Mission First. Brand Second.

Mission first. Brand second. 

By Yetta Blair


Recently I was asked by a young organization to help them with their marketing materials and branding. After meeting with them and reviewing their current materials, they were surprised, when I told them the first step to building their organization’s brand was to fine-tune their mission statement. They had a good start on a mission statement but it still read more like goals to reach a mission, instead of a mission statement itself. It had no passion. It had no direction. It had no soul. It gave no real clue as to the organizations brand.

Your mission statement is the soul of your brand and it should drive everything else your business does. It is your “why”. It is the very reason your organization does what it does. It provides your company direction. It helps you stay focused and clear. It is a reminder to each member of your organization of where you are going, what you are doing and why you are doing it. It keeps you moving in the right direction and it can take your business to the next level.

Up until now, you may not have considered your mission statement to be all that important or relevant to your business brand. But, your mission is your core purpose and it defines your brand. Once your mission statement defines your brand, taking steps to build on that brand and establishing a significant and differentiated presence in the market, should fall easily into place. A highly skilled design company can then easily assist in creating marketing materials, logo designs, website updates and more that reflect your brand. But, first things first.

Here are some tips on how to develop your mission statement

• Start by asking yourself questions such as:

What do we do? 

Who are our customers or the people we aim to help?

What’s our role?

Why did we organize this business? What is our long term and short term plans?

What image do we want to convey? What is our style, culture?

• When writing your mission statement make sure to:

Write it with a goal that’s an action, not a sentiment.

Make it quantifiable.

Use vibrant exciting words but match your company’s personality.

Create dynamic visual images and inspire action.

Keep it short. Leave out the fluff.

Write it in a way that signals what your business is about.

Be clear about your passion and values for operating your organization.

Revise it when necessary.

Believe in your own statement. If you do not, your customers will pick up on that.

Examples of Mission Statements

Facebooks mission 

“Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.”

Coca‑Cola Company Mission
 

Our mission is:

· To refresh the world - in mind, body and spirit 

· To inspire moments of optimism - through our brands and actions 

· To create value and make a difference everywhere we engage

McDonald’s mission 

“McDonald's brand mission is to be our customers' favorite place and way to eat and drink. Our worldwide operations are aligned around a global strategy called the Plan to Win, which center on an exceptional customer experience – People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion. We are committed to continuously improving our operations and enhancing our customers' experience.”

General Motor’s mission

"G.M. is a multinational corporation engaged in socially responsible operations, worldwide. It is dedicated to provide products and services of such quality that our customers will receive superior value while our employees and business partners will share in our success and our stock-holders will receive a sustained superior return on their investment."

American Red Cross mission

The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Google’s Mission

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

Color Personality Chart

Color Personality Chart|By Amber Hyde 

When working on a design project, whether it be graphic design, website design, or even interior spaces, color is the unifying feature. Color creates an instant subconscious judgment. Every color and every shade creates associations and has a unique personality surrounding it. Created below is a color chart to help you better understand colors and the personalities they associate with. 

For example, take a look at the medical field, they tend to stick with shades of blue, and this is because of its personality of evoking cleanliness and a sense of protection and intelligence! So keep this in mind the next time you are working on a project, and even trying different colors just to see how that affects the overall feel of the work.

Business Networking Do's and Dont's

Business Networking Do's and Dont's

By Sarah Gaither

After attending my fair share of business networking events, I have seen a few people ruin great opportunities. They either didn't know or didn't care about some general social networking etiquette. Thus, I have compiled a general list of business Networking do's and dont's to share.

DO pass out your business card. You never know when someone is going to need your services or vice versa. 

DO follow up by adding that person on the appropriate networking site. This allows you to stay in front of them. For example, I add everyone who has given me a business card from a networking event to my Linkedin Profile; its a professional business networking website. 

DON'T add someone that you met at a business event, to your personal social media platform like Facebook or Twitter. Unless you two have become good friends; or have mutual friends; the CEO you met at last weeks luncheon doesn't need to know that you are out on a girls night! 

DON'T assume because someone of the opposite sex gives you their business card that they are inviting you to contact them at work for personal reasons. I promise you guys, if she wants you to call her, she will make up a reason to give you her personal, line or cell phone number! Girls, the same goes for you, he is going to love explaining to his boss that the girl on the other line isn't potential business. 

DON'T treat networking events like a night out.  A lot of networking events are at a bar or involve alcohol. Even if you are nervous I would enforce a strict one or two drink maximum, depending on your tolerance. And as much as we all love the song, shots are not appropriate either. 

DO have a little fun and enjoy yourself. You are there for business, but your not pitching your product. You are trying to establish a relationship with someone new. 

DON'T be on your phone, it makes you look bored and un-interested in talking. 

DO, go mingle!!

There are numerous ways to network your business. Business networking events are just one of the more traditional ways to do so. If you need high quality business cards for your next business networking event, or want to create a leave behind/mailer to re-connect with your new business contacts let us know!  Ink Publishing and Design's design team specializes in creating one of a kind pieces to help each client of ours stand out in the crowd. 

We also encourage you to share your Businesse Networking Do's and Dont's!

July Calendar: Desktop Wallpaper

Every month we want to share with you a free desktop wallpaper featuring that months calendar and unique art. Besides the month being displayed and the calendar, the backgrounds will have minimal images/design, and will be blurred allowing you to have a clean and organized desktop screen! 

Click on the link below to download July's wallpaper! Enjoy!

July 2014 Calendar Wallpaper

Web Design Sticker Shock: Adobe Muse is the Answer

Web design sticker shock: Adobe Muse is the answer 

By Yetta Blair 

You know your business website needs to be updated.  It looks like something built during the 70’s.  Photos, design and colors are all outdated.  You have added new services and products that aren’t represented on your website and staff members who have moved on are still listed as active employees.  But, after contacting a few web design firms you are stuck in sticker shock.  You want your updated site to be professionally designed, creative, cool and fresh, but do not want to spend an arm and a leg doing it. There is a solution.

Find a design firm that offers web sites developed with Adobe Muse.  

Adobe Muse is a very good option for small businesses, medical groups, churches, non-profits, musicians and more, yet few Louisville design firms are offering this option to their clients. 

Adobe Muse is a graphic designer’s web tool.   It is focused on allowing graphic designers to create websites without having to write any code. This saves time and money without sacrificing creativity, and sites being developed with Muse are fresh and unique looking. 

Many small businesses have past experiences with tools that make Web design simple enough for those who aren’t developers. Disgotech and GoDaddy are two that come to mind. These products put Web design in the hands of the masses, but it has quickly become easy to identify a site that is developed using one of these services and by someone without graphic design skills.  One thing about Adobe Muse that stands out to me is that sites designed with Muse are not immediately obvious. 

I do believe there is a time and place for everything and Adobe Muse is not the best option for all website developments.  Some websites may require a developer to use HTML/CSS.  I get that.  The parameters of the project support this type of development. But, there are some projects where the requirements can be met or exceeded using Muse and at a cost savings to the client.  I see that as just smart business.

Muse is the new cool kid on the block and if you are looking for a professionally designed, high quality website at a reasonable price, consider talking to a firm that offers sites designed in Muse.

Communicating Why You Are Different Can Build Your Business

Communicating Why You Are Different Can Build Your Business

By: Yetta Blair

The most powerful marketing strategy is not social media, direct mail, television, or publicity.  It is instead, uncovering and then communicating what makes your business different from every other business that says they do what you do.

If you want to build your business and increase sales, a good place to start is answering these two basic questions; why should customers choose your business over the competitor and have you adequately communicated what makes you different to your customers?

Why should a customer choose your business over your competitor?

When trying to figure out why a customer should choose you over the other guy, start by looking for ways to claim a unique point of difference over your competition. Some clues to uncovering your difference could be looking at your best clients and figuring out what elements exist with them.  You could even ask them why they chose to work with you, why they stay with you and why they refer you.  You can also consider asking yourself the following questions: 

Product/Service:  Do you offer a product or service that is unique and trendy that only your business is associated with that offering? 

Market or Niche:  Have you carved out an industry and become the dominant player in that industry? 

Customer Service:  Do you offer unmatched customer service?  Do you go above and beyond a customer’s expectations? 

Guarantee: Do you offer a guarantee so strong that no one else in your industry is willing to match it? 

Pricing: Do you offer better value in pricing? People who buy professional services want a professional so providing professional services at a fair price that is value driven (not necessarily the cheapest), is a good way differentiate yourself from the competition.

Do your customers know why they should choose your company?

Once you have figured out what differentiates your business from the other guy, all your advertising and promotional materials should be centered around communicating that difference.  You can’t expect your customer to seek out and know the difference.  You need to tell them. And keep telling them. Over and over again, you should tell them. Here are a few ideas to consider when getting your message out:

Create an infographic.  Since 90% of buying decisions are influenced by visual factors, don’t forget to promote your message with visuals that grab your customer’s attention.  An infographic can be a fun way to do this. 

Include it on your website.  Sounds simple, but you don’t want to forget this option even if it means an update to your site. 

Social Media Engagement.  Create a dialogue with customers about what makes you unique using your social media platforms.  

"70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads." 

Content Marketing. Content Marketing is a compelling way for a business to get what is unique about them in front of their customers.  With content marketing you can engage readers with relevant articles that educate and at the same time, entertain and deliver value.  You can create a company magazine to engage in content marketing along with a blog.  Both complement each other perfectly and by offering content in both print and digital formats, your message can reach your customers wherever they are.   

What The New Twitter Profile Has to Offer

Visuals have become increasingly important in social media and now Twitter, an information and text-heavy platform, has updated its look to one that focuses on a more visual user experience.  Here are some of the top features of the new Twitter profile update, including the proper dimensions to use. 

This update is now available to all users on Twitter. Updating your profile will give you a more professional look and show that you are active and up to date on social media. Click HERE to get it.