Frame Rate

When a company looks at their existing marketing materials (logo, brochures, website, videos, etc.) they might wonder why they should invest the time and money to re-brand their image. After all, the existing brand has worked for several years now. Here are some things to consider regarding the need for an updated brand:

1.       Re-branding is a part of a company’s life cycle.Usually, existing marketing materials, logos, etc. are good for 5-10 years. After that time period, businesses evaluate existing materials and will re-brand…

·           to reflect current design themes

·           to embrace current marketing strategies

·           to announce the transition into a new phase of their company

·           to communicate the company’s vision for its future

 

Think of how quickly our world is advancing, especially in the technological realm. A computer you purchase today will be obsolete within the year. A corporate video produced with today’s technology will look a lot different from one produced in 1995. And so it’s important for businesses to assess their brand and its effectiveness every 5-10 years in an effort to remain competitive and current.

 

2.       Re-branding tells your audience that you are committed. A business that takes the time to update its marketing materials is a business committed to the long haul. You want your clients and potential clients to feel safe and secure, knowing that you will be around for years to come. When the public sees that a company has taken the time and invested the money to re-brand, they understand that this is a company that is looking to the future and plans to increase its strength and position in the marketplace.

 

3.       Re-branding is about looking your best. A company’s credibility among audiences depends on the image they put forth for public consumption. Presentation is everything.

a.       When a candidate walks in for a job interview, the way he/she looks is important.

b.       When your employees show up for work, how they present themselves is important.

c.       When company representatives go out for sales or service calls, the way they look and act is important.

d.       When customers, clients, or potential clients come into your office building, how it looks is important.

Everything reflects back onto your business, either positively or negatively. It’s easy to overlook the current status of your brand with other daily tasks filling your calendar, but it’s important to take the time to review that brand on an annual basis. Updating that brand communicates two things…

·        Your company is growing, and

·        You are concerned for its reputation.

 

An updated brand can positively affect public perception about your company encourage them to do business with you.

I was listening to a recent episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast and heard an interview with the marketing director of E-Lance. It sounded interesting, so I went over to the site today to check it out. Here’s how E-Lance works, according to their website:

Elance is an online workplace where businesses connect with qualified professionals to get work done.

With the largest network of certified technology and creative talent, Elance helps businesses succeed by connecting them with the people they need to get work done. Elance facilitates the entire work process from hiring to collaboration to payment.

Businesses use Elance to get work done by qualified professionals whenever they need it. Service providers use Elance to meet customers and get paid for doing what they do best.

To be more specific, E-Lance is a place where freelancers can go, create a profile, upload references, skill sets, portfolio pieces, etc. and network with businesses who are interested in hiring freelancers to complete certain jobs. Let’s say Company X needs some graphic design work done and they’re looking for someone with a specific style or a specific set of skills. They can head over to E-lance, peruse the directory of available freelancers, and hire one for the job. It’s a way for companies to keep overhead costs by employing someone only when they need them. And it’s a great place for freelancers to find work. I just created my profile today, so I’ll have to wait and see if it pays off. There are a number of different categories in which you can create your profile. It might be worth investigating. Every little bit of exposure for you and your business can pay off.

More and more people, businesses, organizations, etc. are using Twitter to communicate with the world. Using a maximum of 140 characters, users answer one simple question, “What are you doing right now?” It’s another form of social networking, but many are now using it in their own marketing efforts. I currently have a Twitter account, and although I’m fairly new to the Twitter-verse, I’m hoping that it can be another way of getting my company’s name out to the public.

Type in “Using Twitter for Marketing and PR” in your search engine and you will find a number of web pages giving out advice on how to use Twitter to market your business. Of course you will also find a number of people who feel that Twitter should be used as a social outlet only, not a selling platform. Just look at the advice from the site HowToUseTwitterForMarketingAndPR.com

Regardless of where you fall in the debate, it’s obvious that some business owners have seen tangible results from utilizing Twitter. A coffee shop owner in Houston, Texas credits Twitter with doubling his clientele. News outlets use Twitter for keeping the public up to speed on the latest headlines. Job sites around the world are now using Twitter to help people find the job they’re looking for.

The bottom line is that social networking is still in its infancy and there are no hard and fast rules for what you can and cannot do with a utility like Twitter. However, social etiquette that we use everyday in our face-to-face conversations should certainly carry over to a portal like Twitter, if you hope to gain a following and expand your network. Consider these Twitter Do’s and Don’ts.

The panelists of Freelance Radio frequently discuss social networking sites on their podcast, and they have some great insights into what you should and shouldn’t do with these tools. Bottom line is that if you want to be listened to, you have to contribute something to the conversation. Don’t simply set up a blog, Twitter account, Facebook page, etc. and sit back and wonder why you have no readers. Get out there and write comments on other blogs. Contribute. Become a part of the conversation.

I just recently jumped on the Twitter bandwagon in a continued self-marketing effort. You can follow Parc Entertainment on Twitter by clicking here. As businesses start to slow down for the holidays, it’s a perfect time to examine your own identity and marketing efforts. So, I’m staying busy writing blogs, uploading reel samples, and increasing my web presence. I’m also looking into self-distributing one of my short films for through Create Space. It’s always easy to get discouraged during slower months, but there are still plenty of ways to keep busy and generate income. Take a look at the Freelance Switch blog and their recommendations for staying busy in the midst of a downturn.

And my apologies for the look of the blog. My new website should be up and running soon. After which, this blog will be located on the new site. Stay tuned.

Discouragement and anxiety prevail during a slow economy. News headlines proclaim that companies are making additional cutbacks. Hundreds, if not thousands of employees have been laid off. It’s during these tough economic times that your company’s brand and your marketing strategy become increasingly important.

When the economy is bad, one of the first things on the chopping block is marketing. Pulling back marketing efforts, however, only encourages competitors to step up and fill the void that you left behind. Consider a recent article in the Birmingham Business Journal by Lydia Wilbanks, of Wilbanks-Elam Marketing & Public Relations (unfortunately you have to be a paid subscriber to see the full article, but you will at least get her point). She encourages readers to think of their company long-term. Decreasing marketing efforts is a quick fix, but may prove to have lasting effects once the market turns around.

Or consider Staples, who recently has used news of Office Depot closings to ramp up their marketing campaign. Staples blitzed the market with emails re-printing a Dec. 10th article from Boca Raton, FL in which the reporter states that in 2009 Office Depot will close 112 North American stores. Above the article is the headline, “You can always count on Staples.” This is a great example of how one business is filling the gap left by a competitor, who is seen as unstable and temporary.

Remember that your company’s brand is much more than what’s on the letterhead or the brochures. Your brand helps your company establish and develop relationships. It communicates core company values. It encompasses your mission statement and reflects the vision you have for the future of your business. Now is the perfect time to invest in your marketing efforts because, chances are, your competition isn’t.