Marketing – North Consulting Services

6 Reasons To Add A Blog Post To Your Website

koenig.jeffrey — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 11:00:00 +0000

North Consulting Services

6 Reasons To Add A Blog Post To Your Website

As a small business owner, you may wonder if it’s worth the time and effort to maintain a blog on your website. However, if you want to increase the visibility and credibility of your small business, blog posting can be a good place to start.

With the majority of people doing their research on the internet, a blog post can inform potential customers about a topic, and potentially increase business growth. Here are six reasons why you should add a blog post to your small business’s website.

1. Drive Traffic

When people search for a certain term, it’s almost exclusively done on Google. According to multiple studies, only 25 percent of users go to the second page on Google’s search results. Adding and maintaining a blog post informs Google that your website may be relevant to certain terms that people search, and therefore will place your website higher on their list.

The higher your website ranks on Google, the more likely your website will get visits; more visits can potentially lead to more sales.

When writing a blog post, make sure to provide useful information to help people learn about the topic. Producing thoughtful and knowledgeable content shows your audience that you know what you’re talking about, and shows Google that your website is relevant and informed about that topic. If your blog post is engaging, people will spend more time reading it, a key contributor to search rankings.

2. Social Media Content

Social media is a part of every day life. According to statista.com, over 3.6 billion people had a social media account in 2020. Obviously, not all of those people will be your target audience, but posting on social media can help get the word out about your business.

Sharing a blog post on social media is a great way for your audience to see your content, and provides a direct link back to your website. Another great thing about posting a blog to social media is that it has the chance to be shared by others, increasing your potential customer base.

3. Build Credibility

Consistently writing blog posts about topics that your small business understands, can show your audience that you are an authority on the subject. This can be particularly beneficial if you run a startup business, as blog posts can inform people that your startup is reputable and credible. At North Consulting Services we offer startup consulting and can assist you in building credibility for you and your brand.

When writing a blog post, make sure it is interesting and helpful. A helpful and informative blog post shows your audience that you’re not just trying to sell a product or service. According to a report, 47 percent of buyers view three to five pieces of content on a website before engaging with a sales representative, so having multiple posts about different topics is important.

The more interesting and informative your blog posts are, the more credibility you and your website have. Again, this looks good to Google, and can potentially lead to your website ranking higher.

4. Generate New Leads

Blog posts are not only a great way to inform your audience, but provide you the opportunity to increase sales. Blog posts give you the opportunity to generate new leads.

Creating a call-to-action in the blog post encourages viewers to engage with your business. A call-to-action can be anything from a free ebook, webinar, consultation or a quote. A call-to-action generally requires a customer to leave their contact information, giving you the chance to follow up and potentially covert a lead into a sale.

5. New Content

Aside from updating contact info or changing the price of a product or service, most small business owners’ websites tend not to change. A website that isn’t adding new content will likely see less traffic than one that does, because Google typically does not rank “stale” websites as high.

Producing fresh content, coupled with keeping all of your business’s information current can go a long way to increasing your search ranking. Additionally, consistently adding new, informative content to your website can tell your audience what your business does, as well as show them that your business is up-to-date.

6. Long Term Results

To start seeing long term results you will need to post consistently. Creating blog posts that target specific keywords and subjects can help your website to start ranking consistently on Google, and increase your audience. With an increased audience, you are more likely to see a higher volume of sales in the future. An older blog post that’s well written can continue to generate traffic for your website.

Conclusion

It is important that your website be viewed by as many potential customers as possible. Blogging can be a great way to be seen by your audience, and that visibility can potentially help you grow your small business. If you would like help incorporating a blog post to your website, or have any other questions related to your small business, please CONTACT US at North Consulting Services.

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5 Tips For Naming Your Small Business

koenig.jeffrey — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 11:00:00 +0000

North Consulting Services

5 Tips For Naming Your Small Business

5 Tips For Naming Your Small Business

While some entrepreneurs have a name that comes to them immediately, most struggle to come up with the right name for their small business. Whether you invent the company’s name yourself or hire a small business consulting firm to help, the following tips will ensure your name represents your brand well and sets you up for years of success.

1. Easy To Spell

According to a survey conducted in 2009, “well over 50 percent of Americans and Brits earn low marks on a spelling test made up of everyday words such as ‘accidentally’ and ‘friend’.” Unless your company is targeting subject matter experts, make sure when naming your small business, the name is as easy to spell as possible.

2. Domain Availability

A domain is your website’s address or URL. Making sure you get the .com version of your company’s name is important. The more succinct the URL, the better. Visiting a site like GoDaddy, who sells domains, will let you know if a site is taken. If the website is taken, sometimes you can arrange to buy the site by contacting the owner directly or by using a broker. When you are buying the .com name, it might be worth buying the .net, .org, and .biz names at checkout. This can offer cheap insurance by protecting against any copycats or potential misunderstandings down the road. Make sure you redirect all extra domain names to point at your main .com URL.

3. Make Sure It Is Not Trademarked Or Incorporated

A Google search, combined with a more detailed search on USPTO.gov will help you figure out if the name you want is protected intellectual property. Staying away from anything similar to currently protected words is a best practice. Checking with a lawyer can ensure you that you’re not infringing upon someone’s intellectual property rights. The department of financial institutions in your state can verify there are no companies with a similar name operating in your state.

4. Your Name Should Have Meaning

Companies like Google and Kodak picked names that started out as meaningless words, but they have spent millions of dollars to establish their brand identity and ensure their name is synonymous with their industry. While inventing a word can be incredibly powerful, if pulled off, most small business coaches agree that you will sink in marketing expenses before the name establishes any traction.

At North Consulting Services, we suggest conveying meaning with your name. Companies like Ticket Master named their company effectively by describing what their business does and evoking a feeling in their clients. This naming strategy can help attract clients by defining your business’s services without further need to investigate and can even help with search engine optimization (SEO).

5. Test Your Name

Unless you hire a small business consulting firm or an advertising agency, it is best to test your name with family, friends, or even a focus group if finances allow. Testers should be asked to spell the name, what thoughts the name evokes, and if they would consider doing business with that company solely based on the name. A quick Google search will also warn you if the name is negatively associated with an event, a prior company, or means something undesirable in slang or another language.

In Conclusion

Making sure you are happy with the name of your small business is important. Hopefully, your idea will blossom into a business that lasts generations. If you are having trouble thinking of a name for your company, try using a thesaurus or a word generator for inspiration. If you are still having trouble or are interested in naming your small business as a client of our small business consulting firm, please contact us.

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Complete Guide To Small Business Logos

koenig.jeffrey — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 11:00:00 +0000

North Consulting Services

Complete Guide To Small Business Logos

Complete Guide To Small Business Logos

All brands have a logo. After picking a name for your business, choosing a logo is the next step. Some small business gurus such as David Fogarty will tell you that your logo is not very important when you are first starting and that you can change it later once you prove your product. At North Consulting Services we agree that starting your small business is most important, but starting on the right foot gives you a leg up and saves rebranding expenses later. Your branding does not have to be expensive. It is an important way to build trust, highlight your values and stand out from your competitors.

Your small business’s logo is the first impression for your brand and is a building block from which your promotional materials and website are formed.

Why Does My Small Business Need A Logo?

We like to describe your logo as your business’s avatar. Attracting the right customer to your brand is essential. By matching the style, feel, and aesthetic that is most likely to resonate with your clients, you can increase sales. Logos inform customers about your brand, set the mood of your interaction and set expectations for quality. Logos also offer more opportunity for business growth, and you may want to hire a business growth consultant the help you assess the need for a logo.

Do I Design My Logo Myself?

Some small businesses can save money by creating their own logo with a free program like Canva. There are many YouTube videos dedicated to teaching you how to use sites like Canva. Understanding graphic design can not only help you create a logo, but also serve you well down the road as you move on to more complex branding, advertising, packaging and social media strategies.

While some are confident using their artistic abilities to create their own branding, others would rather hire a professional. Budget conscious small business owners may opt to hire a graphic designer from overseas. With clear direction and an investment in time, many small business owners have had success with this method. If your business prefers to work with someone local, a digital marketing agency might be your best option. Make sure to review their portfolio first, as agencies are often the most expensive option. If you want to work with a local firm but can’t afford an agency, an ad on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist might find you a freelancer in your area willing to work for less. While this might be less costly, they will not carry insurance and most will not accept a credit card.

Logo Inspiration

In order to start brainstorming ideas, we suggest establishing your brand identity, doing market research and establishing your aesthetic. To make sure your logo conveys your brands personality, you should ask yourself some simple questions:

What is important to my clients?
What problem does this business solve?
What differentiates my business from others?
What would I write if someone asked me to describe my business in one sentence?
If your future customers could write one sentence about you, what do you hope they would say?

Once you have asked yourself some basic questions about your brand’s identity, it is time to survey the market. We recommend making a list of the top ten competitors in your space. We do not suggest to copy them, but rather see what style and feeling they are portraying to their clients. Your survey of your brand identity coupled with your evaluation of the competitive market should give you an idea of what the expectations and image for your brand should be.

Design Choices

Once you have a clear idea of what you want your brand’s logo to convey, you can start on the design. There are many different logo design styles. No singular style is right for everyone, so it’s essential to choose the design style that’s best suited to the nature of your business.

Classic: A classic style logo is simple, yet effective. It can show people that you are a reliable company and have a history of quality work. Classic logos keep it simple, with no crazy graphics, fonts or colors. Famous classic logos include: Tom Ford, Gucci, and Macy’s.
Vintage: The vintage logo style has been a favorite of businesses for a long time. They evoke a feeling of nostalgia and history, which can let customers understand that you care about the history of your business or are selling an heirloom quality product. Brown and beige color palettes work best for this type of logo. Famous logos include: Nespresso , Toblerone, and Cracker Barrel.
Modern: Minimalism is a key component of a modern logo design. Simple and modern designs show your customers that your brand is knowledgable and up-to-date. Famous logos include: Nike, Mercedes-Benz and Jordan.
Handmade: Handmade logos evoke a feeling of quality and craftsmanship. These logos can be fun and youthful or simple and sophisticated. A handmade logo shows people that your business is of the highest quality, and pays attention to every detail. Famous logos include: Burberry, Ghirardelli and Versace.
Sweet and Silly: If your brand is looking to appeal to a younger or casual customer, a unique or quirky logo may be appropriate. A quirky style combined with fun and colorful symbols or illustrations are used to create feelings of warmth and happiness. Famous logos include: Baskin Robbins, Tostitos, and Pinterest.

Types Of Logos

Oftentimes in concert with deciding on the style of your logo, you must determine the type of logo you wish to have. There are seven main types of logos:

Abstract Logos: By using abstract geometric shapes, companies can create a pictorial that represents their brand. Abstract logos are powerful because they can be formatted for use in social media marketing without losing any of their meaning. Famous abstract logos include PlayStation, Spotify and Pepsi.
Mascot Logos: Choosing a cartoon as your brand’s ambassador can be a fun way to create an identity that is relatable to your clients. Brands that rely on youth and operate in the food or entertainment market, can use mascot logos effectively. Famous mascot logos include KFC, Pillsbury and Pringles.
Combination Marks: By including both text and images, combination marks allow a brand to have a graphic supported by text. By having a logo with more than one part, brands can split the design when needing to create a more streamlined look, or for use on social media or packaging. Famous combination marks include Lacoste, Target and Rolex.
Emblem: Often a badge or a crest, emblem logos are comprised of a font inside of an icon or symbol. Often meant to signify or represent meaning, emblem logos can represent a company’s pedigree, be used to represent strength and can look smart on packaging. Famous emblem logos include Starbucks, Warner Brothers and BMW.
Wordmark: Using meaningful, symbolic typography coupled with an on brand color, logos consisting of a test-only typographic can make a powerful statement. While bold, their simple nature makes it very difficult to protect a wordmark logo with a copyright. Famous wordmark logos include Netflix, eBay and Google.
Lettermark Logos: Often confused with wordmark logos, lettermark logos are also text based logos, but are comprised solely of a company’s initials. Some people also refer to lettermark logos as monograms. This style of logo is great for companies with long or complex names that may benefit from a succinct logo. Famous lettermark logos include LG, HBO and CNN.
Pictorial: Sometimes known as a logo symbol or a brand mark, pictorial logos employ an image that becomes synonymous with the brand. Famous examples of pictorial logos include Twitter, Apple and Shell.

What Do Logo Colors Mean?

Logo colors are designed to evoke certain feelings in customers. Consulting the chart above can help you understand how some of the world’s largest brands use color effectively to represent their brand to their clients.

Experts recommend no more than three colors in your logo, with many successful logos having two or fewer. Looking to opposite sides of the color wheel is recommended because opposing colors will contrast well. If you need help picking complementary colors, drawing inspiration from brands you respect or using a color palette generator can be helpful. Your logo will form the base of your brand style guide so make sure the colors will work well throughout your marketing materials and website.

Logo Fonts

If your logo contains writing, choosing the right font to compliment the image or illustration in your logo can help inform customers of the nature of your business. There are four main font types used for logos:

•Serif fonts: Serifs are the “little feet” at the bottom of the letter. This is a classic look and can be used with many designs. Serif fonts work great with vintage or classic designs due to their simplicity and old-fashioned look. Popular serif fonts include: Times New Roman, Garamond and Casion.

•Sans serif fonts: If your business wants a more modern and clean look, this may be the best font for your logo. They are similar to serif but do not contain little “feet” at the bottom of the letters, like the text used in this blog. Popular sans serif fonts include: Helvetica, Proxima Nova and Futura.

•Script fonts: Script fonts are meant to look handwritten. They can be used for classic logo designs, or for something more fun and vibrant. The handwritten style of script fonts evokes a feeling of personalization and class. Popular script fonts include: Broadley, Monarda and Raksana.

•Display fonts: Display fonts are highly decorative and meant to catch the eye. If your business is quirky or unique, display fonts can help showcase your aesthetic to your customers. Popular display fonts include: Brandon Grotesque, Bourton and Spock.

Uses And Sizes For Your Logo

Logos are used to identify your brand, so it will be displayed on every platform you use to market your brand. It is important that the logo you choose can be formatted for social media media platforms, advertising and packaging. Social media can play a big role in reaching your customers, and having the right logo size to fit each platform is important for a professional image.

Below is a chart showing the different logo sizes recommended for the most common social media platforms.

	Image/Thumbnail Posts Size by Pixels (px)	Profile Image Size by Pixels (px)	Cover Image Size by Pixels (px)
Facbook	1200 x 630 px	170 x 170 px	820 x 312 px
Twitter	Min: 440 x 220 px Max: 1024 x 512 px	400 x 400 px	1500 x 500 px
Instagram	1080 x 1080 px	110 x 110 px	N/A
Youtube	1280 x 720 px	800 x 800 px	2560 x 1440 px
Pineterest	1000 x 1500 px	165 x 165 px	N/A
LinkedIn	1200 x 1200 px	300 x 300 px	1536 x 768 px
TikTok	1080 x 1920 px	200 x 200 px	N/A

The cornerstone of many businesses is their website. This is where customers can learn more about your company, your product and how you conduct business. Your logo will be at the top of every page of your website, so having it displayed correctly is vital. Most website builders automatically format the logo for each page, so you do not need to worry about dimensions. However, we recommend using a PNG file when inserting your logo into the website, as PNG’s offer the best readability and formatting ability when compared to other file types.

If your small business plans on selling merchandise or using packaging with your logo on it, there are different sizes we recommend for that as well. For small print (e.g. souvenirs or small bags or boxes) we recommend your logo be 500 px or more. For large print (e.g. t-shirts or large bags) we recommend 1024 px or more. Having the right pixel size for your logo ensures that it does not appear fuzzy or stretched.

Understand Your Options

Choosing the right logo can be difficult. One of the best ways to find out which logo works best for you is by getting feedback from friends, colleagues, current customers or by hiring a small business consulting firm. Hiring a small business consulting firm to coach you through the branding process can alleviate stress and help your business choose a professional image that will impress clients for years to come. We looking forward to you contacting us at North Consulting Services so that we can talk about your company’s image.

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Building Your Brand With Bags

koenig.jeffrey — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 23:49:46 +0000

North Consulting Services

Building Your Brand With Bags

What Does Your Bag Say About Your Brand?

Fashionistas and residents of large cities can spot the orange bag of Hermes (HESAY) from a mile away. The packaging from this Paris based luxury leather and lifestyle brand has become their trademark. Similarly, New York based Tiffany & Co. is synonymous with the blue packaging they use. While most of our work as a small business consultant is not done in the ultra-luxury fashion space, the branding ideas of large firms can teach us important, transferable lessons.

Luxury fashion houses are not the only brands whose packaging is seen as a status symbol. Starbucks (SBUX), the mass-market luxury coffee chain, is seen as a sign of wealth in some communities and a status symbol in many countries like South Korea. While the iconic coffee cup has served Starbucks well, there are not many larger or more ubiquitous forms of consumer packaging than bags and boxes.

Nowhere Is There More Diversity In Bags Than With Grocery Stores

Sendiks’s, a high-end grocer in suburban Milwaukee, has focused their entire brand around their high-quality red bag. This red bag is thick, elastic, highly visible and reusable. Having a high-quality bag gives Sendik’s several advantages that differentiate them in the marketplace. Like the Starbucks coffee cup, the red Sendik’s bag is iconic in the market and can be seen as sign of status and luxury. The bag has become their brand, even having their rewards program named after the bag. In addition to a rewards program, there is a Pinterest page dedicated to pictures of the bags taken from all over the world. In addition to the free promotion from the frequently reused bag, the brand also partners with local businesses and nonprofits for events. In the past, the grocer partnered with the Milwaukee Art Museum for “Red Bag Free Admission Weekend”, and with the Milwaukee Public Museum for the “Sendik’s RED BAG Weekend Deal.”

Created a sturdy bag that people keep and reuse; a walking billboard
Established special events to show community engagement and reward shoppers
Quality bag cements the store as a luxury brand allowing them to charge more for staple items and private label products
Allows this small brand to compete with big chains by making clients feel like members of a club

Kroger (KR) is America’s largest supermarket by revenue. If you have been to one of Kroger’s family of stores, you might have noticed you needed to double or triple bag your purchase to get it home safely. While these thin bags are less expensive to make and use fewer resources, they would be lucky to find a second life as a budget bathroom trashcan liner. Kroger’s brands are mass market grocery stores in predominantly middle-class areas who market themselves as providing value. Their bags continue the value theme. While you may not be showing off your Kroger bag as you walk home, value conscious customers appreciate the functionally and not having to pay extra for marketing or a social mission. Recently, Kroger has decided to follow the majority of other larger grocers and has pledged to eliminate plastic bags by 2025.

Value brand has value bags
Using a thinner bag may achieve the desired effect when a heavy bag might not always be necessary
Following others to reduce waste to attract millennials by 2025

Whole Foods Market, the world’s largest natural foods store, now owned by Amazon (AMZN), moved from plastic bags to recyclable paper bags. In a 2008 press release the firm quotes their COO as saying “Central to Whole Food Market’s core values is caring for our communities and the environment, and this includes adopting wise environmental practices”. As an organic and natural foods brand, it was a wise business decision to be first to replace plastic entirely with recycled paper options.

One of Whole Food’s key demographics is affluent millennials. Research shows that this cohort is willing to pay more for products from a brand that is sustainable and uses sourcing practices they agree with. Ditching the plastic bags not only got them points with their environmentally conscious customers, but also created a unique type of rewards program that is only available at a few select grocers. Currently, Whole Foods offers a ten cent discount for every reusable bag a customer brings to checkout. Since their 2008 commitment to end the use of plastic bags, the grocery store has made additional changes to packaging by banning plastic straws and limiting other plastic packaging.

Understands target demographics’ environmental and political concerns
Modified packaging to maintain experience and not sacrifice quality
Established corporate values to drive company culture and decisions
Defines company as a pioneer in sustainability while other companies are still in the planning stages

Aldi, the value priced German grocery chain, charges for bags which aligns with their budget theme. They want their clients to know that the company has saved every bit of unnecessary overhead to yield the best price. Because Aldi charges for bags, this encourages shoppers to bring their own reusable bags. They are also famous for having customers insert a quarter into their shopping cart so that the cart can be accessed. The customer, however, receives the quarter back when the cart is returned. The German firm does this to avoid employing lot attendants to bring the carts back inside. This attention to every cost-saving detail of operation cements Aldi as an exceptional value in customers minds.

Knows their clients want every penny of value
Is more sustainable as a side effect

Costco (COST), many American’s favorite warehouse store, does not provide any bags. Costco famously uses shipping boxes from their products to pack customer’s groceries for the ride home. Not only does Costco not have to pay as much in recycling, they also do not have to spend money for bags and their storage.

No bags means reduced cost
Costco reduces their recycling bill by reusing boxes
Contributes to warehouse bargain feeling
Can tout environmental sustainability

Examining Grocery Bags Can Teach A Lot About Small Business

If you own a brick-and-mortar store, looking at some of the country’s biggest companies can help your packaging match your brand. From showing you are value oriented to evoking luxury and making your clients the envy of the mall, packaging can help define your brand. Take advantage of the potential of these miniature walking billboards by calling North Consulting Services to discuss how your packaging and brand identity can help your business growth.

Just because your small business is not as well-known as these larger companies, does not mean you can’t create a bag that wows your customers. Creating a bag that grabs attention can be an effective way to promote business growth. Not only can a bag influence the perceived value of your brand or product, but can also act as a walking billboard. From no bag, to budget bags, to high quality bags that customers want to reuse, your bag can be an effective marketing tool.

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