If you're like millions of other small-business owners,
creating a professional, visual image is key to your success. After
all, your image--as seen on your business cards, marketing
materials, packaging and website--is the first, and sometimes only,
chance you have to introduce your company to potential customers.
If your customers like what they see, you're one big step
closer to getting their business.
So how do you determine the right image for your company? It
doesn't take a rocket scientist, or even an ad agency. It just
takes strategic thinking. For starters, your image should reflect
your company's personality, or brand--which to some degree is
your personality, because you're the owner of your
business. It should also reflect your industry, along with your
customers' expectations and the defining attributes of your
products and services.
I've always maintained that there are three basic image
categories: "Flair," "Bold" and "High
Tech." To see which image category your company fits in, take
this short quiz*:
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1. How do you want your customers to view your company? (Choose
only one.)
a. Progressive
b. Reliable
c. Friendly and/or approachable
2. When it comes to your products or services, you plan
to:
a. Charge more than the competition
b. Charge less than the competition
c. Charge a similar price but add value in another way (for
example, better service)
3. Why did you start your own business?
a. I know the industry like the back of my hand.
b. I saw a market opportunity, and I went for it.
c. I love what I'm doing and I'm good at it.
4. What group of words best describes you?
a. Friendly, open-minded, stylish
b. Analytical, reliable, organized
c. Progressive, spontaneous, risk-taker
5. Your customers:
a. are risk-averse and/or fiscally conservative.
b. need something unique or creative.
c. want the newest technology.
Scoring:
Question #1: a) 5 points; b) 3 points; c) 1 point
Question #2: a) 5 points; b) 3 points; c) 1 point
Question #3: a) 3 points; b) 5 points; c) 1 point
Question #4: a) 1 point; b) 3 points; c) 5 points
Question #5: a) 3 points; b) 1 point; c) 5 points
If your score is 5-11, your recommended image is FLAIR.
Your image should project creativity, flexibility and friendliness.
Your promotional materials should be creative and unique. Design
examples include rounded fonts, curvy lines and warm photography or
illustration.
If your score is 12-19, your recommended image is BOLD.
Your image should project experience, strength and stability. Your
promotional materials should be conservative in tone and
design--not trendy or surprising. Consider straightforward fonts
like Helvetica and Times, lots of white space and four-color
photography.
If your score is 20-25, your recommended image is HIGH
TECH. Your image should project innovation and technological
expertise. Your promotional materials should be energetic and
exciting. Italicized fonts, bold graphics and dynamic photography
work well in this category.
Maybe you're thinking "My company features some
'Bold' qualities and some 'High Tech' ones.
What's up?" That's okay. Overlap occurs. But you
should have more of one category's qualities than the other. Be
careful of red flags that indicate you may be trying to be all
things to all people. For example, it's difficult to appear
both established--which implies slow to change--and progressive,
which implies fast-moving. Accordingly, I know of few successful
small businesses with an image I'd describe as both
"Flair" and "High Tech." In many ways, these
two categories are opposite ends of the image spectrum and thus
mutually exclusive.
The right image can be one of your biggest assets. Build a
professional business identity, and you'll reap profits.
*Reprinted with permission from LogoYes.com.
John Williams is Entrepreneur.com's "Image
& Branding" columnist and the founder and president of
LogoYes.com, the world's first
do-it-yourself logo design website. During John's 25 years in
advertising, he's created brand standards for Fortune 100
companies like Mitsubishi and won numerous awards for his design
work.