Launch a Company: Your Public Persona Is Crucial
You’ve probably heard the expression “image is everything” before. It’s essential to seriously consider the image you want your firm to project from the start if it lasts for decades.
Put the phone down and do this quick exercise.
In a nutshell, what is it that you want your organization to be recognized for? Please put it in the space below.
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
When people think of your company, what emotions do you hope they’ll experience? Please put it in the space below.
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
What connections can you make between the goals you set for yourself in the first piece of this series and the answers you provided above? Please put it in the space below.
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Consider whether you need to adjust your image goals so that they align with your own goals if you find that they are not.
Think of Some Good Logos and Slogans
Now that you know how your firm will be perceived, you can start thinking of logo and tagline ideas to help you achieve that goal.
In the box below, please list some potential solutions.
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
o _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Find Out If a Name Is Taken
After coming up with several potential logos and catchphrases, you should look into whether or not any of them are already in use.
Following the four steps indicated in our second post in this series will help you determine if your desired company name is available for registration. Since you are not submitting a business incorporation application, there is no need to check the Secretary of State’s website to discover if the desired company name is taken. The remaining three phases are nonetheless relevant.
To check if your brand or name is already in use, you can utilize the USPTO’s trademark search tool.
Search the State Trademark Register to see if this slogan has already been trademarked in your state.
It’s also a good idea to check Google and other search engines to see if someone else has already taken the slogan you’ve come up with.
Make a Logo for Your Business.
After settling on the company’s desired public persona, the next step is developing a logo that conveys that persona. You or a professional logo design firm can design a logo for you.
The following are some suggestions for firms that can assist with logo design. They have flexible, reasonably priced pricing plans. Some, for instance, may design many possible logos and then work with you to perfect the one you like most. The following paragraphs will review more products that can help you, such as making business cards and letterhead.
Inquire About Business Cards
Having business cards made is the next logical step after designing a logo for your firm. Among the information that should be included on your business cards are:
Your Organization’s __ Website
__ the phone number associated with your virtual phone system.
Create an email address that includes the company’s domain.
On the page’s right-hand side, you’ll find a collection of helpful links, including one to some free training on making business cards. As a loss leader, VistaPrint gives away free business cards, for instance. Adding your brand or design, upgrading to premium paper, etc., will incur a minimal additional cost.
Acquire Supplemental Resources
You can also place an order for any supplementary materials your enterprise need. The caveat is that you should only buy what you need. Many businesses waste their money on many extraneous supplies they never get around to using.
Here is a short list of things to think about buying, but only if you intend to put them to good use:
__ stationery
paper mail
advertising pamphlets
Materials for Printing
Business cards, stationery, brochures, etc., can be printed elsewhere. Two such services are VistaPrint and Printing for Less. Using a premade template is simple, and users are also given the option to use their images.
Branding and Identity Work
Numerous organizations offer branding services, such as logo design, business card printing, and corporate identity development. The Logo Design Company, Logo Jeez, and Logo Works are just a few examples of such businesses.
Templates
Many free templates are available for Word, Excel, and other Microsoft Office programs on the official website.
Dream Templates is another option for finding different kinds of templates. This service provides a wide selection of ready-made layouts for websites, documents, and more.
Blend Photo into Online Portfolio
Website maintenance should focus on incorporating brand elements such as logos, taglines, and color schemes.
Your web server should give you the means to update your site regularly. If you need help figuring out how to do this, call them.
Your email footer is another place where your company’s branding should be consistent with the rest of your online presence.
To mark your company’s identity, you should include your website, motto, or other identifier in the signature section of your email account.
The more exposure your chosen image receives, the more of an impression it will make.
Think About Registering Your Mark With The U.S. Government
Trademarks indicate the origin of the goods or services they represent. People will learn to identify your brand whenever they see your company’s name or emblem.
Because of our previous conversations, you already know that the USPTO oversees federal trademarks.
Your company’s name, logo, and tagline should all be registered as trademarks with the federal government. If you register your trademark with the federal government, you may gain exclusive rights to use the mark in commerce.
It would be a waste to invest heavily in creating a brand only to fail to secure it properly. Trademark registrations are pretty cheap and should be pursued.
You can hire a trademark attorney or use a service like Legal Zoom if you need help submitting a trademark application.
If you enjoyed this piece and want to read about company startup, you can get the complete “Business 2.0 Blueprint” at [http://www.innoventum.com]. The “Business 2.0 Blueprint” is a FREE, 60-page, graphic-heavy, interactive article that lays out a systematic approach to launching and maintaining a firm. Over a dozen government organizations endorse this guide, produced by two attorneys.
Innoventum, Inc. was founded by attorneys Denise Gosnell and Jynell Berkshire. Innoventum was created in 2007 to provide Earth’s best company startup and growth goods and services. Its founders were frustrated by the lack of accessible and affordable tools for business owners and people wishing to start and grow enterprises.
Read also: How to Maintain Business Activity During a Recession
