The MOST Expensive Mistake You Can Make

Most people who own a small business have a huge passion and talent for the product or service they provide. Some people have a business degree. Some even have MBA's or PhD's. But, most who own their own business just have a passion for what they do.

So, they try to make a difference...and a profit.

But, running your own business is very hard. We all hear the statistics...one in five don't make it, every third small business fails, one out of two flop and on and on and on. Plus, small business owners have to wear a lot of hats: sales person, marketing manager, accountant, janitor, customer service representative, human resource department, etc...

You name it, small business owners do it.

The learning curve is great. And business owners make many mistakes. Some mistakes are just part of the growing process, while other mistakes may cost only a few bucks or thousands of dollars. But one mistake I am about to describe can be the MOST expensive mistake you can make in running a small business.

What's the mistake?

It is the very simple, but VERY costly mistake of having your logo, stationery, brochures, web site and all other marketing materials for your small business look cheap, poorly designed, thrown together and unprofessional.

Every single week, I see a multitude of small business owners who are making this very mistake. They just don't get it. They don't realize the cost of this mistake. They don't realize how much damage they are doing to their business and brand by using these unprofessional and poorly designed marketing materials. Essentially, what they are doing is creating a sub-par first impression that is burned into the mind of new prospects forever.

The old adage is true...you never get a second chance to make a first impression. In running a small business, you cannot afford to look thrown together, cheap and unprofessional.

Why is this mistake so costly? Simple. It's because most small businesses look alike. Most look cheap. Most look unprofessional. In an effort to "save money", most just throw their marketing materials together or hire the cheapest person they can find to design them. Because of this, they don't stand out from the crowd. They don't look like the experts they are and they don't attract clients, which is precisely why this mistake is so costly.

Is this how you look? Is this what you do? Is this what you have done? If you have, you have made a HUGE mistake. You must stand out from the crowd. You must be different. You must look different. You must show the world that you care enough to invest in professionally designed marketing materials.

If you don't stand out, if you don't look professional, if you look cheap, amateurish and thrown together, a few things will happen. Prospects will pass on your products or services and go to your competitors. You will not earn the price you are worth. You will not be trusted as the very best in your field. Prospects will view and judge you as someone you are not. You will have a very hard time building your reputation. Most importantly, you will lose money. Period.

The only way to stand out in the highly competitive marketplace and correct this mistake is by having a professional, reputable design firm create and produce all of your marketing materials. Having these materials professionally created is an investment, NOT an expense. Professionally designed materials will brand you as the expert you are, attract clients to your business and position your business over your competition.

Don't make the same mistake so many other small business owners make. Hire a professional design firm. Do it right the first time. By having a professional image you will be light years ahead of your competition. You will stand out from your competition and project the image of your expertise. This worthwhile investment will net a valuable return over the life of your small business.

Jeanna Pool is President of CATALYST creative, inc., an award-winning graphic design, web design and marketing firm located in Denver, Colorado. She helps small business owners who are really good at what they do, but struggle to market their services effectively to attract more clients on a consistent basis. She can be contacted at http://www.catalystcreativeinc.com or call 303.380.9100.

---

Branded Email: Email Branding is the Next Generation of Email

All You Need is Branded Email Or Always Branded Email... Read More

Corporate Branding and Professional Logo Design

Any business with the minimum interest to be successful should... Read More

Create a Niche: Stoke Your Market With Affiliate Branding

Propose success, demand performance, and brand your market with appeal.... Read More

What is an Artists Statement & How Often Should It Be Updated?

An artist's statement is a statement of ideas and thoughts... Read More

Tips for Creating Brilliant Business Names

Imagine if Yahoo! had been named TheInternetDirectoy. Or StarBucks was... Read More

Pressure Washing Companies and Co-Branding

Pressure washing companies often miss what we call 'super niche'... Read More

Britney Spears Branding

How would you like to sell as much in one... Read More

Branding Fiasco -- Better Be Who You Say You Are!

Our experience as customers offers great instruction into the concept... Read More

Introduction to A Branded World: Adventures in Public Relations and the Creation Of Superbrands

You'd have to labor to shield yourself from the power... Read More

What the Heck is Branding and Why Should I Care?

There's been a lot of buzz lately about branding. But... Read More

Personal Branding: Characteristics of a Strong Personal Brand

How many times have you been at a networking function... Read More

Brand Identity Company ? Brand Identity Guru

Hiring a brand identity company is very important. In every... Read More

New Uniforms Could be the Gold Charm for the Golden Arches

New designer uniforms could be the gold charm McDonald's needs... Read More

Shattering the Branding Myths

If you've been online long, you're sure to have seen... Read More

Santa - The Brand

Every Christmas Eve, a burglar named Santa busts into homes... Read More

Hiring the Right Graphic Designer for Your Small Business

Every small business needs it, but not many have it.... Read More

Brand Identity and the CEO

This week I spent a few hours with a highly... Read More

Setting the Right Price

One of the ways people get to know you is... Read More

Branding: Bring Back the Jingle!

Did you grow up in the '70s and '80s? If... Read More

Counterfeit Branding - Representing True Globalisation!

From cigarettes to fashion accessories to food products to medicines,... Read More

Branding 101: Why Its Critical to Business Success and How to Do It Right

What's Your Brand?A brand is a product/company personality that helps... Read More

Wealthiest 10% of Americans Name Top Quality Brands for 8 Products in New Survey

The seventh in a continuing series of twice-yearly surveys by... Read More

Branding Yourself To Increased Profitability

Successful Realtors know the importance of branding their identities into... Read More

The Keys to a Great Logo

Logo, graphic, icon, logotype, typogram, logoform, image?call it what you... Read More

Logo Design Tips

Logos can be described as visual icons that provide a... Read More

You Bored Me at Hello - Top Three Strategies for Networking Your Brand

"You had me at hello," those famous words from the... Read More

Branding Advertising Agency

Branding used to be a fancy business word, but it... Read More

Logo-ize For Instant Identification & Increased Awareness

The task of creating an indelible impact on the memory... Read More

Is It Legal? - Indecent Naming With Tradition

When Mitsubishi launched a new car with the name "Pajero"... Read More

Corporate Logo Design ? 6 Keys to Success

A corporate logo design should be highly instrumental in building... Read More

No Logo? Launching A Business Without a Logo Can Sabotage You

Initial lack of customers and cash flow often causes a... Read More

Is Your Logo Helping or Hurting Your Business?

The quality of your logo can mean the difference between... Read More

Franchisor Policies for Unlicensed or Sold Territories

Franchisors often have issues when they own a brand which... Read More