Branding a New Service in an Existing Small Business; Case Study

If you run a small business and you have a community following of sorts you have to be careful not to dilute your message by over marketing peripheral services. Yet at the same time if your existing customers desire a similar service, which you can offer and make a good profit at well then you might be considered a fool for not offering it right? Assuming of course you have the employees to do it and can manage it without too much additional upfront capital or training costs.
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Now then let us consider the similar service businesses of Auto Detailing, Car Washing and Mobile Oil Changes for Corporate clientele at office buildings. You see it is difficult to establish these businesses in the first place and building a solid steady route is not easy either. However, having been in the sector for 27-years and having franchised in 23-states, it can be done. Also getting into the larger companies is not difficult, if you get in first with car wash weekly service and detailing and once they trust you pitch oil changes.
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I have always found that works better in fact our oil change business grew out of customer demand for oil changes, hence; Lube on Demand. Did you know there is actually a company named; Lube on Demand. No it is not my company, but the name is brilliant and perfectly well branded you see.
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Customers Demand oil changes and lube auto services. I mean you get it right? You understand how all this works, obviously by the name of that company, the owner understands too. Like "Fax on Demand" = Oil and Lube on demand = "Oil on Demand." Consumers demand it and Entrepreneurs produce it.
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If the name is set up correctly like this, then it is only a matter of adding; Auto Detailing on Demand, Car Washing on Demand or any thing on demand without diluting the brand. Get it now?

Lance Winslow

Effective Professional Branding – The Transition From What You Know to Who You Are

"Building professional branding which communicates that you are x with y years of experience in industry Z and that you know to do A,B,C.D and have knowledge in E ,F , G is boring and won't bring you career and business success".
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Building professional branding is essential for one's career and business success. Tom Peters talked about professional branding almost ten years ago. However, economic changes, globalization, new technologies, job market trends, and outsourcing have changed the meaning of the concept and it's implementation. How can you brand yourself to be successful in the current markets? What changes do you have to make in order to establish effective professional branding which will demonstrate your career and business success?
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The evolution of the professional branding concept. Tom Peters wrote " Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today in the age of the individual you have to be your own brand. You are the CEO of Me Inc. You have to be a brand like Nike, General Motors, Dell or Microsoft. Instead of being your job title or job description or your resume, you must be a professional brand. When you are a brand you are recognized for who you are". Examples of people who are a brand are Michel Jordon , Tiger Woods & Oprah Winfrey and others. What are the components of professional branding?
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A brand :

Communicates distinctive traits and qualities. Is easy to remember & to be recognized. Earns the respect and the trust of others. Creates a value to your clients. Builds a competitive advantage among others. Influences others.
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Branding transition from the marketing model to the experimental model . The traditional concept of branding was based on marketing theories. It stated that companies need to communicate their image . One of the major strategies for branding was advertising . However, stronger competition, globalization and economic changes changed the rules for success. It's not enough to have a good image, or to make a promise to the clients. Clients want to know that your company's products create a real value for them compared to the competition. In order to win the competition for clients' preferences you have to be innovative. Innovation in today's market is the sole strategy for economic success. Hooly Lindman (Aug 2004) published an article with the title The Good Brand and she wrote: ‘brands are less and less about what we buy, and more and more about whom we are. A good brand is authentic. This means that companies need to demonstrate that they doing good and well. Consumers must sense that their actions are sincere and not only PR ". Ten years ago companies built their brand only on savvy advertising. This has changed and we can see companies such as Google and Amazon which have built a brand on client's tangible experiences.

Professional branding has also shifted from a marketing model. It is more than an external image. It has to be authentic. In order to succeed in the current job market who you are is more important than what you know. What you know relates to your skills, knowledge, and career experiences. Who you are relates to your unique personal assets and how they can create a value to your company's clients and enhance your company's economic success. Professionals who would like to excel in their job and have career success need to be innovative (about products, processes, business models), flexible, have openness and a global mind, be passionate and adaptable, an out of the box thinker, thrive on chaos, and so on. These qualities relate to your authentic self. You have to be able to respond to complex, unpredictable and chaotic business environments. Holding onto what you know can prevent you from being open to new strategies and new knowledge which is essential for success in the current markets.

Building good professional branding & communicating it. Professionals who are branded have to be :

An expert at something which creates a real value to clients. Innovative. A leader. Cross culturally intelligent. Business oriented. Adaptable to fast changes.

Good professional branding has to be dynamic, authentic and innovative. It has to be dynamic because the business environment is changing fast. It has to be authentic ( your unique personal assets and soft skills ) because it will make a difference and contribute to the company's success. It has to be innovative because this is how you can contribute something unique compared to other professionals.

The process of professional branding involves building the contents and communicating it to your business environment (such as: your boss, peers, clients etc.) You can build a new professional branding by reading (cross cultural knowledge, business, literature,), writing (articles, blogs), volunteering, working in another country, getting experiences in other industries, learning other languages, and networking with others etc. Communicating your professional branding can be expressed in your job performance, in your job search, in a presentation, by speaking and in other ways. In one of my articles I wrote about purple cow self-marketing tools such as: self website, blog, presentation, video as an excellent strategy to communicate your professional branding. Purple cow self marketing tools communicate who you are compared to the regular self marketing tools which communicate what you know.

In the last few years we have witnessed the outsourcing of jobs from the U.S. and rapid technological changes which have made many jobs irrelevant. Companies can always save money and still find candidates who have the same skills and knowledge . However, now they require much more. Companies need candidates who are building and developing a dynamic and authentic professional branding which is based on who they are. This authentic branding will demonstrate career and business success.

Nava Shalev is an entrepreneur, international career coach, writer, and the founder of Global Relocation http://www.globalrelocation.ca.

With 16 years of experience in the high technology and biotech industries in the US, Canada and Israel.Global Relocation provides career coaching to local professionals / newcomers from the high technology, pharmaceutical and finance industries who would like to achieve their career goals in the Canadian / American job markets. She can be reached at nshalev@globalrelocation.ca or +1 604 6286103.You can visit Also The Global Relocation Portal at:http://www.globalrelocation.ca/blog/

Hurricanes and Corporate Branding

No businessman takes joy in making money on other people's misfortune such as a devastating hurricane during the 2005 Atlantic tropical hurricane season. However, a smart business or corporate image program which specializes in branding can actually make the most of it by putting their marketing efforts toward helping the local community that was devastated or destroyed by the damage.
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Most corporations that help people and those companies who help the community in their time of need are not often forgotten. It is the right thing to do from a business standpoint and from a moral standpoint. It is a good time to build corporate brand and give a little back to the community that has supported you throughout the years.
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In fact if you help them in their time of need they may just help you when the chips are down, when there is a market sector rotation in your industry or the economy is in a downturn. It is important to plan ahead for your business and the potential eventuality of a major category and catastrophic hurricane in your area.
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By thinking ahead and understanding your supply chain and your ability as a large company to do the most for the common good you'll find yourself able to increase sales and help people, while still building your brandname. This is fair for all concerned and build long-term brand loyalty. Please consider this in 2006 and do the right thing.
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Lance Winslow

Salvadore Dali Knew About Branding

Dalí was born in Spain in 1904, and he was always outlandish and controversial. His name became an icon, and his works are unique and recognizable. Dali's excellent job of branding himself resulted in his creating a brand like "Coca-Cola," perennial brand. He is one of the only artists who became famous in his lifetime. As you know, many artists never receive recognition until after their death. We all wish our brands would be this well known.
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Dali "surrealist," style was part of his brilliant branding. His eccentricities, poetic qualities, political disobedience, wide moustache, and unique style all made his name and his work recognizable and memorable. Not only was he an artist, he tried many different things, and he failed at some of them. He started a line of clothing and a perfume with his name and famous signature on them.
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Dali had to earn his way to fame by developing his brand. Despite his many critics, he stayed true to himself and his style. In other words, he maintained brand consistency. Successful branding must be consistent. He built a brand that created loyalty that still exists 100 years later.
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We can all take a lesson from Dali. Your brand is what people think and feel when they hear your name. An effective brand can deliver your message immediately. It evokes a response in people, and that is brand power. To manage your brand effectively as Dali did, you must know what response you want people to have when they hear your message. Also, you deliver your message frequently and consistently to the people who want to hear it.
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Then, you stick with your plan for as long as it takes. You realize that value is not built overnight. It may take many years and some failures to develop a strong and lasting brand. Dali created 1,500 works of art, and he even worked with Walt Disney. He took advantage of every opportunity to "sell" his brand, and his work is displayed all over the world. You should take advantage of every opportunity to sell your brand and make it visible. Be persistent, even tenacious in building your brand.

About the author Jo Ann Joy is the CEO and owner of Indigo Business Solutions, a legal and business consulting firm. Indigo Business Solutions is a "one stop shop" for small businesses. We differ from other business consulting firms, because we offer comprehensive legal and business counseling. We can offer most of the professional services that a business requires. We work with our clients to develop strategies that create value and competitive advantage. Our goal is your success.

Jo Ann has a law degree, an MBA, and a degree in Economics, but she is not a traditional attorney. Rather, she is a strategic business attorney who works closely with clients to create and implement strategies that will greatly improve their performance and chance of success. Her background includes commercial and real estate law, accounting, financial planning, mortgages, marketing, product development, banking, and business strategies. She ran a successful business for 10 years, and she has written and given presentations on many different legal and business subjects.

Consider Branding

A brand sets you apart from your competition. Your brand can send multiple signals to people who then make judgements on you consciously and subliminally about you, your product or service. This then forms a basis of opinion. This instinctive process is what makes your brand so powerful. The key is to tap into what gives the customer the right reaction when presented with your brand.
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All business and services have a unique personality, philosophy, beliefs and opinions this is what is special and exciting which is good because imagine how dull it would be like if every company was the same. These filter down from the start up management or owner of the business. You need to understand these fundamental things. Where do they see themselves, where they want to be and where the competitors fit in with this.
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Companies re brand for a number of reasons. It could be they have a ‘home designed identity' and wish to have a professional ‘makeover'. It could be adjustments are needed to move into a different market or has maybe taken on a joint venture so a hybrid identity is needed to move the business forward.
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Re branding can be a very delicate and precise operation. The legacy and tradition has to be honored and retained. If this is mis-calculated alienation from an existing customer base can happen. The skill is to retain the companies strengths and historical values that have been successfully built up over the years. Being able to capture this essence and create a new and exciting image that really delivers the desired outcome is paramount. That fits seamlessly into their marketplace now and continues to increase the revenue of the business now and for years to come.
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Once this has been achieved consistency across all media is essential. Applying this to websites, stationery, exhibition, brochures and even internal communications within the company to entrench the brand and value with the staff as well.

Gordon Powles is a Graphic Design Graduate and the founder of Gordon Powles-Media (http://www.gordonpowles-media.com) a design consultancy that specialises in Graphic Design and Promotional Marketing. With over fifteen years experience in the Graphic Design arena working for a variety of blue-chip and small business helping them to achieve their business goals.

Personality Branding: Re-Inventing Yourself

Make it SIMPLE, but DEVIATE from the norm

The question of identity is a major factor that must be rightfully defined so that one does not lose his/her head in the crowd. Those who follow the multitude always go nowhere and are usually lost in the crowd, most times, the multitude can be wrong. The world belongs to those who stand out, stand up and stand for or against a cause which they can strongly defend, those who can talk crowd and keep their virtues or walk with kings and not lose the common touch - their identity. An independent mind is a frontier of change in the world.
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Your identity is who you are, the characteristic perspective and belief that distinguish you from others. Those who have not answered the question of identity have not started living and their personalities have no value in the market of life.
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Branding is a subset of marketing management. It is a concept of identity in marketing. In advertising, branding is the image created in the minds of people when they see or hear a name, product or logo. It is a marketing function that differentiates a product from others. A successfully branded product appreciates overtime both in price and popularity than an unbranded product. For instance, Coca-Cola being the number one brand in the world has a global recognition and its market value has increased significantly from other soft drinks. Other most celebrated brands in the world include Microsoft. IBM, Nokia, yahoo, General Electric, Dysney etc.
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Branding though use mostly for products and services, it can also be applied to people. Individuals can create a brand for themselves that makes them unique and peculiar from others. Ronaldinho, Ophrah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, David Beckham are examples of those who have successfully branded themselves in their fields and in the world at large.
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Personality branding is becoming necessary in a world of merger and synergy, so as not to lose your individuality. Until you have a Unique Selling Point (USP), the destiny you represent will not be known in the market of life. We are all salesmen. We must sell something in order to live! You are either selling your brains, health, strength, ingenuity, originality, creativity, resourcefulness, initiative, courage, or your executive ability. The question really is not what you sell, though this is important, but it is more of how you package what you sell, in branding, the container is more important than the content.

Some of us sell ourselves too dearly; others too cheaply. Many of us even fail to keep ourselves sold a large part of the time. The quality of our goods is not the best and so it is often returned or undesired. There are many things you are selling that perhaps you don't realize. Have you ever stopped to think that you are selling your appearances, your dress, your carriage, your conversation, your optimism, your mental attitude toward life, toward work and toward others? The quality of the merchandise you offer and the price you desire will indicate the sort of character material you have manufactured or accumulated.

Personality branding is a call to re-inventing yourself, to make your own impression, to re-package your personality and its content, to come out with your own style and be unique for something, so as to boost your market value. Don't bury yourself in the crowd that is going nowhere, dare to be different!

In branding, the rule is to make it SIMPLE, but DEVIATE from the norm, and remember that identity comes before synergy. In the process of branding, let superiority be your trademark, resolve that your life's work shall be a masterpiece, as much as you can, be original and real; for the life span of a fake product and person is very short. Your brand is your logo, your identity, your image; make it simple, make it real and outstanding.

Tayo Korede is the president of Gifted Hands Foundation, an organisation that reaches out to a world of young poeple, setting tham on the path of destiny and re-inventing a formidable generation for future challenges. He is a respected author and culumnist in several magazines like Light house and Living water. He is also foremost speaker in schools, churches and other youth gatherings, where he impacts lives with uncommon leadership style. Contact me through my email @: successghf@yahoo.com. Come and let's succeed together.

The Power of Personal Branding

Most entrepreneurs and senior executives completely miss out on one of the most powerful branding strategies available in today's market…The creation of their own personal brand. Most people in business understand the need to build brand equity at the corporate level or for products, services, intellectual property, etc., but very few understand the substantial benefits that are created from increasing their personal brand equity.


When reading newspapers and periodicals, listening to media interviews on the radio, watching guest appearances on the TV and seeing who gets the speaking invitations you'll notice that it is usually those professionals who have positioned themselves as innovators and thought leaders through a carefully managed personal branding campaign. These individuals may, or may not, have anything more to offer than their peers other than the fact that they knew how to brand themselves as subject matter experts.
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Picture a very successful high profile company in your mind and you will likely find that their executives have not only established themselves as leaders inside their firms, but they are also perceived as industry heavy weights and power brokers to the external world. When a company's senior executives are viewed as subject matter experts and leaders outside of the company it makes them more valuable to the company. It is a true win-win scenario in that the executive who knows how to manage his/her brand equity in turn increases the brand equity of the enterprise. Because the corporation benefits from the executives ability to brand themselves, they are willing to pay more for their services and work harder to retain their talent.
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Regardless of how you feel about the following list of individuals you must agree that they have done a remarkable job of building a personal brand which has often times resulted in the creation of modern day empires. Think of Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Sam Walton, Ted Turner, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs and a whole host of others and you'll quickly see just how powerful a strong personal brand can be. In fact spend some time browsing through the Forbes 400 and you find that you recognize far more names than not…View a list of the Fortune 500 CEO's and you'll be surprised how many of their names have been converted into strong personal brands. Look at the Inc. 500 or Entrepreneur Hot 100 lists and you'll see a number of strong personal brands in the making.
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The reality is that most of us will probably never achieve the status of icons, nor do most of us really aspire to that end. However increasing your personal brand equity is good for adding value to your company's brand, leveraging your earning power and improving your job security and/or marketability. Personal branding is far more than an ego-play; it is smart business. If you don't know how to create a strong personal brand the following tips will start you in the right direction:

1. Make those around you successful. While some personal brands are built at the expense of others, or on the backs of others, the most highly regarded personal brands are built on the success they have created for others. Think "selfless" as opposed to "selfish."

2. Hire a coach or mentor. This is something that many successful people struggle with as their pride can be barrier to seeking the wisdom and counsel of others. However this is one of the single best investments you can make in building a powerful, sustainable and respectable personal brand.

3. Invest in continuing education: OK, so you already make a mid six-figure income, run your own (or someone else's) business and you're busy…The sad fact is that it is far easier to reach the C-suite than to remain there. You will only stay in the corner office if you continue to refine and advance your skill sets and competencies. Never sacrifice or forego learning because you think you don't have time or worse because you think you already know it all.

4. Learn to work the media, or hire someone to do it for you. When it comes to the media you only have three choices: a.) you can try and remain invisible, but anonymity won't help you build a brand; b.) you can be a target for the media and while controversy is not always a bad thing it causes more unnecessary brain damage than you will likely want to incur, or; c.) you can be a friend of the media and serve as a subject matter expert who is available as a resource for the media…While the choice is yours, I'd personally recommend option C.

My advice is simple…find a good coach or mentor and start building your personal brand strategy yesterday…you'll be glad you did.

Mike Myatt is the Chief Strategy Officer at N2growth. N2growth is a leading venture growth consultancy providing a unique array of professional services to high growth companies on a venture based business model. The rare combination of branding and corporate identity services, capital formation assistance, market research and business intelligence, sales and product engineering, leadership development and talent management, as well as marketing, advertising and public relations services make N2growth the industry leader in strategic growth consulting. More information about the company can be found at http://www.N2growth.com

Branding - The Single Most Important Thing

As the manager of a business, you are constantly looking for ways to improve the many aspects of your company. Of course, there are a myriad of ways to accomplish this. To increase profit margins, you might look to lower product costs, make distribution more efficient, or lower overhead. No matter what you do, however, nothing will be as effective as it should be unless you first establish an effective brand.

What Brand Is

It seems that the term "branding" is being bandied about a lot these days, so before we go any further, let me explain what branding is. While some of you may think of it as the buzzword au jour, others may understand its importance, and yet others may find it utterly confusing.
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The single most important thing you can do to increase your profits is to be sure your brand is up-to-date, accurate, and pertinent. Once you have done that, you must promote your brand everyday in everything you do. When it is consistently promoted, it not only builds awareness of your product or service, but it also tells prospects how they can expect to benefit. Remember ... anyone who is going to spend money usually wants to know what the purchase will do for them. In fact, 70% of all purchases are made on an emotional level. So for the most part, buyers aren't concerned about the logical points of the purchase. If they were, the vast majority of us would be driving small, fuel-efficient cars with one-speaker radios.
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Think of your brand as a promise ... a promise you make to your clients, prospects, employees, and even your vendors. But before you make that promise, be sure you never forget this fact. It is imperative that you are able to back it up. You cannot build a successful, long-term brand on unsupported claims and wishful thinking. History is littered with companies -- big and small -- that have promoted themselves or their products as something they would like to have lived up to but could not.
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To separate you from your competition, your brand -- your promise -- has to differentiate you from others in the minds of your prospects. This is the reason you cannot use quality, integrity, or price when positioning yourself in your marketplace. So many companies claim to offer these particular characteristics that none of them stand out from the others. BMW has taken note of this. Although it is thought by many to be the best car made, the company has built its brand as "a driving machine." It sells the experience. BMW knows that there are other high quality cars on the market, so a brand built on quality would be diluted and therefore, less profitable.

The same holds true for integrity and honesty. If you claim to be honest, you have set yourself up to be lumped in with everyone else in your industry. (Do you have any competitors who promote themselves as dishonest?) And price ... this is a mistake on so many levels. Unless you can beat your competition with low prices and still keep profit margins relatively high, you are on a downward slope. Few companies, one being Wal-Mart, can accomplish this over an extended period of time. Wal-Mart can do this so successfully because it has built a world-class distribution network and has tremendous buying power. Furthermore, if you sell your product or service on price alone, you have to attract new customers all the time. The customers you had yesterday will be looking for someone with an even lower price tomorrow.

It Starts At The Top

A brand must have the support of the top person in the organization. Whether your company employees 100 people or one, the brand will work only if the head of the company believes in it. That person must set the tone of the company, and then manage that tone so everything the company does reflects it. This is important not only outside the company walls but inside as well. Beyond the walls, a strong, unified presence defines a clear message to customers and potential prospects. Inside, it encourages employees to make decisions based on a well-defined direction. When decisions and actions are consistent with that direction, efficiencies -- and ultimately profits margins -- are greater.

What Branding Is Not

Although you will hear things like new logos, redesigned brochures, or even stepped-up advertising referred to as branding, they are not. Logos, brochures, advertising and other forms of marketing may, in certain instances, be individual components of a branding campaign, but unless they are part of the system of determining a company's capabilities, direction, opportunities, and indeed its essence, they cannot--and should not--be referred to as branding. To say that a new logo, for instance, is equivalent to a new brand is to believe that I can compete at Daytona International Speedway by slapping decals all over my car. Even if it ends up looking good, it's still not ready to -- or able to -- compete.

What this all boils down to is the fact that every business -- including yours -- has a brand. The question is whether your brand is being determined by outside factors, or if are you actively building it on your terms.

Peter George is a noted speaker and consultant. He is also the author of "Brand Road Map: Your Guide to Greater Profits." You can contact him at Envision Branding or 1-800-959-1614.

Fire Branding Customers to Your Business

The idea of fire branding customers comes from my grand daughter, Taylor. She applied a tattoo to her shoulder and was pleased as she displayed a small peace symbol about the size of a peanut. Each time I looked at her shoulder, I was reminded of the little symbol and what it meant. It made me think about how great it would be to fire brand customers with my business name. I thought of countless ways of placing my logo around the world to spread the right image.

I realized that several companies are fire branding their image everyday. All I have to do is see a red and blue swirl and Pepsi comes to mind. A few yellow arches and hamburgers with fries make me hungry. A consistent image is what makes this work for them.
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Turning Drab to Fabulous Having a consistent image creates an impact with customers. Later this month I will be attending a few conventions where my image and my booth must create an impression. I will fire brand my image from the shirts I will be wearing to the consistent stationary and sales collateral on display. My sales video has been reworked to link my logo to an image of myself as I promote my sales management consulting business.
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Creating brand awareness is the dream of every marketing executive. Consistent branding is the only way to make this work. A logo is the customer link to your business and yourself as a salesperson. The more consistent you are with it, the stronger your brand becomes.
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One company that can help create a fire branding impact is Letter Click. The Letter Click Company is an Email Services Provider (ESP) that brands your email consistently. If you want to try out their service, give them a try for 30 days. I'm sure you will be pleased with the results. I have been using their service for a few months and recommend them.

Talk the Talk Consistently The fire branding idea also reminded me of how important it is to have a consistent message about what we offer to our customers. Taylor asked me what I did for a living. Although I normally have the right answer, I struggled with the question. The 30 second sales script didn't flow like it should, this challenged me to rediscover the right words and develop a consistent talk track.

If a friend asked you what you do, can you answer the question consistently? Now I can say, "I teach businesses how to develop their business relationships more effectively with proven sales actions. My sales process and sales management strategies increase sales and profits through systems that are easy to implement and guarantees results. Is your business interested in increasing sales?" You might notice that I finished my answer with a question.

Steve Martinez is a Sales Management Growth Strategist and Founder of Selling Magic. Ask about brand mail or a "Sales Audit" and subscribe to his ezine to Increase profits with the best practices of sales management at http://www.sellingmagic.com

Brand Development, You Should Improve Your Branding

It might be almost blasphemous to talk about letting go of old brand equity and laying an old brand to rest, but there are times when change is needed. Reformulating and re-designing, or even overhauling an old brand can be a wise decision. If sales are flat and show no sign of growth, you'd better stop kidding yourself and hire a branding consultant.

Brands are an extremely vital element in your product and corporate value proposition. With communications so pervasive today, corporate branding and product branding are becoming fused as one. Corporate brands are increasingly powering product brands and product sales and that pose some substantial risk, as those sub brands can't be as easily re-positioned when they falter.
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Brand Culture

As time passes, culture changes, new technologies and new competing brands appear and they change the perception of value that is available in a marketplace. Old sales propositions won't fly in the face of 20 or more other competitors offering the same benefits and features. With cultural, economic, technology changes, and corporate changes, your aging brand image and brand equity may end up doing more harm than good. Your former branding successes could leave your brand and company stuck in the past.
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A good example of age related branding problem is in the realm of computer products. I recently bought a new laptop computer because my old one just couldn't keep up with my multitasking and other work needs. At the retail store, there were computers with Intel or AMD microprocessors to choose from. The key matter wasn't really microprocessor speed or capability. In the past, the Intel logo would have compelled me to buy only computers with their processors regardless of what other features were available in the computer. The Intel brand was clearly in a class by itself. Not this time. This AMD powered computer was low priced and had the memory I required along with other features such as a 100 Gb hard drive, high-resolution screen, numerous ports and adapters and a long lasting battery. It only weighs a couple of pounds and the AMD logo seemed to look better too. It says: AMD Turion 64 Mobile Technology. 64 bits and mobile compatibility. Why doesn't Intel mention that on the computer they have their products in?
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Laptops are hot and prices are falling. My 15-year-old nephew just bought his first laptop on eBay, since they are cheaper and more accessible. So the whole "culture" of shopping and purchasing computers has changed.

Everyone is buying high-resolution screens and I was eager to ease my eyestrain from long hours of viewing everyday. The huge hard drive was great and the laptop looks good too. The old Intel brand just didn't have the effect it once did, and their competitor, AMD, just sold one of their processors. The laptop is working great and now Intel processors don't dictate which computer I'll buy.

To me, the Intel logo and brand brings back memories of old Pentium computers. This is worsened by the fact that today's processors have changed and they are running at lower speeds. This confuses the speed benefit that Intel had its brand positioned around. The technology change in viewing screens, memory, and processor use in the computer has moved the market away from where Intel was positioned. The Intel corporate brand powers sales of their new processors, but they can call those new products anything they want and it won't effective my decision.

What Intel needs to do now, is to associate its processors with the features and benefits that consumers and B2B buyers make decisions upon. Computer branding is not all about the processors anymore and the old Intel brand image is deeply tied to old technology. Even the brand name Pentium is associated with the computer culture of the 90's.

Here's the issue: the old Intel brand was so successful in 90's that it's trapped Intel in a time warp. Intel needs new branding that ties it to the future, not the past. To get there, they are probably going to have to jettison the past.

Google is a good example of modern branding and a brand that is not tied solely to web search engines. The brand is now diversified strategically to associate it with everything people are doing on the web. Google is omnipresent, and its brand image is solely in its relevance to the current Internet culture. Google won't let its common search engine role diminish its branding power.

Hanging onto to Old Branding Concepts

There's a lot of reason why brand managers, CEO's, and marketing managers resist rethinking their branding and redeveloping their brands. Most often, they don't want to leave their comfort zone and risk a short-term blip in profit. Some don't want to make an investment in hiring a branding consultant to look at the options. Branding experts examine a brand to discover its current problems, the culture of the marketplace, and to determine if a new brand identity or brand positioning would be fruitful. Some old brands are doomed, but most are just stale and not in tune with the target market. A branding consultant can provide crucial insight into market perception, brand value building, brand loyalty development, and to discover the brand value proposition that could breathe new life into your brands.

From product branding, to corporate branding to extending brands on the Internet, Brand Identity Guru provides corporate clients with brand audits, brand design, brand web design, and search engine marketing services.

Corporate Internet Branding

The Internet is a ubiquitous Corporate communications and sales channel, however many companies are still not utilizing much of its power. That could be because of loyalties to comfortable old channels or that there aren't enough Internet marketing experts to take their brands into the digital realm.

Regardless of the hold-ups in leveraging internal or external Internet communications options, consumer and B2B channels are growing their share of the market. Resistance is futile and with this change in how consumers and B2B buyers are reached, is a change in the symbolism, voice, and style of promoting brands. That doesn't necessarily mean the Internet can't play a supporting role for your offline or TV advertising. For many campaigns, the Internet is just another conduit for sales videos and corporate brochures. Some are satisfied with this, however the Internet's own power to communicate and generate business shouldn't be underestimated.
High Performance Branding When Propeller builds a brand, it’s generates results for a lifetime

The Internet, whether through public Web sites, search engines, Internet radio broadcasts, and e-mail are very targeted. It is shown to reach the right target at the right time with the right message. It doesn't matter whether you use a Web friendly, or search engine friendly approach to your online advertising and promotion. You need to be there anyway you can. It's too important to let it slide.
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Internet branding is a term in increasing usage because branding can be adapted to be effective on the Internet. That's different from broadcasting your TV video ad or showing your marketing brochure on your Web site. With Internet branding, you're taking into consideration that viewers have searched around and seen many other products similar to yours. They may have reviewed many more product or service features than they would think about while watching television or casually reading a magazine.
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Your customer's context then is different. The splashy video display generally isn't there and surprisingly, few people are interested in seeing it. They're pressured for time and want to find what they're looking for. If you understand their quest for knowledge, you can better shape your value proposition and even your sales pitch.

Active Internet Positioning

The Internet appears to be a passive marketing environment, but it's actually very active. To stay one step ahead of the elusive customer, you have to continually position your products and Web site to meet their needs ahead of time. An Internet marketing expert helps to tell you where people are going ahead of time. You may even position your brand better with this knowledge. You have returning customers whose loyalty you want to build and you have new prospects coming in searching and enquiring about different things. It's not easy to position a brand to meet all those needs. There are experts in the field who can help you understand Web visitors and help you build powerful Corporate Internet Branding strategies.

It's easy to say you'll advertise to reach all the same prospects you did with your TV campaigns, but Internet audiences are different. And, advertising, such as search engine advertising can be expensive. You may not be able to afford to reach those same people. That means you may have to plan a way to reach particular segments of that audience with more specific features and benefits. Only after you bring them to your Web site and established credibility with respect to the product they're inquiring about, will you be able to present your corporate brand. Corporate branding is powerful today and Corporate Internet Branding even more so. You can introduce products more quickly and even reposition them more effectively. People see corporate brands all the time though and are not necessarily impressed that your corporate brand will make this particular product relevant to them. For instance, just because Nike makes golf equipment doesn't mean their "big mammoth driver" is the right one. The corporate logo won't be enough and forcing the brand on them isn't going to make them buy it.

Search Marketing

Instead, Internet branding strategies, particularly those that deliver targeted visitors to your Web site, ensure your establish credibility and relevance. Remember that Web visitors are in an intense state of consciousness. They're very often looking for something specific. If you want to get anywhere on the Web as a user, you have to have an idea of what you want, or you'll sit frustrated in front of your computer. Television and magazines are very different. The channels and pages in these mediums are limited and the prospect is captured. Not on the Internet. There are billions of web pages and hundreds of millions of Web sites.

With search engines, consumers can get help finding what they're looking for. High ranking sites get first crack at these motivated/directed consumers. Your corporate Internet marketing strategy should be heavily involved in search engine visibility. It is an opportunity to present your site many different ways to many different types of consumers. The potential reach is further enhanced because you have International reach and the cost of entry is so minimal.

Searchers are looking for quick solutions too. They're not looking for fancy graphics and complicated menus that fly out all over the place. They're looking for specific things about your products and services. Here, you have a low cost of adapting your brand imagery and communications to suit each group of visitors. Generally, it just takes another Web page designed and written for that group of consumers. You can fashion your homepage to let current customers get to what they're looking for as well.

After these searchers have found your products and services relevant to their search, your corporate brand will then have the power to make the sale and establish brand loyalty.

Intelligent corporate Internet Branding adapts to the consumer. It de-massifies to serve each person as they arrive; yet it still delivers the corporate brand communication at the right time after the visitor is satisfied. Rather than a boastful in your face confrontation with the consumer, your corporate image becomes a helpful one and is relevant and timely. You get credit for being there when they needed you.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru a leading Corporate Internet Branding and Branding Research firm in Boston, MA.

Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

Over the course of his 15-year branding career, Scott White has worked in a wide variety of industries: high-tech, manufacturing, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, banking, restaurants, fashion, healthcare, Internet, retail, and service businesses, as well as numerous non-profit organizations.

Brand Identity Guru clients include: Sun Life Financial, Coca Cola, HP, Sun, Nordstrom, Franklin Sports and many others, including numerous emerging growth companies.

Branding a Small Business Without Paying A Dime

As a young entrepreneur I was always looking for ways to brand my small companies. I didn't want to hire a firm and I was always open to learning. These are some things I've learned along the way that you might find helpful.

My top 5 ways of building a brand for your small business - without paying a dime.

Build a Website A website is something that almost any small business owner can build and maintain on his/her own without too much difficulty. There are a dozen or more free services out there that will not only give you free hosting but help you build a website as well.
High Performance Branding When Propeller builds a brand, it’s generates results for a lifetime

Market Your Website Using free directories and forums, begin to grow your web presence so that you start bringing visitors to your website. Also be sure to tell all of your friends, family, and clients about your new website.

Create a Positioning Statement Take an hour or so to sit down and brainstorm. Decide what type of business you have, who you are marketing to, and why you are different from your competition. Take this information and formulate it into a 30 second long statement that you can easily memorize. Now, whenever someone asks what you do, you can project a clear and consistent image of your company. These statements will also assist you in maintaining a consistent image in other areas of your company.
Branding Info Get Info on Branding from 14 search engines in 1.

Call or Visit Potential Clients No matter what type of business you are in it can be very valuable to call or visit potential clients or customers. Even though cold calling is usually unsuccessful in getting a customer on the spot - it can be very good at placing your company in their mind. This is what branding is all about. Using your positioning statement above can compound results from this - projecting a consistent image of your company into whatever circle you are in.
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Offer Knowledge to the Community Offer to speak out at a local gathering. If you are an expert in your field you should offer at least some of that knowledge to the community in order to further your image. It is relatively easy to find people looking for free speakers - use the opportunity to brand yourself to a room full of people. Another way to do this is to write free articles for magazines or newspapers or the internet. Getting your name out as an expert in your field will increase the public awareness of your brand. For free.

With a little bit of effort and some learning along the way, it is easy for small business owners to profit from even free branding. Try some of these ideas and see for yourself. Branding is not a joke, even for small businesses it is a neccessity

Mason hipp is a life long entrepreneur that is using his experience to help bring other people into success by helping them with Small Business Branding and Identity. His experience in this field has led to the creation of a unique company that offers clear and profitable Corporate Identity Services for Small Business

Branding Development Techniques: Be Unique; But Recognizable

Developing a business brand can be one of the most rewarding and challenging of experiences. The rewards of a successfully orchestrated brand identity can be found in that feeling of complete accomplishment. Yet, the challenges of this brand building experience can make any business owner give up before they have even begun. So, how does one avoid the pitfalls and shame of a butchered brand that so often consumes a company's meager marketing budget? Even the largest companies make the worst branding mistakes. However, by following these three simple steps, any size organization can build strong and lasting brands that are unique and recognizable:

* Arm Yourself
* Build Strategically
* Maintain The Brand

Arm Yourself The foundation of great brands is those individuals who are hired to create them. So, at the start of the brand development process, an effective and experienced team should always be on board. Make no mistake. The worst thing a company can do is hire a self-taught graphic designer instead of an advertising agency to build the brand they hope will take them into the future. However, this is the first, and often most crucial error that I see all the time. Even though the temptation to save a few hundred or thousand dollars on branding might be akin to seeing that knock-off Coach handbag in the local gift shop, it never changes the fact that, at a closer glance, it's not a Coach. To put it clearly: use the best people; find the best price; trust in a great portfolio of proven results. Build Strategically Like any good business strategy, effective brand building is all about following the rules. One might call it a process of brand building. In this process, there are four stages: gathering, understanding, building, and creating. First, we gather. Here, the company and its advertising agency will learn and discover what they know and do not know about the brand identity. These sessions are followed by the concise evaluation of the company's long and short term goals. Finally, based on the gathered information, a strong foundation can be built. Second, we understand. In this step, we focus entirely on the target market of the brand. This powerful step allows the team to establish a clear objective and marketing direction for the brand. More importantly, any existing objectives can be re-evaluated for visible flaws in achieving brand potential. Third, we build. This is the step where the excitement should start to creep in. Here, the advertising agency will take the goal, brand direction, and message, and aim it at the intended target market through an effective design strategy. Fourth, we create. Unfortunately, this is often the step where the self taught graphic designer would start their process. Obviously, so much has to be accomplished before this step. Here, the actual visual elements that embody the brand are designed. This step would usually start with the creation of a logo. From there, print, web, and video elements would be added to result in the complete brand look and feel. Maintain The Brand Now that we've created the brand and all its elements, we must be committed to maintaining its consistency in all its uses. Here is where an effective and detailed style guide or standards manual comes in handy. Always keep a keen eye on how the logo is used: where it is placed; its overall size; and how much clear space surrounds it. This attention is essential in achieving the brand's potential. Remember, a great brand is as much about being recognizable as it is about being unique.


To learn more about this author and about brand development for new and small companies, visit http://www.artlinkgraphics.com or email Brian Jardine at support@artlinkgraphics.com

Brian Jardine is an accomplished creative director. He has worked in the advertising world for many years and has helped to build visual identities for small and large companies worldwide. Now, Brian works with Art Link Graphics, an advertising agency that specializes in branding for new and small companies through print, web, and video marketing. You can visit them at http://www.artlinkgraphics.com

Line Up Your Services For Branding Power

Okay, so you've been in business a while. You have a few different services you offer. You have regular clients who know, like, and trust you. So now it's time for me to ask you, do you have a signature line of products and services, each one feeding into the other?

A signature line of products and services is more than just a marketing funnel. It's where you deliver the same result, just in different formats.

For example, my friend Barbara delivers editing and writing services, with a focus on ghost writing and book editing for speakers and consultants.
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She's already plenty busy with clients and publishes a free monthly newsletter, but she has the opportunity to build an even stronger business by offering a signature line of products and services, each tightly focused on helping speakers get their books written and published.
Branding Info Get Info on Branding from 14 search engines in 1.

For example: Barbara could create a series of information products. Each one focused on subjects like writing one-sheets (something all speakers must have), how to get started writing their book (including outlines, templates, and schedules), how a speaker can turn their keynote speech into the nucleus of their book, how to decide whether to self-publish or try for a publishing deal...the list goes on!
High Performance Branding When Propeller builds a brand, it’s generates results for a lifetime

If she wanted to, Barbara could lead or co-lead workshops, teleclasses, and seminars on these same topics, all pivoting around her core brand, which is helping speakers and consultants get their book in print.

Of course, she would also become sought after as a speaker herself, speaking to NSA audiences and other entrepreneurial conferences.

And, she could create a training program, getting paid handsomely to teach other editors how to serve this big, lucrative market.

There you have it! A complete line of products and services, all focused on delivering one result. The advantages to this business model? In a nutshell: focus, expertise, credibility, money, brand strength, and business prosperity.

So, are you wondering where the opportunities are for you in YOUR business?

Creating a signature brand plan is where my creativity runs wild! If you want customized coaching to design and renovate your packages, services, and products then watch for an upcoming email announcing my autumn HorseWise Brilliance Unbridled program.

* You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print free of charge, as long as you include my full signature file for ezines, and my Web site address in hyperlink for other sites. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to Kendall@KendallSummerHawk.com

Kendall SummerHawk, the "Horse Whisperer for Business" delivers smart, savvy ways entrepreneurs can turn their hectic business into a smooth-running, fun, 6-figure money-making dream. To learn more about her book, Brilliance Unbridled, and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com

Branding Or Marketing? Same Or Different?

While marketing and branding are alike in some ways, they are also sometimes mistaken as the same business action. This is not true, but definitely understandable on the two can be misconstrued as the same.

There are several brand tools that can also fall into the marketing category. This is what makes the two concepts so closely related, but at the same time so much different. Brand tools can consist of several different components, all of which are useful. Brand tools such as positioning, or where to position a product, can be a very important and effective technique. These brand tools can also be lumped into the marketing aspect of a company's effort. If a product is not positioned correctly, in other words if it is not placed in the appropriate market, you are not going to see a lot of return on investment. Another component that would fit into the brand tools category would be perception. The best way of identifying this is by conducting market research. Brand tools can become more effective if the company knows what the market is looking for. Therefore they can gear their efforts towards the appropriate party without losing out on time, money, and most importantly potential profits.

Brand software is also a very effective way of saving you or your company time, money, and headaches. With brand software, sometime referred to as marketing software, a company or individual can track their efforts with ease, instead of guessing on how well a certain project or plan is performing. Without brand software companies would be left to speculate on how much money their product is making, or how their marketing efforts are doing. Some versions of brand software allows the tracking of marketing plans so that the user can see which plans are effective and which ones are not. If you know what is effective, then you will also know what you can discontinue, thus saving time and money and again maximizing profits!
Branding Info Get Info on Branding from 14 search engines in 1.

Brand software can be bought in every major electronics store. Customizable software is also available through some software developing companies. These companies will design a specific program so that everything you need is customized right into your system. Do you need to track profit per sale? That can be done. How about which marketing plan performed best during the first and third quarter of last year? Yep, they can do that too. One thing to remember is to do your research and find a company that fits your needs. If you are new to brand software you may also want to try some of the free demo versions that are available through numerous internet sites. Just go to your favorite search engine and type in "brand software." You will have several sites to choose from. Do your research, and then decide which one is best for you. You can then buy the full version knowing that you made the best decision for your company, making the profits grow and grow. Your company is like part of your own family and you want to see it succeed through everything that you do. That is now possible thanks to the brand software that is highly available.
Custom Branding Irons Flame, Propane, & Electric Heated. Shipped In 7-10 Business Days.

Kevin Dark is an online marketer. Find out more about his new project - Brand Directory.

Top Design and Marketing Tips from a Branding Expert

This month, we wanted to share some general tips relating to your graphic design that we've come up with over the past year:

Always include an address on your business card, even if you are operating a small business out of your home — it greatly increases your credibility and makes you look much more established! If you're concerned about privacy, a Post Office box is a great way to go. When signing up for a Post Office box, consider using a "Mailboxes" store instead of the Post Office — you'll get a street address instead of the typical "P.O. Box", and the store will accept shipped packages from UPS, FedEx and other carriers for you, so you won't need to give out your home address as a shipping address.

Never be caught anywhere without business cards again! Carry a supply of cards in your car so that if you can restock when purse or wallet stash runs out. The same applies for brochures, articles, promotional postcards, samples, informational flyers, and presentation folders with information about your company and capabilities — you never know when you'll have an opportunity to hand them out!
Custom Branding Irons Flame, Propane, & Electric Heated. Shipped In 7-10 Business Days.

Look for ways to make producing your designed materials less expensive. Need a business card and brochure? Why not combine the two into a folding business card and save on the printing costs? Is your logo designed in so many colors that printing becomes too costly? Try having materials printed digitally by an online printing house like psprint.com or vistaprint.com — they're often much more cost-effective for materials printed on white paper stock. If you want to print on a specialty paper, consider converting your logo to a one- or two-color version just for your printed materials — unlimited colors on a website don't cost extra! We're always thinking up creative ways to save our clients money, and we're happy to offer many more suggestions like these based on your individual needs — just contact us with your questions.
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Do you want the professionalism of having a printed letterhead, but don't expect to write 500 letters (the minimum quantity for most printers)? There are two options to avoid this: Design a letterhead that can act as a base for your printed invoices, flyers, report or proposal covers, articles, client intake documents and everything else! This way, all of your materials will be professionally branded — and you'll go through "all that letterhead" quicker than you think! Or, recreate your letterhead design as a Microsoft Word template, so that you can print sheets one at a time from your desktop printer. Just pick up a ream of specialty paper from the local office supply warehouse to avoid that "home printed" look.
Branding Info Get Info on Branding from 14 search engines in 1.

If you frequently drive for your business, or if your parking spot happens to be on a busy street, make the most of it by having a set of car magnets designed and printed with your logo, phone number and website address on them — they make a big impact, spread the word all over town and, after the initial investment, it's free publicity!

We hope these tips help you promote your business.

About the Author

Erin Ferree, Founder and Lead Designer of elf design, is a brand identity and graphic design expert. She has been helping small businesses grow with bold, clean and effective logo and marketing material designs for over a decade. elf design offers the comprehensive graphic and web design services of a large agency, with the one- on-one, personalized attention of an independent design specialist. Erin works closely in partnership with her clients to create designs that are visible, credible and memorable - and that tell their unique business stories in a clear and consistent way. For more information about elf design, please visit: Logo design at http://www.elf-design.com

Signage and Branding for the Small Business

Increasing brand awareness through the use of print advertising, TV and radio advertising, the internet and direct mail campaigns are generally the most well known methods of building up your business profile in today's dynamic market, another element in a successful brand strategy is vehicle and signage advertising which is one of the most important cost-effective advertising tools available to small businesses today.

Today's business world is an increasingly competitive place to be and your company identity is an essential component of your image. It is the publics' first perception of you and your first opportunity to make a positive impression on potential customers. A well designed signage program can instantly and effectively communicate the style, professionalism and overall presence of your business, it conveys to people who you are, where you are and what you do.
Branding Info Get Info on Branding from 14 search engines in 1.

Vehicle signage advertising is one of the most cost-effective advertising tools available to maximize the potential of your business. With distinctive and effective design, your shop vehicle becomes a moving billboard and communicates with your customers in a way that no other advertising medium can. It sends the message to potential customers that your company is expert and professional and is also established and reputable. Vehicle advertising is long lasting and works 365 days a year, if you consider how many people might see your vehicle everyday, how can you afford not to advertise on it? The options available range from small discreet magnetic signage to large spectacular full vehicle sign wraps.
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Exterior and interior signage are also important marketing assets in promoting your business and enhancing its image, how your directional and informational signs are presented and function together with attractive storefront or forecourt signage are critical to a positive customer shopping experience which will in turn create more sales and leads. Advertising banners and displays can be used to announce new products, promote special events, advertise sales, generate excitement or attract and motivate customers.
High Performance Branding When Propeller builds a brand, it’s generates results for a lifetime

There are many different materials available to signmakers depending on your particular requirements in terms of durability and impression you may wish to convey. Signage is generally estimated in terms of lettering, installation and substrate materials. One of the first things to do when choosing a sign company is to find one that specializes in the type of signage you require. Although most companies will not refer to any specialties in their advertising, many will in fact be particularly accomplished at making a certain type of sign. You will often find faster turnaround and better pricing when working with such a company. Working with people who are particularly informed about the issues surrounding a given project can significantly impact the types of signs that are created. If you are not using your own designer, you may want to consider the portfolios and completed projects of graphic designers working at the sign company. Alternatively, companies that already know what they want achieved should look for a sign company that accepts computer files by internet or on disk for direct output.

In today's competitive business world, advertising and marketing is not an expense, it's an investment. Effective signage is an important element of that advertising strategy.

(c) Copyright 2005, Tim McCarthy. All rights reserved.

D-Signs, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland
Signs, Printing and Display

Image and Branding Advertising-Get over it or Go Broke!

Out of 100 products, 90 never get past the initial development and testing stages, of the 10 that do 7 will fail in the market within 3 years.

To make matters worse 80% of new businesses are gone within 3-5 years!

WHY?

Because a higher number of the Business Owners have no idea how to sell, promote, advertising or market their products. Most Business Owners are brilliant in their fields of expertise or they have a great product, but they couldn't market or advertising their way out of a wet paper bag!
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If you are serious about YOUR business then read every single word on this page. You see today I'm covering a subject that sent a lot of those 80% of businesses to an early grave!

"Image and Brand Advertising"

Sometimes when people go into business, they feel they have to throw heaps of money at advertising because that's what the "Top Guns" do isn't it?
High Performance Branding When Propeller builds a brand, it’s generates results for a lifetime

We are surrounded by image advertising everywhere we look. It's in our face 24/7. Half the time, we are a compete loss as to what the business is actually trying to sell?

And let's face it, most of us who are in business just don't have money to burn. As an entrepreneur every dollar must be watched, after all the reason we go into business in the first place is to make a profit right?
Custom Branding Irons Flame, Propane, & Electric Heated. Shipped In 7-10 Business Days.

"Image Advertising" is the type of ad campaign that use music, sexy women and men, dancing, singing and then end with the company's logo. They give absolutely no reason for the buyer to take immediate action in most cases.

Unless you are a huge company like Coca Cola or Nike, and have very deep pockets, this type of advertising will do nothing to attract "top of mind awareness". Using "Image" advertising is one of the major traps that traditional and online businesses fall into today. People get wound up trying to be clever, cutesy or creative that they forget WHY they're advertising the first place.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, buy wouldn't you agree the whole reason for spending big bucks on advertising and marketing is to make money? So don't go getting trapped in all that glitz and glamour. Think about the number one reason for being in business. (Yes, apart from the money!)

It's to serve your customer. Because let's not forget, it's them who has the money you want in their pockets! If you really want to make all that money you've been dreaming of for years - I'll tell you how to get it.

DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISNG! Yep and you will get a response with Direct Response Advertising, You will get results, you will get orders, you will build a very profitable database, you will build customer loyalty and you will make money. It's a fact.

What you have to keep in mind is that your prospects don't give a hoot about your company image. All they want is to know your product or service can take away his pain and give him pleasure. The more benefits you through their way, they more likely they will move towards a buying decision!

By the way, even though your prospect doesn't care to deeply about your credentials, what they will want to know is what PROOF you can show them about how great your product or service is.

Tell them about this, give them testimonials, tell they you've been to seminars on you topic all over the world, tell they you're up with the ‘latest and greatest' tell them you conduct seminars on this topic. Sooth their anxieties.

In everything you do, give people reasons why they should believe in you, so they'll buy.

Now just to clarify this once more, the difference between an "image ad" and a "direct response ad" is this.

An image ad is all about the company image. It has no call to action and is totally focused on the business and not the prospect. It's purpose is merely to put a company name or message in front of the general public. This type of advertising is not trackable I any specific way.

A Direct Response Ad is trackable. It's asks of the prospect to take action in some way. Usually by phone, email, mail, coupons download etc. This means you can measure the effectiveness of the direct response ad and know if you are getting a return on investment.

Here's Something You Must Never Forget…

The only reason you ever advertise to get a response. You want your prospect to be compelled to take immediate action. You want them to call or visit your business. You want them to download your information now. You want them to become loyal customers. Nothing else is worthy of your hard-earned money!

Once you're using direct response ads, you can keep track of the results, measure what the bottom line comes to and know whether to keep running the ad or to drop it. It's that simple! If you were running and image ad, there wouldn't be any way to track the results…it just wouldn't happen.

And whatever you do, don't forget to track your results and keep records. This way you can improve your ads and work out which ones bring in the most money!

Smarter Business Leads specialize in using Low Cost Advertising & Marketing Ideas that will explode your businesses cash register. Check them out at http://www.smarterbusinessleads.com if you hurry they may even send you a free report go to http://www.smarterbusinessleads.com now.