Friday, November 4, 2011

How to Give Retail Space a New Look Without Remodeling

By
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Plan the space to make a great first impression - Ensure that customers can browse through your products with ease. Shelving units should be placed at comfortable heights and the aisle spaces should be wide enough for maneuvering yet close enough to maintain a cozy feel. The overall aesthetic layout and impression goes a long way in influencing the purchase decision. Think of the competition - how can you make a stronger first impression? Think color, design, theme, and seasonal excitement.
Have you done any market research lately? Is there something you are offering that the competition isn't? Are you promoting it so that potential customers are aware of your products and/or services? Plan color and graphics to your advantage. Select colors that will help you achieve your retail goals. Have you been using a corporate theme or have you been using the same colors for far too long? Would you like to project a warm and intimate feel? Or do you want something cool and contemporary?
Select your Slatwall Covers to literally transform your space at a very low cost - A minimal investment will change your existing wood slatwall into a completely new color and or graphical theme. Think color, logos, photos or illustration. The sky is the limit since even images can be printed on the slatwall covers. Covers can be matched to any color as well. You could go with a PMS logo color or even expand on a particular background such as fall leaves. Maybe you want to be more subtle or generic and go with something that will stay fresh through several years like a subtle floral pattern or a sports theme.
Or are you looking for something bold and exciting? An example of what you can do with images is a zoo which has a marine theme for its gift shop. The walls are covered with aquatic images for larger than life interest. Their old wood slatwall was covered with the inexpensive imprinted slatwall covers. The look and feel has been noticed by customers. In addition, employees are thrilled with their new surroundings.
Consistent Retail Marketing Provides Big Payoff - Integrate your new theme into your other marketing materials as well. A consistent message along with your superb customer service and product offerings ensure ever rising sales. Make sure you tie in your new theme with your social media marketing as well for maximum benefit.
You can have your cake and eat it too! Jifram's Easy Wall Slatwall product provides a multitude of design options. Select any color or finish to enhance the décor of your retail establishment. Or enjoy the option of imprinting your logo, photos or customized graphics right on the Slatwall. Make your displays sell. Personalize them.
Wayne C. Meyer, Director of Sales & Marketing at Jifram Extrusions a plastic profile extrusion manufacturer specializing in stock and custom plastic extrusions, plastic profiles, plastic channels, and plastic pallets. We are your plastic extrusion supplier.
Jifram Extrusions, Inc.
Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085
Phone number: 920-467-2477 ext. 315
Cell Phone: 262-490-8922
Email: sales@Jifram.com
Web: http://www.jifram.com

ISLAND DESIGN INSPIRE1


Get Creative With Acrylic Displays

By Michael K John

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In the retail industry, the sale of a product depends a lot on the way it is displayed. Today, there are different ways to display the product so that the customers are attracted to it and make their purchase. Of these different ways, acrylic is fast becoming the material of choice for use in the display industry. Although it looks like glass it couldn't be more different. Designers are opting for acrylic over glass due to it being light weight, versatile and relatively inexpensive.
Acrylic is available in a huge range of different colours, thicknesses and strengths. It is often used as an alternative to glass shelving as it is lighter and much easier to ship. Glass is a very fragile material and can crack and break with minimal pressure. Acrylic however is tough, it takes considerable force to break it which is what makes it an ideal choice for shelving.
Acrylic can also be manipulated by using heating to create bends and shapes. Pocket displays that are often seen in Estate Agents and Restaurants windows are usually made of acrylic. The pockets are simply a piece of acrylic bent round using applied heat to form a 'U' shape into which the graphic fits. A simple and easy to use display solution that is inexpensive and looks great - what more could you ask for!?
There are very few boundaries to the limitations of working with acrylic to create an Acrylic Display. Other examples of its use are Cube Displays, Display Cases, Display Stands, Plinths and Freestanding Acrylic Pieces. One can also apply vinyl graphics or use screen printing to decorate the displays further.
Cube displays make an interesting and modern looking alternative to shelving. The acrylic cubes can be made in a range of different sizes and colours, can be mounted using cables and rods or simply stacked to create a unique and stylish visual display.
It is also possible to add lighting to Acrylic Displays. There are several options to consider. If the acrylic display uses cables or rods a transformer can be fitted to supply electric using the cables or rods. These are low voltage to ensure that it is still perfectly safe to touch the display. Low voltage LED bulbs can be fitted using the same method. Alternatively clip on lights can be added as and when needed, which simply plug straight into the mains.
For photographs and Acrylic Displays ideas ask your supplier who will be able to help you.
Mid West Displays are Europe's first choice for window and interior displays. Mid West Displays has a huge range of acrylic displays including acrylic leaflet dispensers, acrylic poster holders, slatwall, hook on pockets, easy access pockets, bespoke acrylic displays, etc.

Custom Logo Design Versus Do It Yourself Logo Design


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Expert Author Jimmy D Blacks
The entire image of a company or a corporation depends heavily on its logo. The importance of a good logo is not limited to companies or corporations alone; even individuals that wish to make a name for themselves need a solid logo to back them up. The quality of a logo is sometimes the deciding factor between failure and success of a brand. A good custom logo design also plays a very important role in defining a company's image and also helps a lot in transforming the company into a globally recognizable brand. It is the one method by which a brand gains universal appeal and acceptance.
Since the logo will act as the face of your company and will precede the company's reputation, it is very important to be very careful, choosy and picky while finalizing the design of your logo. Keep in mind that your logo will be used on billboards, cards, and posters, print, electronic and digital media, so make sure that you give each medium a through consideration and make sure that your logo looks equally good and appealing on every form of media. Your logo should stand out from the competition so that your consumer can identify you in an instant and does not mistake you for some other brand and does not mistake some other brand for you. Statistically, before a product reaches its intended customer its symbol or logo first gains the trust and confidence of the customer. A logo has gained so much importance because it has been proved that people only start to trust a brand only after having a look at the logo.
Moving on to Do-It-Yourself logo designs, the DIY approach to logo design is considered to be quite the rage these days. This type of logo designing has gained momentum because it gives you the freedom to express your thoughts the way you want to. Since the DIY approach has posed itself to be a worthy opponent of the custom log design, lets weigh the pros and cons of the DIY approach.
The DIY logo design surely saves a lot of time since you don't need to get in touch with a professional logo design company and get the job done. But saving time does not necessarily mean that you will be able to design a quality logo that makes your brand proud. Until and unless you are really skilled in the art of handling graphics designs, the DIY approach might turn into a logo nightmare. Being able to inset pictures and clip arts does not make any one a logo designer, not does this approach guarantee a world-class design. Furthermore, if the picture or clip art that you decide to use turn out to be under someone else's copyright, then be ready to take your logo down or face the consequences according to the law. On the other hand, if the picture or clipart is already widely in use then your logo will not be unique enough to capture the attention of the consumer.
A custom logo design on the other hand guarantees uniqueness and originality. It might cost you more time and money but you can e sure that the end product will be exactly according to your requirements and will surely wow your customers.
Jimmy D Blacks is considered one of the leading expert on productivity and simplicity, and he has also written the top-selling productivity e-book How to create Business Logo Design It has sold thousands of copies and has reached tens of thousands of readers.

How Have These Famous Health Channels Crafted Their Health Logo Designs?


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Expert Author Beverly Houston
Branding is important for TV channels. Their logo designs reflect the true essence of their business.
Let's have a look how these famous TV channels have designed their health logo designs:
1. Food network:
This TV channel airs shows about food, cooking and healthy life style. It was launched in 1993 and is owned by Scripps Network and Tribune. During this time, their brand mark has seen quite a few alterations. Their initial emblem as crafted with green colored italic fonts with a circle behind the business name. This design was used from 1996 till 2002. Their current trademark is much more attractive and energetic. It consists of a red colored circle with the channel name inscribed in it. The text in the circle is white colored with italic effects that makes it imaginative and sophisticated. Overall, the design is chic and elegant.
2. BBC - Lifestyle:
This channel was first launched in 2007 in Singapore and is owned by BBC Worldwide. Although it replaced BBC Food, it still caters to the same audience and the programs aired here are related to food and fitness. Their monogram consists of the traditional BBC mark in black and white colors with the word 'lifestyle' crafted in thick and straight fonts under it. The text is created with fonts that are easily readable and slightly curvy that makes them sophisticated and comfortable. The use of black and white colors for the emblem makes it ageless and chic. The white background makes it clean and compact.
3. Care world:
This is Asia's only satellite channel dedicated towards physical condition and wellness. Compared to other monograms, it is quite colorful and attractive. It consists of the business name written in straight and thick fonts over a blue background. There is an image of a square with four colors; green, red, blue and yellow that adds colors to the entire image. The entire image is encased in a rectangular shape that encourages trust and dependability amongst the viewers.
4. Discovery Fit & Health
Discovery Fit & Health channel is owned by Discovery Communications. This channel is a merger of Discovery Health Channel and FitTv. It was launched in 2011. Their cardinal health logo is written in white colored text on a bright orange background. The channel name is enclosed in a square shape with text of different sizes. Although this is a daughter channel of Discovery, there is hardly any resemblance to the parent channel. This emblem is a little funky and informal. The use of orange color makes it energetic and lively. Overall, this emblem is a perfect design to represent good physical condition and fitness.
In a nutshell, this shows that these monograms were crafted to reflect the true essence of the business.
Beverly Houston works as a Senior Design Consultant at a Professional Logo Design Company. For more information on health logo find her competitive rates at Logo Design Consultant.

Top 6 Bakeries From Around the World and Their Bakery Logo Designs


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Expert Author Beverly Houston
Below mentioned are some famous bakeries from around the world. Today, we shall see how they have crafted their brand marks.
1. Babycakes:
This famous baker is situated in San Diego. Their bakery logo is a combination of playfulness and creativity. It consists of an oval shape that is dark brown in color. The company name is scripted over it in curvy fonts. The text is written in light pink color. The oval shape contains a thick border that is green in color. One unique feature that makes this design distinct is the small sparking star over the business name. This makes it imaginative and unique. The colors used in this emblem are according to the product nature that makes it attractive and tasty.
2. Ferrara:
This bakery and café is situated in New York City. Their monogram is one of the simplest designs ever seen. It consists of the business name in curvy and italic fonts. The color of the text is maroon which is scripted over a white colored background. The use of maroon color makes the design attractive and lively along with relating it to the business nature. Overall, this image is chic and sophisticated.
3. Melia Pasteleria:
The renowned bakers are situated in Colombia. Their brand mark is bright and attractive. The two prominent colors used here are red and yellow which are often used in the food industry. It consists of an image of a croissant crafted in red color with the business name below it. The text is scripted with straight but irregularly placed letters that adds a playful touch to it.
4. Tartine Bakery:
It is also situated in San Francisco, California. Although they have the most creatively designed pastries and sweets, their emblem is simple and straight. It consists of the business name in straight, black colored letters over a white background.
5. Bagatelle Boutique:
They are situated in London, UK and consists a brand mark that is distinct, imaginative and unique. It contains the company name in curvy fonts in gray color with a touch of purple and blue colors. The feature that sets this design apart from the rest is that it is placed diagonally instead of straight that further enhances its creativity.
6. Poilâne:
This bakery is situated in Paris and reflects the culture of the city. It consists of the business name in curvy fonts that are intricate and imaginative. The simplicity of white colored scripted fonts over a neutral background makes it artistic and inspiring. Overall, this bakery logo design reflects the true nature of the business, i.e. innovation and imagination.
In conclusion, it was observed here that the emblems of these famous bakeries were not created randomly. The images and text were carefully crafted to reflect imagination and creativity which is also seen in the desserts.
Beverly Houston works as a Senior Design Consultant at a Professional Logo Design Company. For more information on bakery logo find her competitive rates at Logo Design Consultant.

How Promotional Merchandise Can Help With Brand Engagement


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If you are looking for an effective means of ensuring customers continue to engage with your brand, why not consider the benefits promotional products can offer? Through the use of items such as printed USB flashdrives and mugs, you can be confident your company's name will resonate in the minds of recipients for many years to come.
Which particular items prove to be the most effective of your firm will depend - among other things - on the market you are attempting to target, but as studies show promotional products that offer value to the recipient tend to be used repeatedly, they can be a great way to engage with clients over the long term.
Take printed mugs as an example. Cups of tea and coffee help to fuel many office-based staff during the course of their working day, so the use of mugs that are emblazoned with your organisation's logo means that each time a customer of yours goes to make a hot drink they will subtly be interacting with your brand.
Research shows that people who receive something that they perceive as being useful have a more favourable opinion of the company that sent them the products, which in turn is likely to improve engagement levels among customers.
Promotional flashdrives can also help brand engagement. USBs can certainly prove to be useful to recipients - namely as they offer a handy place to store and back-up files like spreadsheets, photos and other documents. Why not consider uploading a file to the USB before you distribute them? Perhaps you could include a virtual tour of your organisation, product images of your new range or a video demo of your website. In any event, by ensuring your organisation's name is prominently displayed on them, every time the recipient uses the flashdrive they will be reminded of your firm.
Of course, these are not the only items that you may wish to deploy as a means of ensuring that your customers will continue to engage with your brand. Promotional keyrings, pens, bags, clothing, sweets and chocolate can also be used to great effect. How about providing your customers with an eco-friendly reusable cotton "bag for life", that way they will be reminded of your brand (and green credentials) every time they shop for groceries. What's more, in a busy retail environment you brand is likely to get exposure to a wide audience.
Using promotional items to boost brand engagement can be particularly effective at trade shows, exhibitions, product launches and sales conferences. Implement a direct mail campaign before the event starts to inform attendees that upon visiting your stall they will receive a free gift such as a USB flashdrive. This can help to increase footfall and interest in your business at the event, giving you a significant opportunity to engage with customers.
Similarly, with the recent growth in social media, promotional items could be used as a giveaway to customers who visit your Facebook page (or follow you). And as the price of promotional items reduces with higher volumes, there's some comfort in knowing that the cost should be manageable if the promotion goes viral! More and more organisations are establishing a social media presence - promotions and giveaways can be a great way of generating significant interest in your campaign.
The use of promotional merchandise offers a great way to encourage people to interact with your brand. Come to 4imprint today and you'll be able to get products such as printed mugs and promotional flashdrives that encourage customers to engage with your company.

Five Product Branding Strategies and Tips for Your Small Business


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Product branding is not merely the creation of your product logo to make your business visually appealing to your target market. It goes beyond the visuals and extends to making your target market realize that your product is the best solution in its category. For instance, the goal of branding is not only to increase the level of awareness of your target market to your products or services, but also to put your brand on top of the competition to capture a larger share of the market. If your business has a strong brand, it follows that you will enjoy higher sales and increase in profitability. Here are some useful product branding strategies and tips of your small business:
Five Product Branding Strategies and Tips for Your Small Business
1. Use the power of the internet to promote your brand. The internet is the best avenue for small business entrepreneurs to advertise and market their products without having to spend a fortune. You just have to realize that you would not be able to compete with medium-sized to big businesses in branding using print and broadcast media. This is especially true when you are just starting your small business. The best avenue where you can increase brand awareness is the internet. Several resources and tools are available to you regardless if you are running on a limited budget. Take advantage of internet resources for your product branding campaigns.
2. When strengthening your brand awareness, it is always best to focus on one to two features of your business or product. Identify the best and most valuable feature of your product, and use that to formulate your product branding strategy. As much as possible, choose the feature that makes your product stand out from the rest in its category.
3. Put up your own website where you can upload content relevant to increase brand awareness. Simultaneously, you may also want to launch your advertising and marketing campaigns on the internet to strengthen your brand and online presence. The internet is by far the most influential avenue to promote your product and establish your brand.
4. Leverage on social networking media. Since practically the majority of people today have their own social networks, this is where you can also gain the most favorable results for product branding. It also helps that you create a catchy phrase along with an attractive logo.
5. Exercise consistency in promoting your brand online. You may also want to create situations where your brand becomes the buzz on the internet but make sure you deliver on any claims that you make relative to the promotions of your brand. The best product branding strategy is to ensure that your brand meets or even exceeds the expectations of your target market.
As a final note, a strong brand is definitely something that every business aspires to have. With a strong brand, you can enjoy greater recognition and profitability. If your target market starts to trust your brand and recognize you as the leader in your category, you can expect higher volumes of sales and more profits for your business. Small businesses do not have to compete with big businesses when it comes to product branding. You can always turn to the internet to build and strengthen your brand, and achieve the results of brand awareness and recognition you desire without having to spend a fortune.
And just before I drop my pen, if you need Expert Advice on How to Start a Business from scratch; please feel free to visit my blog. In addition, you can also download my free definitive guide on How to Make a Million Dollars fast in less than a year.

Corporate Art: What You Need to Know About How Corporations Make Their Art Buying Decisions

By Shirley Reiff Howarth

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How do corporate art curators and art consultants decide what to buy for their art collections and how do you approach them? In the world of business art buying, there are two driving forces to be aware of - money and environment.
In many ways, buying art for a company is really not very different from the guidelines and procedures that a company uses in all of its buying decisions. The main criteria is - are we getting the right thing for the right price? It is therefore useful to try to get inside the mind of the corporate art curator or art consultant and understand how he or she decides what art to purchase for the collection.
First, whose money is being spent on art? An individual, a partnership, or a privately held company all have more leeway for making decisions about how to spend their money. They might even do something that others would consider rash, speculative, or just plain daring.
A corporation, on the other hand, has to be accountable to its stockholders, as well as anyone else who has a mind to, will notice anything that seems "overindulgent" in the budget, or in the decor.
Things have changed from the early days when corporations bought art somewhat indiscriminately and in large quantities, and it is now rare if one person alone has the complete authority for making art purchases in a corporation. The trend today is to have art selection committees made up of interested employees, as well as art people, and administrative staff. You may feel that it is counter-productive for art to be bought by a committee, but actually a committee adds checks and balances to the process. A committee can also represent different "user groups" -- the people who have to live with the art on their walls -- around the corporation. In some cases it is a courtesy or a reward for certain people to be on the committee. In other companies, committee members might be brought in to add a particular expertise.
For example, Microsoft Corporation reflects the new approach to corporate art collecting. The collection, which now numbers over 4,000 objects, is selected by a committee of nine employees that are rotated regularly. The decision was made to align the collecting activity with the profile of the company, so the focus of the collection is on collecting contemporary art by living artists.
But every business is different. Some corporations think more locally or regionally; some have large numbers of branches around the world so they think more globally.
In the case of many office buildings, the art is purchased later and is simply hung on the walls. But it does make for better buildings if the art is considered an integral part of the building's design from the beginning. Architects who build office buildings usually think in terms of functionality. Architecture is about space and form, and incorporating art does not always enter into their awareness. This can be a frustrating reality because an art work always adds to a building's atmosphere an design -- the art creates the environment of the office building.
After money, the other main factor in choosing art for a corporation is environment. Size is a serious consideration. In the workplace, if the art is too small, it is easier to remove, eg steal. Tabletop sculptures, for example, are not a common feature. in corporate art collections. Most office spaces need larger art than in domestic settings because the areas are larger, as well as the viewing distances. But, if the art is too large or heavy, it becomes a problem to move, and in an office environment, change is a major activity - eg moving departments in response to the needs of the business. New doors may be created for new departments, or a company may be switching from an office plan that features private offices, to one that uses office cubicles - a nightmare for a corporate curator because there are fewer walls available to hang art.
Corporations are workplaces and the art has to be able to survive the rougher conditions. This means avoiding art which cannot survive the extremes in temperature and humidity, since heat or air conditioning are turned down at night and on weekends.
If the art can be damaged by too much light -- anything on paper such as photographs or prints - soon the works will be completely faded because you usually can't control the amount of light in an office environment. Inks and dyes will fade under the bright light conditions needed for office work. And of course, there are no guards to warn employees "not to touch the artwork."
The form of the art should also be considered. Works of art with many projecting points or "spiky" portions that extend out from the work of art, are not a good idea because they can easily be broken off or damaged, or injure someone. You can't have things that are hazardous. People in an office environment are often not paying attention to what is around them and may bump into them.
In fact, you have to realize that some locations may not be suitable for artworks. After all, an office environment is not meant to be a museum. In placing art, you have to think about how it can be integrated into the workplace - not take it over!
So keep these guidelines in mind when you approach a corporate art curator or art consultant with examples of your artworks.
Shirley Reiff Howarth, an art historian and former museum director and curator, is founder and editor of the "International Directory of Corporate Art Collections." In publication since 1983, this directory provides information on about 1000 corporate collections and is available in an online download format at http://pw1.netcom.com/~the-iaa/index.html Directory. You can check out her website at Corporate Art World that features current news about corporate art.