Your Logo - Capturing The Essence Of Your Brand | BUSINESS CAPITAL TRENDS

Business Capital Trends with Douglas Castle

The Human eye records detailed images in a tiny fraction of a second. It then proceeds to process them consciously. After this, it continuously processes (in great detail, with a high degree of correlative symbolism) the logo image in the subconscious, where "intuitive" or "instinctual" feelings about the image are created. It's rather like "love at first sight."

Your logo is not a decoration. It is a message. It is a symbol... in point of fact, it is a tiny picture of your entire BRAND universe, replete with your personality, attitude and beliefs. It is a messenger in miniature, and is far more memorable than an entire written or oral presentation. Take it very, very seriously. It is a sharp little business promotion tool that can be worth millions of dollars -- or, it can spell stagnation for your otherwise promising business.
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Branding: Your Logo, And The Message That It Sends

Your logo is a critical component of your marketing, media and publicity campaign. It is a messenger.

It is a static picture or typestyle which speaks volumes about your business, product, service or brand in the literal blink of a consumer's eye. It must be memorable, distinctive and must penetrate at a multitude of psychological (conscious and sub-conscious). Your logo is a the shortest but most powerfully efficient form of ideological communication that exists. The mind processes and recalls graphic images much more readily than slogans or copy.

A logo is a first impression, but it remains imprinted on your consumer audience's conscious and subconscious for a long time. You must take care to have this tiny image be the purified, concentrated essence of your identity. A potent logo is worth its weight in unobtainium. It is a holograph of everything that you are. It must be perfect.

The biggest threat to the efficacy of a logo is unintended symbolism, either by the visual similarity to something unsavory, or by the implications which can be drawn by a closer look at what your logo actually says; the first has an immediate effect, while the second tends to smolder. These flaws can undermine a brand.

Eric Lowitt, an author ("The Future Of Value") and professional speaker, is a passionate expert on the increasingly critical topic of sustainability.

He is one of our Senior Advisors and Experts at TNNWC, and recently included the following piece in his Newsletter. It struck home. Hard. I would strongly suggest that you read it carefully, and think of its implications for your brand, as well as for what unintended signals you may be sending with respect to sustainability... among other things.

Note: This article, written by author and strategic corporate planning expert Douglas E Castle was originally published (in various forms) in the Mad Marketing Tactics Blog, Sending Signals! Blog, The TNNWC Supplemental RSS Feed And Email Blog, as well as in The National Networker (TNNWC) Weekly Newsletter.

The excerpt from Eric Lowitt's Newsletter follows:

You Are What Your Corporate Logo Says You Are

In the wake of the vigorous debate about the status of green marketing (and responses like this one and this one), it’s important to remember the powerful message corporations’ logos convey. For example, several years ago, a friend pointed out the subliminal arrow embedded in FedEx’s corporate logo.



Admittedly it took me a couple days to really see it. After all, I was trying to turn the tide of long-term memory—I’ve seen countless FedEx trucks over the years. Only after staring at a FedEx truck for what seemed like an eternity (likely no more than 20 seconds), I finally noticed the arrow. Years later I can’t help but notice the arrow every time I spot a FedEx truck. What is the arrow’s significance? It communicates what the company is about—moving products, and aspirations, forward.

To grasp the power of FedEx’s logo, consider the following logo, used by Sherwin-Williams, best known for its success as a global paint manufacturer. What does this logo convey?



The company’s logo clearly conveys the image of a paint company with global reach. The paint being spilled all over the Earth (with the comment ‘Cover the Earth’) also suggests either that Sherwin-Williams has limited concern about its product’s environmental impact. Sherwin-Williams’s logo isn’t aligned with its measured concern for the environment (as witnessed by its environmental sustainability initiative, called EcoVision). ####

What does your logo say about you? You might wish to design a better one. I know of some people who can do that.

Faithfully,

Douglas E Castle

Related articles

• Creative Logo Designs with Hidden Messages (logosdesignblog.com)
• 30 Brilliant Logos With Hidden Messages (adoholik.com)
• The Logo Test in Action (brandautopsy.com)
• Your Logo is the Doorway to Your Small Biz Brand (smallbizbee.com)
• The Ultimate Question: "Am I Stupid?" (imagesbydouglascastle.blogspot.com)
• The National Networker Weekly Newsletter 6.13.2011 - [condensed Version for Rss] (thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com)
• Branding - Are Your Advertisements Effective? Does Your Audience Remember Your Name? (aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com)
• Lead-Generating, Sales-Closing, Customer-Retaining Magnetic Websites - The Secrets. (dailyburstofbrilliance.blogspot.com)
• Puns Are Permitted - But You'd Better Be Appealing To An Intelligent Audience! (sendingsignals.blogspot.com)
• An Entrepreneurial Enterprise Built By Collaboration and Crowdsourcing. (thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com)

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Your Logo - Capturing The Essence Of Your Brand | BUSINESS CAPITAL TRENDS

SENDING SIGNALS: Inappropriate Conduct - A Wonderful Door-Opener and Networking Tool

Inappropriate Conduct - A Wonderful Door-Opener and Networking Tool!

Dear Readers:

We all too often default to conventional behavior in order to "fit in" with the crowd. We are socially conditioned to do this out of a need for acceptance, a desire to avoid humiliation or confrontation, and out a sense that surfing the status quo will eventually land us in the best social and financial position. All reasonable -- and all useless.

Traditional tactics yield traditional results. I might add here (in fact I will) that the traditional result is earning a subsistence living, worrying about finances and our fates in the hands of others, and a life of quiet desperation. We tend to conform to the point of inertia and ineffectiveness.

By way of observation, very few people take notice of a businessman in New York's busy Pennsylvania Station rushing about in a suit and tie, checking his wristwatch, his attache case swinging about -- but these same people will absolutely take notice of any person in the same crowded environment who (just for the purposes of example):

• Wears cellophane or apricot leather trousers;
• Sings Dwight Yoakum Songs (I like "Guitars and Cadillacs") or Morris Alpert's "Feelings" (I sing it in D minor, even through the original key is E minor) at the top of his lungs;
• Carries a boa constrictor, a small monkey, weasel, a marine iguana or a necklace of small human skulls around his/ her neck;
• Wears a big grin and says "howdy friend!" before handing each individual his business card which is adorned with big, bright letters;
• Whips out a harmonica and plays "The Star-Spangled Banner";
• Makes and maintains eye contact with a selected stranger, in silence;
• Blurts out in a stentorian voice, neck veins a-popping, "How can you let them get away with that?";
• Starts to stumble, and yells out in a squeaky, raspy voice, "I think I'm going to faint!";
• Looks up at the ceiling, mouth agape, points and says, "That's amazing."
• Hauls a big red wagon behind him with a large missile-shaped object labelled "RADIOACTIVE - FISSIONABLE MATERIAL" mounted on it;
• Wears a bright yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Liberals for Limbaugh".

You may be thinking the above examples are outrageous...but that is precisely what makes them interesting and memorable. And, what's more (I am sounding like Ron Popeil), that is why I chose them.

When I have advised clients in the past about identifying and recruiting suitably-skilled executives for their companies, I have used the metaphor,"panning for a tiny nugget of gold in a stream of turd." Disgusting? Indeed. Memorable? Indeed.

I have been uncouth enough to say to a group of new acquaintances at a major networking event involving aircraft trading (when an executive from a company whose name rhymes with "rowing") was pontificating about some of his career achievements [started his career as a towel boy in the washroom, and worked his way up the ladder, etc., etc.], "Let's open a window and let some of this hot air out." I actually got a few laughs, heard a few sighs of relief, and made a terrific contact. My conduct was inappropriate -- and several of the fellows still talk about it. It is, reduced to simple economics, "risk versus reward." The best part is that the pontificator was completely oblivious, even after all but one of us had left to go to the buffet to grab some mini-pizzas and cocktail wienies.

By the term "inappropriate," I don't mean to be offensive per se... I truly mean to do something that takes you out of the background and puts you into the spotlight. Sometimes your chosen ploy may be humorous - other times, not.

In a meeting in my over-priced and ostentatious conference room of some years ago (the furniture polish bill, even back then, was at least as much as my current monthly car payments), I was introduced to some of the senior lending officers of a New York-based bank which was eager to make commercial real estate loans (years ago, banks used to lend money!), and wanted to be introduced to several of my clients. I asked the seniormost person (with a deadly serious expression), "When will present me with your financial statements? I have an obligation to my clients to be assured that your liquidity (net of reserves) will be adequate to serve their needs. They don't want to meet with a bank that doesn't have at least as strong a financial statement as they do."

My partner kicked me under the conference table, which only served to inspire me. I then said to my awe-struck audience, "Would you please be kind enough to answer my question? -- the rent in this place costs a fortune when you pay by the hour." I did business with those people for over ten years.

Once, I was at a United Nations-sponsored conference on doing business in one of the emerging African Nations, and I said to the somewhat restless-looking young woman seated next to me, "My legs are falling asleep. Would you like to take a walk out to the lobby for a few minutes? It took a moment of convincing her that it wasn't terribly impolite, and then we left. As it turned out, when we exchanged business cards, she was a Trade Minister. Not only did I make a great contact, but she laughed and thanked me for rescuing her from falling asleep in her seat. I had inadvertently done her a kindness.

Lastly, I was at a business networking event with a very large group of people in an opulent home in Alpine, New Jersey. There was a buffet being served, and as soon as the chafing dishes were uncovered, the Law of The Jungle seemed to possess these superficially-civilized (hyper-hyphenation!) people, and they stormed the table (reminding me of that book, "Lord Of The Flies") pushing and shoving like escapees from Alcatraz.

An elderly fellow sporting a bright red bowtie was trying, unsuccessfully, to make his way to the meat carving board. I was a bit angered by the way people kept pushing him aside, so I pushed into the line and declared, a bit forcefully, "Would several of you people be kind enough to let this gentleman get to the table, please?" I put my arm around him and brought him to the table. He was gracious and thanked me.

Later that evening, the hostess brought the fellow over to me and said that she wanted him to meet a "young man" (this was a bit after the the American Revolution) with a "great deal of promise". At the time, the young man was me. The gentlemen posed for a photograph with me, and introduced himself as Sam LeFrak -- at that time, he was one of the most successful builder-developers of real-estate in the Tri-State area.

Be inappropriate, within a reasonable tolerance. You will be noticed and remembered. Sometimes you will wind up being incredibly fortunate. Having said this, it's always good to be a powerful sprinter, just in case...

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
http://aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com/

p.s. Please note the photo in the upper right-hand corner. Can someone explain to me why a man as successful as Ringo Starr had to take this job?

Published by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER Newsletter. All rights reserved. Subscribe Free - Click HERE.
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SENDING SIGNALS: Inappropriate Conduct - A Wonderful Door-Opener and Networking Tool

SENDING SIGNALS: Stop Watering a Dead Tree! - SUNK COSTS, Part Deux.

DOUGLAS CASTLE - SENDING SIGNALS

Dear Readers (and non-readers who are having this read to them by helpful friends and family members):

Last week I spoke about the downfall of too many ventures -- when creative passion turns to destructive obsession. When we make business decisions regarding our emotional capital invested, instead of regarding the financial consequences, we tend to toss money into the fireplace to heat the mansion. When we become obsessed with "winning back our losses" instead of learning not to repeat the mistakes that led us to them, we are diverted from the path to prosperity and led either to a) bankruptcy; b) hell, or c) careers in federal politics. Acknowledge mistakes and limit your losses.

Yes...this is more easily said than done.

Alec Baldwin and wrote me to thank me for using the "dead tree" metaphor instead of the "flogging a dead horse" metaphor. I was flattered, and touched...perhaps alec is a bit touched as well.

My fellow colleague, philosopher, personal real estate expert, "go-to guy" and author, Yossi Feigenson (also of THE NATIONAL NETWORKER), collected a number a comments regarding the article, and shared some of the best ones with me, so that I might share them with you. This is, in large part, what makes Yossi a superb connector, and an asset to any team. I am glad to have him on mine.

Back to the subject at hand, here is some of the feedback from that last article which Yossi selected to share with me.
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LinkedIn Groups



Group: Leadership Think Tank


Subject: New comment (1) on "EMOTION IN BUSINESS - THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD"


Douglas,


Having been involved with small businesses and starting a few of my own I must say yes to your number 5. Ego is an important part of decision making, and every entrepeneur I've ever known has an enormous sense of confidence and puts a lot of stock in his ability to succeed.


When the emotions are high a lot of commitments are made and founders "know" that they are going to make it. The first round of financing is usually spent pretty quickly and usually occurs while the principals are still figuring out their roles. A lot of money is spent building brand and expanding. The prinicipals will start negotiating and arguing about the direction the company should take regarding remaining funds and what to do for following rounds. When the decision is made everyone becomes very personally invested.


A few years ago I convinced my partner, investors, and wife that partnering with a startup company that was providing wireless 802.11g internet access for the San Joaquin valley was a great idea. We would mount the external antennae for them and as an add on service provide the internal networking for the customers. It was a great idea. It was an open market.


Clearwire decided to run our area as one of its test markets. They have wireless systems that only require a small antenna hooked into a USB. No need for external antennas and no need for a 2 year expensive contract. Can you see where this is going?


Stubbornly we pursued this with our partner company. We could even see that it was a throwing good money after bad, but there were lots of rationalizations. We finally folded the business. I still have one of our fleet vehicles, a 2005 Chevy Colorado, as a daily driver. :)

My lesson learned from this situation was to realize that this can happen to anyone, even me. That I should listen to my trusted advisors when they are trying to speak reason. To realize that making the smart decision to pull the plug on a bad or mistimed decision is less painful than trying to avoid looking like a failure. This lesson is still pretty raw but is an important one.


Just a few thoughts from "been there done that." :)
Tom
Posted by Thomas Jacobs
___________________________

LinkedIn Groups



Group: Leadership Think Tank


Subject: New comment (2) on "EMOTION IN BUSINESS - THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD"


Interesting story that goes the other way. Once Phillips the famous Dutch company was pouring money into a project. Discussions in the board occurred between keeping the money flow or cutting the losses. Actually there where serious recommendations formally made to let go and close the project.


In another year a new industry was created and CDs came to life.


Just to the point that teams and personalities have their way for good and for bad. Some power games kill fantastic projects and products, but other brilliant ones to would never come life if these caracteristics where not there.


Posted by David Russell
_______________________________________

LinkedIn Groups

Group: Leadership Think Tank

Subject: New comment (3) on "EMOTION IN BUSINESS - THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD"

Excellent question! I've always wondered why, if blinkers are for horses, then why do so many CEOS wear them? I think you nailed it when you cited ego. I have worked with many leaders who, once hooked onto an idea that they have personally touted as great strategy, simply gallop like crazy not hearing or seeing all the danger signals. They (like a race horse) have no peripheral vision, have a singular goal in mind no matter what, and won't listen to others who are screaming that they're running across a mine field. The answer is difficult. I suggest it requires a leader with the power of self-reflection, trust in others, and who is open to having a personal network of wise advisors who aren't reluctant to ask the wicked questions. Blinkers are great for race horses. Not so much for leaders in a turbulent environment.


Posted by Dr. Eli Sopow
______________________________

Gentlemen: Thank you, all three of you for giving me, and for giving our Subscribers the benefit of your intelligence, insight and wisdom. It's indeed times like this that I am especially pleased to have so many LinkedIn Members who have become Subscribers and Members of THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.

By the way, you can get your free subscription to The NATIONAL NETWORKER NEWSLETTER by clicking on http://twitlik.com/OK. And, if you are not already a member of Linked In, you should consider joining -- go to Linked In at http://wwwLinkedIn.com/in/douglascastle, and join up.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. reader feedback and participation are absolutely appreciated and encouraged. When we receive interesting, well-thought-out (hyper-hyphenation!) commentary, we should, all of us, make every effort to share it with all parties who would be interested, and who could be benefitted.

Again, thank you Thomas, Eli, David, and, of course, Yossi.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle


For more information, please visit Douglas' TNNW Bio.



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SENDING SIGNALS: Stop Watering a Dead Tree! - SUNK COSTS, Part Deux.

SENDING SIGNALS: The Ugly Truth About Those Small-Ticket, "Bargain-Hunter" Clients...

Sending Signals with Douglas Castle

Greetings, Noble Readers:

Fact: You'll do more work and incur more liability for a $100.00 transaction or client relationship than you will for a $10,000.00 transaction or client relationship. Here are several of the reasons, several of the strategies to deploy and several new ways to view "selling" your expert services to any client.

1. Clients who are bargain-hunting feel that they are doing you a good turn by "favoring" you with their "important business". They are possessed of an inherent feeling of entitlement at the outset of the relationship.

2. The poorer the client, the pettier the issues. Since their budgets are so severely constrained, they will demand more of you; they will be obsessive about getting their "money's worth".

3. Clients believe (sometimes subconsciously) that you "get what you pay for." Therefore, the less they pay, the less they respect you. No matter what is said, they will perceive you as desperate for courting and accepting their business.

4. The less a client pays, the more you are viewed as a "substitutable utility," or a "tradeable commodity," and the less you are viewed as a professional, an expert or as a success in your field.

5. Quoting Groucho Marx, "I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me as a member." Clients inherently resent consultants and service providers who would reduce their professional stature and dignity to accommodate an undesirable or inherently recalcitrant client.

6. A client who is able to obtain a rate concession from you with any degree of ease (and without a substantial quid pro quo) will continue to follow this precedent with further negotiations and concessions demanded of you.

7. Quote your own rates and remain firm. It is important to set a precedent of inflexibility in all matters which could bear some reflection on your self-worth. Make it a point to cite that your services are not inexpensive.

8. Always hesitate before accepting a prospect as a client, citing your unwillingness to take on an assignment that does not suit you, or to engage with a client with whom you don't know if you'll have adequate time. Be a bit of a snob -- a prima donna. Establish that a) your time is very valuable, and b) that you do not have much time to spare.

9. Make your prospective client "sell" himself or herself to "you." A client should feel as if he or she has won a grand prize when you've agreed to take on a proffered engagement.

10. Never invest a great deal of time in promoting yourself to a client. The longer you spend, the less valuable his or her perception of you, and the less regard for your time.

11. If a client puts you in the interrogation chair, immediately turn the situation around and ask a sensitive or humiliating question of him or her. Do not ever justify yourself or spend excessive time citing your experience or qualifications. I have found that the best way to deal with a client who tries to put you in the "hot seat," is to be quite cold and say, "I would think it most appropriate if you would conduct your own due diligence with respect to my work. When you've satisfied yourself as to my credentials, please telephone me then." If you are truly masterful, you might even say, "there are any number of firms/consultants who, I am certain, would make themselves available for your engagement -- in fact, maybe one of those firms/consultants would be more accommodating to your budget and needs." [This is actually quite insulting if it is said with a slight Thurston Howell III lockjaw accompanied by body language signalling aloofness -- you may wish to modify or tone down this approach. I just happen to enjoy it "as is"]

12) As a general rule, a prospective client who does not feel that he or she has had to win your confidence, attention and interest will always be difficult to work with. [I've ended a sentence with a preposition, just to impress you with the fact that I don't have to impress you...]. Let your client feel that he or she has found and retained the very best.

Starting a Client relationship is always business first, with familiarity and friendship much further down on your list of priorities. To purposefully misquote an old aphorism, "Too much familiarity breeds disrespect."

Stop throwing pitches and start catching clients. Don't sell -- educate, tantalize and aim very high.

Don't be enslaved by a whining galley of ungrateful, low-paying clients. They will ultimately destroy your reputation, and far worse...they will damage your precious self-esteem. No one has that right. Remember that.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

http://aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com/
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TERMS: pricing, fee structure, presentation, self-esteem, negotiations, perception, professionalism, education versus sales, over-selling, credibility, arrogance, indignity, respect, power, posturing, THE NATIONAL NETWORKER, blogs by Douglas Castle, familiarity, budgeting time, choosing clients, picking your battles, winning, negotiation, compromise, the value of your time, setting precedents...

Published by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER Newsletter. All rights reserved. Subscribe Free - Click HERE.
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SENDING SIGNALS: The Ugly Truth About Those Small-Ticket, "Bargain-Hunter" Clients...