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Creation of a brand identity as an independent consultant

Creating a brand identity is an important part of the process of establishing any business. A brand identity creates loyalty, inspires trust, and enables easy recognition of you and your services. A complete brand identity can be made up of several segments, not all of which will be present in all circumstances. Evaluate the following components of a complete brand identity to determine which one will play an important role for your business.

Name. Each company must have a unique name, including independent consultants. Whether you choose to use your own full name, your last name followed by a description of your services, or a completely fictitious name, you must choose a name that will be associated with your business consistently in all of your materials. Many consultants choose to operate under their own first name or use their last name followed by “Consulting” or another descriptive term for their industry, such as “Smith Management Consulting.” It is more common for consulting groups to use a fictitious name, such as “Peak Performance Consulting.” That said, it is completely reasonable for you to choose any option, as long as it is consistent and has not been taken by another company in a similar category. Before deciding on the name, consider whether or not you want a website now, if you ever want an online presence, you will need the .com domain of whatever your business name is. So secure your domain name at the same time you make your business name selection. You can park the site and worry about it later or start the web presence creation process right away.

Email. Your email address says a lot about you and can affect your professional image. [email protected] may not convey a professional impression, and free email services like yahoo or hotmail often add advertisements to the footer of their email communications. Use your company domain to set up professional business email. If you can’t get a real business email account on your own domain for whatever reason, at least set up neutral email from an ad-free service like [email protected].

Logo. A logo is a visual symbol that represents your business. Usually a logo will contain the name of the company, combined with an image that is somehow relevant to the services offered. Logos can often be as simple as the business name that always appears in a certain typeface, placed in a box, or underlined. When choosing a logo, be sure to select something simple enough to make it look attractive when it is very small or in black and white. Complex logos often don’t reproduce well, and visual appeal can end up being lost. Fight the temptation to design your own logo. Unless you are a graphic designer by profession, it is best to leave logo creation to other professionals. Logo design services cost only a few hundred dollars and can make a difference in the profitability of your business. Before finalizing a logo, fax it, reduce the size to a small size, and try viewing it in different formats to ensure that it will still look good in difficult but unfortunately common business conditions.

Colors. Many companies choose to associate themselves with a certain color or set of colors. This strategy allows the company logo to be printed on promotional products that match the company colors, which can allow easier brand recognition. For example, a healthcare company that uses a certain shade of blue may want to have T-shirts and pens printed with the company logo that matches the same shade of blue that is used in their brochures and other marketing assurances. Do some research on the psychology of color that matches your brand sentiment, and ask your logo designer about color palettes that won’t go out of style. Again, as with logo design, a professional can help you develop color selections that will convey the correct impression.

Slogan or motto. A tagline or tagline is a short phrase that often appears with the name of the company in printed materials that helps describe what the company does or evokes an emotion that you want to associate with your company. Slogans can also be beneficial in differentiating your business from your competitors by pointing out the key features and benefits of your services. Slogans should be short, simple, and memorable. Slogans are designed to stand the test of time and should be designed to support your business for many years to come. Slogans, on the other hand, are often designed for a specific marketing campaign and can change as often as your marketing approach changes. Consider working with a professional marketing consultant to generate potential campaign slogans and campaign slogans, and get feedback from valued business partners, colleagues, and associates.

Business letters. Everyone needs a good business card. As an independent consultant, the cost difference between cheap business cards and high-end cards will be almost negligible over the course of a year, and yet that $ 100 difference can mean deals won or lost. Ask your logo designer to make a business card design for you while you’re at it. Unless you are in a creative field, don’t try to be too innovative with the card. Remember, less is more – restrict your card to the basic contact information someone will need to reach you, and resist the urge to list multiple email addresses and multiple phone numbers. Put only the primary number and primary email that customers should use to contact you, and remember to use a professional business email address. Avoid discounted online printers, or at least upgrade for thicker paper and maybe embossed thermographic lettering. Try to leave a blank space, at least on the back, so a potential customer can write a note on the back of your card and remember who you are.

Website. Last but not least, a website. Sooner or later, you will need one, so be sure to register the domain name you wanted from the start. Unless you are a professional web developer with very up-to-date design skills, you shouldn’t try to build your own site. It’s not worth your time, and an outdated or difficult to navigate site may hurt you more than it helps. Also, don’t let a friend create your website; Unless you are a full-time website builder, the site is likely outdated, difficult to maintain, and less user-friendly. You probably don’t need a custom business-grade site with all the amenities either. Use a professional web design and hosting package service – they are plentiful, easy to use, and affordable. For a few hundred dollars, plus a hosting package, you can be up and running in just a few hours with a professional, up-to-date, and easy-to-use web presence. Simply select a template, choose a hosting package, and use the online interface to upload content to your web pages.

You will soon have a complete business identity as a professional consultant, with name, logo, business cards and website. After that, it’s up to you to bring your new brand identity to life by providing high-quality, memorable professional consulting services.

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