A couple of weeks ago I explained what the Facebook like button actually does, however I only showed the user facing side of the interaction, I didn’t show how things look from the marketers vantage point or how this affects user privacy.

Whenever someone creates a Facebook like button (and the button is clicked) this automatically creates an individual Facebook fan page that only admin can see, these are the types of pages businesses have typically created profiles on. Facebook users used to be able to become a fan of these pages, however prior to the release of OpenGraph this was changed to simply liking the page.

The significant thing here is that when someone clicks a Facebook like button it opens up the exact same communications channels as liking a page, this means as admin you can;

1. See which users have clicked your like button
2. View Insights (statistics) about interaction (not user specific)
3. Post content which will appear on all those users walls
4. Give other users admin status so they can view the same information

From a marketers point of view this is quite powerful, firstly it allows you to create a contact list of user profiles who have shown interest in whatever they have liked. Secondly it opens up a route to promotion by giving you permission to post content on those users news feeds.

The Facebook like button is effectively an ‘opt in’ button, by clicking on it users are granting permission for admins to know who they are and publish information to their news feed.

There is an ethical concern here that marketers must be aware of, it’s unlikely most Facebook users are actually aware they are allowing this and therefore it could be seen as highly intrusive (spam) to utilise these channels at this stage. Plus as users cannot view the fan page in question (or even know it exists) so they cannot easily opt out.

I’m just reading through a recent report into the marketing activities in the industrial sector and there’s some very interesting results. Most significant is the perceived value of various marketing channels by industrial customers. Sadly I cannot share the whole report (it’s exclusive to a subscription we have) but I can share this rather insightful breakdown of resource preference.

Resource channels in order of value to Industrial customers:

1. Search engines
2. Company Web sites
3. Online directories
4. Word of mouth
5. Trade publications
6. Conferences/Events
7. Direct mail
8. Print advertising
9. RSS Feeds
10. Blogs

What stands out to me here is how the online channels are separated between the most and least valuable ends of the list, and that division is clearly between the traditional use of the Internet and more modern social media. Also interesting is how the web takes the top three places over word of mouth and all traditional elements of the marketing mix.

But here’s the rub, look at that list in terms of cost. While blogging and RSS feeds have the lowest perceived value they are low cost activities to implement. However print advertising, direct mail and events have low value perception but require significant investment, even on a small scale. Trade publications sit in the middle, this is effectively PR, again not a cheap exercise. Word of mouth is of course a side benefit of good business and effectively free, making it enormous value. Online directories can seem expensive, but from what we’ve seen even the most sought after directory listings look cheap compared to professional PR contracts and have a higher value to customers (plus other benefits). Company Web sites come near the top and we know we can develop enterprise level Web sites to industrial companies at very competitive prices. Search engines take pole position but really targeting those is a result of good Web site design, wise directory placement and a good social media strategy, plus there’s the option of setting a budget and implementing a pay per click campaign.

Of course this is just the findings of one report, and percieved value of channels is just one part of the marketing spectrum. But what we’ve seen here is reflected in what we’re seeing in the industry as a whole. Many industrial organisations are still throwing large amounts of money at direct mail, advertising, events and PR while these are high cost, low value activities. The real valuable results are to be found online with effective Web sites, powerful directory entries and a good search engine marketing strategy.

And something else to consider is how this is likely to change in the future, while online social media has very poor adoption in the industrial industry now that’s not likely to stay the case for much longer. In a few years I very much expect that list to change with social media quickly moving its way upwards, making the traditional channels look even less valuable than they do now.

There is currently a lot of buzz in the media about Facebooks recent developments in social development tools for Web sites, namely the ‘like button for the Internet’. What follows is a basic summary for marketing managers and business owners to get up to speed with what all the fuss is about and what it could means for your businesses.

It all hinges around a system Facebook are calling Open Graph which allows Facebook and third party Web sites to share information. In essence this is nothing new, the system previously existed as Facebook Connect, what’s significant about Open Graph is its ease of implementation, the information it can share and what can be done with that data.

Imagine you run an online music store, a customer can visit your store and see a list of music tailored to their taste based on their Facebook profile, while browsing they can see their friends interaction with the store and recommend songs to them. Meanwhile all this activity is relayed to their Facebook wall and shared with their friends. From a marketing perspective its very very significant.

The most basic yet most significant interaction available is the Like Button, this interaction can be placed on any Web page allowing Facebook users to quickly and easily give their approval to anything you wish. That can be your Web site, your blog posts, your services or your products. With word of mouth recommendations working in the region of eight out of ten times marketers will appreciate the power available here.

Your Web developer should be able to easily implement this interactivity for your Web site. Facebook offers two options for developers to do this, there’s an iframe option which requires a simple line of code adding to a page or a slightly more challenging javascript option which brings in more features and better indexing with Facebook.

You can try this for yourself on the Cookies & Java Web site, below each post is a Like Button Facebook users can click.

So should you jump in with two feet and embrace these new tools right away? As ever in marketing it all depends on your individual situation. The critical factor is your audience and their adoption of Facebook, those in B2C markets more likely to see potential here than B2B. And while the Facebook market is huge there’s still plenty of customers using Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networks who need communicating with.

Visitors to the Cookies & Java Web site using a mobile device will now benefit from a mobile friendly version of the Web site. The mobile version of the site contains all the same up to date information including portfolio and blog posts all optimised for mobile phone browsing. This includes a reformatted template with cut down graphics and clear fonts, re-sized images and an easy to use touch screen menu system. The Web site auto detects mobile devices and loads the site according but users can also browse the desktop site if they prefer.

We recently passed our two year anniversary at Cookies & Java, and what a fantastic year it’s been. We’ve been fortunate enough to get on board with some great clients and fantastic projects which have given us opportunity to show what we can do.

The year started with a significant increase in overall marketing activities for Gentech International. We took on a range of regular tasks including newsletter production, PR, stationary branding, exhibition research, media planning and seasonal promotional activities such as Christmas card design.

Through spring we formed a new relationship with Project 77 (Environmental) Ltd developing their online presence with a new Web site. We also produced a new product overview brochures for Gentech International in English and German.

During summer we launched an ecommerce store for TShirt Legends and the new Gentech International Web site, a fully content managed site detailing their entire product range.

Autumn started with us acquiring Granada Cranes & Handling as a new client, redesigning their Web site and new NEXUS product. We also designed and produced a new Exhibition stand and associated promotional materials for Gentech International and supported them at the Las Vegas DEFF forum. We also started a new social media campaign for Gentech International establishing a presence on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

In winter we launched the redesigned Granada Cranes & Handling Web site and increased marketing activities with Gentech International, taking on email newsletter distribution and started development of their North American expansion. Plus we sent out a big tin of delicious goodies at Christmas to thank all our clients.

The new year started with getting Gentech International listed on a high profile manufacturing directories which netting them over a hundred new leads in just one week. Distribution of their email newsletter got off to a great start with the new system providing valuable insight into the global reach and effectiveness of their communications. Along with Granada Cranes & Handling we began to manage Google AdWords PPC campaigns on their behalf. We also launched the new Project 77 (Environmental) Web site.

In addition to all of this we have also been working on a very big project with the Fresh Movement Group consisting of mobile Web development, iPhone App design and large scale online social marketing. But you’ll just have to wait a little longer to hear more about that one!

We want to take the opportunity to once again thank all the clients who work with us, not only do we love your projects but we love working with you to provide the value, service and results you need.

A retrospective of marketing driven changes to everyday life over the last ten years,

The fast food we ate

McDonalds went from a gaudy supersized children’s fast food chain to a bistro-esc restaurant with great coffee, locally sourced food and free Wi-Fi that we’re lovin’ while KFC and Burger King stayed the same. The average high street gained coffee shops from Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Pret a Manger. Subway made us fresh sandwiches.

The cars we drove

Aston Martins went from a rare sight to a common occurrence. You could buy an SUV from Porsche. Volvo, Rover and Saab went bust. The Mini returned, this time from the Germans. China grew the largest car industry in the world. We bought cars more often and the government gave us discount. We filled our tanks with chip fat. We could buy an electric powered sports car.

Where we shopped

Woolworths lies empty. We went from cheques and signatures to chip and pin. Empowered shoppers scanned barcodes into our phones to compare prices and bought online.

The computers we used

Apple went from an awkward brand for graphic designer to must have desk decor. Microsoft released Vista and we hated it. Laptops shrank into notebooks and then further into netbooks.

The phones we didn’t just talk on

Nokia and Samsung bought us cheap mobile phones and we texted. BlackBerry enabled us to email, Apple empowered us to do everything else, Google made it all open source.

The TV’s we hung on our walls

The lure of more pixels saw us flock en mass to buy new flat screen HD TV’s and BlueRay players. Our DVD collections became redundant. Video recorders became PVR’s and we stopped watching adverts.

We all joined the catwalk

Brands such as Gucci and Armani became available in nearly all cities. Burberry fought a perilous association with a consumer we branded as chavs. Primark gave it all away for less.

The music we stole

MySpace brought us bands we’d likely never have heard of. Consumers saw no value in music and shared illegally. The traditional industry was smashed by a new industry offering it at the right price, or even free.

What we ate

Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda rewarded loyalty with store cards. We demanded  local produce and no more plastic bags, they responded. M&S returned with a seductive voice and Waitrose gave us wider aisles. Aldi and Lidle cushioned our cuts in personal spending.

The next ten years

All the success stories came from companies that embraced their markets needs and, despite the scepticism they had to battle, their hunger and perseverance to give more value rewarded them.

All those who failed did so by not adapting or communicating fast enough to meet demand.

Is your business preparing for the next decade or still catching up with the previous one?

Social Media Development is a hot topic in the business world right now, many want to (some need to) target customers via these fast developing channels. At Cookies & Java we are fortunate enough to have some great in-house knowledge and experience. A lot of which comes from our resident blogging expert Jo Alcock who speaks regularly about the topic at conferences and has attracted over 700 followers on Twitter.

In this guide we’ll quickly go over some of the basic thinking behind the topic and we’ll also show how we helped a client in this area. 

Let’s Talk Strategy – The Marketing Basics

The first step any marketer needs to make is to objectively look at the wide range of social media options out there and consider the relevance to their target market and the potential ROI. While certain methods and channels are considered hot topics it could be very time consuming mistake to assume they must be of value to your business.

In It For The Long Term – Don’t Make It An Event

While these channels can certainly accelerate growth for business the reality for many will be nurturing ongoing growth over a long period of time. So if you do decide to enter this world be prepared to put the hours in regularly supplying content to your users, or to outsource your businesses social media development tasks.

The good news is there are many tools out there to help automate the distribution of your content. For example the blogging platform WordPress now supports the automatic posting of new blog notifications via Twitter. Also most social networking sites now support automatic posting of existing blog content on company profile pages.

Interact, Analyse, Grow

Of course what constitutes good content in your target markets mind is unique to your situation; anything not relevant and purely promotional will be simply seen as spam. Do your customers want company news? Or do they really want interaction?

It’s also important to consider the feedback loop, there are many online tools which can help with this, for example the excellent FeedBurner service now owned by Google is an essential tool for anyone with an RSS feed.

Case Study – Gentech International

Since our relationship began with Gentech we’ve helped them produce and distribute news stories direct to customers via a newsletter.  When we re-developed their Web site in early 2008 we had social media strongly in mind. We developed a bespoke new CMS driven news section that allowed users to subscribe via their chosen news reader and receive instant notification of new stories. In July 2008 we took this up a level with the creation of company profile pages on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook all of which we configured to automatically updated with the latest Gentech news.

Now Gentech stakeholders can receive the latest company news via whichever medium they find most convenient.

It’s that time of year again – we just hope you weren’t planning to cut back on the calories this Christmas! For 2009 we’ve gone chocolate crazy and all Cookies & Java clients should now be taking delivery of tins packed with four chocolate muffins, four brownies and four chocolate chip cookie bars.

We are talking to and hearing about more and more companies who have been using Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) companies only to find their search engine rankings have not improved. Worse still in many cases those companies have learned that despite regular payments for SEO services their Web sites have not had any optimisation work performed, and for some they’ve suffered blacklisting and removal from Google listings altogether.

We’re providing this quick free guide to help bring business owners and marketing managers quickly up to speed with what SEO is, how search engines rank your page, how to avoid the scammers and how to approach search engines strategically.

Back Story

Search engines are essentially just pieces of software that search through and index code, they have existed for as long as Web users have needed to search for sites. During the mid nineties many search engines competed for dominance such as Infoseek, Lycos, Altavista, HotBot and Ask Jeeves. Compared to the search engines of today these systems were very primitive and naively relied on the honest creation of Web content to rank the relevance of pages to search terms.

Due to the primitive nature of the early search engines the software was easily mislead into ranking low quality unrelated content for popular keywords. Spamming the early search engines was very easy and as a result users often had to scan through lots of irrelevant content to find what they wanted.

In 1998 Google came onto the scene, not only did it offer a clean easy to use interface but its more sophisticated indexing algorithm gave better quality results.

There has always been a battle between search engine developers and those that try to abuse their way to the top of the listings. Spammers constantly work hard to find loopholes in the system while software developers fight to close those loopholes and penalise accordingly.

As a result of this the detailed workings of search engines are kept secret to help stop spamming and ensure better quality results for users.

As Google is by far the most popular search engine on the Internet this guide will focus on it. However many of the same rules that apply for Google apply to other popular search engines too. We’ll also stay away from over complicating this guide with information on Adwords and other Pay Per Click search engine advertising options, for more details on these feel free to contact us.

What actually is SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation is the art of configuring Web sites so they effectively communicate their content with the search engines. As the search engines are software based they see only code and thus are programmed to make judgement based on factors the software developers program into them.

Optimisation consists of two core objectives:

• Making the content easily found and read by the search engine
• Showing structure to the content to establish relevance

Optimisation also has to take into account the many factors search engines consider when indexing a Web site such as:

• Hosting server details
• Domain name details
• Directory structuring
• Page titles
• Page descriptions
• Content headings

So essentially it is about communicating clearly with search engines. Sites that aren’t well optimised can inadvertently hide content so it never becomes listed or considered relevant to certain search terms.

Generally professional Web designers build Web sites that are already search engine optimised, and quality content will should its own way up the listings over time. If you are concerned you Web site is badly optimised there are free online resources available for Web site owners to check the optimisation of their Web site, we’ve included some helpful links at the bottom of this guide.

What Google PageRank is and why should you care about it

While search engine optimisation is critical for getting your Web site content indexed it plays a less significant role in search engine rankings than most people think. Search engine optimisation alone will not automatically get you to number one on Google, in fact poorly optimised sites can outrank those that are well optimised, and this is due to PageRank.

The PageRank system is the most significant thing Google brought to the world of search engines, it gives a Web page a measure of quality based on link popularity.

Google attributes the number of links from other sites to yours as a measure of quality; more incoming links suggests higher quality content. So the more incoming links you have to a page the higher its PageRank. But it isn’t just a quantitative measurement, an incoming link from a page with a high PageRank counts more towards yours. So it’s not just how many people link to your site, it’s who links to your site that counts.
Getting to the top of Google is a popularity competition and the more popular the search terms the more competitive it will be.

How SEO Scammers Work

SEO scammers often contact companies out the blue via phone or email. Their claims tend to be sensational and can provide figures and demonstrations that make their services appear highly valuable, it’s very easy for people to get caught out by these Internet age snake oil salesmen.

The biggest give away you’ve been contacted by an SEO scammer is when they guarantee success; this is simply not possible and should be treated with extreme caution. Some back this up with claims they have an exclusive relationship with Google but this will not be the case.

Be wary of SEO companies offering packages with varying subscription rates. SEO requirements are unique to each company and any solution should be bespoke.

Check for contractual clauses in their small print, there are often entries which clear the SEO company of any responsibility if they do not generate successful results.

Some SEO companies will only concentrate efforts to improve your ranking for searches on your company name. As it’s likely your company name is unique this is often an easy task to achieve.

SEO salesmen may demonstrate how a search for certain terms shows one of their clients ranking highly. This may have been achieved by unscrupulous tactics such as link farming or using a fake search engine client.

Ultimately if you have a relationship with a Web designer or agency who you trust then contact them before employing the services of an SEO company. If you have no one to talk to then by all means contact us and we’ll give you a second opinion

Ethical Search Engine Marketing Strategies

At Cookies & Java we approach search engine marketing strategically. We have the tools and knowledge to find popular niches on search engines. We can analyse your competitor’s efforts to establish where you can and can’t compete with them and suggest ways to search out and generate quality incoming links.

We believe the search engines should be treated with the same research, planning, creativity and dedication as all marketing channels.

Further Reading

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Google overview with further links

Web Site Grader SEO Tool: Use this tool to check your sites optimisation

During this economic downturn many large businesses are turning to freelancers to get the edge over their competition. Right now marketing is at its most important however many people are feeling the purse strings tighten as overheads are reduced. The danger for some is that a reduction in marketing spend may mean future business becomes compromised and a downward spiral may occur. For others they’ve found the answer – it’s to get more value from their suppliers by switching to from agencies to freelance businesses.

Generally freelance businesses have far lower operating costs so it’s likely a lot of those currently using agencies for their marketing communications could get the same service they are getting now for around half the cost.

The question is do freelance businesses offer a service comparable with agencies; the answer is yes many do.

It’s important not to generalise freelance businesses; like agencies they come in many forms. It is indeed fair to say that many are orientated to the cheaper end of the market and simply not suitable for large businesses. However many freelance businesses, like Cookies & Java, offer the services of professionals who cut their teeth in agencies but without such high overheads, and thus can offer agency standard service in a higher value package.

In fact it gets better than that; many freelancers can offer more dedication and focus than they could in an agency environment. Fewer distractions, more freedom, greater control all leads to higher quality, more focused work for the customer.

Where freelancers previously fell down was offering a pool of collective resources outside of their specialisation but global communications has changed that meaning most freelance businesses can sub-contract or suggest the services of others.

The only problem businesses may face is sourcing a desirable freelance business that isn’t already fully booked with work.

At Cookies & Java we’ve been very busy recently, we’ve had our heads down working flat out for the majority of this year and the workload doesn’t look to be easing until summer. From what we’re hearing that’s the case for similar freelance businesses all over the globe. It looks like those thinking of switching need to do so soon to guarantee availability.

When you consider that the market is getting tougher for agencies and their high operating costs are soaring the pressure is certainly on to take advantage now while the option is available. Some may find their current agency must raise its prices or worse still suddenly cease trading alogether.

Switching is one thing – finding a freelance business you want to work with is another.

Larger organisations are going to find it tougher to source freelance businesses that can offer the level of service they require. While the lower end of the industry is saturated with freelancers actively promoting themselves the higher end is relatively silent, particularly outside of professions such as Web design who cannot easily create their own promotional Web sites. These businesses often rely on word of mouth marketing and can require some thorough digging to unearth.

Of course if you’re reading this blog you’ve hopefully already found one!

So really the clock is ticking, if you have realised the benefits of switching from your agency to a high quality freelance business like Cookies & Java then you need to act fast to beat the impending bun fight.

This marks a significant week for Cookies & Java as we pass into our second year of business. We’ve been a bit quiet on the blog lately and I’m pleased to say that’s because we’ve got our heads down beavering away on projects. Besides the usual day to day work of various marketing and design tasks we are working on a few exciting print and branding projects and in the early phases of developing a clients large CMS based Web site.

It’s been a very exciting first year for us and we are very grateful to our clients who have given us the opportunity to prove we can deliver a wide variety of high quality work. We believe strongly that better tools can make a better workman and have reinvested strongly in new technologies and equipment. To celebrate our anniversary we are updating our brand style and evolving our logo.

Cookies & Java is nearly a year old and like most small businesses it was started on a very frugal budget which required some strategic marketing tactics to generate new business. Looking back has given us the chance to look at those communications avenues we explored and analyse how successful they were, plus gives us the opportunity to pass these ideas other small businesses. Please note our strategy back then was target small local businesses so the message and communications mix reflect that.

For specifics on suppliers we use and ideas of cost please email us as info@cookiesandjava.com and we’ll try to help where we can.

Vehicle advertising

This has proven a very rewarding method of advertising for us, not only does advertising on your own vehicle mean you are promoting your company everywhere you go put it also gives potential customers the opportunity to talk to you face to face. We’ve found that with some strategic parking in restaurant car parks local punters have been keen to approach us for a business card or quick chat. Vinyl graphic cutting is quite cheap even for a large sticker and if required most vinyl cutters can layout a sticker design for you, we designed our own and ordered it online, attaching it to the car was easy (don’t try to fit it in the wind!).

Local media advertising

Most areas have a localised publication which circulates around the residents and advertising rates in these are very attractive. You have to keep in mind that even in a business to business market your potential customers might glance through publications like this so it’s always worth considering them. It’s also worth considering the national print directories such as the Yellow Pages and BT Phone book which also offer great deals such as a 50% discount.

Shop window advertising

As above if you are targeting local businesses your potential clients are likely to be shopping in the local shops and a lot of these have a notice board you can advertise on for a very good price. Most we’ve spoken to will be happy to do a deal on holding your advert there for 12 months. To make our advert stand out we had a box of postcard sized leaflets printed which fits nicely in the typical notice board format most local shops use.

Branded clothing

Similar to vehicle advertising branded clothing gives you the opportunity to promote your business wherever you go. We find some of our clients like to meet in coffee shops which are often busy with other business people who are likely to catch a glance at your message and talk to you. There are a few clothing printers who have very impressive online design software which allows you to layout your clothing design exactly how you want it. The cost of one off custom designs might seem high but we feel these items not only work as a promotional tool but also help build your brand image.

Online directories

Even if you don’t have a Web site online directories can be a powerful way to promote your business. There is now an abundance of local business directories on the net, most of which offer the option a free listing. Even if you do already have a Web site there is a chance these directories will be listed above you in the search engine rankings so it’s worth registering with them. The most important one in our opinion is the Google local business directory which is free to join and often appears on the first page of Google listings. At this current time we haven’t seen an online directory that can demonstrate any conclusive figures to justify any cost in being listed on their directories and do not advise paying for an enhanced listing unless there is a very significant discount.

Online Social Networks

While on the surface online social networks might seem to be a place for teenagers to tag drunken photographs of their mates these sites are being used more and more by business professionals to network and promote their businesses. The likes of Facebook and LinkedIn are an invaluable way of staying in touch with business colleagues while many specialist niche networks allow you to focus on specific market places. One of the more powerful features we’ve seen on Facebook is the option to create a company page for your business which you can promote to other members and link back to your Web site.

It is undeniable that search engine performance has become a major ongoing concern for modern marketers, those not on top of this are surely being left behind quickly. The good news is that due to the advancements in search engine algorythmns achieving a good page ranking for key words that truly relate to your business is easier than ever, so easy it’s almost become a by-product of building a high quality Web site and a sound online marketing strategy. What is worrying though is how many people still try to bodge, spam and force their way to the top using out-dated search engine hacks that only serve to damage the results they set out to improve.

Search engines such as Google are built on serving users with high quality relevant results for their search queries. Search engine developers are working constantly to find new ways to rate sites by the true merit of their relevance and significance while identifying loopholes and penalising the sites which try to fool the system.

Marketers need to consider which search engine terms they truly believe their business deserves a high ranking for and target those terms, trying to force an unknown irrelevant site to the top for various generic terms is futile and counter productive.

If you are doing any of the following you need to stop and rethink before you do too much damage:

• Relying on keyword meta-tags, this particular meta-tag is no longer considered relevant by the popular search engines and long lists will have a negative affect, new better meta-tags have been developed which perform better.
• Key word cramming by inserting many loosely related keywords into content can actually have a negative effect on your strongly related keywords.
• Link harvesting by submitting sites to poorly regarded directories can cause your site to be heavily penalised.
• Not having a Web master account with the likes of Google and MS,  binding your site to those search engines and supplying them with critical back end data is effectively closing the door on them.
• Actively trying to raise the rank of small new unknown microsites or brochure sites above well established content rich sites.

The fundemental rules for search engine success are simple:

• Build accessible sites which separate content from style.
• Keep all content relevant to your true target audience.
• Focus on good results in niche areas.
• Have an online marketing strategy to generate quality links
• Interface with the search engines behind the scenes
• Bide your time and be patient

The underlying conclusion to draw is that the age of fooling search engines is coming to a close and those relying on lazy keyword cramming are being homed in on fast. Those building Web sites that have quality design and content are already seeing good results, for example searching for “freelance design wolverhampton” sees this very site appearing three times on the first page, it’s a fanstic time for many of us while some laggards may need some drastic rethinking.

All Cookies & Java clients should have now recieved a Christmas gift of cookies and muffins, if you haven’t recieved yours yet then please contact us.

A touch point is a term often used to describe any opportunity a business has to communicate with its customers. We are all well aware of the traditional common touch points in advertising from print adverts in shop windows to direct mail through the letter box to short adverts on the television. However most touch points are formal and rarely is there the opportunity to break out of the hard sell strategy and into some informal creative marketing. The big question is are you going to wow your potential customers this year and build stronger relationships with your existing client base.

Informal touch points are a rare and valuable opportunity, there is no doubt that creativity sells and improves brand value but for most businesses, especially in B2B markets, these moments are hard to find and often not capitalised on. The unfortunate truth is that many businesses see Christmas is an awkward mid winter obligation rather than an excuse to show their creative side. Christmas is one of the few events you can guarantee will happen each year at the same time for the same duration, you have the best part of a month to communicate directly with all types of clients with whatever message you choose – there’s really no good reason to miss out.

So how can you get more out of Christmas and be more strategic, here is a list of tips:

1. Avoid the hard sell – Never blatantly use Christmas to directly promote your business and products, this is likely to do more harm to your brand than good.
2. Be creative and stand out – The majority of businesses send out generic card designs each year that show little effort or planning, show there’s more of a human side to your company and demonstrate how well organised you are.
3. Add a personal touch – Genuine signatures and hand written cards show you can find the time to put special effort into all your customers.
4. Support your brand – If it fits your brand be funny, be sophisiticated or be classy, creatively use your products and demonstrate your feel for style and quality.
5. Show respect – Demonstrate an understanding for culture and tradition by celebrating the season without offending others religious views but still entering into the spirit of things.

Right now you should already thinking about Christmas 2009 as the time to plan for this year has already passed by. What will you be doing this year to stand out from your competitors?

The image below shows a shot I’ve created of a quick change machine tool on a brass surface lit by one light and shot through a 35mm camera at ISO100 through a 120mm lens. As you can see the different materials such as the stainless steel bearings and machined aluminium parts are nicely highlighted in this environment. However none of this scene exists in real life, it exists purely in 3D space as it’s entirely computer generated.

I’ve done quite a bit of product photography for clients and have learnt a lot in a past few years about studio setups and lighting, I also have a long time love affair with computer generated 3D environments and wanted to see what can be done with the latest ray tracing software. I’m sure you’ll agree the results are impressive. The image below is a virtual recreation of a very basic setup using paper as a back ground and infinity wall with three carefully positioned lights, most people I have shown this to have mistaken it for a real photography.

I created this experiment because I believe many manufacturers have a need to show promotional images of products but cannot due to the following reasons:

• The product exists only as a three dimensional drawing in software and is yet to be physically produced
• It is at prototype stage and unsuitable for photographing due to a rough production process or scuffs and marks from testing
• The product is too large to fit into a studio or has expensive logistical issues
• It needs to be shown in an environment that isn’t possible to create in real life
• It needs to be shown in an unrealistic orientation such as floating mid air
• The product is yet to be patented and the manufacturer cannot risk any prototypes leaving their hands

To achieve this I first obtained a three dimensional drawing file from the manufacturer, in a format which is supported by most modelling applications such as SolidWorks. For this particular assembly I had to spend some time separating the individual parts however it’s usually possible to supply these already separate. Something that’s important to note here is that sending out this data could potentially supply a competitor with the blueprints to make the product; therefore if the data is sensitive it would be wise to remove any critical unseen components from the file.

With the latest ray tracing software it’s possible to apply materials that will be rendered just how they appear in real life, reflecting, refracting and absorbing light as they should. For this I spent a lot of time specifying material surfaces which behave correctly. Once happy with the materials I created the various scenes shown on this page which could be used as PR shots, advertising images or exhibition materials. Let’s say you wanted isometric style images of products for your online catalogue, again the orthographic projection would be hard to reproduce without a sophisticated camera lens and setting up the scene to be exactly the same each time you photographed a new product very time consuming.

The costs are comparable with photography too, particularly if a 3d CAD model already exists and especially further down the line when the product is modelled, materials applied and scenes set. The environment is saved as digital data and can always be recalled and used again or modified slightly. Plus, if the need arises, there’s the option of animating the product to show how it operates.

There is a temptation for manufacturers to try rendering products in their own CAD software or they are told their design agency can do it, however the results are often poor due to lack of knowledge/experience and will often turn out something like below.

Another way this can be useful is for manufacturers who need to visualise how a product will look with different materials/coatings used, for example if a product would look far more appealing if certain components were made from stainless steel or anodised aluminium. Here is the same product with different materials applied.

So whether you need to get a moody PR shot in print before your product hits the production process or show your components made from crystal or glass so customers can see the inner workings 3D might be the answer for you.

Brand – The values associated with a company such as quality, reliability, creativity and innovativeness.

Brand identity – The tangible elements of how a company is represented such as logos, shapes, sounds and smells.

Why owning an iPod feels good, before you touch the product

Anyone who’s bought an iPod in the past few years will probably remember the day they first got it, and in particular the experience of opening up the box for the first time. This relatively inexpensive part of the product (the packaging) brings an enormous amount of good feeling toward the Apple brand before the consumer even touches the actual item they’ve paid for.

With the iPod Touch for example the box is a heavier than usual card, it’s finished in a slightly satin dark grey gradient with minimal design and is tastefully adorned with metallic spot colour and embossing. The top of the box slides off in the same style as a jewellery box and has a soft foam lining to the inside which protects the iPod Touch that’s presented boldly underneath. Even the stick on manufacturing label on the reverse of the box is printed white on black to match everything else. Considering the demand for the iPod Touch and iPhone Apple could be handing them out in food bags and saving themselves money, but Apple uses the opportunity to bring quality and style to their brand.

When you buy a Harley Davidson from a dealer, rather than sticking a sign on your bike that reads “Sold” they hang a sign from it that reads “Another dream has just come true, please respect the owner by not sitting on the bike.” For the price of a printed A4 sheet of paper something that could have ended a potential sale becomes something that could trigger one.

Your brand identity is out there representing your business like a sales person shouting from the roof top 24hrs a day. It says a tremendous amount about your real brand values and cannot be ever brushed under the carpet. When a customer receives your email, picks up your brochure or views your Web site they see your brand identity as an example of your eye for detail, quality and style.

The worrying thing is its unlikely customers or even staff will ever tell you they think you’re brand looks bad, telling a business owner their brand looks bad is like telling them their children are ugly, nobody wants to be the one who says it.

If the market place was a party and your competitors were in attendance, would you feel a little under dressed?

Why brand identity is one of the first things you should gain control of and not the last

A company going to market without a clear and controlled brand identity is like a salesperson going to a meeting in just their underwear; it’s unlikely your customers would see it as professional.

Sadly the situation is many companies view brand styling as extortionately expensive and only available to the huge corporations that can afford it. The reality is brand styling is affordable to any size company and certainly should generate a return in brand value at least.

The real challenge is managing implementation and retaining control.

Introducing the Brand Style Guide

A brand style guide is a document available to all members of staff which empowers them with a set of guidelines and templates they can use to make sure all their material maintains the professional feel you want your customers to experience.

This guide can be anything from a few pages outlining logo use and type faces to a huge resource with associated template files and printed media such as letterheads and branded envelopes.

Brand style evolves over time, or the brand dies out

Sometimes being consistently average looking is at least better than being inconsistently good looking (or so my mum tells me). Sadly, like anything style related, being exposed to your own brand day in and day out can take the magic out of it an the shade of the brand grass on the other side of the fence can often seem a better pantone green. However this is not cause to wipe the slate clean and start again, overly keen changes to a brand identity can be like replacing a key character in a soap with a new actor, it can alienate and confuse people.

However some very well established and well recognised brands have drastically changed their style by allowing it to take an evolutionary process over many years. Rather than changing the style for the sake of it, they have been updated to stay looking modern but while still retaining familiarity with customer. Quite often those ‘old’ logos we recognise have changed a lot more than we think.

Brand styling, the possibilities are endless!

Brand identity is something that you can keep adding more and more detail too, I know a Managing Director who painted all the skirting boards and door frames in his factory to match the pantone shade used in his company logo. I know a Creative Director who sent back his new Mercedes because the letter spacing of the company initials were wrong on his private number plate.

The fact is brand styling is something all organisations should regularly revisit, develop and implement to stay competitive. It’s also something that can apply nearly everywhere such as:

• Letterhead design
• Brochure design
• Web site design
• Building signage
• Exhibition stands
• Business stationary
• PowerPoint presentation design
• Product branding
• Packaging design
• Email signatures
• Business card design
• Vehicle graphics

Five things you can do right now

1. Choose one font and make sure you use it for everything your company sends out. This can go for emails, sales letters, company documents, PowerPoint presentations etc
2. Proofread your sales material and check you consistently use the same terminology. If you type Web site as ‘Web site’ and not ‘website’,’ web site’ or’ Web Site’ then make sure it’s always typed like that.
3. Make sure every member of staff knows what to say when answering the phone, be it “Hello Joe Bloggs Limited how may I help you?” or “Good morning, J.Bloggs”
4. Pick the single Logo file everyone is to use on documents. Make sure everyone has a copy.
5. Gather up all your sales material, brochures, leaflets, catalogues and letters, put them on your desk and walk outside facing away from the building. Put yourself in the shoes of the client, turn around and walk back in, look at the material and ask yourself “Is this good enough?”

The short explanation of the Cookies & Java logo is quite simple. The round bit in the middle represents a cookie and the brackets either side represent programming code – its cookie wrapped in code voila.

The long explanation is quite a bit more involved and goes some way to show my thoughts and processes behind logo development. Logo design in its essence is as easy or as hard as you want it to be, in fact designing a good looking logo is very easy if you have the tools, however designing one from a strategic standpoint is a lot harder.

Easy logo design methods used far too often:

• Have a cool logo idea and apply that to whatever company comes along next, regardless of what that company needs.
• Scour the world for ‘inspiration’ i.e simply copy other peoples logo ideas by taking elements from the ones people like the most.
• Do whatever is considered cool at the current time by using a fashionable font or applying the latest chic styling trends.

These three methods will often lead to a great looking logo but I take issue with their creative development, my personal belief on logo design is that a logo is often central to how a company wishes to project itself and that’s core to the marketing strategy. Therefore the logo should reflect the marketing strategy, simply choosing whatever is cool and looks good is not good enough.

Leading on from this we reach my biggest bug bear in logo design, the ‘rules’ of logo design that are posted around the net, these often promote a set of core rules about making logos simple or being unique and work around deconstructing the logos of successful company’s. My issue with this approach is it acquaints too much company success in the actual logo design when in fact the logo design is actually riding on the company’s success. By that I mean logos such as the McDonalds ‘golden arches’ or the Nike ‘tick’ are recognisable as a result of the success those company’s have had and the frequency we’ve been exposed to those symbols.

In my opinion there are only two rules to logo design:

1. There are no rules to logo design.
2. THERE ARE NO RULES TO LOGO DESIGN!

Logo design is entirely dependent on what a company is trying to project; therefore every company has different needs. I follow a few basic steps when brainstorming logo ideas:

• Evolution – Is there already a company logo, how many customers are familiar with it, how was it conceived? Would wiping the slate clean and starting from scratch be the easy thing to do from a design perspective but do more harm than good for the company?
• Look through the customers eyes – An obvious one this but easy to forget. It’s unlikely that a customer is going to take issue with your use of kerning or reckless combination of serif and sans-serif fonts. What is more likely is if your company needs to appear simple and approachable then customers are going to expect a simple approachable look to your logo. A Transit van would look awfully strange with a Rolls Royce flying lady on the bonnet and vice versa a Phantom would not look right with a bright blue Ford logo poking up from the grill.
• Consider the media – Company logos have to take a lot of abuse. One day they are expected to look great at 1inch across on a full colour TFT monitor and the next they are expected to look just as good cut out of one sheet of vinyl and stuck to the side of a van. The big question is what is most likely to be the case for any given business.

The two hardest situations to be in when designing a logo is to be starting from scratch and trying to design one for yourself. Having nothing to work from nothing and yourself as a critic is hard work and this is exactly where I was when had to come up with the Cookies & Java logo.

The first step was to take that nothing to work from and turn it into something to worth with, I started asking myself the same questions I would ask my clients in the same situation. How is the company trying to project itself? Who are the customers being targeted? What challenges need to be over come?

With Cookies & Java I specifically want to target small local businesses and therefore I wanted a friendly approachable logo, something that suggested creativity, something a little bit fun. I also wanted a logo that was symbolic and didn’t rely on just text, this was mainly to stand out and be recognisable in an area that is packed with creative design agencies. I was also aware of a couple of major possible issues, firstly the easy mistake someone could make by assuming Cookies & Java is the name of a coffee shop or internet café and also appearing so wacky that my existing customer base of engineering clients cringe at the thought of showing their boss my letter headed documents for fear of not being taken seriously. On top of this I knew a fundamental part of my initial marketing would be having a sticker on the back of my car so the logo did need to work as a single colour vinyl cut out.

I started with the choice of font; I have a huge archive of fonts and often begin by simply writing out the company name and whittle the choices down from hundreds to dozens to just a few. Quite often at this stage I’ll try and get the opinion of others and measure their initial reaction.

Then I started to work with the elements of the text and how the company name could be laid out.

Next was the symbolisation, I wanted something that showed elements of the web so I wrapped the logo in brackets like html code and thought I could simplify it more by having a circle (cookie) wrapped by two coding brackets.

This resulted in an eye like symbol that stares back at you, something that leaps out and draws you to the centre of it. This image shows how adding only a few shapes makes the logo into an eye.

Then it was just a case of putting the text in the middle and working on the proportions until the whole logo looked right.

The next stage was to start throwing the logo into theoretical scenarios such as being used grey scale, being used in a single colour print, having to work on different coloured backgrounds and yet still stand out. For this I created a single colour version of the logo which would be used for mono prints and any vinyl stickers and continued to work on the full colour logo. For the full colour logo I added some colour and an outer stroke with semi transparent drop shadow, this ensures the logo works on any colour background.

After this is was a case of tweaking and polishing what I had, people like texture and depth to graphics on the web so I added a lot of subtle gradients and three dimensional shading to make the logo feel like more of an object. After getting some feedback people really wanted to see some chocolate chips in that cookie which I happily added.

The last elements to consider were treatment of the logo, how it should be used in various instances and here are four examples.

I hope this little ramble goes some way to explaining how the Cookies & Java logo came about but also goes some way to showing my thought process behind logo design and perhaps even how your own logo works for your company.