More about branding

When you are establishing your brand image, remember to think about this: the first ever person that most clients and major stakeholders see when they engage with your brand is the person at the very beginning of the value chain - people who, ironically, bosses are most likely to worry less on. However, for your clients, their brand impressions will be built on how this individual embodies your brand in dealings with them.

In the 60s, President John F. Kennedy once visited NASA and met a janitor sweeping leaves in the car park. When asked what his role was, the young man said: I'm going to help a man on the moon.

Next time when you visit a company, try asking a couple of random people during the tour what their firm stood for, and if you get the same answer, you know you don't need to look for any other companies again.

So, if you are a business owner, do a internal marketing campaign now reach out to your employees and reminded them what a great company they work for, and given them the words to sum up what makes your company great.

Marketing, customer engagement and brand loyalty

In developing marketing communications, business strategists and advertisers have traditionally devoted a lot of time to understanding consumer behavior. The whole business model of building meaningful brands has been rooted in this. That's what creates brand loyalty.

But to think in creative, social media orientated marketing terms, all of us in the advertising business, whether CEO or head of marketing director. We all need to go beyond that and deeply explore and understand the nature of our clients' businesses, their companies and brand DNA, just as deeply as we understand the consumer. Then we can begin to see how these two areas of deep understanding can work together.

Dimensions of a standard business card

The standard business card size measures 3.5 x 2 inches, however, there are a number of other standards.  No one size can fit all business card designs.  For business cards, appearance is really a must so you must determine which of those business card dimensions will be most appropriate for your business.  After all, a business card carries your name and your contact details, but also your reputation and goodwill. 

I have already told you that the standard business card dimension is 3.5 x 2 inches without bleeds and 3.6 x 2.1 inches with bleeds.  But this is only the US standard.  In UK (and surrounding European countries), the typical business card size measures 3.346 x 2.165 inches (or, 8.5 x 5.5 cm).  In Australia and New Zealand, business cards would typically be slightly wider than in the UK.  They would normally have the width of 3.54 inches (or, 9 cm) and the height of 2.165 inches.

Just for your reference, a standard credit card would have a dimension of 3.370 x 2.125 inches.

However, other than traditional rectangular shaped business cards, there are many different designs and shapes.  The most common one being the round shaped business card which looks like a mini-CD or the folded card, which also serves as a mini brochure.

The business card sized mini CD is a very good idea of alternative traditional business card.  Instead of handing out a parcel of brochures and your business card, give your prospects and customers all they need on a single disk. And it doesn't have to be a conventional CD-Rom, as you can get neat half-size mini-disks, and 'business card' CDs, which are rectangular but still fit into a standard CD drive perfectly.  Both have enough storage space for at least 30MB of content, which will most likely be enough for your whole website and/or lots of product information.

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

 Independence. A search for freedom and independence is the driving force behind many businesspeople.

Personal Fulfillment. For many people, owning a business is a genuinely fulfilling experience, one that lifetime employees never know.

Lifestyle Change. Many people find that while they can make a good income working for other people, they are missing some of life's precious moments. With the flexibility of small business ownership, you can take time to stop and smell
the roses.

Respect. Successful small business owners are respected, both by themselves and their peers.

Money. You can get rich in a small business, or at least do very well financially. Most entrepreneurs don't get wealthy, but some do. If money your motivator, admit it.

Power. When it is your business, you can have your employees do it your way. There is a little Ghengis Khan in us all, so don't be surprised fi power is one of your goals. If it is, think about how to use this goal in a constructive way.

Right Livelihood. From natural foods to solar power to many types of service businesses, a great many cause-driven small businesses have done very well by doing good.

Funding your business - Do you want a co-signed loan?

Bankers sometimes request that you find a co-signer for your loan. This is likely if you have insufficient collateral or a poor or nonexistent credit history. Perhaps someone who likes your idea and has a lot of property, but little cash, will cosign for a bank loan.

A cosigner agrees to make all payments you can't make. It doesn't matter if the cosigner gets anything from the loan; she'll still be responsible. And if you can't pay, the lender can sue both you and the cosigner. The exception is that you're off the hook if you declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy, but the cosigner isn't. Cosigning a loan is a big obligation, and it can strain even the best of friendships. If someone cosigns your loan, you might want to consider rewarding your angel for taking this risk.

From my own experience, I cosigned a car loan for an employee once, and I'll think twice before I do it again. I didn't lose any money, but the bank called me every time a payment was 24 hours late, and a couple of times I thought I might have to pay. I didn't like being financially responsible for a car that I had never driven and might never see again.

Quick tips on writing a good business plan

EMPHASIZE MARKET NEEDS
To make a convincing case that a substantial market exists, establish market interest and document your claims.

Establish market interest
Provide evidence that customers are intrigued by your claims about the benefits of the new product or service:

• Let some customers use a product prototype; then get written evaluations.
• Offer the product to a few potential customers at a deep discount if they pay part of the production cost. This lets you determine whether potential buyers even exist.
• Use “reference installations”— statements from initial users, sales reps, distributors, and would-be customers who have seen the product demonstrated.

Document your claims
You've established market interest. Now use data to support your assertions about potential growth rates of sales and profits.

• Specify the number of potential customers, the size of their businesses, and the size that is most appropriate to your offering. Remember: Bigger isn't necessarily better.
• Show the nature of the industry; e.g., franchised weight-loss clinics might grow fast, but they can decline rapidly when competition stiffens. State how you will continually innovate to survive.
• Project realistic growth rates at which customers will accept — and buy — your offering. From there, assemble a credible sales plan and project plant and staffing needs.

ADDRESS INVESTOR NEEDS

Cashing out
Show when and how investors may liquidate their holdings. Venture capital firms usually want to cash out in three to seven years; professional investors look for a large capital appreciation.

Making sound projections
Give realistic, five-year forecasts of profitability. Don't skimp on the numbers, get overly optimistic about them, or blanket your plan with a smog of figures covering every possible variation.

The price
To figure out how much to invest in your offering, investors calculate your company's value on the basis of results expected five years after they invest. They'll want a 35 to 40% return for mature companies — up to 60% for less mature ventures. To make a convincing case for a rich return, get a product in the hands of representative customers — and demonstrate substantial market interest.