Read Start Your Own Business Online
Authors: Inc The Staff of Entrepreneur Media
Start Your Own Business (43 page)
Trying to create a logo on your own may seem like the best way to avoid the high costs of going to a professional design firm, which will charge thousands for a logo alone. However, be aware that there are a lot of independent designers, including many who advertise online, who charge much less. According to Stan Evenson, founder of Evenson Design Group, “Entrepreneurs on a tight budget should shop around for a designer. There are a lot of freelance designers who charge rates ranging from $35 to $150 per hour, based on their experience. But don’t hire someone because of their bargain price. Find a designer who’s familiar with your field ... and your competition. If the cost still seems exorbitant, remember that a good logo should last at least ten years. If you look at the amortization of that cost over a ten-year period, it doesn’t seem so bad.”
TIPEvaluate business card designs with these criteria in mind:• Is the card easy to read?• Does the design catch your eye? (A good designer can make even an all-type card appealing.)• Is your name or the business’s name immediately identifiable?
Even if you have a good eye for color and a sense of what you want your logo to look like, you should still consult a professional designer. Why? They know whether or not a logo design will transfer easily into print or onto a sign, while you might come up with a beautiful design that can’t be transferred or would cost too much to be printed. Your logo is the foundation for all your promotional materials, so this is one area where spending a little more now really pays off later.
Business CardsOnce you have your logo, it’s time to apply it to the marketing items you will use most, such as business cards. A good business card should convey the overall image of your business—not easy, considering the card measures only two inches by three inches. How can you possibly get a message across in such a small amount of space?
You can’t expect your business card to tell the whole story about your company. What you should expect it to do is present a professional image people will remember. “A business card can make or break a client’s first impression of your company,” says Evenson. That little card makes as much of an impression as your personal appearance—the suit you wear or the briefcase you carry.
AHA!Ask owners of noncompeting but related businesses if you can display some of your business cards on their counters. A pet-sitter, for example, could leave her business cards on the counter at a pet store. Offer to do the same for them.
The color, wording and texture of your business card have a lot to do with its appeal and its ability to convey your company image. Use common sense when you are designing your business card. If your business markets children’s toys and games, you might try using bright, primary colors and words written in a child’s script. On the other hand, if you run a financial consulting service, then you want your business card to convey professionalism and reliability, so stick to traditional looks such as black printing on a gray, beige or white background.
Of course, professional designers claim entrepreneurs should not try to attempt designing a business card on their own, but many cashstrapped business owners have no other choice. The best course of action: Look at all the business cards you receive, and emulate the cards that you like. You have more leeway if you are in a creative business, such as party planning or retailing, but in general, keep the following tips in mind:
•
Use your logo as the basis
. Make it the largest element on the card.
•
Keep it simple
. Do not cram too much information on the card.
•
Do include the essentials
—your name, title, company name, address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail and website addresses.
•
Make sure the typeface is easily readable
.IN THE CARDSB
usiness cards don’t have to be boring. If your industry allows for a little creative flair, here are some ideas to try.•
Use 4-inch-by-7-inch cards that fold over (like a minibrochure), cards made of plastic or cards with photos on them
. If your business relies on a lot of phone contact, consider cards that are pre-punched to fit in a Rolodex.•
Although they are more expensive than standard business cards, cards in nontraditional shapes get attention
. Try a teddy bear shape for a day-care service, for example, or a birthday cake for a party planner.•
Textured paper can add to a card’s interest (make sure it does not detract from readability, though), as can colored paper
. In general, stay with lighter shades that enhance readability.•
Thermography, a process that creates raised, shiny print, adds interest to a card
. Embossing and foil stamping are two other printing processes that can give your card visual appeal.
•
Stick to one or two colors
.
Once you’ve got business cards, make the most of them:
Selecting Stationery• Always give people more than one card (so they can give it to others).
• Include your card in all correspondence.
• Carry cards with you at all times, in a card case so they’re clean and neat.
Every time you mail a letter to a prospective client or to an existing customer, the missive leaves a long-lasting impression of your company. In a service business, your written materials are among your company’s most important marketing items. And if you run a homebased business that doesn’t have a commercial location or sign, introducing your company to clients through the mail can be one of your most effective marketing techniques. The paper stock you choose, as well as the colors and graphics embellishing it, plays an important role in the image your stationery presents to your customers. A neon pink stock may work well for a new suntan lotion manufacturer, but not for an accounting service. Your stationery should tie in with your business cards, featuring the same color scheme and overall look.
SAVECreating your image can be costly, but you don’t have to splurge on the whole works at once. To save money, start with the key items the public will see immediately. If you expect to attract most of your clients through sales calls, for instance, put more money into your business cards; if you expect to lure people with your sign, put the money there.
Do not get so caught up in the design elements of your business stationery that you forget the obvious. Every piece of business stationery should include the basics: company name or logo, address, e-mail and website addresses, and phone and fax numbers. You want to make it as easy as possible for your clients to respond to your offer by making all the information they need readily available. Attach your business card to each letter as well, so clients can put it in their Rolodexes for future reference.
Designing Your SignRetailers and restaurateurs alike realize the power of a good sign. Some companies rely on drive-by or walk-by traffic for customers, and if that’s the case with your company, your sign may be the most important element of your entire corporate identity.
A good sign must do more than just attract attention; it also has to be readable from a good distance. That’s why your original logo is so important—one that looks great on a tiny business card may not transfer well to a huge sign above your store. Clearly, going to a professional in the first stages of developing your image is essential. If you find out your great logo can’t be reproduced on a sign, you’ll have to go back to square one and rethink your logo, which will end up costing you more in the long run.
SAVECheck out instant sign stores, which create signs for a fraction of the cost. You may be limited in selection and won’t get the hand-holding you would from a designer. However, if you are on a budget and your sign is not the key element of your marketing strategy, this could be your best bet.
In recent years, a whole host of new sig nage materials has emerged to provide more variety and individuality. This also means it’s harder to choose among all the possibilities, which include neon, plastic, metal, wood and more. Do some investigating before making your final decision; there is a wide range of prices for various materials. Depending on your location, sign placement can make a big difference, too. Options include a free-standing sign, a wall sign, a projecting sign or a roof sign.
Other books
Somewhere Towards the End by Diana Athill
The Weaker Vessel: Woman's Lot in Seventeenth-Century England by Antonia Fraser
Magic by Danielle Steel
Uncle John’s Legendary Lost Bathroom Reader by Bathroom Readers' Institute
The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes by Melissa Myers
Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash
Water Sleeps by Cook, Glen
Heart of the Wilderness by Janette Oke
Staring At The Light by Fyfield, Frances
Season of Passion by Danielle Steel
