| p>Just like the sidekicks help out a superhero, your | | | | materials that stand out even more, or have greater |
| Visual Vocabulary together with your logo helps put | | | | distinguishing characteristics, consider creating whole |
| the kapow into your brand identity. | | | | new layouts for different pieces. The consistent logo |
| These Visual Vocabulary "sidekicks" are the graphics, | | | | will hold the brand together nicely. |
| font styles, colors, and layouts you use in your | | | | - To update your graphics to keep up with design |
| materials, and even the type of paper you print your | | | | trends. Just like fashion, popular design trends come |
| materials on. | | | | and go. One season will be marked by bright colors |
| One of the best features of a Visual Vocabulary is its | | | | and clean lines. A few years later everything will be |
| flexibility. | | | | designed in muted colors with elegant patterns. To |
| It's important for a small business to use the same logo | | | | keep your materials fresh, follow these design trends |
| for the life of the business. Using the same logo will | | | | and apply them to your materials when they're |
| improve the memorability and appearance of stability | | | | appropriate and a good match for your brand. |
| of your business. By using a Visual Vocabulary in | | | | - To avoid Entrepreneurial Boredom. Business owners |
| conjunction with your logo, you'll be able to have a | | | | move at a fast pace, and entrepreneurs - especially |
| flexible set of visual elements in your brand. | | | | owners of one-person businesses - tend to spend a |
| There are several reasons why you might want to | | | | lot of time working with and reviewing their marketing |
| change your Visual Vocabulary elements. There may | | | | materials. These two factors together combine to |
| also be circumstances where you want to use | | | | create "Entrepreneurial Boredom" - where the |
| different Visual Vocabulary elements to distinguish | | | | entrepreneur becomes bored with their designed |
| your offerings from one another. Some of the main | | | | materials and gets anxious to create something new. |
| reasons we recommend switching out your Visual | | | | Entrepreneurial Boredom is actually one of the most |
| Vocabulary include: | | | | common reasons small businesses want to redesign |
| - To make better use of the limitations of the media | | | | their logo. Changing a logo takes a lot of time, money |
| that you're using. You might limit your color palette to 1 | | | | and work - not to mention redesigning all of your other |
| or 2 colors when printing materials to lower the | | | | marketing materials along with it. This is probably |
| production cost on those materials. When designing a | | | | unnecessary particularly when you consider that no |
| web site, you might use a different set of fonts to | | | | one else has looked at your company's logo as often |
| increase compatibility and on-screen legibility. If you're | | | | as you have. You're probably the only person who's |
| printing an ad in the newspaper, you might want to use | | | | tired of it. |
| a simpler photo than if you're printing a high-quality | | | | Instead of redesigning your logo, you can mix up your |
| brochure because of the poor print and paper quality in | | | | marketing materials by changing out your Visual |
| the newspaper. A Visual Vocabulary enables you to | | | | Vocabulary elements. That way, you can create |
| create the best design under each production | | | | materials that look new and different while still keeping |
| circumstance. | | | | the memorability and consistency of your logo (which |
| - To distinguish one marketing piece from another, or | | | | is the foundation of your brand). Changing the Visual |
| one product line from the next. Imagine that you're at a | | | | vocabulary enables you to create new, fresh materials |
| trade show, laying all of your marketing pieces out at | | | | and to make your marketing look different when you |
| your booth. If you stick with the same design template | | | | start to think they're bland or old fashioned. |
| on all of your pieces, they'll blend together and a | | | | The flexibility that your brand gains by pairing a Visual |
| passer-by might not think that you have much to offer. | | | | Vocabulary with your logo makes your brand timeless. |
| They may just pick up one flyer, and if they don't get | | | | Your logo, the superhero of your brand, can stay the |
| the right one for their needs, they won't call you to buy. | | | | same, saving the day by giving you the benefit of |
| Making your materials or different products or services | | | | having a consistent brand foundation. At the same |
| look visually different will make the true breadth of | | | | time your Visual Vocabulary "sidekicks" can change |
| your offerings immediately apparent. Even if you don't | | | | based on the media you're using, the product or |
| display at a trade show, distinguishing each offering will | | | | service offering you're promoting, current trends, or |
| make it easier for clients and prospects to see what | | | | just to keep you from getting bored with your own |
| you can do for them. | | | | materials. All of these capabilities will help your brand to |
| This can be as easy as using different color palettes, | | | | weather the years gracefully, and to help your |
| fonts or photos on different materials. To create | | | | business to stand out from its' competition. |