http://delineate.co.nz Building your business through effective branding Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:25:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The 'big guys' have them - 2 inches high sometimes, bound and sent whenever their logo is sent for a new advertising medium. I'm talking about brand manuals. For anyone who has worked for a large company, you'll no doubt be familiar with these bibles of dos and do nots. ... http://delineate.co.nz/why-brand-manuals-should-be-mandatory-for-small-businesss/ Often we're asked what the difference is between branding, marketing, advertising and PR. Firstly, the key point about branding is focus. A focused business is a focused brand. Essentially if you say what you do, then do what you say, you'll have the best chance of building a valuable brand. That's it, ... http://delineate.co.nz/branding-vs-advertising-vs-marketing/ Building trust with your customers is about a lot of small things. It's not about designing a great looking logo, a fancy business card and a super website, though these 'touch points' do create an impression, but it's about creating a consistent experience from the first time someone hears about ... http://delineate.co.nz/no-magic-wand-lucky-for-you/ Here's an interesting thought for anyone who's ever tried to lose weight - and failed. When we make a decision to lose a few pounds, what do we do? Hire a trainer, join a gym, sign up to a weight loss program? Our judgment is so clouded by the pain our ... http://delineate.co.nz/trimming-the-waistline-or-trimming-the-wallet/ I'll tell you who says - the graphic design industry! I've seen dozens of designers websites who's opening line is 'branding is not just a logo'. OK, they are right, but the part that gets me is that they offer logo design services, and the whole package, how to use your ... http://delineate.co.nz/who-says-a-brand-is-not-just-a-logo/ Nokia has released it's 'answer' to the iPhone I read today. Blackberry already released theirs. They look like an iPhone, they act like an iPhone with it's touch screen capabilities, they're also priced like an iPhone. But they're not an iPhone. So why would I not just buy an iPhone? Nokia ... http://delineate.co.nz/are-you-a-me-too-as-well/ Pardon my blatently slanted title for this blog, but this one comes from the heart. I've just been reviewing with my peers a rationalle for the latest logo for a large, multi-national corporation. This presentation seems to epitimise the approach for many large design agencies. "We'll design a new logo (sorry, ... http://delineate.co.nz/free-porche-with-every-logo/ The current market is proof that there are cycles of highs and lows in business. The key to a successful business is ensuring the lows do not go as deep, and the highs last as long as possible. As part of this business sustainability, you need a marketing plan to ... http://delineate.co.nz/future-proof-your-business-from-sales-slumps/