by BUSINESS IMAGE HOTLINE

DO'S AND DON'TS from a qualified practitioner can save a business lots of $$$ from costly mistakes- and get the best results that directly affect your bottom line. Our marketing advisors created the IMAGE HOTLINE to guide all businesses with positive, experience-driven advice in the ever-changing field of business promotion and marketing.

1) GET EDUCATED IN YOUR INDUSTRY:
Before you meet with any agency or freelance marketing reps, take the time to course through the internet or conduct an independent research for certain standards in LOOK and APPROACH in your market. This research is guaranteed to help you get a better idea of what you need- and what others are trying to sell you. Also remember- learning from your competitors is one of the most cost-effective ways to capture your industry look.

2) REVIEW YOUR BRANDING AGENT'S SAMPLES:
Check out their portfolios or work samples for quality and make sure they've got recent work. You want to make sure the professional or agency you hire has work that speaks to TODAY's market- and is not outdated. Look for actual samples (not just copies or screen shots), use a keen eye for quality and detail and watch out for inconsistencies (a this may be a telltale sign of stolen samples) Also check for client references.

3) LISTEN TO EXPERT OPINIONS:
Getting advice and a second opinion about your branding campaign is vital- but be careful who you take advice from. Everyone (especially in New York) have an overflow of opinions- but relying your business brand on your relatives and friends may steer you into an off-target direction. if you need to collaborate, choose people who are coming from marketing people or those who have had experience working with professional branding agents.

4) KNOW THE RIGHT PRICE:
Like all bids, get 3 (or more) quotes on the job. Remember, it's your money. Knowing the "street value" and judging your preference from your selections is the right place to be. This will greatly help you assess your budget to afford the right direction the first time.

5) BEWARE THE CHEAP GUY:
There's always going to be a wide range of prices for any service. Beware the guy who underbids a too-good-to-be-true price. Especially where Branding is a highly involved and time-consuming process (both creative and business development)- any consultant or agency that brings you a surprisingly low bid may come with SURPRISE OVERAGE CHARGES to compensate for their anticipated 'losses'. Also, since branding is about POSITIONING, you might find that "the cheap guy's portfolio" will have small-time clients whose business has little or NO mobility from their ENTRY LEVEL status. There is a difference between a $25 logo from "Cheapandquicklogos.com" and one from an experienced and qualified agent agent. In the branding business- branding is an INVESTMENT that will last you a long time where CHEAP is a liability to your business.

6) HIRING A CREATIVE MIND WITH A BUSINESS BACKBONE:
Marketing, Advertising and Branding are services that are a combination between BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT and COMMUNICATION ARTS. The agent you hire must qualify to capture your sales and lead generation- not just create artistic imagery without any BUSINESS BACKBONE or one that doesn't GRAB, MOTIVATE or SELL.

7) NO REVOLVING DOORS:
The message of a consistent brand (style, color, fonts, layout, approach etc) emits a message of confidence and business order- whereas hiring a number of agencies to handle your ad/marketing work will most often bring variants to your public image. Before committing to one agent, take the time to review them for the long haul- and work towards a sound relationship for ALL your branding.