Small Business Cost Efficient Facebook Marketing Through Tools
Running a small business can sometimes leave little room for marketing, both in terms of budgeting and marketing efforts. One great source and channel to focus on in this case would be through Facebook. Now, how can you market your business in an effective way? One effective way is to use a Facebook campaign manager tool to take care of the job for you.
One such tool is Qwaya. This is one of only 30 companies around the world that has access to Facebook API, which makes it a reliable product which keeps your ads always updated to the latest standards. Let’s have a look how you can use a tool like this for your marketing.
First off, you can use Qwaya in order to create bulk ads. This features mean that if you provide a couple of different images, titles and bodies for ads, the system can create X amount of combinations that you can try out to see which one fits you the best. Many of these campaign tools comes in different packages and in Qwaya’s case you can with the premium account run up to 1000 ads per week.
One really important feature when it comes to Facebook ads, and any ads for that sake, is to conduct A-B testing. This means that you need to try out and tweak in order to find the best fitting ad for your products and ads. Qwaya offers an interface through which you can follow up on these ads and see how each of these campaigns worked out.
How do you know who should see your ad one their page? Well here is why A-B testing is so important! One suggestion is to try running the ads with a broad demographic group in mind. Based on this you can then see how is actually clicking in to your business fan page. More than often you’ll be surprised that presumptions don’t meet the real target group. This is what makes Facebook such an effective channel, as you have a large community full of potential customers to target directly.
Summary
Many companies have a strict view on how to market themselves through Facebook and often miss out to reach the right target audience. By using a campaign manager tool like Qwaya you are opened up to an cost efficient way of promoting your company and products. By A-B testing different ads and tightly following up on these, you’ll soon find your real audience and can significantly increase your Facebook presence and make a difference in sales. For more specific information about the features in Qwaya, please look at www.qwaya.com
About the Author: Craig Robinson works with content for Qwaya and is also a Facebook marketing strategist. Besides writing for this Facebook ads tool, he also tries to be as active as possible in forums about social media and social context.
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Build a Strong Online Presence for Your Business Even on a Budget
To be or not to be part of the online world? I believe in 2012 we’re well past this question. Almost any former offline-on-purpose SME has moved towards the internet at some point. We are aware of the massive benefits it brings even to hyper local small businesses.
One topic is still to debate (and you’re invited to state your point below the post): what elements do we really need in order to establish a successful online presence? Is the combination website+blog+social media necessary and sufficient?
Well, it’s simpler than that. Little goes a long way and this article will prove it’s neither difficult nor expensive to establish a competitive and robust online presence for your business even if you are not a web pro.
Why do small businesses need an online persona?
During my years of work in the small business field, I have met entrepreneurs who were internet savvy but still hesitated to bring their own companies visible online. There were two main arguments they stayed aside:
- the costs they thought to be involved
- fear of not being able to manage the online signals with tact (“if you can’t say something wise, it’s better not to speak at all”)
I admit to find the second assessment very common sensed and legitimate. Facebook, Google +, Twitter, LinkedIn, this is already an immense charge of signals. It’s best to find a certain degree of online involvement that you can handle with ease, otherwise you will be like the high street shop with no customers, well placed but poorly managed.
There are certain benefits for any brick and mortar business to go online:
1. It’s a sure way to build word-of-mouth reputation and trust, as part of your marketing strategy
2. Opens new sales opportunities and automatizes the process
3. Helps you grow the contacts portfolio and do business networking
4. Saves money on offline advertising.
Customers don’t use yellow pages or the local business directory anymore, they search the internet to find your business. Moreover, peer reviews are more and more a decisive factor when it comes to choosing where to buy from. Your company cannot miss this.
The online kit you really need
I argue that a website is not mandatory for a small business who wishes to go online. There are sure fire ways to get noticed and become popular without having to maintain a standalone portal, which, in many cases, turns into a brochure-like website. The following elements build up a reasonable online presence for your business.
E-mail address. Snail mail is a thing of the past, so you need an e-mail to appear on printed advertisements, business cards, flyers etc. It can be on a public e-mail domain such as Gmail or Yahoo, though it’s more professional to have it on your own domain. You can then go advanced and build e-mail lists for newsletter marketing using mailing management services (AWeber or Mail Chimp).
Online surveys. Occasionally, you will need to test variables such as customers’ satisfactory level or business demographics. Perform this research on the web rather than on paper, so you can disseminate surveys effectively and minimize the hassle of filling them in. An online survey builder is an effective tool for building and managing your surveys remotely, without needing a website of your own. You can send your surveys through e-mail, instant messaging or social media and have the submissions sent directly into your inbox.
A social media profile. LinkedIn is great for B2B connections, while Facebook is the thing for B2Cs. It’s best to focus effort on a single social network at first and see how much time you are willing to invest. Always monitor the level of user interaction and adjust your messages accordingly.
Google Alerts. Set one with the name of your company to see who has mentioned you publicly and maybe reply to it. You can also have alerts with the main terms your business is centered upon. This way, you will be aware of all the live discussions and blog posts over these topics that take place on the internet.
Google Places. Your online promotion will largely benefit from local listing of the company on the world’s major search engine. All you need is to sign up a Google account (it takes one minute) and register for Google Places: http://google.com/local/add. You will gain a business page on Google, where you can even run promotions for your customers.
All the investment involved in the above tasks is a couple of hours a day. Of course, at some point you will need a delegate to deal with the daily notifications on the social networks and manage your online image. However, you will certainly find the ROI was indeed worth it.
What are your experiences in going online? Please share your thoughts below!
About the Author: Laura Moisei writes for 123ContactForm web form builder that helps small businesses get in touch with their customers. Laura is a dedicated blogger and small business consultant with a passion for technology.
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Criteria for an Effective Logo Design
Many entrepreneurs are inexperienced when it comes to getting logos designed. This is to be expected as it is not something that you would really need to know much about unless you are starting your own business.
If you are using a reputable designer to design your logo then to some extent you can sit back and relax, knowing that the future of your brand is in their capable hands. However, you can usually do so much better if you take an active interest in logo design before the design process begins. This way you will understand the importance of a business logo and you will be able to communicate clearly with your designer so they can understand exactly what your organization needs.
Below is a list of characteristics that are common in effective business logos. This will give you some ideas on what to ask for in the beginning and how to guide your designer as you proceed.
1. A Logo with a Difference
Obviously, you will want a logo that is unique as the whole point of a logo is to help people to identify your brand and to distinguish it from other players in the market. Great designers will seek inspiration from other logos but still come up with something that is totally original.
Depending on the industry that you are in there will be common images that many of your competitors have used. Dental logos often feature a smile, real estate agents go for rooftops and veterinarians go for cats, dogs or paw prints.
Should you avoid the clichéd images, even if they will do such a great job of giving you an identity that people in your market will immediately recognize? It’s hard to say really. You don’t want to be another copycat lining up to compete for the limited market share in your area. However, a truly great designer will be able to take a common image and make their version of it dramatically different from your competitors.
2. Keep it Simple
Remember that when it comes to logos, less is usually more. In other words the more a designer goes crazy adding colors, images and intricate designs to a logo the less effective it becomes and the more amateurish it looks.
If you look at the logos of some of the worlds top companies you will see that they are all very simple. Great designers exercise restraint and come up with designs that are uncluttered and professional looking. Many designers don’t know when to stop and end up producing logos with ‘too much going on’. You may be able to get away with a more visually stimulating logo if you are in certain creative industries but for most businesses ‘simplicity rules the day’.
Most great logos consist of only a few colors so you should start to worry if your designer comes out with something that is too colorful. A limited color choice will typically be more effective visually and it will be more convenient when it comes to printing. Remember that colors don’t always come across well in some formats such as a photocopied or faxed page.
White backgrounds are common so think twice before going with a logo that needs a dark background to enhance lightly colored design elements.
3. Practical Considerations
A great logo has to be practical and functional. Think of how your brand icon is going to be displayed and get something designed that will measure up to the task.
Your logo should look great in any size without losing its clarity and effectiveness. You will want small versions of it displayed on your business cards and you may need much larger versions of it displayed on vehicles or signage (or on a blimp at the Super Bowl). A great design is a scalable design.
Don’t forget about shape as well. If your logo will be predominantly displayed on vehicles or across the top of web pages then a longer rectangular shape might be best.
4. Relevancy and Appeal
It is great if a logo can go some way towards identifying the industry that a business is in. However, it shouldn’t define any aspect of a business too closely as this could place limitations on the direction of future growth. Something a little abstract can be good as it gives you a blank slate to build your brand upon.
One of the main purposes of a logo is to win the hearts and minds of people in a business’s target market. An effective design has to therefore be appealing such people. Different styles will appeal to different demographics. While some brands cover wide markets and must be appealing to everyone, some have to focus on sending out a message that resonates with certain age groups or niche markets.
Logo designers that are working under a decent budget will usually do a little market research. As the client you should have the best understanding of your market and should provide your designer with this information.
5. Built to Last
Ideally you will end up with a logo that will carry your business well into the foreseeable future. The last thing that you want to have to do is carry out a costly re-design of your logo at some point in the future. Great logos are classics that will last an organization for many decades. A slight touch up with minimal changes every few decades is the benchmark here so stay away from any design element that may end up being a short-term fad.
6. Loud and Clear
Your logo is conveying a message and therefore people have to be able to interpret that message. People should be able to read the text component of a logo clearly without any possibility of misinterpretation.
7. First and Lasting Impressions
A first class design will help an organization to make a great first impression on the viewer. A great design will be interesting and attractive and catch the eye of anyone who happens to turn their gaze in its direction. It should compel people to stop, think and take a deeper look.
Good logos are also able to grow on people over time and slowly work their way into the subconscious mind of the individual and even into the wider culture. Ideally, people will identify your business by your logo after only having seen it two or three times.
8. Good Design Sense
There are well established principles of good design that all decent designers will adhere to. Ideas like symmetry, balance and purpose come into play to create something that makes good sense when people look at it. Each element of a logo should compliment the other elements in a way that creates a certain synergy. Many designers believe that a logo is a work of art.
While most people have been taught not to judge a book by its cover, many still do so, even if they don’t always realize it. People assume that great companies will have great logos so don’t fail to miss this chance to impress them.
To compare some of the best options for getting a logo designed online check out http://www.logo-reviews.com
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Franchise Marketing Techniques to Increase Franchise Sales
For franchise owners it is important to continuously be growing your business. By expanding your business, you are coming into contact with more patrons and potential franchisees. Unfortunately, in economic recessions this task can prove to be more difficult. This is the reason you should always be watching for new franchise marketing techniques to pique the interest of new franchisees and increase your franchise sales. Eye catching franchise marketing can prove to be an important part of your business model. Below are five techniques to help grow your business.
In-Store Advertising
Although it may seem simple, you can use your own stores to broadcast your business. Franchise owners are able to use the popularity of their stores and the frequent visits from customers to promote new franchise locations. Each new store has the opportunity to further promote future franchisees, while bringing your products into the lives of new patrons.
Networking
Typically, when people think of networking, many think of finding a job. But in franchise marketing it is the opposite, you are seeking individuals who you can offer jobs to. By networking, you will be able to connect with new franchisees, while promoting your business and helping to create a larger employment pool. There are many different types of networking, ranging from email, to in person, to online on LinkedIn and other social networking sites. Knowing the right people can cause an increase in your franchise sales.
Media
The media provides another option to increase your franchise sales. Although different strategies apply, you can use both the local and national media to expand your business. The local media is an important tool for lead generation and allows you to target geographic areas where you would like to grow. National exposure provides the largest scope and can attract large amounts of attention.
Internet Marketing
One of the largest and most powerful franchise marketing tools is the Internet. Franchises are able to utilize online marketing tactics both through advertisements, social media and email campaigns. Companies can utilize both paid and organic marketing to connect with users.
Trade Shows
Tradeshows are another way to meet prospective franchisees. The event will provide an insight for potential franchise owners, while promoting brand awareness and product visibility. Tradeshows also provide an opportunity to promote new and current products and drive sales.
About the Author: For a franchise business to be successful, it is important to continuously work to find new leads and increase franchise sales. Franchise marketing is a proven way to generate new leads and expand your business. For more information, contact Upside Group Franchise Consulting today!
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Should Companies Register Dot-Brand Domain Names?
ICANN has been accepting applications for custom dot-anything domain suffixes for more than a month now, and many businesses are wondering if it’s even worth the investment to have their own dot-brand domain.
This question has been on my mind ever since ICAAN announced that they would accept applications for dot-anything domains. I have also been curious as to whether businesses should register their own dot-brand suffix to prevent cybersquatters from getting to it first. I decided to ask Grant Chandler, president of Utah-based DomainMarket.com, for his thoughts on the debate surrounding dot-anything domains.
“The decision to invest in dot-anything domains really depends on a few factors,” said Chandler. “On the one hand, it totally changes the game for businesses and the options they have for branding themselves. On the other hand, the challenge may be more than it’s worth.”
ICANN will be accepting applications for domain suffixes until April 12. But registering a custom suffix is not cheap. The application fee is $185,000, and start-up costs are estimated at $500,000.
“For certain companies with a strong brand presence, like Sony, it can be an opportunity to gain more Internet real estate. It makes sense for Sony to have a website like televisions.sony and direct customers looking for TVs to that website,” Chandler said. “But it’s not for all brands and companies. It would be a constant struggle for small businesses to market and brand their domain with a custom suffix.”
According to the International Trademark Association, there has been scant corporate interest in purchasing domain names with custom suffixes.
Chandler explained that this is because companies do not want to tackle the dilemma of directing their customers to a whole new domain name, especially when most people are used to the dot-com suffix.
“There can only be one king in the domain market, and the king is the dot-com domains,” said Chandler. “While there is some value to owning dot-net and dot-org domains, those domains are constantly losing branding to their dot-com counterparts.”
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, in 2010 there were about 89.2 million dot-com domain registrations, making up roughly 71 percent of all domain registrations since 2001.
Opponents argue that businesses will have to rush out to purchase their own dot-anything domains to prevent abusive cybersquatting. Though Chandler noted that ICAAN requires applicants to demonstrate their vested interest in the suffix and explain how they will operate the domain.
So how many brand suffixes should a company register?
“If a company does plan to register a dot-anything domain, it should be the dot-brand suffix,” Chandler said. “Registering anything else will only confuse consumers. People will expect to find information about McDonald’s Big Mac at bigmac.mcdonalds, not mcdonalds.bigmac.”
ICAAN expects the dot-anything domain names to begin going live within about two years. They estimate that 400 to 1,000 domain suffixes will be approved.
Do you think it’s worth it for businesses to register their own dot-brand domains? Should businesses register more than one domain? Do you think cybersquatting will be an issue with the new dot-anything suffixes? Tell us in the comments!
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Seven Important Factors to Re-design your Website
Your site is an essential tool that you simply hold very much to yourself. Spent substantial amount of time focusing on its maintenance and improvement. Your site can double as an remarkable possession so that as your supply of earnings. You may also utilize it to articulate your tips and share information around the world. However, it reaches a stage you need to re-design your site to satisfy new demands. Only at that level, you may be worried on if the changes you need to make would change your site.
Nonetheless, it is vital to think about factors that will assist you to redesign your site perfectly. It’s also wise to undertake reresearch to look for the appropriate time for you to effect the modifications. However, about this article you’ll find a few of the factors that will trigger the requirement for a re-design. guarantee to completely read and evaluate everything prior to making a variety. When in the event you re-design your site?
1.Whenever your website branding is poor
The company of the website must be well situated to capture the eye of the site visitors. Additionally aimed at your website logo design and mascot, you need to ensure the look can also be a part of modeling. For your reason, you need to re-design your website to make sure its look is supplying site visitors.
2. Once the latest plug-inches fail in your website
Plug-inches affects the performance of the website. Consequently, in case your website does not accept the most recent plug-in, you need to re-design. A few of the plug-in failure actions incorporate wrapped texts and damaged images. You need to realize that if site visitors find damaged links, texts and pictures, they’d not take advantage of your site and therefore, they’d leave.
3. Whenever your Site Search engine optimization ranking does not improve
You need to regularly examine your site ranking on search for motors. Whenever your website ranking does not improve, the time is right you add new, high quality and appropriate content materials. You make sure the content you add is suitable aimed at your website niche. You need to keep in mind that individuals today visit sites for brand new information and therefore, you’ll need new information to lure site visitors.
4. Once the design is outdated
Each year, developers create 1000′s of website designs that center around related styles and search. In certain occasions, it’s Consequently easy to tell once the website was produced. You need to put many emphases in your goal. This really is by making certain your site encourages the meant quantity of specific traffic or maybe more. You are able to search for new concepts in the latest internet sites release. When the appearance of your site can’t be modified to include the meant modifications, the time is right you re-design.
5.Whenever your website navigation is tough
Many people get it wrong of creating an internet site in line with the appearance. You need to put stresses around the functionality of the website a lot more than seems. You need to guarantee your site site visitors arrive at their information with under 3 clicks.
6.If this has less than professional look
It is important to ensure your site look is professional. You need to realize that males and ladies don’t trust poorly designed websites and therefore, you need to re-design to enhance it.
7.Whenever your website specific visitors are low
You need to re-design your site once the specific site visitors does not improve Regardless of offering quality articles along with a great look. In certain occasions, it’s important to optimize your site and posts, which depend on the development of your site.
About the Author: Donald Bates is a website designer who loves to help fellow designers and business owners sharing his knowledge and experience. He would like to invite you to find out more about south florida web design and also to find out more about miami web design company.
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Why You May NOT Need a Logo After All
You may have heard that every business needs one, but that’s just not true. Whether or not you need a logo depends on the size of your business, the industry you’re in, your competition, and many other factors. The following guidelines will help you decide if a logo is necessary for your company.
DO get a logo if:
- You’ve built up your business beforehand, marketing and stocking up on product, and are aiming to go from 0 to 100% as soon as you open your doors.
- There is fierce competition in your industry, so that you need a strong image to set your company apart.
- You’re starting a more unique business (for example, a film company that produces custom short films that can be given as wedding, birthday, or anniversary gifts) that needs a strong brand and logo to draw in people who have never heard of such a service.
PUT OFF getting a logo until later if:
- You’re still in the planning stage, and are unsure if or when your business will take shape.
- You’re growing your business little by little in your free time while continuing to work at your day job.
- Your business is not yet profitable, and/or you’re not certain if it will work out.
You probably do NOT need a logo if:
- Your business is local-only, and the vast majority of your customers come to you through word-of-mouth.
- You’re in a high-demand industry, such as accounting or health care, where customers choose your business mostly out of convenience, location, necessity, or because someone referred them to you.
Keep in mind that these are only guidelines, and not hard-and-fast rules. Every situation is different, and only you can decide what is best for your business.
About the Author: As owner of CreativeGem Designs, Barbara Austin creates sparkling print, web, and identity designs to help passion-driven entrepreneurs capture the attention of their target audiences. You’ll find a treasure trove of marketing tips, design advice, and freebies, in her weekly newsletter The Diamond Mine.
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5 Strange and Profitable Businesses
Have you ever had an unusual thought and wondered if it could turn into a profitable business? Here are five of my favorite unusual businesses:
1. Game Truck
Game Truck – Scott Novis developed Game Truck, a portable gaming party, after he found he was disappointed in his four-year-old son’s birthday party at a pizza arcade in 2006. Scott noticed that children were playing boring, static games, and that most of the kids had better games and better graphics on their home game boxes than were being offered at the party.
Scott went home, and, in his garage, retrofitted a truck with gaming consoles, flat screen monitors, and cool decorations, creating the first Game Truck.
After successfully trying it out at a friend’s birthday party, Scott turned his idea into a thriving weekend business. His company has since grown to nearly $2 million in revenue. Game Truck has nearly 40 trucks in 20 locations across the country, and 12 individuals are employed in its home office. The company also offers franchise opportunities.
2. Zipz Shoes
Zipz Shoes – John Stefani was at a family reunion in 2004 when he and his father began talking about how many pairs of dirt-caked children’s shoes were in their presence. John’s father, Jerry, said it would be great if an interchangeable shoe existed – one where you could mix and match the tops and bottoms, and throw the dirty part in the wash.
The idea stuck. After the reunion was over, John and his siblings went home dreaming about mix-and-match footwear. They sketched several prototypes of shoes held together with everything from Velcro to pins until, finally, Jerry designed a shoe held together by a zipper.
Zipz Shoes’ first year of sales was in 2010, and the company grossed $1 million in that year.
Zipz Shoes retail for $45 a pair and are available online and through boutique retailers. They are distributed in 40 countries, drawing particular interest from customers in Europe, Japan, and the Middle East.
3. The Something Store
The Something Store – In the summer of 2007, Sami Bayrakci was surfing the Internet in search of a birthday present for his friend. After an hour of fruitless browsing, Sami decided it would be so much easier if someone else would just make the decision for him. And so the idea of The Something Store was born.
When Sami first shared his idea with friends, they thought it would never work. At SomethingStore.com, customers pay a flat price for an unknown item. Who would pay for something when they don’t know what they’re getting?
But Sami gave it a try. With a small start-up investment of just $3,000 for supplies, he designed his own website and began selling small, lightweight items in order to keep shipping costs down.
Within his first few months of business, Sami had sold several thousand “somethings.”
4. Beaten Path Trails
Beaten Path Trails – If you don’t have access to nature, it’s not easy to appreciate it. Hikers and backpackers use trails to gain access to nature, but construction of these trails is not easy. Laws prohibit the construction of trails with the use of vehicles and machinery, and that presents a difficult situation for many contractors.
But Tyler Johnson has created a different kind of contracting business which has achieved plenty of success building and maintaining trails.
On the Beaten Path Trail Contractors started less than a year ago, and has already acquired around $ 3.3 million worth of contracts. On the Beaten Path Trail Contractors offers $17 per hour to off-season ski resort employees and to college students on summer break for work done creating and maintaining trails.
On the Beaten Path Trail Contractors currently has 63 workers in four states, and there doesn’t appear to be any worry of government cutbacks. Tyler says support from government officials for both access to nature and job creation will ensure that the contracts keep coming.
5. City Slips
City Slips – Susie Levitt and Katie Shea, both finance students at New York University, noticed that many women walked home barefoot at the end of the day because of their uncomfortable heels. So the young women decided to start a company which offered easily portable flat shoes.
They worked with contract designers and manufacturers in the United States and China, creating a pair of flats which folds up to fit into a pocket-sized zip pouch. When women put the flats on, the pouch becomes a tote bag in which they can carry the high heels they had been wearing.
CitySlips began selling in 2009, and they’re now sold by 500 retailers, including Neiman Marcus, Dillard’s, and Bed Bath & Beyond.
Katie says CitySlips have broad appeal. “A 16-year-old leaving her senior prom will grab a pair of CitySlips and put them in her clutch bag, and then there’s my grandmother who will wear them leaving church,” she says.
Launched using $15,000 from personal savings and a $100,000 private loan, CitySlips sells shoes which retail for $10 to $58, depending on the style and material.
About the Author: This is a Guest Post by Vit Kashis from BizStriptease.com. He is also involved with ICLocator.com, Global Marketplace for Hard to Find Electronic Parts.
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Not Just a Name: How to Name Your Small Business
As the title suggests, there is quite a lot at stake when deciding on a name for your business. Your business’s name is its most visible asset, and is what will immediately attract or repel potential customers, even at a sub-conscious level.
Almost any name can be successfully marketed, but some succeed on what seems like the virtue of the name alone while it takes months of marketing efforts and money to shoulder to fame. The difference? Successful names target and communicate your expertise, your niche, and the value that your company brings to that niche.
So how do you come up with the perfect name for your small business? Here are a few possible routes you could take to get you to the name that your customers will remember from the first time they see it and to shorten the length of time you have to spend playing the name game:
1. Hire a Naming Expert
There’s such a thing as a naming expert? Yes, and they can help you pinpoint the intersection of cleverness, relevancy, complexity, and universality that makes great names great. Furthermore, naming firms will consult with you about which names will fail, which will succeed, and why; plus, they’ll be able to navigate around the murky trademark waters that prove such a hazard for small businesses. They’ll come up with a dozen names for you company quickly, and most of them will be great. Beware, though, naming firms charge for their services, sometimes far more than you could afford, or would want to pay for. Still, it’s an option, and one that has almost guaranteed positive results.
2. DIY
Most small business owners will go this route — it’s free, and more importantly, the finished product will represent your business more personally than a name generated by a consulting firm. There are several factors to consider, though, when naming your business, and they all play an important role in the success of the name:
- Meaning — What does the name of your business mean to your customers? Will that meaning appeal to them?
- Specificity — How specific is your name? Remember, there is such a thing as being too specific when naming your company. A bike shop called “Woodville Bikes” might be too specific, for example, especially if your business expands beyond Woodville and bikes.
- Complexity — Don’t befuddle your customers with a bizarre name. Keep it simple enough that it has character, but doesn’t intimidate your clients.
- Originality — A little creativity goes a long way. Again, there is a balance that needs to be kept, because names can easily get too clever, precious, or punny.
Once you’ve decided on a name, make sure it isn’t already taken by another company. Researching any trademarks on your name early on will save you potential headaches and fortunes in the future. Finally do a test run with your name with your customers — ask around and see what fits better with your target market. After all is said and done, you’ll be able to answer that age-old question: What’s in a name? Everything!
About the Author: Jemima Lopez is a freelance blogger and writer who writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning, and online degrees. She welcomes your comments at her email: lopezjemima562 @ gmail.com.
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Why Improving Your Business Signage Is a Must (As Explained By An Award-Winning Orange County Signs Maker)
Having an attention-getting sign is critical for your local businesses – no matter the industry. Your business signage identifies your business and location and it establishes your business image. Your business signage is the core of your brand identity strategy, whether it is proudly mounted on the building, on your booth or display at a trade show, or on your company vehicles.
It’s also the most cost-effective advertising you can do. The Small Business Administration says, “…signs are the most effective, yet least expensive form of advertising for the small business.” Building signage is often taken for granted, but signs are always on the job, advertising 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
How Improved Business Signage Will Help You Brand Your Company, Communicate with a Highly-Mobile Society & Leverage Your Advertising Efforts
1 Your business signage is the only indicator that you exist and would like your prospect’s patronage.
2 A frequently-noticed business sign sends your message to more people per dollar invested than any other form of advertising. For example, if you display a $200 sign for one year at a location where 10,000 cars pass every day, you’ve reached over 3.5 million people (not counting passengers), at a cost per person of less than $.000057. (Less than six hundred-thousandths of a dollar.) Even a high-end, lighted or monument sign that costs $5000, still reaches those people at a cost of $.0014, or a little over a tenth of a cent each.
3 95% of retail business is location-based. As consumers pass by your place of business, an attractive and effective on-premise sign will leave a positive impression. When the time comes to make a decision or purchase, consumers will be attracted to you.
4 About 40 million Americans move annually to a new home, all needing to buy goods and services, and looking for brands that stand out.
5 Enhanced sign technology allows sign faces to be easily changed to match evolving marketing circumstances. New developments in lighting, plastics, digital printing resolution, and color profiling mean signs can now achieve the same visual effect as four-color magazine advertising.
6 Your company does not need to be a national franchise with a major advertising budget to “brand” your site with effective signage. If appropriately designed and placed, your sign can develop top-of-mind awareness of your products and services, no matter the size of your business.
7 Many communities and cities have strict sign codes requiring that signage remains attractive and in harmony with the look and feel of the community, while encouraging business activities. Advances in sign design and technology means that via signage, your company can communicate more effectively to potential customers in a way that enhances both your site and the community at large.
8 Purchase habits can be influenced with effective signage. Pricing or product information can influence a purchase decision or prompt an unplanned stop, which is critical, since nearly all businesses rely in part on impulse visits.
9 A well-designed sign can provide a positive perception of quality and service and create the image of a leader, even for the smaller business. For the national franchise or chain, on-premise signage reinforces all other media advertising, and maximizes advertising effectiveness at a low cost.
10 By adding your business signage to your car and “wrapping” your company vehicles with striking vinyl, you can generate over 600 visual impressions for every mile driven At about $0.35 per thousand impressions for a typical vehicle wrap, the cost is almost trivial compared to $3.56 for outdoor advertising or over $20.00 for typical magazine advertising.
About the Author: Orange County Business Signs Specialist Martin Neil contributes value to businesses and non-profit organizations across the United States by increasing their brand awareness with the very best sign solutions. He specializes in custom requirements for commercial building signage, vehicle wraps, office inside signage, trade show displays, promotional banners & flags, and large-size wall graphics. Improve your business signage by going to: http://www.Calibersi.com/Building-Signage.html
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