Business Branding Basics

If you are looking to differentiate your company from that of others, one sure way to start is with branding. What is branding? The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers.

A good branding campaign not only differentiates you from your competitors, it also delivers a clear message, confirms your credibility, connects your target prospects emotionally, motivates the buyer and concretes user loyalty.

If your business has not focused on branding – there are some fundamental aspects to consider in building that brand. Start by asking yourself these questions and answering them as honestly and as accurately as possible:

1. What products and/or services do you offer? Define the qualities of these services and/or products.
2. What are the core values of your products and services? What are the core values of your company?
3. What is the mission of your company?
4. What does your company specializes in?
5. Who is your target market? Who do your products and services attract?
6. What is the tagline of your company? What message does your tagline send to your prospects?

Once you have answered these questions, try creating a personality for your company – something that presents your products or services. Maybe it is a character, as in a book. Who is this character, what is it like? What qualities stand out? Is the personality of your company innovative, creative, energetic, or sophisticated?

Next, use the personality that you created and build a relationship with your target market that you defined in Step 5. How does that personality react to target audience? What characteristics stand out? Which characteristics and qualities get the attention of your prospects?

Now, let’s look at creating objectives for branding. Again, answer the following questions the best you can.

1. What is it that you want your brand to do for your company?
2. What do you want others to know and say about your products or services?

Objectives can include your position as a company in your industry – will you be one of the leaders? It can be a solid number of new clients you would like to gain or it can be as simple as being known for a particular quality.

* Being recognized by receiving a specific award
* Picking up a certain number of choice projects
* Gaining a specific number of new clients in the next year
* Positioning your company as an industry leader in the next five months

Add to your objectives time lines. This is also what one would do when creating their business’ strategic plan. Objectives and timelines allow you to step back from your business and evaluate your successes and goals.

What about your market, do you understand your market, have you performed a market analysis. There is a lot of information on the Internet and out there for one to use in analyzing their target market. Questions to ask yourself include:

1. Who is your target audience?
2. Where is your target audience located?
3. What do they think about your current brand?
4. What would you like them to think about your brand?
5. How will you attract them to your products or services?
6. Who else is competing for their loyalty and devotion?
7. Are you targeting business or consumer sectors?

The process alone of asking yourself these questions will help you clarify your business and what it is you want to achieve. If you have never answered these types of questions, it is difficult to create a brand. Think of popular brands and their taglines: Coke – It’s the Real Thing, Timex – Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Sometimes one can just hear the brand’s tagline and automatically associate it with the brand – such as “Just Do It”.

Once your brand is created, use it as much as possible to convey your objective and meaning and the next thing you know, your business too could become an every household name and tagline.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Promotional Screen Print T-Shirts

Using screen printers t-shirts for promotional purposes is an affordable, effective plan. Screen printed shirts can be custom designed to meet your specific needs. You can have your logo, event or campaign message easily designed and printed on a t-shirt for a very low cost. Let’s evaluate how this can be an effective tool for you to use in your next promotion, branding attempt, or employee recognition program.

Here’s an idea; you can have your customers or employees participate in a logo design or promotion design contest. This will help create a buzz about the promotion and engage your clients and employees in promoting your business. Customers and employees are loyal to companies that include them in business plans or promotions. Being involved personally helps clients and employees feel appreciated and part of your team.

This kind of motivational recognition can be instrumental in keeping staff and a customer base happy. It can keep customers from shopping around for a different company to work with. With the global economy in a slump, customers and clients may have no problem getting a deal on services from desperate companies. This activity is making business turn-over a nightmare for a lot of companies.

You need to take action to let your customers know that they are appreciated. At the same time, you do not want to blow a lot of money doing so. Screen printed t-shirts of a high quality make interesting motivational gifts. They create brand identity, image and loyalty where it may have been wavering before.

However you go about getting your design, it needs to be digitized by a graphic designer before it can be printed on a t-shirt. Once you approve the design, you can usually request a sample. Make sure that you like everything about the t-shirt print. High quality screen prints should not peel, bubble or crack even after multiple washings.

Sometimes it’s not the screen print quality, but the t-shirt quality. Check for see-through fabric, shotty seam work or a rough feel. Many people cannot stand a neck that is too tight. Put the shirt on to see if it is comfortable or not. You can use a screen print company that prints on name brand t-shirts so that you have an idea of the quality before you get involved.

Ordering in bulk can save you money. Check around for prices and quality. Ask about shipping deals or discounts for ordering in large numbers. Once you get the screen printers t shirt that is of the highest quality, you, your clients and your employees are sure to be happy with them.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Corporate Gift Ideas

Corporate gifts and executive gifts often have a double purpose. You can use them to thank customers, clients and colleagues for business or a job well done, but you may also want to use your corporate gift to market your name and logo. Gifts like this are often called “promotional products” because they help to promote your business by displaying your company name or logo.

Promotional products are sometimes give-aways like pens, magnets, mugs and key chains. These are normally given away at promotional events or around the office. These are an effective tool to get people to recognize your name and remember your generosity. But what if you would like to say more? Sometimes a free pen just is not enough to say what you would like to say.

If you would like to give something nicer to employees, colleagues, customers or clients, consider having some custom clothing embroidered with your logo. People may not be very impressed if the workmanship is lacking or if the quality of the shirt is not up to par. Make sure that you choose trendy, name brand polos for your custom logo apparel.

For example, an executive playing golf is unlikely to wear your shirt to the course unless it is a unique, high quality style. For gifts like this, buy Adidas ClimaCool, PING, Nike Golf, Izod, Van Heusen or Tommy Hilfiger shirts. Some embroiders offer name brand shirts for your custom apparel order. Choosing to upgrade the shirt can be the difference in giving someone a shirt that they will never wear or giving them a useful, stylish and unique gift that they will be proud to wear around their colleagues and friends.

This sort of marketing is extremely effective. It offers you an affordable way to make your clients feel special. It is a great idea for your employee recognition program as well. Custom designs and quality embroidery can make your gift a memorable and treasured one.

Not only can you use these items as gifts, but also as gift shop or web site inventory. Custom apparel brings in a lot of money for many businesses. The value of selling promotional shirts and custom clothing has been recognized by many, many companies. Times like these require companies to really reach out and try to get as many customers as they can. Make a real impression, show your existing customers and employees that they are appreciated, and maybe make a little extra money by selling your custom clothing and embroidered apparel in your gift shop or on your web site.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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