If you own your own business, or indeed if you work for a business; what do you think is the most valuable asset of that business? Most people would say the staff are the most valuable asset. Wrong. That is an over-sentimental untruth. The uneducated would say that their stock is their most valuable asset. Wrong. Perhaps in tangible terms… if you are a gold trader your stock is worth the most dollars; but it is still not your most valuable asset. One more guess? No? Ok I’ll tell you.
By far and away any company’s most valuable asset is their brand. No matter what. If people don’t believe in your brand or buy into your brand, they won’t buy your products. Your brand tells your customers your story – it tells them if you are going to succeed or not. It reassures them. Physical embodiments of your brand – branded stationary, folders, clipboards, credit card holders, carry intrinsic tangible value and create an image in your customer’s mind of a powerful, successful brand. It gives them the reassurance to invest in your products.
Let’s look at from another point of view – you staff’s. If they are carrying such objects they too will have more belief in the brand, they will also feel ownership of, and pride in that brand. A small item like a branded tax disc holder or a credit card holder will have a measurable impact in their sense of ownership of your brand.
I view all of these small branded objects as snowflakes, you can gather them together to create a snowball, and when people constantly see them and notice them the snowball becomes an avalanche.
Start your avalanche today by giving us a call to discuss your business branding.
In this post I want to take a look at the difference that a little bit of branded stationary can make.
Think about your company’s stationary for a second. What sort of a message does it send? Is it all mismatched? Colour coded? What about all your files and folders? Do they have neat labels? Where’s your logo? These are important questions to raise.
Let’s imagine for a second that your home computer has broken down, you want to have it repaired locally and you are aware that there are two local guys who have set up their own computer repair shops, they can both do the job and they will charge the same fee. They both come round to your house to give you a free quote.
Wizz kid number one rings the bell and when you answer your door your first impression is NERD – he is wearing faded jeans, a denim jacket, his hair has not been brushed, nor his spectacles cleaned. He is carrying a scruffy ring binder with paper falling out of the sides. He does the job and gives you a quote; you escort him to the door and watch him drive away in his Robin Reliant.
Wizz kid number two comes along (by now you are not expecting much) and you are pleasantly surprised. The first thing you notice is that he has a tax disc holder with his company’s logo – impressive. Alas when he gets out of his car and you see his denim jacket and faded denim jeans you think NERD. But then you notice that he is carrying a folder with his company’s logo embossed and later you see that he also has a pen featuring the same logo and his quote is taken from a clipboard, which, again, features his logo. So now instead of (or as well as) thinking NERD, you start thinking, professional nerd.
A little bit goes a long way in marketing. You will of course choose Wizz Kid number two; even if his price was a little higher, you would still choose him. His image was of someone who has pride in his company and looks professional. All companies should exude this pride in themselves – it’s great for business.
Promotional Products
How many times have you been handed a pen with the name of a brand or company written down the side? The more thoughtful advertiser will often include the company website, phone number or contact details to accompany the brand name, thus providing unsuspecting individuals with the contact information they need if the brand or product appeals to them. All the person wanted was a pen and yet barely knowing it, they have been subjected to a subtle advertising ploy. Promotional products such as this are a great way to draw attention to a logo without spending a fortune of T.V and Radio advertising campaigns.
Aspiring businesses are always looking for a way to attract new customers, grab the attention of the market and advertise the name of their brand or company. Clever little ways of penetrating the attention of potential customers are much sought after schemes, the value of which cannot be overestimated. For this reason promotional products are an ever popular method for achieving such advertising goals.
When it comes time to do a presentation, you want to make sure you have good quality presentation materials. Always have the best of the best when it comes to representing your company to clients or prospective clients. You never get a second chance to make a good impression and your materials can make the difference between making a great first and lasting impression or not really making any impression at all. Always have good quality folders and presentation products that stand out. They must show quality and class as well as durability. These are attributes you want people to think of when they think of your company.
Remember to personalise your company’s presentation materials as well. Nothing looks more professional than high quality promotional products adorned with your company’s name. It will keep your name in the mind of the user every time they look at that product. When you use high quality long lasting products they will stay around a long time as will the name of your company. You can’t buy that kind of exposure. Little things mean a lot and when you think it out properly things like the folders you use or promotional items you pass out, you will reap regards you seldom even considered.
Folders, binders, tax disc holders, pens…these are all customizable items that could set your company apart from its rivals. Think about your business and your brand. Where would you score your brand awareness in the market? Go on…give yourself a mark out of 10. Now what are you going to do to build on that number?
It has never been more important to harness your brand. With internet sales ever-rising people have more and more choice. They will be able to get your product cheaper. What they won’t get, and what they want is a strong, trustworthy brand, the reassurance that your company is the most professional, the most reliable and the most deserving of their custom. It is not hard to build a brand like that, you just have to start small.
Make no mistake, your brand is your most valuable asset, it has more potential than any product than any member of staff, than any prime location. Successful business people are so because they have chosen to invest in their brand. The few items I have described above are small, inexpensive items to brand, but they go a long, long way in making your brand a success and they pay for themselves over and over again.
