Creating a great logo is key to the development of your company’s overall identity and brand development.  I can’t stress enough the importance of having a simple, meaningful logo. There are many components to consider when designing a logo.  In this blog post,  I have outlined 3 of the most important factors to consider.  If you are “stuck” or unsure of how to create a logo for your company – ask for help! Contact your local graphic designer or send me an email and I would be happy to assist or direct you.

1. Keep it simple! Great logos are simple in design and have one or two colours.  A simple uncomplicated logo should be scalable, meaning that it will look great on a 10ft. X 10ft. Billboard, your 2.5″ x 3″ business card and the imprint space on a pen 1″x 0.5″.  This means your logo needs to be designed in Vector format.

2. Using a graphic designer to assist in the creation of your logo, is extremely important.  They will create your logo in “vector format”, using Adobe Illustrator (.ai, .eps) or Corel Draw (.cdr). Your logo should (almost) never be created in Photoshop. When submitting your logo to a printer or your promotional products partner, a .jpg or .gif file will not be suitable for them to use if you want to ensure your logo is clearly represented on the item.

A vector can be thought of as a shape made up of rubber bands that are wrapped around nails (vector points) and pushed into a peg board. If the nails (or in this case points) are moved, the shape will change. This simple concept allows designers to be able to edit artwork. Vector files are also resolution independent, meaning that they can be scalable to any size. Vector based logos can be printed as

• black & white grayscale,
• spot colour or
• four colour process depending on your requirements (and the number of colours in your logo).

3. A tagline  is the phrase or few words that describe your company, or your company’s mission. Generally stated, taglines are featured under the logo (or in circular logos – around the logo). They’re great to have, but it’s not advisable to include them in the initial design phases of your logo. Wordy taglines will require a small font that will become illegible at smaller sizes. Also, a tagline can create a lot of visual clutter in many applications. It’s always better to have that ever-so clever tagline as a separate element that you can add when appropriate, or when doing so will not interfere with the design integrity of your logo itself.

When you are considering creating a logo or would just like a ‘second opinion’, I would be more than pleased to give you feedback.

Share your logo stories with me! I love getting feedback. And, here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is a great opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog!

Until next time,

Cheryl

There are thousands of suppliers to the Promotional Products Industry and hundreds of companies that want to sell you their products. You could spend hours and hours perusing the many websites and millions of product options.  Shouldn’t you be spending your time building your business, doing what you are skilled in?  In this blog post, you will find 5 important things to consider before purchasing promotional items for your company.

Business is built on relationships and building those relationships is where Promotional products can help.  Your dynamic personality is Key as well… So consider this when you hand someone your promo item… you ordered 300 pieces of an item… you are now handing out ONE!!! so each ONE has to count.

1. Is it something that your prospect/client can use?
2. Does it reflect your business/industry?
3. Is your Brand/company info displayed in a way that makes sense for your business?
4. Can the information be read easily and referred to later?
5. Are you Proud of what you are handing out?

My passion lies in knowing what supplier/brand to purchase for promoting your business, sourcing and providing your business with the best options. I am also passionate about ensuring that my clients get the best quality at the best price and of course, the best service.

I have had the benefit of extensive experience with the actual manufacturers and importers of promotional products, as well as in-depth knowledge of printing, engraving, silk screening and all other forms of logo application. You see, many years ago, I was responsible for traveling to the Orient twice a year, to oversee the manufacture of, negotiate the purchase of and scope out (if you will), promotional products for import into Canada.

Many lessons were learned in my travels, not to mention – when traveling in mainland China, you really should know a little of the language and culture!! More on that another time.

I also think it’s important not to let a client buy a product after only seeing it in an email or on a website.  I feel that it is paramount that you “touch and feel” the products that adorn your company’s branding.  Therefore, I provide samples and after five years of being a home based entrepreneur, I am thrilled that I now have an office and showroom in Newmarket, Ontario that you are welcome to visit.  It’s a big step for an entrepreneur to take but I take it with enormous pride and confidence. I invite you to stop by and say hello! You’ll find our location by clicking here.

In the meantime, I’d love your feedback.  What have your experiences been in dealing with promotional items? Here on this blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is a great opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog, when you leave a comment.

Until next time,

Cheryl

There are many great reasons to use promotional products in your business.  They are being positioned more and more, not as a pure product, but as part of the company’s promotional and communications mix.

High speed information gives audiences a choice about whether they wish to be exposed to mass advertising. Promotional Products advertising has proven to be much more effective in its unobtrusive, targeted, personalized approach.

Here are 9 great reasons why you should consider using promotional products in your business:

1. Promote the goodwill and image of your company.

2. Reinforce marketing of existing products, services, facilities.

3. Generate sales leads.

4. Promote trade show traffic – ensure the visitor will remember you when they leave your booth!

5. Introduce new products, services, facilities.

6. Recognize employee performance.

7. Stimulate employee sales performance.

8. Stimulate employee productivity.

9. Gifts to thank your clients for doing business with your company.

Due to its useful nature, high quality promotional products tend to be kept and used, leading to voluntary repeated exposure, recognition and retention of the advertiser’s name and/or message.  And, they are most effective when the target audience is specifically identified. Items can then be selected to appeal to that audience, creating a positive response and eliminating waste distribution.

But how do you go about choosing from the tens of thousands of items out there in the marketplace today?  As a professional promotional product distributor, my job is to find the best possible product for you and your business and reduce the amount of time you have to spend researching these items. Just ask me how!

I’d love your feedback. What kinds of promotional items have you used to brand and market your business? Here on this blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is a wonderful opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog when you leave a comment.

Until next time,

Cheryl