Branding... Does your business need one?

So, I promised that HALO Business Advisors - aka Team HALO - was getting a new logo this year - and so I make the grand reveal here this evening - just a sneak peak more than anything. There are new business cards floating around already. New presentation folders, stickers, magnets, flyers and more are on their way from the printer any day now. And yes, even the web site and this blog will have a facelift soon. I would be remiss if I didn't thank community branding expert extraordinaire Ben Muldrow for his design prowess and dedication to our business' success (he's such a tremendous alliance partner for our business - thank you, thank you Ben!).

But really more than just a pretty new face on an old familiar face, what is all this branding business about? I've already gotten good and bad feedback (ok, one "iffy" feedback) on the new HALO logo. I agree, it's a big departure from our conservative roots. But thankfully, most everyone loves it - but more than that, they get it. They like the energy and the passion that it conveys. Our speaking clients love the energy, the "plays", the "play books", and the other fouls and scores and wins that come with playing with a winning team (yes, we're that team...).

What does your business' logo say about your business? Is it really possible that something as simple as a great professionally graphic designed logo can really get real bottom line results for your business?

For our business, we seek to encourage and equip small businesses and the community organizations that serve them. Did our logo say that we were encouraging - did it promise to equip, to make learning fun, to coach and direct and guide. Did it promise a winning outcome and the discipline of a well-trained athlete? We didn't think so. We didn't think it shared our real business - one that is a team approach with different areas of expertise - that focuses on the coaching of small businesses. Old fashioned ethics and integrity - winning tactics. Hopefully it does now.

And yes, it's paying off already - big dividends. And it will for your business, too. It's definitely a strategy worthy of your time and effort - and one that will unify all of your small business marketing efforts - keeping you on track and more successful in all of your business and marketing efforts.

And what about your logo - can it say that much about you? We're not saying our logo is going to win awards, but we hope it says something. And we want your logo to say something, too. We want you to know what you're selling. What emotion, feeling, experience are you selling your customers? Who are your customers and what will motivate them to do more business with you? What emotions do you need them to feel? Make your logo memorable, make it mean something - and put it in front of your customers at every opportunity. Look for places to shamelessly promote your brand (yes, that's step ten in our 12-step marketing system).

We're doing that on telephone stickers and filing cabinet magnets. We're doing t-shirt giveaways at seminars, business cards, presentation folders, web site marketing, links and alliances. We're looking for places to put our new image, our familiar reputation and a link to our web site for more information.

What creative places can you put your logo - how can you market your business better?

Comments

[Todd]

Looks great. There are so many things you can do with the "sport" logo. How about Team Halo letter jackets?