Announcing the New Brand & Websites!!!

I am so happy to finally announce the launch of our new brand almost 10 years in the making!  As a creative and brand developer it's often like the plumber with leaky pipes . . . I'm always spending all my creative energy with my clients, often I don't have the time or the energy for my own brand. So for the last 9+ years, I have been working hard to develop a brand that includes all 3 of my divisions that I'm in love with!  We hope you love it as well! 

The websites can be found at their old places: 2ucollection.com, 2ucouture.com and 2ucreative.net but we also have a  new domain where it can be found as well: 2ucreativejuices.com

I am so happy with how everything turned out, bear with us we are still adding products to our Paper Couture Stationery Store- But you can go to our Facebook page to see all of our current designs while we are updating. 

Please share with us your feedback below. I hope you are as enamored as I!

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Attorney Greg Francis - Branding & Official Website Launch!!

In 2012, our branding division - 2u Creative, along side our custom stationery sister - The 2u Collection were entrusted with producing the brand, marketing, promotion, and design for a most exquisite event, The International Prostate Cancer Foundation Celebration of Life Gala… which would go on to act as a catalyst of exposure for both divisions.  As an unexpected perk, we embraced the newfound appreciation, and in the weeks to follow we were delighted as several Gala attendees began inquiring about our services.  

It was at this Gala that we were lucky enough to meet and mingle with Attorney Greg Francis.  Our initial meeting was through another client of ours, Julison Communications as we worked on the Oscar Robertson press event leading up to the Gala. Astounded by the level of unique excellence that we were able to deliver, Francis expressed his interest in employing us for his own marketing & branding efforts.

Gala Pre-Event Cocktails with Dr. Patel, Keisha & Greg Francis

We were thrilled!  The recognition was unexpected and – WOW! – our work had moved him enough to reach out.  Even more exciting was the chance to work with Greg Francis, recognized attorney of Morgan & Morgan and selflessly active member of our community here in Orlando, FL.

Greg’s accomplishments in practicing law are significant… however, mostly unexposed.  Having a passion for people and justice, Francis sought out to make his services more visible to those who could most benefit from his aid.  2u Creative took on the project headstrong proposing a top-to-bottom branding campaign to further include website development & social media marketing.

We are talking everything from Logo Design to URL Naming, Tagline Development, Campaign Concepts, Website Design, Social Media Set-Up & Marketing, Branding Collateral Design, Promotional Items and much, much… MORE!!

After consultations, meetings, discussions, designs, revisions, and more … the collaborative effort has finally taken shape as we present to you the finished elements of Attorney Greg Francis' brand.

The Color Palette:  Rich - Warm - Approachable meets Powerful - Honorable - Commanding

Official Website - fightwithfrancis.com

As Francis proudly announces the launch of his much anticipated website via his blog, we congratulate him & acknowledge him for trusting in our talents.  Our efforts focused on designing a clean, consistent and client friendly site that breaks the typical tendencies of attorney websites. It is our hope that fightwithfrancis.com does just this.

Don't forget to check Greg out on Facebook & Twitter @counselfrancis... or simply "like" him @fightwithfrancis on Facebook!

Branding elements brought together to create custom Facebook & Twitter backgrounds = Clear & Consistent Branding

We hope you enjoyed! Be sure to stay tuned as additional designs develop, we will be sure to share them!

"The Confidential" Prompts Full Re-Brand for the Studios of Liga Photography

It is always with great joy that we celebrate the growth and success of our friends and colleagues here at 2u Creative of 2u Collection LLC.  Most recently we have taken great pride in an opportunity presented to us by long time friend and business associate Abby Liga of Liga Photography, as she moves forward in her most anticipated venture yet - The Confidential.

As we applaud all of those involved and eagerly anticipate what is yet to develop, we take a moment to share and reflect on the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into the project thus far...

As we began conceptualizing here at 2u Creative, we found ourselves delving a bit deeper into the Liga brand, beyond the idea of The Confidential alone.  Abby discussed with us the need for 2 new additions to her brand, a workshop division & commercial division.  In our initial design and development it became clear to us that things between the already established brand pieces and these new pieces were beginning to look mismatched.  Exploring this notion sparked a full re-branding campaign for Liga Photography and all divisions... with purpose of course.  They key is to be mindful of building a cohesive brand by looking at the elements and how they work TOGETHER, rather than building divisions separately and hoping they fit.  

Having worked on branding for Abby Liga of Liga Photography for many years, we have a true love for the brand and take pride as we graduate this brand to match the evolution of it's refinement.  We thank Abby for her testimonial and expressed gratitude:

"When I came to Amy about helping me create a brand for The Confidential workshop I knew she was going to come up with something amazing far beyond what I thought it could be. And much to my surprise it prompted full re-brand integration for all my divisions. We couldn't be happier with the refined versions of other divisions and as you can see below, The Confidential fits right in!

We are more than thrilled to bring you the fresh new color palette for Liga Photography showcased in the 5 separate, but cohesive logos presented below... and make sure to keep an eye out on the 2u Creative Blog as we will be introducing additional marketing pieces for the Liga campaign, enjoy!

Wedding Division Brand

Portrait Division Brand

Commercial Division Brand

Workshop Division Brand

Blog Brand

Now a little peek at a few of the logos placed together for some insight on how to cohesively fit multiple divisions under a unified brand campaign.  Simply Refined!

Little did we know that The Confidential would spark this fabulous re-brand - To stay up to date with all of The Confidential secrets, make sure to  "like" the official Confidential Facebook page for full access, not-to-miss dates, photos, videos & more!!

And one last teaser as we invite you to watch & read more about The Confidential below!! 

A Workshop from the studios of Liga Photography - The Confidential: Illuminating Truth & Passion -  will take a fresh and intimate approach that is sure to set it apart from the typical educational workshop.  Those attending will experience a tailored, individualized approach while also delighting in the benefits of group expression and critique.  We could go on... however we have partnered with Jeffery Stoner Video to create a most fantastic teaser and invite you to view a glimpse of Miss Abby Liga as she exposes the intrigue behind The Confidential.

Also check out The Confidential website in progress at ligaconfidential.com - Stay tuned to the 2u Creative Blog June 1st as we will be sure to announce & feature the launch!

E-Events Timeless Branding

The 2u Collection & 2u Creative has been fortunate enough to have worked with industry acclaimed wedding planner Lisa Stoner of E-Events for many years. We have had the pleasure of developing and evolving with her brand from it's inception and hold it close to heart.

After many years in business, and as E-Events matured our marketing & branding division, 2u Creative was given the opportunity to refresh the brand, giving a light & airy touch to a beautifully refined collection of marketing pieces.

Branding and furthermore Re-Branding is in the DETAILS!  Keeping signature components of the original brand, while incorporating them into a crisp color palette with newly embellished accents, allowed us to retain recognition of the E-Events brand and still further reinvigorate the feel. 

Enjoy the pieces below as you drift into a lovely example of re-branding with purpose!

What are you blogging for?

I am a firm believer that blogging is key to keeping yourself relevant within any industry. Consumers are becoming more reliant on companies' abilities to blog and share via social networks than they are print advertisements and website content. In today's society you can't survive as a company by relying on one form of marketing. Obviously everyone's business is different. Some companies client base comes heavily from word of mouth recommendations while others have completely web based clientele. Whichever category you fall in to it's important to cross market yourself. Make sure people have heard from you online as well as from others. 

The reason blogging is so important is because it allows you as the business owner to be relatable. We all like doing business with people we know. There's a level of comfort involved with doing business with someone you know. The satisfaction of getting to know someone takes your working relationship to the next level. Sometimes the personal connections you make with people is what makes your professional relationship so valuable. Once people become fans of your work they want to see it continually, so show them! If you have a recent project you're particularly proud of then you need to be blogging it! Be confident and stand behind your work, when people see you're fully convinced your work is great they'll start to agree. 

It's also great to blog on topics that are in your expertise. Sharing ideas, articles, experiences, successes and failures is what makes us all better both as individuals and professionals. And that's what blogging is all about. Sharing your personal insights into your industry. Your blog should be often and relevant. Make you are writing something people will want to carve out time to sit down and read. Blogging is your opportunity to make your company really yours. I hear everyday from clients that they want their brand's logo to be so unique and the wording on their website has to be so different from that of their competitors. However, they never think to carry that desire for originality through to their blog which if attended to correctly could be one of their greatest assets. Make sure you are spending time with your blog because it is one of the most effective ways clients can associate with you. 

Photo credits from megamoneyblog.com 

Social Media-When does sharing information become sharing TOO MUCH?

In today's world, we are more increasingly living in a space where everything about our lives is made public. There was once a time in our history when paper and printing were such rare commodities, that in society we were more discriminate in what words were actually put out there for public consumption. Writings, statements, etc were scrutinized-- is this information important enough to share with the masses-- do we use our rare resources to convey "this message" (whatever it may be), or should we further think it through to make sure "this message" is worthy of the use of rare resources, and the time involved to produce it for the masses. This idea has been lost over time, as our society changes and grows and as our technology evolves.

These days, with social media, internet news sources, etc. it seems this idea has become lost all together, which is what prompted me to write this post. Are we sharing too much information these days- and are we sometimes spreading misinformation, because we don't spend the proper time verifying and vetting the information we do put out there.  Has social media and the internet made it so we don't take responsibility for our words? Should we use "free speech" as a crutch to post any message we want for the world to see? Shouldn't we have a social responsibility to make sure the words we put out in the world are accurate and true? Journalist are held to this standard, why aren't the rest of us. A Journalist can't write whatever they want about any topic or person without consequences. They have to work within ethical guidelines, because they can be held responsible for their words- due to libel and slander laws. 

As a marketing professional and designer I am often asked to manage my clients social media forums. And as a business owner myself with my own social life I've come to the conclusion that although we shouldn't be judged based on what we choose to do with our social lives and social media there's no controlling that we still are. Business professionals especially should be even more careful when it comes to what they post on their social media outlets. Although we do live in a society where we are free to speak our minds that doesn't necessarily mean we always should. Sometimes posting your opinion on something will cause people to judge you unfairly or jump to conclusions about the "underlying message" you are conveying.

Yes, we live in a wonderful time where we do have free speech and we can speak our minds, but should we always? This is something each of us has to decide for ourselves. But here are some things to keep in mind. You don't want to alienate a future employer, college admissions, client, friend, in-law etc. because they have inferred "what you mean" by a statement, photo, video, etc that you have shared with the world. Should we be able to post whatever we want with no judgement? Yes. But unfortunately in the world we live in today, it's just not that simple. The FACT IS, YOU ARE JUDGED ON WHAT YOU POST.

There are several things you can post for the world to see, but before you do you should think about the possible consequences. Posts and photos regarding....

1. Posting Digs, Jokes, or Statements "meant to be funny"
When you post something vague on your blog, twitter, Facebook, myspace, etc there is no TONE.  Sometimes you may write something that you think is funny- but could offend others. And since there is no voice inflection, or mischievous glint in your eye, the audience may have no idea that you were trying to be funny or make a joke. This recently has become an issue in the Tyler Clementi trial as well as in schools where students are being bullied via electronic means.  REMEMBER: the people reading your posts are not in your head. You may think you are being harmless with your posts, but they may be harmful to others. 

2. Partying too hard..Posting the innappropriate.
It is great to have fun with your friends, and post pics of these escapades. But think about what is appopriate not for the NOW, but for your future. Do you want to become very successful in your career to only have your past come back and haunt you? This happens all the time, especially in politics. For Example: Bill Clinton.. "I didn't inhale." Would he have been elected if there was video of him on Facebook actually inhaling? Who knows, but do you want to go to a job interview and NOT get the job because 5 years ago a friend of your posted a pic of you on the internet "praying to the porcelain god?"  It was funny at the time, right?

3. Getting too emotional...do you post TMI?
Do you post your life's ups and downs? When you are fighting with a friend, boyfriend, co-worker etc. Do you intentionally post things to "get a rise of them"? Do you share your intimate moments on a public forum. If you do, that is your choice, but remember YOU ARE BEING JUDGED. Have you lost out on potential clients, job opportunities, etc because you are viewed as Volatile or Emotionally unstable? You probably don't think you are viewed this way. But if you post all of your Personal Ups and Downs- then someone out there probably views you as an "emotional mess". Believe it or not this translates, and if a potential employer thinks this of you, they start to think, do I want to hire this person- will their dramatic emotional moments- affect their ability to do their job. Should they make a decision about you based only on your merits, and not what you put out there? YES-- but is this how it works? NO! What you post is a reflection of your character, and colleges and business owners have started checking Facebook and social media to see what kind of character you have. So be careful what and how you post. 

4. Venting about co-workers and clients....
This is a huge NO NO.. People have been fired for venting about their boss or place of employment on Facebook. It is never smart to post negative things relating to your job, employer, vendors, co-workers, friends, acquaintances etc. This is a bell you can't un-ring! Public forums ARE NOT the place for venting about people in your life.  Call a friend, get a cocktail and vent. We all need to vent sometimes, but posting things in the heat of frustration and anger, only leads to REGRET. And once it's out there you can't take it back! Yes, you can delete it, but you can never delete it from the mind of those who read it before you do.

5. Professing your political and religious views.....
We are lucky to live in a society where we have freedom in these areas. But always be aware, these types of posts can be hot-button issues for lots of people, so be careful what you post. You may have potential clients and/or opportunities with people that have very different views. This is what makes America great, everyone has the right to their own opinion. Remember though, just as you have the "freedom to post these things"- others have the "freedom to judge you or not do business with you because of your views". As a business professional you have to check your personal thoughts on these topics at the door. You don't want to alienate anyone in the business arena because you passionately post your thoughts and views. Although you are completely entitled to your own political and religious views just be prepared that sharing them could turn around and hurt your image or brand. And the same goes for all the topics I mentioned above. 

All of the above are topics that can possibly give your clients, vendors, friends, etc an unfavorable perception of you. All of us are individuals and that is nothing to be ashamed of or hide, however if you use your social media outlets for your company or the professional side of your life, you need to watch your personal posts. You can't be promoting your business or professional skills at 9am and then bashing your boyfriend or coworker at 2pm, without it effecting how your followers and/or clients view you.  When it comes to business, especially with our economy the way it is people want to spend money with trust-worthy, capable and consistent individuals. If you portray yourself to be anything but that, rest assured eventually your business/professional life will suffer. 

There are several Facebook privacy settings you can take to prevent people from seeing anything on your page you don't want them to see. Photo tagging privacy policies, sharing with only certain groups of people your posts and so on. Check all of your other social media sites for these same settings. It could help you limit what potential employers, clients, etc see.

It's true, your personal life should not dictate the way you are in business, but unfortunately it absolutely does. So be sure you are monitoring what your social media sites are saying about you. Think about what you are posting, be responsible with your words. And if you are trying to be informational in your posts, make sure that you research, and that you are putting accurate information out there.

Sneak Peek! Julison Communications.

We are happy to share this sneak peek with you. We have been working with one of our favorite colleagues this week, helping him develop a brand and website for his company.


We are working hard on finishing his full website, however in the mean time you can go visit the sneak peek and read all about the story below!


Ryan Julison, I call him the Amazing Public Relations Guru.  He and his team have handled all kinds of amazing feats!  Most recently he handled James Jones the School Bus Dad. Which resulted in over 2,000 TV stories, including appearances on Dr. Phil, Geraldo, CNN Headline News, TODAY Show and many others. Be sure to Watch the Today Show Coverage.

Congratulations to Ryan and his team and we thank him for trusting 2uCreative with his brand!

Soar & Explore with WonderWorks!

Early in 2010, we were approached by WonderWorks. Many of you local to the Orlando area know them as the upside-down building on International Drive. (see pic below)


They came to us needing a branding package for their newest venture. Soar & Explore! This is a fun new adventure course at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 


The team at 2u Creative was more than happy to oblige. This was a fun project, centered around the child in all of us. We even had a team building event on the Ropes Course housed at the Orlando WonderWorks!


We started with Logo Concepts, the final choice below illustrates the fun and outdoor adventure to be had! You can see above, we created Rack Cards, Coupons, Stickers, Stationery, and much more! 


This was a fun project from start to finish- I'm just sorry it took me so long to share it with all of you!

Soar & Explore is a fun outdoor adventure features a zipline and ropes course. 
Read on to learn all about it.

Zipline The zipline will take participants soaring 50 feet above water on a course that travels 1,000 feet between towers. Featuring a constant tension system, the dual-line course ensures participants a smooth “zip” with intense fun. No skirts or dresses permitted on zipline.
Ropes Course The pirate-themed ropes course stands a staggering 40 feet tall and spans three levels. Participants must navigate 33 different challenge elements which are designed with more than 3,000 ropes and cables. The course becomes progressively more difficult offering participants the chance to compete as a family. No skirts or dresses permitted on ropes course.

If you visit Soar & Explore be sure to stop by WonderWorks right next door. They have some great interactive fun, like Lazer Tag, an Inversion Tunnel, and Anti-Gravity Chamber and Much much more!!

The Importance of Branding & Advertising Part 2

Links to some branding projects I have worked on!! Please note, Liga Photography & CCH Marketing are exclusive partners of 2u Creative, so not only are they are clients, but they help us serve our clients with the best photography and marketing services around!!


CCH Marketing logo, collateral and web development


Liga Photography- Rebrand 3 years later
The Liga District - Adding onto and Integrating Brands
Liga Photography- Original Initial Branding Project


Pure Sugar Studios


Cleanse Bath & Body


Lavish Boutique


Part II- How to Get Started with Your Brand Development. In Part I, I blogged about why it is important to brand your company, now I want to discuss the question my clients, colleagues and friends seem to always want to know: HOW DO I GET STARTED. I am going to outline and discuss the steps I think are important in developing your company brand.

1. Research, Development & Creating a Plan: This is very important and lays the foundation for all of the following steps. Not only will it help you more easily develop your brand, it will build a strong foundation of principles and philosophies that will guide your company as it grows.

• Research- Look around. Research other companies: Who (as a company) do you aspire to be? Look at your successful colleagues. How do they market their companies? What about them causes you to seek them out? What is your competition doing? Speak to colleagues, both in your industry and outside of it, explain what you are trying to do, and get their feedback. As small business owners, we should all have colleagues/companies we aspire to be like. This helps us grow as individuals and businesses. It helps us approach our business with fresh eyes and new perspective. The hardest thing in my opinion about owning a business is stepping back; when you are too close to something it can be hard to see what's right in front of you.
  
  Be careful here; I am not in any way suggesting you copy your competition or fellow colleagues. You want your company to be unique and individual in its marketing and branding, but sometimes seeing how someone else approaches something will cause that genius idea to fall loose in your own mind.
  
• Development- Now that you have done some research it is time to dive into the development of your company. Ask yourself the following questions and write down your answers; this will help you further organize and grow your business structure and will also help you later when you sit down with a designer/studio. 
  
  Who are you as a company? Who do you want to be? What do you want for your business's future? What makes your company unique in comparison to the competition? Who is your market/customer base? What's the SINGLE most important message you want your potential customers/clients to understand about your company and its services from the first moment?
  Do you have colors, shapes, etc. in mind when you think of your company message?
  
• Create a Plan- Now that you have a better idea of who you are and where you want to go, answer these questions. 
  What is your Budget? I know this is tricky... but be realistic. When considering this question, keep in mind: "You DO get what you pay for." That goes for Design & Marketing Services, as with anything else. You have to pay for experience and knowledge. If you are serious about your brand development, you should pay for the experience and knowledge of a professional who will get you results.
  What is the scope? What does your company need? Consider the following: Company Tag Line, Logo & Stationery Design, Website, Collateral (brochures, newsletters, direct mail, postcards, etc), Advertising (print and internet), Press Kits or Presentation Packets for Publications and Potential or New Clients, Blog, E-Marketing, Trade Marking, etc. These are some suggestions of things you will need in order to successfully reinforce your brand.

2. Finding a Designer. Freelance vs. Small Design Studio: Now that you have a plan and a clear idea of what you are as a company and what you want to put out there, you need a designer or small design firm to get started on brand development. All of your answers to the questions in Step 1 will help you now because any knowledgeable and experienced Designer/firm will need them to properly develop your brand!

I'm going to give you some standard rates and some standard pros and cons to hiring a Freelancer vs. a Small Design Studio or Agency. To move forward and have your brand developed you're going to need a Graphic Designer. A lot of small businesses chose to use freelance graphic designers to save money. I have been a freelance designer, worked for a small firm/agency, and now own my own design studio, so I can provide perspectives from all sides.

• Freelance Graphic Designer, Writers and Marketing Professional- You can get a talented freelancer that can concept and design anything you need. The standard rates are $50-$85 per hour. This is dependent on the experience and talent of said designer. And most freelancers will work with you on their rate if you do more than one project with them. This can be the most affordable way for small business to create and develop a cohesive brand. The downside to this is that it's difficult to find a designer who has the experience and skills to help you with writing, strategy, marketing and design, and art direction. There are designers out there who are very talented and can do all of those things, but they are rare, and usually you will end up having to find freelance writers and marketing/PR professionals to work with the designer so that you can effectively complete everything involved. This can get expensive because each of these freelancers will have their own hourly rate. The other downside to this is you may end up with a group that hasn't worked together a lot which may add time to you projects and result in conflicting messages in your brand. CONSISTENCY IS VERY IMPORTANT in your messaging. This is where Small Design Studios and Firms blow freelancers out of the water.
  
• Small Design Studio/Firm- Often this is the route that makes most sense, because small design firms have a network of writers, strategists and marketing/PR professionals that they can call on and work with on a regular basis. The rates can be anywhere from $75-150/per hour. But again, most design firms will work with you on price if you are doing multiple projects with them. I have even given package project prices at significantly discounted hourly rates to both save my clients money, and ensure I have a contract for a few projects. The benefit to using a small firm that is you have a team that has worked together on many projects and each have their own expertise, which will often make your brand campaign more effective. It's hard for a designer/artist to effectively create strategy and write copy all while trying to create a look and design. So when you take this route, you have a team that will be top notch in each area instead of one person trying to do it all.

Don't choose the first person/firm you come across, but look at many firms to find the one that is right for you. Your designers, writers and marketing/pr professionals should be genuinely interested in your company, should want you to succeed, and should not just treat you like another job on their list. Follow your gut, and most of all beware of the artist with the large DIVA EGO... (I'm designer, I'm allowed to say it... a lot of us tend to become divas.) Make sure your team recognizes it's all about creating a brand campaign that works and fulfills its goal, not just creating art to create art. Don't get me wrong, it should look great and be extremely creative and even edgy.. BUT IT SHOULD ALWAYS PUT MESSAGE FIRST!
4. Work Closely with your Team Creating Artwork: Now that you have found and chosen an artist or team, trust them to do what they are good at. Take their recommendations and think them through. Remember, they have a fresh, objective perspective on your business. You may not always agree, and you may override their recommendations sometimes, which is okay. Just remember that this is their area of expertise, and they are professionals with experience and knowledge in this area. This is your company, however, so if you are ever opposed to a design or idea, speak your mind. But also remember you may be too close and might need to step back to fully consider their recommendation. Any professional designer or firm will find a compromise if you are completely opposed to something.
5. Practice What you Preach: Once you develop your brand and start putting your message out there, make sure that you practice what you preach. Your company must deliver on what it puts out there: Nothing works against your brand more than not delivering on what you're selling.

I hope you enjoyed.. Below is a testimonial from one of my clients who came to me for integration of her several divisions. And be sure to stay tuned, we are developing a new look for our website, so we've taken down the old and have a teaser up to entice you.




A Testimonial from Susan Southerland with Just Marry: (we've been working to re-brand her company for the last year) Amy has such a keen eye for brand imaging. Recently, I have had to develop three logos which fall under the same brand. Amy was able to make each logo convey its own message and they all coordinated beautifully. Brand recognition is so important for success these days. It is very important to have a graphic artist who understands your company vision to create these images. Amy just gets it!

For more information or help with developing your company brand, contact me.

Thanks for reading! 

The Importance of Branding and Advertising-- PART 1

After hearing of some of the sad closures of some of my favorite boutiques around this area, and hearing of the struggles of many small business owners these days, I've decided to blog on something I know a little about! Advertising, and Branding. For those of you who don't know before I started my company with it's 3 divisions: The 2u Collection, Paper Couture Stationery and 2u Creative I worked first as a graphic artist, then later as an art director in both In-house and Independent Advertising & Marketing Agencies. I've done this for the last 14 years so I have quite a bit of experience designing collateral and Ads for all kinds of different industries. And most recently in the last 4 years, I've really specialized my Advertising work to the Wedding Industry. Being a Vendor in the Wedding Industry has given me a unique and intimate perspective on this industry and has helped me create unique, more specialized branding and ad pieces to help my Wedding Vendor Clients reach their proper audience.

But enough about that, what I really want to write about is HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO DEVELOP YOUR BRAND IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY!! 

So let's start with the basics-- What is a BRAND?? an organization's brand identity represents how the company wants to be perceived in the market, what a company stands for and most importantly what the company promises to its clients.
Why develop a BRAND?? To set your company above your competition and create brand recognition in the audiences' eyes. (In this case brides, you want to create a buzz and image around your company which will spark recognition in the bride's mind and cause her to choose you out of the sea that is your competition!)This Brand Recognition will also Legitimize you to Potential Clients, Publications and Fellow Colleagues!
HOW do I as a business owner, create BRAND RECOGNITION?? As most of you know, these days with the internet,  and our ability to touch the other side of the world in minutes, many industries are saturated with many, many, many talented and amazing professionals.
So how do you set yourself apart?

Create, Develop and Fine tune both the image and message you put out there. Now I know in these tough times that it can be difficult to allocate the dollars to your own Branding and Ad materials. But I am here to tell you, the one thing I've learned over the years is the companies that continue to Advertise and get their name out there during the slow economic times, are the ones that grow leaps and bounds when things start to turn around. Afterall, that is the point of a Brand to affect your bottom line!

So here are 5 financial benefits to Developing a Strong Brand Identity. (you all must excuse the car references, my husband has brain washed me.. :)

1. Brand Identity commands a Price-Premium. Why is someone willing to pay thousands of dollars more for a Lexus than for a Toyota? They are virtually the same product, minus the add on options and accessories. They are made by the same manufacturer, and they even share parts. It's because the BRAND of the Lexus is WORTH MORE in the minds of the consumer, regardless of whether the product actually functions better.

2. A Price-Premium creates the "PERCEPTION" of quality. This follows the old saying "You get what you pay for." If Product A costs more than Product B it must be because Product A is of better quality. Right? Well, not necessarily. Customers Pay more for what they PERCEIVE to be a better or higher quality BRAND! But at the same time, if you don't deliver on your "Quality" promise- there won't be BRAND Loyalty, and therefore your brand recognition will deteriorate.
3. Perceived quality has been shown to Positively Affect Customer usage. Consumers tend to select brands they perceive to be quality brands. This also connects to repeat clients, otherwise known as BRAND loyalty! Clients tend to continue to buy brands that reward them with a good experience and quality. They also tend to REFER Brands as part of that loyalty.

4. Clients relate VALUE with QUALITY. If one brand is perceived to be of higher quality than another brand, clients tend to perceive that the higher-quality brand is a better VALUE.

5. Perceived Quality can be a point of differentiation. Successful companies are continually looking for ways to differentiate their brand from the competition. Perceived quality can be used to set your company and its services apart from your competition, which then loops back to #1- enabling the company to charge a premium for their strong BRAND.

Now what does this mean to the normal small business. This means that if you can BRAND yourself, your company, your product or your services-- you will set yourself apart from your competition, and over time your brand will strengthen-- which in turn will bring Higher Premiums to your Product or Service. But keep in mind.. it's not just smoke and mirrors-- the truly successful BRANDS not only "talk to the talk, they walk the walk" and deliver everything their BRAND promises!

Tomorrow I will blog Part 2, and it will cover how to start the branding process of your company and get your Identity recognizable!