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		<title>Experts at Health Care Symposium See Rising Costs, Few Financial Benefits</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/08/13/experts-at-health-care-symposium-see-rising-costs-few-financial-benefits/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/08/13/experts-at-health-care-symposium-see-rising-costs-few-financial-benefits/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:40:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Creative Instinct attended a Health Care Reform Symposium in Little Rock on 8/10/10. Here is a brief article on what was covered, taken from www.arkansasbusinesss.com.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=366&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_367" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 215px"><a href="http://www.pageturnpro.com/Arkansas-Business-Group/17519-Healthcare-Symposium/index.html#1"><img class="size-full wp-image-367" title="healthcare-reform-prog" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/healthcare-reform-prog.jpg?w=205&#038;h=360" alt="" width="205" height="360" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Health Care Reform Digital Version</p></div>
<p>Creative Instinct attended a Health Care Reform Symposium in Little Rock on 8/10/10. Here is a brief article on what was covered, taken from www.arkansasbusinesss.com.<br />
&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br />
<em><a href="mailto:mcarter@abpg.com">By Mark  Carter</a> |  <a href="http://www.ArkansasBusiness.com" target="_blank">ArkansasBusiness.com</a> | 8/10/2010 3:50:06 PM</em></p>
<p>Health care reform is here to stay, like it or not.  Now, just how to navigate it? Such was the theme from representatives of  the health care industry Tuesday at the Arkansas Business Health Care  Reform Symposium presented by Mitchell Williams law firm.</p>
<p>Close to  400 attendees participated in the half-day event, which included  separate sessions for large and small employers as well as a panel  discussion over lunch from some of the area&#8217;s leading health care  experts.</p>
<p>The consensus? The days of single-doctor practices and  independently owned small-town hospitals are numbered, many components  to the reform legislation passed in March will never be implemented, and  while coverage will be made available to many Americans who previously  couldn&#8217;t get it, health care costs will rise as a result.</p>
<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re  definitely going to see increases in the cost of health care because of  expanded coverage,&#8221; said Tom Kane, senior vice president at Stephens  Insurance in Little Rock and a presenter in the session for large  employers, which are defined as companies with 50 or more employees.  &#8220;I&#8217;d say anywhere from 2 to 5 percent.&#8221;</p>
<p>St. Vincent Health  president and CEO Peter Banko said dealing with reform legislation was  like &#8220;trying to navigate a battleship in a bathtub.&#8221; He predicted that  it would result in fewer small practices and small, stand-alone  hospitals, and ultimately nobody will benefit financially.</p>
<p>&#8220;This [reform legislation] is going to be funded  somewhere,&#8221; he said. &#8220;By 2019, we project our bottom line at St. Vincent  to be cut by $8 million.&#8221;</p>
<p>The prospect of businesses facing  federal-government fines for not offering &#8220;qualified and affordable&#8221;  health-insurance coverage to &#8220;full-time employee equivalents&#8221; by 2014 &#8211;  the &#8220;Pay or Play&#8221; provision &#8211; resonated with many in attendance.  &#8220;Full-time equivalents&#8221; are the number of workers putting in 30 or more  hours per week plus the number of part-time hours for a month divided by  120. Businesses with 50 or more FTEs that opt out of coverage will be  fined $2,000 per full-timer minus the first 30 full-time equivalents.</p>
<p>Kane  said an employer with 150 FTEs would pay $240,000 in annual fines for  opting out of coverage. Those employees who are not covered by a group  plan at work would be placed in a statewide health-insurance exchange  where they would have options for individual coverage likely more  expensive than their previous group plan.</p>
<p>Kane was not the only  speaker who predicted many large businesses will determine that opting  out and paying the fine is cheaper. Some estimates call for as many as  30 percent of U.S. businesses with 50 or more FTEs to opt out of the  mandated coverage. Small businesses with FTEs under 50 are exempt from  the mandate, Kane said.</p>
<p>But Kevin Ryan, associate director of the  Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, said small employers &#8211; currently  the most likely to not offer group insurance to their employees &#8211; &#8220;have  the toughest part of this&#8230;. You are health care reform.&#8221;</p>
<p>Companies with fewer than 25 employees are already,  beginning in the current tax year, eligible for tax credits of up to 30  percent of the cost of providing health insurance, Tod Yeslow, a  Mitchell Williams attorney who specializes in benefits, told the small  business session.</p>
<p>One Little Rock business owner who attended  Tuesday&#8217;s large-business session (and asked that his name not be used)  said he believed he could save $2,000 per employee each year by opting  out of coverage. His family company has been in operation for more than  40 years and employs well over 50 FTEs.</p>
<p>The issue will boil down  to this, he said: &#8220;Is it worth that $2,000 in additional costs to  provide coverage to my employees? Will that help me pull in and retain  top-notch employees? And what will our competition do?&#8221;</p>
<p>The lunch  panel represented the full spectrum of health care: Banko; Arkansas  Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford; Michael Stock, president and CEO of  QualChoice health insurance company; and David Wroten, executive vice  president of the Arkansas Medical Society, which represents doctors.</p>
<p>Session  speakers included Kane, who spoke on policy and provider implications;  Yeslow, who spoke on legal requirements; Bill MaGee of BKD LLP  accounting firm, on tax implications; and John Robbins Jr. of DataPath.</p>
<p>Overviews  were provided by Dr. Joe Thompson, director of the Arkansas Center for  Health Improvement and the state&#8217;s Surgeon General, and the ACHI&#8217;s Ryan.</p>
<p><strong>More From the Symposium</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=123204">8 Facts  About Health Care and Health Care Reform </a><a href="http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=123204">from  Tuesday&#8217; Symposium</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pageturnpro.com/Arkansas-Business-Group/17519-Healthcare-Symposium/index.html#1" target="_blank">Please click the here</a> to view the Health Care Reform digital edition. The digital edition provides you access to a recap of the day&#8217;s events, articles written by the speakers and links to each of the presenter&#8217;s power point presentations.</p>
<p><strong>Creative Instinct:  Health Care Branding &amp; Marketing Experts&#8230;<br />
</strong></p>
<p>Need some help with your healthcare branding, marketing or website development? Call Creative Instinct at  501-244-0573 for a free estimate on branding, logo, brochure or website  design. Or, send an email to Gwen Canfield: <a title="Email Gwen  Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>.  To see samples of our work, visit <a href="www.creativeinstinct.biz/health" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz/health</a>.</p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
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		<title>Newsletters Are Smart Marketing</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/08/12/newsletters-are-smart-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/08/12/newsletters-are-smart-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:56:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Effective Print Materials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Email Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Learn about one of the best way to showcase your business, build credibility as an expert in your field, and stay in touch with your contacts...<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=361&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em></em></p>
<div id="attachment_371" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 298px"><a href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/portfolio"><img class="size-full wp-image-371" title="newsletter_1" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/newsletter_11.jpg?w=288&#038;h=252" alt="" width="288" height="252" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Visit our website to see more newsletters</p></div>
<p>A newsletter is one of the best ways to keep your name in front of  the eyes of your clients, your associates, and others that may be in  your target market. A newsletter allows you to show them that you are  more than just someone who is looking for projects to work on. And a  newsletter shows that you are willing to pass on information that will  help them run their own businesses.</p>
<p>Think about how many newsletters you read each week or month. Do you  enjoy getting and reading it? Do you find the articles and other  information in the newsletter helpful? Do you know who or what company  produces it? Of course you do!</p>
<p><strong>Newsletter Formats</strong></p>
<p>Newsletters can be produced in several formats. For businesses,  the most economical and most readily acceptable newsletter formats are  plain text emails, HTML emails, HTML page on your website, PDF, and  print. Each newsletter format has its own advantages and disadvantages. Your graphic designer can guide you through the pros and cons.</p>
<p>Many people considering starting a newsletter ask what newsletter  content should be included. Again, your target audience will be the main  factor that will determine what you want to include.</p>
<p>But no matter who your audience is, be sure to make your newsletter  content timely. If a world event may affect your industry, be sure to  include newsletter content that shows the various possible points of  view.</p>
<p><strong>Newsletter Content</strong></p>
<p>Another question that many readers (and prospective newsletter  editors) ask is, &#8220;where do you find your newsletter content?&#8221; Actually,  most of the content in Creative Instinct&#8217;s e-newsletter finds me. I do write newsletter  content myself but also include information from other writers and  sources.</p>
<p>Once you start publishing a newsletter, you can submit it to Ezine  directories. Most of these directories will ask you if you accept  newsletter content. By answering yes, writers will submit their articles  for your newsletter.</p>
<p>A few sites you can submit your newsletter or ezine to are <a href="http://bestezines.com/submit/" target="_blank">BestEzines.com</a>,  <a href="http://ezine-marketing.com/cgi-bin/ezsearch/search.cgi" target="_blank">EZine-Marketing.com</a>, and <a href="http://ezine-universe.com/" target="_blank">Ezine-Universe.com</a>.</p>
<p>Another way of finding newsletter content is to read other  newsletters and ezines that are similar to yours or that target similar  markets. If you spot a particular article or other newsletter content  that you would like to use, contact the newsletter editor or the author  of the article and ask to use it before you go ahead and include it in  your newsletter. Editors will appreciate that you are actually reading  their newsletter content and authors usually like to have copies of  publications that their articles appear in and may request a copy or  subscribe to your newsletter.</p>
<p>Once you have approached an author, you will probably be added to  their mailing list and they will send you future articles that are  appropriate for your newsletter.</p>
<p>You can also pick up articles from various Web sites that collect  articles strictly for the purpose of offering them as newsletter  content. Some of those sites include <a href="http://www.marketing-seek.com/" target="_blank">Marketing-Seek.com</a>,  <a href="http://www.ezinearticles.com/" target="_blank">EZineArticles.com</a>,  <a href="http://www.web-source.net/articlesub.htm" target="_blank">WebSource&#8217;s Article Announce</a>, and <a href="http://www.authorconnection.com/" target="_blank">AuthorConnection.com</a>.</p>
<p>Other ideas for possible content for your newsletter are:</p>
<ul>
<li>special dates for the month,</li>
<li>jokes or limericks (be sure they are not offensive),</li>
<li>helpful links and tips,</li>
<li>crossword or word search puzzles,</li>
<li>testimonials,</li>
<li>profiles of your clients or contacts,</li>
<li>book reviews,</li>
<li>upcoming events in your industry,</li>
<li>and of course, information about what your business offers.</li>
</ul>
<p>Some of the above suggestions for newsletter content will come to you  through emails, discussion lists, or just surfing the &#8216;Net. Be sure to  set aside a folder in your email program and an area in your Favorites  list in your browser for anything that may seem like good newsletter  content.</p>
<p>Whether or not you choose to include advertising in your newsletter  is your own choice but don&#8217;t overdo it. It is a way to make a few bucks  to offset your time but ask yourself one question, &#8220;How much advertising  do I like to see in a newsletter?&#8221;</p>
<p>Also, learn by example. What is it about other newsletters that you  receive that you like and dislike? Just remember to think about your  readers when deciding what to include in your newsletter. Ask them for  feedback and what they would like to see included in upcoming issues.  Producing a successful newsletter is not all that difficult but you must  be sure to make time to do it on a regular basis.</p>
<p><strong>Newsletter Promotion</strong></p>
<p>The next step in the success of your newsletter or ezine is  promotion. The following are just a few suggestions for newsletter  promotion:</p>
<ul>
<li>Include your article archives on your Web site and be sure to  have a sign up email address form for your visitors.</li>
<li>Put a link to your newsletter in the signature lines you use in your  emails.</li>
<li>If you write articles, be sure to add a short sentence about your  newsletter in the contact information that you include at the end.</li>
<li>Invite your newsletter readers to pass on each and every issue of  your newsletter to their friends and associates.</li>
<li>If allowed, announce that the current issue of your newsletter is  available on any email discussion lists that you are on. Don&#8217;t include  the newsletter, just include instructions on how people can get it and  how they can sign up to receive it automatically.</li>
<li>Exchange ads or information with other newsletter publishers.</li>
<li>Be sure to submit your newsletter to various submission sites such  as the ones I&#8217;ve mentioned above.</li>
</ul>
<p>No matter how you choose to format your newsletter or what you choose  to include in it, newsletters are one of the best ways to showcase your  business, build credibility as an expert in your field, and stay in  touch with your contacts.</p>
<p><strong>Need Help with Your Newsletter?<br />
</strong></p>
<p>Need some help with your e-newsletter or other marketing collateral?  Call Creative Instinct at 501-244-0573 to arrange for a free  consultation.  Not only can we create an effective design  for your e-newsletter, we can set up the entire email platform for you online. Our e-newsletter program makes composing and sending emails a snap. And, you can easily view the results of your email campaigns and manage your recipients. Email Gwen Canfield: <a title="Email Gwen Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net" target="_blank">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>. To see newsletter designs  we’ve created for our clients, visit <a href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/portfolio" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz/portfolio</a>.  <em>(Newsletter pictured at top of article was designed by Creative  Instinct for Signal Group.)</em></p>
<p><em>ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: </em><em></em><em>Janice Byer (About.com)</em></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
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		<title>&#8220;Should I have a website?&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/07/19/should-i-have-a-website/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/07/19/should-i-have-a-website/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:04:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Green Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Website Tips]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Should your small business have a website? Here's the answer...<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=356&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Article by Tim W. Knox &#8211; Entrepreneur Magazine<br />
</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-357" title="website-on-laptop_riverwalck" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/website-on-laptop_riverwalck.jpg?w=364&#038;h=253" alt="" width="364" height="253" /></a>Q:</span> My  business is very small, and our products/services  really can&#8217;t be sold online. Do I really need a website?</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#0066cc;font-size:medium;"><strong>A:</strong></span> That&#8217;s a good  question. In fact, it&#8217;s one of the <em>most important</em> and most frequently  asked questions of the digital business age. Should your business have a website, even if your  business is small and sells products or services you don&#8217;t think can be  sold online? Of course the answer is an emphatic <strong>YES</strong>. If  you have a business, you should have a website. Period. No question.  Without a doubt.</p>
<p>Also, don&#8217;t be so quick to dismiss your products or services  as ones that cannot be sold online. Nowadays, there&#8217;s very little that  cannot be sold over the internet. More than 20 million shoppers are now online<a id="KonaLink1" href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/ebusiness/gettingstarted/article65204.html#" target="undefined"></a>,  purchasing everything from books to computers to cars to real estate to  jet airplanes to natural gas to you name it. If you can imagine it,  someone will figure out how to sell it online.</p>
<p><strong>Web Presence Is Essential</strong><br />
Let me clarify one  point: I&#8217;m not saying you should put all your efforts into marketing your business over the internet, though if your product/service lends itself to easy  online sales, you should certainly be considering it. The point to be  made here is that <em>you should at the very least have a presence on the  web</em> so that customers, potential employees, business partners and  perhaps even investors can  quickly and easily find out more about your business and the products or  services you have to offer.</p>
<p><strong>Image Is Everything</strong><br />
That said, it&#8217;s not enough that you  just have a website. You must have a professional-looking site if you  want to be taken seriously. Since many consumers now search for  information online prior to making a purchase, your site may be the first chance you have at making a good  impression on a potential client. If your site looks like it was designed  by the boy next door after his homework, your chance at making a good first  impression will be lost.</p>
<p><strong>Web Levels the Playing Field</strong><br />
One of the great things about the  internet is that it has leveled the playing field when it comes to  competing with the big boys. As mentioned, you have one shot at making a  good first impression. With a well-designed site, your little operation  can project the image and professionalism of a much larger company. The  inverse is also true. I&#8217;ve seen many big company websites that were so  badly designed and hard to navigate that they completely lacked  professionalism and credibility. Good for you, too bad for them.</p>
<p>So, your business is a small operation. But when it comes to  benefiting from a website, <em>size does not matter</em>. I don&#8217;t care if you&#8217;re a  one-man show or a 10,000-employee corporate giant; if you don&#8217;t have a  website, you&#8217;re losing business to other companies that  do.</p>
<p><strong>When NOT to Have A Website</strong><br />
<em>Here&#8217;s the exception to my rule:</em> It&#8217;s actually better to have  no  website at all than to have one that makes your business look bad.  Your  site speaks volumes about your business. It either says, &#8220;Hey,  look,  we take our business so seriously that we have created this  wonderful  site for our customers!&#8221; or it screams, &#8220;Hey, look, I let my   15-year-old nephew design my site.  Good luck finding anything!&#8221;</p>
<p>Your website is an important part of  your business. Make sure you treat it as such.</p>
<p>If you currently have a website that needs a makeover, or you don’t have a website and  need one, call Creative Instinct, it’s what we do. Email <a title="Email  Gwen Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net" target="_blank">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>,  or call 501-244-0573. Visit us online at <a title="Visit Creative  Instinct website" href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz</a>.<em> (Website pictured at top of article: <a title="Visit Riverwalck's website" href="http://www.riverwalcksaloon.com" target="_blank">Riverwalck Saloon &amp; TexMex Roadhouse</a> designed by Creative Instinct. )</em></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
		</media:content>

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		<title>Health Law Gains Acceptance In Arkansas</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/07/14/health-law-gains-acceptance-in-arkansas/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/07/14/health-law-gains-acceptance-in-arkansas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:07:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/?p=351</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Maybe only because it has been six months since the last TV commercials and newspaper ads brandished Frank Luntz&#8217;s poll-tested slogan &#8220;government takeover of health care&#8221; national health insurance is enjoying a modest rebound&#8230;  Read more<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=351&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Maybe only because it has been six months since the last TV commercials  and newspaper ads brandished Frank Luntz&#8217;s poll-tested slogan  &#8220;government takeover of health care&#8221; national health insurance is  enjoying a modest rebound&#8230;  <a title="Read the AR Times article" href="http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/health-law-gains-acceptance-in-arkansas/Content?oid=1223108" target="_blank">Read more</a></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
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		<title>10 Ways to Get Customers to Buy Now</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/06/27/10-ways-to-get-customers-to-buy-now/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/06/27/10-ways-to-get-customers-to-buy-now/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:31:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Effective Print Materials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/?p=344</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Your marketing materials look great.... so why aren't you getting sales? Use the following techniques to get your phones ringing off the hook.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=344&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-345" title="postcard" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/postcard.jpg?w=308&#038;h=209" alt="" width="308" height="209" /></a>You&#8217;ve hired a talented graphic designer. You sent out the best direct mail piece you&#8217;ve ever seen. Your catalog  belongs in the Smithsonian, and your brochure is so great you framed it and  put it next to the pictures of your kids.</p>
<p>So why aren&#8217;t you getting sales?</p>
<p>Take a look at your call to action. With any advertising  materials, it&#8217;s crucial that you get potential customers to act. Now!</p>
<p>Use the following techniques to create a call to action that will  have your phones ringing off the hook and your profits reinventing your  sales graphs:</p>
<p><strong>Give a Deadline for Ordering</strong><br />
We&#8217;ve all received some sort of promotional material that has a  deadline for ordering. The offer could end on that date.</p>
<p>Or you could use the deadline in conjunction with an upgrade or  free gift. For example, order by the 15th and receive&#8230;.</p>
<p>Also, try to make the cut off date in the same month as your  materials will be received. That way, your potential customers know they  only have a limited time to respond and they won&#8217;t fall victim to the  &#8220;I&#8217;ll do it later&#8221; syndrome.</p>
<p><strong>Advise of a Price Increase</strong><br />
People want to get in on a good deal. If your price is going up on a  specific date, let your customers know. They&#8217;ll want to buy before your  product&#8217;s price increases.</p>
<p><strong>Establish a Trial/Introductory Period</strong><br />
Trial periods are a great way to get new customers. Offer a special  deal, extra service or a lower price during your trial/introductory  period.</p>
<p><strong>Free Gift</strong><br />
Nothing attracts new customers like free gifts. As an added  incentive for ordering, offer your free gift to the first 100 people that respond.</p>
<p><strong>&#8220;No Risk&#8221; Trial</strong><br />
People want to know there&#8217;s no risk involved if they&#8217;re not  satisfied with the product/service. Let new customers know they can  cancel for any reason before the trial period expires.</p>
<p><strong>&#8220;Not Available in Stores&#8221;</strong><br />
Is your product exclusive to mail order? If your product&#8217;s not  available in stores, be sure to tell your customers. They&#8217;ll know they  can only order your product from you instead of visiting the local  stores.</p>
<p><strong>Offer an Upgrade</strong><br />
One simple line can boost your sales. &#8220;Order within 10 days and  we&#8217;ll upgrade you to the deluxe model.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Free Supplies/Accessories</strong><br />
You&#8217;ve seen this technique used with computer sales. Buy a computer  and receive a free printer. This works with a whole range of products.  But be sure to include a date on your offer. This politely urges people  to take advantage of your offer before time runs out.</p>
<p><strong>Use Action Phrases</strong><br />
No matter how you approach your own call to action, be sure to  include action phrases:</p>
<p>Call Now. Toll Free. 24 Hours a Day. Mail this coupon today in  the postage-paid envelope. Fax your response card.</p>
<p><strong>Avoid Passive Phrases</strong><br />
Be sure to avoid passive phrases like:</p>
<p>You know how to reach us. Call when you&#8217;re ready to order.</p>
<p>Give your customers the perks of responding immediately. They&#8217;ll  grab their wallets. You&#8217;ll see an increase in profits!</p>
<p><strong>Need some help with your marketing?</strong><br />
Need some help with your company brochure or other marketing collateral?  Call Creative Instinct at 501-244-0573 to arrange for a free  consultation.  Not only can we create an appealing page-turning design  for your brochure, we can bring in an talented  copywriter to craft the perfect verbiage that will make the sale. Email Gwen Canfield: <a title="Email Gwen Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net" target="_blank">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>. To see collateral designs  we’ve created for our clients, visit <a title="Visit Creative Instinct  website" href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz</a>.  <em>(Brochure pictured at top of article was designed by Creative  Instinct for Ambassadors Formalwear in Madison, TN.)</em></p>
<p><em>Article written by Apryl Duncan &#8211; About.com<br />
</em></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
		</media:content>

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		<title>We&#8217;re On YouTube!</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/06/24/were-on-youtube/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/06/24/were-on-youtube/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:59:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Green Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/?p=339</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Business promo videos.... easy and free to make!<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=339&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_342" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 298px"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sArr3n90geA"><img class="size-full wp-image-342" title="youtube" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/youtube.jpg?w=288&#038;h=241" alt="" width="288" height="241" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Click to view our promo video!</p></div>
<p>Check out our promo video on YouTube!  (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sArr3n90geA">Click here</a>)</p>
<p>This video was easy to make, and it&#8217;s free! First, we designed each slide and saved them as jpegs. Then, we created the video using a free online software at www.FlixTime.com. Save the video file&#8230; post it on YouTube&#8230; and Voila! Instant promo video.</p>
<p>Want a video like this to promote your own business? Give us a shout, we&#8217;d be happy to help you!</p>
<p>Email Gwen Canfield at <a href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>, or call:</p>
<p>p.  501-244-0573<br />
m.  615-945-9296</p>
<p>Visit us online at <a href="http://www.creativinstinct.biz" target="_blank">www.creativinstinct.biz</a>.</p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">youtube</media:title>
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		<title>Is Your Small Business Website Profitable?</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/06/16/is-your-small-business-website-profitable/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/06/16/is-your-small-business-website-profitable/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:44:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Website Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/?p=332</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How often have you visited a website that took too long to load, was out of date, or looked like the boy next door created it after his homework? If your small business website is not as productive as you would like, consider these pointers...<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=332&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,helvetica;font-size:x-small;"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_333" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 345px"><a href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz"><img class="size-full wp-image-333" title="unidig.com Website design by Creative Instinct" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/unidig-website.jpg?w=335&#038;h=230" alt="" width="335" height="230" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">unidig.com Website design by Creative Instinct</p></div>
<p>How <strong>effective</strong> is  your small business website? The fourth  annual small business Internet survey by Verizon Superpages.com  conducted by the GallUp Organization found that over 41% of small  businesses saw an increase in sales revenue with a website. If your  small business website is not as productive as you would like, consider  these pointers&#8230;</p>
<p>Most successful businesses cannot be without a web site&#8230; OFTEN IT IS A FIRST IMPRESSION OR INTRODUCTION TO YOUR BUSINESS. What sort of impression does your website make? Is it functional, organized AND aesthetically pleasing to the eye? In today&#8217;s market &#8211; it<em> must</em> be all three.</p>
<p><strong> What does your website say about you and your business?</strong></p>
<li>Appealing?</li>
<p><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,helvetica;font-size:x-small;"> </span></p>
<li>Informative or transactional?</li>
<li>Designed for the right target audience?</li>
<li>Worthy of repeated hits?</li>
<li>Currently updated, or in need of maintenance?</li>
<li>Quick and easy to load? Or cumbersome and flashy?</li>
<li>Improving your business processes?</li>
<li>On all the major search engines?</li>
<li>Playing a factor in your bottom line?</li>
<p>You should be able to answer yes to all of the above questions.  Nowadays, most people have Internet access, and are using the web more  as a research tool to obtain information about everything from travel to  local restaurants. They are accessing information 24/7 via desktop computers, laptops and hand-held mobile devices.</p>
<p>Having an effective website is a cost-effective and easy way to  advertise your business. Once it is built, the maintenance should be  relatively easy and inexpensive.</p>
<p><strong>Active or Passive Audience </strong></p>
<p>The difference between using a website as opposed to other methods  of advertising is the difference between having an active or passive  audience. People hitting your website are an active audience, and are  curious as to what you have to offer. Print ads, telemarketers, or mass  mailings are geared towards a passive audience.  An active audience is  seeking information, which your site can provide and win them over. The  beauty of the web is that you can advertise your website by using the  other passive methods of advertising.</p>
<p>On the flip side, how often have you visited a website that took too  long to load, had a lot of flash and fluff but no substance, was out of  date, or looked like the boy next door created it after his homework?  Your business and your image are too important to place in jeopardy. If a  person is trying to learn more about what you have to offer, and sees a  website that is less than desirable, chances are you lost that business  and they will not return. The web can be the easiest way to pick up new  business and you should use it to your advantage.</p>
<p>Some establishments practiced business the same way for many years  and are having difficulty becoming web savvy. They are realizing that  the economy has impacted their business. The best advice is to look at  your competitions&#8217; websites, and the most successful companies and businesses websites, and your  neighbor.</p>
<p>It is not a coincidence that more and more people are doing business  on the web. Maybe it is time to reach out to a web developer and  educate yourself on how the web can work for you.</p>
<p>Let Creative Instinct help ensure you’re getting the most out of your  website. Call us at 501-244-0573, or send an email to Gwen  Canfield at <a title="Email  Gwen Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net" target="_blank">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>. To see websites we’ve designed for other small businesses – visit our website at <a title="Visit Creative Instinct website" href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz</a>.  (<em>Website pictured at top of article: Universal Digital in Nashville, TN (<a href="http://www.unidig.com" target="_blank">www.unidig.com</a><a title="Visit Rapport LLC website" href="http://www.rapportllc.net/" target="_blank"></a>) </em><em>designed Creative  Instinct.)</em></p>
<p><em>Article written by Donna McGuire.<span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,helvetica;font-size:x-small;"> </span></em></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">unidig.com Website design by Creative Instinct</media:title>
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		<title>How to Create an Effective Trade Show Display</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/05/27/how-to-create-an-effective-trade-show-display/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/05/27/how-to-create-an-effective-trade-show-display/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 May 2010 22:28:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Effective Print Materials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Logo / Branding / Business Identity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/?p=315</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are many things to consider when designing a good trade show display. Here are 5 basic elements every trade show display should include in order to be effective and eye-catching.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=315&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-322" title="tradeshow-banners" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/tradeshow-banners1.jpg?w=368&#038;h=269" alt="" width="368" height="269" /></a>With all the trade show display options available today, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. When it comes to creating a  trade show display, your images and messages should be simple and your  layouts clean. There are many things to consider when designing a good display. Relying on the expertise of a professional graphic designer is your best bet. However, here are 5 basic tips on creating a display that is effective and eye-catching.</p>
<p><strong>Below are five basic elements that every trade show  display should include and tips for using each of these elements to  create an effective trade show display.</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Visual</li>
<li>Headline</li>
<li>Description</li>
<li>Company name &amp; Logo</li>
<li>Website</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>1. VISUAL &#8211; Select your photos and images carefully.</strong></p>
<p>Simple, bold and clear images are the most effective in creating a  memorable canvas for your selling story. Ornate, involved, mysterious  and confusing art and graphics may be great to look at but can be  distracting and much less effective as a backdrop for your trade show  message.</p>
<p><strong>Tip:</strong> If possible, select simple single images. You may want to  use many images to tell a complicated story, but often, a single simple  image will serve you just as well. Your graphic designer can help locate the right photography to convey your message.</p>
<p><strong>2. HEADLINE &#8211; Make it simple &amp; easy to remember.</strong></p>
<p>Choose your words carefully, and keep the headline for your trade  show display simple, clear and short!</p>
<p>Most people that did not plan to visit you at the show will simply  walk past your booth. They may, at best, give your display a passing  glance. This, believe it or not, is often your only chance to grab them.  If your trade show display has a carefully thought out and compelling  headline, they may choose to take an extra moment and learn a little  more about your company.</p>
<p>The shorter your headline the larger it can appear on your trade show  display. The larger it is on your trade show display the further your  display can reach into the trade show traffic. Even a small table top  display with a short bold message can be seen from several yards away.</p>
<p>Your choice of typeface is also important. With thousands to choose  from, the task of selecting the right one can seem daunting. Your graphic designer can help you choose the right font for your message.</p>
<p><strong>Tip:</strong> Choose a simple and easy to read typeface. Next time  you’re at a trade show, take notice of the displays produced by large  companies. Not necessarily large booths, but even table top displays  produced by large and successful companies consistently use simple bold  graphics. You can and should do the same.</p>
<p><strong>3. DESCRIPTION &#8211; Keep it short and sweet.</strong></p>
<p>We know it&#8217;s tempting to write a description for your trade show  display that explains everything you want your customer to know about  your product or service, but don’t!</p>
<p>As much as you would like them to, most trade show attendees will not  want to spend much time reading about your company. If the headline and  graphic of your trade show display captured their attention, they may  want to read a sentence or two at most. Keep your sentences short and  choppy. Make each word count.</p>
<p><strong>Tip:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Use bullet points</li>
<li>Keep your messages short</li>
<li>Don’t get too technical</li>
<li>Less is more</li>
</ul>
<p>If you have access to a copywriter, use one. If not, ask a friend, a  school teacher, and/or someone not connected to your business to review  your trade show display description. You will be amazed how at how much  you can learn.</p>
<p><strong>4. COMPANY NAME &amp; LOGO &#8211; Make it prominent.</strong></p>
<p>It’s amazing how many trade show displays seem to hide their company  name. You pay a lot of money to exhibit. Take a little extra effort and  make certain your company’s name is easy for all to see!</p>
<p><strong>Tip:</strong> Have the company name placed in the header portion of your  trade show display, as most trade show visitors will expect to find it  there.</p>
<p>As for a company logo, if you don’t have one, we suggest you hire a graphic designer to create one. It is your opportunity to make an impression. It makes you  look established and professional.</p>
<p><strong>5. WEBSITE &#8211; Feature the address.</strong></p>
<p>Probably the single most important message in your whole trade show  display is your website address. This is because if the show attendee  saw something at your booth that interests them, they can copy your  website address, even at a distance, and visit it at their leisure. If  you don’t already have a website, get one!</p>
<p><strong>Tip:</strong> Try to select a website name that is both meaningful to  your business and one that is easy to remember.</p>
<p>Follow the five basic elements outlined above to make any table top  display or floor display more effective at your next trade show.</p>
<h3>Need help with your trade show display design?</h3>
<p>Call Creative Instinct now at 501-244-0573 for a free consultation. We provide branding for your business, including: logo design, trade show display design, brochures, website design  and more. Call today or send an email  to Gwen Canfield: <a title="Email Gwen  Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net" target="_blank">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>.   To see samples of our work, visit <a title="Visit Creative Instinct   website" href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz</a>.<em> (Display pictured at top right of article designed by Creative Instinct for TradePRO in Gallatin, TN.)</em></p>
<p><em>Article written by Alex Virvo<br />
</em></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
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		<title>Continuity: Creating A Professional &#8220;Image&#8221; for Your Organization</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/05/26/continuity-creating-an-professional-image-for-your-organization/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/05/26/continuity-creating-an-professional-image-for-your-organization/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 May 2010 17:32:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Effective Print Materials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Logo / Branding / Business Identity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/?p=311</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Explore the "strategy and process of coordinating all the elements of a marketing message to achieve a consistent, memorable, overall look and feel for a company, service, or product" in this Marketing article written by Jim Schakenbach.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=311&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/visual-consistency.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-312" title="visual-consistency" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/visual-consistency.jpg?w=362&#038;h=301" alt="" width="362" height="301" /></a>Today, marketing  and advertising your business is all about branding. A key element in the effort to establish your oranization&#8217;s  marketing identity is something  called <strong>continuity</strong>. What exactly is that? It&#8217;s the strategy and process  of coordinating all the elements of a marketing message to achieve a  consistent, memorable, overall &#8220;look and feel&#8221; for a company, service, or  product.</p>
<p>Sounds impressive, doesn&#8217;t it? It&#8217;s really all about making sure that  everything you do as a company has a coordinated look and feel about it. Graphically, that means creating a standard logo, selecting a corporate  color (or colors), a particular typeface, even a photo or illustration  style. Content-wise, it means determining key points for your marketing  messages that clearly, concisely, and compellingly elucidate your unique  selling proposition (there&#8217;s another one of those industry terms that  falls in and out of fashion on a regular basis).</p>
<p>This is not as simple as it sounds. It requires an unfaltering,  dedicated effort up and down your marketing chain to avoid going &#8220;off  message&#8221;. Time and time again I have seen small businesses grab  logos and typestyles and use them with haphazard abandon on everything  from data sheets to PowerPoint presentations. I&#8217;ve seen sales people  ignore mandates from the home office and routinely put out their own  marketing pieces with not a shred of semblance to the carefully crafted  look painstakingly created by their own marketing department. The result  is always the same &#8211; a dilution of the company&#8217;s identity and often a  related drop in market share in response to the lack of an effective,  unified marketing message. That, in turn, requires a needless  squandering of precious marketing resources to reestablish the company&#8217;s  former brand awareness in the marketplace.</p>
<p>It doesn&#8217;t have to be that way! A little discipline and a lot of  vigilance can head off these potential image drainers and nip them in  the bud before they become a real problem. By paying attention to  continuity, your company can reap a multitude of benefits:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>heightened  market visibility</strong></li>
<li><strong>enviable awareness among potential customers</strong></li>
<li><strong>more effective use of your marketing budget, yielding the biggest bang  for your buck. </strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Overall, a keen eye toward continuity helps you achieve  levels of image and branding efficiency unavailable to practitioners of  hit-or-miss marketing with little or no image consistency between  messages and media.</p>
<p><strong>It starts with your corporate identity.</strong><br />
I never cease to be amazed at how casually some companies treat their  identity. There&#8217;s no shortage of firms that use two, three, even four  versions of their logo on a regular basis, with no particular rhyme or  reason. The same goes for corporate colors &#8211; often a victim of one or  more employee&#8217;s personal taste (&#8220;I HATE that color, I&#8217;m going to use  green instead&#8230;I think it looks better&#8221;). This dilution of image is  made even easier by the proliferation of PowerPoint and other tools used  by more and more employees. If this is happening to your company, I  have three words of advice: STOP IT. NOW.</p>
<p>The longer this practice is allowed to continue, the more it will cost  your company. In time, money, image awareness and, ultimately, in market  share.</p>
<p>How do you combat this insidious problem? By establishing company-wide  standards and maintaining them. Issue a simple style sheet that everyone  can understand and follow and then enforce it. That means establishing a  corporate color (or colors), a particular typestyle (especially one  that is duplicated in computer fonts) and creating a logo that works  well in 4-color (the process colors used by printers to print in full  color), 2-color (usually black and a particular shade of a color from  the Pantone Matching System, identified by a PMS number), and black and  white printing. If you create high and low resolution files in these  three versions and make them available to the people most likely to need  them, you will go a long way toward unifying your image out in the  marketplace.</p>
<p><strong>Follow through with your message.</strong><br />
Now that you&#8217;ve got your company &#8220;look&#8221; under control, it&#8217;s time to work  on your message. This often starts with a mission statement. Make it meaningful, concise, actionable, and unique. Be  ruthless. Is this who we really are? Is this what we really want to be?  Does this really set us apart? Once you&#8217;ve honed your statement to  accurately reflect what your company is and what it stands for, it will  enable you to create a meaningful slogan or tagline to be used in your  marketing messages. Avoid the trite and contrived. &#8220;The Leader in  (blank)&#8221; has been done before. Trust me.</p>
<p>A good tagline will inform every message that follows. It will help  flavor copy written for your sales literature, web site, advertising,  even internal messaging. It will make generating consistent, focused  text easier because it will help set the tone and form the basis of the  message. And that message, aided by the consistent visual combination of  logo, color, and typestyle &#8211; wielded with ruthless discipline &#8212; all  combine to create a powerful, memorable marketing impression.</p>
<p>That, my friends, is the power of continuity. <strong>Consistency</strong>, otherwise known as <strong>continuity</strong>, is the most potent weapon of  great marketing minds.</p>
<p><strong>Need some help with your organization&#8217;s brand?</strong><br />
Call Creative Instinct at 501-244-0573  for a free quote on branding, brochures, logos, website design and more.  Or, send an email to Gwen Canfield: <a title="Email Gwen Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net" target="_blank">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>.  To see samples of our work, visit <a title="Visit Creative Instinct  website" href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz</a>.</p>
<p><em>Article written by Jim Schakenbach.</em></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Gwen Canfield</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">visual-consistency</media:title>
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		<title>What Role Does Your Logo Play in Your Branding Strategy?</title>
		<link>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/05/04/what-role-does-your-logo-play-in-your-branding-strategy/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/2010/05/04/what-role-does-your-logo-play-in-your-branding-strategy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 May 2010 23:44:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gwen Canfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Green Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Logo / Branding / Business Identity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.creativeinstinct.biz/?p=307</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Before beginning the process of logo creation be sure that you have developed your brand strategy. Why? Your logo is like a small ad for your company, ...<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.creativeinstinct.biz&blog=8027331&post=307&subd=creativeinstinct&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>By Laura Lake &#8211; About.com</em><a href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz"><br />
<img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-308" title="branding-irons" src="http://creativeinstinct.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/branding-irons.jpg?w=216&#038;h=165" alt="" width="216" height="165" /></a>When we speak about branding it&#8217;s not uncommon for people to mistake  their logo as their &#8220;branding.&#8221; Your logo is only one piece of your  branding strategy. Your company&#8217;s logo is a symbol that can provide consumers with  instant and powerful brand recognition of your business and the services  or products that you offer.</p>
<p>Before beginning the process of logo  creation be sure that you have developed your brand strategy. Why? Your  logo is like a small ad for your company, without the strategy behind it  a logo can put across the wrong message and in return weaken your  strategy. You want to keep your brand message consistent to help  increase consumer recognition.</p>
<p><strong>How do you know when you are  ready to move to the process of having your logo created?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The  mission of your logo is to portray the values and goals of your  company. Make sure that these are clearly established before venturing  out to find a logo designer.</li>
<li>Be clear about the message you want  your brand to convey so that your logo can clearly reflect that  message. You must have a strong association between your brand and your  logo. Remember it is only one piece of your branding strategy.</li>
<li>Your  logo should reflect professionalism and growth no matter how small your  company is.</li>
<li>Make sure that the  logo you select is not dated but can be used effectively year after  year. Keep in mind it is how consumers will recognize your company.</li>
</ul>
<p>The  conclusion of the role your logo plays in your branding strategy can be  summed up in the following statement.</p>
<p>A strong branding strategy uses design to communicate a message that  attracts the target audience you want to attract &#8211; a message that  creates confidence in your brand while differentiating you from your competitors. Does your logo fulfill this mission? If your answer is  no it may be time to consider strengthening your brand strategy and  looking at a new logo to re-position your company.</p>
<h3>Call us now and we’ll build your brand.</h3>
<p>When you create a powerful business brand, you’ll attract the  clients, projects, and referrals that you want. Deliver your branding  message consistently, and your reward will be consistent profit growth.</p>
<p>Call Creative Instinct now at 501-244-0573 for a free quote on  branding for your business, including: logos, brochures, website design and more. Or, send an email  to Gwen Canfield: <a title="Email Gwen Canfield" href="mailto:gwen@creative-instinct.net" target="_blank">gwen@creative-instinct.net</a>.  To see samples of our work, visit <a title="Visit Creative Instinct  website" href="http://www.creativeinstinct.biz/" target="_blank">www.creativeinstinct.biz</a>.</p>
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