The branding of your business identity will increase public awareness of your company. By being "brand aware", you will provide a higher level of consistency and continuity in your advertising and marketing materials, and you will become more memorable in prospective clients' minds.

It is important to carry the same theme, message, and "feel" throughout all of your marketing and promotional materials so that your company is easily recognized. The goal of consistent branding of a market identity is to make your company and its products stand out from others, and are easily recognizable.



Make Your Visual Identity Unforgettable



Your marketing materials represent you and your company when you are not present. With an effective visual identity, every letter, business card, and brochure you present serves as a mini billboard for your company.



Do your marketing materials draw a second glance? Do they create interest that someone receiving them will be interested in reading further what you have to say or learning more about you? Your graphic image needs to be unique, attractive, and full of impact. Make it stand out from all the other symbols and designs in the marketplace. Be consistent in portrayal of your design throughout ALL of your marketing materials!



Collect some of your competitors' marketing materials and study them. What do you like or dislike about them? Are they interesting? Can you create a design that stands out from theirs?



What's Your Name?



Your company name is the centerpiece of the identity of your business. It is the first thing that you hope "pops" into peoples' minds when they need a product or service you provide. Avoid names that are:



Vague - like ABC Associates, Moonlighting, Inc. (what do they do?)



Similar - Joe's Restaurant, Mike's Restaurant (I forgot which one I liked!)



Forgettable - not easily recalled, such as Executron



Hard to spell or pronounce - Hors De'ouvres Catering (You try it!)



Sounds bad - Poo Poo Catering (No explanantion required!)



Your name needs to clearly identity what you do. If it does not, it has little marketing value. If people have to make notes on your business card, that's a sign that your business name and business cards do not clearly identify what you do.



Creating a Recognizable Company Identity



When creating a recognizable brand for your company, consider the following:



* Who are you trying to attract?



* What is your vision of how you want to be perceived?



*What do you want people to think of you?



* What five attributes best describe you?



* Do you have a tag line for your business that is benefit-driven, inspirational, and descriptive.



* Do your marketing materials convey the image you want them to? * What colors describe your company? (Green-ecological; Gold-finance; Blue-water, Red-high energy)



Be Unique



You can also differentiate your marketing materials from your competitors' in several ways. Some examples include:



* Classy - Present marketing materials in a custom- designed folder with gold leaf lettering rather than a plain two-pocket.



* Mini billboard - Don't waste valuable real estate! Print additional information on the backside of your business card. Or, use a custom-designed and sized card. Example: for a personal chef your business card can be the shape of a chef's coat.



* Substance - Use heavier, thicker paper instead of standard 60# weight.



* Stand out - Use a custom-designed envelope that is larger the standard to "stand out" in the mail stash.



* Presentation matters - Deliver materials, brochures, etc. in a box with a custom tag with your company name attached by a ribbon or cord. OR punch a hole in your business card and attach!



Remember...



Branding your business identity is a marketing tool that helps create a consistent and memorable image of your company.



Set yourself apart from the crowd and pay special attention to crafting the visual identity of your business. A graphic designer can assist you in developing a professional image, as well as assist you in working with a printer.



Copyright 2007, 2008 Bonita L. Richter and Profit Strategies.

Bonita L. Richter, MBA, founder of Profit Strategies, teaches entrepreneurs and business owners how to start and grow businesses, attract more clients, and market their businesses to increase sales, business success, and generate wealth. For FREE tips on how to craft the successful business you desire, visit Profit Strategies.

Deciding on a name is one of the most exciting parts of starting up a business.



The only problem with choosing the name of your business is that so much rides on your business name. It's a little like choosing a name for your baby. A little like? Make that a lot like! It's no easier choosing a name for your business than it is choosing a name for your baby.



What's in a business name? You want it to be everything. Sadly, many business names are nothing. Deciding on a great business name takes time. It takes thought. Moreover, getting it wrong could spell disaster for your business. Getting it right, however, will give customers a reason to hire you, connect you to your niche market, and save you thousands of marketing dollars.



You want your business name to have a big impact on people. This, in turn, will have a big effect on your market. A name that's too far out may make it difficult to brand. A name that's too generic and common is easily ignored. Naming your business "Sarah's Cookies" may make all the sense in the world to you. In most cases, however, your own name means very little to your customers because it says nothing memorable or of distinction.



The key to picking a great name for your business is to make it memorable. Make it distinctive. Don't make it silly or cute. Your name should reflect your market niche and identity and be able to reach your customer base easily. So don't mess it up!



Top Five Characteristics of a Great Business Name



1. It's short.



2. It's specific and reflects a specialized business: Jiffy Lube, Home Depot.



3. It's unique. Consider using words that are not in the dictionary: Alkamae, Google, Squidoo.



4. It's creative. Don't copy, borrow, or modify existing famous brand names. Got Milk? has its own branding. Leave Victoria's Secret to Victoria.



5. It's an easy name to say, spell, and remember. Use proper English construction so that when put in a sentence, it will work: "I just purchased a book from Amazon."



Five Popular Business Naming Trends to Avoid



1. Don't abbreviate your business name. Though it may make communication and correspondence easier, acronyms are sterile.



2. Avoid anything that ends in "global", enterprise", or "Inc." They're passé.



3. Avoid using your own name. Build your brand on your company, not on your name. That way, if you decide to sell your company one day, it will be easier to sell.



4. Don't hyphenate your business name. It makes remembering and writing it difficult. Plus, a hyphenated web name is hard to read.



5. Avoid geographical names unless you're trying to create a strong local affinity. The name "Willow Oak Center for Arts and Learning at Robertson County" works because this is a business targeted specifically for Robertson County in Tennessee.



Once you've found your name, consider trademarking it through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and registering it through the Secretary of State offices. If your business operates on the Internet, be aware that domain names are not registered through state or local government, so just registering them at domain registration sites is not enough to protect your great business name.



There is more to naming your business than just coming up with something that sounds good, is clever, or you just happen to like. Naming your business is a serious matter. Your business name reflects your image, your brand, and your position in the marketplace. Because your business name is crucial to your overall branding success and marketing efforts, make your business name count.



Make it great!

Small Business Start Up Coach, Consultant, & Author takes the fear out of starting up businesses by providing value, inspiration, and direction to entrepreneurial women transforming lives and making a difference in the world. Accidental Pren-her%u2122 Blog is where entrepreneurial women come to embrace their Inner Samurai.