1. Branding. We’ve all heard this term, but what does it mean?
By definition, branding is a name, term, symbol, design or a combination of all of these items that identifies your particular business or product. The best example of branding is your logo. A professionally designed logo allows you to set yourself apart from the competition and make a good “first impression”.

First impressions for small businesses can make or break their future success. When I had my retail store and did phone book ads, I was amazed by the number of customers that told me they called my business because they liked my ad. Back in 2000, I gulped, and paid a graphic designer $1200 to come up with a logo that accurately reflected my business. That logo was incorporated into all of my advertisements and paid for itself many times over in the amount of business I received.

Business owners have to realize that there is a subliminal message attached to a logo that invokes a feeling about that particular business. If your current image stinks, then contact a professional graphics firm and get help. I promise, it will be the best investment you’ll ever make. So now you’re asking, what does this have to do with websites?

2. Websites, like business cards, are online advertisements 24/7.
If your logo is bad, it’s not going to look any better on a website, nor will it miraculously get you any more business. Statistics show that 78% of internet users go to a website to do research before they visit a store or call a service business. If they don’t like what they see, they’ll go to your competition.