For startups just beginning their journey, the idea of branding is usually a stressful one. In years past, a company could work on a product or service and worry about the marketing later. Think about all the annoying local ads for car dealerships, plumbing services, and injury attorneys that fill the commercial breaks for your favorite shows, and you see just how little thought went into making those ads memorable. Just thirty seconds of telling people about the service and throw a phone number on the screen. Usually it helps to have the same number for all 10 phone digits (Call 555-555-5555).

Entrepreneurs in 2019 are well aware of the importance of marketing and want to make their product look innovative and new. They lose sleep over wanting to have the perfect Instagram-worthy logo and color scheme. The brands they’ve followed for years are international and ingenuitive. Brands like Apple, Google, Tesla, and even Coca-Cola.

What Makes a Logo Stand Out?

By far, one of the most common requests I get is logo creation. Even though you can get a logo for $5 on Fiverr or create one for free on Wix or Squarespace or even sites like LogoMakr, these business owners want something that didn’t come out of a template, but stands out and is original and creative.

Original Logo design is also one of the most time-consuming projects I do. I have spent hours going through revision after revision only for business owners to say, “Yeah, but, it needs something else.” I don’t know how many revisions Edison had to go through when General Electric was starting out, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t have catalogs of similar-looking logos.

It’s tougher to design original logos in 2019 because it seems like everything has been done. Just log onto Envato’s Graphic templates and you’ll find a ton of logos that all look pretty similar.

The Best Logos Are Simple

The truth is, logos don’t have to be rocket science. In fact, while branding and marketing should be in mind when creating your product or service, it should never be the main thing unless you’re a marketing or creative agency, in which case, you wouldn’t be asking me to design your logo. Your main focus should be your product or service, making sure it’s the best you can offer your customers.

The best logos are simple. And in an emoji and copy-and-paste culture, the simpler you can make your logo, the better.

And that is why I want to suggest you choose a logo that is one color. Two colors, max, but one-color if you can do it. You want the gist of the logo to be that it is recognized by its icon. Yes, Google can make a four-color logo because those colors are part of who they are as a brand. But anyone can look at that iconic G (and the one before it was upgraded) and know exactly what company they’re looking at.

You’re not Google. And if the Google logo is in all-white or all-black, there’s no denying its identity.

There’s a reason Apple changed its icon from the rainbow pattern to a solid color. Or why Nike has always been a solid-color swish. Or why Facebook’s simple typography doesn’t need an icon because no one can quite replicate that font. Yes, Amazon may have a black title and gold half-smile (or is it a curved arrow? Or both?) but you can always tell it’s Amazon even without the smirk/arrow. The “Z” is curved.

 

These aren’t extraordinarily difficult designs to produce. A graphic designer could easily create the same look in minutes. But the people who created them did understand the value of simplicity.

Simplicity isn’t the same as Easy or Shallow

But there’s something about these logos that stands the test of time for a reason. If you think an original creative marketing team looked at these companies and randomly said, “I don’t know, why don’t you just throw a half-smile on that Amazon word and call it good.” or “I just took a bite out of this apple. Hey! Why don’t we just do that?”

There’s a depth to these logos that hit our subconscious minds. They tell a deeper story than just an icon with a bite taken out of it. The Google logo is the simplest looking sans-serif font that’s bold because they are all about being the easiest search tool on the planet. They may offer hundreds of services but their main site will never be more than a white screen with the familiar Google logo (or doodle that happens to say Google on it) and a search box. First priority for Google? Searching made simple. The Nike swish is a check-mark reinforcing their tagline “Just do it!” (simple.) Facebook is just the word on a blue background but that font is never quite replicated the same way, standing for the way Facebook was a social media company that was completely simple and original, making it stand out from earlier social sites like MySpace and Friendster. The simple blue bird icon for Twitter also happens to inadvertently form a “T” and is much prettier than the earlier “T” logo for Twitter (and makes it stand out from the other famous “T” in Tumblr).

Amazon’s smile is a happy face indeed, but the smile/arrow perking up the “Z” pays homage to the simple “Click here” cursor to make a purchase when everyone still shopped at brick-and-mortar stores.

While you shouldn’t focus more on the logo than your actual business, you should give thought to how much of your story a simple icon and logo can tell. And this only works when you know exactly what your vision is and what you want your customer’s experience to be. If you’re a lawn service, what makes you stand out from your competitors? How can you show that in a simple icon?

Simple Logos are Timeless

Logos may change for companies over time, but when the vision is set and easy for anyone to understand, that will never change in how that icon is presented. New times may call for a more rounded or more squared version of the icon or font, but it will always serve the same purpose. Google may have changed from a bookish serif font logo to a bold simple font, but the four colors (simple colors, nothing needs to be complicated, remember?) remain the same, and the bookish font was always easy to identify even if it was all one color. It meant the same. “Nothing will be easier to use than us.”

Walmart may have made major changes to its logo and color schemes, but the star is still there. It’s an easier to identify starburst now. Target never had to change its icon.

The Golden Arches in the McDonald’s logo tell you a story. Sure it has the letter “M” in it, but it also announces that you won’t find fries as golden as this. At least that’s what I see in McDonald’s. And say what you want about McDonald’s but it’s hard to beat those fries. And if you say it’s not, I question your humanity!

I’m kidding, but only a little.

Some Companies Use More Colors, but They Keep it Simple.

And simplicity is really the point. And simplicity really means “memorable.” Yes, you can make any logo out of a simple letter with a distinct font, or a flat icon, but what can make that stand out from other companies that may try to use a similar font or icon? Can you make any changes to it that will help to tell your story or vision to your customer just by looking at it? These are the questions to ask when creating a logo.

When in doubt, trust your vision and find a symbol that displays that. If you have to, hand-draw it or have a designer or creative friend draw it and go from there. The point is, your icon shouldn’t have to belong to anyone else because it’s part of who your company is.

What do You Think?

Do you agree? What are some logos that stand out to you? What do you think of when you see them? Leave a comment and let me know. Or leave a comment about anything that comes to your mind at all. What do you think makes a logo stand out?

 

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The post Be a Smartass: Become an Expert in Your Niche appeared first on Thompsonland Graphics.

Quick Recap: So, you’re a new entrepreneur, right? Maybe it’s a full-time leap out of your comfort zone or maybe it’s a side hustle you’re hoping will replace your full-time job. But like true entrepreneurs, you decided not to take the usual side-hustlin’ gig of schlepping MLM products (I know this because you’re here, not on whatever site the MLM gods tell you to stick to for all your inspiration.) and you developed an idea on your own.

And like most entrepreneurs, you didn’t come from wealth or an old-money family. You’ve got bills to pay, perhaps a family, and you are coming at this with an idea and maybe a talent you’ve got stored away.

This blog series is for you. It’s about how to start with nothing and put a few slow-burn ideas that will gather strength across time. These methods may not be everyone’s bag, but they have worked for me when I set out to build something. They are not get-rich-quick schemes. Some guys sell courses and make hefty promises to you. But these will begin to get eyeballs to you and what you are about.

We talk about creating a platform for yourself or your company. In addition to the work you’re doing to develop your actual product or service, you are going to make a plan with a very detailed understanding of what exactly you are wanting from this idea, making clear visuals in your head and having something typed or written out that you can study anytime you need to for inspiration and a clear understanding of exactly what you want to do and how you plan to do it. Then, you will create a platform for yourself to talk about that vision and all other ideas and topics related to that vision. You will begin (in obscurity) to talk to the ether about these topics by starting either a blog, podcast, or a YouTube channel.

Then, it’s time to get active on the interwebs by connecting with people interested in or talking about the same things you are on a variety of social networks. You won’t have to choose them all but select at least two or three that you can be diligent about. And respond to anyone who talks to you – not to sell your vision but to make genuine connections.

This brings us to one of the most proven ways to build your blog, podcast, or YouTube channel. You are going to research as many other blogs, channels, or podcasts that are similar to yours. Your Google search will lead you to some of the big-time players in your field. This is okay, but we’re going to dig deeper than that.

Are you ready? You set? Ok, let’s go!

See The Other Posts in this Series

• Part 1: Make a Plan
• Part 2: Get an Audience with a Blog, Podcast, or YouTube Channel
• Part 3: Get Social: Use Social Networks to Get the Word Out

It’s Time To Network!

I’m not going to lie to you. When you first start out doing this, some of you are going to shake your head or roll your eyes. “Aw, man! You’re telling me I have to talk to more people I don’t know?”

You gotta walk before you can run, hot shot!

Maybe by now you’ve followed the steps, and you’ve built yourself a blog or a YouTube channel, and maybe you’ve created that Facebook page or Twitter profile. And maybe you’ve announced your new channel on those outlets. Maybe even invited all your friends and family members to like your page.

As you wait for those friends and family to half-heartedly follow through on their end – so long as they don’t have to buy anything or you don’t clutter their feed with infomercials or posts begging them to read your content.

This part is going to make you connect with people you don’t know (yet), and as uncomfortable as that is, let me make it easy for you and let you know that you won’t have to sell them anything. In fact, it is critical that you don’t try to. You don’t know it yet but some of these people you’re about to connect with will become either your first customers, your first blog or channel subscribers, or even collaborative colleagues as you get this off the ground.

You’re going in to find the other junkies just like you.

To start, let’s get to know the players that are already in your game.

Do a Google search for blogs that are related to the very idea, company, or niche that you’re talking about. Niches are very important. They narrow down the few sold-out fanatics of that thing from the wide gulf of generalized websites and podcasts.

An example of this is: A fan of the Dallas Cowboys is one thing and can spark conversations with other people who either like or don’t like the Cowboys. But there’s a billion blogs devoted to the Dallas Cowboys. But a fan of the Dallas Cowboys players who also grow fu-manchu facial hair narrows that down a lot. If you’re a fan of fu-man-chus and you love when they’re sported by your favorite Cowboys wide receiver, you are about to discover a community of other people just like you who “always thought it was rad when a football player has a fu-manchu.”

By the way, I haven’t got the slightest idea if any Cowboys players have a fu-manchu, but if someone does – for Dallas or any other NFL team – I can almost guarantee there’s an online shrine to it somewhere.

I deal in ridiculous specifics.

Now that you’ve pulled up specific blogs related to what you want to talk about, you need to make yourself familiar with the site, the host or blogger, and the team of regular commenters. You’re going to read, watch, or listen to their materials. Some of it may suck. That’s okay, because even if it does, you’re going to fake it that it doesn’t suck. Go to the comments section of the posts and give the author some love. But don’t just say, “Great post!” and be done. Or worse, don’t be the guy who says, “Ditto. By the way, I’ve got the greatest blah blah blah blah blah blah.” These kinds of comments are known as spam, and they will get your comment deleted or flagged for wasting everyone’s time.

Instead, show some real love by giving an example of something that stood out to you in their post, their channel, or their pod. By the way, podcasting is a little trickier because there isn’t a set website for many of them. Unless you find the actual websites they’re posted on. Many podcasters set up their home base with a self-hosted website/blog (Yes, a blog) that features an embed of their latest pods. Others set up shop on sites like Podbean – which works like a blog –

Or Soundcloud – which works like a YouTube channel. Get to know these sites and authors.

They may not comment back immediately. Comment on the next post anyway. Read it or view the video on YouTube and leave a thoughtful comment.

Leave Your Calling Card

Remember how I told you to not promote yourself on these comments? That may be good advice, but you should also remember that you’re still in business. So, when you leave a comment, make sure and list your URL to your site in the appropriate field of the comment form. Because at some point after enough commenting, someone is going to click on your name to see just what you’re about.

The more you comment naturally on someone else’s article, the more they will be inclined to check out yours, or their readers will be.

Always Respond to Comments

It should go without saying that if someone leaves a thoughtful comment on your blog or YouTube video, you should always respond to it, and preferably within a couple of hours. It keeps the newly forming relationship fresh.

Make this Networking a Part of Your Daily Routine

You want to make a regular practice of viewing these blogs. You might be surprised at just how many of them begin to become your favorites. On the one hand, you know these guys are doing exactly what you’re trying to do. They’re becoming experts in their field, their niche. And on the other hand, you might actually be learning new tips from them. Embrace this.

Take a good hour each morning or afternoon – whenever you have an hour you can mark as free – and go through your growing list of sites and channels, and leave comments, respond to comments. Become a regular on these sites. You will also find that you begin to build rapport with these other bloggers or YouTubers or podcasters, and that will set you up very well for the next part of this section.

Collaboration with Blogs.. The Art of the Guest Post

So, you’ve been blogging or YouTubing enough videos that you’re starting to gain a little bit of traction from it. Maybe you’ve got a hundred readers or viewers/subscribers at this point.

You’re getting to know these other content folks, and as you do, you’re building trust with them as a fellow expert in your field. You’ve proven some consistency to write and post every week, and now it’s time to connect with other readers.

Reserve a few posting dates on your blog schedule (It works a little differently for YouTube and podcasts) and then invite some of the bloggers you are getting to know to contribute a guest blog. They may or may not say yes to this. Some bloggers will see this as a chance to help a newcomer get more traffic (they’ve been there). Some of them may have thousands of readers and just wouldn’t see posting on your site to be beneficial to them enough to spare the time to do it. If that’s the case, shake the dust off your feet and try not to take personal offense. These are busy people, after all. And they may legitimately not have the time.

And while you’re inviting these bloggers to contribute guest posts to your site, also ask them if they would allow you to write a guest blog on their site. You might be surprised how many of them would be open to this.

Once you’re in as a guest blogger, congratulations! You have officially made contact with this blogger’s readers. You’ve gotten some cred. Make sure you tune into their post on that day because there will be comments. As you would on your own site, make sure and respond promptly on their comment. And be sure and thank the blogger for letting you post on their big-time site.

Collaboration with YouTube and Podcasts

Collaboration works differently with YouTube and Podcasts. In blogging, everything is being read. Which means you can send the article to your blogger from anywhere in the world. In video and audio, the post is dependent upon the two of you being in the video at the same time. This is great if your guest collaborator happens to live in the same town. But there’s a ninety-nine percent chance that’s not the case.

You need to figure out a way to conduct your interview or allow them to post their video ahead of time. Thankfully we are all familiar with Skype, Google Hangouts, and other similar kinds of tech. You might start off with just using these tools since it won’t cost you anything, and most of them will give you the ability to record the video chat. Once you’ve gotten a few of these under your belt and maybe after you’ve begun to sell a few products or services, I would recommend investing in a good microphone. You can also acquire better streaming from apps like Zoom or GoToMeeting.

Podcasting will work almost this same way, and particularly if you are a guest on their show, you’ll want to have a good working mic to make sure the connection is clear. I recommend a Yeti mic. A lot of YouTubers and podcasters use this or something similar. They connect to your computer via USB and they generally are around $100. (Though if you’re on a tighter budget, you might check out Facebook Marketplace as these often are sold used. If you don’t mind a slight scratch on the mic, this is usually good enough for me).

Keep These Connections

I have built networks with bloggers I collaborated with and guest hosted with going as far back as 2008, and some of those connections have become great social media friends. And they’re all over the world, which opens the door for me should I ever want to visit these places. It’s always good to know someone wherever you are.

You never know when these contacts will come in handy, and should you start a new project in the coming months and years ahead, you may find that these guys are some of your first supporters.

Leave a Comment

If you have an experience in networking, tell us about it in the comments below.

And stay tuned for the last part of this series, where you will get to be a smartass! Ever wanted to be one of those? Now you can. For your job! We’ll be talking about what it means to be an expert in your field.

The post Be Friendly and Be Approachable: Network with People Like You appeared first on Thompsonland Graphics.

Warning: LONG POST – There’s a lot of networks to cover here (6 to be exact.) If you want to learn in detail what most of these networks are about, keep reading.

If you want a quick list of it and decide if each is for you, click here or scroll down.

Remember when you first got on Twitter? Maybe you’d been on Facebook for a while, so you were used to keeping track of friends and family members. You’d have long conversations in threads that would go on for pages. Then you joined Twitter and it was very different. You had to say what you wanted in 140 characters or less. Then people started using #hashtags and you wondered what they were doing. No one used hashtags on Facebook. And if you were like me, you noticed you quickly started being “followed” (not “friended”) by people you didn’t know?

I have often been an early adopter of new technology and social platforms. I like to explore things before everyone else has figured it out or possibly had a chance to destroy it. Twitter taught me a lot about getting to my point faster. Even in conversations, I’d make my points quicker because I learned to “think in tweets.”

That worked for me. I could be funnier because I had to be more creative with fewer words. And I’d built a reputation as a funny guy.

Then Instagram came along, and it didn’t matter what the words were, it was all about the photos!

LinkedIn became the social media for business, but no one I ever communicated with was on there… Unless they were looking for a job.

So Many Social Networks!

Now, there are so many social networks that have come and gone. Some don’t describe themselves as social networks (YouTube is often categorized as a Video Service and categorized with other video services like Netflix or Hulu. And LinkedIn is categorized as a business tool.) but because they all thrive on a social and community platform, so I would definitely count them as social networks, even though my iPhone doesn’t automatically sort them that way.

It can be confusing to know how to set yourself online when there are so many platforms. You see some businesses that are on EVERYTHING. A thriving Facebook Page where they do giveaways, a YouTube channel with millions of views, an Instagram profile with half-a-million followers, and a Pinterest Board where they’ve been pinned by millions of people. Who has time to update all of these networks? And how do you even learn how to use them correctly, when they all do different things?

For This Article, Let’s Look at 5 of the Most Popular Social Networks You Should Consider

Read Part 1: Making a Plan >>

Read Part 2: Create Content with a Blog, YouTube Channel, or Podcast >>

And since we already did an article about why you might do well to start a YouTube channel, we’ll skip over this one here in case you’re already on a path to using it.

Facebook

We’ll start with Facebook, since it’s by far the most commonly used and most popular website in the world. Everyday, millions of people join the network for the first time, and billions use it nearly every day. Chances are, 4 out of 5 people you know are on Facebook. And you lose sleep over why that 1 that isn’t doesn’t get on there.

Facebook works because it’s so doggone EASY! You just say what you want to say, or you just read your feed of what everyone is up to and what they think about every little thing in the known universe. It is, without a doubt, the network we think of first when trying to connect or reconnect with someone we know in real life. A friend, family member, or co-worker would be most likely to be on Facebook, and they’d likely be more personable and real on there than anything else. (This is what we often think, not the way it is.)

And yet, when you suddenly become a business tycoon or join a multi-level marketing program and have a mission to recruit everyone you know, you quickly lose friends or – worse – become blocked by them. People don’t get on Facebook to see ads or to purchase the essential oils they didn’t know they needed.

Facebook Pages and Groups

Pages

But people DO like pages of companies, movies, musicians, and apps that they love. A page doesn’t always show up in their news feed, but if it’s a page that offers a lot of insight or funny things or interactivity, it has a much higher chance of showing up, and may be visited by those people much more.

Groups

Groups is another popular feature of Facebook that has gained much more popularity in recent years than Pages. A group is where people come together to talk to other people who are passionate about the very same things.

Which one should you choose?

Whether you choose to create a Facebook Page or Group depends on what your end goal of your project is. If you’ve created a product and you’re wanting to update continual information about that product, you’re going to want a page. People will likely not be spinning threads of 100+ comments about how passionate they are about your new and improved hacky sack. So, instead of just trying to make them talk about something they likely wouldn’t want to talk about so much, make the page interactive. Have giveaways, contests, ask questions.

But if you’re wanting to connect with people because the IDEA of what you do appeals to them, and that IDEA sparks a lot of conversation, you might consider a group. A group by its very name is interactive. It’s all about what is best for the group. And meeting new people and learning from them as much as they learn from you.

Twitter

Next on our list is Twitter. Twitter is currently the President’s favorite communication tool and that may have made it far less cool than it used to be. But there are still millions and millions of Twitter users. And in my experience, Twitter is the tool almost everyone needs. Yes, it now allows you to do pretty much what Facebook does with Images, Live Feeds, GIFs, and longer fields to tweet in. But it still cuts you off after 280 characters, and tends to load more linearly than Facebook does. And because Twitter is generally used more for promotional purposes and platform purposes, it tends to do the best for businesses, musicians, artists, and celebrities.

If you’re starting a company or blog or digital tool, you don’t need me to tell you that you’ll probably want to be on Twitter. The Search feature and the hashtag feature (created here) are fantastic tools to have when connecting with new people.

And connecting with new people is what Twitter is all about (like Instagram, which we’ll cover in a bit).  Ever get friend-requested on Facebook by someone you don’t know? You feel a little creepy. Not as much on Twitter. It’s more about exploring other tweeters who tweet about the things you like to tweet about. And that can be more eyes for you. Plus, Twitter users aren’t usually as quiet about their personal profiles as Facebook users are, so when you get retweeted or a post is liked, the rest of Twitter could possibly see it.

Instagram

I told you we’d get to Instagram, and here we are. If Twitter is the social network for what people have to see, Instagram is the network for what it looks like! Or what you look like when you say it.

Since its inception in 2011, Instagram has become the most popular photo site in the world, blowing away sites like Flickr and other photo blogs that none of us remember. Within 2 years, Instagram did to Flickr what Facebook had done to MySpace. The filters that came preloaded with it allowed users to take Polaroid-style photos or have slight sepia-toned images that looked vintage and made their pics stand out. Now, with Stories and the new IG TV (which is like a cross between Periscope (Twitter’s live video company) and YouTube, it provides more filters, more ways to connect, and it can be tricky to figure out whether you should be posting stories, posts, or videos.

Start by posting photos and videos to your profile. And this means you’ll need to get very creative with daily pictures of what you do or who you are. Instagram is all about capturing authentic-looking moments. Certainly not everyone on Instagram IS authentic, but they have to appear that way.

Once you start following people who are into the same things you are and the very thing you’re trying to promote, and once they start following you, then experiment with stories. The stories are Instagram’s way of showing a series of interactive and related events like Snapchat (another one we’ll get to). It will relate far more to younger people than regular photos do, while artists and photographers will be more drawn to the photos on your profile more.

(One day we will do much more on each of these networks, but this is just a snapshot – no pun intended.)

Snapchat

Snapchat is one of the newer entries to the social media world. When it was first released, it was a “society has gone too far” for parents across the world as it was seen as a chat app that instantly deleted messages and pics so that there was no digital trail for jealous spouses or parents to follow. While those features still exist (albeit with better privacy safeguards), it has morphed in recent years into a social camera app that allows teens and young adults to apply filters that change their faces into cartoon cats, fairies, and other woodland fantasy creatures and send social “streaks” to their friends, where they post at least one pic a day and try to beat each other’s records.

It is also the most commonly-used app for teens and twentysomethings and brands use it. Snapchat created the “story” craze that is now adopted by Instagram and Facebook, and influencers and brands spread thousands of interactive messages and ads daily.

If you don’t understand the interface, you’re not alone. Snapchat is like a digital fidget cube, with one swipe opening the camera, a different one showing your camera roll, a third one showing you all the stories of the friends and brands you follow, and buttons in odd places that show you who your friends are, who you need to invite, and a whole bunch more quirky features. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be posting pics of yourself looking like Bambi if that’s your thing.

Bottom line is, if you want to reach young people, Snapchat is where you need to be.

Pinterest

Did you know recent data and analytics show that Pinterest is the third most-used search engine on the Internet? This makes it the number two most popular search engine since the second-most-used one is YouTube which is owned by the ultimate search engine, which I don’t need to even name because you already know.

If you are a blogger – especially if you blog about fashion, food, romance, or parenting – you need to be pinning your posts to Pinterest constantly. While other social networks on this list are about who you know and who you can connect with, Pinterest is all about what fascinates you. What are your biggest passions in life. If it’s food, millions of users pin any recipe you could ever want to cook. If it’s fashion, Pinterest acts as a virtual styleguide for every look you would want to pull off. If it’s graphic design, Pinterest has you covered as well.

One common misconception is that Pinterest is a “women’s only” club. The truth is, there are loads of men on the app or site and boards filled with pins of sports, cars, tech gadgets, and anything else you’d associate with being a guy (You sexist pig, you!).

The only real difference in this network is that, while you CAN comment and reply and build dialogue with other pinners, this feature isn’t nearly as used as the other networks, and instead is more about repinning others’ pins because you like the same stuff. However, even if you’re not communicating constantly on Pinterest, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be on here. This place gets eyeballs, and eyeballs are what you want. ESPECIALLY since the eyes looking at your stuff are truly people who WANT to see what you’ve pinned.

To pin your own content, you’re going to want to make it visual, like Instagram, but with the ability to link to any of your content you want.

Don’t Forget LinkedIn… But Don’t Spend Hours Here

I almost didn’t mention LinkedIn. Almost. LinkedIn started out as a boring-looking accountant-styled job site that just happened to connect people from one business to another, linking you to your colleagues and business acquaintances across the world. This was fine, but it didn’t allow you to branch out and get to know business people you didn’t know, instead opting to SELL you additional features like the ability to message people out of your network for a monthly premium fee.

In the last ten years, LinkedIn has come a long way, and is still one of the best ways to connect with potential employers or employees. Its once-clunky interface has now turned into a simple experience that almost completely resembles Facebook. Messaging is easy, adding people you may know is easy. And it is now used by business leaders and professionals to publish articles and video links to help and inspire other professionals.

The only real problem is that most people, if they DO have a profile, rarely use it. Sure, there are always the handful of die-hard business people, but the majority of users have unfinished or non-updated resumes and if you do message someone, don’t expect them to see it or respond for weeks. LinkedIn still keeps trudging along, but even its job-seeking asset that made it so popular has been passed by with the likes of new start-ups like ZipRecruiter (who sponsors nearly every hit podcast you listen to, by the way).

So, to Sum Up…

If you wanted a quick list of the most popular social networks and why you might consider or ignore them based on your business strategy, this is it:

• Facebook:
  • Easily the most popular social website on earth. You need to be represented here. Create a Page if you want to control the content and build a following; Create a Group if you want to build slow and organic connections with like-minded people.
• Twitter
  • 2nd most popular social network. Easiest network to link to blog posts, websites, and share quick quotes and thoughts. If you want a platform to say something, be here.
• Instagram
  • All about the Photos and quickly becoming more about short videos, interactive stories, and live streaming. VERY popular with teens and young adults. If you do anything visual, use Instagram.
• Snapchat
  • All the rage among teens and twentysomethings. They are nearly the only ones using this everyday, but they use it a lot and they are loyal. If you have something trendy or vintage and want to market to this crowd, learn to snap and look like a cartoon.
• Pinterest
  • A must-have network for bloggers and communicators. Simple to use, and while it has millions of men and women, you will get much more engagement from women between ages 30-50. And they get lots of traffic to their sites and products and posts. Get to know them.
• LinkedIn
  • This can work for you but only if your main goal is to recruit people or connect and influence other leaders or business people. Virtually no younger people here, and largely a male business culture. (Not critiquing, just going by my own experience.)

What do you think? Leave a comment to let us know.

Do you have experiences connecting with users on this platform? What was your experience? Leave a comment and share with us below.

For Part Four of this series, we will be looking deeper into the art of networking and building rapport through blog comments, YouTube comments, and gaining true believers by doing so.

The post Get Online with NO Drama! Finding social media platforms that work for you! appeared first on Thompsonland Graphics.

In the first part of this series, we looked at the first steps to marketing your product, service, or even yourself (public speaker, writer, etc.) when you’re getting started and have little or no money to invest in.

Read the first step here. You need to create a small business plan. Nothing that needs to be legally signed or notarized, just a solid grasp on what you are wanting from this company, product, service, or brand awareness. You’ll need this before moving on.

That first step won’t cost you a dime. Just write the idea and answer the questions on a notebook, laptop, or even on your phone in the good ol’ notes app.

This next step doesn’t necessarily have to cost you anything, but if you are able to make a small investment (less than $15), it will help you depending on which option you choose to get traffic.

Step 2 for New Entrepreneurs with No Money: Create a Blog, YouTube Channel, or Podcast

See Step 1: Making the Plan – Click Here >>

Ok, you’ve got your quick little business plan, blog plan, etc. No? You didn’t write the answers to the question? Go back and do it now!

Okay, NOW? Good! Let’s talk about blogging, vlogging, and podcasting. Because one of these is going to be your home base of operations.

You have probably heard or read the ways that thousands of bloggers, podcasters, and YouTubers make tons of money JUST by having a blog, podcast, or a YouTube channel, right? They’re all over the internet. Well, that may be the case for them, but it’s not going to be the case for you right now. So get it out of your mind that this will be where your money comes from. It very well may be a source of income for you one day, but likely not today. Instead, this is going to be where you live. This is going to be your home base.

I also said that you will choose EITHER a blog OR a YouTube channel OR a podcast (though there will be some element of writing and similar practices with all three). While there are certainly people who have all of the above, I recommend starting with ONE. Starting with too many tasks for getting your word out risks burning you out before you’re prepared to deal with those responsibilities. So we’re going to pick ONE of these to start out. Who knows? Maybe in 3 months you’ve got your content so tight and honed that you can do both. That is definitely possible, but for now, just choose one. If you decide to branch out into more when you’re ready, this will give you time to adjust a schedule that works for you.

Let’s unpack these a bit and talk about how they will help you.

Blogging

Blogging is simply regularly scheduled content that is written and updated that allows you to tell your story. These don’t have to be long posts. They’re not exactly essays. They don’t have to have the best prose or command of the English/Spanish/French language or language of whichever country you’re blogging from. I do recommend making sure to spell words correctly and to write as someone who knows your topic/goods/services well. (Can’t spell? Or write sentences well? Use a tool like Grammarly to help you. It’s free.)

The first step to blogging is to plan out how often you’re going to update it. This is easily done by writing it on that notepad you started your business plan in. You’re going to answer three questions:

• How often will I update it or post?
• What day(s) of the week will I post on?
• What topics could I write endless posts about?

Why is this important?

You’re going to ask yourself these same questions for all three of your broadcasting options. And these are critical to work out now.

It is very important that you have regularly updated content on your website. This does two things – 1.) it forces you to think of new ways to connect with people because you’re constantly having to find new ways to talk about what you do and why you do it, and 2.) this is going to continually prompt Google, Bing, and other search engines to crawl over your website because you’ve signalled them with keywords that users are currently searching for.

This means that you will find more ways to put yourself into the minds of people who may be searching for what you do online.

This entire process is called Search Engine Optimization – or SEO. And yes, there are professionals who make a lot of money by performing these services. They may come in handy one day but you can’t afford them yet, and you need to learn to do this because – again, it forces you to think like your potential customers and readers do.  

Decide how often you will post content.

I recommend at minimum, post a new update once a week. This can definitely be a challenge when you’re just trying to run your day to day operations. But make time for this. And honestly, once per week is probably not enough. Try to find two days a week you can post content. This will signal search engine algorithms each time you do it and that’s traffic you need!

Plan your posting schedule

If you get someone’s attention by an article they related to, they are more likely to subscribe to your email list (“What’s an email list,” You ask? Don’t worry, we’ll get to that.) or blog feed (this is a way users keep track of new posts through either an RSS Reader service or email).

This means they want to see more of your content because you helped them with a search before. This is especially true if you have a larger archive of articles and posts.

And that means they will come to expect new posts regularly. If you can deliver your posts on the same 1-2 days of the week each week, you will engage these readers, listeners, and viewers. And there are ways on all three of these platforms to schedule your posts in advance so they do this.

Make a list of topics you could write or talk about for hours and days.

On that list you made for your business plan, make a list of any and all topics related to your industry that you either know a lot about or could learn about and post at a later time. This will be a great help to you on those days when you’re trying to figure out what to write or talk about.

Use this as a guide. For me, I have a Google Sheet I use in my Drive account that I keep updated with new topics all the time. It keeps me focused on something I’m already interested in, and I have a smaller chance on getting writer’s block about it.

You may say, “But I don’t know everything about ___________ topic.”

Remember when you were in school, and you were trying to get your grades up, and a teacher suggested you tutor someone? Why did they do this? Were they insane? Well, possibly, but the more likely reason is because when you teach something, it forces you to stay a step ahead of your student. The same is true of you blogging or posting a video or podcast. You are setting yourself up as an “expert” in your field. You may not feel like an expert, but all it really means to be an expert is to know a little more about something than most other people do. Get in the habit of researching and talking about the topics in your field, and you’ll have that advantage the more you do it.

Vlogging – YouTube

Vlogging is like blogging, but rather than a blogger who writes her content, a vlogger talks about their content from in front of a camera. This is a great alternative for those who don’t want to write. And it’s easy to get started. Thousands of new vloggers start their YouTube Channels every day. And you could be one of them.

Like blogging, you’re going to want to have a list of topics you can talk about. You’re going to want to decide how often you post a video (YouTube’s algorithm is much kinder to new channels if they post frequently, which means your videos are more likely to show up in the right sidebar of the related video people are watching.), and you’re going to want to have a consistency to when you post.

And once people click on that red “Subscribe” button and ring that notification bell next to it, they’ll watch all of your new content.

The uploading part is easy. YouTube has made it easy to record video directly from your smartphone, and they even have apps just for managing your own content. But in order to get traffic with each of these videos, you’re going to need to add those keywords and accurate descriptions to get search engines to notice you. Just like in blogging, it’s all about the power of the search.

Podcasting

Podcasting has been around since the birth of the iPod all the way back in 2003, but it has only taken the world by storm in the last few years, with audio shows like The Joe Rogan Experience, Serial, and This American Life taking listening audiences by storm. Podcasts have become extremely popular and are growing more so each year. Having once been only a staple of Apple with a user having to download a show from iTunes and syncing it with that impossibly inconvenient mp3 player, the format is now fully streamable and is available on a number of smartphone apps and the web itself, and with other companies producing original content and distributing podcasts (or simply “pods”) like Stitcher, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Audible.

The podcasting medium has allowed comedians, journalists, scientists, clergy, and even random people with microphones to connect with people who – like many of us – have to drive, walk, or take public transit throughout the day and sometimes get tired of music.

If you can figure out how to produce one and you’re a good communicator, this may be the way for you to get your audience. Podcasts are all about connecting with people over subjects they are passionate about.

Intimidating? Don’t worry, it’s easy to do that, too. Simply use a free service like Podbean, Soundcloud, or Buzzsprout and they’ll publish the content for you. If you keep it under the 30 minute mark, you may not have to pay a dime.

Start with One of These (Blog, YouTube, Podcast)

You may say, “Hey! These are three different ways to get an audience to look at my product or company!”

To which I say, “Hold on there, grasshopper!”

You’re running your organization, product, and – if you’re just starting out with little to no money – probably everything else, right?

Well, here’s where these methods can take up serious amounts of time. And it is a SLOW return on your investment. Remember, you’re not going to get your blackjack winnings from a blog or a YouTube channel unless your name happens to be Dan TDM.

What you can absolutely begin to gain in a short period of time are people. Eyes. Traffic. Talk or write about things that matter. Solve problems people are searching for. And then connect with your audience. When someone comments on your blog or video, comment back, thanking them for their comment and make a personal connection. Network with other channels or blogs similar to yours and make genuine connections. Leave comments, and don’t talk about your company or product. But the more you genuinely connect, the more your natural expertise will come out, and those audience members will begin to make the leap over to your blog or channel.

I hope this has helped, fellow entrepreneur!

Stay tuned in our next post for Part 3, and it’s all about Social Networking – specifically choosing the RIGHT ones for you! (They are NOT created equal but some may work better for you!)

Leave a comment!

Do you have experience in starting a company or product or service from scratch? How did you get started, particularly if income was tight? Let us know below.

The post Get an Audience: Create Regular Content with Blogging, YouTube, or Podcasting appeared first on Thompsonland Graphics.

This will be the first in a 5 part series all about starting up a business or service when you’ve never done it before. And how to begin to get your name out there when you don’t have much money (if any) to invest in it!

Just Getting Started? Awesome!

So you’re a new business owner, right? You use that term loosely because you haven’t officially started the legal process of acquiring a LLC or INC. Maybe you’ve been overwhelmed at where to start to actually let the world know about your product or service. But one thing you do know: You’ve got a great idea or even a great product!

Marketing is a word that scares a lot of first-time business owners. Maybe you’ve done well in sales of the actual products you’ve had before, but trying to figure out how to market to the masses? Well, that’s intimidating to say the least! And marketing is incredibly expensive, isn’t it?

The truth is, when you have the idea for something big, this is the best time for you to strike. The idea is fresh, the product is fresh, and the passion you carry for this dream is the most you’ve felt in a long time. You have drive, passion, and romance about this project, and that is a feeling that will slowly begin to lose momentum as you get deeper and deeper into the project.

It’s true: once money starts coming into play and once you’re in the weeds of paperwork, planning, and dealing with people, that initial passion and dream you had to do something special starts to fade. That’s why you want to act right now on making something happen with your dream.

Maybe you don’t have any capital, or maybe it’s a dream you haven’t fully fleshed out yet.

Today, we’re going to talk about how to begin to let people know about it.

It’s probably no secret to you at this point in the world that social media is free, and it is one of the best ways to market and talk about your dreams, your passions, and network with others.

But where exactly do you start? Especially if you’ve mainly used sites like Facebook and Instagram to keep up with friends and family members? Maybe you’ve got a cousin or Facebook friend who is constantly schlepping their weight loss products or essential oils multilevel marketing business all day every day on your favorite social network, and they only reach out to you when they want you to join as a “coach” under them. You don’t want to be “that” person.

So what can you do?

Fortunately for you, we’re going to talk about networking and connection without anyone feel like you’re a snake oil salesman trying to tap into their wallet.

Let’s Get Started!

Step 1 for New Entrepreneurs with No Money: Put Your Plan on Paper or Type It Up

You will need to know exactly what you want to do with this business, and you need to know how you’re going to describe your goods and services. So make a business plan. This does not have to be complicated, you don’t need to get it notorized, you don’t need to make this your official legal document.

All we’re going to do is write out a few simple things that will help you to fully know how you want to move forward. This “unofficial” business plan may turn into that legal document later, but for now, just answer these questions:

• What is the name of my company or product?
• What is my vision for this business to become? (Write out a page or two about what this dream is and how it can make a difference to someone.)
• What is my mission? (What promises am I making about this good/service/company that I know I will deliver on?)
• Who will be the main person or group of people using this product/service? (be as specific as possible. If it’s someone exactly like you, write down details about yourself – what kind of books you read, movies you watch, TV shows you binge, food you eat, part of the country/world you live in, what your biggest loves are, what your biggest challenges are, etc.)
• How do I intend to sell this product or service to THAT person?
• Which social networks will work best for getting my message out? (You will need to research this one, as certain social networks are better for certain kinds of interests and services.)
• What benefits will my target customer receive from my product/service?
• How will I know if I’m reaching my goals?

Let’s break these last couple of questions down because they’re that important!

What Benefits will my target customer receive from my product/service?

This is the whole reason you’re starting this business or product in the first place, right? Yes, you want to earn money from it, but more than that, you want this service or product to do something for the people you’re going to be reaching. Success is all about giving the best benefits to customers, readers, viewers that we can with what we have. The more specific you can be on this, the better. Your job as a business owner is to bring in an income. But your job as a human being is to make humanity better.

How Will I Know If I Am Reaching My Goals?

This is another huge question. And so important. You need to know exactly what you want to receive in exchange for the goods and services you provide.

You need measurable goals here. Don’t set your goals so high they’re unreachable. Remember, the kind of marketing we’re talking about in this series can make money, but it is typically a slow burn. You need to be prepared for that. Some blog posts and YouTube videos go viral. But it usually happens after they’ve done the steps we’re going to be doing for a consistent amount of time. People making YouTube, Instagram, or blogs

(Note: We will talk more about creating an actual business plan in a later post. It IS important, but for now, we need some instant forward momentum, so this will serve as your guide to knowing your product or service and getting it to an audience who wants it.)

Once you have some kind of document on Google Drive or a notebook at your desk, you’re ready to move onto Step 2.

Stay Tuned for Step Two: Create Regular Content with Blogging, YouTube, or Podcasting!

The post How to Build Success as an Entrepreneur with No Money appeared first on Thompsonland Graphics.

How many people have given you advice? Business owners? Parents? Teachers? Bosses? Coworkers? Spouses? If you’re like me, you likely have a world of advice given by people in any of those categories that could help you in any situation you’re in. Did you always take it? Of course not!

The truth is, no matter how wise that advice may be, it usually takes personal experience and failure to learn the right and wrong way to do things. This is unfortunate because often in business this can mean losing loads of time and money while we wait for those dreadful experience points to come.

That’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom, isn’t it? Knowledge is something that we learn, from a class or a book or another person. But wisdom generally only comes from experience. In fact, it requires it. We can’t make a “right” decision without knowing the cost/benefit factors of both choices. And often the “right” decision comes after making the “wrong” one first.

Or, put another way, the old quote goes something like, “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”

So, while you may not heed my advice, here are seven things I wish I had known before venturing out with my first entrepreneur experience:

7 Pieces of Advice I Wish I’d Known When I Got Started

ONE – Focus on One Thing!

via GIPHY

I was interested in a lot of things growing up. I was a musician, so the idea of playing music for a living quickly appealed to me, but then I got interested in other things. I learned how to design graphics and websites as a 18 year-old and so I became interested in that. Then, I wanted to learn to be a public speaker because my dad was one. And I often turned my attention to that.

There is nothing wrong with being well-rounded, and I certainly learned a lot from doing each of those things. But if I had learned to make my mind up early on about the one thing I truly wanted to focus on as a career, I’d have saved a lot of time and pain trying to wait for a sign from the heavens.

TWO – Learn to Make Quick Decisions

via GIPHY

I am an analyzer, and my personality type in the Myers-Briggs ends with a “P” for perceiving, and not a “J” for judging. What does this mean exactly? Well, this isn’t a personality discussion, and you may see that word “judging” and think, “Well, that’s harsh.” But in this scenario, this refers to making decisions. We either take all of the information in before coming to a conclusion we think will be ultimately the best (Perceiving), or we make a quick decision to do something now (Judging). And while it takes all sorts of personalities to come together to make this world go ‘round, business requires making decisions quickly.

Yes, it could be the wrong decision, and mine have often been. But I have rarely lived with the amount of regret over a quick decision gone wrong, and I have often regretted waiting too long before acting on something. Please take this piece of advice.

Besides, decision making is a learned activity for most of us. The more we do it quickly, the more we learn HOW to do it correctly.

THREE – Plan, Plan, Plan

via GIPHY

My ADHD often causes me to make impulsive decisions. I know, I know, I just talked about the GOOD things about making quick decisions. But too many quick decisions that are not thought through at ALL can be just as deadly. You can find the perfect balance in between the two by learning how to plan for what you want to do.

If you are planning a new website, you need to plan out exactly what you want your users’ experience to be when they log on. This will mean you need to be very intentional about the placement of products, content, and how you intend to market and profit from your site.

Plan for contingencies that you could face, plan how you will spend the money you budget, and plan how you will market your goods and services.

FOUR – Surround Yourself With People Smarter and Better Than You

via GIPHY

Yes, you may be a sole proprietor, and you may not need a staff. That’s okay, but you would do well to have three or four people who do the kind of work you’re doing that you can bounce ideas off of. Form a network and meet once a month for coffee or lunch, and don’t be afraid to talk about what you’re working on. Most people who work in similar fields find that their communication with other like-minded people helps them to perform better.

No two people are alike, and you can learn from others who have either been where you are now, or they are doing something similar. And reversely, they can learn from you. This may sound like the subject of simply taking advice, but it’s not as much as it is sharing experiences that become a support.

FIVE – Don’t Quit The Moment It Gets Tough

via GIPHY

When you’re first starting out in business, it can be tough to break through. There’s all kinds of factors and hurdles to consider – from having enough seed money to take care of the overhead alone to the competition who’s been doing what you’re doing longer and have already gained a following and are making a great living at it. And it can be tempting to hang it up at the first signs of trouble. It can especially be tempting to walk away when the money isn’t there. After all, you may be in debt already for the cost of simply getting legal and doing business. But if you can just hold tight a little bit longer.

Most business owners fail in their first year and go back to what they knew before. And it can be tempting to do that – you were comfortable before. It didn’t hurt you so bad. But if you truly know that you want this, and you dream of doing your own thing, I urge you to hold on during the unknowable parts.

WHAT BUSINESS ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF OR OTHERS?

Have you learned some important lessons? Maybe you’ve experienced good things and gotten through the challenges you faced starting out. If so, share them with the blog in the comments section below.

Have a great day, and I hope you have a Wonderful Holiday!

The post Business Advice I Wish I’d Known When I Launched My Solopreneur Adventure appeared first on Thompsonland Graphics.

Too many people have commented on the negative and horrific after effects of Comic Sans in our world, so for this list, I’m not going to use it. It’s overkill, and thankfully, more people are ruling it out.

In the day when Google Fonts are everywhere, there are so many good fonts to choose from. And if you’re paying attention, you’ll find that you typically see the same types of fonts in most online and printed publications these days.

But that doesn’t mean that every font should still be used. There have been thousands of fonts for a long, long time, and many of them have just been used to death.

I’m not saying they are all terrible fonts, or that I don’t appreciate their contribution to print and design. I’m just saying, it’s time to move along with the zeitgeist, people.

Without further ado, Here are Ten Fonts That Need to Make Their Exit:

1. Times New Roman

You had to see this one coming, right? This has been the industry standard from the early days of word processors all the way through Windows XP. After that, Microsoft updated their default font from Times to Calibri (also coming up), but amazingly, for those looking for that serif font (Serif simply means the more classic book-looking font where there are lines and details to letters like “I” and “t” and pretty much everything.

2. Arial

Yep. Just like Times New Roman, Arial was the second most common choice for anyone powering up their PC back in 2003, and it was the “sans-serif” font that was default on everyone’s computer (SANS-Serif means “without” the lines and details in letters like “I” and “t” and everything else. As a rule, I’m a non-conformist, so I tend to not like using default designs and fonts. To me, default fonts in a design is a bit like using old Microsoft clip-art. Sure the clip-art may describe what you want to say, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t better ways to give a visual.

3. Calibri

Like Arial and Times before it, Calibri has been the Windows and Microsoft Office standard of default fonts since Windows Vista. And while it isn’t the worst, it has been around for a while. And maybe with all the new Google Fonts, it’s time to experiment more.

4. Courier and Courier New

This one may get some hate because it’s an industry standard for creative writers like novelists and screenwriters. And to be fair, I DO appreciate the standard itself. A standard is important in screenwriting and novel writing because editors and producers and actors and directors need to be able to quickly know how to find elements they’re looking for in a script and don’t need to be taking in your bold new choice of fonts. They’re busy people for crying out loud! But, just because there should be a standard doesn’t mean we can’t update it a bit! Courier fonts are designed to mirror the early days of word processing and look more like a typed script from a typewriter. They’ve been the standard of screenwriting software for decades. But maybe it’s time to use a different standard. Something similar but that’s a little updated in its look and design. It gives writers a little something else to get excited about. Might I suggest a more modern – yet classy – font like Museo Slab? Let’s see how this looks.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

5. Georgia

Yes, Georgia is right up there with Times New Roman. And while I like Georgia better because it wasn’t used by default by everyone writing a document in a word processor, there are just so many better, crisper fonts now. Let’s update this with something a little more like Merriweather.

6. Open Sans

Open Sans is simply the Google Font equivalent to Arial. It is a nice Helvetica-inspired font that isn’t flashy, isn’t too special. But just a good sans-serif font. But, it is a default. Maybe everyone should just choose what font they want instead of having to have a default. What do you think? Too far?

7. Impact

Impact was a skinny sans-serif font that was extremely bold. It was great in the 80s and 90s for announcing “50% Off” and “CLOSING SALE” ads for department stores and auto parts mechanics, but it has been so overused. And it’s so bold that it’s obnoxious. Would you want to look very long at an ad or book using this font?

8. Myriad Pro

Ok, I know I’m harping on default fonts, and Myriad Pro is to Adobe what Arial and Open Sans are to Microsoft and Google. It’s a default font loaded on every Adobe Creative Suite software like Photoshop and InDesign. It’s fine, it’s blah. But it’s a default font, and for CREATIVE SOFTWARE, shouldn’t your font be ANYTHING but the default font everyone else is using? For crying out loud, as a designer, there’s nothing more irritating than loading a design in Photoshop only to have your fonts replaced with the default Myriad Pro!

Well, that’s not true, there’s lots more frustrating things, but it just sounded good at the time.

9. Rounded Fonts (like Arial Rounded MT and Cooper Black and Subway)

These fonts were cool in certain sitcoms like “Louie” (Is it appropriate to bring back Louis CK’s name yet?) and Cheers. They are harkening back to a simpler time. Usually the 1970s. These are thick rounded fonts that look like they should take up an entire television screen when it comes time for the credit roll. And I do like a good vintage font. But there are so many good vintage fonts now, that we shouldn’t need something that looks like it’s announcing the return of Disco, should we?

10. Chiller

This is just one example of a decorative and fun, trendy font that has just outlived its usefulness. You watch next Halloween for how many homespun signs will look like this:

It’s time to create better fonts. Oh, and trendy should be just that. A short-lived thing. It doesn’t need to make a comeback every year! Let’s liven it up a little, right?

What do You Think?

Do you agree with this list? What would you add to the list or take away from it? Share your comments below.

The post Ten Fonts That Just Need to Die appeared first on Thompsonland Graphics.

But don’t assume that all big-name companies made a logo one time and left it alone for good. Some big brands like Google, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube have undergone major changes in their logo while maintaining certain elements of their brands (color schemes, etc.)

You may be out there wondering if you should update your logo. Maybe you didn’t have a lot of money when you started out, so you got the best logo design you could on Fiverr or used a generic logo design from PlaceIt. Now that you’re gaining a following, you may feel it’s time to make an upgrade or change the logo entirely.

Or maybe you have a great logo and it seems to stand the test of time. How do you know if you should leave it alone?

How To Know If You Should Leave Your Logo Alone

Sometimes, like with Apple or Facebook or McDonald’s or Starbucks, you may decide to leave the major look and feel of your icon the same, but can still find other, less noticeable ways to update your fonts and taglines without rebranding with a whole new logo.

So while you might want to leave your logo alone, this doesn’t mean you can’t modify small things that will be more consistent with who you’re trying to reach today.  

Reasons Why You Should Leave Your Logo Alone

• It Needs to Grow on People – The company or app has grown enough that your audience should have time to get familiar with it.
• Confusing to Your Audience – Too many major changes to the look and feel of your logo or brand will result in confusion among your audience. When companies undergo a major branding shift, they have thought it through and have strategically considered how to keep their audience from getting confused.
• Backlash! In the days of YouTube Comments and Mean Tweets, fans of organizations get irate if their beloved brands make too many changes.
• If It Works, Keep it! It’s perfectly fine just the way it is. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

As a side note: While I am often a fan of vintage and retro fonts and looks making a comeback, I advise you to be wary of trends. Trending looks like vintage fonts and colors may work for a particular product line or a poster or even a blog, but as a rule, I caution you against using them as a logo. Remember fifteen years ago how cool it looked for websites and Operating Systems to have aqua-like buttons with lens flares and shiny glass overlays? Your icons were expected to be realistic and lifelike and extremely busy and colorful (see examples below). Then, the trend shifted to minimalist graphics and layouts and some people needed to update their apps or marketing, and it was NOT cheap.

Bottom line about retro and trends in general? If you want to make something relevant for the month or year, it’s fine. But avoid this for your logo.

How to Know It’s Definitely Time for a Logo Change

Then, there are times when you know it is definitely time to make a change to your logo and brand. Whether you’re new at a company that hasn’t updated their logo since the Taft administration, or the outdated logo just doesn’t look relevant anymore, you may be looking to revamp the look and feel of your organization or product.

Reasons Why You Should Change Your Logo

• Outdated – Everything about your current logo just screams 1970s, or Windows 95-era Clip-Art. Yes, sometimes retro-looking logos make a comeback and in some instances, a vintage looking logo from out of the 1950s works for a modern day barber shop.
• Stand Out From Competitors – As much as we’ve tried to tell you not to judge a book by its cover, people DO! First impressions matter, and if your competitors are killing you in sales, their branding may have something to do with it. A key piece of advice is to study the leading brands in your industry and niche. How do they look? How is their branding? Is it simple and easy to remember them by? Do something similar to them. Not copying their branding or design, but make similar adjustments in the way you market your own.
• Change with the Times – In the early days of Apple, their legal name was Apple Computers, Inc. When they began shifting their focus to mobile phones, iPads, and Apple TV, they changed their name to simply Apple, Inc. Dunkin Donuts is currently ousting the ‘Donuts’ part of their name since they’ve shifted their focus to coffee. You’d better believe this one will result in a change to their logo. As your business, app, or website grows, you may need to change your logo to keep up with where you’re going.
• It Needs to Be Simpler – Yes, the current trend toward minimalist design is popular right now, and it may be trendy, but this is one trend that doesn’t go out of style. Just like there are trendy jeans depending on the decade – stonewashed, distressed, bling, and cargo pockets – there will always be the classic five-pocket denim that will never go out of style.

Questions You Should Ask Yourself About a Logo Change

When making the decision to update your logo, here are some questions you should ask yourself.

Is My Logo Easy to Understand?

With Apple, their logo is straight forward. With Nike, the swish (check mark) is synonymous with their tagline “Just do it.” Burger King’s logo is shaped and colored like a giant burger. These are monstrous companies, but their logo tells a little story and is quickly identified. The capital “C” in Chick-Fil-A is the face of a chicken. Your logo needs to be simple, but it also should identify who you are.

How Does My Logo Differentiate from my Competitors?

Remember when I said to pay attention to the top brands in your niche? It’s likely their logo tells a brief story who who they are as an organization. Let this serve as inspiration and then let your logo be uniquely you. Because of this, stay away from pre-designed logos like PlaceIt. There’s nothing wrong with these designs, but chances are, there are a lot of other people who have purchased the same ones without updating anything. Don’t be them. Be you!

Will This Logo Remain Relevant When the Trends Change?

Remember when Google changed their logo? How about Walmart? They were due for an upgrade – Google because it needed to simplify its brand as they’re supposed to be ‘all things simple’ and Walmart because they needed to break away from their NRA/back-woods/’Murica reputation, and they opted for a more modern and simple look with a softer color-scheme that made them seem more ‘welcome to anyone.’ But they won’t be changing these logos every year or two. Changes like these are not so much for trends as they are that it was just time. Will your logo be simple enough that you don’t NEED a redesign every two years when the trends change?

In Conclusion:

Logo design is one of the most critical elements of any company’s brand. It should tell a story about who you are as a company and what you do. It should also be uniquely yours. You need a logo you can be proud of, and one that stands the test of time.

Do you agree?

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Logos Used:

Apple, Amazon, Google, Twitter, Instagram

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