As I work with more clients, it becomes more and more apparent that there are so many levels of knowledge  in regard to branding yourself. I know it seems so elementary but I think we all need to start from the beginning. When you start a company, you can be off and running before your basics are in place – a website, business cards, press materials – even a basic business plan (after all we are creative types inthis industry), but honestly, it is so important to set up the back end before charging forward.

Think about it. first thing people see (other than you!) isyour business card.  What does it look like? What is it printed on? What are the colors? Your logo? Does it represent you? remember, the first impression is made only once. Take a minute to really think about who you are and what your company represents! Then go from there.

Once you decide on the logo, and business cards, move onto your website. It can be simple – think: who, what, where, when why, and how? Those are all the questions that need to be answered. Five simple pages can do it: Home, About, Contact, Photos, and Services. Naturally, you can add on from there, but at least this gives viewers a starting point.  

Remember, branding yourself is mega-important. You want people to be able to recognize your company – whether it ‘s by color, your logo, a graphic – anything that is ALWAYS associated with you! So, when you are planning and creating  your website, be sure that it coordinates, carrying through the elements of your logo and business card.

A simple press kit should also follow suit. Be it online, in emailable form (totally more cost-effective than printed materials, but not always offering the same impact) or a full-blown multi-media presentation, it should all offer a “same” look. Now, you are prepared to shoot off information to all those potential clients, just waiting to give you business!

It may seem a bit daunting (at least, at first) and time-comsuming but it is seriously worth the effort in the end!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 at 10:24 am and is filed under Here's What I Think.... You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.