Archive for the ‘Brand Design’ Category

When people think about business stationery design it is always about business cards, letterheads and compliment slips. However there is another stationery item which can make a huge difference to the number of customers you gain, and more importantly keep. The loyalty card. Loyalty cards are reknown for their use in coffee shops and restaurants, but the idea can be easily adapted to any business where there is substantial competition and repeat custom needs to be positively encouraged.

Introduction to the concept of loyalty

There is a famous statistic which is often quoted by business advisors – 80% of revenue is made up by 20% of customers. Of course, this statistic can’t be right for everyone but it does put the financial emphasis on the importance of repeat customers and keeping your most important customers as happy as possible. This idea of loyalty is now at the absolute heart of modern marketing and some of the largest companies spend a lot of money looking for and implementing ways to increase loyalty from customers. There is even a huge annual event devoted to the subject – Loyalty World in London which is attended by speakers from the largest companies in the world including Google, Facebook, Pepsi Co, Tesco, Sky and others.

Introduction to loyalty cards

Loyalty can be encouraged in a whole number of ways, but the loyalty card is one of the most familiar, simple to implement and successful. For many businesses it is now part of their standard business stationery design. Customers are given the option of a free card on which they can collect points every time they purchase. When full, the card is redeemed for a pre-set reward and the full loyalty card is replaced with a new card so point collection can begin again.

The loyalty card is usually a double sided business card, or fold-over business card. This allows one half to be devoted to the collection of points, while the front side can be used for branding and key contact details. Individual sales are usually marked on the card with a unique sticker, or an ink stamp.

The advantages of using loyalty cards

So what benefits can introducing loyalty cards have for your business? Here are a few ways in which adding a loyalty card to your business stationery design can increase customers.

Advantage over the competition

One of the key advantages of increasing loyalty is to stop customers experimenting with the competition. This isn’t just about buying coffee, it can work for all kinds of businesses both consumer and B2B.  In fact, the greater the individual spend, the less likely a customer is to risk not having that larger sum of money contributing towards the reward. At a salon for example, if a haircut is usually £50 and a loyalty card will provide  a half price haircut after every five purchases then a customer will think twice about risking the £50 elsewhere and not contributing towards this reward of £25. Even through, in real terms the half price haircut only represents less than a 5% discount across the total spend of £525.

Relationship building

However, the equation is not just financial. By offering a reward for loyalty you are showing customers that you understand there is a two sided relationship and reciprocal agreement. By both investing something in the relationship, it is likely to be stronger and last longer.

Advertising & branding

What would businesses usually pay for having their advert in every customers’ wallet – right next to the credit cards. A well designed and well branded loyalty card can act as an permanent reminder and reinforcement of your brand. It also puts your contact details directly at a customers fingertips.

Customer detail collection

A folded business card design allows you to add an additional section to your loyalty card and many of our customers use this for customer data collection. By asking customers to complete some basic information in order to redeem a card you can build up a database of some of your most loyal customers for targeted discounts and advertising. Just make sure your customer knows how you are going to use their data and provide an opt-out option.

Business Stationery Design – Add Design can assist you with all of your graphic design needs, including the design and print of loyalty cards. Click here to view our Business Stationery Design Packages.

In itself, having a logo is not the same thing as having a brand for a company. Although the logo is an important part, a brand is something much greater than just an icon. It includes the colours, the style, and the personality of the company. The aim of a good brand; to differentiate your company from others in the same marketplace and to represent qualities which your target market will find innately appealing. All other things being equal, a well branded company is much more likely to succeed in winning customers that a businesses with a weak or confused brand.

Here is a simple example to illustrate the point. Take two identical pairs of shorts with an identical price and put them in the same shop. Now if you add the Nike logo to one of them, you will find sales of the Nike pair will far outstrip the other. This is not just because of the logo, it is for what the logo represents to the buyer (higher quality, better engineering, better materials), and what the buyer believes the logo will represent to others when the shorts are worn (that s/he is wealthier, more professional, trendier etc.)

Creating a brand is not just for large companies, it is also vital for smaller businesses – especially if they are operating in a crowded marketplace. By becoming recognisable to customers and reinforcing positive values, the chances of winning new business and attracting repeat custom is greatly increased.

Creating a new brand for small & medium sized companies.

Many new businesses ask us to help them create a brand. It often starts with a logo design, but then takes the key logo qualities and expands them to a distinctive look, feel and tone of voice which ties together all the promotional material. Although every branding project is slightly different depending on the individual demands of the customer, here are the typical elements of a branding project.

Business Logo Design

The logo design will be the absolute cornerstone of a brand. It will determine the shapes, colours and characteristics which will then be expanded across all the company’s promotional material. All our logo design packages start with the creation of a strong design brief. By understanding as much as we can about the business and the target customers, we can ensure that the concepts we create will be suitable for the way the company needs to engage with its audience.
However, although we can advise, it is always our client who chooses the logo concept from our selection of ideas which they would like to take forward in development. While it is very important that the brand will appeal to target customers, it also has to be a logo design which the client themselves likes, believes in and is proud to use to represent themselves.

Business Stationery Design

The business stationery is often the first opportunity we have to expand the chosen logo into a wider design which will come to characterise the overall brand. The company letterheads, compliment slips and business cards do not allow much space or potential for text, but they all start as plain white sheets so allow plenty of space for the colours and shapes which will come to represent the brand. In terms of style, it is often the stationery which forms the bridge between the logo design and the broader design of brochures, flyers and other promotional material.

The stationery is also the time to think about a ‘tag line’ – a short and simple statement which tells potential customers instantly about what you do. The choice of words in describing your business can be as important as any element of the design in forming a brand.

Marketing Material

Now that the logo and colour schemes are largely determined, it is time to start selling the brand and the business to potential customers. In engaging new clients and establishing a brand, the choice of marketing material to use can be just as important as the message and design itself. If the brand is intended to be young, funky and fresh – then the choice of traditional A5 flyers might not be right for the brand. Likewise, if you need to convey values of trust, stability and tradition then choosing unusual marketing approaches can do more harm than good.

Alongside the choice of format, the design, the message and the tone of the text for your marketing material will all ultimately contribute to the brand. On each piece of marketing, it is important to consider all of these elements together as part of a greater whole. They should all be working together to create a strong message and an effective piece of marketing. Remember that a great brand is not all about strict rules on what should and shouldn’t be done. It is about a spirit and recognition which holds everything together.

Add Design can assist you in all aspects of developing an effective company brand. From professional logo design, to business stationery design, flyers and leaflets and business brochures and catalogues, we offer a full range of cost effective graphic design services.

The past few years have been tough for everyone, but lately the finance sector has been very much on the rise once more. As a result, we’ve seen an increase in the number of corporate brochures and other material we are designing for asset management, wealth management and accountancy firms. As these businesses often work with a very select audience of individuals, the design of their brochures becomes hugely important. Their brochure design must reflect the values of the organisation and be distinctive, but more importantly it has to help convince a very discerning audience to trust significant quantities of money with the company in question. Here are some of the key considerations we take into account when designing products for financial firms.

Branding

The design of your corporate brochure needs to reflect the style of the rest of your company as it is one of the key ways of marketing your services and building the brand. By making the brochure a ‘keystone’ within the wider marketing of the company, a unified and trustworthy image will be portrayed. This means it’s important to think carefully about the values your brand represents as well as the audience you are hoping to target. We can work with you to develop your ideas and build your brand into a successful corporate brochure design that inspires people to use your services.

Images

When it comes to the finance sector, it can be difficult to find images that really reflect the services offered. The obvious picture that comes to mind is of money or traditional symbols of wealth, but such overt images suggests a company with a brash approach. Instead, the imagery needs to reflect the key message you are trying to convey. For instance, are you trying to offer security? or trying to maximise the assets of your customers? or giving customers unique access to overseas funds? The particular focus of your business may well provide the answer when it comes to choosing the right images and feel for your brochure.

Trust

Perhaps with the finance sector more than any other, trust is a really important factor as it can make the difference to being successful and not. This is why it is vital to make sure everything about your corporate brochure design inspires trust in your company. From the pictures you choose to the language you use, all of it matters. The layout of your company brochure is important here as well, as a brochure that is well-thought out, well spaced and attractive to read is instinctively going to inspire more trust in the reader than one which looks put together in a rush. One of our key skills in designing for this sector is to carefully structure all the information (pictures, text, headlines, captions, quotes) in a way which reflects the precision, care and attention the company wishes to portray to its customers..

Quality

Finally, it’s important to consider the quality of your brochure. We often find that the financial firms we work with are targeting their products to high net worth individuals and so quality is vital both in terms of brochure design and the way that it is printed, finished and presented to clients. We generally recommend that you use high quality printing materials that make your corporate brochure feel substantial as this will give your brochure a more luxurious feel and signal to your clients that you really care about quality. When image matters so much, it’s amazing the difference that the right choice of paper and finish can make to your final brochure and at Add Design we are always happy to advise clients on the best ways to show this quality.

Corporate Brochure Design – Add Design specialise in design and print for a wide range of industries including the financial sector. Click here to view our corporate brochure design packages and examples of our recent work.

You might think that coming up with a company logo is a relatively unimportant part of your business – after all, what you do is more important than what you look like, right?

Well, mostly right. Of course, the best logo design in the world isn’t going to save you if you don’t have the business to match, but it’s definitely fair to say that if your logo design isn’t up to scratch, it can cause you some serious problems – regardless of your company size. Think about how many judgements you make every day about which products and services to use or buy. While many of those decisions will be based on considerations such as availability and cost, more than you realise you are rejecting brands purely on the appearance they create to you – whether they look outdated, untrustworthy, amateur, too young, too unfashionable, too feminine, too masculine etc.

Take Gap as an example. You’re no doubt familiar with them; they’re one of the most famous clothing retailers in the world. You’re probably also familiar with their logo, but you might not know that they tried to change their logo last year. Needless to say, it didn’t go entirely to plan. See the image below to compare their traditional, well-known logo with the one they tried to replace it with.

We don’t want to be mean, but the logo on the right looks like it would be more suitable for a computer software conglomerate than a cool clothing outfit. There was a general outcry and period of ridicule following the unveiling of Gap’s new logo last year and they ditched it after just a week.

This is just one high profile example of a logo gone wrong: if it can affect Gap so badly, think what it might do to a smaller business whose reputation isn’t quite so established and, therefore, more vulnerable to setbacks. This shows the importance of having a good business logo design service that can really help to capture what your business is about and come up with a logo that not only suits you but represents the values and qualities important to your clients. If Gap had not listened to its customers and had followed through with the rebranding across all their stores, think of the amount of custom they would have lost as existing customers decide that the store no longer reflects them.

Your logo is often the first visual representation of your company that people will see. For example, when you are looking to network with others or promote your business, any promotional material you send out will have your logo on. It will also feature prominently on your website and on your business stationery.

Having a professionally designed logo that has been created especially for your business will not only allow you to better capture what your company is about in a single image, but it will also help you stand out. It will allow you to start building a defined, distinctive brand that sets you apart from your competition and allows people to instantly recognise and identify with your business.

This is really important: if people recognise your business just from looking at your logo, then they are more likely to trust you and, therefore, be more likely to use you when they need services that you can offer. A good business logo will also help to build pride in your employees and they’ll be more confident and passionate when representing your business, which is ultimately good for everyone.

So, whether your company is big or small, your logo is really important. Add Design offers a comprehensive business logo design service that offers a tailored, bespoke service to all companies, no matter what size they are – even Gap. If you’re interested to find out more, please get in touch.

With the Olympics on their way to London, you have surely seen the London Olympics logo and all the controversy surrounding it. It seems to be a little bit like Marmite – people either love it or hate it (and Iran has even threatened to pull out of the games because of it). The debate over the logo aside, though, with the Olympics on the way, company owners should be paying attention to the way their own logo designs, so they can take advantage of the extra business the Olympics is set to bring to London.

If the bold and colourful London 2012 logo says anything it is the London is an exciting, dynamic and modern city, so those companies which are looking tatty and outdated risk missing out on the rush of new customers coming into the city. They also risk missing out on the partnerships and innovations which will be setting up in advance of the games, pushed forward by a government keen to see the Olympics become a legacy rather than a one-off sporting event.

This makes it the perfect to time to think about your business logo design, so you can make sure you come across as a modern, open, dynamic and world-aware organisation. At Add Design, we have 3 business logo design packages that can create a modern and professional look for your business. Read on to find out more.

The Logo Update Package
This is our cheapest logo design package at £75 + VAT. If you have a sketch or an idea for a logo, we can take your ideas and turn them into a fantastic, professional design. We can also update your current logo to make it fresher and more modern.

Once you’ve given us your ideas and we’ve come up with a design for you, we’ll send the logo back to you so you can decide what you think about it. If you would like any changes, just let us know and we’ll make them for you to create the final design of your logo.

Then, as soon as you’ve signed off on our design, we’ll get the logo sent over to you. We send it in a variety of formats so you can be certain it will be perfectly replicated each and every time you use it.

The Simple Logo Design
This logo option costs £150 + VAT and is the second option for businesses looking for a new logo design. We will create a striking, original logo for your business that will really help you to stand out and create a distinctive brand for yourself – something that’s sure to be very important during the Olympics with so many companies competing for customers’ attention.

When we’re designing your logo, the first thing we do is find out everything we can about your company. This gives us a good idea about your business and, more importantly, the types of customers you are targeting so we can design something which truly represents your company. We’ll also research your competition to make sure your logo is unique to your business. Then we’ll provide you with 3 initial design ideas. You choose one and we’ll take that one forward and go through 3 rounds of drafting to make sure the final design is exactly right. Once you’re happy with it, we’ll send the logo out to you.

Unlimited Logo Design
This is our third logo design package and it costs £225 + VAT. The process is similar to the one outlined above, except we come up with 6 initial design ideas and go through unlimited rounds of drafting until we get the perfect logo for your business. This makes sure your company will stand out above the competition and attracts attention for all the right reasons – perfect for while the Olympics is on.

Visit our business logo design pages to find out more about Add Design’s great business logo design service.

Here at Add Design, we know that all companies want to appear professional and attractive, but they often operate on tight budgets – especially if they are just starting up. Here are some top solutions for helping you show your clients, competition and everyone else that you mean business without having to break the bank, with Add Design’s range of fixed price graphic design packages for business logos, business stationery, flyers, leaflets and brochures.

For instance, your business logo design is one of the most important things to do well. Get the right logo and it will act as the cornerstone of your brand, helping your company create a professional, distinctive look across all the material you produce now and into the future. We understand that you can grab a logo image off the internet for next to nothing, but you really need to think carefully about whether this creates the right starting point for the success of your company. The graphic designers at Add Design can create a completely bespoke logo for your company for a very good price – our prices start at just £75 and we tailor all our work to your needs, making sure you get exactly the business logo you need to get the company off on the right foot.

A good business card design is another really important marketing tool and business cards are vital for helping you create the right impression instantly. Once you’ve got your professionally-designed logo, this can be developed into a brand which can be extended onto your business cards. Most customers you meet will see quite a few business cards in a single day, so it is important that yours stands out against the others both in design and quality. This is something that can be done by using our graphic design services. All our prices include design, print and delivery, so you can benefit from a comprehensive package with no hidden costs. The killer business card is certainly an investment worth making.

We can also produce a letterhead for you to help extend the reach of your brand even further. After all, many businesses frequently send out letters to potential clients as well as current customers and it’s really important that you make sure your brand stands out and is distinctive. Once a customer is familiar with your company, the chances of you being used again is greatly increased. Our cost-effective letterheads are printed on a high quality 120gsm bright white paper to instantly create the right impression. However, for companies on a really tight budget we have another solution. Our electronic letterheads are absolutely perfect as you can just print them out from your own printer whenever you need them. As well as for letters, the electronic letterhead can also be used for a whole range of other documents, including professional-looking quotations, invoices, terms and conditions and more. At just £75 for a self-printing letterhead, all of this adds up to make them a very cost-effective branding solution for companies on a budget.

We also think company brochures are a great way marketing your business, but we understand that a lot of companies want to save on the cost of printing and posting as it is often this that pushes up the overall price. This is why our graphic designers work so hard to create fantastic-looking brochures that can either be emailed out to people or made available online. This allows you to distribute your brilliantly brochure quickly and simply to customers without the costs of either printing or postage.

Our Add Design graphic design services are perfect for any business that is watching its budget but still wants to benefit from high quality design. Plus, the price we give you is the price you pay: we don’t have any hidden extras or unexpected surprises in our costs as all prices include design, print and delivery.  Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to find out more.

Whether your company is large or small, there are many benefits to be had from rebranding your business. Of course, this isn’t something you should do too often or else your clients might find it hard to identify with you, but a well-timed rebranding is a great way of updating your image. This is especially important if you are launching a major new service or have recently revised your practices, as it shows you’re keen to move with the times and stay up to date with developments.

Often, rebranding can be done fairly simply as well, making it an even more attractive prospect. For example, your business logo design is something you can update without too much hassle but doing so can make a big difference to the impression that you create in the marketplace. An up to date brand will help your company look modern and dynamic, instead of out-dated as it might if you’ve had the exact same appearance for a substantial period of time. Even if you look at some of the largest and most identified brands in the world (Pepsi, Shell, Starbucks, BBC for example), they still make regular changes and updates to their business logos and branding to keep one step ahead and relevant to new audiences.

However, as well as engaging with new customers, another key benefit of redesigning your business logo and rebranding your business is to send a signal to your existing clients and customers. It shows that you think about the image of your business and that you know the importance of developing a solid, trustworthy brand. Introducing updated elements to your company brand via your business logo, web site and marketing materials shows that you are constantly developing and improving – characteristics which will always be considered positive by long-term customers.

The rebranding process can also help launch a new product or service. The change in branding will let people know that a major shift has taken place and if your new logo is engaging, they might be inspired to find out more. So, if your company is planning a change of direction but isn’t quite sure how to go about making the changes clear to existing and potential customers, investigating business logo design and other rebranding services could be a great way to do it.

A comprehensive rebranding of your company will also be a good opportunity for you to develop a coherent image. When you first started your business, you probably spent a lot of time making sure you had exactly the right image. As businesses grow, however, they often make piecemeal changes to their branding and so their message isn’t quite as sharp and cohesive as it could be. Rebranding the whole business will help to get that message back into line and make sure all your colleagues and employees are reading from the same page when it comes to the corporate image and values. On rebranding for larger customers, we often supply a set of brand guidelines which can be distributed amongst employees (especially those commissioning design work and advertising) which explains how the logo and brand can be used. Of course, we also work with customers beyond the business logo design and help produce everything they need – from stationery to brochures – to help keep the branding consistant.

One final benefit of company rebranding is that it can prove to be a great motivator for your employees. After all, everyone likes to feel that the company they work for is dynamic, constantly improving and good at keeping up with the times. Rebranding shows that you are thinking about the future, which is reassuring to your employees, especially in tougher economic times. You can also involve them in the process, which is a good way of developing loyalty as people like to feel that their opinions are being valued.

So, if you are interested in business logo design and company rebranding, please get in touch with Add Design. We’re always happy to talk you through your options and help you develop the perfect solution for your business. Add Design provide a range of logo design packages whether you want to update your business logo or create a new logo from scratch.

Not all logo creation services are the same. The end result is a single perfect image to represent your business, but the strength of this image will be strongly determined by the time, care and skill taken in its creation.

These are the stages which go in to every new logo we create. Much of this work our clients do not see, but the work completed behind-the-scenes is all important in ensuring the quality of work presented to our customers.

As you will see, there is much more to our logo creation service than sitting down at a computer and drawing out some ideas.

Creation of a strong design brief.

It is our account handlers responsibility to create a strong design brief for the logo design. This will become the blueprint for the project. Through conversation with the customer or completion of a design brief questionnaire, a single document is created with guidelines for the design. These guidelines can cover everything from preferred colours and imagery, to the target market that the logo must appeal to.

Research

Before any design work is started, research is conducted by the designer. Using the internet and reference books/magazines, a document of existing logos is created to give the designer a feel for the industry and also the competition. To create a logo design which will stand-out, it is essential to understand the context of the business. This process also reduces the chances of creating designs too similar to existing logos.

Idea Generation

The idea generation stage is our favourite part. From a blank piece of paper we start to sketch concepts and ideas in pencil. Idea generation is usually conducted by two people working together. This allows one person to develop on the ideas of the other, and discuss how concepts might be refined. Experience is key because what works on paper, will not always work when rendered on computer.

Idea Generation finishes with the creation of a single document containing a sketch of each concept we want to render on computer.

Rendering

This stage is the most time consuming. Each concept is individually rendered on computer by the graphic designer. As we are working with original ideas, there are no short-cuts so the designer will need to take the time to develop each logo idea to a stage where a customer can appreciate the concept. They will also need to select example fonts which will match the style of the each logo.

Following consultation with the account handler, final adjustments are made to the concepts and they are titled and made ready for presentation to the customer.

Feedback

We discusses the concepts with the customer. All the feedback we get is recorded as it will form the guidelines for the refinement of the logo design.

Refinement

The graphic designer now takes the psychologically painful step of eliminating the majority of the designs they have rendered. All their work will now be conducted on a single preferred concept. Using the feedback provided by the customer, refinement will usually involve work in 3 areas. It is in this refinement stage that the skill and experience of our designers truly comes to the fore.

Layout Options

The designer will look at alternative ways that the idea can be presented. This may involve reversing-out the design, adding effects, enclosing the design within a shape . . whatever methods will work to enhance the overall design.

Colour Options

Designers rarely work with one colour. They work in terms of palettes of colour combinations. By understanding which combinations of colours and tones will elicit the right feel for the logo, the designer can create new colour options for the logo.

Font Options

We have well over 1000 available fonts to work with. Picking the right fonts for the logo from this selection is therefore something of an art. The designer will look for fonts which have the right characteristics in terms of serif/sans serif, weight, kerning (the space between the letters) and originality.

Depending on the logo design package chosen, the refinement process will be revisited a number of times. In each instance, the designers aim is to bring the design closer to the final logo.

Creation of the final files

Once the customer has approved a single image for the logo, our work has not finished. The final version must now be re-rendered at the highest quality. Some of the logos we create end up expanded large for signage and vehicles, so every edge must be crisp and every curve smooth.

The logo is then saved into various file-formats, and at different sizes. An information card with the colour references is also created to accompany the final logo to the customer. On our £200 package, the files are placed on CD and a CD sleeve printed and fitted for presentation to the customer.

Expanding the brand

Our logo creation service is often just the starting point of our relationship with a customer. Once the logo has been finalised we help with the design of business stationery, marketing material and other items to take their brand out to the world.

Logo Creation Services – click here to view our range of logo design packages

Add Design work with clients locally in Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and London – as well as throughout the UK. The beauty of our unique online service is that wherever you are based, we offer an extremely cost effective and convenient solution to all your design and printing needs.

A professional logo design is never more vital than with places to eat and drink. Through your logo and business branding, you have to convey the type of establishment you are, the type of food/drink you serve, and the likely cost and quality. Not only this, but in a highly competitive market with plenty of options, you also have to stand out and be distinctive.

Add to this, the need to appeal to the right kind of clientele. If you look cheaper than you are, then all your customers will notice is the high menu price. If you look more expensive, then you may not get any customers at all, or the ones you do get will be comparing you to establishments twice the price.

Having an image which ties in directly to the name, interior and menu is therefore key to establishing an overall customer expectation and experience.

For some inspiration, here are examples of professional logo designs we have created for previous clients. For each, we will demonstrate how the logo slots in to the overall presentation of the restaurant to make each a success.

 

The Pelican is a family-friendly Bar & Grill in the popular seaside town of Aldeburgh. It is not named after the bird, but rather Sir Francis Drake’s ship ‘The Pelican’ which was built in the town, and was the first ship to ever circumnavigate the globe.

Aldeburgh is a very upmarket location, so instantly we wanted The Pelican to be established as the family-friendly option in the town with bold colours, wild shapes and a little bit of humour with the ship in the bottle. All designed to capture attention and intrigue the target audience. This logo became the foundation for the entire look of The Pelican and we went on to create the signage, menus and interior artwork which collectively brings customers into the story of Drake’s voyage.

We wanted The Pelican to not be simply a place to eat, but to become a location to visit when in the town.

 

The Flaming Fryer was a new name for an old Fish & Chip Shop. So named because it had recently caught fire. The owners wanted to shake the old Fish & Chip Shop image for something more modern and funky which would catch the eye as people drove through the town.

The challenge was to create a logo and brand that was distinctive, but to make sure that it still looked like a Fish & Chip Takeaway – not a new restaurant. To achieve this, we abandoned the typical Chip Shop colours of blues and greens but kept the distinctive shape of the Fish central to the design – making them simultaneously look like flames to connect to the Flaming Fryer theme. This new presentation wasn’t too extreme to upset the traditional Fish & Chip crowd, but has hopefully turned some new people in the area onto the idea of Fish & Chips as a modern takeaway choice.

When we were asked to create this branding, the interior of this Take-away was already designed. The theme was American Retro, and the colour scheme was very red. Our challenge was therefore to take this theme and bring it to the overall branding, including the logo, exterior signage and menus. With a target audience of 14 – 30 year olds, we wanted the presentation to be dynamic and modern but we still needed to demonstrate quality as our client wanted to elevate Red Ziggy’s above your typical cheap Takeaway Pizza Place or Kebab Shop. The menu at Red Ziggy’s is Mexican inspired, so the flames point to this as a slightly spicy option and the Z to added Zing.

How can we help? We have designed logos, signage and literature for a range of bars, restaurants, pubs and cafes. Every design has been created to enhance the personality of each location and appeal directly to the target clientele – helping new places get established quickly and successfully. Logo design packages start at just £135 + VAT, so discuss your project please contact us.

Professional Logo Design – click here to view our range of packages

Add Design are based in Suffolk and work with clients locally in Essex, Norfolk, London and East Anglia and throughout the UK. Our cost effective design and print work can all be done via email and post, wherever you are located.

In the first of a set of mini-case studies we are going to look at the design and marketing for Beauty Therapists. Beauty Therapy covers a wide range of different types of businesses and target markets – but in terms of marketing there are a number of key areas where a little thought and investment can have large rewards.

Brand Design

As a purely service based business, the correct brand design is critical. The logo, colours and imagery must instantly convey the key qualities of your service over to the customer. This means giving consideration to the following;

Colour trends – beauty is linked to fashion, so those who are interested in beauty treatment are also often interested in style. It is therefore important that your colour schemes and graphics are based on current tastes and trends. Looking at the favourite fashion brands of your target customers can often provide inspiration.

Clarity – modern, clean & crisp are three words which often come up when we discuss branding with beauty therapists. Attention to detail is really important so the logo wants to be clean, with plenty of clear space around it.

Calmness – beauty therapy is all about the customer experience, so the branding should convey a sense of calm and luxury. Avoiding primary colours, and logo graphics which convey movement (‘swooshes’ for example) will help with this.

Originality – while there are certain rules which need to be followed in the presentation, originality is really important. The branding will be one of the key elements which differentiate you from other therapists, so you need to make sure that your presentation shows something extra and completely unique to you.

Imagery – think carefully about the pictures you use alongside your branding to make sure these fit in with your overall image and stand out from the presentation of the competition. If you are using pictures with models, consider how these relate to your target market.

Marketing

Once your branding is established, you will need to select the right combination of marketing material to engage your target market. The exact choice of material will differ from business to business, but in our experience there are some items which have proved very successful in helping beauty therapists build their customer base.

The Menu – this is a single leaflet or brochure which lists the complete range of treatments available and prices. By making this information easy to access and easy to understand you are breaking down barriers between you and the customer. By creating short descriptions on each treatment you can also guide your customers to the options best to them and personalise the experience.

Loyalty-based promotions – loyalty is essential to building a solid customer base. Keep in contact with existing customers, either through mail-outs or through e-mail. Maybe even consider a loyalty card or repeat discount scheme which offers existing customers something extra. If they feel valued, loyal customers will often become the best form of advertising you have – recommending your services to friends and family.

Referral – word of mouth can be aided with the right marketing. Small promo-cards or postcards are great for customers to pick-up and pass around. Add an introductory offer, and it is likely that a card will be kept in a handbag or stuck to the fridge until the right moment.

Appointment Cards – as well as a reminder of appointment time, appointment cards will keep your contact details close at hand in case a customer wants to pass them on.

Gift Vouchers – when a customer buys a gift voucher for a friend, you not only increase the income from that customer but will also have a new customer introduced. To work, gift vouchers must look like an attractive gift so the design and presentation is key. Rather than preset denominations (£5, £10 etc), a single gift card in which the total value can be written is a cost effective alternative.

Website – a well promoted website will not only increase enquiries, but it will also allow new customers to check your treatments and/or latest offers prior to making an appointment. The right branding is essential to conveying service quality, so make sure that the website is professionally designed and fits in with all your other material.

How can we help? We combine marketing experience with cost effective design and print products to help you create a brand, and promote your business. Starting with our cost-effective logo design packages, we can also create all the marketing material you need to make your beauty therapy business a success.

Brand Design – click here for more information on our Logo Creation Services