SpeyerGraphix Branding Blog

Logo Design Trends 2009 - Showcase | 1stwebdesigner - Love In Design

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A very good article. This addresses issues that no one ever talks about but certainly knows about. We all have to go through this at some point or another if we want to get noticed.

by Lisa Barone, August 15, 2008

Conference networking is one of the most compelling reasons for professionals to attend events in their niche. However, for introverts, the only difference between conferences and your horrifying experience as a 13-year-old in P.E. is that you wasted a considerable amount of money to feel tortured and uncomfortable.

You shell out $1,500 to attend your industry’s premier conference, go through the hassle of coordinating time off work and accept that you will be paying out the nose in travel, eating and lodging expenses. Then, when you get there, you don’t speak to anyone in the sessions and spend the afterhours hidden away in your hotel room flipping through the same nine television channels. For three days, you avoid the Birds of a Feather lunches, hold up the walls during social functions and effectively meet no one. Read more.

THE CONSUMER’S MIND IS MORE THAN A CLUTTERED SPACE.
IT’S A WAR ZONE!

Successful brands are those that occupy a special place in the hearts and minds of their customers. Standing out by standing for something. Something unique, something relevant, something compelling to their loyalists.

http://www.brandhaus.com.au/brandhaus.aspx

Have you ever come across a site that is so irritating to look at that you wish you could blacklist it from the Internet? There are a few sites out there that are just plain repulsive because they are not user friendly, ugly, take too long to load and a variety of other reasons. In order to make a site successful and have high viewer response, there are a few basic web design ideas to avoid like the plague!

Crummy Content

Content is by far one of the most important parts of a website. It can help a business gain traffic as well as increase sales and viewer interest. Ignoring your content is website suicide. This does not mean posting a ton of links instead of tangible articles on your resource page. Create or edit articles and information that is attention getting and newsworthy. Also, do not link every word on your article to an off- or on-page; it is distracting and unnecessary. When writing fresh content, leave the jokes to the comedians. People may not understand your humor and can even be offended by it. This will most certainly drive viewers away from your site.

Terrible Text and Bawdy Backgrounds

After you have some content, do not ruin it by making it unreadable. Avoid fancy scripts, centered text, flashing items and overuse of bold and italics. Pick a script that’s easy to read and bold/italicize only what’s important like subheads, keywords and focal points. Next pick a background that does not take away from the text. For example, white text on a black background, dark text on a dark background and light colored text on a white background is not appealing and sometimes difficult to read. You want to attract ever type of reader in every age group, therefore keep your text and backgrounds simple and neutral. Confusing text and background combinations highlights chaos and a lack of control. This is not the message you want to send to potential clients

Keep it Simple

The last thing your business needs is for Internet users to run away from your site for good. Make it easy on yourself and on your viewers by keeping your web design simple with a branded look and salivating content. Solid web design can help your business keep customers searching your content. Remember to just keep it simple.

SpeyerGraphix specializes in building and marketing strong and clear branding strategies that take full advantage of the latest developments on and offline. We have over 25 years of experience in helping businesses and corporations create branded images for products and services, helping to convert visitors into buyers. To learn more about branding and its benefits, log on to http://www.speyergraphix.com or email Bob Speyer at bob@speyergraphix.com

Blaise Aguera y Arcas leads a dazzling demo of Photosynth, software that could transform the way we look at digital images. Using still photos culled from the Web, Photosynth builds breathtaking dreamscapes and lets us navigate them.

Webpage design and branding are the two most important tools for online businesses that are starting out or reworking their image. However, there are many things to avoid when designing a new site or revamping and old one. Here are a few great tips that will help your site create more viewer interest.

Consistency
Being consistent with your design and brand is of utmost importance. Keep one branded design for all pages – including your blogs. Changing a brand look from page to page, can damage a company’s marketing strategy and confuse surfers. The idea is to keep everything consistent so that surfers create a memory of your company’s image. This means don’t change colors or branding images. If you have navigation buttons at the top of your homepage then keep them at the top for all the inside pages. You want everything on your homepage and inside pages to be clear, easy to use and consistent. Do not move around your navigation buttons from top to left or remove them from any inside page. This will confuse surfers and push them away from your site. To keep them searching your content, all links should be placed in the same order and in the same position on each page. If you have a lot of pages and want to more than six or seven navigation buttons, drop-down panels can be very effective and help to keep your site organized.

Simplicity
There is beauty in simplicity. That’s why millions of people vacate out of stressful and busy city life to areas with a more natural and calm feel. The same goes for a website. People do not respond well to flashy tricks, funky doo-dads, and swirling objects. Stay away from the unnecessary. Remember, content is what people will be looking for, not flare and moving images. This is not to say you can’t have video or audio on your site, which can help drive traffic, rather to keep your site as simple and stress-free as possible. Take Google for example. Its use of white space is what made it on of the lead search engine sites. Google users also have the option to personalize their Google for an easy to use experience. The simpler your site, the more likely surfers will stay.

With these two factors in mind, you can build a fresh website with consistent and simple formatting and well-branded content. The way to attract visitors and to keep them coming back for more is to create a positive company image. Surfers will remember your brand as long as you stay consistent and keep it simple.

SpeyerGraphix specializes in building and marketing strong and clear branding strategies that take full advantage of the latest developments on and offline. We have over 25 years of experience in helping businesses and corporations create branded images for products and services, helping to convert visitors into buyers. To learn more about branding and its benefits, log on to http://www.speyergraphix.com or email Bob Speyer at bob@speyergraphix.com

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but are they the right words? A marketable and effective website has words and good SEO copy on the homepage, front and center. Do not turn your webpage into a brochure. If you are losing traffic or want to increase it, look for the right keywords and copy to put on your homepage. No room? Take off a few pictures. Leave only the ones that clearly display your brand. Believe me; your website will survive without the flashy visuals. Think about it this way, how long does it take someone to look at a few pictures? A few seconds? A minute, maybe two? To keep people looking at your website, you need the power of the pen.

People want to know what you do and how you can help them “instantly”. They do not want to search your site to find answers to simple questions. If a site is too confusing or does not have enough content, surfers will simply leave and take their business elsewhere. Click here to see what happens when you take away Amazon.com’s copy. It’s pretty difficult to navigate your way around the site without the words.

Granted some graphics, if relevant, are ok. However, be careful on which ones you choose. You want your graphics to relay your brand image, tell a story and be effective. Think of images like keywords. They must relate to your business, be searchable, unique and interesting. Avoid flash and other movable graphics, unless they have a time limit. These items are distracting and pull potential customers away from your site’s content. Tell your web developer or copywriter that you want word content that is clear, to the point, and branded. That way you can keep viewers on your site and coming back for more.

SpeyerGraphix specializes in building and marketing strong and clear branding strategies that take full advantage of the latest developments on and offline. We have over 25 years of experience in helping businesses and corporations create branded images for products and services, helping to convert visitors into buyers. To learn more about branding and its benefits, log on to http://www.speyergraphix.com or email Bob Speyer at bob@speyergraphix.com

The human mind is a remarkable thing, but it can also be fooled. Everyday, whether we want to or not, we are bombarded by advertisements and marketing in magazines, on TV, radio, billboards, etc. Almost everywhere we look, we see ads and brands telling us what we need, adding to our own views and preferences even creating a placebo effect.

Stan Reents, PharmD writes in his article “Don’t Underestimate the Power of Suggestion” about how placebos affect the human mind in various studies. One example was a taste test study on different types of vodka. The subjects were asked what their favorite vodka was before the test. However, the results showed that many rated their favorites poorly. Why did they insist that one brand of vodka was their favorite when their taste buds said differently? The answer can be said in two words: brand loyalty.

Brand loyalty is when a consumer buys and continues to buy a specific brand, because he or she believes the product’s features are better. This can be done either consciously or unconsciously. This explains why some people in the above study preferred certain brands of vodka over others despite their liking to them. Those brands favored must have had the right images, features and prices to create a higher perceived level of quality.

Creating an online brand will give consumers an image of your company and add interest to your products and/or services. Your job as an online marketer is to try to break the habits of the consumers that buy your competitor’s products by offering something fresh, new and better. If you suggest that your product is better, it puts the possibility out there.
Now I’m not advocating lying to potential consumers or offering products and services that are of poor quality. The idea is to sell the best quality that you can offer and to market a specific image in order to attract potential clients.

You want to distinguish your brand from your competitors but in an interesting, positive, and memorable way in order to leave consumers wondering if they should give your products and/or services a chance. Once you have a clear and strong brand image, your products and/or services become something more, a brand. They stop being items and start being something better, different and not imitable.

SpeyerGraphix specializes in building and marketing strong and clear branding strategies that take full advantage of the latest developments on and offline. We have over 25 years of experience in helping businesses and corporations create branded images for products and services, helping to convert visitors into buyers. To learn more about branding and its benefits, log on to http://www.speyergraphix.com or email Bob Speyer at bob@speyergraphix.com

By Bob Speyer

Are your sales sluggish? Is the competition winning? Are your efforts circular instead of moving forward? If the answers are YES, then you may need to retool your image, refocus your marketing and re-energize your company’s image. What comes to mind when your customers hear your company name? Or better still, how do you see your company’s image? If you are uncertain, or do not have a well-defined image, it’s time to give your brand serious reevaluation. The good news is it doesn’t have to break the bank or take years to put your branding back on track. However it does require the examination and implementation of a few critical guidelines to create a winning brand.

1. Differentiate your brand. First, you want to determine how your brand can stand out from the competition. What makes your products or services superior or unique? It is precisely this point of differentiation that separates you from the competition and creates a permanent impression in the hearts and minds of your customers. Do your homework by performing a competitive analysis: analyze competitor ads, websites, PR coverage and “fraternize with the enemy.” Also review your existing branding strategies and marketing efforts for strengths and weaknesses. Knowing where you’ve been will help take you to where you want to go.

2. Value and perception. Branding is all about sending a strong and consistent message. Once you determine your unique selling proposition, you can redefine your brand message. You want to give your customers the sizzle along with the goods. Determining what your prospects want or demand from the products or services is key to a benefits driven perception of value. Ask your customers the reasons behind their choices, monitor their perceptions of your brand and unearth the negatives. Once you complete your analysis, you can focus in on a clear and concise message. Remember you can’t be all things to all people; it only dilutes your brand. Giving customers what they really want, not what they have to settle for will result in stronger branding and increased sales.

3. Credibility. Positioning your company as a leader in its field with a history of satisfied customers will reinforce your brand image. Today’s customers are market savvy — they are informed, read reviews and in-depth information, and listen to word-of-mouth before pushing the lever to buy. Their expectations are high and want to be confident that their experiences (choices) will match the promises of the brand marketing campaigns. Nothing sabotages branding efforts faster than failing to live up to the marketing claims. By positioning your company as a leader and innovator, backed by industry best guarantees will catch the attention of the customer and have your company live up to its promises. You are raising the bar for the interests of all concerned.

4. Consistency. Every interaction a customer has with your brand must be uniform — from the messages communicated to the various marketing programs. For example, your online marketing — from website to emails — should be consistent with your offline marketing efforts. They should speak with one voice and carry a single, clear branding message. And that includes your front line sales force. We are still in the people business. With all your marketing efforts in line with your branding, your company can run more smoothly and fire on all cylinders to move you forward.

5. Objectivity. Because it is difficult to look at that marketing mirror and into the soul of your company, it is recommended to hire an outside consultant to do the heavy lifting. SpeyerGraphix has the experience and expertise to retool your marketing efforts and give you a strong branded image to move your business forward.