The season of giving is just around the corner!   Additionally, your company may be inclined to donate to the recent Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.  Have you planned accordingly?  If not, the spirit of giving can end up hitting you were it hurts... your bottom line !  Below are some tips to considering for charitable giving.  Set an Annual Charitable Giving Budget  When preparing a budget for the year, set aside funds for charitable giving.   If you participate in the same charities and fund-raising events annually, then allocate funds to those from the start.   Be sure to leave some room for unforeseen giving opportunities such as disaster relief funds, an employee’s hardship, or client requests.   Keep in mind, there is always time that you can give as well.   Organize a service day amongst your staff and volunteer with a local charity.   Evaluate Charities It can often be difficult to sift through the millions o...

Logos are part of the front line for your brand.  So it makes sense to really think about it and commission a graphic designer to make it original and professional.  Graphic designers and creative firms all work differently.  Some just charge by the hour.  Some offer a flat fee and limit your revisions and draft iterations.  Either way, you are limited by time and/or money.  In order to save both, be prepared before you talk to your designer and know what to ask for.  Below are some tips on logo development and working with a designer. Research : Research your competition's logos and color choices to make sure you stand out.  Also look up other logos, design elements, color combos, fonts, etc. that you like.  Share these with your designer to make sure you are both on the same page. Maintain your brand : Make sure to clearly explain your brand to your designer in order to maintain the same look and feel you have overall for your company...

"Thought Leadership" has been a bit of a buzz word (I guess words in this case) in the marketing world for a few years now.  What does it mean though?  I like to look at it as "Show Don't Tell," where you position yourself as the expert in your area of focus by providing helpful resources to your customer base at little to no cost to them without overly self-promoting your business.  This is the information age, and it is more important than ever to really prove yourself.  So, show people why you should be the trusted resources for their  [fill in the blank]  needs instead of telling everyone to use you or buy from you.  The self-promotional efforts can sometimes become white noise if that is all you are putting out there.  How do you show and not tell?  Below are some great ways to help develop yourself as a thought leader.  Know your audience's interests, pain points, lifestyle, communication style, etc...

So, I've gone on and on about why your brand is important and how to define it, but what the heck do you do with it? What about your company should be branded?  Essentially, everything.  Your brand should be consistent and reflected in any communication or experience you have with the outside world , your employees included.  Now for small businesses and start-ups, this can seem impossible or cumbersome.  So to begin, just start with your front line...logo, website/online presence, brochures, and even signage.  It is important that these look professional and consistent (same colors, fonts, message).  Be sure any written materials web or printed are proofed and are relatable to your target audience.  As a quick example, I will go into some of the thought behind my branding choices.   Logo : My logo is a snarky, confident little dog ready to brave the world and run with the big dogs.  It is meant to be a symbol o...

Judging by Marley's face, her answer to the question above would be a solid no. If you read my last blog post, you should now understand the importance of having a well-thought brand.  If you haven't, then back that thang up to my last post .  I went over the fact that people make decisions based on their emotions about a company or brand, and it is important that you are sending out "good vibes" so you do not get overlooked.  There are a few things you should analyze before you begin branding your company: Who are my competitors? How am I different from my competitors? Who are my customers? Who am I? How do I want to make my customers feel and think about my brand? Branding Case Study: Little Dog Marketing I'll go ahead and put myself out there, which is scary, but I've done far crazier things (like quit my job to chase a dream).  Here are my thoughts behind my own brand and how I want to be perceived.  Competitors:   Gosh, I'm u...