Sustaining Business Newsletter

Do Your Marketing Materials Tell Your Story?
By Tony Smee

Publication Date: May, 2011

Branding, as it relates to delivering a business's image, is one of the most studied and discussed topics in the business world.  Why?  Because successful businesses know that branding is one of the primary motivating factors that drive customers to their door.  The average human takes in approximately 90% of his or her sensory input through their eyes.  What will their eyes tell them about your business?

One of the biggest mistakes a small business can make is to underestimate the importance and value of consistent branding.  Small businesses should take a page from the Fortune 500 playbook, whose strict control of their image and branding is applied to everything from logos, print advertising and signs to company apparel, vehicle decals and brochures.

Nothing is immune to scrutiny and a pre-production cross-reference to the corporate "style-guide."  Why all of the fuss?  Because it matters.
Your marketing materials tell your story.  Before a customer ever has your product in their hand or before your service technician ever shows up at your door, they are making decisions about your quality based solely on the images they see.  Do your business cards look cheap and use stock graphic images to portray your industry?  Are your brochures photocopied (numerous times) on copy paper?  Do you have a professional looking ad in the phonebook, chamber directory or other print media?  Are you using social media correctly?

If your small business is a franchise, you already know the secret because your franchisor has already built in strict specifications for your brand and spend lots of money to provide those resources to you.  If you are an independent business, you may not have ready access to those resources (or may not think you do).  With all of the things you have to do on a daily basis to run your business, you may not have the time or the creative ability to spend much time working on your branding image.  Even if you think you have a good logo or set of branding images, you may be due for a refresh.  Studies show that most businesses need a branding "refresh" every three to four years.  Much like your home furnishings and interior decorating, color styles and patters go in and out of style and website options and abilities become more intuitive and powerful each and every year.

The professional copy writers, designers and consultants at Hendrickson Business Advisors will take the time to understand what your company is about.   We can then translate that understanding to a powerful image program that will help drive your company to the next level.  Let us help you develop a logo, website, print materials and a powerful e-newsletter that will send a consistent visual message to your customers.  Contact us and we'll help you tell your story.
Donor development, office procedures, accounting processes, training and organizational dynamics are some of our specialties.  If your organization needs assistance with any or all of these, Hendrickson Business Advisors can help.  Contact us today.