Never underestimate the importance of maintaining a good company brand. The recent horrific event that took place on United Airlines illustrates this point, and shows how company policy and procedures can interfere with and destroy a company’s brand. When Dr. David Dao was assaulted and dragged unconscious off the aircraft for refusing to give up his paid-for seat, it showed total lack of customer care, compassion, and ethics. The incident happened after United flight attendants could not find any takers for an $800 travel voucher credit due to an overbooked flight. The management followed company policy which involved selecting four…
Since I’ve been in the business of branding and logo design for many years, I’ve been asked by my clients to update a logo, redesign a website or polish a speaker one sheet. I respond first by saying we should re-evaluate their current brand message before proceeding with any graphical changes. Many times the direction of a small business will change and grow into new markets with new product lines, different services and clientele. My clients know their logo’s graphic image, typography, colors and tag line should always support their overall brand. So if the logo doesn’t change with the business it will look out of place. Sometimes all we…
Our team recently provided branding and publishing for speaker Brian Dennis. We guided Brian through the process of self-publishing his second book while at the same time created his brand, built his website and designed his marketing toolkit within a 4 month period. The expedited schedule was precipitated on an important upcoming speaking opportunity for Brian. My publishing team members edited his book, designed the book interior, finished the cover, converted it into an ebook and uploaded the files to Kindle, Barnes & Noble and Apple within 3 months. Meanwhile, other members of my team created his brand and marketing toolkit with a new…
In this second part of a two-part series, you will learn what items to consider before you register a trademark for your logo, brand name or business name, and why you might want to hire an attorney to help you. Before you apply for federal registration, be aware that not everything can be registered as a trademark. Here is the link to part one of this series. Some Things to Be Aware of Before Submitting Your Application to register a trademark The mark in your application must not be easily confused with another already registered mark on two different counts: 1) the marks…
A good logo should be distinctive, unique and memorable. It should capture the essence of a business or organization with appropriate imagery, colors and typography. A designer should NEVER try to mimic or copy another existing logo; it is a BAD idea and may lead to logo trademark infringement ! An organization’s logo is an essential part of their brand, and the trademark owner should—and will—go to great lengths to protect any infringement on their brand. On April 23, 2015 the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce sued the Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce for trademark infringement on their logo. In the Denver Business…
Self-publishers: If you’ve written a book, you may want to consider creating a CD or DVD with audio, video or e-media content to add value to your self-published book. Then you can leverage your content and double your price AND your profits on Amazon! First, you will need to open an Amazon Advantage account. This is a consignment program where Amazon requests copies of your product based on current and anticipated customer demand. It works like this: you mail copies of your product to Amazon; when a customer makes a purchase, Amazon’s fulfillment department ships it out directly to the…
Here are the Details of Our 7-Step Brand, Marketing and Website System Are you a new speaker, author, or consultant? Perhaps you’ve been in business for a while but want to raise your presence in the marketplace. We can guide you through the process of branding and marketing your business online. Our experienced team of branding experts, graphic designers, copywriters, website designers, programmers, and search engine specialists will create a dynamic brand and powerful website to help you meet the marketing goals you’ve set for your business. We’ve developed a seamless 7-step system that builds on and leverages the content…
We’ve created dynamic brands, eye-popping logos and attractive business cards for many clients. Here’s how we design effective business cards that become powerful sales tools. The secret is in crafting layouts that are full of power, punch and purpose . . . John Hall’s speaking platform is built on his 6-Step “Do What You Can” System. We designed his abstract logo with six 3D blocks. This image is the basis of his brand and book cover design. As a vital, motivational speaker it was important to show John’s engaging photo on the front of his card. To make him really…
Client Case Study: Brand and Website Design My creative team recently finished a large project for a hearing aid dispenser. We guided Byron Patton of Lifestyle Hearing Solutions through the steps of creating a brand and website along with a new logo and stationery package for his new company. The process was deliberate and creative and constructed in a way to leverage ideas and concepts to save Byron time and money. Here’s how we did it. First, our branding expert, Patrice Rhoades-Baum held an in-depth interview with Byron and other team members to discuss his target market, the value his company…
Have you ever wondered if a book cover design portrays the message of the contents? More importantly, does YOUR book cover capture the essence of your manuscript? Does your cover design speak to the target market you’re trying to reach? Is it attractive, eye-catching or compelling enough for a prospective buyer to take a closer look? Do you know what to look for when critiquing a cover design? Kerrie Lian, the senior designer on my team recently created the cover of the first book in a series for a new client, Tom Matt. Tom asked Kerrie if she liked what she created….