Color and Emotional Response

Color can cause a visitor/customer to pass by your business, or leave your website altogether. For this reason, deciding on a color scheme for your business image is a very important first step.

BOLD

Warm colors such as red and orange are typically associated with boldness and strength. In web design, black can also trigger a feeling of strength.

PEACEFUL

Cool colors in the blue family conjure feelings of peace and calm. Purples are considered playful.

PROSPEROUS

Green and shades of it, cause most people to think of money, good health, nature, and/or prosperity.

PROFESSIONAL

Muted primary colors such as red, navy, or green along with black and dark gray convey a sense of professionalism.

You should avoid overuse of colors that cause a negative reaction such as bright (neon) purples, pinks, and yellows. Use of these colors in your website background can be particularly distressing to visitors. Unless you are looking for that specific type of reaction, you should avoid using them as the main colors on your website.

COLOR IN YOUR LOGO

The color of your logo should arouse the same feelings you wish your products to instill. As a general rule, a logo should not contain more than 4 colors. Many times even a black and white image is all that is necessary to achieve the desired response to your image.

It’s a good idea to study color and emotions when you are deciding on a color scheme for your branding. The knowledge you develop through a little extra studying, can make a huge difference in your brand’s future.

The post Playing on Color and Emotional Response in Your Brand appeared first on Nola Cooper Designs.

It’s called a Favicon. The file is actually “favicon.ico”. Having a favicon file for your website is becoming a necessity as businesses develop their brand on the web. So just exactly what is it?

Formal definition: The small icon displayed next to a URL in the address bar of a browser; A small icon that is used by some browsers to identify a bookmarked Web site; or small image displayed on the browser address bar when visitors view or bookmark your web page .

The following is my favicon…

How do you get one? Not all image programs will create favicons, but your graphic designer should be able to create one for you that matches your site design. Whether you use part of your logo, or a memorable image from your site is up to you. Keep in mind that a favicon image is 64 px by 64 px with 16 colors, so really complicated graphics may not “shrink to fit” well. The resolution of the original graphic can make a big difference.

I include a favicon in every website I design…after all it’s a part of your branding strategy! However you may need to purchase the graphic separately. Prices can range from $10 to $75.

You can also generate favicons online:

favicon.ico Generator

They may not be as custom or high quality as you’d like, but they are free!

The post That tiny little image… appeared first on Nola Cooper Designs.

Before you start your retail business, you need to decide on two things…what you’re going to sell and a business name.

If you have created a unique product, then the “What Do I Sell?” question is already answered. If you dont’ have your own product(s) how do you decide what to sell? Studies show that businesses are more successful when the owner has a passion for their product. Think about what you love to do..your hobbies. Is there a product or group of products that compliments or includes those hobbies? Consider these things when making your decision. You’ll be more successful if you feel a passion for the product you sell.

The name of your business comes next…along with a logo design, the name is most important and designing your logo will be easier once you’ve gone through the steps mentioned in this article. Think about what your business will offer, and what kind of first impression you want to give. Write down ANY words that come to mind when you think about your new business….the name you choose will come from those words. Use nouns and adjectives, use words that have caught YOUR attention when you’re shopping. Use these words to help you decide. I’ve even advised people to use a thesaurus and look up the words they’ve written down…to come up with even more words that have the same meaning. When you know that you’ll have an online store, it’s even helpful to use words in your name that people will type into their searches for your product.

Next important thing…..VERY important thing…..write a business plan. It can be simple to start, that’s fine….but the important thing that this does is it puts your goals and ideas down on paper so you can refine them, and LOOK at them! I didn’t do this when I started, and I regretted it TERRIBLY. You don’t have to write a plan that’s suitable to present to banks, or anything like that (at first), just something to organize your thoughts! Your business plan should include a Marketing Plan. If you don’t sit down and think about how you’ll advertise and market your business, you won’t succeed.

Remember that it’s easier to add products than it is to take away….so start with a small inventory of favorite items (use colleagues, friends, and relatives to determine what those are…they won’t mind) and then add products as you go. After you have an established website for your products, you can create polls for new items…to see what’s most desirable.

Once your logo design is complete, start by designing business cards and then some flyers or brochures to pass out, you might even want to consider a printed catalog at some point, especially if you plan to market offline.

To recap…

First step:
Decide on a name

Second step:
Business Plan with a Marketing Plan
(download free templates for each by clicking on the links above)

Third step:
Decide on initial product offerings

Fourth step:
Design your logo

Now it’s time to find a small business advisor in your area. This can be done by calling or visiting S.C.O.R.E. (www.score.org) Your initial call to the advisor should include these questions:

1) Do I need to file a Certificate of Assumed Name for my business name?
2) This is what I will be doing, DO I NEED A BUSINESS LICENSE to do that? If so, what are the fees?
3) Who do I contact to get registered to collect sales tax, and be considered a reseller? How do I go about collecting sales tax?
4) Will you help me with the entire process of starting my business? If not, who can?

Once you’ve spoken with an advisor, what’s the next step? Sit down and write out the goals you’d like to achieve in your first year of business. Once you have this list, separate it out—one to a page. On each page, list the steps you’ll need to take to reach that specific goal. Being organized, and thinking things through is the key to a successful start—and if you ever need financing for your business, it will be very impressive to a loan officer that you have put so much thought into your business.

A WEBSITE

Now you’ve put enough into your business planning to be able to sit down with a designer and create your website. It helps to have a Design Worksheet/Questionnaire. And don’t forget to consider color space and your target market!

MARKETING

What’s a TARGET MARKET? It’s the people who would be most likely to buy your products. If you sell make-up and skin care, your target market is women. If you sell toys, your target market is Moms. Give your target market some real thought….yours may not be what you think….or you may have a wider market than you think! Did you know that marketing candles as an easy way to keep a home smelling fresh suddenly adds single men to your market?

One of the first things you’ll find helpful in the online world is becoming a member of social media groups, internet forums, and small business message boards where others in your business go to discuss business. These can be invaluable to a new business owner for learning the ropes. Don’t be afraid to jump in and ask all of your questions….most of the people on these boards are there for the same reason you are, and may have already gotten past your dilemma…so they’ll be able to help you!

Need a product or service to get your business off the ground? Never forget the old stand-by—Bartering!! Bartering has become even more popular with small businesses than ever. It’s a wonderful way to get the things your business needs (business cards, stationery, catalogs, fliers, etc.) in exchange for your own products!! If you have something to offer, put it out there. Businesses like to have “give-aways” or contests to boost their recognition, so if you have gift baskets, candy, or any items that make good gifts….offer to trade them for whatever you may need.

Consider having a “give-away” yourself. You can print up a flyer and put it in your catalogs that you hand out around town….something simple like-“Purchase $25 or more and get a free candle snuffer”. This will encourage higher purchases.

Don’t forget that there are many people that procrastinate when it comes to gifts!! A couple of days before ANY holiday, you can make up some simple gift bags or baskets (have several on hand), and go out to car dealerships, auto shops, sporting goods stores, doctors offices, etc. and show your gifts…..people can buy them on the spot, and many times…will!! Make sure you have gifts in all price ranges with you!

Start a “gift reminder service”. Have a place on your web site where people can sign up for a reminder service-this can easily be done with special scripts for your website code. When you send out their reminder, put your web site URL at the bottom! The easiest place to go, once they’re reminded, will be the link to your site!

There are some very inexpensive ways to advertise your business on the internet. If you have a website, set up a matching Facebook and Twitter account…and USE them to talk about your business and your industry. Add a blog to your website, and blog about your products and their benefits. Many online newsletters have inexpensive ads available, and if the newsletter subscribers are your “Target Market” it will be worth your while. Purchase “one-way” links to your website from reputable sites that cater to your clientele, be sure to research online with the search engines such as Google and Yahoo to make sure you aren’t breaking any of their rules.

Finally, never stop thinking of new ways to market. Trade shows, home parties, flyers, and blogging are just a few. Using social media sites, blogs, and forums (on the internet)-tailored to your specific market-is a great way to keep your spirits up, and your ideas fresh!

The post Establishing A Retail Business appeared first on Nola Cooper Designs.

A Business Identity is the tool used to carry your brand through all aspects of your business. The complete professional image that a business wishes to project to make it recognizable and distinct. A successful business identity is consistently carried through all aspects of a company’s access to the public, customers, and potential customers: print media, advertisements, website, signage, etc.

Choosing Your Business Name

You’ve taken a very important first step…you’ve decided to become a small business owner and start your very own business. The very first thing on your “to do” list is to name your new business. By taking your time in this step, you will increase your chances of having a successful business.

Choosing a name for your business is a very big deal. It takes some thought, and a bit of creativity. When selecting your name, here are some guidelines to set the process in motion (make sure you have some time on your hands, this step-as it is an important one-is time consuming):

On a separate piece of paper, make a list of any words that describe or pertain to your new business, keep the list to the left of the page.

One of the greatest tools a writer can own is a Thesaurus. In it, you can look up almost any word and find MORE words that have the same meaning! If you have a Thesaurus, then you can use it, if not you can very easily use the online version: http://thesaurus.reference.com

Next, type in (or look up) each word on the list that you made. As you read through the words in the Thesaurus, that have the same meaning, if any of them are appealing to you, write them down next to your original word on the right of the page.

Once you have finished, read through the words on the page. Circle each word that really stands out and seems “inviting”. Move these words to a new piece of paper.

For this exercise, it’s important to think like your potential customer…..pretending not to know exactly what your new business provides. Using these words, create combinations that describe your business. If new words come to mind, use them, too. Sometimes, it takes a process such as this to really get your creative juices flowing!

Location

Will you be doing most of your business locally? Online?

Sometimes it’s not a bad idea to use your “location” in your business name. For instance, if you start an errand service in the town of Task, NY – calling your business “Task Force” would probably be appealing to the people of your town. (Keep in mind that if you ever move, you will have to either rename your business, or sell it.) If you’re starting an online resume service “Online Career Services” would be appealing.

Generality

Unless you are absolutely certain that the only product you’ll ever offer at your company is a “Slippery Widget”, you shouldn’t limit yourself with a business name like “Johnson’s Slippery Widgets”. Something along the line of “Johnson’s Gadgets” would be more appropriate, and would allow for future expansion. It’s okay to use a product in your name, as long as you aren’t limiting yourself. Such as: “Lisa’s Candle Shop” vs. “Lisa’s Vanilla Candles”.

Legality

You think you’ve finally got it…now it’s time to check for trade marks and copyrights. You don’t want to tread on some big international conglomerate, and possibly cause yourself headaches down the road. A great place to start is the US Trademark and Patent office, which has a wonderful online guide: http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/workflow/start.htm

Once you’ve checked for trademarks on your new name, the next step should be checking to see if there’s a domain name available for that business name. Start with the exact name, and if the “.com” version is not available, start branching out with different extensions. Some extensions and their meanings are:

.com – Unrestricted (but intended for commercial registrants)
.net – Unrestricted (but intended for network providers, etc.)
.biz – Businesses
.org – Unrestricted (but intended for organizations that do not fit elsewhere)
.info – Unrestricted (intended for informational sites)
.pro – Accountants, lawyers, physicians, and other professionals

If you exhaust all extensions (all are taken), then you might consider adding a word to your URL. Some Domain Name registries will help you with this by offering suggestions online. Some words to consider adding are: online, direct, store, or shop.

Testing your New Business Name

A great way to “see if the name sticks” is to contact close friends, family members, and other trusted business owners in your “circle” and see what they think. Make up a test sheet with your business name and some general questions:

(Business Name)

What does this business sell/offer/provide?
Would you buy from/deal with this business, based on the name?

And lastly…

Once your business name is finalized, don’t forget to register your business with any local municipalities, and register for any taxes that you may have to collect or pay. Contact your local Secretary of State to find out what forms and licenses are necessary for your particular area.

© 2005 article written by Nola Cooper. All Rights Reserved.

The post Branding Your Business appeared first on Nola Cooper Designs.