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STARTING A NEW BUSINESS

be warned:

looks can kill

by Lisa Wright, Beyond Creative Graphic Design

If you launch a new product or service with the wrong image it will have a very short life span; even shorter if the legalities aren’t correct. A good idea deserves a strong start so consider these steps early on.

1. Decide on a name and identify your niche in the market. Think about the benefit your product or service offers and a possible tagline.
2. Test it out on your target market. Give them some alternatives to so it is easier to form an opinion.
3. It’s time to talk to your accountant about the best way to set up your business – as a sole trader, a company or a trust.
4. Confirm your name is available with the Department of Fair Trading if a sole trader or ASIC if a company.
5. Before you register confirm that the domain name is also available. It’s a good idea to buy other versions (.com, .com.au, .net.au) and 'park' them so no one else can use them. You can search for domain names on www.cheapdomains.com.au.
6. Do a business plan and develop a mission statement. Include how you plan to reach your market; on the web, in the post, the paper or in trade magazines?
7. Think about the look and tone you want. Do you need a corporate feel or a more casual one? What colours do you think are appropriate?
8. Collect examples of logos and looks that you like, along with somethat you don’t like. Investigate what succeeds with the target market and what the competition is doing.
9. Now you are ready to brief a graphic designer about developing an image for your new business idea. Here’s what will happen next.

The Design Process

At Beyond Creative we’ve found the initial meeting is crucial to getting good results. We work hard on developing a clear idea of what’s required and make sure we can meet the budget before we continue. In this example our client needed a new image to portray professionalism in a crowded market place. They wanted new business cards, a web presence and printed flyers.

After establishing that they liked the ‘idea’ of the old logo we came up with several more stylish ways to execute it. The next step was to try out the chosen design in different colour ways.

Branding is important so to build it up Beyond Creative usually put in another visual device to link all the promotional and marketing material together. In this case we created the black shape at the bottom. It works well on the web, on the business cards and on the flyers.

More than anything the product visuals must be up to scratch so we encouraged our client to consider new photography. The result is a cohesive brand that is a strong competitor in the marketplace.

At Beyond Creative we can help you create a strong, sellable image for your product or service, new or old. Ring us now on 02 9986 0220 for a free quote.