This post is partially in Swedish, and I apologize for that. I’ll translate bits and pieces, but as you know, it’s never the same as the original. Nevertheless, I read a blog post that struck a cord with me – because it was well-written, but also because the issue currently is extremely relevant in my work life.

I’ll steal a picture from this blog post (in Swedish):

Basically this picture, and the blog post is centered around not the identity of a brand, but the level on which the brand identity is attached. Either you have a brand connected to a Product (PR), a Category (KA), a Competence (KO) or an Attitude/Role (AR).

There is a connection between brand extension success and level of brand identity. If you want to do what Virgin does (music, airplanes, coke) you have to find your bottom line in your Attitude, your Role in the market.

I would like to think that many would thrive if they just got out of the Product-focus or even Category belonging and instead zeroed in on their core Competence to see in what other areas that would make them more money, more fame. Of course Coca-Cola as a product is doing pretty good on it’s own, but I don’t think anyone minded when Ikea started to sell food and build their own shopping centers. (Well, possibly some people did mind, but none of them collected the revenue).

A slightly different problem, and perhaps a cause of getting stuck in the Product/Category part of the pyramid is this:

Mycket av att skapa starka varumärken handlar om sånt som en del av oss betraktar som självklarheter – konsumentnytta, tydlighet, konsekvens i alla led, öppenhet o.s.v.Men däremot helst inte om att försöka sammanfatta varumärket i några enkla “värdeord” utan någon som helst koppling till konsekvenser i ändrad attityd och ändrat beteende. Vi behöver modeller och systematik för att kunna förstå och tolka vår omvärld, men behöver samtidigt också inse att enbart några enkla modeller eller värdeord räcker inte för att skapa starka varumärken.

The comment is from this Swedish blog, and I’ll try to translation:

Creating strong brands has a lot to do with stuff that some of us sees as given – consumer benefit, distinctiveness, consequences in all aspects, openness etc. But preferably not to do with trying to summarize the brand in a couple of “brand values words” without any connection to consequences like a change in attitude or a change in behavior. We need models and systems to grasp and interpret our surroundings, but at the same time we need to realize that a couple of simple models or brand values won’t be enough to create those strong brands.

Said and done! Both the post and the comment above are written by Mats Rönne, and the blog post is addressing a “You”, a “You” that made Björn Alberts (author blog post 2, where Mats commented) ask – Who are “You”?

That You are me – and hopefully you (!) – and all the other people that want to care for the brand they work with, and that want to see it succeed. People that see a brand value stating “Innovative” and actually keep that in the back of their head throughout the workday. People that sees the “employee cult” of Ikea and Google as something working in favor of their brand. People that believe in “living the brand” and that would act as brand advocates out of their own will. Hell, even people that understand the business and take responsibility  but know zipp about branding will due

However, “You” are not the people that sit in a seminar, come up with 3 words and then go back to doing business the way they’ve always done them. However those guys NEED You to help them!

The glasses dont drive me crazy, but ten points for the logo and packaging…

We covered one frame from this collection a while back, but here’s a look at some more options from Chronicles of Never Eyewear. “These shades done in collaboration with Graz Mulcahy (another former Ksubi alum and now with his own label Graz eyewear) are offered in a few select colors of two models, each with limited availablity: Corpus Callosum and the Choroid Plexus. We really love the acetate they used, the colors in the tortoise are extremely rich.” (eyestyle)

More looks at the Chronicle of Never Sunglasses after the click.

via Chronicle of Never Sunglasses | Selectism.com.

I have to say i really really enjoy this new look, but i still have a jaded vision of AOL after all those years of give away cd’s and horrible internet interface…

But i do have to say, the video trials with the logo are super cool.  I hope for them this can help change the way they are looked upon.

FRESH.

AOL today previewed its new brand identity for its future as an independent company committed to creating the world’s most simple and stimulating content and online experiences.

The new AOL brand identity is a simple, confident logotype, revealed by ever-changing images. It’s one consistent logo with countless ways to reveal. The new brand identity will be fully unveiled on December 10, when AOL common stock begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

“Our new identity is uniquely dynamic. Our business is focused on creating world-class experiences for consumers and AOL is centered on creative and talented people — employees, partners, and advertisers. We have a clear strategy that we are passionate about and we plan on standing behind the AOL brand as we take the company into the next decade,” said Tim Armstrong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AOL.

via Aol. Generation. Next. – Brand New.

When coming together with the city of Los Angeles to put on the first-ever music event in the city’s history, Music Fan Festival turned to MVC Agency to develop its brand and set the tone for festival’s identity. Starting with the tagline “Uniting te World of Music”, MVC set the tone for what is the most ambitious and inspiring music festivals in the world to date. Music Fan Festival will unite the most influential and popular music artists from around the world through one globally broadcast event.

These days music festivals have to do much more than only call for peace and unity, they also have to set an example and teach. At least that’s the perspective of Music Fan Festival. Music Fan Festival’s mission is to strike a chord with visitors and music lovers from around the world  about preserving the environment, education and equality through every facet of the festival experience. Details to be revealed in early 2010.

Shown here are Music Fan Festival’s logo, tagline and initial corporate presentation which were created and designed by MVC Agency.

The truth is that people like being entertained even when they are at work. If they can choose between reading through a website or watching a 2 minute video when they are researching a subject, they will typically prefer to watch a video. And the statistics prove it.

Recently during one of MVC’s rebranding campaigns for one of our clients we had to take down their old website. While content was being developed for the new website we still needed to have something online that people could get an idea of what the brand was about and that allowed us to start creating a buzz about their new products. We decided on a simple 2 page website that featured a video showcasing the new brand and furniture collection. It paid off big time. Although the average web user typically will not spend more than 5 seconds looking at any given web page, we discovered that users were captivated by the video and would spend on average 2 minutes and 30 seconds watching the video. In fact, that was about the length of the whole video. This means that most people who went to the site after they saw the PR and emails about the new brand actually watched the entire video. Most importantly though is that the results for our client was inspiring. Buyers began to contact them about the new products they saw and were ready to discuss new orders. Here’s a link to that video:

Now, I am not saying that you should immediately take your site down and put up a page with a video. Not by any means. Web video has to be handled on a case by case basis and needs a good strategy and great content to pay off. What I am saying is that it works extremely well in generating results and should be a part of any company’s branding and marketing strategy. In fact, we use it for most of our clients.

Another B2B video created by MVC:

"Lol."

AOL is releasing its ties to Time Warner officially on December 10th of 2009, just before the start of the new 2010 year. This is a bold move, and they declare that their advertising strategies and management of the brand are to be just as strong. Several new logos have been released as the proposed new logo of the company, a far cry from those used in years passed. Their company name has even been altered to conform to mainsteam culture, or at least that’s what I’m proposing this is an attempt at. As can be seen from the picture’s caption, many have already compared it’s decision to lowercase the “o” and “l” of the previously written AOL, to that of “Lol.”, a commonly used abbreviation among instant messengers and texters alike. (Remember: AIM is a deviation of the same company, one of the most used instant messengers, and my messenger of choice).

The Positives: To me, releasing from Time Warner is going to be difficult, and given that the brand, in my opinion, is suffering from lack of integration into today’s socially connected environment, and even from viral marketing, seeing as it’s merger did just that and merged the brand, making it no longer a singuarly used brand name, means that the only way this seperation is going to work for for AOL is by extremely strong marketing and brand identity. Without strong integration and brand identity, and spreading this via the social networking chains, AOL will die alone. This is smart on their part to work to redefine themselves, and basically, essential to their existence.

The Negatives: This is a whole new logo, which is always pass or fail with companies. Brand identity is what defines a brand in the mind of the consumer and places their awareness in the appropriate location. To change is to take a huge step outside of the box and hope to swim and not tie a stone to their foot with a crash to the bottom. Changing something so dramatically involves smooth transition and intense marketing strategies. This can’t be something tossed together overnight, but a well-thought out plan of action. Seeing as this is the first that I’ve heard of the break, and the official date is only days away, I’m truly hoping this isn’t as rash as I have the feeling it might be. It definitely says that to the consumer, and makes one doubt the power behind AOL’s management team.

Noted Problems:

1. As mentioned, this resembles “Lol.” – I hope they plan on being more social network oriented if that’s the approach they were going for. Changing tyography styles or manipulating what was pre-existing is drastic. Sometimes, a change in font type or style is necessary more than just an alteration. Be sure this is truly what you want to say about yourself and that you are prepared to have valid backing for why you chose this for your brand. (Read more about this topic at: http://snippetsection.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/the-font-that-changed-50-years-of-ikea-history/

2. Graphically, I’m not so sure that leaving the first letter capitalized is so wise. It looks a bit off. I would have gone with all lowercase if I kept the same style and font type. This is too similar without a real reason behind it. Any marketer knows that switching your letters around a bit isn’t re-branding. If it doesn’t have some serious validity, you end up causing the opposite effect: a lack of respect for the marketing team.

3. The logos chosen (See more at: http://mashable.com/2009/11/23/aol-logos/) don’t seem to have anything to do with the brand. They remind me of signing into my bank account online and having to pick from the random pictures until I see something I like that I feel fits me, or even a different array of random AIM profile icons. AOL is more than instant messaging, and definitely was defined before, now it looks sporadic and jumbled with no real sense of definition. The bottom 3 are the absolute worse, because they aren’t even true objects to me, just squiggles someone drew out. Did they hire preschoolers to liven up the brand a bit with crayon art? I can’t even tell what half of them are, much less why that should speak AOL to me, of Aol. in this case. Strong brand identity and management of a brand calls for one strong, single, unified symbol that should feel, speak, even sound like that of the brand. When you see it, you should recognize it as AOL’s logo and should understand why you relate it as such. These haven’t even hit photoshop yet… I see halftones and pixels!

I’m really enjoying the packaging for Gelati Sky, whose package design was featured at TheDieline.com. No doubt about it, the packaging features notable icons/images you associate with Italy. It’s a lovely way to reflect the product, don’t you think?

Recently, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud launched todaysdeeds.org. This website encourages people to share stories about the good deeds they have witnessed in their community. These stories are then emailed out to friends and family who in turn are encouraged to participate. Creation In Common developed this strategy as part of a comprehensive branding effort for the organization. Please take a visit, share a story, and pass it on to your friends. www.todaysdeeds.org

Author: Jason Pires
Source: MVC Agency

Situation:

After reviewing several agencies, Armen Art, a furniture design and manufacturing company, chose MVC as its marketing partner. Armen Art realized that MVC understood the severity of its situation and is passionate about helping its partner clients create powerful results in the face of adversity and change. MVC presented Armen Art with a powerful creative vision and an unprecedented strategic approach that would be essential to the company’s future. MVC’s strength in lifestyle marketing, modern visual style and strategic thinking served as the right foundation for the leading brand that Armen Art needed to become.

When Armen Art partnered with MVC it was facing an internal renovation that included a change in leadership at a time when the industry itself was experiencing a generational transition and a waning economy. In its 30 year history the company had not made any changes to its brand and marketing. From a sales perspective the word “Art” in the name Armen Art Furniture had become a misleading roadblock as the art and accessories market had grown into its own distinct and thriving segment of the industry. The old logo, two ribbon style and interlaced “A” letters, didn’t do much more to communicate the company’s values or even offer an idea of the type of products the company sold. To worsen the scenario, the company’s marketing strategy had ignored the web. In essence, the company was in danger of failing if it did not make immediate and drastic changes.

Solution:

MVC realized that Armen Art was in need of a complete reinvention of its brand, which would include a fresh new market position and a marketing strategy that leverages the power of the web.

MVC knew that to reinvigorate the company’s appeal it would need to connect with the lifestyles of modern day consumers even though it does not sell directly to consumers. It would also need to demonstrate to its clients within the industry that Armen Art Furniture understands what consumers want in terms of design, quality and price. With this mentality, MVC would go on to help Armen Living bridge the disconnect between its products and the end consumer as it was perceived in the minds of the buyers. Ultimately this would set the platform for consumer brand awareness that will drive the behavior of industry buyers and create further interest in the Armen Art brand and products.

To start the process of rebranding, the Arment Art company name and identity needed to offer a completely new and fresh impression of the company. Through extensively studying the market, Armen Art’s history and the vibrant new product line introduced by the company’s new leaders, MVC decided that to reposition Armen Art it needed project the company’s values beyond those of just a company that sold furniture.

With the understanding that consumers now look for furniture that can help them enhance their lives and express their unique personalities, MVC substituted the word “Art” for the word “Living” in the company’s name, and kept the “Armen” so as not to lose the company’s core personality, culture and existing brand equity. To compliment the new name “Armen Living (Furniture)”, MVC created the tagline “Furniture for Contemporary Lifestyles” to encompass what the company offers and that can be further qualified by the remaining facets of the company’s branding and advertising.

Having set the initial feel for the company’s brand, MVC would then create a modern logo that directly reflects the form and idea of furniture, and a color palette that exudes the warmth of a joyful life while balanced by an air of self-assured sophistication.

MVC would then bring the marketing to life with the campaign titled “This is Living” which gave context to the company’s new name and that is supported by custom lifestyle photography and images depicting the alluring aspects of a sophisticated contemporary lifestyle.

Through the use of a dynamic web video presentation that introduced the direction of the new brand and the vibrant new collection MVC succeeded in generating immediate buzz as well as new business for Armen Living. The video proved to not only keep viewers tuned in to its entire message, but it was also distributed virally through the internet by furniture enthusiasts and followers of the new brand.

Building on the “This Is Living” campaign, MVC created an elegant catalog designed to compliment and unify the eclectic and diverse nature of Armen Living’s new products. MVC also designed and developed a fresh new company website for Armen Living. The website not only features an optimized SEO framework but also social networking aspects that allow users to share the products and content on Facebook, Twitter and other networking websites.

MVC continues to expand the reach of the new brand through a carefully planned and executed marketing strategy which includes PR and advertising campaigns, email marketing.

After only five months of partnering with MVC, Armen Living experienced the best month in sales that it had in over 2 years. The company is not only steadily growing again, it is also poised to be an industry leader in the coming years. The partnership between Armen Living and MVC Agency has been a true success in terms of brand positioning, marketing strategy and most importantly in terms of financial growth for Armen Living.

To learn more about specific aspects of the new brand:

Logo/Brand Identity:
http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=55&id=102

Video Presentation:
http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=51&id=106

Website:
http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=50&id=105

Catalog:
http://www.mvcagency.com/#/works/?cat=52&id=101

Social Networks icons give flexibility to connect and share websites, news, articles, videos and images with freinds. Bloggers use social network links on there articles pages so that readers can share articles with there friends, so here we have collected some social networking icon sets to spice your webpage with creative social network icons, enjoy !

Click Here to Download 110 Free Social Network Icons.

So Asgood & Better has been cruising along for nearly two years now, providing marketing work that’s as good – and better – than larger-scale agencies without the hefty price tag. This was always our goal, but the friendly, professional brand identity we developed for ourselves and the bright orange ampersand “stamp” of a logo didn’t come about overnight. The process took awhile, and we thought it would be fun to look back at (and share with you) a small slice of it here.

We’ve love the name of our business, and many others have told us they do too. It was intended to be a cheeky antidote to agencies whose name is simply a mashup of their partners’ names. At the beginning, we took that concept quite literally, creating characters called “Asgood” and “Better.” This seemed to call for a “retro” logo style, so that’s where we began.

That led to a “geekier” brand identity (and a redesign of the logo using glasses as the central element), which then gave way to the more toned-down, professional look that you see today. We scrapped the cheeky, “fictional character” approach, and chose a more subtle, friendly one. The logo we created was akin to what you’d see at a high-powered agency, but we used a bright orange color palate and a few twists on the letters to suggest our underlying playfulness.

Below is an initial creative exercise we wrote back then. We hope it amuses you – and please remember this: nothing worth doing comes about quickly or easily. If you need a strong brand identity developed for your organization, we hope you’ll give us a ring, and allow us to help create  an identity you love as much as we love ours.

Enjoy!

In 1967, Clarence Asgood and his partner Roy Better started a marketing operation in the back room of a little print shop in Raleigh, North Carolina. Before long, the business was known its excellent work for such clients as Gee Whiz Reusable Gumballs, Justin Case Insurance Co., and the Ford Edsel.

Asgood was satisfied, but Better was already thinking outside the box – literally.

“Clarence,” he said, “we need fewer walls around here.”

And with that, the story goes, he brought in his own personal pick-axe and began demolishing partitions between employees’ desks, bringing down office walls, and opening things up a bit.

“Not good enough,” he mused. “We’re still trapped in here. We need to be free.”

To Asgood’s surprise, Roy Better demolished the outer walls of the building and exclaimed, “Go! Create in the real world!” as employees of A&B gathered their belongings and scattered into the parking lot.

These days, A&B prides itself on offering the services of an experienced marketing team without the overhead associated with four walls and a roof. So get in touch, and see what freedom from boundaries can do for you.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

In my last post we explored the concept of a cornerstone and why it is so important to decision-making.  I left you to ponder the question – “Can you have more than one cornerstone?”  The short answer is no.  Or should I say,  you can but you will be defeating the underlying purpose of a cornerstone.

Wikipedia says the cornerstone is “…important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure”.  So if there is more than one – which one determines the position of the entire structure?  Which one will guide decisions about company strategy, pricing, product offering, pricing etc etc.

Let’s take MAYTAG as an example.  Their cornerstone is dependability. And they do a very good job of staying true to that one central concept. Everything from product development, to pricing, marketing and even manufacturing are all driven from the concept of dependability.   Now consider the implications if they had two cornerstones - dependability and  bargain. Which cornerstone is used to make decisions?  Can you have a credible message that highlights both of these concepts?

The key is that you own one cornerstone in your customers’ mind.  Keep it simple, credible and stay true to it.  One well constructed cornerstone is worth far more than multiple competing cornerstones.  Strong brands are well-known for one overarching characteristic whether it be dependability, safety, excellence, or innovation.

I recently read a blog entitled “Riding High Through the Recession – What Jam Bands Can Teach the Brands“.  The blog, by Rob Rush, really drives home the cornerstone point  as it relates to customer experience.  In the blog he highlights how hotel chains and other brands can learn from “jam bands” who stay true to their value proposition.  In his blog he says  ”…these jam bands can teach other companies and brands struggling to make ends meet a thing or two about successful branding. Keep your value proposition simple and remain true to it.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

So – back to the original question:  ”Can you have more than one cornerstone?”

My response:   At your own risk.

How Vietnam Airline’s identity denotes a shift in the way national airlines are branded.

Time to focus away from brand strategy in its entirety now and a bit more on graphic identity for this post. A great interest of mine is the word of commercial aviation and naturally the branding of airlines, an industry that never fails to intrigue and inspire me.

Vietnam Airlines may not be heralded in everyone’s mind as a noteworthy brand identity, but that I hope is the point of this blog, to sometimes bring the unexpected. National or flag carrying airlines are far too often constrained by the need for the brand to showcase national identity. Not that this is an immediate problem, but more often than not in the years before the 2000’s this perhaps was taken too literally- with the varying colours and motifs in a nation’s flag imminently making their way onto the sides of aircraft, terminal signage, carpeting, upholstery and uniforms. Some airlines got this right, some hideously wrong.

Since branding’s role in the airline industry is changing and the realisation that graphic identities needed to convey so much more than just national pride, a near revolution has occurred in the latter part of the 1990s and beyond in airline brand identity. With the way the world’s economics lie today, branding potentially is at its most important.

Unfairly perhaps, Vietnam Airlines is wedged in the Asian airline market where service and brand image are world leading. Many of the region’s carriers often come out top in global airline awards, so it is clear why the airline needed to establish itself firmly as a global player.  Here’s a shot of Vietnam Airline’s previous brand identity on one of their aircraft:

Vietnam Airline's old and a little outdated brand identity, up until 2002

On October 20^th 2002 the airline rolled out its new brand identity, along with a completely repositioned business model, route structure, fleet and operations. A far cry from the identity before, Vietnam Airline’s new identity centred around the lotus flower and a sumptuous colour palette of gold, metallic blue, grey and white- in my opinion one of the most stunning  airline identities around. Its selection of the lotus flower so too it is a barometer for change in flag carrying/national airline branding; of a focus more on the culture and people of a nation than straight forward patriotic aesthetic.

Vietnam Airline's New Brand Identity, Unveiled in 2002.

According to the airline the lotus flower is a Vietnamise symbolism of respect of ancient culture and traditions, of great resilience to difficulties and of enlightenment and perfection- it is a sacred flower. In selecting this symbolism as a key part of its identity the airline has crafted an ingenious brand identity that will inspire loyalty from the local culture and additionally appeal to consumers abroad. As well as those other connotations the lotus flower is also resplendent of luxury and the exotic to those consumers abroad, and sits well with what is expected from any luxury brand presently.

Vietnam Airlines Stunning Aircraft Livery, mocked up here on the Boeing 787 the airline ordered in January 2008.

The identity has transferred well to its other applications too. The website has been given a clean, modern feel whilst good photography, even of those destinations not in Vietnam, further enhances the brand image. The airline’s new colour palette is such that it can additionally be applied to the various other brand communication points. The aircraft interiors have been dealt with sympathetically with the business class seat in the airline’s exquisite blue colour with a lotus patterned fabric up the centre, and economy in grey. In a shift away from the palette cabin crew are uniformed in traditional inspired red and gold or suits for gentlemen.

The airline's new brand identity has transferred well across all brand touch points- uniforms, seating and website shown here.

Vietnam Airlines has successfully repositioned itself as a serious global player in the airline industry- underpinned by a strong brand identity. The new identity is  eye-catching, unique and challenges convention with regards to how national flag carriers brand themselves. Vietnam’s identity showcases a shift from the obvious to a more subtle, sophisticated identity which connects with a wide ranging audience on a more personal level, harbouring Vietnamese culture and history whilst also appearing contemporary.

A little more about Vietnam Airlines here.

Why is it that marketers always feel the urge to continuously create something new? Of course creativity and change are driving forces behind many great brands, but so too is consistency.

A brand is a reputation. Consistently delivering everything your brand promises is key to building a trusting relationship with your consumer. With enough repetition, people begin to create unique linkages with your brand.

What's G?

Once you begin tinkering with your brand’s look and feel, these positive associations tend to break down. Look at Gatorade’s move to change their name to “G”. Since the campaign kicked off at the beginning of 2009, “G’s” sales have dropped 17.5% and market share decreased 4.5%.

So next time you have the urge do something inconsistent with your brand remember: G = D-U-M-B.

What is branding? …
… The goal is to make your product or business the most recognized “face” amongst competitors, to be a face known, liked, and trusted by as many consumers as possible. This involves much more than creating a logo or brand name. It’s actually a little like speed dating. First impressions mean a hell of a lot, as you have only a few seconds to appeal, & convince an audience that your business is worthy of their time. But, it is equally important to follow up this first impression with an equally convincing “brand experience”.

Big company brands are worth lots of money. Wall Street firms calculate these values in the billions, rating their typical contribution to profits as upwards of 40%. However, if you’re reading this article, you’re probably not the CEO of a Wall Street business. And if my intuition holds strong, I’d like to add that most experts conclude that branding is an ROI Strategy (return of investment) better suited for small businesses. First, it’s easier for them to project their vision and “brand personality” and to establish stable relationships with customers, because the brand really is a projection of the owner’s intelligence, passion, & investment strategy. And since small businesses typically have a focused product, their brand message(s) can easily be aligned. Additionally, flexibility and size make it easier to project a brand message through every aspect of the consumer experience.

In her delightful book Brain Tattoos, brand consultant Karen Post describes the goal of branding as the creation of an “imprint” in the minds of customers (a “brain tattoo”). What should go in the tattoo is the “essence” of your small business and how it relates to its customers. To discover your essence, you will want to take out a notepad and answer these simple questions:

• What service do you provide? (define your service)
• What is your competitive advantage? (why is your company in the market – pricing advantage, location, value, technical strategy)
• Who/ what is your target audience? (Businesses, Consumer Market, Demographics, etc.)
• How will your target audience communicate with your company post-purchase? (customer service strategy)
• How will product or service growth affect your business strategy, corporate infrastructure, & target market? (Define your 1-2-5 year vision… and no, I don’t mean your family vacation to Aruba.)

With the advent of the internet (larger audience), social media (focus groups), automated consumer trends analysis (statistics) & BPO/ business outsourcing (low investment), small business owners now have the option to create a cost efficient & effective branding strategy that is affordable & appreciated.

Finally, you are ready to create you company logo!

Brand Gurus in the New York area joined forces with established BPO-centric web design provider, DPS Technologies, to reach out yet again & contribute to an organization that is beyond deserving, “The Fay J Lindner Center for Autism & Developmental Disabilities“
Since forming in 2001, the Fay J Lindner Center for Autism has strived toward achieving its mission, “to be a national Center of Excellence for the development and implementation of comprehensive assessment and continuum of services for children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, their families, and the professionals who serve them.”
“We were alarmed,” Rohit Barman, the President of DPS America, the exclusive consulting hub for 30 year old outsourcing establishment, DPS Technologies, said when asked about this project, “to learn that Autism was the fastest growing developmental disability today. It is our honor to contribute this website to the Fay J Lindner Center for Autism & the clinical infrastructure of AHRC Nassau, & hope that the internet will draw more awareness & means for supporting this incredible epidemic affecting autistic children & adults nationwide.”
Utilizing their BPO service facility & NY Brand Consultants, DPS Technologies created the autism center’s brand identity (logo) & website to compliment the center’s clinical infrastructure located on Long Island, NY, as well as their parent program, AHRC Nassau. In addition, they utilized their in-house internet marketing resources to create the center’s press release announcing their website launch.
In past projects, DPS’ Non-Profit Program created & launched the online brand for the Robbie Levine Foundation, & the American Airpower Museum, which resulted in media exposure of their sites (CNN, CBS Morning Show, News 12, etc), while experiencing increases in donations, volunteers and memberships. A recent addition is the DPS Scholars program reflects the firm’s interest in utilizing their outsourcing resources in supporting the greater community.

DPS invites non-profits to apply for this program by emailing a one page request to their PR Representative.

As a realtor, you work hard at selling real estate, especially in our infamous recession. This leaves you little time to think out of the box, or strategize new channels for home sales. However, consumers are increasingly turning to the internet for local business research, underlining the competitive necessity of having an online presence. So, how do you make sure you appreciate a strong ROI (Return of Investment)?
It’s easy! Unlike most professional services, realtors have a multitude of real estate marketing solutions available at their fingertips. Vendors competing for your purchase of their real estate marketing tools often spend $5- $10 just so you click on their website… a gamble it is.
In terms of cost and immediacy, website templates work best. A real estate template offers an inexpensive, yet comprehensive solution allowing you to establish your online presence, while still supplying a level of individuality through various designs and options. Additionally, certain template providers provide user friendly administrative controls which allow you to edit content, images, & property listings, allowing you to optimize your website appearance & delivery, as you grow to understand your online audience.
Why is this important? In the very competitive real estate market, realtors in your area are competing to appear higher on the search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.). Content plays a huge role in your buyers’ ability to find you before your local competitors. Although, it takes about 6 months for you to effectively see the results from utilizing optimized content, some Real Estate Template providers offer “SEO – search engine optimized content” as part of their website template package. This technical content is strategically created based on scientific principal(s) defined by the combination of diligent research & consumer search analysis.
Interaction also works to keep buyers engaged, and realtor templates oblige with options to showcase floor plans, message boards, property searches, 3dwalkthroughs, and virtual tours, a 360-degree view of a property. A potential buyer can “tour” a property on your website, while sitting on their couch, and narrowing down the property listings they want to see – an excellent way to optimize your time. Consider also that many of these interactive elements have become expected features for a real estate website.
Additionally, property search parameters provide a catalog of user information, turning online home searches into a valuable consumer behavior study . Some template provider(s) offers a service that sends tailored property listings to a visitors’ email, a great method for generating leads, while providing excellent customer service.
A realtor solutions’ combination of comprehensive website editing controls, optimized content for search engine exposure, interactive services for buyer engagement, and consumer search data reports for strong forecasting, can establish the resulting website as one of your premier online marketing tools. And how much does this cost?

Research says you can get all of the above for less than $500.

DPS Technologies recently announced the launch of a comprehensive Real Estate website solution for agents, with advanced functions such as 100% content & image mgmt. controls (yes, including their logo!), mgmt. of property listings, mechanized consumer search analysis, and automated buyer profile acquisition, property matching, & emailing of customer(s) with a personalized list of available home listings. This inclusive real estate website service offers significant promise & confidence to realtors in a very bumpy real estate market.
DPS Technologies’ Real Estate Website solution is an affordable, user-friendly means to create a dent in the ever growing online market. A secure administrative portal, allows a realtor complete control over each section within their website(s) framework. Using this website solution does not rob the agent’s real estate website of originality. DPS provides a number of unique website designs, in a variety of colors, so a realtor can tailor their website to a desired flavor, matching their existing brand identity (logo). The ability to edit all content and images, allows realtors the ability to optimize their appearance & delivery as they grow to understand their online audience.
An enticing lead generation tool convinces buyers to register & receive automated deliveries of property listings as they enter the real estate market, as well as engage in conversations over the agent monitored (optional) message board. Visitors can also utilize a wide array of website function(s) such as quick & advanced property search tool(s), mortgage calculator, submit homes for sale (optional), and get assistance with financing their home (optional).
Ultimately, it’s the realtors who benefit most from this extensive solution. With a click of a button, they can select to turn on or off individual website function(s), review consumer search trends, create and edit their open house calendar, and list as little or as much information about each property listing as they like. Realtors can add as many home image(s), upload floor plans, virtual tours, 3dwalkthroughs, school information, exterior and interior amenities, individual room details/ dimensions, and much more!

As if they haven’t just created the ultimate home marketing tool, DPS’ insider(s) just announced that all realtors within their network will have free access to “search engine optimized” content utilizing the latest real estate consumer search trends.

Business promotional products are booming in contemporary times.

And why not, they’re extremely impressive and beneficial.

Promotional tool kits refer to products used by companies, in their marketing programs. These items are generally imprinted with the respective company’s name, logo or slogan, to depict the brand’s identity and dissimilarity.

You must be sick of spotting such promotional products all around your home and office, right? That’s exactly how promotional tool kits are different.

How are they different?

They aren’t like useless freebies which lack utility. They’re not another stress ball or show piece that you generally receive in plenty while walking around a trade show.

They’re useful and creative.

Examples of such tool kits would include products like: paper napkins, pen drives, flashlights, plants’ grow cups, pencils and markers, etc. Such products are like to be used by potential customers instead of landing into their dustbins or store rooms!

Hence, they obviously have a better impact over the others.

So, how do you choose the right tool kit for your company?

1)      Take your time.

Yes, take your time to study your target audience and other such strategies. Your tool kit must be in sync with your marketing strategies. For example, if you’re into selling computers, giveaway pen drives with your logo imprinted on it.

2)      Be positive.

Try making it an enthusiastic and positive effort rather than it being preachy. The level of impact and response will be more. For example, that pen drive can have this quote along with the logo: “Thanks for choosing our computer.”

3)      Be distinctive.

Being distinctive and remembered is extremely important. Your promotional tool kit must be appealing enough to be worth using. Be humorous, outrageous, catchy or simply cute. Whatever works for you the best.

As promotional tool kits are all about being innovative, explore it.

It will work wonders if you hit the right note.

Indeed.

Happy promoting!

I would be really keen on trying these wines…well, mostly because i like the bottles…’cause i can’t say i fancy a good merlot whilst thinking of some other sparkly kind of wine. it would be cheating!

www.jaqkcellars.com

One of my favorite fellow marketing experts is Seth Godin.  If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner and find  yourself at a crossroad in your business model, I highly recommend reading Seth’s book, “The Dip“.  Seth also has an uncanny way of distilling down why some businesses find success with social media marketing and why others don’t.  Read more of what Seth has to say in one of his recent blog posts: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/11/hammer-time.html

 If you think you have ideas for a guest post relevant to my blog topic, feel free to contact me.

Nearly 17 percent of all jobs in Nebraska and 16 percent in Iowa are tied to franchise businesses, according to the International Franchise Association. That point was a key reason the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce on Thursday hosted its first Midwest Franchise Seminar.

The event, was an opportunity for businessmen and women to hear directly from franchisees and to learn more about the successes and horror stories of investing in franchises rather than starting their own small businesses in a down economy.  (read more Omaha World-Herald)