Dermot wrote:Sorry, I disagree again Áine regards branding for small business it’s not a runner no small business in their wildest dreams have the capacity or funding to build brand identity around their name…
By "branding" I was using the term as a corporate shorthand to convey the meaning of creating a memorable identity that people can associate with your business: I was not using it in the context of global marketing of the likes of Coca Cola. One's business name is part of one's own "brand." Branding should communicate some sense of one's services and the quality of the offer.
Many small businesses
do have brand recognition at some levels (Ela Maria's - a designer boutique a few doors away from me -is a name known countrywide). In a small way, many people have awareness of my brand, even if they haven't had anything framed by me (yet!). My Cat and Moon logo is now very well recognised around the town. It can grow from that. I've even had enquiries via the web about Celtic cards when people who purchased before at craft fairs spotted my Saoirse on the website. No mention of cards on the site, but they DID recognise the brand.
……..what a small business needs to do is build a reputation around the service/product they supply ……….the name simply serves as a recognition label ...
The name is very important. Your name is the key to people finding you when they go looking for your product or service. It needs to be memorable. And in this day and age, it needs to be "webbable."
I’m also sorry that you feel that way about the enterprise board….I have meet quite a few hundred people from around the country who have gained quite a bit from been involved…..
Oh BTW who ever told you, you did fall under their jurisdiction is simply wrong the enterprise boards are there to help ALL small businesses regardless of what category they fall into….
Actually Dermot, I fall geographically under the auspices of the West Limerick Enterprise Board. I did approach them, and one of the suits came to the studio for a background briefing to see what I was about. In addition to the framing, I have a fully developed and successfully test-marketed range of Celtic Craft products that I plan some day to go into active production with (selling via web). With them I gained jury-approved membership of the Craft Coucil of Ireland, and had interest from Kilkenny Design (alas, when I had no bandwidth to manufacture them). The range qualifies for Guaranteed Irish accreditation, too. At the time, there were (allegedly) pushes to support:
1. Manufacturing businesses. (Check.)
2. Heritage/Language Promoting Businesses. (Check.)
3. Businesses with potential for exports. (Check. Most of the sales would have been abroad, via the web.)
4. Women in business. (Check.)
5. Must not clash with an existing manufacturing business of the same type in the area. (Mostly Check.)
Ticked all the boxes. Their response? "Oh there's a business in the town already that makes cards, so your business does not qualify for assistance."
The "business down the road prints prissy, gooey-sweet stock illustrations, and drizzles text greetings haphazardly across the former. I design decals, triple float mount them onto heavyweight card stock. I create decorated candles (using decals), and offer mounted/framed prints of my work. Their appeal is local, mine is international.
Yep. Great help. The "Who You Know" principle is alive and well down here, along with its first cousin: Rural (in)ustice.
) with new business cards - I'll be an art consultant - with no mention of framing .... perhaps.
) Take, for example, the Forum. Overall, we're like minded in that we have a common interest (framing) and many of our opinions are similar. I certainly don't find this to be a weak "cyber-meeting" space, and I am reguarly challenged and find new insights from reading the contributions of other members. I have also learned a tremendous amount here, both on the craft and business sides of the trade.
.Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
