Category: Branding

Why Local Marketing Matters

And How You Can Use Local Marketing To Boost Your Business

Local marketing, or hyper-local marketing, targets customers within a specific area. This approach allows businesses to stand out and be more accessible to potential customers nearby. For example, when people in your area search for services, having strong local visibility ensures your business is one of the first they see. 

There are several reasons to consider a local marketing strategy: 

  1. Cost-Effective: Local marketing efforts can be more budget-friendly than broad campaigns, allowing you to focus on the most relevant audience for your business. 
  2. Higher Engagement: Customers often feel a stronger connection to local businesses, making them more likely to engage, leave reviews, and spread the word.
  3. Better ROI: With targeted campaigns, you’re reaching people more likely to need your service, resulting in better conversions and a higher return on investment. 

 

How can you Advertise Locally? 

 

Leverage Local SEO for More Visibility 

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is essential for helping your business show up in online searches within your area. By optimising your website and online presence for local search, you’ll reach customers who are actively searching for services you provide. 

  • Google My Business: Setting up or optimizing your Google My Business profile is a crucial step. Ensure your information is complete and accurate, including your business hours, contact info, and location. 
  • Local Keywords: Include location-specific keywords on your website and blog to improve search engine visibility. For example, a dog groomer in Bristol might use keywords like “Bristol dog grooming” or “dog groomer near me.” 
  • Customer Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. Positive reviews boost credibility and improve your ranking on Google’s local search results. 

 

Use Print Marketing to Reach Local Audiences 

Print marketing remains an impactful way to reach local customers directly. Flyers, business cards, and local directories are all effective ways to advertise your business within the community. 

  • Direct Mail Campaigns: Target neighborhoods in your area with promotional offers, service updates, or seasonal deals. 
  • Flyers & Posters: Partner with other local businesses, like cafes or community centers, to display your materials in places where your target audience frequents. 
  • Local Directories: Listing your business in a local directory like Local Pages can significantly boost your visibility and reach in nearby areas, making it easier for customers to find you. 

 

Get Involved with the Community 

Engaging with your community not only builds a strong local reputation but also establishes trust with potential customers. Here are some ways to connect: 

  • Sponsor Local Events: Support local sports teams, schools, or community events. Sponsorships show that you’re invested in the community, increasing goodwill and brand awareness. 
  • Partner with Local Businesses: Collaborate with other local businesses on joint promotions or events. For example, a dog groomer could team up with a pet store for a co-hosted pet care day. 
  • Volunteer: Get involved in community service projects or volunteer for local initiatives. This not only helps your community but also builds relationships with residents and other local businesses. 

 

Run Geo-Targeted Digital Ads 

Geo-targeted digital ads allow you to focus your advertising budget on a specific geographic area, ensuring your message reaches local customers. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads make it easy to set up location-based targeting. 

  • Google Ads with Location Targeting: Run pay-per-click (PPC) ads that focus on users within a specific radius of your business. You can also optimise ad copy to mention your city or region. 
  • Social Media Ads: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow for highly specific location targeting. You can run ads that only show up for users within certain zip codes or even miles from your location. 
  • Localised Offers: Promote special deals or discounts to those in the immediate area. Localised offers make your ads even more relevant, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversions. 

 

Optimise for Mobile Users 

Many local searches are performed on mobile devices, so it’s essential that your website and ads are optimised for mobile users. Mobile-friendly content makes it easy for customers to find you on the go. 

  • Responsive Website Design: Ensure your website looks and functions well on mobile devices. A mobile-optimised site loads quickly and has a clean, easy-to-navigate layout. 
  • Clickable Contact Info: Make it easy for mobile users to contact you by adding clickable phone numbers and map links to your website. 
  • Mobile Ads: Consider running mobile-optimised ads, especially on social media, to capture users who are searching for services in the area. 

 

How Local Pages Can Help 

At Local Pages, we specialize in helping small businesses strengthen their local presence through a mix of print, digital, and design services. We understand the needs of businesses and work closely with you to tailor strategies that suit your unique goals. From listing your business in our directory to creating targeted ads, we’re here to help you connect with your community and grow your brand. 

Ready to attract more local customers and expand your business? Contact us today for a free consultation, and let’s work together to give your business the local advantage! 

 

Visit The Little Blue Blog for more insights and tips on growing your business through local marketing. Let’s make your brand the go-to in your community! 

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Does Your Business Need a Makeover?

How Print, Digital, and Design Services Can Transform Your Brand

In a competitive marketplace, your business needs to stand out more than ever. Whether you’re a tradesman, dog groomer, or small business owner, staying fresh and relevant is key to attracting new customers and keeping existing ones engaged. But how do you know if your business is in need of a makeover? More importantly, what changes can you make to give it the boost it needs? 

In this blog post, we’ll explore how giving your business a makeover with print, digital marketing, and design services can enhance your brand, improve customer experience, and drive growth. 

Signs Your Business Might Need a Makeover 

Before diving into solutions, let’s first identify some common signs that your business might need a refresh: 

  • Outdated branding: If your logo, business cards, or website design look outdated, it could be time for a fresh new look. 
  • Inconsistent customer experience: If your print materials don’t align with your digital presence, customers might feel confused or disengaged. 
  • Lack of online visibility: Struggling to get noticed online or rank well in search results? You may need a digital marketing boost. 
  • Declining engagement: If fewer people are interacting with your business, whether on social media or in person, a new marketing strategy might help re-energise your brand. 

If any of these signs sound familiar, a makeover could be exactly what your business needs. 

The Power of Print: A Tangible Connection with Customers 

Even in our digital age, print marketing remains a powerful tool for small businesses. Printed materials like business cards, flyers, brochures, and direct mail provide a physical connection between your brand and your customers. They can leave a lasting impression, especially when they’re well-designed and professionally produced. 

Here’s how a print makeover can help your business: 

  • Professional designs: Well-designed print materials immediately elevate your brand, making it appear more polished and trustworthy. 
  • Consistency: Updating your print designs to match your digital branding creates a seamless customer experience across all touchpoints. 
  • Targeted marketing: Use flyers or direct mail campaigns to target specific local areas and reach potential customers who might not be online. 

With fresh, cohesive print materials, your business will look modern and professional, which can inspire more trust from potential clients. 

Digital Marketing: Expanding Your Reach Online 

If your business isn’t taking full advantage of digital marketing, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to reach new customers. A digital marketing makeover could include everything from a revamped website to a new social media strategy and even paid advertising campaigns. 

Here’s how we can help you modernise your digital presence: 

  • Website redesign: Your website is your digital storefront, and it needs to reflect the quality of your services. We offer custom website designs that are user-friendly, mobile-optimised, and tailored to your brand. 
  • Search engine optimization (SEO): Improving your website’s SEO will help you rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential customers to find you. 
  • Paid digital advertising: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and other paid advertising platforms allow you to target your ideal audience with precision, driving more qualified traffic to your business. 
  • Social media management: A consistent, engaging social media presence is essential for connecting with today’s customers. We can help you craft posts that not only promote your services but also foster engagement with your audience. 

With the right digital strategies in place, you can reach more customers, grow your brand, and increase inquiries. 

Design Services: Make a Lasting Impression 

A strong brand identity starts with great design. From your logo to your website layout and marketing materials, design plays a huge role in how your business is perceived. If your brand looks inconsistent, unprofessional, or outdated, it may be time for a design refresh. 

Here’s how we can help transform your brand’s design: 

  • Logo redesign: If your logo looks old-fashioned or doesn’t represent your business anymore, a logo redesign can breathe new life into your brand. 
  • Brand identity overhaul: We create cohesive branding packages, ensuring that your colors, fonts, and overall style are consistent across all platforms—online and offline. 
  • Website design: A visually appealing, easy-to-navigate website is essential for making a great first impression. We’ll work with you to design a site that reflects your unique business and attracts customers. 

Whether it’s a fresh new logo or a complete rebrand, investing in high-quality design services can significantly improve how customers view and interact with your business. 

How We Can Help You Transform Your Business 

At Local Pages, we specialise in offering print, digital marketing, and design services that give your business the makeover it needs to thrive. We know that every business is unique, so we work closely with you to understand your goals and create a plan tailored specifically to your needs. Whether you’re looking for a small refresh or a complete rebrand, we’re here to help. 

Ready for Your Business Makeover? 

If you think it’s time to give your business a fresh new look and attract more customers, we’re here to help. With our print, digital, and design services, we’ll work with you to create a brand identity that’s modern, cohesive, and effective. 

Visit The Little Blue Blog for more insights or contact us today for a free consultation at 0117 923 1122 or info@localpages.co.uk. Let’s give your business the makeover it deserves! screenshot-2024-10-22-115307

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Reaching Success

Birch Hall Pennant Quarry and Cotswold Quarry's Digital Transformation with LP Digital

In today’s digital landscape, having a strong online presence is crucial for business success and visibility. Birch Hall Pennant Quarry and Cotswold Quarry, two sister businesses with a rich history, recognized this need early on. Their journey with LP Digital began with the creation of the Little Blue Books, marking the beginning of their shift from traditional print advertising to a dynamic digital approach.

The Challenge

As Birch Hall Pennant Quarry and Cotswold Quarry sought to modernize their advertising strategy, they faced several key challenges:

  1. Building a Dual-Function Website: They needed a sister website that could effectively split into two distinct but interconnected platforms, each fully operational and optimized for search engine visibility.
  2. Transitioning to Digital Advertising: Moving away from print to embrace digital advertising required a strategic overhaul.
  3. Ensuring Optimal SEO Performance: Comprehensive and transparent SEO services were essential to boost their Google rankings and attract more traffic.

The Solution

LP Digital stepped in with a tailored solution to address these challenges:

  1. Development of a Comprehensive E-Commerce Website: We built a fully operational e-commerce website for both quarries, designed to handle their unique needs while facilitating a seamless user experience.
  2. Ongoing Monitoring and Optimization: To ensure the website’s effectiveness, we implemented continuous tracking of footfall and held monthly meetings with the clients. This proactive approach allowed us to make timely adjustments and keep everything running at peak efficiency.
  3. Immediate Positive Impact: Within just two weeks of launching the new digital strategy, both quarries began seeing a surge in enquiries and positive results.

Insights

Throughout this journey, several key insights emerged:

  • Exclusive Digital Presence: Birch Hall Pennant Quarry and Cotswold Quarry have chosen to focus solely on digital advertising, forgoing other advertising channels.
  • Hands-On Support: Our team’s commitment to ensuring the highest standard of work was a significant factor in their satisfaction with our services.
  • Proactive Partnership: The relationship between LP Digital and the quarries has been described as exceptionally positive and proactive, highlighting the effectiveness of our collaborative approach.

 

‘Held our hand all the way through.’

 

Birch Hall Pennant Quarry and Cotswold Quarry’s transition to digital advertising has been a resounding success. Thanks to LP Digital’s expertise and dedicated support, both businesses now enjoy enhanced online visibility, increased customer engagement, and a robust digital presence. This success story underscores the power of embracing digital solutions in today’s business environment and the value of a proactive, supportive partnership.

 

You can view their website here.

Schedule a free consultation about your digital advertising needs here.

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Brand Identity: How to Build and Maintain Your Brand

Tactics and Tips for a Stronger Online Presence

Brand Awareness is, in short, the extent to which your business is recognized. Brand identity is your logo, colours, what you offer, your message, services, among other features.

Why is it important? Your brand identity is your first touchpoint with a potential customer – the stronger the image of your brand in someone’s mind, the more likely they are to engage with you. Unknown businesses aren’t seen as trustworthy – so how do you go about raising the profile of your business and gaining more loyal customers?

  1. Brand Accessibility
  2. Building Your Brand
  3. Strengthening Your Brand
  4. Examples of Strong Brand Identity

Brand Accessibility

identity-2When developing or auditing your brand identity, be sure to read the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure that your published content (text, images, sound, etc.) is accessible to everyone. This will ensure you don’t lose potential customers due to flaws in design and adaptability for mobile phones.

Building Your Brand

brand-1

So – how do you actually go about building a brand?

Audience: A good first consideration is always your audience. The content you post online, the logo and the colours should resonate with your audience as much as possible. For example, pink and purple are probably not the best colours for an accounting firm, but will resonate with women and younger teenage girls when purchasing handmade products or clothing. Considering and weighing audience behaviors might be tricky at first, but the more previous customer interactions you had the easier this should be. Analyzing age, income, occupation and location is a good first step.

Visual Identity: That is the nitty gritty of design – your logo, colours, pictures, mottos, theme songs; anything you can think of that represents your brand. Deciding on design features might be a little daunting, but originality that reflects audience behaviours will yield results. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is the mission of your brand?
  • What makes you different from your competitors?
  • How do you want customers to experience your brand/product/service?
  • What kind of emotions are you hoping to evoke?

Consistent Message: That is, your tone and message across all platforms. Contradicting statements, message or voice will decrease your brand awareness. Tone should reflect the uniqueness of your business/service and communicated appropriately across all platforms you use.

Strengthening Your Brand

team-1

So, you built your logo, decided on a colour palette and the purpose is clear in your mind. How do we them strengthen it?

Multi Channel Presence: that is a secure foothold in the door with different social media apps, emails, SMS and non-digital tools is the key to growing your brand as you will reach more customers and start building a trusting relationship. Remember – your presence and content should be adapted to each medium accordingly.

Community Connection: The easiest way to build trust between potential customers and your business is community connection; that is the way your brand interacts with the world around us and the community. This could be as simple as customer testimonials that show your brand is trustworthy, or could stretch beyond that into social causes or local, community-oriented issues. This could simply be acknowledgement of community struggles, a recent event or issue or contribution to the community through donations or other aid.

Face to your brand: Adding a face to your brand will humanize your business and make you seem more approachable and trustworthy. Whether through pictures of your employees or using personal language, any form of direct interaction will bring you closer to your customers.

Examples of Strong Brand Identity

Apple

apple

The first thought that comes to mind when thinking Apple, or so Apple would like, is innovation and reinvention. Through every update and new product launch, at the forefront we see the portrayal of creating something new and different every time, whether the products released are actually innovative is a different story. Their entire brand is cutting-edge, inviting their customers to join them at the brink of innovation and always breaking the mold.

Coca-Cola

coca-cola

Besides being the most established and longest-going fizzy drink company, their brand identity is so strong that just the colour red is often associated with Coke. They’ve aligned themselves with the feeling of happiness and enjoyment through their advertising and presence online, which is often kept lighthearted and casual. The motto ‘A Coke and a smile’ sums up their values very clearly, and even if you are not an avid enjoyer of the drink, ask yourself how often do you think of coke on a daily basis.

Ikea

ikea

Ikea created an image of themselves as simple and family-oriented, and they stay in that category. From simple instructions when building the furniture to the simple and lighthearted advertising, Ikea is the first stop when shopping for furniture as it is meant to appeal to everyday people. Their tagline ‘Wonderful Everyday’ reflects their one-stop-shop ideology.

Dove

dove

A very simple yet elegant brand targeted towards woman and girls is a prime example of effective branding. Their campaigns focus on empowering women and addressing issues such as self-esteem, body image and equality. They are a prime example of involvement in social issues to strengthen their community presence. Dove promotes honesty and optimism, embracing natural beauty through their products.

How Can We Help?

If you’re struggling with brand identity and developing your business identity, Local Pages is here to help! You can schedule a free consultation by clicking here.

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Fork ‘n’ Ale Beer Game

We build games

One thing you may not know about Local Pages is that we have a game designer in our studio.

So, when Fork ‘n’ Ale wanted a fun way to encourage more customers to visit their website and increase the amount of time that they stayed there… what better way to meet the brief than to create an addictive game for customers to play.

The game is simple. By pressing the space bar on your computer or the ‘pour’ button on your mobile phone you fill a glass with beer. Once the glass is full, your time is recorded and you can leave your initials on the leader board.

At the end of each month there is a prize for the top score .

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So why is this particular game such a good marketing tool?

1 – You have to engage with Fork ‘n’ Ale’s website – the game is at the bottom of the home page exposing players to all Fork ‘n’ Ales’s marketing, including special offers and menu.

2 – The game is easy and quick to play – ideal for groups to play in a pub on a mobile phone. E.g. the one with the lowest time buys the next round.

3- To enter your score on the leader board you have to leave an email address – ideal for data capture and future marketing activities.

4 – Winners are announced on their Facebook page –  encouraging players to interact with Fork ‘n’ Ale on their social media platform.

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It ticks lots of boxes!

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Play the game by clicking the box below.

forknale-beer

Get a game to encourage more visitors to your website

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Call the LP Digital team today on 0117 923 1122 or book an appointment below for a call back.

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download

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20 Top Tips for Creating Engaging & Informative Content

Everyone in business knows that we should be engaging with our customers on a daily basis with rich, informative content. It sounds great until you actually sit down, switch on your computer… and then stare at it for an hour because you don’t know where to start.

So to help get your creative juices going, here are our top 20 ways of engaging with your customers online.

1 – Infographics – Create some visual representations of ideas and information found on your website. Infographics are so much more interesting (and often more informative) than large passages of text.

2 – Memes – Those little videos and images with witty comments are often the messages that go viral.

3 – Videos – Create videos (short & sweet) giving information regarding your products and services. Don’t worry about how you sound or look like, non-professionally produced videos appear much more authentic.

4 – Product Reviews – Got a new product? Put together a product review to allow customers an insight into what you really think.

5 – User Generated Content – Get customers to produce content for you. Share stories and content from third party websites you find interesting or promote good practice.

6 – How to Guides – Put together a range of helpful guides aimed at people that use your products and services.

7 – Lists – People love lists and they improve talkability. Even a list like this one!

8 – Photo Galleries – A picture paints a thousand words. Create galleries of products and theme them to make them more interesting.

9 – Case Studies – Use these to show the breadth and depth of what you have to offer your customers and underline how great you are. Make sure they’re up-to-date and are heavy on pictures and light on text.

10 – Client Testimonials – Testimonials build trust and loyalty. So when a customer says what you did was great, ask for it in writing. Better still, ask if you can film them saying it.

11 – Newsletters – Keep in touch with your email subscribers with a monthly update featuring new products and the highlights of any articles, blogs, videos and social media posts you’ve put out that month.

12 – GIFS – Use clips from videos embedded with text to demonstrate a point.

13 – Events – Create online events like Zoom webinars to engage with your customers , record them and share with others that couldn’t attend.

14 – Images – Use, wherever possible, original images to demonstrate and reinforce written messages.

15 – Podcasts – To convey ideas that don’t necessarily require visuals, put together some podcasts on various themes that may interest your customers.

16 – Slideshares – Get innovative with Powerpoint or Keynote and create decks of slides to inform and engage with your customers and share them online.

17 – Blog Posts – If no one was interested in opinions, they wouldn’t buy newspapers. Get your thoughts down in order and publish them. Try to ensure they are not time sensitive and can be read anytime.

18 – Newsjacking – Take a news story and use it to create content that will attract positive exposure for your brand.

19 – Press Releases – Directly target the media with industry news that may be of interest to their readers.

20 – Polls – Create polls to get your customers voting and seek out their preferences and their dislikes.

 
 

If you need help with any of the above, contact the Local Pages team on 0117 923 1122 or drop us a line at info@localpages.co.uk

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Staying Afloat on a Sea of Uncertainty

We are now several weeks into the lockdown with several more weeks to come. For most businesses there has never been such a period of uncertainty. So rather than dwell on the negatives of the situation, I would like to consider the certainties and how businesses can seize the opportunities to emerge from the lockdown stronger than they were before.

Ten Certainties

  1. The lockdown is not going to last forever. Hopefully by June the restrictions will be eased enough for most businesses to get back to some kind of normality.
  2. There is still a demand for products and services. Just because people can’t go out and are socially distancing themselves doesn’t mean that their wants, needs and desires have changed.
  3. Not everything can be bought online. Personally, I’m waiting for a new carpet to be fitted and, although Amazon may be efficient, laying a carpet is not one of their strong points.
  4. Consumers are currently storing up cash that they cannot spend because there is nothing to spend it on. It will be burning holes in their pockets.
  5. When the lockdown is over there is going to be a massive spending spree as consumers celebrate their freedom with their newly acquired wealth. Happy days!
  6. Many businesses are cutting costs and slashing their marketing budgets to save money in the short term without considering the long term consequences of their actions.
  7. The businesses that are most prepared by continuing to have a presence during the lockdown are the ones that will reap the greatest benefits.
  8. People remember winners and those that are willing to take risks. They quickly forget those that sit back and do nothing.
  9. Marketing is more important than ever during an economic downturn. Marketing = Sales = Success
  10. We are currently in a period of great change and with change comes great opportunity.

Ten Opportunities

  1. Be the brand that people remember. Keep your name in front of existing and prospective customers so that they can see that you are a positive force. 
  2. Take advantage of the fact that your competitors are advertising their services less by advertising your services more. That way you will get a lot more ‘bang for your buck!’ and you’ll be well ahead of the game when all this is over.
  3. Look for new ways of using your skills and experience when interacting with your existing customers and prospects. For example, at Local Pages we’ve used our online directory expertise to create an online Community Hub connecting people with charitable organisations and support groups.
  4. Understand the needs and motivations of your customers and reach out to them in order to solve their problems with warmth and empathy. For example at Local Pages, we’re helping clients overcome cash flow difficulties by offering deferred and weekly affordable payment options.
  5. Rather than spending your advertising pound on selling your products, spend it on creating value in your brand. The reason that Heinz Baked Beans are five times more expensive than a supermarket’s own brand has nothing to do with the contents inside the tin. It’s because Heinz invested in the brand and the brand has become synonymous with reliability and quality. 
  6. Don’t rely on the past.. Who would have thought only a few weeks ago that oil companies would be in a situation (at the time of writing) where they have to pay customers to take oil off their hands. Nothing lasts forever. Consider how your business will need to change in a new world where environmental concerns and social distancing could be the new norm.
  7. Instead of cutting costs, take a look at how you can change your business practices to make them more efficient. By making adjustments now, when you have the time and resources to do it, you can reap huge benefits in cost savings later.
  8. Don’t take your clients for granted. Now is the time to reach out to them, thank them and ask if there is any way you can help them. People buy from people. Looking after your customers when things are bad creates future customer loyalty.
  9. Make it easier for customers to deal with you. Take a hard look at every touchpoint that you have with your customers from their point of view and ask what could be done to improve their experience?  
  10. Consider where in your business you could offer more value. For example, there is a window company that inspects their work after six months to ensure the customer is happy and that there are no problems. This simple service leads to an increase in trust at the point of sale and future recommendations. 

 

If you would like more help and assistance keeping you business afloat in a sea of uncertainty, call the Local Pages team on 0117 9231122 or drop us a line at info@localpages.co.uk

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How To Be Creative: A Designer’s Guide

Local Pages` creative designer explores the issue

Are we born with a creative mind, as opposed to a mathematical mind? Some say we are, and that we can’t be both. We are either governed by the right side (the creative side), or left side (the logical side). This is only a theory – that our characteristics come through according to which side is more dominant. But new research says otherwise.

Creativity can be nurtured in someone who perhaps thinks they are not creative. We all have to be creative to solve problems in life in one way or another. Obviously creativity is very subjective. If you asked 10 different people for feedback on your creative ideas, you’d get 10 different answers! Do not let criticism strangle your creative process. It’s good to listen to others and their constructive criticism, and by taking the positive out of this, you can use some of what they say to play around with other ideas.

Nothing is perfect, so don’t feel you have to come up with the perfect solution. Don’t rule out working on ideas that perhaps you are not so keen on because following these paths may make you come up with another solution that fits. Of course someone who is trained in creativeness will be able to initiate ideas quicker than someone with no experience.

Some creative designers prefer to work on their own but for ideas to flow, it’s always good to share. This is called “brainstorming”, where a few creative minds get together and thrash out an idea or concept by drawing on bits of paper with doodles or writing them down or sharing them verbally. People can bounce ideas off of each other then and perhaps take their ideas one step further in a way they hadn’t thought of. The initial brief needs to be clear and concise though. You cannot say everything in one design, so good communication is the key.

Inspiration is always a good starting point. Collect pictures, patterns or colours that you like in the form of magazine articles, photos or illustrations and make a book of them. Anything that catches your eye. Some small thing, like a colour, may spark off a flurry of creativeness and lead you in all sorts of directions. The internet is obviously a good place to explore for ideas too. Save the pages and images you like into a file on your Mac or PC and use them to get the creative juices flowing.

Think of children and how unselfconcious they generally are. Try and think like a child and your imagination may take you on a very creative journey. Try not to be too analytical. Perhaps use  a list of single words to describe the possible answers to your brief. Each word may spark an idea which may encapsulate the personality or essence of the message you want to put across. Look up key words in a thesaurus or dictionary, which in turn may spark a visual metaphor.

Let’s make up an example: Let’s say we need to design a poster for a dog’s home – they want something positive to advertise what they do. Write down key words when you think of dogs or animal sanctuaries. My thoughts are: unconditional / beautiful / refuge / safety / cuddles / fur  – the list could go on and on. Look up some of these words in a dictionary or thesaurus. I looked up “refuge”. The dictionary says “a place or situation providing safety or shelter”. Or “safety” – “the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury”.

Working on the word “safety”, I came up with an idea. “Safety” sparked a visual of cotton wool – you probably know the phrase – “wrap someone up in cotton wool” which suggests keeping that person safe from harm as cotton wool is so soft and inviting. This was my very first thought (write down all thoughts) and it came to me in a matter of seconds: So how about a picture of a dog surrounded by cotton wool or bouncing around a field of cotton wool?! So in a few minutes I already have one positive idea. I have roughly illustrated my idea it below.

 

Creative

So, now you have seen a brief outline of the creative process, go and play away! Do you have any tips of how to be creative? We’d love it if you share your own creative process below.

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How To Make Your Business Cards Stand Out

A Guide From Graphic Designer Tania Taber

Business cards are a great marketing opportunity. If you haven’t got one to give out to prospective clients, you will be missing out on potential business.

To save money, a lot of companies go to one of those online print companies and get a card churned out – you know the sort of thing – perhaps a bit of that infamous typeface “comic sans” and a cheeky cartoon or a bland clip art image – these are usually a disappointment in terms of the look and feel of the card and the general design, creating a not-so-professional image. And of course, others may use the same image as is on your card so it’s not unique to you. There are several business cards I have come across supplied by an online printers using the very same stylised illustration of animals for their business – one was for an animal acupuncturist and the other for a dog walking business. This is very confusing!

So, it’s important to get it right. It needs to stand out against the many competitors in your marketplace. You will be handing these cards out to people you meet and they will take a very quick look and then put it in their purse or wallet. So you have to grab their attention in a few seconds and this will ensure they remember you and your business.

The first thing worth mentioning is to make sure everything is spelt correctly and the information is spot-on. It may seem silly to mention this, but you’d be surprised what gets through. If there are any spelling errors, it will give the impression that your business is unprofessional and not up to the job.

You need to make sure that nothing wanders off the edge of the card so make sure you keep all written information 5mm from the edge. Any images used need to be of high quality – the higher the resolution, the better. Typography also needs to be legible – 7.5pt is the minimum size – but not too big though, as there is limited space on the card.

Be careful not to overcrowd it with information too. A typical business card size is: 85mm x 55mm. Even though the space is limited, you can still get creative! The only things that need to be on the card are: Name, job title, address, telephone numbers, email address and website, and of course THE LOGO! There is no need for company registration numbers. There might be some room for a strap line though (think “Every Little Helps” by Tesco or “I’m lovin’ it” by McDonald’s). A strap line should be as succinct as possible, five words or less if possible, and should convey the essence of your brand.

 

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To really make the business cards stand out you can use special finishes on it to make it more tactile and memorable. Things like a spot UV (a shiny bit!) or a metallic ink or perhaps a die-cut (a funny shape cut out of the card). Of course, this makes the printing more expensive but can more than make up for that by reaping the rewards in terms of new business afterwards. Or sometimes companies go one step further and have their cards made out of materials other than card. Be as creative as your imagination or your designer’s flair allows!

 

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Choose fonts to match your logo – either a sans serif (like Helvetica) or a serif face (like Times Roman which have flourishes at the end of the strokes). Colours must also reflect your logo with black as a good colour choice for the type information so it’s as readable as possible.

 

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So in summary, the business cards must reflect your business and what you are trying to convey – perhaps your business was established by a family member in centuries past – you may wish to convey this with a classic design indicating a company that can be relied on, that’s classic, that is traditional, that has stood the test of time, or a new company wanting to convey structure, modernity, simplicity or freshness. Let your imagination take you to the recesses of your mind and go create!

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8 Essential Branding Tips For Small Businesses

If you think that branding is just something for big businesses with big budgets, think again. Branding is just as important for small businesses, maybe even more so. If you don’t have the budget to hire a big branding agency (and not many small businesses do) here are 8 simple steps you can take to keep your brand in check.

 

  1. Remember – It’s not all about your logo

Your logo is important, but branding is about far more than just that. Your logo is a badge that will represent you to the world, it’ll help distinguish your business from your competitors and it may even help customers to understand what you do. But it’s just one small part of a much bigger picture and even the best logo won’t build a successful brand on its own.

 

  1. Know what you stand for

What values and ideals are at the core of your business? What motivated you to start and what keeps you going? If you’re unsure of where you’re going and why your customers will be even less sure. Keep a list of at least three core values and make sure that any new products, services and marketing campaigns are true to them.

 

  1. Know what value your business provides

Whatever type of business you run, one thing is guaranteed your customers are not interested in just buying your products or your services. What they’re interested in is results. It’s the real life benefits that your products can offer them that will really get them engaged. A lot of businesses make the mistake of focusing on the features of their products and wonder why they’re not getting results. By taking a step back and communicating the benefits they offer you can give customers a really compelling reason to part with their money.

 

  1. Get inside your customers heads

Knowing your customers inside out is crucial. Forget about your taste and your preferences and focus on the people you’re trying to serve. Who are they? What are they looking for? What gets them excited? Keep your focus very narrow to start with; just think about your ideal customer.

Keep this profile in mind whenever you’re planning a new piece of marketing and build it just for them. This will really help to keep your message focused and effective.

 

  1. Keep a close eye on the competition

Identify your closest competitors and make sure you check up on them regularly. Who are they targeting? How are they doing it? What messages are they putting out? Where are they falling short? By doing this you can stay ahead of the game and fill gaps that they’re leaving. Remember, they’re probably watching your every move too.

 

  1. Find something unique to offer

Every business has something unique to offer, but many don’t take the time to identify it and use it to their advantage. Strong brands clearly stand out even in a crowded market. You might sell the same products as everyone else but that doesn’t mean you have to offer exactly the same service. If you’re struggling to find something that makes you stand out, go back to your customers, think about what they need and where your competitors might be falling short.

 

  1. Be consistent

Whatever direction you choose to take your brand in, make sure you’re consistent about it. That means keeping an eye on every tiny detail from how your logo looks, to the colours and fonts you use right through to your website and the kind of language you use when you talk to your customers. All this will build up to give the impression of professional, credible and trustworthy business.

 

  1. Keep it simple

We all lead busy lives and few people have the time to unravel complex messages. Simple, well thought out communication is more likely to get through and be remembered. This applies to your logo, your marketing material, your customer communications – even your business processes.

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