Coop's Loop

A common misperception today is that a website and the internet are your best marketing tools. The truth is that your brand STILL does all the heavy lifting. The internet is only a vehicle for delivering that brand message. If your visual identity is not memorable, professional and on target, you could be doing more harm than good. And the rules are no different for those entrepreneurs and new businesses looking to make a splash in a new market or need to establish a product. The old saying applies even today, you only have one chance to make a good (or bad) first impression.
 
Your brand may have equity in the community and your clients know the logo you have always had, but when you started your company, there was no need for a web presence and your audience was as local as the Yellow Book. Your brand was created to talk to a different market through different media. If your visual communications have not been addressed in more than a couple of years, it would benefit your company to evaluate your current presence within the new business landscape and plan for a better visual communication of your brand. The best brands work best in all medias and are designed for versatility.
 
While you may know the most about your business and your market, visual communication is not your expertise. That is why you do and love what you do. Experts are needed to do the research that is needed to understand the challenges in communication, explore options and create what communicates best in today's environment.
 
With millions of websites to browse, you have less than 4 seconds to capture a viewer's attention. If you and your brand don't look reputable and professional, you'll be considered hack and be taking a big step backwards. The quality of communications has never been so critical. Templated design should not be accepted for your individual visual communication challenges. Expect and accept nothing but creative that your stakeholders are proud of, motivates your employees, and excites your market.
 
Would you go to a business meeting naked? No! Why wouldn't that same attention be paid to the way you dress your business?! Take the time to do it right the first time and shape up your logo before you publish it on the internet.