Get your logo WORKING for you

<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-420" height="216" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/tradepro-card.jpg?w=288&h=216" title="tradepro-card" width="288" /></div><br /><em></em> <br />Business logos aren’t just for multi-national corporations! They’re for any business that wants to present a professional image and work on establishing customer recognition (otherwise known as branding).<br /><br /><b>How Does A Logo “Work” for You?</b><br />Your logo works for you on your business cards, your business stationery, your invoices and receipts, your business’ publications, and, of course, your advertising. Put it on your business’ signage, on your yellow pages ad, and on the side of your business’ vehicle.<br />If you have a web site, your business logo should be on every page of your site. Many business people also feature their business logos on any promotional materials they hand out, such as mugs, calendars, and key chains.<br /><br /><b>Why You Need A Good Logo</b><br />The purpose of all this business logo reproduction is to separate your business from the common herd of competitors and build brand recognition and preference. (Think of the golden arches.) A good business logo helps your customers remember your business and many people remember images better than they remember words.<br /><b>Where To Start…</b><br />Would you give yourself a haircut or leave it to a professional? The same goes for your logo. For a truly professional look, it’s best to hire someone who knows the software and can guide you through the steps to a polished and effective logo design. If you’re in the process of designing a logo or having one designed remember:<br /><br /><b>1. KEEP IT SIMPLE. </b>A business logo has to be simple. Simplicity of business logo design makes a logo easy to reproduce and makes it easier for customers to remember and recognize. Limit the number of colours in your business logo, and stay away from muddy colours or tone on tone designs. Think clear contrast and simple shapes when thinking of business logo design.<br /><br /><b>2. RELEVANCE. </b>Your business logo has to have some relevance to your business. For instance, a Christmas tree shape with a bolt of lightning striking it won’t be an effective business logo for a computer consulting business. The “picture” the logo represents just doesn’t have any association with computers.<br /><br /><b>3. SYMBOL vs INITIALS. </b>It’s no coincidence that so many business logos are the initials of the business’ name encased in a simple shape; relevant pictorial associations are hard to come by for many businesses, and a symbol that misleads will do more harm than good.<br /><br /><b>4. COLOR. </b>Colors are powerful. Different colors have different associations and can present powerful messages in themselves. Red, as we all know, is seen as fiery and energetic. But what about brown? No matter how much you like a particular shade, it may not be a good choice for your business logo design.<br /><br /><b>5. SCALEABLE. </b>Your business logo has to be scaleable to suit all your promotional needs. The logo you choose has to look good on a business card, on a brochure, and on the side of a bus, for instance, if that’s how you choose to advertise. Complicated business logo designs don’t scale well. This is another example of why you should hire a professional to design your logo. A graphic designer has the software needed to create a scaleable (or “vector”) logo that can be scaled to any size without looking fuzzy or pixelated.

Get your logo WORKING for you

Business logos aren’t just for multi-national corporations! They’re for any business that wants to present a professional image and work ...

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Create A Great Business Name

<span style="color: #999999;"><i></i></span> <br /><div><a href="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/nametag1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-519" height="231" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/nametag1.jpg?w=324&h=231" title="nametag" width="324" /></a>A great name is the beginning of a great brand. It should be memorable and create a certain feeling when heard. Here’s a quick how-to on creating one and making sure it’s not already used.</div><h3>Here’s How:</h3><ol><li><b>Brainstorm.</b> Think about how you want people to feel when they hear the name. Write down the words on paper and then categorize them by primary meaning.</li><li><b>Relate.</b> Think about related words and phrases that evoke the feelings you want. Hit the thesaurus and find all the synonyms for your words and phrases.</li><li><b>Relate more. </b>Find out the Greek and Latin translations of your words. Figure out what colors, gemstones, plants, animals, etc., relate to your words.</li><li><b>Experiment. </b>Start playing with combinations of your various words and partial words. Don’t be judgmental now – just make a list.</li><li><b>Reflect.</b> Review your list and just give some thought to each name. How does it make you feel when you hear it?</li><li><b>Communicate.</b> Go over the list with someone you trust. Have them tell you how each name makes them feel, and how memorable they think it is.</li><li><b>Prioritize.</b> Throw out any that just don’t fit and make a prioritized list of the rest.</li><li><b>Check trademarks. </b>Make sure no one is using that name in your line of business. You may be able to use the name in a completely different business, but be aware that it may create confusion for both you and them.</li><li><b>Check domain names. </b>You want to make sure that an appropriate domain name is available. You want YourCompanyName.com, of course. If that’s not available, you may want to reconsider.</li><li><b>Search the internet.</b> Even if someone doesn’t have the domain, you still want to see what else is out there that has the same name. That doesn’t mean you don’t use it if you find something, but you need to know.</li><li><b>Check company names.</b> If you’re planning to incorporate, check with the Secretary of State (or other appropriate office outside the U.S.) of the state you’re planning to incorporate in.</li><li><b>Check assumed names.</b> For sole proprietors, check for local assumed names (also known as DBA). In the U.S., you check this with the County Clerk.</li><li><b>Stake your claim!</b> Register your assumed name or file your incorporation papers right away. Also, start using either TM (trademark) or SM (service mark). You do NOT have to register them to use them.</li><li><b>Get the domain(s). </b>Find an inexpensive registrar and register your domain and any obvious variations on it. You shouldn’t be paying more than $10 a year for each, and at that, it pays to prevent poachers.</li><li><b>Protect your brand.</b> A U.S. trademark or service mark costs $325. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to trying to defend it later. It’s not really necessary, though, for a small local business.</li></ol><h3>Tips:</h3><ol><li>Avoid generic names based on names, such as Joe’s Bar, Sam’s Hardware, etc. They’re not memorable and are nearly impossible to trademark.</li><li>Avoid generic names that literally describe the product or service, like Computer Consulting Company, Appliance Sales and Service, Inc., etc.</li><li>Generally, avoid geographical names. Besides not generally being very memorable, what happens if you decide to move or expand? The exception is if you’re trying to create a strong local affinity like, say, a neighborhood bar.</li><li>Preferably, don’t restrict future product or service lines. Be broad enough to include your wildest long-term vision for the business.</li><li>Try to keep the name short and easy to pronounce</li></ol>

Create A Great Business Name

A great name is the beginning of a great brand. It should be memorable and create a certain feeling when heard. Here’s a quick how-to o...

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Tips to Creating SPEC ADS

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kylesmithcreative.net/uploads/7/0/9/2/7092780/8249386.jpg?1302808175" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://www.kylesmithcreative.net/uploads/7/0/9/2/7092780/8249386.jpg?1302808175" width="320" /></a></div>Find any ad you feel is missing something. Are the words not packing a punch? Does the headline fizzle? Is the call to action weak? Not motivated to buy the product after you finish the ad? Choose an ad that is missing the key elements all copywriting projects need.<br /><br />You're going to use this original ad to create your own version. This is called a SPEC AD.<br /><br />In the advertising industry, a SPEC AD (for speculative ad) is an ad you created on your own. You didn't work with the ad agency or client to create the ad. You are simply using a SPEC AD to show your own take on how you would write the ad.<br /><br />SPEC ADS are very common for budding copywriters who have little to no experience under their belt. They are a great way for you to display your copywriting talent to a potential client or employer. Most copywriters who use SPEC ADS in their portfolio have limited or no copywriting samples to show in the interview process.<br /><br />For our example, we've selected a print ad in a magazine.

Tips to Creating SPEC ADS

Find any ad you feel is missing something. Are the words not packing a punch? Does the headline fizzle? Is the call to action weak? Not mo...

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Manage Your Customer Relationships or Perish

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAaBdkuu6mNbK6RF3HhBoMnUmXSMuLA5SUJt0gILvaYGsWkvuWMVZXdIkGC7-4ianzU9rMUXzW4OKmhbHOqWug9LomaxVTOpZRY5UD0Xb_zcRSAUe5YnSN5b5LW6uuQjJ3jeLKpmEroyc/s1600/business-handshake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAaBdkuu6mNbK6RF3HhBoMnUmXSMuLA5SUJt0gILvaYGsWkvuWMVZXdIkGC7-4ianzU9rMUXzW4OKmhbHOqWug9LomaxVTOpZRY5UD0Xb_zcRSAUe5YnSN5b5LW6uuQjJ3jeLKpmEroyc/s320/business-handshake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>With an explosion of choice in product and service selection winning more business is getting tougher each year. Reaching and nurturing customer relations are essential for a small business to survival. Central to managing any customer relationship is CRM or customer relationship management software. Discover the necessary survival strategy of managing customer relations with the technology of today.<br /><br />Gone are the days of marketing to your potential customer base and sitting back to reap the rewards of a great ad campaign. Gone are the days of grabbing the hottest leads and forgetting about the warmer less inclined to buy now clients. Gone are the days of using a simple notebook or excel spreadsheet to collect your lead list.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Customer Relationship Management: Share of Wallet</span>.<br /><br />The late father of management Peter Drucker, simply stated, “Shares in disposable income are the foundation of all economic information. Businesses keep figures on sales and know whether they go up or down. But practically none knows the truly important figure: the share of the disposable income of their customers that is being spent on the products or services that they produce and sell.”<br /><br />The battle for customers is a zero sum game. No matter how wonderful your product or service, your potential customers have a limited disposable income. Their disposable income is in a state of change with rising and fall incomes and living expenses. How can you get your share of their wallet?<br /><br />Companies poised to win their share of the wallet know customer relationship management is not a luxury but an essential to being in business. According to Forrester Research, businesses under 100 employees will account for more than 30% the CRM market reach in 2007. Is your small business CRM ready?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overcoming the Hurdles to Successful CRM Implementation</span>.<br /><br />Customer relationship management or CRM is the methodology and tools of finding, communicating, and retaining your best customers. Software programs such as GoldMine or ACT! or subscription services like Salesforce.com help you build lead lists, merge mail, handle contacts, and assess the results of your marketing campaigns.<br /><br />Many larger corporations have failed at successful implementation of CRM. While it’s easy to blame the software or incompetent staff, the real issue lies with employee motives, time, and training. Use these success tactics for overcoming the hurdles you will encounter with CRM.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spot Check:</span> My own experiences with customer relationship management tools found employees aren't only reluctant to adapt a new technology but outright resist the sales lead component of CRM software. For under performers, tracking leads reveals their true incompetence. I have witnessed sales personal enter in fake names and numbers to avoid the scrutiny of a sales manager. Successful implementation of CRM requires periodic spot checking of lead entries and even calling leads to see if they exist.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Make Time:</span> Whether you are the only user of CRM software or have a staff, it’s critical to set aside time each week for using the technology. Like any new business application, regular use will reduce time and help you see the rewards of CRM.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Get Trained:</span> A large part of setting aside time is learning the new tools of CRM. Learning typically follows a U-shaped curve with the initial phase being difficult till it peaks and learning accelerates. Be patient and in no time you will master the must have tools of CRM.<br /><br />Winning the customer game with customer relationship management tools is a necessary for any small business today. The more you know your customers and build a strong relationship, the greater your odds at winning the minds and wallets of your customers in the competitive market.

Manage Your Customer Relationships or Perish

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Ways to Make Money Online

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUlLf7VEzMGR45MuvR57nQ0hEojOhFvYTiA98BrjptPGSgALSFFzQs0TECoo1GdL4cE49jNCE5wafWznTDN3z36vqfsI1vkT0yJURVH1qLGUpCuzyRq5daShEwnvET09rEJl7F2Kuemw/s1600/Make+Money+from+Home+Online.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUlLf7VEzMGR45MuvR57nQ0hEojOhFvYTiA98BrjptPGSgALSFFzQs0TECoo1GdL4cE49jNCE5wafWznTDN3z36vqfsI1vkT0yJURVH1qLGUpCuzyRq5daShEwnvET09rEJl7F2Kuemw/s320/Make+Money+from+Home+Online.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>It might surprise you to hear that there are only two ways to make money online, but, its true. No matter how many methods of making money online there are, they all come down to 2 basic methods. The reason so many people fail to make money online, is simply because they fail to understand this concept. They waist their time and money, and never make a dime. If you want to succeed in making a living online, you need to understand that when it comes down to it, there are only two ways to make money online, and those two methods are:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trading one’s time for money</span><br /><br />This is the first and I believe the easiest way for making money online. Online money making methods like, paid surveys, freelancing, GPT, writing for websites and blogs, designing themes and etc fall under this category. Of course, you could argue that you need some knowledge and know how to make money with most of these methods, which is true, but, all of these methods require you to spend time. So, when it comes down to it, you are trading your time for money. Simple as that!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trading online traffic for money</span><br /><br />Another basic thing you need to make money online, is simply trading traffic for money. The goal is simple, drive traffic to a website, blog or what have you, and try to convert that traffic into sales. A lot of great online money making methods fall under this category, such as blogging, CPA marketing, affiliate marketing, ad sense revenue sharing and any other method that realize on traffic for making money.<br /><br />Yes, there are many ways to make money online, some can make you thousands of dollars, and some are only good for making a little extra cash. But, when you think about it, all of them come down to these 2 methods. Any online money making method that you can think of, that you or someone else is using to make money online, is possible either by trading time for money or trading traffic for money, and in some case both. So, if you can do either or both, congratulations! you have hunderds of possible ways to make money online.

Ways to Make Money Online

It might surprise you to hear that there are only two ways to make money online, but, its true. No matter how many methods of making money ...

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Get Customers to Buy Now

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbTOM4f5pPNSIGWCP8JtxjCeRYY8SU1u_3eIkSnKXY35wyPD6udnvSug8KZuKubzI2rYhQK1M16O37aH9I8guzgB5BoLAjl2tHml9EKFABRInzU-Acb1lVodxacPfJ7SInbtMwzsdB9Qv/s1600/Get-Customers-To-Buy-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbTOM4f5pPNSIGWCP8JtxjCeRYY8SU1u_3eIkSnKXY35wyPD6udnvSug8KZuKubzI2rYhQK1M16O37aH9I8guzgB5BoLAjl2tHml9EKFABRInzU-Acb1lVodxacPfJ7SInbtMwzsdB9Qv/s1600/Get-Customers-To-Buy-.jpg" /></a></div>You sent out the best direct mail piece you've ever seen. Your catalog belongs in the Smithsonian. Your brochure is so great you framed it and put it next to the pictures of your kids.<br /><br />So why aren't you getting sales?<br /><br />Take a look at your call to action. With any advertising materials, it's crucial that you get potential customers to act. Now!<br /><br />Use the following techniques to create a call to action that will have your phones ringing off the hook and your profits reinventing your sales graphs:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Give a Deadline for Ordering</span><br />We've all received some sort of promotional material that has a deadline for ordering. The offer could end on that date.<br /><br />Or you could use the deadline in conjunction with an upgrade or free gift. For example, order by the 15th and receive....<br /><br />Also, try to make the cut off date in the same month as your materials will be received. That way, your potential customers know they only have a limited time to respond and they won't fall victim to the "I'll do it later" syndrome.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Advise of a Price Increase</span><br />People want to get in on a good deal. If your price is going up on a specific date, let your customers know. They'll want to buy before your product's price increases.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Establish a Trial/Introductory Period</span><br />Trial periods are a great way to get new customers. Offer a special deal, extra service or a lower price during your trial/introductory period.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Gift</span><br />Nothing attracts new customers like free gifts. As an added incentive for ordering, offer your free gift to the first 100 or 1000 people that respond.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"No Risk" Trial</span><br />People want to know there's no risk involved if they're not satisfied with the product/service. Let new customers know they can cancel for any reason before the trial period expires.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Not Available in Stores"</span><br />Is your product exclusive to mail order? If your product's not available in stores, be sure to tell your customers. They'll know they can only order your product from you instead of visiting the local stores.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Offer an Upgrade</span><br />One simple line can boost your sales. "Order within 10 days and we'll upgrade you to the deluxe model."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Free Supplies/Accessories</span><br />You've seen this technique used with computer sales. Buy a computer and receive a free printer. This works with a whole range of products. But be sure to include a date on your offer. This politely urges people to take advantage of your offer before time runs out.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use Action Phrases</span><br />No matter how you approach your own call to action, be sure to include action phrases:<br /><br />Call Now. Toll Free. 24 Hours a Day. Mail this coupon today in the postage-paid envelope. Fax your response card.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Avoid Passive Phrases</span><br />Be sure to avoid passive phrases like:<br /><br />You know how to reach us. Call when you're ready to order.<br /><br />Give your customers the perks of responding immediately. They'll grab their wallets. You'll see an increase in profits.

Get Customers to Buy Now

You sent out the best direct mail piece you've ever seen. Your catalog belongs in the Smithsonian. Your brochure is so great you framed...

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