Archive for July, 2009
Design Your Business Cards
July 27th, 2009 | 
Author: Business cards are the one marketing tool used by every business, large or small. They give your business credibility and provide your customers and your associates with a reminder of what your business is about and that you are the person who will be their point of contact.
Your business card will incorporate the name of your company and your logo, utilizing the basic design and colors that you have chosen. In addition, your business cards should have the following information:
• Key information about your products and services
• Your name and position with the company
• Company address
• Telephone number
• Fax number
• Web site address
• Email address
In the beginning, I would suggest that you do not print too many business cards unless you are sure that all of the information will stay the same. If you have a computer, you can buy business card stock from you local office supply store and use your jet ink printer for your first cards. When you are ready for higher quality cards, you can use a printer and make selections regarding paper quality, type of printing, colors, size, etc.
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Designing Your Logo
A logo design should be eye catching and simple. The most important logo features are the shape of the design and the balance of the colors used.
Simplicity is the key to an effective logo. It should not have overwhelming colors and details. If you use lettering, it should be in a simple and easy-to-read font type. Remember that your logo should attract and make a positive impact on your customers.
There are several alternative as to who will design your company logo.
- You can hire a graphic designer. If you decide to use a professional to design your logo, it would be a good idea to ask to see samples of other logos developed for previous customers. In the beginning, it will be necessary for you to work together to decide on the components (shape, color, lettering) of the logo. The designer needs to know what your business is all about and what message you wish to convey to your customers. You will most likely be provided with four or five design ideas to choose from. As the design progresses, you will continue to proof changes until the logo has been refined to your satisfaction.
- You may choose to design your own logo. This could work very well, especially if you or one of your friends has artistic talent and a working knowledge of graphics software such as CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. This would give you unlimited creative freedom.
- You can opt to use logo design software. The best logo programs have a friendly user interface and will help you to generate logos using predefined designs combined with color and other choices. The disadvantage of using logo software is that your logo may end up being similar to those of other businesses.
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Develop Your Company’s Logo
After you have decided on your company name and established its ownership through registration with the county and/or your state, the next step is to design your logo – the graphic image that you will use identify your business and distinguish it from the competition.
Your logo should be chosen before your business is launched on the market. It will become increasingly important as your business matures. The right logo will help promote your business in the market and will aid in attracting potential customers. Two examples of logos that have become well-known over the years are McDonalds’ golden arches and Nike’s single swoosh.
Your logo should create a long-lasting impression on your customers and evoke feelings of trust and reliability. Just this morning, a plumbing company’s van passed me on the freeway. The first thing I noticed was the company logo. It was a graphic of a plumber cheerfully scrambling to fix his customer’s problem. It wasn’t the name that attracted me. It was the logo!
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Posted in Admin Notes, Business, Company, Trademark | 
Tags: Develop Your Company’s Logo | 
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If the Name is Available, Register It
The final links in the process of naming your business are to: 1. find out if the name(s) on your list are available for use. – and – 2. file your DBA or your Certificate of Incorporation.
- If you are a sole proprietor or a partnership, you should check with the county in which your business will be located. All businesses operating under a fictitious name are required to submit a Fictitious Name Statement to register their DBA (Doing Business As) business name. The county will have a record of all DBAs that have been filed and are current. If a business has already registered the name that you were planning to use, you cannot use the same name. Go to the second name on your list and check that out – and so on – until you arrive at the name that is both appropriate and available. The next step is to go ahead and file your DBA to gain ownership of your business name. Be aware that you will have to name a location for your business in the process.
- If your business is a corporation, you will need to check out the availability of your corporate name at the state level. Generally there will be an office under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State that is responsible for the registration of businesses incorporated within the state, registration of out-ofstate corporations qualified to do business within the state, and names registered or reserved by other corporations. If the name you have selected is available, you can use it when you file your certificate of incorporation. A charter will not be issued until the state determines that the name is available, the certificate has been executed, and there has been no violation of state law.
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Posted in Business, Company, Trademark |
Tags: If the Name is Available, Register It |
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