lilacodesignslilacodesignshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/blogBrand Checklist: what's your score?]]>https://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/Brand-Checklist-whats-your-scorehttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/Brand-Checklist-whats-your-scoreFri, 10 Mar 2017 00:53:33 +0000
How do you know how well your brand is performing?
Here it is, an exciting quick and easy checklist for your brand, best part it will only take you 10 mins to complete it. 10 questions – 10 points per each question. Give yourself a 1 for have little or no response and 10 being the best score. In total you’ll have 10 points per questions – 100 points in total.
STRATEGY
Do you have well defined purpose, vision and mission?Do you have a brand strategy that is well defined and with clear goals?Does your business and its team all tell a unified brand story? Who you are, what you do and why you do it?Do your employees understand your brand story and reiterate your brand message to your customers?
SUPPORT 5. Our business brand voice and message is well defined and guidelines are in place for all to follow? 6. Are your graphics & Style guide in place and being adhered to correctly? Is this easily accessible?.
7. Is your brand guidelines clear and reflect through your product/service branding decisions?
EXECUTION 8. Our message to current customers is clear, concise, informative and consistent? 9. All our branding to the marketplace is adhered to and followed, (online and offline) 10. Our web experience and social media are all on brand and follow a consistent identity.
Now add up all of your scores and find out how your brand rates? What areas do you need to improve in and how you can create a strategy to achieve a better outcome and build a stronger brand identity.
It’s always good to do a brand health check every 6 months, you’ll be able to include these in your brand strategy , providing you an overview of how your brand is sitting and identifies what areas in your business you can improve on.
Enjoy
Christal
]]>8 Free Local Business Listings for your business]]>Christal Giblett, Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/Free-Local-Directories-listings-for-your-businesshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/Free-Local-Directories-listings-for-your-businessTue, 31 Jan 2017 12:22:53 +0000
Are you in business? How are you advertising your business online?
Did you know that there are free… yes completely free ways to promote and advertise your business online?
Here is a little scenario to showcase the importance of why you should be seen online and how you can get started. Let’s say you’re a local beauty therapist, you love what you do, know that your current clients keep coming back, but now you want to grow and attract new clients and grow your business. You only have one social media account active, with no other advertising or self promotion.
Where do you think people, like yourselves would go to find a beauty therapist?
Ready… WAIT… yes you have it search for it on search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. Search engines are the number place people go to to search for and find products and services to meet their needs. Smartphone ownership in Australia increased from 11.1 million in 2013 to 15.3 million in mid-2015. During the same period, tablet ownership increased from 6.3 million to 11.2 million. Smartphone and tablet make up 63% of total time spent on devices in September 2015.
As a small business you must be searchable online. Local Search marketing, is one element you need to consider in your marketing plan. The majority of customers searching for your services would search, “Beauty Therapist Mackay” and by listing on free local listings it will increase your online presence. But remember, this is only a small part of your marketing strategy, you will still need to invest in a professional website, SEO and content marketing to generate the best possible online presence for your business.
Get started, here are a few free listings you’ll be able to sign up to;
Google My Business
Local SearchStart Local
YelpTrue LocalYahoo
Bing for Business
Make sure you have strong presence and keep your branding inline with your style guie. Upload your logo, banners and populate with engaging content to persuade the user to click on your listing and engage your services.
]]>12 Ways to thank your clients and leave a lasting impression]]>Christal Giblett, Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/12/01/12-Ways-to-thank-your-clients-and-leave-a-lasting-impressionhttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/12/01/12-Ways-to-thank-your-clients-and-leave-a-lasting-impressionThu, 01 Dec 2016 02:31:11 +0000
Without customers it would be pretty damn hard to run a business… it’s as simple as that. Building your brand with a logo, stationery and marketing collateral is definitely a priority but it goes beyond that. You have to retain your clients and thank them for the continual support along the way. Here are 12 red hot tips for your business
Reward Social Media Savy Followers
It could be one follower or it could be all of your followers. Let them know you appreciate them ticking that ‘like’ button and sharing your posts.Eg: Coffee Shop give away a free coffee, or share a 10% discount coupon!
Treat a Customer to a CoffeeThis is my favourite! Ring a client and invite them to coffee, it’s just a social get together to see how they are going and what have they been up too. I guarantee they will greatly appreciate the invitation building your business client relationship.
Excel at Customer Service go above and beyondEvery business is different and each service interaction and process will change but always think of extra steps you can add to your sales process that help them solve your clients problem.Eg. Shoe Shop, this could be about knowing styling techniques, and pairing shoes, clothes and accessories to ensure they work well together.
Refer friends to a local businessMy business is run off referrals (Thankyou!), but you must always return the favour! So find a local business (Could be a client) that you’ve engaged services with over the last month and go to their Google My Business, Local Search or Social Media sites and leave a big fat thankyou! Don’t forget to tell them why their services were outstanding!
Offer a discount voucher for valued supportEverybody loves to be thanked for their support! There is no denying it. But when clients continually supporting your business, one option could be to provide them with a discount voucher on their next purchase. It could be as simple as a 10% off, $20 off next purchase etc. It doesn’t have to be a standard offer, just something to say thanks!
Wow one customerHow can you WOW one client? It could be as simple as picking up the phone and offering them some advice on current product or service they may be interested, or excelling in customer service when they enter your store. Showing that you care, and finding a solution to their problem in a courteous and understanding way will boost customer satisfaction.
Spotlight a customer thru email or social mediaNetworking with clients and other business will boost your referrals. Spotlight a local business or client thru your email marketing or online social media profiles.
Send a gift; cookies cupcakes or promotional mediumCookies are a winning idea—liked by all and easy to share. But consider your audience: if your customer is a fitness guru, brighten their healthy day with a fruit bouquet instead.
Go old school & handwrite a Thankyou NoteIt’s surprising how rarely this proven way of showing gratitude is actually used. Can you remember the last time you received a handwritten thank you card? Your note should be specific and personal.
Hold an instore event after hoursGive frequent customers the VIP feeling they deserve with an invitation-only after-hours event in your store. Let them shop for an extra few hours after normal store hours provide drinks and nibblies. To create an even more memorable setting, invite your favorite local singing talent to set up in a corner of the store and entertain your guests. They’ll be no doubt in these customers’ minds that they are valued by your business.
Start a loyalty programInvite your most loyal customers into a VIP rewards program. Customers love the red carpet treatment. You’ll need to see if it is a good fit for your business, depending on the services and products you deliver.Eg. Attend 10 Fitness sessions and get your 11th Free.
Find a client who is passionate charitable service and donate to them.Reach out to a select set of valued customers and let them know you’d like to make a contribution to their favorite charity in their honor.
Now pick 2 to 4 to place on your to-do-list this month by doing this you will;
Build brand loyaltyMake your business POP!Puts a spotlight on your customer serviceEntices your clients to refer you to other potential prospects.
Have another idea, be sure to write them in the comments below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks
Christal
]]>6 Ways to Kick Start your Week]]>Christal Gibletthttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/11/21/6-Ways-to-Kick-Start-your-Weekhttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/11/21/6-Ways-to-Kick-Start-your-WeekMon, 21 Nov 2016 02:28:30 +0000
It’s Monday and your pumped and ready to go (or your tired from a big weekend!).Friday has passed and last week was a hectic week at work and you’ve probably got a few jobs that you didn’t get complete over the week. The weekend is for relaxing, sleeping and unwinding and then BAM back into Monday! How do you prepare for the tough week ahead? Here are a few of my tips that’s get me organize and planned.
DON’T CHECK YOUR EMAILS until 10.30am Monday MorningIf you get to work and first thing you do is check your emails, you maybe setting your self up for a non-productive day. I’m sure you had a task that you needed to complete on Friday, so grab it, sit down for 60 mins and dedicate that whole time to your task. Don’t check facebook, social media or emails just yet!
Coffee Time & EmailsYou’ve just done that job from Friday, all complete and your pumped and ready to go.. it’s time head on in and check your emails! Bam you’ve just been hit with 30 new leads, responsed promptly, don’t leave it until the next day. You can set up an automated response to allow for ease of reply. Make sure you have a strategy in place for email response.
Planning for the week / Weekly To Do ListNext it’s time to see what’s on your agenda for the week. As they say “if you fail to plan you plan to fail”, and this is so true. Write down all your top priority jobs for the week and map them out. You’ll probably already have a to do list but now it’s time to break it down.
Break down your weekly list to daily listsNow you know you have an entire weeks work in front of you, priorities these tasks into working minutes. Is it a 4 hour job, hour or it could be a quick 15 min job? Knowing how long each task is going to take will allow you to plan your day and be super productive. There isn’t anything worse than jumping from job to job during the day and then feeling like you’ve completed nothing. (I’ve been there done that!) Productivity is number one!
Categories those list into T1 / T2 and T3Here is my little secret to getting jobs done one time. I prioritise them in order of importance. If you have a client deadline, that’s your Task 1, if you have a coffee date with a friend that you haven’t seen in weeks… that’s number 3. (yep keep working hours in your working day ie 9 to 5!). I have a highlighter for each Task. T1 – TOP Priority those tasks that you must get done first (No more than 3)T2 – These are tasks that you can do after you’ve completed your Q1’s (No more than 3)T3’s – These don’t have a deadline, you can do them once you’ve complete the above T1 and
Prioritise your time and work in blocks of 30, 45 or 60 mins.
It can be daunting to have a pile of work in front of you and as mine stacks up, there no time like ever to be organised. If you don’t have your mind directly set on one task you will wonder from one job to the next, but be sure to keep on track and delegate your work to the time you’ve dedicated. I like to work in blocks of 30 mins. 30 mins flat track… no stopping, no toilet break, coffee break until that 30 mins is up!
How do you plan your day and track your work? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks as I’m always looking at ways to improve my productivity. Don’t forget sign up to our newsletter to get more great tips and tricks on all things business and design.
Enjoy your productive day!
Christal
]]>Use your logo to grow business!]]>Christal Giblett Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/10/25/Use-your-logo-to-grow-businesshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/10/25/Use-your-logo-to-grow-businessTue, 25 Oct 2016 02:03:10 +0000
You’ve invested in an awesome logo designbut are you taking advantage of where to place your logo to help grow your business? Check our list of options to help grow your business.
Uniforms
Ensure your logo is on your clothing and that your clothing features your brand colours, This reinforces your branding and makes it easy for customers to identify employees.
Signage(car and shop front)
Signage and banners are one of the most engaging ways to make an impact on your target audience. Great design will lead the eye to your Call to Action and Logo. There must be cohesive branding between all marketing collateral, but having signage that is distinctive to your brand (fonts, colours, imagery ) and your logo is a huge must have!
Business Stationery and Mailing
Have you got a letterhead, envelopes, mailing labels and don’t have your logo on them? This is a great way to promote your business, after all if your sending them out without your logo, your not promoting your brand!
Business Cards
People still love to exchange business cards, so make sure you have them on hand with you all the time! Keep it simple and too the point. Business Cards act as an enticer, so bring something unique to your cards, ensure your logo and contacts are center stage!
Social Media
Your logo should be a part of your online Marketing Strategy and whilst you may not have an account to each and every channel, it is necessary to ensure that those that you are active on, whether it be Facebook, Instagram, Linked In or Twitter, it’s a must to have your logo set as the profile picture.
Email Signature & Newsletter
Email marketing is a huge asset for website and online business. If you have an Opt-in email that allows customers to follow your blog posts, keep updated with new products, promotions or information then you must also include your logo at every stage of this process.
Promotional Giveaways
Do you attend trade shows and events? If you do be sure to have some form of promotional giveaways, clients packs or sign up rewards to thank your potential clients. The options are endless and will be based on what your customer and prospects can use or want, and how great your logo looks on the product.
Just remember that your logo should be front and center with every interaction you have with clients and potential clients. Need assistance or advice, flick us an email.
]]>8 Steps to Successful Business Branding]]>Christal Giblett, Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/09/30/8-Steps-to-Successful-Business-Brandinghttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/09/30/8-Steps-to-Successful-Business-BrandingFri, 30 Sep 2016 02:02:19 +0000
OUR 8 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS BRANDING
1. BRAND AWARENESS
What comes to mind, when I mention a big yellow M? I’m sure you all know the answer to this. Brand awareness is the ability for potential customers to recognize your brand and associate it with your product or services. This should be one of your primary goals when running your business.
2. STAND OUT FROM YOUR COMPETITION
You can’t deny it, business is tough. Standing out from hundreds of business that offer exactly the same product and service that you do, is difficult. Developing a marketing plan, that follows your business identity is essential in building and retaining a strong brand presence amongst your competition.
3. YOUR BRAND IS YOUR BUSINESS DNA
The visual identity of any business must be connective, cohesive and consistent and can be developed in the form of fonts, imagery, tone, and message. It doesn’t stop there, the way you interact with your clients, how you answer your phone, how you present yourself in the community all works in with your business identity.
4. BRAND REFERRALS
I’m sure you’ve all recommended a brand that you have enjoyed, trust and love. Customers wear brands, listen to brands and constantly tell others about brands, but only if they love them. If your clients don’t know who you are, what products or services you sell or what you are about, then referrals are limited. A strong brand is critical in generating referrals.
5. A STRONG BRAND HELPS CUSTOMERS NOW WHAT TO EXPECT
Your brand essence should be consistent, clear and easily recognizable. By doing this your customers know exactly what to expect, what they are going to receive when they purchase your product and the experience and emotion that will get when they interact with your brand.
6. YOUR VISION, MISSION AND PROMISE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
It is important to remember that your brand represents you! You are the brand, your staff is the brand, your marketing materials are the brand. What do they say about you, and what do they say about what you’re going to deliver. What is the number one promise you want your customers to remember?
7. BRANDING LETS YOU CONNECT EMOTIONALLY
Connecting with customers on an emotional level is what a good brand should do. How does a brand make you feel is the question you need to ask!
8. BRANDING GIVES YOUR BUSINESS VALUE
Think beyond how a product is made, for example a car; how is it made, the country it’s made in, the factories and workers. We don’t think about the physical assets when considering a brand we think about how it’s going to make me feel, what satisfaction will I get from it, what emotion will it fulfills, what value will I get from purchasing it. That is what branding is all about!
Enjoy,
Christal
Lilaco Designs offer Logo and Business Branding for small business and we offer a free consultation on all Business Logo Enquiries, flick us an email now.
]]>Every business must have: Style Guide]]>Christal Giblett, Graphic Designer @lialcodesignshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/09/09/Every-business-must-have-Style-Guidehttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/09/09/Every-business-must-have-Style-GuideFri, 09 Sep 2016 06:07:43 +0000
It’s a simple question: Do you need a style guide?
And it has a simple answer: Yes.
Any small business, medium business, blog or website needs to maintain consistency and a professional identity.
My work consists of new jobs, rebrands and one of projects many of which, when I ask client’s “Do you have a style guide” the answer generally is “No, what is a Style Guide?”.
A style guide is your go to resource for visual and writing tone for your brand.
A style guide includes visuals (colours, imagery, shapes and textures) and writing style (fonts, heading, subheading, body copy etc). For websites this could include coding specs, or define how user interface should work.
Here are some basic elements which could be included in your Style Guide. The next few blog posts I’ll pull each element apart and break it down with examples.
FONTS
Your brand must have a set of fonts that are suited for both print and web. These fonts should be used through all marketing materials.
You should also consider which fonts and weight will be used for different aspects of design including your header, subheader and body copy. It’s a good idea to include fonts that shouldn’t be used too.
COLOURS
Your colours are an important aspect of your brand and all consideration needs to be thought of to ensure you have Pantone, CMYK and Hex codes (for web). Not every color can be perfectly transferred between web and print usage, so it’s a good idea to specify your preferences so that you don’t end up with a color that clashes with your original design.
RGB (used for Web) will compare drastically when viewing CMYK colours on your desktop of smart device (certain blues commonly become muted and darker, reds may appear more orange or pink, etc.). Take the time to verify and manipulate each color space so that you get the best results possible. And be sure to verify your CMYK colors in print, not just on screen.
LOGO PLACEMENT AND SIZE
Generally, most logos will lose their effect if displayed too small, so a huge must is to minimize your logo to the smallest size possible (usually business card size) and ensure the composition, legibility and overall look is unified. You may either have alternate (usually simplified) logos to be used at small sizes, or just a minimum size at which the logo should be displayed.
Empty space should be specified which includes the ‘surrounding white space’ around your logo so that it doesn’t lose its effect or become cluttered. You must also be specific about whether or not your logo can be displayed in alternate colours (One PMS, Grayscale, on white, on coloured background etc). Also specify whether the logo can be placed inside a border or box, and how much clear space needs to be left around it in those cases.
IMAGERY, TEXTURE AND ICONS
If there are specific icons (or icon sets) that should be used exclusively, or specific images that are commonly used, then be sure to specify these in your guide. Including a link to the exact icon set is a good idea, since icon names are not always 100% unique and can be easily confused.
You should also specify here if only certain types or styles of imagery should be used. For example, you might specify that every photo used needs to include a specific color, or needs to have a vintage filter applied, or needs to be black and white.
Need some guidance with a Style Guide for your business?
We'd be more than happy to assist... contact us!
Happy Friday!
Christal
]]>You Must Have Google My Business]]>Christal Giblett - Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/08/16/You-Must-Have-Google-My-Businesshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/08/16/You-Must-Have-Google-My-BusinessTue, 16 Aug 2016 07:00:23 +0000
Connect with Google My Business
If your business isn’t showing up on google, then you need to get your business on Google+, also putting you on google maps. It will help you build your brandawareness online through a consistent look, and finally, it will allow you to share content.
Yes it’s for you!
Anyone can use google my business, and it’s completely freeYes if you have a website, you need to get Google My Business. Google my business complements your existing website by giving you a public identity and presence on google. You will also appear on google search, map and google+.
Why use Google my Business
Everyone needs to be seen on the web, it's where we shop, look for services, connect and share.
It allows you to:
Update Business Information: You can update business, contact, operating hours, website details and business information whenever you like. You will notice that this information will end up in Googles Knowledge graphic, appearing to the right of the search results.
Add Engaging Images: Add updates, work in progress, products, customers, store displays and any other related business images to your google my business page.
Share Events: You can share your events, news and updates at any time, and it’s free!
Manage: You can use two applications, Google my Business Android App or the newly launched iOS app.
Maps: Show up on google maps, when your specific industry is ‘googled’
Small Local Businesses Steps
Start your Google My Business page today, https://www.google.com.au/business/
Optimize it by adding any relevant and important informatinSocialise it, connecting with new and potential customers
Everyone is online so don’t let visitors pass you by because you can’t be searched.
Do you need a new logo, or a flyer design for your business? We'd love to hear from you
head on over and complete our online form.
Christal
]]>It pays to undertake market research when designing a logo]]>Christal Giblett , Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/08/12/It-pays-to-undertake-market-research-when-designing-a-logohttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/08/12/It-pays-to-undertake-market-research-when-designing-a-logoThu, 11 Aug 2016 11:42:15 +0000
Why it pays to undertake market research when designing a logo
Don’t think of a logo as just a simple form of identification for your business. Your logo serves much more importance and purpose in your business branding, it identifies, provides a visual identity and acts as your DNA for your business. Customers see your logo, interact with your logo, engage with your logo and most importantly with cohesive branding, will aid in building your visual presences in the marketplace. Think about it… your advertising is everywhere, Local Search, mail outs, social media, uniforms and your website, just to name a few.
So why do you need to do market research for logo design.
If you are designing a logo without market research your pretty much driving blind fold! That’s a massive comparison but it’s so important!
Your logo design must undertake market research, it is a HUGE must! It is the first step of any design process, whether you are designing a logo, business card, poster or campaign. All these forms of marketing and advertising should include some form of research.
So.. why write these blogs you might ask? I want to provide you with information so you can attain the knowledge and process involved in logo design (and graphic design) and to pinpoint the important aspects of each step. As a small business owner it can be daunting starting new! I know, I’ve been there and it’s countless errors and mistakes that has got me to where I am today.
Let’s think about this scenario.
Your starting a plumbing business in your local area, you decided you want blue and green in your logo (complementary colours which are very common), complemented with a nice clean, bold font, oh and you want a tap in there too. That’s it, go to your designer and tell them to go ahead! 2 to 3 hours work and your done? No no… stop there and think about this…
Here is what could happen if you don’t do market research. You drive down the road, and see a plumbing van with your colours, a tap and yep you have it a clean bold font (just like yours). You say…. Oh BUGGER! Yep not what you want to run into. And here is what happens next
You rebrand, new logo (more money), business cards, signage.You continue on your way, hope that the logo isn’t trade marked, and you could potentially lose clients or respective clients as they may mistake your business for theirs.
So what can you do?
How your logo and your business branding looks, feels and comes across to your clients as is so important for your business. Brand awareness and brand recognition can make or break your business. So the visual identity (colours, fonts, logo, symbols etc) your clients see ultimately brands your business. You must undertake marketplace research (will depend what market your targeting etc) but the most important thing is to make sure your identity in the market place is unique, easily identifiable to your clients and is nothing link your competitors.
Needs some help with your logo and branding? Get in contactor give Christal a call 0412 260 689, we’d be more than happy to help!
]]>4 Reasons Why You Should Have a Business Card]]>Chrisal Giblett, Graphic Designer @lilacodesignshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/07/29/4-REASONS-WHY-YOU-SHOULD-HAVE-A-BUSINESS-CARDhttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/07/29/4-REASONS-WHY-YOU-SHOULD-HAVE-A-BUSINESS-CARDFri, 29 Jul 2016 03:25:21 +0000
We live in a digital world, smart phones, tablets, and the internet, but are we becoming too consumed with all this technology! Your business card is critical in the development and marketing your business. This cost effective and traditional method is a must have, they are easy to hand to clients, potential clients and prospects and can be highly personalized to suit your branding.
I always ask clients, do you hand your business card out? I would have to say that 50% of clients reply ‘no’. AAAHHHAHAH why not? Here are four very important steps why handing out your business card is a must for building your brand and marketing your small business.
First Impressions Count!
Business cards introduce yourself and your business to clients, it always important for clients to put a face to your brand (if done face to face). Business cards are eye catching, can be creative with the ability to use alternative printing methods to engage and be appealing and include important information (Information about you and who you are!). Business cards enhance your credibility and give your prospects a sense of professionalism and worth about your brand. It also creates a sense of identity through logo, colour, texture and fonts.
(DO NOT, underestimate the value and importance by printing at home, a big NO NO)
Business cards are your Marketing Tool
Word of mouth and face to face networking are one of the most important marketing tools for you! Effective fact-to-face introduction, communication a hand shake and then… hand over your business card! Yep that is ‘HAND IT OUT’. They are portable, put them in your wallet, suitcase, brief case what ever it is you carry (oh and they will fit in the smart phone cases) carry them wherever you go. Make them an essential marketing tool and stand out when establishing and maintaining new and prospective clients. You never know when you will run into that one potential ‘big’ client! So be prepared.
Business cards build your brand
You have your logo and then the next thing that clients generally mention is ‘the business card’. It aids in building your brand. Business cards are very simple to create and when done right its use can be used as an engaging marketing tool. However you must keep it simple and to the point, no time for writing a blurb, or adding in information that they can read on your website. The objective for a well-designed business card is to provide vital information about your business (phone numbers, website and email address). If you have an old phone number, then my advice is get it updated!
Business cards are Cost Effective
Business cards are very affordable, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t have any. Go and hire a designer to produce a well-designed business card that communicates your brands message. Do not underestimate the importance of quality business cards to aid in building a professional brand presence to your clients and prospective clients.
Are you in need of updating your business cards or would like a fresh new look?Get in contactwith Lilaco Designs for all your Graphic Design needs.
]]>Brand Strategy For Small Business]]>Christal Giblett , Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/07/28/BRAND-STRATEGY-FOR-SMALL-BUSINESShttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/07/28/BRAND-STRATEGY-FOR-SMALL-BUSINESSThu, 28 Jul 2016 01:31:10 +0000
It's been a tough time with the down fall and it's really great to see local Mackay consumers buying local and injecting they're hard earned money back into the local economy.
With all this being said, its super important that you as a small or medium business ensure you are consistent in your branding. Defining your brand to your clients and potential customers isn’t going to happen overnight, and more than likely as you are establishing your business, you will build, learn more about yourself, your direction and your visions. You’ll learn from mistakes and in time turn those mistakes will in turn lead to success. Brand Strategy is of utter most importance when it comes to your business planning. If you don’t know what branding is, check out our previous post,
What is Business Branding.
It’s very easy to wonder from one idea to the next without anything to guide you. Eventually you’ll find yourself long away from your original goals or plans. Having a clear brand strategy will ensure you stay focused on your goals, mission and be more proactive and organized in your daily routine.
Think of branding as a form of self-discovery, it is time consuming and can be frustrating and it will take time. However here are a few things to think about to help you work out who your business is and what you want your customers to think of when they see your brand.
What do your customers and prospects think about your business?What qualities do you have, and associate them to your business?What is your company’s mission, values and vision?What benefit and features does your company have?
Here are a few essential must haves that will aid in creating a strong brand presence.
LogoBrand EssenceBusiness Stationary: Letterhead, forms, email signatureMarketing Materials: Flyers, mail outsWebsiteSignageUniformsPromotional Materials
Our next post will focus exploring and defining your brand essence.
]]>What is Business Branding?]]>Christal Giblett / Lilaco Designshttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/07/19/What-is-Business-Branding-1https://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/07/19/What-is-Business-Branding-1Tue, 19 Jul 2016 04:45:54 +0000
What is Business Branding and does it impact on my small business?
I’m sure as a business owner you have spent endless time and effort in developing your business and marketing plan, but have you considered the impact that branding has on your business? If you haven’t thought about it yet, then this article is for you.
So what is branding? And why is it so important for your business?
Branding goes way beyond just a logo or graphic element. When you think about your brand, you really want to think about your entire customer experience…everything from your logo, your website, your social media experiences, the way you answer the phone, to the way your customers experience and interact with your staff. When you look at this broad definition of branding, it can be a bit overwhelming.
The identity of a business, the visual devices used to represent the business is conducted after thelogo has been designed and executed. The idea of the visual identity is to build systematic visual language around the logo wading in the development of marketing and business collateral. The visual identity of any business must be connective, cohesive and consistent. The identity acts as a visual DNA for any business, and can be developed in the form of fonts, imagery, tone, and message.
In short, your brand is the way your customer perceives you.
The next blog post will pinpoint 8 reasons why branding is important and how you can implement them in your business.
Here we have Power Core Pilates, branding all of which is connective, cohesive and consistent.
]]>Understanding Photography & Copyright]]>https://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/06/17/Understanding-Photography-Copyrighthttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/06/17/Understanding-Photography-CopyrightFri, 17 Jun 2016 01:26:43 +0000
Understanding Photography and Copyright
Generally, copyright in photos lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years.Copyright has expired in photos taken prior to 1 January 1955.Ownership of a photo varies depending on the circumstances under which it was taken.You will not own copyright just because you own the camera.Photographers also have moral rights in relation to their works.
So who owns the copyright?
For photos, unless there is a written agreement between the client and the photographer, the photographer is the first owner of copyright, however there are exceptions to these rights. For commissioned photos where a ‘client’ pays a photographer to take a photo:
Photos taken on or after July 1998, the general rules of ownership depends on the purpose for which the photos were taken, if the images are taken for ‘domestic or private purpose ‘ eg. family portraits, the first owner of copyright is the client, unless the photographer and client agree otherwise.If they are taken for other reasons such as ‘commercial shots’ the photographer is the first owner of copyright unless there is a formal agreement otherwise.
Scenario (refereeing to domestic or private purpose):
Kate goes and books in her family photography session with her photographer and there is no written or verbal agreement between the two regarding the ownership of the photographs. You the ‘client’ owns copyright to those images. If your photographer wants to use those images on their facebook, website, or any other form of advertising etc they must attain permission from you as the copyright holder. Please note this does not apply to ‘commercial photography’.
What rights do you have as holder to copyright?
As a copyright holder to an image you have rights to:
reproduce – making prints, photocopying, and digitizing the imagepublish the photocommunicate the photo to the public for example, by putting the photos onto a website, or emailing digital files of them.
However Photographers have ‘MORAL RIGHTS’
Creators have moral right, which are separate from copyright Moral rights impose certain obligations on people who use a copyright work. As a photographer Lilaco Designs have the right to
Be attributed as the creator of the photosTake legal action if our work is falsely attributed or distorted in any way.
Who owns the negatives or digital files of photos I took for a client?
Ownership of copyright in the photos is separate from the ownership of physical items, such as the prints, negatives or digital files. Your agreement between you and your photographer should outline this.
“If the client owns copyright in the photos, he or she may make copies from prints in his or her possession. A photographer may own negatives but this does not entitle him or her to make further prints without the copyright owner’s consent. If a photographer owns digital files and the client owns copyright, then you should get an agreement about what you can do with the digital files, as most uses will require the copyright owner’s permission”.
A photographer was commissioned to take photos and hasn’t been paid. Who owns copyright to the photos
This is where the ‘copyright’ law gets a little more complex. The ownership of a physical negative, or digital file isn’t determined by copyright law, but is in fact ‘general property law’. The owner of a digital file is likely to be the person who created it, ie your photographer!
Lilaco Designs is in no way, shape or form detailing exact ruling regarding copyright laws, please use this as a guide only. If you need to know about how the law applies in a particular situation, please seek advice from a lawyer. Further information re: copyright in Australia can be sought from http://www.copyright.org.au
Please also note: There is a special provision in the Copyright Act for photographs commissioned for a private or domestic purpose, where there is no agreement between the photographer and the client about who owns copyright (section 35(5)).
]]>The impact a logo has on your business]]>Christal Gibletthttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/04/28/Today-is-the-dayhttps://www.lilacodesigns.com.au/single-post/2016/04/28/Today-is-the-dayThu, 28 Apr 2016 04:21:34 +0000
Yes, Yes and Yes. Whatever product you sell or service you deliver, I can’t stress enough on the importance of a professional logo and the impact this will have on your business. Your logo is one of the major elements of branding that can make or break first impressions with your clients. As I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of times, first impressions count!
You logo will assist in building a strong brand
Branding gives your business a reputation and customers recognize your logo. Unique, authentic and bespoke. This is how you and your business will be remembered. Any branding strategy must include the development of a logo. Take a moment and think about your favourite soft drink, hand bag or pair of joggers, the first thing that comes to mind is the logo which in return triggers your ‘awareness’ and ‘recognition’ of that brand.
Your logo must:
Compete against your competitionConvey who you are & what you stand forMust grab attention or your target audience
An effective logo is:
SimpleMemorableVersatileTimelessAppropriate
In return your logo will
Aid in building brand awareness and brand recognitionIdentify who you areProvide visual identity to connect it with your business
How to use your logo
Your logo reflects who you are and what your business stands for so make sure you have it absolutely everywhere. This can include business stationery, uniforms, signage, email signatures, social media, whatever business dealings you have use it. Making your business a brand is a part of your marketing success, which leads to long term success for your business.
Having a great logo, and using it across digital and traditional media, can be a huge part of any branding campaign.
How do I get a logo?
I would recommend having your logo professionally designed. Lilaco Designs offers professional logo design services with the excellence and expertise you deserve. Contact us today for an obligation free quote.
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