Proper communication
You need to be advertising to your target market - if you are advertising in the wrong areas you may as well be speaking a different language.
Who are you wanting to attract - who’s your ideal customer?
You need to know your market and who you are appealing to.
If you are selling tractors go to agricultural show and events and advertise in relevant publications
Make sure you website comes up when you search it by having relevant keywords in your website,
Check your SEO is working correctly.
There’s no point having a great product of no-one can see you, so make sure you’re visible in print and online
Being consistent
Everyone has a logo, but do you brand your company across all platforms and do so consistently?
Everything needs to be consistent in
Print
Website
Digital
Are you using all the same colours, typeface and tone of voice?
By being consistent you develop a sense of trust and professionalism.
When looking through social media will someone know it’s your post without reading your name?
People need to recognise and acknowledge you wherever they see you.
Be recognisable whenever you are seen
Quality
If you close your eyes and feel your business card how does it feel?
Is it flimsy and cheap - is that how you want to be perceived or does it have a premium feel, does it represent your company?
Are your letterheads printed on your home printer?
It’s not a quality look or feel, in fact with inkjet ink costing more per gram than gold it’s not even cheap. Having your letterheads printed professionally will not only feel better, look more professional but will more than likely be cheaper too.
First and second impressions last, so it’s important to make the right one.
Brand Guidelines
Brand Guidelines can be a good way to know what you should be doing to remain consistent as a reminder to yourself.
Do you have a corporate typeface and then do a presentation in Aerial?
If you are representing your company it should be seen in everything you do.
You may have professionally had your stationary designed, so the letterhead, compliment slip and business card are all consistent, then everything else gets forgotten.
Are all of these in your correct branding?
Social media posts
Invoices and statements
Presentations
Email signature
Delivery note
The list goes on
You should have colour references for your logo.
So if a designer or printer needs to know you’d give them a CMYK or Pantone number.
If your web designer asked you’d give them a Hexadecimal reference
If your sign writer asked you’d know the RAL colour
Your typeface or font.
You need to know what they are so when the people above ask you know what they are.
Keeping all of these consistent will give your a stronger identity, look more trustworthy and professional - which is what you want.
In summary
• Be professional in everything that the outside world will see.
• Be consistent
• Maintain high standards
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