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How To Make Your Business Card Stand Out

Empty business card with diary and penNetworking remains one of the best ways to get your name out into the professional world. Even with social media, personal contact and meetups with new consumers, clients, or business partners is essential. Having a business card in hand can provide these potential contacts with all your personal information. However, for each contact you make, the ore your name is competing with other potential customers or clients. Here are tips to make your business cards stand out from others.

Visual Stimulation
A simple business card with your name and contacts does not stipulate people enough to remember you in a large stack of business cards. Try to add style to your card with graphics, a picture of yourself, or a picture that can start a conversation. In addition, the business card could show examples of your brand, the goods you sell, or the services you provide so a contact can associate you and your card with your specific niche. Using bold colors and having a good finish and feel to the material of the card will also help.

List all Pertinent Contacts
Do not bombard the contact with a business card that has dozens of ways to contact you. Do not list your cell phone, several e-mail addresses, your website, your social media accounts, your blog and your fax number. Instead, only list all the platforms you use the most for communications. Also, try to list contacts that might get potential clients or consumers interested in your brand. Your blog or video channel might be more interesting to put on the card since these websites can help the client see what your brand or business is all about.

Social Media Connections
A good business card should list the pertinent social media accounts you are on. Since social media is becoming a prominent vehicle for business, showing any contact that you have a social media presence shows that you are maintaining unique business communications with consumers. Examples may include a Facebook page address for your brand or business, a Twitter account for your tweets, a YouTube channel for your videos, a Pinterest board for all your media, etc. Try not to list too many social media connections on the card since there is not enough space. In addition, only list business social media accounts, especially if you want to keep your personal profiles private.

Craft Cards for Events
Instead of having a pile of business cards to provide at any encounter, you should have a set of cards you provide for specific events. More casual, networking events can include more relaxed cards that are graphics rich. More professional events may require cards with staple attributes, like a business logo, professional fonts, and strong logos.

Create Unique Cards
Sometimes a plain old business card does not cut it. To really stand out from others, many professionals craft unique packages with contact information. You can create little brochures or tiny notebooks that explain yourself and your brand. In addition, you can provide clients office goods that have your brand and contact on them, like a notepad or post-it-notes with your brand name and contact information.

Featured images:

John Lucas, is an aspiring business entrepreneur. For his social events, he relies on http://www.eprintfast.com/ for affordable online printing service.

 

 

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Brand Marketing Through The Psychology Of Persuasion

images (2)Would you like to push your brand to the forefront of your market’s collective consciousness? Do you want your customers to be able to instantly recognize your business when they see your company logo? Do you wish that your audience could immediately recall your business’s slogan?

These goals define the core purpose of advertising your brand. Brand marketing is a way to separate your company from your competitors, much like a brand placed on cattle is used to distinguish one rancher’s animals from those owned by another. In many ways, your brand represents your business’s identity. It’s a component of your company’s story, a symbol that reminds your market about the experience of doing business with you. Pushing your brand to the front of your customer’s mind is a matter of increasing the number of times he or she is exposed to it.

Many years ago, a professor of psychology named Dr. Robert Cialdini authored a book titled “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.” He described several principles that explain why people behave the way they do. Dr. Cialdini’s book quickly became a hit among advertisers and brand marketers for its insights into the consumer’s mind. Below, we’ll take a brief look at the 6 principles outlined in his book.

Reciprocity

Cialdini explained that the act of giving something to someone creates a feeling of obligation on the part of the recipient. With that in mind, consider promotional items, such as customized stickers and t-shirts with your company name and logo imprinted on them. Giving these items to your customers may be all that is required to spur their use. Before long, you might see your logo prominently displayed on laptops, skateboards, cars, and on the backs of your audience.

Commitment And Consistency

People tend to behave in ways that are consistent with the image they have displayed to others. For example, a woman who prides herself on punctuality might go to great lengths to avoid being late for meetings. Similarly, a man who wants his friends to consider him honest will refrain from lying or withholding pertinent information.

By building on past commitments, brand marketers can influence their audiences to make larger commitments. For instance, consider a customer who has your company’s car magnet stuck to the inside of his vehicle’s window. This individual is likely to be more receptive to wearing a custom t-shirt displaying the same information than a person who has not made a prior commitment. Doing so implies consistency.

Social Proof

A basic human trait is to look to others for direction regarding what is appropriate behavior. If an individual sees other people taking a particular action, he begins to feel as if he should do so, as well.

This aspect of psychology can be a powerful tool for improving brand awareness.

Let’s return to the example of giving promotional items to customers. The more people who place custom stickers on their belongings, the greater the likelihood their peers will do the same. The more customers who wear t-shirts emblazoned with your company’s logo, the more inclined those who come into contact with them will be to mirror the behavior.

This can significantly boost the momentum and success of your brand marketing campaign.

Authority

In his book, Cialdini explains that people are more likely to listen to someone, and follow his or her directions, if they perceive that individual to be an authority. Studies have shown this to be true when people encounter doctors, lawyers, politicians, and others who seem to be “in charge” of a given situation.

The marketing value of this psychological trait can be observed in companies’ use of celebrities to promote their products. Even though a particular celebrity may have little expertise with the product in question – for example, Jamie Lee Curtis promoting Honda vehicles – people are inclined to listen to them. This is the reason celebrities are aggressively pursued by companies to sign product endorsement deals.

Liking

People are more receptive to the influence of those they like. A long-time friend is more persuasive than a stranger. This is one of the underlying principles of most network marketing programs. Participants are encouraged to promote products to their friends and family members in order to leverage their existing relationships.

In the context of brand marketing, companies can focus their efforts on winning over influencers, and turning them into fans. Those influencers may then go on to promote the companies to their own networks. The influencers’ friends are more likely to be persuaded through such word-of-mouth advertising than a formal marketing campaign.

Scarcity

A perception of scarcity will oftentimes prompt people to take an action they might otherwise have delayed. The reason is due to a fear of missing out on a coveted item or deal. An example would be a department store sale. Items temporarily marked down in price tend to sell more quickly because customers fear losing the chance to take advantage of a bargain.

Companies often exploit this psychological trait to hasten sales or increase sales volume. For example, prices may be slashed dramatically for a short period of time. Limited inventories may be revealed to communicate scarce supplies.

Dr. Cialdini’s principles of persuasion offer enormous value for small businesses trying to build awareness around their brands. Savvy companies with limited budgets can leverage the six insights above using custom printed t-shirts, stickers, car magnets, and other low-cost promotional items.

The author has spent the last 15 years working as a marketing and branding expert for major fortune 1000 companies. Currently he is working with www.StickersAndMore.com in a cross promotional venture for promoting promotional products and accessories

 

 

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Advantages Of Visual Content Marketing

content-curation-306x230Visual content marketing is the form of marketing that involves creating and sharing visual images and videos with internet users in order to attract them to your business. While the content usually stops short of being a direct advertisement, it is meant to provide valuable information that will persuade potential clients to pay attention to what your business offers the market. Before you buy views or use other financial incentives, you can learn the advantages of visual content marketing, some of which are as follows:

Most people prefer to take shortcuts when it comes to promoting their brand online. What they do not know is that there are other was of marketing a brand like visual content marketing among other things. This method is just as effective if not more effective as using financial incentives to get traffic

Visual Content is memorable

While not everyone can remember what they read, most people can recall what they saw. With plenty of competition out there, as far as your business is concerned, you have to ensure your brand is memorable. When you advertise using visual content, potential clients will associate your brand with the entertaining and informative images that they saw and end up picking your products and services. This can be attributed to the positive feelings they will have towards your brand and it will go a long way in enhancing your sales.

Visual Content generates higher traffic and conversion rates

High quality and entertaining visual can gain popularity is a very short time because it tends to attract plenty of viewers. As long as you place that content on platforms that have high audience numbers that are interested in what you have to offer usually ends up generating a lot of traffic to your business website.

As long as the content is positive, you will be able to convert most of your website visitors to clients easily simply by selling your brand products in the right way. It helps if you can provide tools that will allow the huge number of visitors to subscribe to your brand offers. Having your targeted audience willing to be associated with you is the best thing that can happen because they will always be willing to try out new products. Increasing your sales and revenue after that would be a piece of cake.

Visual Content marketing promotes audience participation

Everybody likes to be heard and if you can provide a forum to allow them to achieve this goal, then you will be ahead of your competitors. Visual content is usually the best way to attract and engage people on social media platforms. As long as your images and videos are interesting, there will always be people to advocate for your brand voluntarily by sharing what you have uploaded. Apart from attracting all the right sort of clients, you will be able to expand your client base as people sit up, take notice, and start discussing your business content. This in turn enables you to interact with any potential client.

Client-business interaction in turn will enable you to consolidate their loyalty thus making it almost impossible for your competitions to take your clients from you. Visual content marketing is evidently, one of the best ways to advertise your brand online. It will always provide great value for your money.

One of the effective ways to make your video promotion effective is to buy YouTube views and Roman knows how to make it possible. He blogs a lot about social marketing. Being specialized in social media marketing he is well informed of the sphere and can be of great help in online promotion.

 

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How Promotional Products Can Help Advertise Your Product

Many businesses today are finding that it is harder than ever to get their name in front of prospective customers. Tight advertising budgets are being spread even thinner by the number of media outlets available. The challenge comes in trying to make sure the name of your business, service or product is in front of potential buyers’ eyes at the exact moment they have a need or are considering a purchase.

As consumers become more distracted, traditional media outlets are losing their ability to efficiently reach a targeted market. The internet and social media offer more options to communicate directly but advertisers still need to drive customers to their website. Add to that the crucial sales fact that a consumer has to receive a certain number of impressions before making a decision to buy, and you’ve got a lot to overcome.

The answer for your business could lie in promotional products. According to research conducted by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the advantages of using promotional products include:

  • Low-cost and advertising flexibility
  • Long-lasting and tangible
  • Consumer places a perceived value on the item
  • Builds goodwill
  • Works in conjunction with other media strategies

Consumers have a positive impression of promotional products because they are seen as a gift and not as some type of interruption. They place a value on the item received and tend to look favorably on the company that provided it.

Get Your Name Seen Consistently by Your Target Market

Promotional products work best when they are something that is useful and are seen on a regular basis. Here are a few suggestions that can help give your business, service or product that extra boost:

  • Refrigerator Calendar Magnets: How many times does the ordinary family visit the refrigerator each day? Five times, ten times? Now multiply that by the number of days in a year and there is a tremendous opportunity to have your name in front of them on a consistent basis. With the calendar attached you’ll certainly get double the looks and use out the promotional magnet.
  • Clothing: Wearing something with your name on it is a silent endorsement for your company. Not only does the wearer provide free advertising space, he or she is spreading your company’s name around to a totally new audience each time the clothing item is worn.
  • Mugs and Glasses: We all need to drink water and many people need to get their morning coffee before they can really get into their day. Put your logo and tag line on something they use to hold their drinks and your message will have top-of-mind awareness.
  • Writing Instruments: These are always a great idea because they are both cost-effective and useful. Every time recipients make a note to themselves, they will see your name.

Promotional items work well in conjunction with advertising programs to increase brand recognition and motivation to buy. Whether it’s refrigerator calendar magnets, pens or coffee mugs, adding some pizazz to your marketing plan with promotional products is a smart idea.

This article was brought to you by promotional magnet manufacturer Magnets.com. To connect with Magnets.com visit our Facebook page here or to find calendar magnets click here.

 

 

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Importance of Content Marketing to Publishers

Publishers, brands and businesses, are realizing the essence of content marketing; thus, allocating resources and support towards creating quality content. Quality content often boosts customer loyalty and brand awareness, which is critical in any business. Consumers are increasingly shutting off the traditional techniques of marketing and are now adept at surfing online. The new epicenter of marketing has changed drastically where a great majority of consumers hardly trust advertisements. Classic advertisements are being marginalized where consumer uses DVRs technologies to bypass advertising. Today, most customers prefer being entertained and informed by brand via content marketing. As such, organizations are dedicating enormous resources to content marketing and publishing content.

Value of Content Marketing Strategy

Today, creating an effective content marketing strategy is more than ever becoming the difference between losing and winning against rivals. For instance, SolidEssay.com, a college paper writing service, has over years been succeeding and betting big with its content marketing techniques. Successful brands attribute their success to great content via owned media. Content marketing employs the idea of curating, creating, sharing and publishing original content. The most effective mediums for content marketing are social media platforms and email newsletters as they present reliable conduit for sharing information online. Publishers with platforms such as websites, multiple social media networks and blogs find it easy pushing content out without relying on press or media; thus, saving on the cost.

Publishers specializing in visual content marketing make their brand more appealing and attractive by using a variety of aspects that include images, font and design. In modern times, Internet is increasingly fascinated with visual imagery as retina and crystal clear screens becoming more and more popular. It is possible for publishers to make arresting images as the centre of their social media and email campaigns. This trend of content marketing is likely to grow as clients are increasingly opting for strong communicative brands rather than wordy copies. Prior to creating and distributing materials, authors should develop a platform around content marketing, which would offer the readers an opportunity to acquire information. A content marketing publisher can use research tools, such as Google Trends, to identify potential markets. Content marketing blog facilitates in building relationships with other influencers.

Content marketing is gaining momentum as it provides a platform where small and large corporations can reach potential customers. Content marketing encompasses a strategy of distributing and developing valuable and pertinent content to attain, slot in and attract a noticeably understood and distinct target audience. The decisive objective of content marketing is to impel profitable action of the buyer. Content marketing entails engagement with prospects and regular customers by providing information necessary in decision making. It is fundamental for the publisher to embrace content marketing in order to identify client’s needs and preferences.

Author Bio: John T. contributes his education related articles to SolidEssay.com, a professional term paper writing service providing students with qualified help.

 

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What Does A Great Promotional Product Say About Your Company?

Many differences in life – value, opinion, etc. – can be whittled down to perception; we all perceive things differently, and perception tends to be subjective in most cases. Determining value of an object or idea in the world of business can be a divisive issue – ask the financial manager what defines a valuable promotional product, and they will likely say getting the most mileage for the lowest possible investment cost. Pose the same question to the head of marketing and they’ll probably tell you it’s a promotional giveaway item that sells your brand via word of mouth.

Finally, ask the recipient of the promotional gift, and they’ll tell you that it should be something that’s useful and/or entertaining.

With a multitude of differing opinions, where does the truth lie? Here’s the thing – a great promotional item should meet all three requirements, not simply cater to one of them. The trick is to find something that encompasses all three. Keep the following in mind when you’re looking for the next great promotional item to assist in building your company’s reputation.

Familiarity – Research Your Target Market

Having a great promo item doesn’t mean much if you don’t know who to give it to. Knowing who you are specifically targeting with your promotional items, and why, is very important – ask yourself two questions when considering a promotional item:  Will the product capture the recipient’s attention and/or interest? Will it establish a positive association between the recipient and your business?

Spending some time researching your target market may also help you come up with additional ideas. For example, your research may indicate that your target market enjoys the outdoor activities. You can then focus your search for promotional products accordingly by choosing things that cater towards those interests.

Spare No Expense Or Come In On Budget?

It doesn’t help to covet a fantastic promotional product if it’s ultimately going to crush your budget. If you’ve just got to have it, what will happen is that you can only order half the quantity of a similar but lesser priced item and your campaign won’t be able to reach as many recipients as you’d planned. There is an enormous amount of promotional items available to today’s business owners – you can almost certainly find a great promotional product that fits within your budget if you are persistent and willing to search. Adhering to a budget is just as important (*if not more so) as selecting the right type of item. The bottom line – a great promotional product is one that fits your budget requirements while doing an effective job of promoting your company simultaneously.

Can You Effectively Brand The Promotional Item?

Thanks mainly to ever evolving technology; virtually all promotional products can be branded with your company logo or slogan. While there are still limitations – some items may only be available in limited colors, sometimes it may not be possible to print with more than one color – you should strive to reproduce your logo with total accuracy. If single color branding is all that is available, consider getting the promotional item made in equal numbers that are divided by the same amount of colors used in your company logo. The point is, your logo should always be instantly recognizable, even when small compromises are made.

Does It Properly Represent Your Company?

The perception of the promotional item, your company identity and the marketing campaign are all tied together – if you are a business that specializes in emerging tech and has a reputation for quality service, you will not want to use a cheap plastic promotional product that can be ordered by the thousands. Promo items are meant to bolster your reputation, brand and ultimately, your revenue, but it can be effective to present yourself, and your business, as though you have already attained these goals – in other words, be what you want others to see you as. Let that be reflected in your choice of promotional product – make it something useful that will show you anticipate their needs. Promo items that are trending or very of the moment should be avoided, but even a gimmick can be effective sometimes.

Will Your Promotional Product Be Highly Visible?

Never lose sight of the fact that marketing and promotions are all about building your brand, creating awareness and expanding your revenue. While you of course will want the recipient to actually like and use the promotional product you’ve given, a truly effective promotional product will be one that is seen by your target or intended market. This will meet your goal of giving your business greater exposure to your intended target market.

AblePromos.ca is a trusted provider of unique promotional items Canada. Create strong, lasting brand recognition with high quality corporate gifts for your valued clients and potential new customers. Choose AblePromos.ca for your next brand marketing campaign.

 

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Is Your Brand or Product More Important?

Summary

Starting and maintaining a business isn’t for the lighthearted. Although enduring the rigorous routine of finding a suitable business school and then committing to years of class work is half the battle, there are more factors to face and overcome as you get your feet wet. In other words, contributing to the workforce as an entrepreneur has its benefits, as well as its challenges. Therefore, individuals who are in it for the long haul regardless of the drawbacks or demands, can master and succeed at just about anything they put their minds to.

One of the major obstacles that determine how promising your endeavor will be is finding out the equal significance of your brand and product and learning how to ensure both of them make lasting impressions. Your venture is destined to be limited without the strength of both of these dominant factors. Be sure to acknowledge and promote the value of these assets in order to maximize your potential as a leading business professional.

What is a Brand?

A brand is generally defined as a name, symbol, design, and/or slogan that represents the services or products of a business. The purpose of this feature is to create and build the identity of a company in order to produce sales and repeat customers. Individuals typically recall the brand of a product or service, as it remains their perception of a particular business’s personality.

There’s primarily three types of brands: commodity, concept and global. A commodity brand is linked with a certain item, such as food, electronics, or transportation. A concept brand, on the other hand, involves the association of a name or design with a particular idea. For example, the purple ribbon represent Domestic Violence Awareness. Lastly, a global brand generates synonymous values around the world. Some instances include Visa, McDonalds, and Facebook. Regardless of the brand, it’s important that the feature stirs some kind of emotion, thought, image, belief, or experience in a person to be considered effective.

Branding History

‘Brand’ means to burn, in reference to companies burning their mark on their products or services. The original act of dates back to the 1200s among Italian populations. However, the feature didn’t become a mass marketing tool until the 19th century with the invention of packaged goods. Industrialization later helped it rise to prominence as the production of household items in factories. Manufacturers were successful at promoting trademark advertising as a way to build a company’s reputation among the masses and, in turn, increase revenue. The early 1900′s witnessed the creation of slogans and mascots that were brands of various products. Today, branding continues to be a useful feature that maximizes prosperity for businesses.

Benefits of Branding

Branding offers a host of advantages for companies. The most obvious benefit is that it gives customers a lasting view of the products that a business is promoting. As a result, companies establish their individuality and are able to be distinguished from competitors. Developing a brand also reflects longevity. To customers, this may represent consistency of a product’s quality and existence and therefore, inspire a deeper trust.

Defining Product

A product is an item that’s produced through labor to accommodate a need or desire. For companies, it’s often identified as goods, appliances, or commodities. Consumers often purchase certain models of products, which are defined as a subtype of an item. Some examples of products that contain models are automobiles, televisions, and vacuum cleaners. More specifically, a serial number is a distinct unit of a product’s model.

Why Brand and Product are Both Important

Many people make the mistake of assuming that a brand comes secondary to a product and should only be considered a feature that enhances an item. However, a brand should not be considered the icing on top of a cake. When it comes to determining if a brand or product is more valuable, it’s best to understand that neither ranks higher than the other. Both features go hand and hand; a product can’t survive without the right brand and vice-versa.

Before going into business for yourself, be sure to examine what is distinct about your company and how your product is going to help others. This analysis should inevitably enable you to promote a favorable product with a favorable brand. The end result is bound to be benevolent. Check out ways to boost both features.

Tips on Branding Your Product

1. Ensure that there is a demand for your product.

A product that no one has use for will surely fail. Before you promote your services or item, there must be minimal doubt that there’s a need, or at least a strong desire, for what you have to offer. Once you’re certain that your product will adequately meet a demand, you’re more likely to develop the appropriate brand.

2. Identify the right resources.

You should also have access to the justifiable resources that enable you to market your product effectively. Examples may include a variety of assets, such as software, media material, online features, and more. Afterward, you’ll be one step closer to determining a suitable brand.

3. Be straightforward.

Whether your brand is a slogan, symbol, or design, it needs to be direct. Keep in mind that there’s millions of advertisements that distract consumers everyday, and people are normally turned off by drawn-out, phony exhibits. Therefore, your promotion must be forthright, as well as catchy, in order to get and maintain attention.

4. Be protective.

You must be prepared to safeguard your brand to have an edge over competitors and avoid theft. Registry, trademarking, copyrighting and patenting are examples of protective actions that will keep you from losing the feature and business you worked hard to create.

5. Remain consistent.

Nothing is worse than having a brand and changing your mind, especially once your product starts taking off. This move can cause consumers to mistake the original product for something else. It also can give the impression that a company is desperate for growth and will go to unnecessary lengths to obtain success. Once you develop a brand that accentuates your product, it’s best to stick to it.

Lyndsey Ellis is a freelance writer partnering with Article Writing Services to write quality content for blogs and websites. Her work can be found at Business Schools.org and other Marketing Blogs.

 

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