With the proliferation of graphic design software and expertise, a logo can be created in just minutes and at almost no cost. Given this relative ease, many small firms make the mistake of thinking that their company's brand begins with logo design. An effective logo is a powerful brand weapon, no doubt, but such logos should be the product, not the driver, of thoughtful deliberation about a company's mission, vision, differentiation, and essence.
The key to developing a strong sense of brand identity can be summed up in two words: know thyself. It's easier said than done, of course, but your company should take the time to ask some key strategic questions about who you are, what you do, how you're different than the competition, and how you can communicate these things in an image or just a few words. This should be a collaborative process involving different people within your company and perhaps even your current customers. After you've defined your identity, consider getting a logo created that captures the essence of your company or represents what you want the public to envision when thinking about your company. If you need help getting a logo designed, check out Logoworks.
Once you've honed in on an authentic and unique identity, you'll want to give your business a unified and professional look by extending brand elements across everything you do, including brochures, flyers, business cards, newsletters, postcards, PowerPoint presentations, and even shipping labels. Download the HP free templates for these elements.
The exercise of building a brand is a challenging one, but once you've found your voice, the tools to implement your brand are readily available and offer professional-quality materials at an in-house price. Not only will clients and prospects be impressed with your professionalism, but your brand will now tell a consistent story to the world about all that you have to offer.
Did you know that color increases brand recognition by up to 80% while improving readership as much as 40%? Learn how you can improve your communications with color.
When the financial news icon The Wall Street Journal decided in 2002 to employ color in its pages, skeptics questioned whether the move would compromise the paper's gravitas. The Journal knew better. For them, color was intended to not only attract a new generation of readers, but also enhance the paper's top-flight content and boost advertising revenue as advertisers were looking to reach readers with the powerful effects of color.
Study after study has demonstrated that the use of color in printed communications not only improves the rate at which your piece is read, but can also boost brand recognition by as much as 80%. Color does more than grab attention–it can create a mood, direct the eye, and differentiate different graphical elements.
And now, thanks to advances in printing technology, in-house color printing is more accessible and affordable than it's ever been. By creating your own color marketing materials, direct mail, and newsletters–with help from HP's tools and templates–you'll suddenly be touching the hearts and minds of your customers and prospects in ways you never previously imagined. A quarterly newsletter from your firm with timely investment tips and color graphs and charts can go a long way toward building customer affinity and loyalty and even gaining referrals.
While it's not likely that publicly-held companies will be issuing their financials in shades of lavender and teal, there's no reason why your business shouldn't be promoting the virtues of your services with splashes of color. And be prepared for your phone to be ringing off the hook with all the calls you get from new clients.
When I recommend that business owners use templates (like those built into Microsoft Office or available free on the HP site to make their marketing material creation quick and easy, I often get resistance and comments like: "But I'm afraid my letterhead/business card/brochure will look like a million others out there!" At one point, perhaps, this was a real danger. How many of us remember the Microsoft Word fax cover sheet that everybody used? It's certainly legitimate to be concerned about standing out from the crowd. But the good news is that templates give you the best of both worlds: you can use them to create professional-looking marketing materials in no time flat, and by doing just a few small customizations, you can have a unique look that won't scream "I used a template just like everyone else."
Here are just a few ways to customize a template for a unique look
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Use different colors. Some templates actually have multiple color schemes from which you can pick, and each scheme offers a pleasing combination of colors. If you don't find a combination you like, or your template doesn't have that option, you can change every element in your template, from the font to graphic elements like lines and boxes. Microsoft Office programs make it exceptionally easy to change the color of any element. Just one word of advice: unique should not equal garish. Ask someone else for a second opinion on your color combination choice.
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Use different fonts. The font that comes standard with a template may not suit the style of your business. Try a number of different ones to see which you feel most represents your company. If you have a very traditional, conservative company, use a traditional font. If your company is leading-edge, try something a bit more daring. Again, keep away from really unusual fonts unless your company is really unusual.
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Use different graphic elements. Using your logo can make a world of difference in branding an otherwise generic template. Even if you don't have a custom-made logo, consider using a clip-art illustration that represents your business
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Use different photos. The photos that come with a template will seldom represent your business correctly. The good news is that there are plenty of places to get free or low-cost images, including the HP free image library. The right photo will completely change the tone of your marketing materials and help make them your own.
Here are two samples of the same letterhead template. The first is the original, standard template; the second illustrates how different a template can look with some simple customization. So go ahead and create your own unique customized template!
Sample 1:
Sample 2:
Create your own letterhead
While most of us recognize the importance of a well-designed business card, stationery can get overlooked in our marketing design plans. Yet great-looking stationery can have a big impact on potential and existing customers. It only takes a few moments to use one of the many free or low-cost tools available to create eye-catching letterhead that will give your communications that all-important professional touch. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
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You can use templates to create professional-looking letterhead quickly and easily. HP offers a variety of Microsoft Word templates for letterheads that let you set up customized letterhead with just a few clicks.
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Keep your business information in a different font and/or color than the text of the letters you type on your letterhead. That will help create a clear distinction between the letter content and your contact and marketing information on the letterhead.
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Use your business logo or a photo to give your letterhead graphic appeal. HP offers a free free marketing images. You can also have a custom logo made by Logoworks for a fee.
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For an integrated look and feel to your marketing, use the same base design for all your marketing materials, from letterhead to business cards and brochures. HP provides free "identity kits" that give you templates in a cohesive design scheme to make your marketing materials look their best. You can also use free templates from
or buy their professional, integrated marketing designs.
While a business card can convey your basic contact information, a brochure can do so much more. A great-looking, informative brochure can persuade potential customers to hire you based on the brochure alone. It's easy to make your own brochures with free tools and classes from HP.
Before you begin designing your brochure, think about what you need to communicate to potential customers. Keep your text short and to-the-point; you'll want to leave room for plenty of eye-catching graphics that support your message. Here are a few suggestions for brochure information:
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The title, logo and tagline of your business
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The types of services you offer
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A brief description of what sets you apart from your competitors
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Your experience
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Short testimonial quotes from customers
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Your contact information
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A professional portrait of yourself
Take advantage of these free tools, templates and classes from HP to create your own effective brochure:
Having the latest and greatest tools for connectivity won't do you any good if you have an office-bound attitude. When you are on the road, waiting for clients, or any other time during your workday, you should be reachable by phone, email and instant message. Get into the habit of checking your messages frequently without taking your focus off important tasks or meetings. It may take a while to develop a flow, but if you did it in the office, you can learn to be highly reachable while mobile.
In this age of electronic contacts, the business card still remains an important piece of paper. Having a well-designed business card helps you project the right image to existing and potential clients, ensures that your clients have your contact information handy, and conveys a certain level of professionalism. Keep these tips in mind when designing your business card for maximum effectiveness.
Clarity
The first and foremost function of your business card is to provide your contact information. Make that your number one priority when putting your card together. The most important contact information is your name, phone, and email address. These should be easy to read. Other contact information that you may or may not want to include is your mailing address and fax number, as well as your company website. Non-contact information that is still highly important is your title and, of course, your company name. If you have other information or text that you want to add, ask yourself how important it is. It can be tempting to load your business card with marketing slogans, quotes, or more in-depth information about your business. Resist this urge and have faith that if the customer wants more information, he or she will contact you or visit your website.
The same holds true for graphics on your card. While it may seem boring at first, the plain white card with your company logo as the only graphic works very well for presenting your contact information without distractions. A bold design or single graphic also works well. Crowding your card with many different images is a bad idea, however. Your contact information may get lost in the distracting array of graphics. Keep it simple and you'll maintain your card's effectiveness.
Tone
After the basics of your contact information, a business card conveys something about the tone of your business. Bright colors and an unusual font may signify that your business is fun, out of the ordinary, and innovative. A simple, elegant card with just one color may signify stability and seriousness. Choose a design that meshes with the image you want your company to project. Again, keep it simple. You want your message to be clear and strong, so avoid designs that have many contrasting elements or look cluttered.
The type of paper you print your cards on will make a difference as well. Glossy stock tends to convey a modern, leading-edge attitude, while a heavy matte paper conveys a more conservative, elegant tone. It is important to have your cards printed on heavyweight card stock as opposed to lighter, normal paper. The edges of the card should be clean cut.
Pre-designed cards
The good news is that you don't have to start from scratch when designing your business card. HP offers a number of business card templates that make it easy to create a business card that follows the design suggestions above. These templates are simple to use. You can create your own professional-looking business cards in just a few minutes.
Printable version
