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Creating Effective Business Cards

Creating Effective Business Cardsbusiness card design

No matter how many business contacts you make through social media, nothing can replace a business card for a quick introduction or when you want to leave behind a record of your visit. Effective business cards are an inexpensive marketing tool with the capability to boost both your sales and your business. Creating effective business cards can be done with the help of a professional graphic designer.

Your business card is often the first impression a sales prospect or potential investor has about your business. It is extremely important to present the right image. The design of your business card should be consistent with the brand that you present in all of your other marketing. Your business card should include your company’s logo and a short tag line that explains what you do.

Every business card should contain a business name, a physical or mailing address, an email address and phone number. The more contact information that you provide on your business card, the easier it will be for people to reach you. Some people like to include their personal cell phone number, although this is not necessary. If you leave your cell number off of your business card you can always write it in when you hand them out. This gives the impression that you are providing the individual with preferred contact information.

The tactile feel of your business card is also important. Your card should be printed on standard sized and heavy cardstock. Lightweight business cards suggest poor quality which reflects badly on your image. Use alternative materials only when it relates to your business.

Since your business card reflects you and your business, how you use it will determine what you will need to include on it. Personal service professionals such as real estate agents and hairdressers might want to include a photo of themselves so that others can easily put a face to their name. You might choose to use the back of the card to show a map with directions to your business. Another feature that can be added is a space for writing in appointment times or other important information.

Alter Impact has over thirteen years of experience creating professional, high quality effective business cards. For more information on how we can help you properly market your business, please contact us today.

 

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The Role of Advertising in Business Marketing

The Role of Advertising in Business Marketingadvertising

Business marketing is the promotion of a company’s products or services to a specific audience. It can also be the act of engaging in actions to improve a company’s name recognition and public goodwill. Advertising is a much more generic promotion of a product or service to a less specific segment of the target audience. Even though advertising and marketing are not synonymous concepts, adding an advertising component to a marketing strategy is standard business practice.

A traditional marketing plan outlines a company’s strategy for publicizing its products and services, improving its mindshare with the target market and building goodwill about the company’s brand identity. Several marketing activities are not related to advertising. Some marketing activities are more passive such as a coherent and consistent logo and stationary design.

By contrast, an advertising plan is intended to actively promote a specific product or service to a defined consumer segment.

Although it is possible to market a company or even a product line without direct advertising, in general, advertising is the most effective way of communicating a product or service to a target audience.

Professional marketers usually segregate the return on investment for both the marketing and the advertisement programs. An ad program should generate more closed sales than the program cost to develop it. However, not all the impact from advertising is quantifiable.

Advertising plans are generally tactical approaches to a larger strategic vision contained in the marketing plan. Ideally the marketing plan should drive the ad plan, but not the other way around. In addition, the core principles in the marketing strategy will typically shape the types of ads that are acceptable.

Alter Impact has over thirteen years of experience helping businesses both large and small create memorable brands. For more information, please contact us today.

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Importance of Corporate Identity

Importance of Corporate Identitycorporate identity

Corporate identity is a compilation of several things. It is the sum of a company’s individual parts. There are many physical as well as other, more subtle characteristics that communicate a company’s overall identity. Even recognizable trademarks would be long forgotten without corresponding support and communication mechanisms.

One of the most visible aspects of a corporation’s identity is its logo. An effective logo differentiates itself from the competition and provides high visibility. Companies should put a lot of thought into their logo design with consideration given to several factors. First and foremost an audience must be determined. Studying the competition might also be beneficial to logo development. A company’s logo is what sets it apart from the competition. It should be proudly displayed on all advertisements. Consistency is extremely important to effective branding.

To get an idea of what works, newer companies should take a look at long established corporate identities. Until your audience can easily identify your company, branding will be near impossible. The idea that a company can design an entire campaign around just its logo is a fairly new concept. Ease of identification makes it possible to advertise your company culture instead of just a specific product.

Once you have developed a successful product and an easily identifiable logo, your company’s image and reputation become an important part of your corporate identity. High quality products and services build trust in your brand. With trust comes a level of comfort that consumers can feel.

Legal issues such as trademark infringement are serious corporation issues. Distinguishing your brand avoids any challenges or simple confusion. A corporation should have complete control over its identity and should never allow others to use its logo without permission. Corporations should also be able to integrate new messages or adjust existing logos in order to accommodate changing times.

A familiar brand identity offers employees a feeling of pride in their company. Employees of well established companies enjoy higher morale, recruitment and retention.

Alter Impact has over thirteen years of experience helping businesses both large and small create memorable brands. For more information, please contact us today.
 

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A Logos Role in Advertising

A Logos Role in Advertisinglogo

Creating a logo for your company gives you the opportunity to speak to your customers in an artistic and visually stimulating way. A logo can give potential customers an idea of the personality of your business and makes your brand instantly recognizable without the use of words or the company name. Ideally, a logo should represent your company accurately enough that the viewer requires nothing else to identify your brand.

Every organization can benefit from a logo. In fact, even countries create logos for themselves through their national flags, official seals and other emblematic artwork. Any organization wishing to communicate to an audience can benefit from a logo to clearly convey a short, simple message.

If your company has a marketing budget, then you should consider hiring a professional graphic designer to create your logo. Be sure to clearly communicate your company’s mission and personality to your designer.

Your logo should be printed on all of your promotional materials, letterhead and business cards. Display your logo on your company’s website and attach it to all of your company emails. Your logo should also be visible on all exterior store signage and within your store as well.

A logo is an extremely important part of a company’s message, marketing and image. It immediately conveys to the viewer your company’s mission and values. It keeps your company ever present in the minds of consumers, especially when it is used consistently on all company advertising and communications. A logo often means the difference between a customer remembering your brand or forgetting it entirely.

Alter Impact has over thirteen years of experience creating effective brands for businesses both large and small. For more information, please contact us today.