Welcome!

Hello and welcome to THE COMPASS, the blog home of Rachel Sellers Directional Design!

This blog will keep you posted on the latest news and articles from Directional Design and provide tips on marketing and  branding to event makers, small business owners, and non-profit organization directors. I believe designers will also find several posts of value. Feel free to subscribe, visit, or comment whenever you’d like. Thanks for checking us out!

Branding Advice #10: Remember Where Successful Branding Starts

Successful branding starts inside your own organization.

• Start within, with yourself, your partners, and your employees or volunteers, and work your way out.
• You control what you distribute to the public.
• Make sure your materials stay true to your message and that they represent you in an honest, professional, and memorable way. One of the best ways to accomplish this goal is by having and implement branding guidelines.

Branding Advice #9: Take Advantage of the Internet

Image via Wikipedia

Millions of  people with internet access are a click away from discovering your brand.

• There are several ways to promote your company, event, club, or organization online. First you need to explore your options to determine which are the best fit.
• A few avenues worth exploring are a promotional website, a Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Linkdin account, a Youtube channel or a blog.

Branding Advice #8: Track your Branding Efforts

Track your Branding Efforts: You want to keep a list of where your new and returning customers come from and to which of your materials they respond.

• Every chance you have to gather honest feedback from a client is an important opportunity you don’t want to miss.
• When new costumers come in, email, or call you, be sure to ask them how they heard about you.
•  Keep track of these answers and use them in decisions for future marketing campaigns. For example, if most of your new clients report they discovered you using a Google search, through a blog post, or by seeing your advertisement in a specific publication, you’ll want to be sure to keep up your visibility in those places.

Branding Tip #7: Use A Professional Copywriter

Plus an interview with expert copywriter, Evelyn Sacks

Hiring a professional copywriter can be one of the smartest choices you make when preparing your materials for the launch of your new brand or marketing campaign. Sadly, hiring a copywriter is low or non-existent on the to-do-list of many small businesses, events, and non-profits because of small budgets or lack of know-how. As a designer, I know how important it is to have color, layouts, fonts, and photos that invite a consumer to check out your campaign, but I also know that having good copy is the next step to sealing the deal with a prospective client.  

What a good copywriter will do for you:

Branding Advice #6: Train Your People–It is Part of Branding!

Your brand is more than your logo, stationary, and marketing materials. It is defined by every point at which the public comes in contact with your brand–that includes exchanges between employees and clients or potential clients, the way the phone is answered and the smallest email request responded to. Your team, partners, colleagues, employees, and volunteers are walking talking advertisements and representatives of your brand.

• They should be excited about the products and services you offer and be properly trained in the message and voice of your company.

Branding Advice #5: Have a Tagline

Your tagline is another opportunity to promote your brand and tell the world what you do. It should be 3 to 6 words that make a believable and honest promise while focusing on your core service.

• The best taglines make us smile, think, or entertain us, but they are always believable. If you don’t have a tagline, I encourage you to get one. A great copywriter is an invaluable tool who will know exactly how to create what you need if you don’t have the in house talent to do it for you.
• Too many marketers think they are copywriters when they  have no training or experience in this area. Put your talents to use, and if that doesn’t include writing, then hire a copywriter to create your tagline for you. You’ll be glad you did (unless of course you’ve had a true moment of genius).
• If people discover that you can’t deliver on your tagline promise, you’ll lose their support. This will result in the loss of their business and positive word of mouth promotions. Neither of which is good for you.

Branding Advice #4: Don’t Let Your Materials Get Stale.

Two Great Reminders

• When the same promotional marketing materials, commercials, and ads are visible for several years, they start to get stale and costumers begin to tune them out.
• Be sure to have your designer freshen up your materials with new pictures, illustrations, and layouts often even if they contain the same information. This will keep them fresh and interesting to your costumers.

Branding Advice #3: Keep Your Branding Focused on Core Services

4 Key Factors to Remember

By choosing your best service and focusing your advertising in that area you:

•  differentiate yourself from your competitors
•  send a single, clear message that makes you more relevant  to your audience
•  establish yourself as an expert in your field
•  make yourself more attractive to your target audience

Branding Advice #2: Don’t Use Inadequate Materials

Don’t use inadequate materials ( i.e.promotional items, printed or web graphics).

The service and materials you provide make an impression more powerful than words.

• Your marketing materials represent your business.
• You want to be sure that your  logo is consistently presented in a high quality format, your website conveys the message of your brand, that your photography and copy is compelling, and that your paper products are professionally designed and printed.
• I recommend that you do not skimp on the quality of design production or the printing of your marketing materials. When you do, it shows, and you lose valuable clients.

Branding Advice #1: Don’t be Inconsistent!

Don’t be inconsistent in the use of your corporate identity.

Consistency in the cornerstone of branding.

• You need to use the same company name, logo, and tagline in every possible place.
• Your company name, logo, and tagline should be the same on your business card, brochures, website, e-mail signature, signage, and in all your promotional advertising pieces. It must not change from month to month or week to week.
• It takes exposure to a brand several times before it makes a lasting impression on a consumer’s mind.