LongIsland.com

In Marketing, Know Thyself

Written by Debra Scala Giokas  |  25. October 2002

Before you can market yourself, you must know yourself. This is easier said than done. People spend lifetimes on this timeless piece of wisdom; companies and non-profit organizations should at least take some time to ponder this simple and yet powerful question. Before you spend big bucks on your marketing campaigns, you must know your identity. Your crystallized and focused answer will ignite your first order of business. Once you have at least five adjectives to describe your organization, you will have a clear picture of how you want and need to be presented to your audience. You should invest in a graphic designer. Sit with the designer and explain your organization's personality. Just as you would invite an interior designer into your home to discuss your likes and dislikes, so you must invite your graphic artist into your workplace to explain your culture and office atmosphere. Then let the designer create at least six potential logos for you to choose from. The creation of a logo will dictate all of your marketing decisions. For in that concise artwork lies your entire identity. The font and color of the type must capture your organization's personality. You must love it because you can't leave it. Make sure your logo is clean and simple so it can be reduced to letterhead size and blown up to banner size. It's important to think ahead. After stamping your logo on all of your marketing materials, you will not want to lose the money you invested. At the end of this self-assessment process, you will know your organization, be able to describe its personality in a short sentence or two and own a logo that serves as a visual identity of who you are. From this point on, you will be able to decide upon new letterhead, a brochure, web site, signage, and all other marketing collateral materials. The beauty of this is that everything will be consistent. You will begin the branding process. Taking the time to figure out your identity and spending the money on the creation of a logo that you love is the beginning of marketing magic. The logo is a way of dressing your company for success. It's like the little black dress. Every woman knows that she must own one that can carry her everywhere-as long as it's a classic.

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