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Tip of the Week:

Why is Color important? Well, I could probably write an entire book answering this question…but for now, I’ll try to stick with the basics. Whether working on a logo, an advertisement, a branding campaign or just a simple business card, the colors your choose are equally as important as the information you include. Color evokes emotional, sub-conscious responses; we are conditioned to stop at red lights, we know pink baby clothes are intended for a girl and blue for a boy (personally, I take issue with this ingrained sexism….but that’s a whole other blog), wedding and christening gowns are white because they denote purity. This is all because the human psyche automatically assigns a specific feeling to a specific color without the person even being aware of it. In design, it is crucial to have a firm understanding on how color will effect the average consumer.

For example, you might be tempted to use your favorite color in your business’ logo design but are unaware of what that color is saying about you. Lets say you own a high-end jewelry store and your favorite color is bright red. You might be attracted to a bright red logo vs. the same logo in a deep red, simply because you think the bright red will stand out in advertisements and, well,  you just really like bright red. What you could be missing is that bright red can represent sexy, passionate, dynamic and stimulating but it also represents impulsive, demanding, dangerous and violent. Deep red, on the other hand, sends a message of rich, sumptuous, elegant and refined. I don’t know about you, but if it were my store, I’d want to send the right message to potential customers.  This is why it is important to choose your designer carefully. Pick someone who knows the emotional meanings attached to colors and will be able to guide and educate you, ultimately resulting in a beautiful, well designed logo/advertisement/collateral that sends the right message.

A big thank you to Patrick at MacMedic PRO for an outstanding job in fixing and updating my machine. It’s running fast and is working perfectly so we’re back in business…which is good because frankly, I don’t know how to fill my day without the use of my computer. Thanks again for saving my sanity, Patrick!

Breakaway Graphics will be closed for computer maintenance over the weekend and the first part of the week (7/9 – 7/14). Once we’re back up and running, we’ll be armed with double the RAM and Hard drive space as well as the most up-to-date operating system. After a clean re-install of CS4 (to work out any software bugs), it will be time to try out CS5! For us geeks, this sort of thing is really exciting and is definitely news-worthy.

Just wanted to wish all of you a very happy and safe 4th of July. Thought it might be worth it to remind ourselves what our Declaration of Independence really says:

The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation….read more…

Tip of the week:

Here are a few things I think every business owner and their employees need to get comfortable saying in order to have a successful, long-lasting business.

1. “I’m sorry”. This seems to be very hard for people to say (especially sincerely). Let’s practice….say it with me: I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. There, see, its so so hard. You’ll be surprised how effective these two simple words can be and how easily they can resolve a problem. Admit when you have misunderstood or made a mistake then take the steps necessary to fix it.

2. “I don’t know”. There isn’t one person on the planet who knows everything. Embrace this and don’t be afraid (or too proud) to admit when you don’t know something. Simply acknowledge that you don’t have the answer and then set out to find it. This trait will separate the men from the boys (or the women from the girls…hey, I’m no sexist).

3. “I understand”. As in: ‘I understand why you would feel that way’ or ‘I understand what you are saying’ or ‘I understand your decision’. Your clients/patrons/customers are doing you a favor by using or purchasing your goods and services. DO NOT forget this! Without them, your business can’t survive and by revealing that you understand their position, you’ll gain their trust and loyalty. (theoretically… there are exceptions to every rule)

4. “I will do my best”. OK, so you might be stating the obvious here (I mean, what good entrepreneur doesn’t always do their best?!) But the fact is that by stating this you are not only reassuring your client but also making a commitment to them and to yourself.

As practice, let’s use these techniques with a restaurant patron who is pressed for time and is upset by how long it has taken to get his meal:

Patron: ‘Waiter, do I have to go back there and slaughter the cow myself?! I have an important engagement in 15 minutes and have sat here for 40 minutes waiting to be served my meal!’

Waiter: ‘I am very sorry, sir. I can see that you are upset and I understand why you feel the way you do. I would feel the same way. I don’t know what is taking so long but I will do my best to find out and will be right back with your meal.’

See how nicely that works.

I haven’t done a tip of the week in a long time and I am sorry for neglecting you. So without further ado….the Tip of the Week:

KISS-Keep it simple, stupid. I know, I know….you’ve heard it a thousand times but for some reason everywhere I look there’s an advertisement or billboard with way too much stuff in it. Print advertising is meant to capture the readers attention, not to tell them every detail about the product. I think the best way I can illustrate this is with the images below. Which one is more appealing? Which one just feels like too much work to read? Which one do you think is more likely to get you to their website? Enough said.

Our hearts go out to everyone in Middle Tennessee and surrounding areas whose lives and businesses have been adversely affected by this terrible force of nature. Having survived a sadly similar situation during the 2004 Florida hurricanes, I can sympathize with the sense of helplessness and displacement that many Tennesseans are suffering today. My thoughts are with each and every one of you who are coping with the loss of personal property, homes, businesses and above all; a loved one. One day at a time . . .

Sheana Firth of Breakaway Graphics is a bronze winner in the 2010 Summit Creative Award® competition for her creative work for The InsideTrack Almanac.

Celebrating its 16th year, the Summit Creative Award spotlights works created by small and mid-size marketing firms around the globe.  Recognized for its prestige worldwide, the SCA has become a coveted honor to its award recipients. Entries in 22 creative categories are judged against a stringent set of standards. During the blind judging events, judges search for innovative and creative concepts, strong executions and the ability to communicate and persuade. Of the thousands of entries from 24 countries, Breakaway Graphic’s creative scored among the very best.

“I am both humbled and honored to be an award recipient in this prestigious competition. The recognition from my peers and top producers in this industry makes it all the better.” – Sheana Firth • Owner, Breakaway Graphics

Last week marked the first completed publication for Who’s Who Magazines, Inc. by Breakaway Graphics. Sheana Firth is slated to do the production art, layout and pagination for all three local editions of the bi-yearly Who’s Who Magazines including Sumner, Nashville/Williamson, and Rutherford Counties. The first, Sumner County, is on the press at the time of this post and will be on stands soon. Production for Nashville/Williamson and Rutherford Counties will resume this week. Tennessee residents be on the lookout for the newest Who’s Who edition in your county in the near future!

In addition to welcoming Who’s Who to the Breakaway Graphics family, we have also partnered with a second consulting firm; this one based out of Nashville, TN. We have happily become part of both consulting companies offering their clients custom logo designs as well as image branding collateral in Florida and Tennessee.

With lots of different projects and opportunities on the horizon, Breakaway Graphics is staying busy and enjoying company growth and recognition.

Tip of the week: The basics of a ‘good’ logo

A good logo needs to be memorable, simple, timeless and appropriate. These 4 concepts are not the only things that comprise a good or effective logo but I think they are a good start.

Memorable. Obviously, the purpose of a logo is to establish brand identity and public recognition so it is important that your logo is easily remembered by patrons and can be described to someone who has never heard of you.

Simple. When designing a logo, I always remind myself: “keep it simple, stupid.” You want your company logo to evoke as much feeling as possible without being too busy. The Philanthropy logo is a great example of this concept.

Timeless. The logo you use should be able to stand the test of time. Will it still be relevant 15 years from now? Or will it go the way of shag carpeting and date (or out date) your company?

Appropriate. This seems like an obvious concept but I see logos all the time that are simply not appropriate for the business they represent or the demographic they are meant to appeal to. You might use a ‘grungy’ font for a Metal Band’s image but this would likely not be appropriate for a pediatric dentist.

If your current logo does not fall into these categories and you’re ready for an image overhaul or if you’re in the process of starting a new company, please feel free to contact me for a free quote.