Business Identity Advice needed

[rileytoolworks]

.

 

[Shane]

I can only speak from personal experience, so there will lots of other ways and opinions on this, but this was what I did...

Firstly I decided how I wanted all my letter heads, van signwriting, business cards and advertising to look so they tied together nicely and gave the impression I was after

I then printed up a shed load of business cards on my printer and handed them out to friends, family and previous customers from when I was employed. The business cards proved very worthwhile and I get a lot of work through this

I tried advertising but for me it turned up the grand some of nowt, so I never bother with it now.

I've only recently finished my website, but I don't really use it to generate new interest directly from the net, it's more of a way of showing a customer that has already got hold of me, our someone local that has seen my van signwriting can have a look

 

[Doctor]

In my opinion, if you have a website you must promote it, you can either optimise it yourself or get someone else to do it for you.
Do not use poor quality pictures
Do not use photos of half finished furniture in a workshop
Do not use photos of work done for your previous company (its not your work, its theirs) I wouldn't allow ex employees or current employees to use pictures of my companies work.
Cards are important but again quality is a must, it reflects on your whole image.
Websites tend to evolve, I thought my first website was fantastic but after 6 months I hated it.
Even now our most recent website is starting to look dated www.armstrongjordan.com and will probably need changing or at least modifying in order to keep generating high quality clients.

 

[rileytoolworks]

Thanks for the replies thus far.
I had the whole 'branding' thing in mind when I asked, and I agreee, I would want the general theme to run through the lot (website, cards etc.).

Adam.

 

[bugbear]

Even now our most recent website is starting to look dated www.armstrongjordan.com and will probably need changing or at least modifying in order to keep generating high quality clients.

If nothing else, if you can't generate enough "news items" to keep your news tab recent, it's probably better (and easier!) not to have one.

I was recently most impressed with this site (a pub in town)

http://www.cockinndiss.co.uk/

Note the low number of pages, no "back waters", lack of slideshows, animation and other "look at me, I'm a clever web designer stuff", and the ease of finding the information you actually need.

BugBear

 

[Dibs-h]

Even now our most recent website is starting to look dated www.armstrongjordan.com and will probably need changing or at least modifying in order to keep generating high quality clients.

If nothing else, if you can't generate enough "news items" to keep your news tab recent, it's probably better (and easier!) not to have one.

I was recently most impressed with this site (a pub in town)

http://www.cockinndiss.co.uk/

Note the low number of pages, no "back waters", lack of slideshows, animation and other "look at me, I'm a clever web designer stuff", and the ease of finding the information you actually need.

BugBear

Very nice design\layout\navigation. A lot to be said for KISS. :lol:

Doc's is nice too! :lol:

 

[warrenr]

I have been doing this type of thing for years on a much bigger scale but the same principles apply

*Get good business cards and get a design shop to help you with the design; you should get someone with a bit of creative flair to support your choice of options (cards, letter heads and any signing when you are working on jobs).
* Think if you have any specials skills or experience and use it; is there anything that you are offerring that is different from others
* Give cards out to all your old contacts/customers (if you have any good photos of your work have them to hand.
* talk others in the business who know you and ask if they can pass on any work that they cannot handle or is not their line; offer to help out if they get too much and have deadlines. Talk to estate agents as buyers often want work done but if new to the area will talk to the agent.
* forget cold calls, flyers and web sites (which will take all your energy); for now put your efforts into calling and contacting people.

Work will only come if it go looking for it. Don't bull ***, be honest friendly and straight. A smile and an honest face can go along way.

Good luck
Richard

 

[misterfish]

With anything like this I try and put myself in the position of the end user/potential customer and ask what would I expect from a professional.

As far as business cards/letter headings are concerned I would expect good qualitynand well laid out. However, be careful not to overdo it; I've had super high quality cards with raised glossy print which are a work of art but immediately ring the 'ahh, this company/individual is going to be expensive as they are spending excessively on a glossy image'.

As for the web site, look around for what type of site you think portrays the image you want to give. Make sure you give all the contact information necessary, and frequently check answerphone and emails for any enquiries. People are impatient so don't keep them waiting for an initial answer - if you are perceived as slow at contacting then (at least until you are well established/known) you will put potential customers off at the first hurdle.

Don't fill your site with bullsh*t, include examples of what you do or offer and use good quality images. Just make it look prodfessional and like you care. It may be worth talking to a web professional.

Anyway, just my opinion.

Misterfish

 

[matt]

Tell people why they want to buy from you - don't assume.

"Transparent stacker box for sale"

"Transparent stacker box for sale - it's easier to see what's inside compared to similar but non-transparent boxes"

Badly worded but you get the point?

 

[bugbear]

However, be careful not to overdo it; I've had super high quality cards with raised glossy print which are a work of art but immediately ring the 'ahh, this company/individual is going to be expensive as they are spending excessively on a glossy image'.

Interesting; I'd assume the opposite.

When I see a really expensive business card I assume the guy's trying to bullshit me, and is just a fly-by-nighter, with a tiny company!

When you see a business card from a senior guy at (e.g.) IBM or Agfa, it's always simple and quite plain.

BugBear

 

[tekno.mage]

As a graphics designer, I'd give the following advice regarding advertising, business stationary and websites...

Choose a company identity or "brand" and stick to it.

Specify everything - the font used, the colours, the graphics (if you use them).

Avoid fussy designs and complicated graphics - they may not scale very well and will then look bad on a business card.

Don't use too many fonts on one document. A good business card would typically use one font only for all the text (except text as part of the company logo which might well be fancy) with perhaps the bold or italic version to highlight the name & telephone number.

Remember what a business card is for - it's the information people will use to contact you. Try not to use tiny fonts that will be hard for older people to read (especially for the phone number), or really fancy ones that are hard for everyone to read! Go for a layout that is simple & legible.

And a personal one - if you must use a photo or graphic background on a business card, make sure the text printed over this will be legible! I hate business cards where part of the black text is over a dark area of a photo and almost impossible to read.

My real preference is for plain business cards, well printed in one or two colours on a pale background in legible text and a recognisable company logo or simple graphic. I think the quality of the card matters too. A quality heavy card gives a better impression than a flimsy one - and has already been mentionbed, I feel that over glossy cards, metal leaf on the text, photo cards and other decorations are somewhat off-putting to potential customers.

One printer I worked with made laminated business cards which were particularly popular with people working out of doors (builders, foresters, farmers etc) as they stood up to wet weather well!

If you are going to use graphics, make sure you supply the printer with vector graphics (except for photos) - or ask the printer/design shop to do the design for you. There is nothing worse than having to design business stationary based on a low resolution .jpg file - the results always look poor.

If you are supplying photos to a printer or web designer, make sure they are the highest resolution you can get (and preferably the .RAW file not a .JPG - large images can always be scaled down, small ones can't be scaled up. Make sure any photos you use are well exposed, well lit, sharp and don't have fussy backgrounds.

tekno.mage

 

[milkman]

However, be careful not to overdo it; I've had super high quality cards with raised glossy print which are a work of art but immediately ring the 'ahh, this company/individual is going to be expensive as they are spending excessively on a glossy image'.

Interesting; I'd assume the opposite.

When I see a really expensive business card I assume the guy's trying to bullshit me, and is just a fly-by-nighter, with a tiny company!

When you see a business card from a senior guy at (e.g.) IBM or Agfa, it's always simple and quite plain.

BugBear

You're right there although it should be noted the card will often be on heavier and therefore more durable stock.
The colours will be pantone spot colours matched to a very strict corporate design code and the card might be two-sided.
All this adds up to an expensive card but one that communicates quality at a sub-conscious level.
The big crime is not necessarily using gloss or spot varnishes, or metallics, or embossing but using all of them in profusion. I think clients get distracted by the knowledge that a microscopic dot of metallic is roughly the same cost to print as a big complex design so they feel they have to get their money's worth. Oh god i'm ranting, thats what 15 years in the design business does to you! zipit...

 

[misterfish]

However, be careful not to overdo it; I've had super high quality cards with raised glossy print which are a work of art but immediately ring the 'ahh, this company/individual is going to be expensive as they are spending excessively on a glossy image'.

Interesting; I'd assume the opposite.

When I see a really expensive business card I assume the guy's trying to bullshit me, and is just a fly-by-nighter, with a tiny company!

When you see a business card from a senior guy at (e.g.) IBM or Agfa, it's always simple and quite plain.

BugBear

That's what I thought I said. Makes me steer clear.

Misterfish

 

[bugbear]

... and the card might be two-sided.

Two sided cards are (IMHO) a mistake. It's amazing how often one finds a need to write some extra information on the back of a card - normally some context from the meeting.

This is more to do with logistics than business image though.

BugBear

 

[rileytoolworks]

Thanks fellas.
I'm learning a lot here.

Adam.

 

[mike-reid]

i have done the walking round and posting flyers, puting them up in post offices and shop windows. so far i have had diddly squat. it takes quite a while walking round posting and so far it was wasted time and effort i couold have used in other areas.

my business cards are on the way from the internet and will be handing out to family and friends and they will be handing them out in work.

good luck mate, i wish you all the best!

 

[BradNaylor]

A website is the first priority these days IMO. Even if people get to know of you via a card in a newsagents' window or after a conversation with a satisfied customer of yours, the first thing they will do when they get home is look you up on the internet. If you have a website, they will be impressed; if you haven't got one, they won't take you seriously.

It doesn't have to be anything fancy or expensive. For instance, I knocked this up one Sunday morning six months ago to test the market locally for bespoke kitchens as an extension to our cabinetmaking businesses.

www.davenportkitchens.co.uk

The software cost £50 and the domain name/hosting about £25. It is optimised only via Google Maps. It desperately needs redoing but it is working.

This week we sold our ninth kitchen which we can attribute solely to an enquiry from this website. Not bad for 6 months and an outlay of £75! There is no way that conventional advertising could ever have given such a return.

And we still haven't got a showroom or an office!

 

[warrenr]

Brad

Nice web site; message is clear and well thought out IMHO and delivered without fuss stressing professional and personal service. Like the presentation: not flash but reinforces basic message

Richard

 

[Anonymous]

... and the card might be two-sided.

Two sided cards are (IMHO) a mistake. It's amazing how often one finds a need to write some extra information on the back of a card - normally some context from the meeting.

This is more to do with logistics than business image though.

BugBear

I'm not quite sure on that one to be honest, I have double sided cards, front is very simple, company name and details, on the back i list works that i undertake, for the simple reason that some people don't understand what bespoke joinery is.

I gave my card to someone on the street, or i had notcied that had a builder round giving a quote, I couldn't say anything to him as i was being an opportunist, and i am sure builder thought what a pita.

anyway an hour or so later he called me, saying i didn't realise bespoke joiners could do this, this and this. Anyway to cut a long story short i went to see him, and within 2 days i had 4000 worth of work from him and the reason he called me, because i was a one stop shop for him.

I am doing a set of wardrobes (he was going to call sharpes bedrooms)
A front door and a double side glaze frame (he was going to call a local door manufacturer)
An outside cupboard (he was going to call the local garden centre)

but instead he called me because of the back of my card.

 

[bugbear]

... and the card might be two-sided.

Two sided cards are (IMHO) a mistake. It's amazing how often one finds a need to write some extra information on the back of a card - normally some context from the meeting.

This is more to do with logistics than business image though.

BugBear

I'm not quite sure on that one to be honest, I have double sided cards, front is very simple, company name and details, on the back i list works that i undertake, for the simple reason that some people don't understand what bespoke joinery is.

Fair enough - in your instance, your card is acting like a (tiny!) flyer.

In my business, when you get a card at a trade show or meeting, it's very useful to put what info the person wants on the back of the card.

I think the difference may be that in my business we're normally dealing with other companies, whereas with kitchens you're selling to the public.

That's easily a big enough difference that in my context double sided cards are a pain, and in your's they're golden.

BugBear