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May 31, 2011 at 5:50 am #973643Up::0
Hi All,
having what can be best described as stumbled my way through my first year in business, I look back on some fond memories and some interesting choices. My aim has always been to spend the first 12months reinvesting all profits in the business, through marketing, equipment and so on.
I wanted peoples advice, with a company as young as this, would a ‘rebrand’ be a big exercise, or would I be more having a refresh?
I don’t hold a lot of stationary or business cards, and my website is still relatively small. My customer base, whilst growing does not associate my brand with my logo or anything, but as I created it, using very basic graphic techniques, I wonder whether it is time to invest in the overall brand (particularly logo) and get it done professionally.
is what I am looking to do an expensive exercise, as I cannot really see my ‘rebranding’ being much more than redesigning my logo and updating my website?
Any thoughts opinions appreciated
May 31, 2011 at 6:32 am #1063117Up::0Grats on getting through the first year of business!
I guess how large or small depends on how much you do.If you have alot of items branded – eg letterheads, business cards, apparel, website, banners, etc then it’d be a big exercise. But if you’re like me you’d just have a business card, and a website to update.
I’ve just redone my logo recently and cost depends on how many concepts you require and how many rounds of changes you go through.
With your website, you can literally just keep the same pages and put in a new design, or you can redevelop and add more/different pages, add new functionality such as ordering stationery online etc. Cost will of course vary depending on the option that you go with.
I must admit that when I was getting my business cards printed last week I only looked at websites that would enable me to submit the artwork, and go through the whole process online. But that’s just my personal preference
Not a fan of their website’s design (http://www.umaxprint.com.au) but the ordering process seemed relatively easy, and their “My Account” area is pretty straight forward to use in terms of back and forth on the artwork/proofing process.
If you need help to get an idea of the redesign/redevelopment process for your website feel free to drop me an email with your requirements.
Cheryl
May 31, 2011 at 6:49 am #1063118Up::0Congrats on the one year mark !!
Also, good on you for being proactive in your business’ development. I have been thinking along the same lines re some small changes to these things, so I look forward to reading the responses.
Wendy
May 31, 2011 at 7:08 am #1063119Up::0Hi Agent Mail,
Happy Anniversary!
I actually don’t mind the way you are going about things as it is. I love how direct and specific everything is. I love that you show your prices (though many may argue this isn’t a good thing).
There really isn’t a single thing I can find that would make me not want use you.If you find you get a similar response over a large volume of people, there’s a good chance that what you are doing is working well already.
Sure some things ‘need’ improvement/complete overhaul and it’s always good to be progressive but in your case maybe a visualisation of where you see your brand in say 1, 2 and 5 years time and slowly tweak towards those final visualisations is all that is required?
And, over this time when new ideas spring up from time to time so you have room to move and stay progressive without scaring off anyone who is already comfortable and familiar with you.Refresh vote from me.
May 31, 2011 at 7:12 am #1063120Up::0Couple It, post: 78089 wrote:I have been thinking along the same lines re some small changes to these things, so I look forward to reading the responses.You too Wendy.
Personally I think you have one of the more in tune brands on this forum, I would hesitate to do anything too drastic that would stray too far from your current direction.
May 31, 2011 at 7:57 am #1063121Up::0Hi AgentMail!
Every business develops over time and takes on a different form, especially during the early years. If your business direction/target audience changes you do need to revisit the look and feel of your business, does it portray what you want it to portray? Does it communicate and attract the right target audience?
You have a good foundation, maybe a little refining is in order. But that is my take on it from your initial post! Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
ps. Thanks again for the great printing and service so far
May 31, 2011 at 9:50 am #1063122Up::0sixx, post: 78095 wrote:…I would hesitate to do anything too drastic that would stray too far from your current direction.Thanks for that Sixx…my concern is the word “IT”. I have a lot of people who initially think I’m an I.T. business which I’m thinking could be solved by making the “T” lower case. But then on the other hand, I quite like the rigidity of my name and logo – makes it feel serious and strong.
I’m not going to do anything just yet, but it will be in the back of my mind over the next 12 months as the business develops.
Wendy
May 31, 2011 at 10:48 am #1063123Up::0AgentMail, post: 78071 wrote:My customer base, whilst growing does not associate my brand with my logo or anything, but as I created it, using very basic graphic techniques, I wonder whether it is time to invest in the overall brand (particularly logo) and get it done professionally.I don’t think branding or positioning is about logo or letterhead or website at all, it is about the space you occupy in your customers mind.
If you don’t have many customers and the ones you do don’t associate your business with any of the “things” you have, than you don’t have much of a problem to do anything you want with your brand – but that also means you don’t have much of a brand
I’m going through similar lines of though as well, looking for ways to clarify my message.
I might redo the logo as well, although I did it twice already. once for 200$ 2nd time for $500 – maybe third time will be better….
May 31, 2011 at 10:58 am #1063124Up::0Nominal is right. If your clients dont associate you with what you do perhaps it might be worthwhile finding out what it is about the name etc that’s the reason before you refresh.
May 31, 2011 at 1:58 pm #1063125Up::0Nominal is right about branding being about customer retention.
I am a little bit confused to your purpose in this though. Is it solely just because you want something to do with the money or is it to increase relevance to your customers or to increase identification or..?
If you really want to build a “brand” you would be better off looking at investing in some brand-building campaigns for your target market. It’s not only about the logo, there are tons of other ways to build bonds with your clientele.
Farah
May 31, 2011 at 10:44 pm #1063126Up::0sixx, post: 78093 wrote:Sure some things ‘need’ improvement/complete overhaul and it’s always good to be progressive but in your case maybe a visualisation of where you see your brand in say 1, 2 and 5 years time and slowly tweak towards those final visualisations is all that is required?Refresh vote from me.
You have summed up what I was trying to express here Sixx, and thank you to everyone else for your input. I guess what I am trying to achieve is a long term approach to formalising my business model and appearance, as my eventual goal is to create a franchise model. I know that I cannot create a franchise model without a clear set of brand tools, but this is only one part of a much bigger pie. The franchising thing is at least 4yrs away, but I guess I want to do everything with the end goal in mind.
I am also very concious of people using companies like VistaPrint because of their ease of use, and that is what I want to drive towards (not the budget model, but the simplicity of doing business with)I also agree with what Nominal has said, but I guess I am hesitant to start attending real estate conventions etc. and putting my brand out there on a national scale if I am then going to change it, and whilst I know this happens all the time with the big guys, I want to provide consistency in the short term.
Thanks again all for your input, some food for thought
May 31, 2011 at 11:16 pm #1063127Up::0Personally, I think you could really benefit from at least having your logo redesigned to begin with. I’m sure you’ll agree that what you currently have is not really iconic or very memorable, and could be much better.
I’d recommend investing $500-$1000 in a really experienced, local designer who understands that a logo is far more than a pretty picture.
If you got the logo done now, you could just change the logo on the website and it will really make it pop. Then you can update the website in a year or 2.
June 1, 2011 at 9:03 am #1063128Up::0On a side note.. Choosing a segment to serve is very important. Just because the national market might be the biggest/most profitable/fastest growing doesn’t mean that it might mesh with your company objectives or that it is the best segment for your company and its resources.
Maybe look now to cement your reputation, and when you change your logo later, you can work around modernizing it or using the same colours and fitting it to your most profitable segment. Look at Apple – the logo might not be deemed very exciting or creative, but it projects those qualities in customers’ minds because of the company. I spent a grand total of 5 seconds looking at your logo; and mainly because you are talking about it now.
Looking at your website, I actually don’t know who your customer is. Are you serving mainly real estate companies (since you mentioned going real estate conventions)? Small businesses targeted at moms? Restaurants for the north central area? Schools holding fund-raising? When you cement your most profitable segment, you can design a logo more suited for them.
June 2, 2011 at 10:34 am #1063129Up::0Id agree with a logo re-design. And if it were me, Id look at incorporating that circle image you have on your home page into your design. I think that is a really effective little graphic that pretty well sums up what you do in a small space.
One of our other businesses has had its website overhauled twice in 2 years, and even now Im not entirely happy with it and I tweak it constantly (http://www.totalmicrosystems.com.au). I think if you are any kind of perfectionist, you will always want to tinker and improve as you go. Websites especially have changed immensely in the last few years – I have to wonder what they will look like in another 2-3 years! (prolly come with smell-o-vision) or something!!
My advice would be to get a killer logo done, and work your way up from there as you can afford it. And always make sure you put your logo everywhere you can: email signature, website, cards, letter heads, fb, twitter etc etc -you really need to create that brand association.
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