brand name©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

What’s in Your Brand’s Name?

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Thoughts to get a jumpstart on naming your business.

First Hurdle

Starting a new business is a fun and scary process. For one, you have decided that it’s your goal to offer goods and services that can benefit the masses and that excites you. On the other hand, the energy and work needing to be put in is overwhelming and finding the direction you need to go in can get blurry.

First, building your brand strategy from the business plan you have already developed is a great starting point. After all, the name of your business should be an extension of your brand’s goals and identity. The name chosen, will also be wrapped in how you advertise and market the company to reach the correct audience. Determining the difference between branding and marketing will be helpful in the steps to creating the perfect name.

No Name is a Bad Name

Just as they tell you all throughout school, no idea is a bad idea – you can and should absolutely use this principle when starting to compile potential names for the company.

Inspirations can come from:

Literature

Favorite stories, book titles, and even author’s names are a great place to find inspiration. These stories inspire imagination and possibilities and that does not stop at childhood (and shouldn’t).

Music

Similar to literature, music is a top muse and sparks can be found in how a song makes you feel, song titles, album cover art, and musician & group names. Even specific instruments can be a trigger source.

Names

Do you want to honor who founded the company (yes, yourself – it’s okay!)? Is there anyone in close proximity to the company that can be incorporated? People from every aspect of those connected to the company can be used to draw upon ideas.

Foreign meanings

How does the word in English translate to a different language? Does that language reflect the brand? Does the alternate language hold a special meaning to the founding members or company?

What the service or product does

Sometimes, simple is the best! This means, the intended use of the product can be used for the name of the company. If the service is unique, then possibility that is the name. Every so often not overthinking can create the best outcomes.

Experiences

Have you had an altering experience during the development of creating the item or service? Has there been a past event that could be relatable to your company?

Made up word

Pulled right out of the sky; every now and then it works out for the best! How does an apple relate to a computer?

As the list narrows on selections, there are a few ways to check to make sure that it will be best suited for your brand and company.

How to Check Your Name against the Competition

Finding out that your favorite name has already been taken or is close to a similar type of company, can be discouraging. There are ways to check against those road blocks during the naming discovery process.

Do you find it original?

Did you switch up the spelling of a word, create your own word, or play upon the product with how it’s named? Being original can be difficult and intimidating, but a must for your business. You believe your offering is needed in the market and want to differentiate yourself.

Will it be long-lasting?

Remember to think long-term about your business. Will you reach out to a different market with the product and services you offer? If so, remember not to pigeon hold the name so that you don’t need to circle back to a full rebranding of your company.

Is it consumer friendly?

Will the name be easy to roll of the tongues of your consumers when referencing the wonderful experience they had? Will it be difficult to explain the name versus the concept of the company? Is the website address difficult to type in?

The name chosen may sound fun and original, but if the logistics of presenting the name and where information can be found are too hard, consumers will start to move on.

Is the name available?

This may be the most heartbreaking step of the whole process. You find the name you love and can’t wait to incorporate it in to your brand strategy and marketing, but you start the research to see if there is any other company similar using that name and BAM! The road block has been set up and the detours begin.

There are great resources to check the availability of your URL and to see what other alternatives there are. One category of resources you can try are domain registrars like GoDaddy.

If you need to trademark the company name, this page can be used (U.S. searches only).

Is Outside Help Needed?

If your business plan and brand strategy is well developed, the creative juices are already flowing and you may not need a firm or consulting group to aide you in the naming process. However, if you feel that time may be running out or a dead-end has been reached, there will be great resources available to help locally or nationally.

One caution in bringing outside help is time and financial constraint. An immense amount of both have already been placed into building your business. Before reaching out take the following steps:

Determine Timeline and Balance Your Budget

Starting a business from the ground up is in no way inexpensive or free – make sure you are checking the funds to ensure you can afford outside help. Also, confirm that there is enough time to go through a discovery process before the volley of naming rounds.

Shop Around

The first firm you meet with does not necessarily mean it’s the right fit for your company. Make sure you have time before launching to shop around to other firms and consulting groups before an agreement is made.

Resources Have Been Tapped Out

Has everyone involved with the company been invited to help generate ideas? Those close will understand the most of what your company is and the goals needing to be reached. Utilizing their creative minds will ensure confidence in a strong team to build the strongest business possible before opening the doors.

When your name is set and design is next, contact Colleen Eakins Design to set up a consultation to learn how we can best support you.

what is the real difference between branding and marketing©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

What’s the Real Difference between Branding and Marketing?

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As a business owner, there are two important concepts that should be identified when creating your overarching plan – branding and marketing.

At first glance of the words, they seem like they could be interchangeable. But, as we take a deeper dive in to each, you may possibly need to adjust your strategic plans.

Branding: Building an Identity

Let’s think of branding as the cohesive glue that holds your marketing campaigns together. It is the core of the business and who it is, represents and values. This can encompass:

  • mission statement
  • company culture
  • reputation of business
  • loyalty of customers

Branding will also include a detailed use of your business’ design standards – such as:

Logo format

A few components are wrapped up in to this piece. Determining if the logo needs to be in color versus black white is a first step. Is it more vertical or horizontal? Do you need multiple versions to fit different types of collateral?

Logo use

Where will the logo be primarily placed? When placed with other logos, is there an order of hierarchy? Will it require specific size requirements pending placement? If this is being used within a footer of an email, what is the smallest size the logo will be allowed to be at?

Color palette

Choosing the main colors for the logo is very important, as this will need to adhere to the overall brand strategy and represent the company correctly. There also needs to be thought on what other colors can be used if the marketing material clashes too much with the main logo. How else can this be represented?

Fonts

In tandem with choosing your colors for the company and logo, the font chosen to be used in the logo will be as important. This will be the main representation of the company. Making sure it’s how the brand should be portrayed, it’s legible, and clear to the consumer is key. Also including in the brand standards similar fonts that can be used when speaking about the company will be beneficial when used on different materials.

The above items are pieces that a professional designer can help build out that supports and easily conveys your company’s mission and goals. From initial meetings for the designer to understand what the company does to deeper discussions about how the company should be portrayed – both elements fall under the building company’s brand identity.

You should be very detailed in how you express the needs of what the brand guidelines should entail. This will allow you to deepen the relationship between the different pieces of your company and why you are, who you are.

Long-term visions of the company should be included your brand identity. Without this aspect determined when building your business, you can’t fully understand what the business should accomplish and how those goals will be reached. You want to stay true to why the company was formed in the first place.

Marketing: Executing Your Brand

This is the marketing piece and how you execute the mission and vision of your brand. This will be ever changing and evolve as your products and services change, but will always refer back to core identity of the company.

Examples of marketing efforts to promote certain products or services are:

Print campaigns

This includes newspaper, brochures, postcards, catalogs, posters, banners, etc. Though digital marketing efforts are extremely effective and cost efficient, print is still a main and valuable aspect of business operations.

Radio

This will not include any visual creative, but the tone and message for a radio ad still must reflect the brand’s strategy in how it wishes to present itself to potential consumers. Note: different markets are more expensive than others and will depend on the station for the demographic you would like to reach.

Television

This form of marketing will be the most expensive. Not only will there production costs (location, actors, shooting, etc.), but there are also the costs of the actual advertising spot (differing per station and market). However, this can be very effective to reach a wide audience and to be able to use visual and emotional cues combined.

Digital Efforts

The following marketing tactics have not only become the workhorse of current marketing strategies, but also the most cost effective – they include: mobile, social media, search engine optimization (seo), email blasts, content marketing (blogs, videos, etc.).

Overall, marketing can be thought of as in what’s “in-season” and broken up in to campaigns – trends and channels that will help dictate how your message is delivered and to what audience, all while referencing and adhering to your brand standards.

Which One Comes First?

Now that the two pieces have been hashed out, which one do you start with?

The brand should always be thought of first and then incorporated in to how a certain marketing tactic can be best used to solicit and engage current and potential consumers.

Where the Two Should Meet

Branding and marketing have been broken up above, but that doesn’t mean that they do not ever work together. There are two areas on where the brand and marketing overlap: the company voice and imagery presented.

When developing your brand, you should have a specific tone to the company and target audience in which your products and services may be best suited for. Not only does this impact what you wish to offer to the market, but how your mission and culture are influenced. An ivy-league school operates and speaks differently than how a tech start-up will. There is no one way that is better than the other, but needs to be carefully determined to help structure how the organization speaks to its consumers and even their employees.

The other area where the two practices meet is when you determine what imagery, colors, etc. you will use. As mentioned earlier, this can be done with the help of a professional designer that will help guide the thought process to determine your logo and colors, but when executing different marketing campaigns, it is important that those are adhered to and any other selected images represent the company in the best light and in-line with the set brand guidelines.

When determining your brand and marketing efforts, contact Colleen Eakins Design to set up a consultation to learn how we can best support you.

Let's Learn About #LogoDesign History!©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

Let’s Learn About Logo Design History

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Logos are everywhere and remain a mainstay of branding. These powerful images and graphics communicate messages in a concise way designed to help influence consumers when making purchasing decisions.

Although many logo designs are simple, the way in which these identifying emblems get created is a fascinating combination of art and science.

Anyone who looks into the history of logo design learns quickly that much skill and thought goes into the undertaking. The fundamental concepts of logo design go all the way back to the Victorian era. During that period, designers were stepping up their games and creating symbolic illustrations to engage with and influence society. These symbols, like Coats of Arms, were frequently used to identify noblemen and other prominent people in the civilizations in which they existed.

Over the centuries, the concepts introduced by early designers continued to evolve to meet the needs of a progressing community. Images that once helped residents distinguish who ranked highly got transformed into concepts that represented governments, corporate entities, and organizations worldwide.

Logo Design During the Industrial Revolution

While the use of emblems, graphics, and symbols dates back to early Egyptian times, the Industrial Revolution is when the use of trademarks, logos, ideograms, and watermarks started getting mass adoption in the business community. The introduction of printed news and other materials made way for advertisers to spread messages and build their businesses – using symbols and convincing copywritten materials. Many of these early logos had simple designs, based on the printing and design technologies that were available during this period.

The advancement of typography and printing technology introduced a brand new way for business owners to connect with potential clients. A logo or a Masthead helped contribute to building brand recognition, even back in these early days. Business owners were empowered to advertise their goods and services to a broader audience of news readers in markets throughout metropolitan and developing rural areas.

As innovations in the printing and visual arts space advanced, the ability to print more elaborate and intricate designs opened up a new world not only for business owners, but for everyone who had an interest in reading about current events, local news, as well as books for entertainment and enlightenment.

These early publications helped form opinions and were the foundation for today’s more sophisticated and multi-channel advertising and marketing campaigns.

Logo Design In Present Day Applications

Fast forward to present day. A majority of companies and organizations use a logo or ideogram as a representation of their business interests when conducting enterprise, advertising, and running marketing campaigns. In some cases, a cogent logo may contain both an ideogram and the company name known as a logotype. A logotype emphasizes the name over the graphic, creating a unique design through the use colors, copy, and other graphic elements.

For multinational companies, the use of ideograms and symbols could prove more effective than plain written names, especially in cases when the logo gets translated into alphabets in increasingly globalized markets. It’s always worth noting that language barriers and cultural differences could make it so a logo or brand name does not translate easily – or as intended – across demographic groups.

For example, the Chevy Nova. While the car was wildly popular with American consumers when it was in production (before the Internet,) it struggled to make progress with Latino consumers. The simple reason for this issue was the use of the word “Nova.” When translated into Spanish, Nova literally means “no go.” As you can imagine, the choice of this brand name would not appeal to consumers who associated a new car purchase with a product that wouldn’t ‘go,’ as it were. This is a case when a little extra research could have quickly found the negative connotation associated with the language. However, since this branding and marketing faux pas happened quite some time ago, we can take a lesson on the importance of analysis when choosing a name for your branding efforts.

The Past and Future of Logo Design

The history of logo design is an interesting topic, and one that should get examined for further insights into how this media changed the world. Over the years this concept evolved from a way to identify dignitaries to a mainstream methodology for organizations and companies to set themselves apart from each other and their competitors.

When you’re talking about building a business, you’ll quickly learn that branding and logos work in synchronicity. You shouldn’t have one without having the other! By using your branding elements throughout all of your campaigns, you’re taking steps to build brand recognition in a cross-platform format.

In today’s digital age, business owners have more venues available than ever before to make a positive impact with potential clients. By keeping your branding and logos cohesive across your digital assets including your website, social platforms, and email marketing. Further, your branding and logo should get utilized on all printed assets including business cards, letterhead, marketing materials, product labels, internal and employee documents, and packaging.

If you offer a physical product, ensuring that your goods carry your logo and branding, along with a favorable packaging design for your items makes them more marketable when selling both online and offline.

Starting with Your Best Foot Forward

You’ll want to be sure to work with an experienced designer who understands the fundamental and advanced elements of branding and can provide creatives for all your needed purposes. By doing so, you assure that your products look fabulous when they are put on display or arrive at your customer’s doorstep.

Another advantage of working with an expert in the graphic design field is they are able to produce corresponding digital assets including banner ad creatives, infographics, whitepapers, and light papers.

Further, they can lend creative juice and insights into your logo and branding project, so that you get the best possible results from your investment in yourself, business, or organization. Ready to put your best foot forward? Contact us today to get your project started!

Digital Marketing Trends

Projected Digital Marketing Trends For 2017

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A new year is here, and that means it’s time to speculate about what digital marketing trends will emerge! There’s no question there will be some new trends to follow, but much of what will happen in 2017 has already been happening!

Classic strategies don’t change much from one year to the next, but strategies and tactics indeed evolve. By the year 2017, everyone is aware of the fundamental nature of mobile marketing. Web developers have been noticing a shift to mobile device access for years. Now, it appears as if Desktop users are nearing extinction! That means Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) and other technologies will proliferate rapidly.

AMP Is Worth Implementing

Google and Bing are always looking for ways to increase speed for their users. One way they can do that is by showing AMP pages in their search. These web pages display fast in mobile devices by stripping many additional HTML elements. Users want answers fast and search companies are delivering quick results. Anytime you can stay abreast of technological advances; it pays to do so! AMP and HTTP2 are two enhancements for your website technology and a digital marketing trend to consider.

Virtual Reality Is Going to Grow

One digital marketing trend we saw emerge toward the latter part of 2016, was virtual reality. Depending on your vertical, virtual reality may play a large role in your digital marketing efforts. It’s not hard to imagine the numerous potential applications for just about every sector. Millions of people are purchasing VR technology, and they’ll want to use the pricey equipment to its fullest advantage. If your organization can come up with a slick way to deliver content or a user experience to this emerging technology, you’ll see a sudden boost in sales.

Big Data Keeps on Growing

There’s an interesting thing about data. The more of it anyone amasses, the more useful it becomes. Companies are relying heavily on mining Big Data as much as possible to guide their marketing. Being able to predict results accurately means you can spend marketing dollars much more wisely. Big Data has been contributing a lot to the top end for large organizations. Next up we’ll see small and mid-sized enterprises catch up. Amazon Web Services have some Big Data options that marketers will build applications for to help the ecosystem grow.

Multi-Channel Marketing Continues to Dominate

Companies have to craft specific messages for the various crucial social networks. If they don’t, they’ll find the effectiveness of their overall campaign diminishes. Having to do this requires more work and money, but the results make it a mainstay. It’s not enough to manage a Facebook Page. You should also represent your company on Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have a business where creating visuals is easy, consider the benefits of Pinterest and Instagram. There’s no one size fits all strategy that will work for any small business’ marketing plan, but it is a digital marketing trend that is still a staple.

Social Analytics Become Essential

Analytics help marketers correctly interpret social media information. Analytics may not mean much when you first start, but when you’re running multiple campaigns with high budgets, they are unavoidable. It helps to see what content matters most and who your most influential followers are at all times. Social analytics dashboards range in features, but all of them give you profound insights into how you interact with customers and prospects. For those who are waging campaigns across multiple channels, this type of knowledge is hugely important.

Video Never Slows Down

By now you’re probably investing heavily in video content. That digital marketing trend will continue in 2017 and beyond. People love the format of video. If you introduce a video marketing campaign to your inbound marketing efforts this year, expect a boost in your activity. Attracting viewers on Facebook and YouTube is easy. Facebook has been granting precedence to video content for months, and that will go on for quite some time. Now’s an excellent time to dive in with both of your feet and start pushing engaging video content. There are still many of your competitors who haven’t been producing videos. Beat them to market and win new fans and customers.

Distributing Your App Helps Growth

2017 may be the year to advertise your app to a broad market. The app ecosystem is so large that it’s still possible to find low-cost advertising that works. It’s worth experimenting by targeting those who are already using related applications. You may be able to poach the exact type of customer you want at an affordable cost. Have your digital marketing agency come up with a strategy that takes the vibrant world of App Discovery into consideration. Investing in an app once is never enough. It matters that you continue to improve your offering and that you advertise it far and wide. Rewards for companies that stay consistent with their marketing are high.

The classics won’t change this year. In marketing, that means to have a strong brand and a coherent message. If people can quickly identify what your company sells, you’re on the right path. It might be worth discarding older marketing material and coming up with fresh new ideas. If you aren’t into doing it yourself, many professionals can assist. People who work with digital marketing every day develop a strong sense of what works. Once you plug your existing efforts into a digital framework, you have a chance to really take off!

No matter what digital marketing trend you decide on, make sure you follow up with your clients! Whether you use email alone or call or text them doesn’t matter. You’ll find those who have dealt with you in the past can be excellent sources of revenue. Sometimes all it takes is a simple reminder that you’re out there and can help them. That triggers a process that ends with them seeking you out for more services! Adding more people to the top of your sales funnel and selling more to those who are already customers will help you get excellent returns.

Extraordinary Business Branding Is Easy!

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One of the greatest things about launching your business is having the opportunity to build your very own business branding from the ground up! For many entrepreneurs, this means that creativity plays a critical part, especially in the case when the new business is getting built on a bootstrap budget.

Despite what you might think, working within a bootstrap budget doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice any of the branding elements that the big companies have!

Custom Logos and Slogans

Once you have an idea, product, or a service offering in mind, one of the first steps in establishing your company brand is creating a custom logo and a supporting slogan. Your logo is the tie that represents your entire business entity, so getting a logo that’s clear, concise, and easy to read is essential to your overall success. It’s what makes your product or service offerings different from everyone else in your industry, so getting a print ready logo takes you on the road to success! Powerful branding does amazing things for your business operation, and your logo should get added to everything from your custom letterhead, business cards, website and social media assets, product packaging, and promotional items.

Your business Slogan helps reinforce your logo and may also get used in creating more brand clarity in your small business or startup. Typically, brand slogans tend to be relatively short with an aim for being memorable. Slogans that may ring a bell with you include “Eat Fresh!” (Subway) “I’m Lovin’ It” (McDonald’s) “Be Your Way” (Burger King.) All of these slogans are part of an overall larger marketing campaign to build brand loyalty and recognition.

By combining both your Logo and Slogan together in a cohesive design, you are taking the necessary steps to create a brand that’s destined for success!

Clever Business Branding No Matter Where You Are!

These days, entrepreneurs work more fluidly than ever before. Access to wireless Internet has enabled business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers with the ability to work from nearly anywhere, regardless of whether it’s their home office, their favorite coffee shop, a public library, or another preferred location. When working from these places, here are a few smart ways to help build your brand with the people who see you.

Put a Decal With Your Logo On Your Laptop Computer – If you are working in a public space where people are passing through or mingling, a custom Laptop Skin is an ideal way to turn your laptop workstation into a valuable piece of marketing material!

One thing that you can be sure of is that your notebook will stand out just because it looks nothing like all the run of the mill laptop computers that everyone else is using, and it couldn’t be easier to customize your laptop skin with your logo or other custom creative for your notebook computer. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly start gaining more clients and inquiries just by showing off your logo when working remotely from your home or office.

Turn Your Vehicle Into a Mobile Marketing Machine – If you’re like most people, the chances are good that you spend a significant amount of time driving to run errands, to meet with clients and for personal reasons.

Did you know that you could turn these trips into a valuable marketing campaign by investing in a customized vehicle wrap or a door magnet that boosts your brand name and your contact details? Both of these business branding options are cost-effective and offer tax incentives for their role in your business use.

Information that you should try to have printed on your vehicle wrap or marketing magnet include your business phone number, your website address, your company logo, and a QR code. Anytime that you’re out, you’ll have the opportunity to advertise your brand seamlessly, and the next traffic jam you’re stuck in could offer the chance for you to connect directly with potential clients while they, too, are stuck in traffic.

Embroidered Shirts – While the chances are good that you’ve put your days of wearing another company uniform to work behind you, as a small business owner or a startup company, there are a lot of advantages in investing in embroidered shirts or other types of apparel for yourself and others in your Organization. Depending on your product or service line, custom printed or embroidered shirts, hats, aprons, and other garments help identify your staff and help build brand awareness. For service oriented businesses, customized shirts help your clients recognize who your employees and staff members are which is of particular importance if your business entails you visiting or going into the homes of existing or potential customers.

Business Branding Done Right!

You and your employees are an extension of your brand. Leaving a positive business impression is one of the secrets to success. Several things must be done to put your best foot forward when it comes time to create the most effective branding strategies. Never before in history have consumers had to sort through endless offers, marketing messages, and other incentives to purchase products, for everything they need. Most people today value simplicity and information that’s easy to comprehend, so the more straightforward your marketing efforts are, generally the better your results are likely to be. People are always looking for products and services that make their life easier and better, so if you can deliver such products and services – and do it well – a creative and comprehensive branding and marketing campaign pays off in spades!

If you have more questions about setting up a business branding campaign for your new, existing, or startup business, discussing your project with a branding expert like Colleen Eakins puts your business on track for higher visibility and greater returns on the investment in your business. Fill out the form here to start the discussion today!