The past ten months have forced every business to become more flexible. If nothing else, the pandemic has pushed nearly every business to go online in some way.

How about you? Has YOUR business been able to adapt to being online-marketing, selling, networking, and anything else in between?

If you have, that’s great. And if you’re still adjusting…well, who isn’t? The important thing is to make sure that your business is online and constantly visible. 

I’ve found that the best way to stay both consistent AND visible is to make sure that your print image has transitioned online. If you invested any time and money creating a brand image for your business in print, there’s no reason why you can’t transition that to the digital world.

Think of it like this: your basic brand image is made up really of five foundation items: your logo; your fonts; your business colours; your image style; and if possible, a memorable tagline.

Now it’s likely that those items first made an appearance in print…think business cards, store sign, sell sheets. But with social distancing and so many people working from home, it’s essential for your business to have an online presence. You’ve already done the work, so there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Here’s some examples of how to transition your brand image online:

• You’ve got a logo? Great. simply upload it to your website and social media pages. 
• If you had headshots professionally done, use one of those in all your online profiles
• Your company colours should be consistent in any media, from your signage back to your website
• The photos that appear in your print marketing collateral are the same photos that should be appearing in your online promotions
• That tagline you had printed on your letterhead should also appear in your email signature and your Facebook banner

If you’ve invested more in your print image than your online image, now is the time to balance the two. Because now that social distancing is still firmly in place, online is the primary way your business will remain visible and continue to be seen, at least for the next while. 

If you haven’t done so yet, take some time to make sure business image is consistent  image and easily recognizable as one whether online or offline. If you don’t have the time or interest-then this is definitely one of those tasks you can defer to a graphic designer. But it needs to be done. 

If this is the kind of task you need help with, I’ll be glad to give you a hand. You can reach me at loreto@loladesign.ca.

 

The post Can your business be found easily-online and offline? appeared first on LolaDesign.

Your brand image needs a solid foundation–and given how much things have changed over the past year, I’d like to encourage you to think about your company’s brand image.

Key question: does you business have a “face” or identifiable “look”?

As our economic reality continues to evolve, remember that people need to find you to hire you. They need to recognize your business if they’re looking for your service. And that won’t happen if you don’t have a clearly defined business identity. 

For your business to have an identifiable look, you need a foundation. These are key items that, when used consistently in your marketing, results in an identifiable identity. Opinions do differ, but I believe there’s 5 items that make up that foundation: 

     • logo
     • font(s)
     • colours
     • image style
     •tagline

LOGO
Your logo is literally the “face” of your business, the image that will identify you in the marketplace. It can be an image, or typography treatment, or a combination of both. These days the trend is to have very minimalistic, type-driven logotypes.

FONT(S)
These are the fonts that will be used in your logo and your marketing collateral (and usually maximum two). You will also need another font for everyday use.

COLOURS
Your company colours are dictated by your logo. Those are your primary colours, and should not use more than 3. Then you have your “supporting cast,” those secondary colours that you can use in your social posts, as accents or highlights. Again, your colour palette should be limited.

IMAGE STYLE
This refers to the types of images that will support your marketing. This can be photographs, illustrations or icons. Whichever style you choose, make sure it’s industry-appropriate and that you choose ONE style. This is the style that will support your marketing and will help show your company’s “personality.”

TAGLINE
Coming up with a great tagline is no easy task, so if you have a good one, use it consistently everywhere-in digital and print applications.

If you haven’t invested in your brand image, this is a good time to bring it to the front burner. Creating your brand image IS an investment, but a wise one: a professional-looking business image stands out and  helps your business remain visible and get found.

The good news is that if you’ve already created a print image, it is easy to translate that online. Whic means that people will recognize you and identify you virtually anywhere.

If you haven’t given your business image much thought, start thinking of it as that “look” that makes your business recognizable. Think of it as the foundation to build from.

If you’re ready to invest in your brand image design, get in touch. I will be happy to answer your questions and get your started. You can reach me at loreto@loladesign.ca.

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Let me ask you: do you enjoy

• reviewing the images you’ve used for your social media posts…then labelling and organizing them???
• revising and rewriting the promotional materials for your workshops?
• reviewing the images you’ve used for your social media posts…then labelling and organizing them????

Chances are you said no. Those are, after all, not the most exciting or creative tasks of brand image upkeep. It’s the boring stuff you need to do, the stuff you usually get to maybe once a year.

So you’re probably not going to like this next bit:
I’d like to remind you that you need to set aside some time to clean up your business image, and do some maintenance on your brand image. 

Procrastination is never a good thing-in any area. And when it comes to your business, remember that when people see a neglected/decaying face they tend to run in the other direction.

1) Think of the mounting cost of an eventual update

When you put off updating your website, your body copy, your headshots, it costs your business. It costs your image. Because eventually, if you leave it long enough it won’t be an update. It will get to the point that it’s a major overhaul. And when you reach that stage, you’re looking at a serious cost-both in time and money.

2) And then consider the stress of a HAVING to update in a rush

If your brand image hasn’t had any cleanups or touch-ups in a decade, there’s no way you can have things updated “in just 3 days!”–no matter what some online company might promise you.

If you haven’t spent any time on your marketing material in five years, it’ll take you a few days (easily) to find a design team you can work with. And then they’ll need time to get familiar with your project.

So be realistic and don’t expect it’ll be done in 7 days. Realistic expectations will keep your stress in check and ulcers at bay. 

If you’re able to, take some time this December to look over your marketing material, specially your online image. Nowhere have things changed faster than online since the pandemic hit in March.

Reviewing your brand image in its broadest, most basic sense will let you judge if all the marketing tactics you’re using are still valid or still make sense for you. Did you get tempted by TikTok earlier this year? And now that the year is ending-did it it really make any sense for your business? Maybe investing in a photoshoot is a better investment. Or hiring a writer to help you clean up all your marketing copy.

If you’re not sure what steps you need to take with your brand image, give me a call. I’ll be happy to give you some suggestions.

There’s two things you need to know as 2020 ends: 

1. don’t ignore the problem until it’s a huge mess-and
2. you don’t need to tackle updating your brand image on your own

I wish you a happy December.

-Loreto
loreto@loladesign.ca

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Many of us loved The Big Bang Theory for a decade. There’s a lot of episodes people remember fondly, and for me, “the red engine light” is a favourite. That’s the episode where Penny’s car finally dies. Penny explained that the red engine light might be on, but the car kept driving. So Penny ignored the warning signs…until the car died.

As a designer, that episode made a lot of sense to me because I’ve seen many business owners do the same…ignore the “warning lights” of their business image. Until the day a radical, huge (and expensive!) makeover becomes a necessity.

Unlike the many warning lights now built into cars, your brand image does not come warning system to help you along.

But just like your car, your brand image needs maintenance. If you haven’t done any minor upgrades, or even a cursory review in a few years, chances are, you will have a number of issues to resolve.

This is why I’d like to encourage you to schedule some “brand image maintenance” time at least once a year. This will help you avoid the overwhelm of having to upgrade a ton of stuff at once. And usually at the worst time. 

Here’s some items that usually need to be looked at regularly:

• headshot; 
• website content; 
• Facebook page banner; 
• email signature;

If you’re a consultant or trainer:
Your handouts or primary teaching booklets need a review and update at least yearly.

If you publish a regular newsletter, review again, at least once a year, that your layout is looking current.

But what if you’re not sure what needs to be reviewed?
Then check out this PDF to see specific items you may need to address.

And then if you find that your business image is indeed due for a cleanup, or even an update, I will be happy to help. All you need to do is email me here: loreto@loladesign.ca.

-Loreto

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As business owner, it’s your job to be the watchdog, or “brand police” for your brand. It’s your job to make sure your team or your suppliers use your visuals correctly. Be vigilant. Don’t just assume people know how to use your graphics, what your company colours are, or what type of photographs you use.

Here’s six basic tips to keep your brand safe and maintain your brand guidelines:

1) Don’t squash your logo–EVER. If you’re not sure how to resize your logo properly, watch this short video.

2) Don’t “borrow” images from an online source. Either buy stock photos, take your own, or get images from a free stock site. It’s the way to do it professionally.

3) Don’t ask suppliers to go hunting for YOUR logo. People shouldn’t be told to  “get the logo off my website” or “just get it from my Facebook page.” Suppliers need your correct logo in the right format.

4) Don’t let your staff guess at your company colours. Whether you’ve got CMYK, RGB or HEX values, that’s what you should be using. Not just a “kindda sunset orange.” If you have a social media manager working for you, that goes double.

5) Don’t fall victim to the latest font trend. Love that sweet script everyone is using in their Facebook posts? Unless it’s really in line with your brand image, stick to your company fonts.

6) Don’t switch from one image style to another. If you’ve never before used those cute “icons” of your face, or those avatars that are illustration-based, why start now?

And if I’m repeating myself….it’s because it’s important:

ask your designer for a brand image standards sheet (or guidelines) so everyone can use your colours, logo, etc. correctly.

Protecting and respecting your brand ensures consistency. It doesn’t do you any favours to invest in design and marketing if you let your staff pick whatever style of photograph catches their eye, or continue to use outdated stationery with old phone numbers scratched out. You must be vigilant about maintaining your standards. 

As you grow your brand and work on your brand image, always ask yourself:

Is this in keeping with the image I’m building? Or am I just falling victim to a trend?

-Loreto
loreto@loladesign.ca

The post Managing your visual brand: six tips appeared first on LolaDesign.

Being consistent throughout your brand is a lot of work. But it does pay off over time. When you create a consistent look, you take the guesswork out of what you show the world. It makes it easier for your audience to recognize you. And you don’t have to reinvent the wheel everytime you need to promote your business.

So how do you maintain a consistent brand… when you have clients to take care of, and marketing to do? When you’re low on time and overwhelmed, what’s your plan?

The answer is: get organized and put a system in place. Having a branding style guide is a great first step, as this will lay down certain “rules” for your visual brand set-up.

As a graphic designer, I can share the branding guidelines that I create for my clients. But keep in mind that every branding/design professional will have a slightly different take on “guidelines.”

Also remember: branding guidelines will differ based on the size of your company. A company like Second Cup, for instance, likely has an entire booklet with guidelines for every situation. Someone like me, who has no employees, has a very different set of guidelines….which are summed up in two pages!

Here’s the guidelines I normally create for clients:

LOGO
-all formats the client will need
-this includes different sizes as well as black/white versions
-a vector version of the logo is always included (EPS)

COLOURS
-2-3 “official company colours”
-all formats used, which can include Pantone colours, CMYK (print ) RGB/HEX (digital)

FONTS
-the fonts used in the logo or promotional material
-sometimes I include the font for the client to use
– summary of the types of fonts to be used, and often, fonts to be avoided

TAGLINE
-clearly spelled out, so no one will forget, guess, or get creative! 
-the aim is to use ONE tagline. Everywhere.

IMAGE STYLE GUIDELINES
-if the client uses photography, I summarize the style of images to use/purchase
-if the client uses icons or illustrations, again, I summarize the style to stick to

And that’s basically it. It’s surprising the number of times that clients have no idea what their company colours are, what the values are (numbers), or the types of logo formats they need to use for what application.

This branding guideline has one main goal:

for everyone that promotes your business to have and use the same files and information. Because when you do that, you are actively working to create a consistent brand image….which will result in increased visibility and recognition over time.

And let’s not forget the biggest bonus: having all your brand image “rules” summarized will save you the hassle of having to hunt down those colours every time you start a new marketing campaign.

The post Managing your visual brand: your brand guidelines to the rescue! appeared first on LolaDesign.

Your brand is made up of your professional brand, your social brand, and your personal brand. So in essence, all the places where people interact with you and your business need to show a “united front.”

The best way to show that united front is by having a consistent visual brand. By being consistent with your brand you make it easier for your audience to recognize you. 

Bringing consistency to your brand image starts with getting organized. If you’ve had your brand image professionally designed (which I recommend), you already have your foundation set up. The next step is to ask your designer for a branding style guide.

And then-the hard part-follow those guidelines!

Even if you haven’t had your brand image designed, and you don’t have a style guide, there’s steps you can take to create a cohesive look. Below are 5 ideas to get your brand image on a consistent path:

1. Once your logo is designed, ask your designer to create the different formats and sizes you will need, and keep them easily accessible.
   
   
2. Use your company colours regularly. If your logo is red and grey, use those colours regularly. That red and grey should be on your business card; they should be the predominant colours on your website and newsletter.
   
   
3. Do you have a great tagline? Use it everywhere! If It’s on your website, feature it somewhere in your Facebook page. Don’t create a new tagline or a new version. Stick with the one that works!
   
   
4. Your logo should appear in all media. The same logo. Don’t deviate and create a different version of it for your social media pages.
   
   
5. If you use photographs in your website, don’t switch to cute illustrations or clip art for your online marketing. Illustrations convey a totally different feeling.

   Likewise, if you started with full colour photos of your workplace it makes no sense to use clownish close-ups of people’s faces.

The thing to remember about consistency is that you will probably get tired of doing the same thing over and over. You’ll get tired of using the same style of photos again and again. You’ll be temped to use different colours to “jazz things up.” 

But keep in mind that you are not your client.

Just because YOU are tired of seeing your red and grey logo it doesn’t mean anyone else is. When you’re sick to death of adding your tagline to yet another email, remember that other people need to see it many times before they will remember it. 

The goal is to help others find you.
Because when they need your service, you will be the one they remember.

The post Practical steps to creating a consistent brand image appeared first on LolaDesign.

When it comes to business, there’s many sales and marketing tactics that will help you grow and reach your goals. But before all that comes into play, I think there’s one thing that’ll be key in growing your business: 

A consistent brand image. 

Think of it this way: 

Your brand image is the “face” that people see. And if they’re not seeing the same face from one place to another…how will they remember you, and then hire or recommend you?

Designing a brand image that’s consistent across all media does require some work. Here’s 2 reasons why your efforts will pay off in the long run:

1) A recognizable, memorable brand image increases your visibility

If you deliberately create a brand image with a consistent look you create a chain reaction. It works like this:

• the logo you invested in features porominently on your website.
• your company colours, taken from your logo, are also the colours of your company vehicles
• that logo is your Facebook icon.
• your snappy tagline is part of your email signatures. Every one of them.
• that same snappy tagline is part of your social media templates, and gets posted over and over
• your social media posts carry the same photos (or same style) as your website

And before you know it, “people are seeing you everywhere!” And remembering your business. 

Creating a recognizable brand image happens across many contact points. People need many “touches” before they even remember your business. So help them. 

2) Confused people don’t stick around

If someone is checking you out, they expect to find a common thread so that they can “get to know you.” If everything is different from one platform to another, without any common items tying them together, chances are, they will end up confused and unsure whether they want to contact you at all. They are not “seeing” the same business from one place to another, and that does not create trust.

Let’s be honest: creating a consistent brand image is, in essence, creating a “trail of crumbs” to lead potential clients to your door. If you’re not sharing the same consistent message, in a similar tone, using similar (or even the same) visuals, across different media–it will be difficult for people to connect with you. 

Let’s say someone in your network is looking for your service and decides to check you out. First up is a visit to your website. Second, he will probably click on the social media icons. So he visits your Facebook page-which turns out to be nothing like the website.

Perplexed, he pokes around some more, and visits your LinkedIN profile. There, he finds none of your articles-or images-relate to the business you have. He’s not sure why you’re all over the place…and at that point, he notices your competitor or goes to her website instead. 

If people don’t see similarities, they get confused. They have to work too hard to find you. And confused people aren’t likely to become clients.

And there you have the two best reasons why making your brand image more cohesive is a good plan.

If you’re not sure how to do that and need some help, get in touch. I will be happy to help you.

The post Consistency: the key to growing your brand image appeared first on LolaDesign.

Do you love those watercolour paintings all over Pinterest? Maybe you enjoy moody black and white photography. But what if clever, minimalist icons are your thing?

If you’ve been in business for a few years, you might be at the stage where building a consistent brand image is your next focus. If that’s the case, figuring out what style of images you prefer is the next step. It’s time to figure out and decide

• what kinds of images work for your business,
• attract your audience,
• AND work with your brand and your personality.

What’s YOUR style?
In general, there seems to be three main image styles: photography, illustrations and graphic icons.

Photography
Photography is by far the most common style used in marketing.

• think of the many facebook photos showing everyday life unfolding
• all the websites that open up with great photos demonstrating the product/service they sell
• think all the instagram posts that focus on selfies (and so on)

Illustrative style

Other folks prefer to use illustrations or artistic renderings rather than photographs. There’s so many beautiful watercolour sketches online, and carton-line drawings or doodles to represent a brand. This style also includes paintings created by others.

<example below: wine bottle label in a watercolour painting style>

Icons

And still others prefer to use very modern, graphic icons. Streamlined, to the point, and highly effective; there’s little clutter here because this style is all about the modern esthetic. Why use photos when a well-placed icon of a heart will show the “love”?

<example below: law firm website using icons>

If you’ve been using a specific style of images over any period of time, after a while people come to expect that style from your marketing collateral and your posts. And once you figure out what YOU like, and what works for your brand, it’s time to commit and meet their expectations.

Here’s some examples
A medical type of clinic will need to use photos of people being adjusted/massaged/examined. And don’t forget that now that we are all under new COVID-19 regulations, it may be a good idea to show how your office/clinic/shop is complying with those regulations. If not in your website photos, then certainly in your social media posts.

Having abstract, moody dark photos will not work here; it’s best to have an editorial style showing how your place of work actually works.

A daycare may find that using illustrations or cartoon-style drawings may be more suitable than photos. And this type of image allows for a whimsical, fun approach that doesn’t work well for all businesses.

A software company may choose to use icons/graphics over photos. Sticking to strong graphic images will probably be more effective (not to mention less boring!) than stock photos. These staged and highly posed stock photographs can be very generic, and don’t really add much to the image a company like this would want to create.

I hope the examples above have given you a better idea of the styles available.

Take some time and review your website and posts, and see where the common items are.

Check to see which types of images work best for your business and help to “tell your story.” This will help you start figuring out your style.

Once you’re more clear on what that style is, set aside some time for building a library of images that you have ready to use.

If you have questions about your brand image and the images that can best support it, please contact me. It would be  pleasure to help you figure it out, or offer some suggestions.

-Loreto

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Can you recall the last website you visited that didn’t have a single photo? That was simply all text, with minimal graphics…that was all just reading?

Me neither.

In the past few years photographs have simply become a “must have” item when it comes to marketing our businesses. In fact, these days most websites are at least two thirds photos or video, and only one third text. The rules of visual branding have changed a lot.

No matter where you look, we live in a visual world. Gone are the days when columns of text were expected from a marketing message. These days it’s all about the visuals, and minimal (but impactful) text.

And it’s easy to see why: often a photo can say the things that words simply cannot. We are in an age where it’s simply easier to use photos to tell a story.

What about you and your business? When it comes to your brand image, have you stopped to carefully consider how you use photos in your marketing?

Here’s the question I have for you this July:

Are you using photographs as decoration or to support your message?

Every once in a while you see a website, social media post, blog, or online ad where it’s obvious that the photo was an afterthought; the company clearly thought

“we need some colour or some image here.”

And some bland, perhaps not all that relevant or interesting picture was plopped in the alotted space.

But if you’re building a brand and designing your brand image, photography needs to be carefully thought out and planned. For your message to have real impact it’s important to choose photographs that 

• will support explain your message
• help tell your company’s story
• are relevant to specific posts

Cell phone cameras have clearly had a huge impact in the type of photos we take, and the ways we use them. These days the quality of photos from cell phones is simply amazing. But just because it’s a great photo doesn’t mean you should just go ahead and use it in your company’s marketing collateral.

Let’s be realistic: the vast majority of us use at least some of our photos in our social media posts-yes, the business accounts.

Let’s say you were at your cottage last weekend and got some excellent shots of the landscape, boats and swimmers. Sharing that shot of you catching a big fish in your personal Facebook account is one thing; using those photos you took of the marina and fancy boats to “spice up” your homepage is another. Specially is your business has nothing to do with boating. 

Your photo choices should complement your marketing efforts. If you’re using them simply because you like them, or you think “they’re cool” then it’s probably time to rethink how you use photography within your brand.

And that’s a conversation I would be happy to have with you.

-Loreto
loreto@loladesign.ca

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