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The Value of the Landing Page

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The online world is full of links, all competing to grab the attention of the thousands of passing eye balls per hour; some will blink and stay long enough to engage/buy/sell/comment/like/share and so on.

Links are all signpost to ‘Somewhere’; some may be pointing at ‘Nowhere’, a land bereft on the vast continent of the Error Page 404 and these too can be a source of frustration and annoyance, Just as you thought you were coming across a lovely place, paradise is ripped out from underneath you and you are left staring at a blank page.

However, there is more of a problem lurking and that is the confusion surrounding what a landing page actually is…

The easiest way to define what IS a landing page is to flip it on its head; a landing page is NOT, as we all like to believe, any old web page that happens to be the place where a user lands.

A landing page is… (fanfare of trumpets please!)

… a webpage that contains a form which has been created to capture a user’s information.

Glad we cleared that up. Now we are all singing from the same hymn sheet, we can battle on with the why we have them, what they should look like and what their value is.

Why bother (or, what is the value of a landing page?)

Online forms are used for all kinds of reasons; subscribing to blogs so you never miss a post, enquiry forms, or transactional information for online purchases etc. You can probably think of many other examples but they all share the same common goal: to initiate an exchange between YOU and the USER.

It is quite simple – the user gives you information and you, in return, provide them with a service,/subscription/and answer to their query etc. giving you chance to ‘convert’ the user from a potential customer to a buying one.

However, this page is not necessarily the page to practice your graphic design skills on, so forget adding YouTube videos and dancing reindeers because, literally there should be nothing to distract the customer from completing the all-important contact form.

Having said that simplicity is the key with no distractions, there are certain components of the landing page design that need to capture the visitor’s interest.

The Header

If you have ever noticed where your eyes fall when you are on the web, you may have realised that they tend to be around the middle to the top of the page. Anything too low down that is important, tends to be missed in the first few valuable seconds that our eyes are drinking it all in.

With this 2 seconds to capture visitor interest, the header of a landing page is quite important; if this is completely uninteresting (and we have all been there!), your user will simply turn away.

Bear in mind HOW your visitor got there…

In some cases, the landing page is accessed through a specific advert that they have found on another site/somewhere else. Hence, their clicking of the advert means that created the right impression in so far that it was attractive and of interest.

Imagine the let-down of arriving on a rubbish landing page…

Your landing page needs to meet with expectations and in this sense, should be an extension of the advert – same font, same colours, all branded and joined together. If it all looks a little bit of a mish-mash, it’s a bit of a disappointment.

Right, this header needs to be colourful and creative, in line with your advert and also be part of your brand.

The Statement

Now that the header is in place as an extension of your advert or at least fully branded to your business, you now need to tell the visitor, clearly, simply and elegantly what it is they are looking at, the purpose of it and what to do.

Also known as a primary call to action, there are loads of examples out there on the Internet – some better than others, we hasten to add.

We saw some great ones the other day…

  • “Would you like the best in daily updates on xxxxx to your inbox?” – underneath were two boxes, one for your first name, the second for the email address.
  • “Don’t miss out on the latest news from xxxx” – again followed by the email sign up, as was the same with…
  • “Get the best offers BEFORE they hit the high street!”
  • “NEVER miss a blog post again!”
  • “Can you afford to miss out?”

They all suggest, in their own way, that there is a positive quality to signing up to a newsletter, subscription, blog etc. with some suggesting the negative aspect of not being on the all-important mailing list.

This reverse psychology has been around for many years; after all, by suggesting to someone they could be missing out, or be in the minority has a strong sense of emotional appeal, for some people.

Others of us, of course, think that by subscribing, our inbox will be flooded on a regular basis with rubbish, so be careful not to over egg that pudding.

The Body

An over-complicated landing page has been proven to affect conversion rates that is the number of people who do what it is asking them to do. Once again, simplicity and directness is key with every element supporting the advert, the landing page, the brand, as well as getting them to fil in the form.

Take a look at this one for Basecamp; it has a quite a clever graphic that is actually pointing at the first box, a clear visual signal of what it is you need to do. It’s friendly, non-forceful and there is no need for lengthy scrolling either…

Which indicates that the information they are collecting is what is needed to get your started with their service; if you don’t need to know the person’s age at this point, why ask for a birth date? Really think about the information you need to collect on your landing page – pare it back so that you really do only ask the questions that you need to.

The landing page success

It would seem that the best landing pages are those that are tailored specifically for the brand or website itself; opting for a ‘that’ll do approach’ might not get you the conversion rates you are hoping for.

Do you have a landing page? What do you think it says about your company? Is it successful?

The Psychology of Marketing… or understanding neurological quirks!

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Our recent post on psychology and colour was incredibly popular, not surprising when you consider some of the data that various surveys and the like threw in to the popular domain. Always on the lookout for other factors that impact on what we do in terms of business, we came across some research recently that addressed the issue of psychology and marketing.

Marvelling at the human brain and how it makes decisions, understanding some of the basic cognitive functions can help marketers to reach the consumer; some basic understanding of why we think our message is brilliant, and yet it fails to draw in the crowds, can also be incredibly helpful in how we market our products and service.

So sit back and enjoy a journey through cognitive biases, quirks and flaws… and understand why some marketing campaigns have back fired (or really, really worked!)

Cognitive – what is it?

Cognitive relates to cognition and is ‘concerned with the act or process of knowing, perceiving etc.,’; in other words, it is all about the mental processes of perception, memory, judgement, reasoning and so on. From Medieval Latin, it is a word that explains the process behind why we do the things that we do, and the decisions that we make.

As we all know…

… we sometimes make decisions that we find hard to explain after a passage of time. In most cases, this tends to be a decision that has a negative impact; for example, the ‘why on earth did I do that/say that/choose that?’ questions. The never-answered question of ‘why did I do that?’

Psychologists say that these faulty decisions are down to ‘brain quirks’. There is probably a more technical term, however, it is noted by ‘brain experts’ that some of these decisions we make could actually be linked to our cavemen ancestors – back then, they would have been ‘right’ decisions to make but in the modern day, some of the decisions we make seem ill at ease and out of place.

When it comes to marketing, it can be interesting to understand some of these brain quirks, with 5 being identified as the most ‘common occurring’ ones. When marketing your products or services to your consumers, understanding why some these quirks happen can help you avoid them meaning your consumer could still buy from you…

Brain quirk 1: Attribution Error

Proved in an experiment from the late 1960s, subjects were given an article to read, either for or against a certain hot topic at the time.

The group that read the pro- articles were told the writers expressed their true opinion, of their own free will and this was something that sat well with the group.

The other half of the group were told these pro and anti- topic articles were written by people who were coerced into expressing this opinion. But, the interesting result here is that, when questioned, the readers all said that the opinions expressed were the author’s real ones.

Attribution error is where we ignore context and circumstances, attributing -in other words, giving credit – everything to a person or organisation’s personality.

What this means in a marketing sense…

  • The personality of a company is important in the consumer’s mind and this personality will define how it behave towards them

  • A company that gets caught up in a string of unfortunate events, will regain its trustworthiness in the eyes of its consumers if it takes responsibility for these events

  • A company demonstrates its personality through its actions, rather than through its words

Brain quirk 2: Confirmation Bias

We all have opinions and whether you agree or not, we are all biased. We have a skewed vision of something or someone and will seek out information that tends to agree with these preconceptions and existing beliefs.

Confirmation bias is about justifying what we already believe and are more likely to dismiss information that challenges these pre-conceived notions and ideas.

This tends to happen more when the subject is emotional or controversial; we will seek out information that supports us, rather than proves us wrong…

What this means in a marketing sense…

  • First impressions are incredibly important as this is the basis on which the consumer interprets the company now and in the future (and we have all done it! One bad experience and that’s it…)

  • Conversely, making a good, strong impression has sticking power!

  • To get someone to change their mind after a negative impression or experience takes a ‘whole lotta effort’!

  • Consumers are more likely to trust (and buy from) a company that has similar values and beliefs to them

Brain quirk 3: Self-serving bias

Step away from the ‘pick and mix’ because this is not the type of self-serving we mean.

It’s tough, isn’t it, taking criticism? Regardless of how well the bad news about your product, service or performance is given, it stings. And we know this and our brain, being the super thing that it is, will try and protect us.

A self serving bias is when good criticism (is there such a thing?) will be attributed directly to us and how brilliant we know we are… but poor criticism (is there such a thing?) is linked to faults in the evaluation process.

What this means in a marketing sense…

Don’t insult your consumer. It really is that simple but, there are cases where marketing exploits and format are doing just that and could be a huge turn off for your consumer…

  • Informercials – we have all seen them on TV and they cover a wide range of topics from the disgust expressed at NOT cleaning your dishwasher to how to fry an egg. Your consumer will either ignore such a rubbish advert or they will be insulted and never shop with you.

  • The headlines – some headlines deliberately court controversy but there is an incredibly fine line with some of these headlines; attractive they may be, they can also be incredibly insulting. “How over 50s are breaking the internet…” – on one hand, when you read the article it tells you all about how we are becoming increasingly internet savvy at ALL ages but, it could also imply that anyone over 50 is a bit past it…

  • Flaws – OK, we all know that going to the gym 3 times a week and sweating for an hour and half is really good for us (Mmmm…) but, an advert suggesting that we need to do as we are overweight and lumpish is NOT the right way of going about enticing people through your gym doors. Never victimise; always point out the positives of a purchase – like ‘get in shape this summer!’ rather than ‘calling all couch potatoes!’

Brain quirk 4: Belief Bias

This is not the same as confirmation bias; it is something quite different.

Belief bias is when we reject a conclusion because it just seems too extreme or outrageous, even if it IS backed by a completely sound argument or evidence.

And it seems that logic gets in the way; in experiments carried out in the early 1980s, groups of people were given arguments, some with ‘believable conclusions’ and some with ‘unbelievable conclusions’, even those these unbelievable conclusions were based on sound facts and theory. But, the logic of the people in the experiment denied that this could possibly be the case with only a third of those accepting that the ‘unbelievable conclusion’ was a possibility.

What this means in a marketing sense…

Belief bias is incredibly important for marketing purposes:

  • Logic cannot stretch too far when it comes to asking consumers to believe something that seems a little too far-fetched…

  • The conclusion needs to be more realistic in order to make the argument withstand the rigour of ‘too good to be true’

  • Ignore this and keep plundering on with a message that does seem ‘too good to be true’ can and does hurt sales

  • Consumers have a ‘gut reaction’ and this emotional driven response governs a purchasing decision more than logic does; in other words, your marketing to consumers should not be devoid of ALL emotion, but relying solely on logic is not helpful either

Brain Quirk 5: Loss Aversion

Also known as the framing effect,  loss aversion is essentially about our vision of something, and whether the implications or results are positive or negative.

How information is presented is important; a positive frame will create a positive reaction and vice versa – even though the outcome is actually the same.

For example, to illustrate the point, in an experiment, subjects were asked to choose between two treatment options: Option a) would save 200 lives out of 600 or, option b) which would mean 400 deaths out of 600 lives.

Even those these options are the same (and this is a very simplified synopsis of the experiment) the vast majority of people opted for option a), although essentially they were both the same.

The experiment has since been improved, with phrasing of the questions changed etc. to make the negatives less obvious but the results are  the same. In other words, when an outcome is framed as a loss, we take a risk but when the framing of an outcome is positive, we see it as a more sure-fire option.

What this means in a marketing sense…

  • Watch your phrasing – for example, ‘save 25%’ has a better ‘frame’ than pay only 75% although the two are the same

  • Watch your message – and it is a complex space to be in with some products and services, especially in relation to businesses that work in health, body image, keeping fit etc.

  • Watch the headlines – informing someone that the article or blog will help them avoid something (like pain) is, according to experts, more likely to be read than those blogs that promise or guarantee satisfaction and pleasure.

Brain quirks are an interesting subject and, can help in the creation of adverts and marketing that hits the spot with the consumer. And don’t forget, you are not averse to them either…

How marketing to the modern man is changing…

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Admit it, when you think of marketing and customers, you automatically think of women. And to a certain extent, we can forgive you for that. In most cases, women tend to make the purchasing decision, especially when linked to certain kinds of products and services.

However, marketing to the modern man means that you are taking a step into the unknown as knowing the purchasing behaviour men, and understanding why and what they are shopping for is important. Add into this mix the power of social media and you will find that there are some myths developing.

For example, do you assume that men don’t search for bargains? It seems that this assumption is wrong. Men are looking for a good price for a quality product but approach purchasing in a different way to women.

Trawling the statistics

We have taken a look at some data and statistics so that you have a better idea of what it is men are looking for, when it comes to shopping and making purchasing decisions that is…

Firstly, we found that men aged between 25 and 40 years of age (usually fathers too, according to the data) are influenced by the results of major search engines, reliable information from a Microsoft survey. This survey goes on to suggest that a mix of both search engine optimised material, along with targeted pay-per-click adverts are the most effective ways of getting your business notices by men (if they are, in fact, your target consumer).

Secondly, men use the power of social media networks when they are researching products, a statistic that came out of a sizable survey of 1,000 plus social media users in a New York City based survey. From this survey, experts concluded that like women, men like the idea of a product having a story to it; rather than just ‘advertising’ your product, tell your makes consumers why buying from your business is better than buying from your competitors – BUT, keep it positive and focussed on your business, rather than slating the opposition (no one likes the sore loser/victim stance!).

Get the data – get the right eye balls looking at your products and services

Like all marketing, you really do need to know who will be making the purchasing decision when it comes to your kind of product or service. If you are in a market that depends on male consumers, then you will need to bear a whole help of statistics and data in mind…

  • 50% of men, aged 25 to 40 are influenced by both digital adverts and banners – bear this in mind when you look at both your online and offline marketing activities
  • 68% of male smartphone users are more likely to make a purchase from mobile ads – 10% more than female smartphone users
  • 44% of men, aged between 25 and 40, use social media and are influenced by it when it comes to making purchasing decision
  • 44% of men will tell friends of a positive experience of buying online
  • 90% of women will consult with their male ‘other half’ in the event of making what are known as ‘big ticket’ items – again, an interesting statistic depending on what you sell
  • 54% of men will use social media networks when researching products or services they want to buy
  • 58% of men will consult with 4 or more sources of information before they purchase an item
  • 41% of ‘affluent’ males will make the majority of their purchases through sites such as Amazon
  • 43% of men found shopping online a relaxing and enjoyable experience

Marketing to the modern man – the 3 factors to bear in mind

Statistics and data are all well and good but, applying this information in reality can be a little more daunting a prospect. Marketing to male consumers has always been slightly off-centre and more than a little odd; if ever there was a ‘group’ within the wider consumer market that was generalised within the marketing world, it has been men. But, times are changing…

  1. Ditch the clichés

Seeing every man over the age of 25 as a slightly off-beat, sock –and-sandals dad is not going to do you any favours. Finally, this rather awkward appearance of men as consumers is starting to fade and, experts believe this is in part, thanks to the ability of men to now take paternity leave and the like, being more central to family life and parenting that ever before. Being a proactive parent, and deciding to leave the office early to read the bed time story is now more acceptable.

Adverts have, for a long time, shown men to be one-dimensional and less well-intentioned; also, many of the adverts show men in very masculine roles and activities. Just look at the male birthday cards, limited to golf and football from some manufacturers…

  1. Reach out to male consumers, directly

In the past, many adverts and marketing ploys for products aimed at men as the final consumer, have attempted to harness the persuasive power of the female in the home first. In other words, if the wife or girlfriend agreed with the purchase, then the male was more likely to purchase the item.

However, it seems that this is no longer the case (although some experts suggest that this may not have been the case in the first place!). If your product or service is aimed at men, then target the male consumer; don’t bother trying to get the women in the house to make the decision… be bold and confident in your language too!

  1. Consider their unique needs

Look to the big brands for inspiration as to how they target men at certain times in their lives; the best companies and products to take note of are men’s toiletries. Although many of these products are made by the same company, the marketing and advertising of their products differ depending on the age group and life-stage their male consumers are deemed to be at… and the language and marketing activities reflect this accordingly.

And the final lesson in all this…?

Just like any marketing and advertising you need to know your audience or your adverts, as well as all your hard work, will be simply wasted. How do you market to the ‘modern man’?

Your website IS your best marketing tool

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… and so getting it right is not an optional endeavour that you can afford to leave to chance.

In ‘Keeping your website active’ we looked at why leaving your website hanging in mid-air is not the way to gain customers or grow your website. Increasingly, businesses are realising that their online presence needs constant attention but, not just so it climbs the search engine rankings, but because it is the most effective marketing tool they have. It is certainly one of the biggest investments you will make.

Here, we give you our top 10 tips to ensure your website is your best marketing tool…

Tip 1: your website address

If you are at the start of your online journey or are looking to upgrade your website with an exciting revamp, you need to take a few moments to consider your web address. In most cases, companies buy the name of business as a domain name, which is all well and good should that be available. However, there are cases when this is not possible and so, you begin the hunt for a domain address that suits your business.

Short, memorable web addresses are known to work best and then, once in place, make sure you plaster this web address over everything – from your business card to your email signature, to the leaflets being pushed through doors to the advert in the local press!

We love this gaudy example of everything that a website should NOT be…

Tip 2: Review your website

Again, this is for established websites. We have talked previously on reviewing the content on your website, including performing a content audit so that you can identify content that can be easily adapted to provide something new.

There is all kinds of advice out there on the web, but they all point to the same things: relevant, appropriate content, backed up with professional graphics all make a difference in your website fighting its way UP the rankings.

Tip 3: People, not search engines

Although having relevant content that search engines can zoom in on, it can mean that content becomes slightly skewed as we start to write for the web and no for people; in other words, we forget that we are writing for our potential customers.

What can happen is that we become overzealous with the amount of keywords we place in some of these articles and blogs; in other words, we stuff ‘em in hoping that the search engine picks them up and thousands of people will buy from you… but the opposite tends to be true! Never lose sight of the fact that you are writing to inform customers.

Tip 4: Clear navigation

To find out exactly what we mean, type in any old random website enquiry and take a look around a website that you have not visited previously; how easy is it to find what you need? How do you buy? Where do you get the information that you need.

People will visit your website with a specific intention and you need to make all the things they need are visible and clear.

Tip 5: Update content

We have touched on this not only in this post but in many others; if you are serious about your website being a top quality marketing platform for your business you need to update content regularly; you should be making serious efforts to be loading at least one blog per week, more if you want to really make something of your website.

Don’t have time? Why not engage the services of a web content writer?

Tip 6: online discounts

Just like you offer ‘10% off with the voucher’ printed in the local press or leaflets pushed through doors, having online incentives for the customer is also an effective marketing tool.

Having a program of discounts and ‘buy one get one free’ if that is suitable for your business, is also essential if you are serious about using your website as the main marketing vehicle for your business.

Tip 7: consider email marketing

There are many companies who send out regular newsletters or email offers to customers and, with some investment in plug ins or using free online software, you too can create something along these lines.

Again, as with any other marketing method, having a plan as to what and how you intend doing it will mean that you get more from this activity, rather than firing an email off into the dark.

Tip 8: Consistent branding

A common mistake that many newbie businesses make is that they mix and match their branding; in other words, they use a logo on one colour on one thing, and then change it on a whim when they use it on something else.

Colour is not the only aspect that needs to remain consistent with branding; your tagline needs to remain as well as the choice of font. It may seem a small, inconsequential ‘thing’ but, as consumers, we need to ‘see’ a logo several times before our brain starts to recognise it. To truly cement your brand in the customer psyche can take a long, long time so keep at it!

Tip 9: Harness social media

Again, a common thread in many posts and articles by experts but it seems that this message is not always being heeded. Ignoring social media altogether it a dangerous thing but, spreading yourself too thin and having a presence on everything can be just as bad, with no one social media presence doing your business justice.

Our advice is this – choose the social media platform that suits your business, stick with this and use it well, rather than signing up for everything…

Tip 10: Mobile version

Consider too, how your customers will be surfing the web; laptops and desktops are being superseded in some cases by tablets and smart phones. Make sure your website is mobile friendly; in other words, small tweaks are made in layout so that it ‘fits’ with table and mobile phone screens. The vast majority of web hosting platforms will offer this facility…

Understanding your website as a marketing tool is essential in it being able to do its job; it is an online window that sets the tone for the interaction between you and your customers. You have seconds to create the right impression…

Growth Vouchers – everything you need to know!

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Have you been looking at your website recently? Have you been thinking that it could do with a re-vamp or an upgrade?

Or, maybe you struggle with the cash flow; some days and weeks the money comes pouring in and yet other, weeks the work is there and being done, but the bank account is drier than the Sahara.

Your website might look better with a modernised logo, or maybe you would like it to be more responsive and mouldable to your changing customer base. Maybe, you would like it to feature higher in the search engine rankings but know that to achieve this, it is going to take some work and effort, all underpinned by a good dollop of time but, you just don’t have any more seconds in the busy working day to spare.

Maybe if the books were managed better, and not something tagged on to your busy day, completed at 11pm with one eye closed; if you had a system that produced invoices…

You know you can pay someone to do it, but the profits are just about starting to take shape and spending a huge amount could wipe out the small surplus you have and…

What does come first, the chicken or the egg?

It is the question to which the answer has been lost in the midst of time. But, with the business ‘chicken and the egg dilemma’, there could be some much needed financial help on the horizon, in England at least.

Growth Vouchers

The end of January 2015 will usher in a new research programme, as announced by the UK Government, and it is something that YOU, as a local, small business can take part in. And it includes financial help to spend on aspects of your business that you may need help with – and Locally could be an agency to help.

What are Growth Vouchers?

Essentially, it is a subsidised business support scheme delivered through randomly allocating Growth Vouchers to small businesses. And with £30 million in the pot, it promises to be an exciting scheme. If you receive a Growth Voucher, it covers up to 50% of the cost, covering 5 key topics that help small business grow.

But, you need to register and your business in the frame to possible receive some of these Growth Vouchers…

What kind of support could a Growth Voucher be spent on?

There are 5 main categories and all have been identified as being areas where small businesses can sometimes struggle to gain not only helpful, strategic advice but, by not being able to compete in these areas, are staying in the shadow of larger competitors.

The 5 areas are:

  • Managing cash flow, as well as the scourge of late payments and the tricky negotiating of additional finance
  • Developing skills, and employing staff
  • Improving leadership and management
  • Marketing and attracting new customers, and keeping them coming back too!
  • And make the most of digital technology, such as creating a website, updating your website, creating content…

Right, let’s talk money!

Growth Vouchers are up to a maximum of £2,000 BUT, the voucher match funds what you put in so…

You spend £1,000 having a new website developed, including training and with fabulous content and great blog. You would pay £500 and the Growth Voucher would match this with 50% of the cost, so £500.

Can you spend the whole £2,000?

Yes and more if you like but, the Growth Voucher maximum is £2,000. You may choose to spend £5,000 on a fandangle website, with ecommerce option and all kinds of gizmos and gadget, with the voucher covering £2,000 of the cost and you stumping up the other £3,000.

You will also need to be aware that you pay the supplier first and then claim the 50% Growth Voucher back from the Government.

So, can anyone person or agency, business, company etc. be a Growth Voucher agency?

Companies who can and do offer these kinds of services in the 5 key areas will need to register with the scheme, and show that they pass a minimum set of standards. This, of course, is the obvious solution to making sure that every small business, regardless of where they are in the country get the same high standard of advice and product.

Interested? Thought you would be…

If you are a small business looking to tap in to the scheme you will need to register and if you follow this link, you can do it right now – https://www.gov.uk/apply-growth-vouchers

You will need to have some information to hand to complete the process, such as your Unique Tax Reference if you are self-employed, or you company registration number etc.

Am I eligible?

In order to run the scheme, there needs to be a definition of ‘small business’ and, the eligibility criteria for taking part and possibly receiving a Growth Voucher are:

  • You must employ 249 employees or less
  • You must be registered in England
  • You must also actively sell goods and services
  • Be an independent company, with no more than 25% of your business owned by another company
  • And your turnover should also be less that £50million

IF you are selected for a Growth Voucher, you will need to find an approved supplier and the only place where you will be able to get this information is the Enterprise Nation marketplace. As the scheme gathers pace, more suppliers will comes online and you will have a wider choice.

As you can imagine, there are some big names and organisation driving this as it is a great way of making the small business market place in England a buoyant, thriving one.

The Locally Perspective

We will be keeping a close eye on the scheme, simply because any help in gaining advice and support in these 5 key areas is the key to a thriving business. We’ll keep you updated on changes too, so keep calling back.

Let the magic happen! You and your ‘brand identity’…

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Blank Box Copyspace Means Stand Out Leader Or IndividualIt is an argument that is played out across the breakfast table in possibly every household across the UK; there is no substitute for Kellogg’s Cornflakes.

You have tried the ‘sneaky’ bit – emptying the cheaper brand into the tub – but somehow, they know; within seconds, the breakfast table, never peaceful or organised on a work day morning, is a fraught tense place.

And so, as you shop, despite the £3 price difference, you buy the branded flakes, as opposed to the cheaper alternatives. It pains you, grates against you and ruins the budget but you must do it for the sake of peace and harmony.

I bet there are other items you do it with; shampoo, maybe? No doubt toothpaste (who would buy an unrecognised brand of that?!) and you certainly don’t get the same taste from cheap-er mayonnaise.

Some of this, you could argue, is personal preference but when you know, like I do, that some of the cheaper, unbranded biscuits ARE made on the same line as the brands are (I know someone who works there! Really I do!), then you know that it is clever marketing in many, many cases.

The recognition of a logo, backed by the adverts and the celebrity endorsement in many cases, the sight of the colours and the position on the shelf are all psychologically tweaked to make you go ‘yes please!’

It is called Brand Identity… and it’s coming to YOUR online, local business

Brand Identity – what is it and why do you need it?

You may (or may not) have a logo; you may (or may not) have engaged the services of a professional graphic designer to create your logo and you may assumed that that is it.

Not quite.

Your brand is the image and emotional response your company/produce/service creates; it is the conversation between you and your customer, as well as how this spreads from one person to another.

It is the sum of expectations that people have when they see your logo, brand, company from such things as emails (including email addresses!), and the response they get. This brand identity can be so strong that it means some people will buy from you – even if your product or service is more expensive than your competitors – because they ‘like you’.

Your identity is something that people see from the visual cues your business has, from signage to stationery, as well as marketing activities.

And your logo is the central element of this branding; it is the ‘thing’ that should be instantly recognisable, elements of which should flow through your identity, from using the same colour and font, to all your visual cues tying in with your logo.

So, what comes first? The chicken or the egg?

Logo, in most cases, as is it the visual aid that most people opt for and create before they do anything else and not surprising, when it is the clue that will on everything that tells people about your company.

It should be simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate to your business – easy peasy then?!

Developing a brand identity takes times, perseverance and strategy – and suggestions are that this process should start before you go headlong in to designing a logo as what you decide in this research phase of your business.

Strategy, strategy, strategy!

Yes, like everything else in your business you need to be able to look ahead, beyond next week and strategize your brand identity.

Consistency is the name of the game and so, if nothing else, walk your way through these steps and see where it gets your brand…

Step 1 – explain your brand

This is not just a mission statement so to speak, but HOW you express what you are. So, you are looking at

  • Values
  • Voice
  • Uses
  • Mission

For example, your brand may be sharp, simple and consistent, with simplicity being at the core of everything you do; you want customers to see you as approachable and friendly, yet authoritative and confident within your field pf expertise.

Step 2 – set your colours

Every time a major brand writes to you, emails you, advertises etc., they will use the same set of colours. A graphic designer will help you with this, but usually, it is three colours – 2 major players, and a third accent colour.

Step 3 – Brand elements

These are the different components you may see on communications and the like that a company will produce; again, the key is consistency. It may be you decide to have a corporate email ‘signature’; this may include a variation of your logo, but using the colours you set in step 2.

Step 4 – typography

Again, you may have noticed that the font used by a brand throughout its emails and the like is the same font. Take advice from a graphic designer but what normally happens is you choose one font and use two or three variations of this e.g. Calibri, Calibri bold, Calibri italic etc.

Step 5 – your style

This is where some brands falter and it is really important you get this to ‘fit’ your brand. You know the emails that are ‘[email protected]’? They don’t fit everyone. Really take some time to think about it. If you are a free school, you want prospective parents and potential students to get the impression you are serious, but approachable, so info@etc etc etc.co is just fine for a general email address… don’t over complicate it!

It would be ludicrous to suggest that this short post of just short of a 1,000 words contains everything you need to know and do to make your brand an instant hit… it takes work, perseverance and hard work.

But, this is a start…