Elaine

Take a look around you as you go about your day. There are many companies who make it a point to stand out in the daily routine of consumers. You know their logo, you know their product or service, and you know where you can go for access to their resources. The pervasive branding of these companies does not occur by accident - it is a carefully constructed part of building a company image.

It may seem like a large undertaking to make the image of your growing company stand out like the most successful brands. However, establishing your new brand does not mean that you need to hire a world class advertising agency and start putting up billboards. As a growing company, it is necessary that you do NOT do not overexert you advertising funds prematurely. You need to establish consistency before venturing out into the world, and this is possible to do on a small scale and in a cost effective manner.

First, you need to decide what image you want to set forth to the public. What are the goals or needs of your customers? What tastes appeal to them? This idea will help to define your brand. With these ideas in mind, choosing a color scheme and developing a logo will be your next step. This may require the assistance of a designer, or it may simply include choosing a typeface that works well with your company name and image. Take a look at brands that have successfully established themselves in your field, and take cues from them when developing your look and feel.

Once you have your logo and color scheme, it is important to develop a style guide for your business. A style guide should include samples of all the information needed to present your company to the world. Define the outlets you will use to contact your customers, and make sure to keep your materials consistent among these outlets. Most businesses communicate both through printed media and the internet, so you will need to consider this when defining the content of your style guide.

The purpose of the style guide is to define your company even before you have your first customer. It is important to be sure that every employee (including you) is using your image in a consistent way that supports your ideals. Usually, the easiest place to begin is by developing variations of your logo for business situations. What does the logo look like normally? What does it look like when it's on a dark background? When in a very small space? This imagery can apply to both the digital and printed outlets.

Next, think about what printed elements you will need to distribute to the public. Business cards and a letterhead are usually a good start, but when you begin corresponding you will need additional items such as envelopes, invoice templates, and fax cover sheets. Further down the line you may want to think about other elements like correspondence cards, promotional mailings or maybe even CD labels.

The digital asset that is most important to a company is the company website. This will often be the first place potential clients will seek out your services, and it is an excellent tool to outline the purpose and goals of your company. Your website must fall into the guidelines set up by your style guide. Your website should be the main digital focus, but you may also want to consider other elements that establish consistency, such as email signatures and html templates for company emails.

It is very important to make your company recognizable right from the start. If you establish the core elements of your image, you can develop assets in the future that will follow suit. Developing a style guide can be tedious and some elements may seem obvious or trivial, but remember that the style guide is not meant to guide you- it is a reference for others. If all goes well, your company image will someday be in the hands of multiple employees in different departments. Defining your image thoroughly, and early, is one of the best ways to ensure the lasting integrity of your business.

Courtney Francis is a digital artist with several years of design and print media experience, and she is a consultant for J&S Solutions, a firm that services student media outlets. Learn more about student media consulting and how J&S Solutions can help your publication at http://www.JnSsolutions.net