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Creating a Talking Logo

Written by: Cidnee Stephen

Article Overview: Before any other marketing tools like advertising, direct mail, your website or referrals will have an impact on your business, you've got to uncover and communicate how your business is different from every other business that says they do what you do. You've got to get out of the commodity business. You've got to stake your claim on a simple idea or position in the mind of your prospective clients. In other words, you've got to create and bring to life a powerful personal marketing message.

Creating a Talking Logo

One of my clients invited me out for a fantastic night of comedy. Prior to the event, he held a private function that was attended by many successful business men and women. As I was making my rounds, I heard one person after another blow the most powerful marketing tool they have....their talking logo! This opportunity crops up everytime someone asks you the almighty question, "so what do you do?"

Before any other marketing tools like advertising, direct mail, your website or referrals will have an impact on your business, you've got to uncover and communicate how your business is different from every other business that says they do what you do.

You've got to get out of the commodity business. You've got to stake your claim on a simple idea or position in the mind of your prospective clients. In other words, you've got to create and bring to life a powerful personal marketing message.

The following is a great exercise that allows you to create a marketing based answer to this very important question:

"What do you do for a living?"

Like a traditional printed logo, a talking logo allows your company to communicate verbally the single greatest benefit of doing business with you. It should quickly communicate your company's position and force the listener to want to know more.

How do you create your talking logo?

Think about your clients or potential clients ... they want to know what's in it for them. Don't just tell them what your company does, tell them in a way that matters to them.

"I'm in the insurance business." "I'm a painter." "I'm a computer repair specialist." The only thing this type of response will get you is, "That's nice."

A talking logo grabs your prospects attention. Your talking logo is created in two distinct parts. Part 1 addresses your target market, and Part 2 zeroes in on a problem, frustration or want that market has.

Here's the pattern: Action verb, (I show, I teach, I help) target market, (business owners, homeowners, teachers, divorced women, Fortune 500 companies) how to xxxx = solve a problem or meet a need that you know your marketing has.

You know you have a great talking logo when a person hears you deliver it and immediately says, "Really, how do you do that?"

You must be equally prepared to answer this next question. Once your prospect says, "Tell me more," you need Part 2, and that is when you tell them how you plan to solve their problem.

By understanding your positioning and your target market and then communicating it through your talking logo, you will be miles ahead of most of your competition and well on your way to generating referrals and leads from anyone you meet.

Related Articles
  Keeping Printability in Mind with Your Logo
  The Importance of a Logo Design for a Company
  Creating a brand identity
  9 Keys to an Effective Logo
  Trademark a Name and Logo: Together or Separate?

Article Tags: action verb, business men, commodity business, computer repair, direct mail, doing business, grabs, insurance business, listener, market business, marketing tool, marketing tools, personal marketing, private function, prospective clients, repair specialist, successful business, target market, what do you do for a living, zeroes



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Book: Talking From 9 to 5 - Book: Talking From 9 to 5: How women's and men's conersational styles affect who gets heard, who gets credit, and what gets done at work Deborah Tannen, PhD 1994 You say something at a meeeting, it is ignored, then someone else says the same thing and everyone embraces it as a marvelous idea. You devote yourself to a project but don't get credit for the results. You work around the clock to avoid a crisis, but your efforts are not recognized because no one notices a crisis that never occurs. YOu give what you think are clear instructions, but the job is not done, or is done wrong. ... Work is a special world because as we talk to get our jobs done, we are also being evaluated. How we get others to do what we want, and how we accept or avoid responsibility for mistakes, display or challenge authority, reveal or conceal what we don't know -- all affect how we are regarded and rewarded. TOC 1. Women and Men Talking on the Job 2. "I'm sorry, I'm not apologizing": Conversational rituals 3. "Why don't you say what you mean?" Indirectness at work 4. Marked: Women in the workplace 5. The glass ceiling 6. "She's the boss": Women and authority 7. Talking up close: Status and connection 8. What's sex got to do with it 9. Who gets heard? Talking at meetings References Index
Re: Can you outsource your product launch? - Yes that what I am talking about. Creating a buzz for your online product launch basically. Is this part of what you do?
Re: Inspiration for Logos - [quote:n4xowjxl]When you want a client to think of your Logo may this not be an example of what he thinks. Let its all be positive and with hope of something better coming.[/quote:n4xowjxl] Huh? Can you you say this a different way? I'm confused and curious... cause I like messing around with logos...
Re: Social Media & Digg, Google, MySpace, and YouTube - Hi Kathy, What I meant about it being worth it was in the sense that I described. Creating multiple accounts for various sites and posting and ranking your own stuff. It's very time consuming to say the least. I'm just wondering if there's anyone out there that has done this and thinks it's beneficial.
Inspiration for Logos - When a Buddhist looks at a Tibetan flag one of the first thing that pops in their mind is admiration respect. After assimilating that they keep thinking and repression might come next. Living as part of a communist nation may bring lots of feelings. Chastity, prayer, humility all these virtues are all mixed. When you want a client to think of your Logo may this not be an example of what he thinks. Let its all be positive and with hope of something better coming.


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