What's in a name? (or a logo / insignia, for that matter)

(image copyright - logodesignworks.com)

This week I am blogging about branding and its importance in marketing...

I was astonished to note, through a survey conducted with a group of SMEs, that branding took a tumble in the percentages, where marketing remained in the 90%+ mark. A strong brand and identity is key to marketing... it is your business's calling card, its customers' memory-jogger, and part of the attraction-mechanism for prospective customers.

Think of a brand you recognise best by its logo or emblem; for me, some great examples are in the photo above. Each one of these businesses (or corporations!) are so synonomous with their branding that they often do not even need to use their name in advertising or other campaigns.
Obviously, their ability to do this is hugely contributed to by their length of time in business, but still, they did all start, like many of us do, with just an idea.

A truly successful brand is one which knows its customer and and its service or product, and ensures at every opportunity that this is carried through every point of contact with the public. A brand is assimilated and remembered by current customers, prospective customers and competitors. It's not just your logo or image - it's the sum of assumptions, perceptions, experiences and stories. Some of your brand is within your control, some isn't...

Remember one thing: a strong brand is invaluable as it is what places you in the mind of your customer, try to get it as close to perfect at the beginning and spend time on researching and developing it... a strong brand is also one which doesn't appear to change constantly!

What's it all about? Marketing, that is...

(copyright: intersectionconsulting.com)

I thought this little diagram, care of intersectionconsulting.com hit the nail on the head!

'It's the stuff you do to convince people to buy your stuff' (Financial Post -http://tinyurl.com/smallbizmkting). Yip, that sounds about right, I hear you say... however, there is just a little more to it than that (ahem).

As the cycle above shows, there is a generous dollop of fear and 'whoops' involved, especially where a lack of insight has come into play.

I know only too well how excited your average business-person feels when their 'baby' (also known as business idea) is unleashed on the public... the perception being 'I think it's brilliant, so everyone else will'. Unfortunately this is where 'whoops' becomes that well-known downer of 'despondency'.

I may be sharing in this blog, but I ain't going to tell you everything! Let's just say, the old adage: 'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail' has a lot to do with it.

We've only just begun...

(image copyright - musicnotes.com)

Welcome to the irishbusinessintelligence.com blog... this is our first entry (of many, we hope)!

Our business is in helping small-medium businesses hone their identity and marketing / communications so that they reach all their potential customers instead of just existing and hoping for a positive outcome.

Our blog will be focused on items of interest for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as specific posts on marketing, communication and all-things online... so stay tuned!

A little help from online friends...

A special 'thanks' to all the users of irishbusinesswomen.com who have been so helpful in answering my recent online ravings!

With their help, I have been able to collate and analyse a survey completely dedicated to my new business idea. If you are not a member, please join, I promise you won't regret it!

Business Plans = FUN

Not strictly true, I'm afraid...

As a seasoned procrastinator, I have found myself ignoring this end of the bargain in an almost determined way! Sadly, if either a) I want the business to succeed or b) I want anyone to take it seriously (and in this regard, give me money!) then I need to have one.

Admittedly, the part I am grappling with most, is the projections... so I am approaching it with the view that I will most probably be laughed at when I present it, so therefore I may as well make it as cosmic in its over-arching aim as possible!

Will keep you all posted :)

Good Vibrations!

Now on to week two...

The nerves are abating somewhat although now I am wondering why?

I have to say that the influx of support in email, phone-calls and general conversation has been really heartening. If it's any indication of whether this was the right thing for me to do... well, I'm guessing that yes, it was.

At this point, I've had two associates express an interest in using my business so that is also very positive. I'll also be collecting the results of a survey I put together earlier this week tomorrow - that should give me more insight into how to market the service... by the way, for anyone checking this blog out, my website is http://www.irishbusinessintelligence.com/.

Now it's on to the part I have been dreading... business plan time!

One week on: Nerves!

I report to you from my home-office (again, AKA kitchen table)... nerves are progressively becoming more fried with the "what if" scenarios I have reeling around in my head. However, I am comforted by the notion that (I believe) every other human being in the same position feels this way too...

So far I have been bashing away at my website and at times, also bashing my head off the table. Ah, I hear you say, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. I now HATE that maxim!