HAYLOISE'S COW TIPS FOR DO-IT-YOURSELF BRANDING

�Cow Tipping� is really the bovine science of solving branding dilemmas. Find my cow tips here, in our monthly newsletters, and AbuLLard�s ABC�s of Branding. After all, who knows more about branding than cows.
-- HayLoise

Tips for VISION

Tips for IMAGE

Tips for MESSAGE

Tips for MEANS

VISION

Create a brand personality

Develop templates for documents, brochures, flyers, ads that have a recognizable style.
Make sure everything you do, say, print, or publish is consistent with that style.
Make sure that everyone in your company understands how your brand should be displayed.
Make sure that everyone in your company understands what to say about your company.

Plan ahead — avoid creating problems for yourself in the future.

Lay the groundwork for what you really want to look like long term. Even if you aren't printing brochures, creating billboards, or embroidering shirts today, you may be in the future. Make sure your images will work.
Stay away from really trendy colors and images. What's "hot" now will be "pass�" tomorrow.

Stick with it — it's all about creating something that's recognizable.

Pick something you can live with. Don't change it. Changing a brand image creates confusion with your customers and can be very expensive.
If you feel you have to rebrand, make sure you put together a communication plan that involves
your customers — don't let it be a surprise.

Keep It Simple — in today's busy world, simple stands out.
Logos

Line art is better. It's easier to reproduce regardless of the medium - paper, screen, fabric, vinyl.
Use few colors. Adding more colors adds to print complexity.
If you have two or more colors, don't let them touch (printing problems).
Make sure it will reproduce in black and white (newspaper ads, faxes, photocopies).
Don't expect your logo (or tag-line) to "explain" your business — think of them as accessories.

Fonts

Pick 2 — a serif font for body text, a non-serif font for Headings. Use them consistently.
Pick 1 "display" font. Use it sparingly.
Write them down so you remember what they are.
Don't pepper your text with bold or CAPITALS. They make things hard to read.
Avoid using too many "special" effects

Colors

Never change your logo color!
Minimize the number of colors you use. Pick a small set of accent colors that you use consistently: a primary accent color; a few others for highlight or emphasis.
Make sure the colors you use create the kind of impression you want to leave behind.

Use commercial "templates" and "clip art" judiciously — they are not Unique to your business.

Use commercial templates to accent your brand, not to BE your brand. Remember -- they are not unique to your business. How many tri-fold brochures have you seen on the green marble paper from PaperDirect�?
Make sure that your documents and presentations are legible on whatever template you use.
Make sure clip art is relevant and not just something to put on the page.
Make sure you use a consistent style of clip art.
Chose clip arts with colors that are complementary to your "brand colors" or edit the artwork to be consistent.

Put yourself in your customers place. Create a message that enables you to connect with the customer.
Make sure your messages are believable - can you really deliver what you are promising.
Make sure your messages are memorable. If people can remember and understand your messages.
Are they consistent?
Is everybody telling the same story? In person and in print?

Determine what marketing techniques make sense for your business.
Don't do advertisements just because that's what other people do.
Find the technique that makes you stand out.
Find the means that creates an emotional connection with your customer.
Put your money where it will work hardest toward achieving your business objectives

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