| Have you ever asked yourself why a
competitor's business gets more attention than yours? The answer just may have to do with
the elements that go into how memorable the business is. And that has to do with branding.
But exactly what is branding, anyway? Think of branding as
predefining what a company is all about in the minds of its clients. Good branding
differentiates your products and services in a positive way that really sticks in the
minds of potential customers.
Let's say you are getting ready to run errands on a busy
Saturday morning, thinking about the groceries that need to be bought, the dry cleaning
that needs to be picked up, and the packages that must get to the post office before noon.
The trip to the post office reminds you that your favorite aunt's birthday is next
Wednesday. You need to add buying and mailing a birthday card to your list of things to
do. Without a moment's hesitation, you know exactly where you will buy the card: the local
Hallmark store. Why did you think Hallmark? The answer to that question has everything to
do with Hallmark's branding and two key elements of that branding are:
- An attractive, easy to read, and memorable logo;
- and a great tag line.
Assuming your own product is fabulous, it all comes down to
image. Graphic design can play a huge part in that image. But what are some key things to
consider?
A great logo is key.
You have given a great deal of attention to your company
name and believe it speaks to who you are and what you do. Great! Now you need to wrap a
graphic image around that name to carve out a prime piece of real estate in your target
customer's mind. That is exactly what a great logo can do.
Keep in mind that a powerful logo:
- has a strong, balanced image with no little extras that
clutter its look;
- is distinctive and bold in design, making it easy to see at
a glance;
- has graphic imagery that looks appropriate for your
business;
- works well with your company name;
- is done in an easy to read font;
- communicates your business clearly; and
- looks good in black and white, as well as in color.
Hallmark's memorable crown logo is one of the reasons that
Hallmark comes to mind so quickly when you need to buy a greeting card. It is simple,
bold, looks good in either color or black and white, and bespeaks the quality required for
something to be stamped with a hallmark, so it works well with the company name. While the
image might not have communicated the nature of the business when it was first created, it
certainly does now!
A distinctive tag line is key.
A tag line is a 3 to 7 word phrase that accompanies your
logo. It expresses your company's most important benefits and/or what you want your
customers to remember about working with you. Think of it as the words you want to linger
in your target customer's mind about you and what you have to offer.
Great tag lines appear to be effortlessly created because
they just seem to flow. In fact, creating and refining one takes time, just like designing
a great logo. The benefits of taking the time to craft a great tag line lie with the tag
line's stickiness. Great tag lines stick in your memory.
The Hallmark tag line, "When you care enough to send
the very best," appeals to the human desire to be viewed as having good taste and an
appreciation for luxury. If greeting cards are a commodity, then Hallmark has found a way
to differentiate itself as the choice for quality.
The Hallmark company was founded by J. C. Hall, so the name
Hallmark was a natural. It was also brilliant from a marketing standpoint. Hallmarks have
been used for centuries as a stamp to denote quality, purity, and genuineness. Could there
be a better way to attach the image of quality to a product? The tag line capitalizes on
that image well with words that stick in the mind and exemplify good taste.
Creating a great logo and distinctive tag line are critical
in creating a brand that provides the perfect image for your company and great ones just
might be memorable enough to give your company the beach front property in the minds of
your customers that leaves them thinking only of you.
Copyright © 2006 Karen Saunders |
