During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a rancher would mark his cattle with a brand.

This brand, depicting an image unique to his ranch, distinguished his cattle from another's in the event of a broken fence. Branding, in today's modern marketing world, operates much the same way. It seeks to distinguish a product or service from the competition and create a lasting impression in a prospect's mind. Pay dear attention to your branding programs from the outset because they work to strengthen the 'link of trust' between your company and its buyers.

Shaping your brand image To start, consider first the personality of your company. Is it sexy or sweet? Tough or tender? Is it more like John Wayne or George Clooney or Andy Griffith? And if you think all this is hooey, consider these questions: Do Marlboros really taste better than other cigarettes? Is H&R Block superior to the tax accountant down the street? No, but a big reason these companies are leaders is because they have successfully built a personality around their brands.

Name: The first step How different would you be if your name was Clem or Matilda? Your company name sets a tone for your brand, right from the start. Names can be generated from invented words (Xerox), initials (IBM) and founder's names (Johnson & Johnson). Some of the best names though communicate a benefit (U-Haul or Budget Car Rental).

Logo: Your company's symbol A business logo is a distinctive symbol or mark that visually represents your company. To get one that passes muster with the quality police, I recommend hiring a design firm. Because your company logo design is one of the first visual brand elements your buyers see, put some time and money into it. If your logo will appear on fax cover sheets, fax it to yourself. If it will appear on billboards, enlarge it to 5 feet and see what it looks like (don't laugh, I actually did this for a client). Put your logo through the quality checking paces before you use it. You will be glad you did.

Taglines: A memorable definition I am a big believer in taglines. In 10 words or less a good tagline can communicate the core essence of a brand to the market. And for small businesses, it can be one of the most efficient marketing weapons in their arsenal. A tagline is simply a short description of a business' reason for being. It could incorporate elements of its expertise, its target audience, even the markets it serves. A tagline can be both direct and subtle--whatever it takes to get the prospect to say to themselves 'Oh, I get it.' If you are unfamiliar with taglines, work with a copywriter or marketing consultant. In an hour or two, they can take the core essence of your company's brand and translate it into a memorable and pithy tagline. Once you

have a tagline, always connect it to your logo as a standard practice. Either place the tagline below your logo or alongside it. But, wherever your logo appears, your tagline should there with it.

Fonts and typestyles Using the proper fonts and typestyles also define your brand. Try to standardize fonts and typestyles that appear routinely in your marketing materials. Use only a select few. Hint: If you are working with an advertising agency or marketing firm, make sure their designs use fonts that are readily available. A client of mine once worked with a designer on some marketing materials. The problem was the designer chose a very creative font that ended up also being hard to find. In the end, the client had to shell out hundreds more dollars to buy the font for its printer because they did not have it.

Colors: Creating a mood How do you feel when you walk into a yellow room? When you see a sign with a red background color, what is your first reaction? Colors generate emotional reactions, and it is important to carry that over into your branding program. So, here is a quick list of common colors and the emotions behind them: Color Emotions behind the color Red Stop, passion Yellow Caution, cowardice Green Go, safe White Purity, virtue Black Luxury, prestige Blue Authority, calm Orange Strength, stimulation Brown Warmth, comfort.

When deciding on a company color, pay attention to the colors used by your competitors. You do not want to shoot yourself in the foot by choosing a color already associated with your competitor.

The sounds of your brand One company I frequently call on the telephone plays rap over its onhold system. I don't know about you, but I believe there is more to music than 3 bad chords and rotten lyrics. I hate being on hold with that company. And their relationship with me suffers ever so slightly each time I call. If your business has on-hold messaging, or your retail store has background music, make sure it is appropriate.

Publish some guidelines As your company grows, consider developing a brand manual. It can be as simple as a 3-ring binder that records how you want brand elements to appear. It should cover the use of your logo, type sizes/fonts/styles, guidelines for color or black and white, and where certain brand elements should be located on the page or screen. This is a great resource for internal staff to follow and can also be used for new employee training.

Remember... Your brand shows up in a wide variety of marketing vehicles. To help you identify all the places your brand can be found, I have developed a comprehensive Branding Checklist. For a free download, go to www.emergemarketing.com/publications/articles/index.htm In the end, hold your branding efforts to the highest standard possible. Spend a little extra to keep your brand high-quality and consistent across your company. Your customers (both current and new) will thank you for it. The Patent Process Is A Waiting Game

by Reid Hampon Published on 3/4/06 Article views: 696 Contact the author Send to a friend Article publisher Print article

Your Ad Here In comparison to the licensed patent period of about 20 years, this is a fairly short period of time worth waiting for before you have to restart the process. Many inventors and business use the label 'Patent Pending' or 'Patent Applied For' in the meantime on their idea, product or service.

Even though the word patent on an article hold legal merit, the words patent pending holds no ground except to look decorative. All these words truly mean to the customer is a patent has been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The words 'patent pending' are not required on packaging. However, the word patent must be displayed on an article once that item is patented.

The 'patent pending' process in the U.S. is really a matter of filing with the USPTO. When you receive a filing date, you are allowed to use the term 'patent pending' for at least a year. But before you actually file, you should first consider these tips:

1. Expect the process to take a considerable amount of time. Don't expect that once you file, your invention will automatically be acknowledged. As the saying goes, 'patience is a virtue.'

2. Find out ahead of time if your idea or invention is already filed and patented. You can conduct preliminary research for free through the US Patent and Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov).

3. A licensed patent attorney is needed to conduct a real, thorough patent search.

4. The details that you provide on the USPTO application are very important. A patent attorney can help you present your idea or invention as accurately as possible. Most laypersons don't have the ability to complete this application on your own so find a reliable source or attorney. LegalZoom.com is a useful legal source online to help you go through your application process carefully.

LegalZoom.com will even help you prepare technical drawings and review your application for accuracy and common errors.

5. You need to stand by the fact that this is your idea or invention. Remember at this point that perseverance at this stage of the process is everything.

6. Expect to write a check for at least $355.

LegalZoom.com guarantees an automatic filing date upon submitting your application and processing your fee. USPTO will mail you an official letter called a 'notice of allowance' upon accepting the application.

The patent process does not stop here. After the application process is done, the finalizing process requires another check of about $685 just to get started. Upon finalization, your patent becomes active and requires a maintenance fee of $900. You will make many more periodic maintenance payment over the 20-year lifespan of the patent, coming to around $3000 in total.

Even though the patent process can take upward of three years, you come out with a patent that is good approximately 20 more years and is exclusively yours. As Allen Kay commented about inventions, 'The best way to predict the future is to invent it.' Articles on Branding and Corporate Identity

In marketing terms, a brand is the symbolic embodiment of all the information connected with a product or service. A brand typically includes a name, logo design, and other visual elements such as images or symbols. It also encompasses the set of expectations associated with a product or service which typically arise in the minds of people. Such people include employees of the brand owner, people involved with distribution, sale or supply of the product or service, and ultimate consumers.

It is the proprietary visual, emotional, rational, and cultural image associated with a company or a product. The purpose of having people remember the brand name and have positive associations with that brand is to make their product selection easier and enhance the value and satisfaction they get from the product.

Branding is the traditional advertising method used to create an acquired response from a target audience based on cumulative impressions and positive reinforcement. These ads are not purchased for the sole purpose generating a click or visitor. They are geared towards increased product or company name awareness and lifelong customers.

A corporate identity is the physical manifestation of the brand. In general, this amounts to a logo (logotype and/or logogram) and supporting devices commonly assembled within a set of guidelines. These guidelines govern how the identity is applied and confirm approved color palettes, typefaces, page layouts and other such methods of maintaining visual continuity and brand recognition across all physical manifestations of the brand.

A corporate identity ensures that an organisation is instantly recognised from its vehicles, offices, letters and literature, staff uniforms or advertising. The creation of a corporate identity involves selecting uniform colours, logo, typefaces and straplines and applying these in a consistent manner in every medium.