idbd:focus

Happy Holidays! Happy Planning...

The Holidays are now upon us, bringing much hustle and bustle to our personal lives with family gatherings, shopping and parties. On the business side, things tend to slow down a bit, and we find ourselves planning our goals for the upcoming year. But during this goal planning, how many of us include pre-planning of our brand marketing materials?

Now is the time to take inventory! While you are busy planning your 2014 business sales and marketing goals, and in-between all of the holiday parties, be sure to think about what you may need from a brand, design and print standpoint:

1. Your business logo/tagline... is it outdated? Do you need a revamp your look and message to reconnect with your audience? Are your competitors looking similar to you? Most importantly, is your logo and tagline still true to your overall brand message? 

2. Your business cards... is the information correct? Do you have new employees? Are you utilizing both sides of the card? Does it list your social media channels? Are you making use of QR codes? Do you have enough supply to get you through the first quarter of 2014?

3. Your brochures/post cards/stationery/print materials... are these items up-to-date and reflect your services/products correctly? Do you need to update photos/content? Do you have enough of these items to cover business events that you may be involved in through the first quarter of 2014? If you mail these items out, when was the last time you updated your lists?

4. Email marketing... are you connecting with your audience? What are your open/click/conversion percentages? When was the last time you updated your templates? Your mailing lists? Does your mailing list have relevant contacts on it? How long have you been using your advertising campaign(s)?

5. Your website... is your content up-to-date and reflective of your services and products? Do all of your links work? Is your navigation user friendly? Is your site responsive, with all the coding current? Are you using SEO standards? Have you been tracking your analytics? What are your bounce & conversion rates? When does your domain/host server expire, and are you happy with their services? 

It doesn't take much time to ensure that your brand and design materials are ready to go for the new year. It will help you to avoid looking unprofessional, incurring last-minute rush charges and give you peace of mind... and who couldn't use a little peace at this hectic time of the year!

Happy Holidays from Identity Brand + Design