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New image for a new year
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January 5, 2000: 2:38 p.m. ET
Tips on how to repackage your company with a fresh new look
By The Applegate Group
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - How about starting the new century with a fresh, new image for your company?
Unless you own a brand-new dot-com company, you probably haven't updated your logo or letterhead in the past five or 10 years. I know it's expensive, but companies perceived as boring and out-of-date have a tough time making it in today's super-competitive business climate.
"Customers look at brands like they look at people," said Jerry Gottlieb, a partner in Manhattan-based McCaffery Ratner Gottlieb & Lane Inc. "They want to know everything about your brand."
Gottlieb said a brand is made up of a combination of factors ranging from the graphics and typefaces you choose to the kinds of photos you use in your advertisements, catalogs and brochures.
"Everything you do creates a brand personality," he explained.
While many savvy entrepreneurs think nothing of hiring outside help for their finances or manufacturing problems, many are reluctant to invest in buffing up their image. Yet, a great new look or ad campaign can help revitalize an ailing business.
"You have to sit down and set a course for your business and your brand," said Gottlieb. "You have to ask, 'Who do we want to be? Do we want to be viewed as fun? As serious? Are we the industry leaders? The experts?'"
He suggests asking yourself these questions:
· Where are we now?
· Where do we want to be in a few years?
· How are we going to get there?
Once you create a branding road map, you have to take into consideration the competition you face, the marketing mix in your industry, government regulations, consumer spending patterns and product distribution.
The key question to ask is, "How are your customers going to find you?”
You may have the best product or service in the world, but if no one knows you are there, you will go out of business.
Many small companies rely on smaller advertising agencies to develop their campaigns, rather than going to a giant agency.
"At a big agency, if you have a small budget, you are treated differently than clients with huge budgets," said Gottlieb, who spent 15 years as director of account management at J. Walter Thompson, a major ad agency.
"The smaller the agency, the greater likelihood you'll be treated well and not get lost," he said.
Once you have your new logo, the first thing most people use it on is their business card. A great business card is really a miniature billboard for your business. A great card will be saved and shared. A poorly designed and printed card is usually tossed out.
This year's "Best and Worst Business Card in America" contest will be bigger and better than ever. We have several great prizes for the owners of the best and worst cards. Prizes will also be awarded for the most humorous card, most unique card, and the card made from the most unusual material.
It's simple to enter, send two copies of your business card to: Jane Applegate's Business Card Contest, P.O. Box 768, Pelham, N.Y. 10803. The deadline for entries is Jan. 31.
Also, here are some good books to read:
The Wizard of Ads by Roy Hollister Williams is based on a collection of letters and memos from Williams to his clients and friends. Williams runs a small Austin, Texas-based agency with billings around $20 million a year. The book is fun to read and filled with illustrations. The $16.95 paperback book is published by Bard Press (www.bardpress.com), and the phone number is 1-512-329-8373.
Advertising Without An Agency by Kathy J. Kobliski is a $19.95 paperback that describes every type of advertising. It helps you figure out how to buy time and ad space and even provides tips on writing good copy.
This new book is published by Oasis Press, which also has a new line of "SmartStart" business guides. These state-specific editions cover everything from how to write a business plan to the rules and regulations affecting business dealings in your particular state. The books include helpful forms, insurance information, sources of local business assistance and financing tips. The books cost $19.95. Be sure to specify the state you need. To order, call: 1-800-228-2275, or visit the Web site: www.psi-research.com/oasis.
Reporting by Julieanne Neal.
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