Creative Orange Blog

As every business owner will know, the rate of VAT has been increased from 17.5% to 20%. As part of our ‘New Year, New You’ promotion, we are offering a 20% discount on new creative projects during January and February 2011. In order to claim this limited time discount, visit http://www.creativeorange.co.uk/voucher2011.pdf and download your voucher.

The VAT increase has been introduced in hopes that the treasury will bring in an additional 13 billion pounds in tax to go towards the government deficit. However, many believe that this will have a big impact on small to medium enterprises, in particular new startups that aren’t VAT registered and that pay out for stock or services. Hopefully both our existing clients and new clients will take advantage of this offer and save some extra cash at the start of the year!

Ok, so it’s an overused cliché but its nevertheless true! Customers take seconds to judge how professional your organisation is by the way your marketing and communications materials look. Unfortunately you may not necessarily be perceived as well as you think you are.

Portraying a professional image isn’t difficult. Investing in bespoke, quality design adds pounds to your bottom line. According to the Design Council, two thirds of companies who don’t invest in design have to compete mainly on price. Where does that leave you if your competitors decide to cut their prices? Making little or no profit… or worse… going out of business. Horrible places to be.

If potential customers take one look at your marketing and think ‘no thanks’, you’ve lost them at the first hurdle.

You don’t often get a second chance to change their opinion – or if you do, it takes a lot more effort than if you make a great impression first time round.

If you don’t take care over the way your marketing looks, potential customers will wonder how much care you take over your work.

The start of a new year (and indeed a new decade) is a good time to detox (not only yourself) but also your brand. If you feel that your brand isn’t working as hard as it should be then give us a call and we can arrange for a free and honest appraisal of your existing identity and suggest how we can help you achieve your full marketing potential.

Don’t let your image betray you!

Many people today invest in good design for the same reason: They want their company or product to be identifiable, credible and manageable to their employees, customers, competitors and peers.

Good design has become a real differentiator. Thanks to a myriad of factors (price, technology and lower manufacturing costs), we’re living in a more commoditized marketplace making aesthetic appeal, “the look and feel,” an even more important means of differentiation. So much so that companies are now taking aesthetics to a whole new level. Consider how companies like Apple or Sony have successfully merchandised design to the masses.

Here’s how good design can impact your brand and your business:

Good design helps shape experience. Aesthetic appeal is an integral part of a customer’s experience of a company or product and plays a key role in building brand image. The “quality” of experience that your audience has with your company is the most influencing factor in shaping their attitude towards it.

Good design helps establish trust. Professional design helps to establish a company as trustworthy. According to a 2008 report by Nielson/NetRatings, 77% of respondents reported they were more likely to make a purchase from an unfamiliar business with a “quality” brand when compared to a poor looking brand. Consumers are often wary of businesses that “look” unprofessional.

Good design stands out from the competition. Pick up any magazine and thumb through it. You’ll find that bad looking brands far outweigh the good. Or drive down the street and look at all the signs. If your business invests in quality design, you will stand out from your competitors. As business management guru, Tom Peters once said, “In a world loaded with stuff that looks like all the other stuff and performs like all the other stuff, design is a way to stand out.”

Good design helps improve stickiness. It costs far more to get a customer than to keep one. Good design affects loyalty, trial and word-of-mouth. When your customers become your sales people, you get far more sales than you would without their recommendations.

Make good design a true differentiator and you’ll be rewarded with the advantage over your competitors.

If you would like to gain the competitive edge and discuss how quality design can have a positive effect on your business, contact Perth based Creative Orange for a FREE consultation on 0845 388 9169 or email: info@creativeorange.co.uk

Q: Why is it important?
Q: Does it matter what it looks like?
Q: Is your brand professional?

These are good questions to ask when considering getting a logo design or looking to rebrand your business.

The truth is, a logo speaks volumes about your company, straight away it tells your “future clients” if you are reliable and instills trust in them. Although offering a good service or quality product is highly important, how you initially present yourself is what will win you their trust and in the end win them as a client. As I have already mentioned, how good your service or product is will decide if you are successful long term, but the initial image of your company says many things to potential clients / customers:

1. Are these guys professional?
2. Do they seem to care about their business (which in turns means do you care about your clients)?
3. Does their business seem to be one I can trust?

A good logo design is highly instrumental in establishing a business brand and creating a long lasting impression among its customers. It should be able to create a powerful impact on the viewers and successfully exude the nature and attitude of a business. Ideally, a company logo design should be able to communicate your company ethos, principles, mission and the nature of product or service offered.

A professional logo design will establish a professional image of your company and strengthen your brand. Actually, in most cases the consumer gets the first impression about your company through your logo. Your logo should build a brand that is strong enough to give your consumer a visual imagery of your company. People should be able to identify your company on sight of your logo.

A professional image can be as simple as a text logo with a different colour letter in it to give it a unique twist, or a logo with a complex symbol to represent the company ideals and it’s philosophy. Making it unique and professional is what is important, a poor quality logo can be negative to the image of your company and may do more damage to your business than you might care to think!

Above all else, remember one thing – First impressions last!

If you would like to discuss how good design can have a positive effect on your business, then please contact Creative Orange to arrange a FREE design consultation.