The importance of your company’s branding in the marketplace grows through repeated use of a consistent group of visual elements – especially on the web. When someone comes to your site, these are the elements that present the company’s image: type style, name, color and symbol form.
This is good news!
You can control these elements. In fact, there is a simple ‘equation’ for this: The more times your targeted audience sees your identity used in a consistent form, a message is built – your brand is born! Why?
The consistent use of form, of the images, does three things for you:
- Makes it easier to remember
- Your company is perceived to be larger &/or more successful, and
- Your corporate identity is begins to work for you.
Obviously, your logo is the number one tool to achieve branding, on the net & in the ‘real world.’ Once again, the good news is that you control that.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself regarding your logo & company image:
Is my logo a clip art edition with a ‘do it yourself’ look, or does it look as special & unique as it needs to so that my company is set apart as special & unique?
Does my logo communicate a visual message to my target market? Is this the message I want to send?
Does my logo represent the current style of the company, or does it need to be updated, refined or completely re-done to convey how my company is today?
Does my logo translate well from my offline business to my online business or should there be some changes made to reflect this different sales channel?
Is my logo tired looking? Does it need to be refreshed to accomplish the goals and objectives of my branding efforts?
If you don’t trust yourself to be honest, ask others what they ‘feel’ when they see your logo… Are those answers the ones you want?
If you find that your logo isn’t providing the image, the branding that you are working so hard for, then change it. It may cost money. It may be one more ‘thing to do’ that you dread to add to your list. But if you replaced or updated your logo, how many other things could you take off your to-do list?
Your promotion efforts and ad dollars may be reaching your target market, but once those potential customers and clients ‘see you,’ are they impressed?
The bottom line is, how much is it costing you to promote your site with the wrong image?