Biz Bits Blog

A company vision can be thought of as a snapshot of what the company should be by a certain point in time. Visioning is a valuable tool in realizing the company mission. It answers questions like: “When we acheive our mission, what is our company doing, how big is it and what does it look like? What are we known for and how do our customers and clients feel about us? How does management and staff feel about the company? The vison is the guiding light that prevents the company from getting lost in the woods of an ever changing marketplace. A great vision is inspiring. It can get everyone in the company excited about coming to work. But the vision has to be starategically sound and not just wishful thinking. To be realistic, it must be attainable. A vision is not a strategic plan. The vision articulates where you are going; the plan tells you how you’re going to get there. You start that planning work only after you’ve agreed on the vision. Creating a plan without a vision is like tryin...

Business planning is about creating an outline for success .  They are many different types of plans, but the main tools of the trade are the overall business plan and one or more strategic plans. The primary purpose of the orverall business plan is to create a written outline that evaluates all aspects of the economic viability of the business venture including a description and analysis of the business prospects. Preparing and maintaining a business plan is important for any business regardless of its size or nature, but it will not ensure success. Combined with a correct assessment of the changing economics of the business, the plan will provide a useful roadmap as well as a financing tool. Things change, however, so it is important that the plan is periodically updated. BUSINESS PLAN OUTLINE 1. Cover sheet 2. Executive summary (statement of the business purpose) 3. Table of contents 4. Body of the document A. Business Description, Marketing, Competition, ...

Perhaps one of the most important tools in developing the company brand is often one of the hardest to understand and create. It is the mission statement. Simply defined, a mission statement is a short written statement defining a company’s reason for existence. It should embody its philosophies, goals, ambitions and mores. A company that operates without a mission statement, will at the very least lack direction. True success is unlikely when there is no definition of what that success constitutes.  A good mission statement accurately explains why your company exists and what it hopes to achieve. It articulates the company’s nature, its values, and its work. It is clear and succinct, and incorporates socially meaningful criteria and measurable goals. To be effective it should resonate with the people working in and for the company as well as with the customers and clients of the company. Ideally it expresses the company’s purpose in a way that inspires commitment, innovation, and...

If the logo represents a snapshot of the image of the company, then the slogan represents a snapshot of the company message. An effective slogan can not only say a lot about the company, but can be a valuable tool in building the brand. Much like logos where “less is more” and simplicity is better than complexity, the best slogans are “short and sweet.” The trick is saying a whole lot but with very few words.  Much like an effective company name, the slogan needs to say what the company does, and how it does it, hopefully peaking interest in the how, and inviting further investigation. The unique selling proposition, otherwise known as the reason why your company is different and better than everone else is of tantamount importance. It’s very important to avoid platitudes like  “Town’s Best Plumbers,” or “Service with a Smile,” yet still convey the message that you are the best, or at least the best choice, and that your service is freindly and professional. Much l...

There is probably nothing more important and more significant in identifying a company than it’s logo. The logo is the single most important tool in establishing the company’s image and creating the brand. It is the symbol, the icon that represents the entity, it is the face that goes with the name. To be effective, logos must contain several qualities, not the least of which is about being less. In good logo design “less is more,” and simpler is definitley better. It is important that the viewer know  immediately what they  are looking at. The image cannot be overly elaborate or confusing. The viewer must first know what it is if we want him to remember what it represents. Speaking of remembering, the logo needs to be memorable so it is quickly recognized with each exposure. Distinctive images that stand the test of time work best. This is not to say that the design must be contemporary or “modern.” “Retro” images can be very effective as long as they are universally...

As marketing consultants and graphic designers we seldom get to offer input on company names. When clients come to us, they almost always have a name in mind, and often have already registered that name with the proper bureaucracies. This is unfortunate because the company name is by far the most visible feature of any company and thus provides the greatest opportunity to make an effective and positive impression. A successful brand is always associated with a recognizable name. The more the name can say about the company, the more effective a tool it can be in establishing the brand. To the extent feasible, without getting verbose or confusing, the name should  incorporate the elements of who, what and how and be interesting and invite further investigation.  In our market place on the Big Island in Hawaii it seems nearly every company is named “Kona This” or “Big Island That” or “Aloha Something.” Not necessarily bad, but in the former case it’s redundant as your market a...

Very few concepts in the business lexicon are as misundetstood as the concept of brand. Often thought of as a company’s image as may be representated by its logo or possibly its logo combined with a catchy slogan, the brand is really much more. It is nothing less than a company’s identity as defined by its owners and principals and as percieved by its customers and clients. Brand can be thought of as having two components. The first is image, the component created by the company and including the tangibles such as name, logo, slogan and marketing graphics, and intangibles including mission, vision and goals. The other component, and equally,  if not more, important  is experience. This is how the company is perceived by its customers and clients. It includes such concepts as understanding, credibility, connection, motivation and loyalty. The term brand, in and of itself,  connotes neither good nor bad.  Companies that have established a recognizable brand, either ...