see their logo as much as three or four times per day; once when I read the morning paper, whenever a truck is working, or whenever I drive past the bus stop.

Experts who have studied advertising strategies understand that most human beings will seek comfort and familiarity. The more often the public is exposed to your logo, the more likely you’ll be able to sell your products once you have an opportunity to meet face to face.

To summarize, make sure your logo works for your business, advertise consistently using your logo consistently and then ask for a sale. Also, remember to build customer loyalty and increase up sale by using logos on all follow up correspondence. If the person you are talking to needs your product or service and they’ve seen your logo 10-15 times, it’s highly likely you’ll get a yes on your next sale.

About the Author:

Jessica Dockter is the owner and director of L.E.E. Design, a graphic design and marketing firm. She has helped dozens of clients create effective logos and branding material. For samples of their work please visit http://www.leedesign.org