The first impression is the lasting impression. Make it count!
The identity of a business or organisation is the way the world will judge the ability of that business to deliver what it is offering. It has a direct impact of how a customer will recognise, understand and become confident in the quality of a service or product.
The fundamental mistake that some small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make, is to underestimate the crucial importance of their presentation to their market. Often, business owners are so close to the day to day running of their business, that they are unable to step back and view their organisation from the viewpoint of the very people they are trying to reach...their customers. You may have the best product and service of any competitor in the market, but if you present your image to that market shoddily and unprofessionally, then your competitors will get the call.
The identity of an organisation is complex, encompassing its logo, stationery, advertising, marketing literature, signage, customer information, vehicles, website and every aspect of promotional activity from a high-profile advertising campaign to the design of a promotional pen.
It begins at the roots of a business — its name and logo. The logo is the hardest working part of your business's identity. It needs to project everything it can to your customer cleanly, effectively and attractively.
The example above illustrates how a well designed, thoughtful logo can speak a thousand words in one image.
The fonts and colours are a mixture of authorititive and cheerful, symbolising trust and optimism at the same time. The icon wraps around the stylised 'i' to indicate security, whilst the upward arrow suggests growth and the orange dot atop of the 'i' represents the goal. An aspirational strap line alludes to common aims of the customer and the service provider.
Insight were able to implement this identity and the colours associated with it, across every item they produced, including the interior design of their offices. Their customers were able to identify with the branding — building confidence and loyalty to the organisation.
Never, never, never compromise the enormous effort you have put into your business by neglecting your corporate identity. It represents the value of your service or product. When Nestlé bought up Rowntree, they paid zero for the trading business, but $800 million for the brand names and image. That is real brand value.
When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there. Cecil Selig
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