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Branding Basics: Collateral
There are so many things that you might need to market your business. Flyers, brochures, business cards, email newsletter templates, websites, billboards, etc.
We call these designed elements “Marketing Collateral.” While you may refresh these designs fairly often – it’s a good idea to make sure that there is some branding consistency across the board. Colors, textures, fonts, slogans, etc. should relate to each other.
Maybe you use different campaigns frequently – which means your designs may change. You might still want to layout certain rules or a “styleguide” that brings that consistency across the board.
Tune in next week for Branding Basics: Website/Social
Do you need some help with your branding? Let me know!
Josh Hatcher
mail@joshhatcher.com
Define Reality – #thinkbigthursday
#thinkbigthursday is our day to dream for something bigger than what we’ve got! So we’re gathering advice from people who have done more, gone farther, and we’re thinking big!
Branding Basics: Logo
Before anything else – I recommend having your logo professionally designed.
I know you think it sounds like I’m trying to sell you somethign – and maybe I am. Full disclosure – it’s how I make my living –
but whether you have Hatcher Media create your logo, someone else create your logo, or someone else create it – there’s a few things you need to think about.
1. Is it readable at a glance? If it’s on the side of your truck, and I’m driving down the highway – can I read it? Can I clearly understand your message in 3 seconds?
2. Is it timeless? Some companies update their logo every few years – and you certainly COULD do that. But you also might consider creating a logo that will be around for awhile. I recommend the timeless option.
3. Is it scale-able?
Your logo needs to be able to be blown up. That means you need to create it as a vector file. If you don’t know how to do this – hire someone who can. If you have to blow up your logo – and it looks grainy – then you are going to look cheap and unprofessional. (Also note – please make sure that your logo is resized properly – and not in such a way that stretches it out of proportion!)
4. Does it work in one color as well as multiple colors? Sometimes your logo needs to work in one color. Make sure that you keep that in mind.
Tune in next week for Branding Basics: Collateral
Do you need some help with your branding? Let me know!
Josh Hatcher
mail@joshhatcher.com
Taking Credit – #thinkbigthursday
#thinkbigthursday is our day to dream for something bigger than what we’ve got! So we’re gathering advice from people who have done more, gone farther, and we’re thinking big!
The 3 Ways Entrepreneurs Fail at Personal Branding via Entrepreneur Magazine #wednesdaywisdom
The 3 Ways Entrepreneurs Fail at Personal Branding via Entrepreneur Magazine
Fantastic article about personal branding. Give it a read!
It’s easy to think we understand our personal brand. It’s basically how we think of ourselves, right? Of course, the moment we take a deeper look, it’s easy to see the fallacy. Your personal brand isn’t what you say it is; it’s what other people say about you when you leave the room.
Branding Basics: Philosophy
People often associate your “brand” with your logo – but branding is really about more than that.
Branding is happening whether you intend it to or not – it’s the SUM of all of your communication parts, including the reception of that communication, and the image of your company in the mind of your target audience.
Before you start throwing fonts and colors at a logo – you need to know what your branding philosophy is.
Who are you, and why do you exist?
What do you want your target audience to think about you?
How do you want to be portrayed in the marketplace?
As you define these things, you want to make sure that you are communicating them across all of your marketing is consistent. Not just the message, but the design itself needs to have that consistency.
Tune in next week for Branding Basics: Logo
Do you need some help with your branding? Let me know!
Josh Hatcher
mail@joshhatcher.com
Black Sabbath Cover Band Meets McDonalds? Sometimes Creativity can just be weird!
Because Creativity can sometimes be strange…
Why WordPress? Versatility via Plugins
Wordpress is a fantastic and versatile platform for building your website.
It can handle ecommerce, integration with social networks, mailing list integration, and any number of functionalities you want your website to do.
You should be careful with some Third Party Plugins, though, because they can create vulnerabilities or conflicts – but as long as you go with highly rated plugins from trusted developers, you should have a problem.
I also get a lot of requests to build websites at a base rate – but with the goal of building more onto it later – ie – ecommerce, etc. WordPress makes that process work. It’s a site that will grow with you!
If you need any help with a website, let me know! I’d love to talk to you about what your needs are – and how I can help you achieve your marketing goals! Give me a call today! 814-636-0152