Are business cards dead?

9/13/2018

Back before the days of LinkedIn and smartphones, business cards were the only way to exchange information at a networking event. While business cards can still serve these functions, there are now countless digital alternatives to keeping track of contacts and displaying your brand... is this old-fashioned physical card still relevant, or simply a waste of paper?

Handing out a traditional business card is just like advertising. You want a positive outcome and we know that often comes from being engaging. The key at a networking event is to be memorable! Are business cards as useful as they once were? No. But they still have a place in this world. You can meet someone face to face and connect on social media, but odds are, you are instantly lost amongst the thousands of other "friends" or "followers." A business card is a physical reminder of who you are. It can also spark a memory of the time and place you met, separating you from others.

When we create business cards for our clients we think about the end result and what purpose it will be serving the end customer. Is the card thin and flimsy? Is it thick card stock? Was it printed? Was it embossed? Is it a traditional business card size? Here at Seeka Creative we create high-end business cards while staying true to the clients budget. We strive to give our clients the best quality business card to help equate to having a successful business.

Remember a business card alone isn’t enough – there should always be a follow up via email or social media. However, for the initial connection, a business card is still the easiest and best way to exchange contact information.

Contact us to find out more about our business card printing.

Are brand guidelines are important?

8/1/2018

You can spent a lot of time crafting the perfect message, logo, website, and marketing materials for your brand with your designer... But, none of this will stay consistent over time if you don’t have brand guidelines.
So the answer is YES... We believe brand guidelines are essential for any business.

"What are brand guidelines?" I hear you say...

Brand guidelines are a set of tools and rules on how to use your branding elements. These guidelines are used by yourself, designers, writers, staff and anyone else using your brand’s elements like your logo to create marketing materials or social media content. Here at Seeka Creative our brand guidelines are usually created on a one-page document (depending on scale of business). The guidelines covers how your brand works and how the different elements of your brand work together to form your brand identity.

As no two brands are exactly the same, the elements included in your brand guidelines may not look the same as another companies brand’s guidelines. However, there are three common elements included in every brand identity guideline document:

The different versions (if applicable) of your logo.
The colour palette that your brand uses.
The different typography/fonts associated with your brand including the various typefaces and families.

While those three elements are included in almost every set of brand guidelines, there are other elements that can also be included:

Graphic elements that can be used separately from a logo (e.g. illustrations or patterns).
Symbols may be included, if your brand contains any.
Wordmarks are included when appropriate.
Brand tone is also included, if your brand has an established tone of voice for messages and content.

Brand guidelines should really be used as a tool to keep your brand consistent. Whether your business is large or small, brand guidelines are critical to helping your brand to work effectively. Without these guidelines, your brand’s message can change at any point just because a logo was used improperly or because someone didn’t know to use blue instead of hot pink (uh oh!).

Brand guidelines are created after establishing a colour palette, logo, brand voice, and all of your other brand elements. If you are starting to build your business and brand, then it’s a perfect time to have your branding by Seeka Creative done and your guidelines created.

Email us for more information on how we can help your business!

3 Things destroying your brand

7/12/2018

Branding is important. That’s logical. But did you know certain things could be losing you potential business? Here are 3 things that could be destroying your brand and what you can do to resolve the problem:

Problem: Your branding is inconsistent.
Do you have a few different logo versions, tag lines, etc.? Maybe you decided to update your logo, but you still have 1,000 business cards with your old logo. Inconsistency can hurt your brand. If someone sees varying styles, colours, and messages they are likely to get confused. Inconsistency could be losing you business.
Resolution: Talk to us about creating brand guidelines for your business.
Problem: Your images and designs are low quality
If your marketing pieces (both print and digital) contain low quality images or are designed poorly, a potential client may be turned away. A potential customer wants to see that you are professional, established, trustworthy, and produce quality work.
Resolution: Talk to us about image sourcing and content creation.
Problem: Your logo is outdated or was created in Word Document.
We're silently screaming over here! Logos created in Word or Paint just won't cut it. Your potential clients want to see a brand who's invested in their own business so they know how they will be treated themselves.
Resolution: Adjusting your logo to fit with trends that can also be timeless and clean while reflecting your current business model is crucial to your brand. Allow us to take the stress away and create something for you.

How is your branding? Do you need to make some changes? We’d love to help! We focus on your strengths and use our expertise to create something that will help your business grow and give you confidence in your brand.

Talk to us about our brand packages.

Are business cards dead?

Are brand guidelines are important?

3 Things destroying your brand

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