5 ways to refresh your marketing this Summer

1st August 20178th August 2018

5 ways to refresh your marketing this Summer

Summer is a great time to give your business image a mini makeover. It’s a funny time of year as people are on holiday, taking time off with the kids or just taking advantage of sunny days to relax and recharge their batteries.

If you find yourself staring at the phone willing it to ring, shift your focus away from selling. I have lots of little ways you can update your print marketing, your social media accounts and your website.

Get your notebook ready, make some lists and refresh your marketing. Spend a little time on your business this summer and you’ll reap the rewards come September. Continue reading “5 ways to refresh your marketing this Summer”

11th July 20178th August 2018

8 great tips to make your brand look consistent

Creating consistency with our marketing materials is always at the forefront of our minds, or at least it should be. It’s how we become recognisable to our customers and potential customers. And it’s also how we stand out from our competitors.

Creating a brand style guide is a great start as it keeps us on track. I create one for every logo design job and adher to it myself so I keep myself on track. It’s very easy for the designer in me to get carried away. And just because the design is nice, it doesn’t mean it’s right for the brand.

Continue reading “8 great tips to make your brand look consistent”

3rd May 20178th August 2018

5 design alternatives to the A5 flyer

You’re thinking you need to do some marketing, you need some sort of a flyer. An A5 flyer will do. Everyone gets those so it’s fine for you too. But is it?

Now don’t get me wrong, A5 flyers are a classic and have their place. If you’re doing a leaflet drop or you need something cheap and throwaway then this is perfect. Gardeners, trades, garages, promoting an event, new restaurant in town – you’re just letting everyone know you’re here. Get 5,000 printed. Perfect.

But what if you want to create marketing collateral that people will keep, not just fold in half and shove in a pocket or handbag. And yes, we’ve all done it with flimsy flyers.

What if you want to look more professional? What if you want to stand out more? What if you don’t want to give your leaflet to the masses but rather to your super customer who will hopefully buy your products or services?

What if you don’t need 5,000 flyers to sit under your desk for the next five years? You’d be fine with a few less and really think about who to give them out to – a particular networking event, a conference, a fayre, on your counter if you have a shop, a place where you know your super customer will see them and hopefully pick them up.

If you’re looking for something a little different or you just need some inspiration, I have five alternatives for you to think about. Continue reading “5 design alternatives to the A5 flyer”

5th April 20178th August 2018

Why does my small business need a brand style guide?

You’re only a small business, you’re self employed, your desk is the kitchen table. So why on earth would you bother with brand guidelines? That’s just for big, corporate companies, isn’t it? Little old you doesn’t need fancy brand style guide.

Well, for a start, don’t knock your small business (Steve Jobs started in his parents garage). But more importantly, you have a brand whether you know it or not.

Your logo is the visual identity of your business, it’s how your customer recognises you. Your brand is how your customer feels about your business, and this encompasses every thing you do in print and online. So whether you’re bothered about branding or not, your customer is out there seeing and reading everything you put out there and forming an opinion.

Now, it’s starting to look more important. Good, because I’m going to help you put together some simple guidelines which you can refer to regularly (and update if you need to) and these will be the foundation of every contact you have with your customers, and your potential customers. They will help you create consistency making you more recognisable to your customers and help you stand out from your competitors. Continue reading “Why does my small business need a brand style guide?”

7th March 201725th February 2020

10 creative ways to use your business card for marketing

Your business card is probably the smallest piece of marketing you use for your business but it has such HUGE potential. After a networking event or client meeting, the humble business card is the one thing that stays with your potential customer.

This tiny piece of cardboard is a tiny piece of your business, a tiny piece of you. And I see so many business cards which are either blank on the back (such a waste) or they’re not using the back to their full potential.

Fortunately, because most of us go through business cards pretty quickly, it’s not usually too long before you’re ready for a reprint. And when you are, have a think about some of the following ideas. Could you use them for your cards and make them work that little bit harder for you? Continue reading “10 creative ways to use your business card for marketing”

18th January 20175th April 2022

Hello from Liz Hall Design

It’s quite hard deciding what to write about once you finally, finally get around to setting up your first blog. So I just thought I’d pop on, say hello and do a little introduction about myself. Makes sense!

Liz Hall Design has been running since May 2012 and is the home of fresh, modern and happy design. And it’s run by me, Liz. After working many years in various design studios and in a large not for profit organisation, I was made redundant and decided to set up my own design studio, eek!

It didn’t take long to realise that this was the best thing to happen to me (work wise) and I haven’t looked back since. Now I work with lots of women business owners, many of whom are just at the beginning of setting up, and I help them with their logo design and any other marketing materials they might need. And the odd website too.

My clients leave me with a lovely new logo and brand style guide on fonts and colours, and their businesses look fab. And professional. And I see them on social media and can spot them straight away. So can their customers.

And that makes me smile.

UPDATE:

So, here we are ten years later, wow!

And how things have changed. A couple of years ago I decided to concentrate on working with the health, beauty and wellness sectors. Most of my customers came from here and these were jobs that I really enjoyed working on.

Having always had an interest in all things natural and eco, it became even more important when I had my two boys. Using natural skin and cleaning products, alternative therapies and remedies, and creating a healthy and happy home for our family.

I’ve worked with coaches (many coaches!), yoga teachers, massage therapists, fitness instructors, an autism expert, reflexologist, hairdressers, make up artist, beauty salons, a nutritionist… I feel I have found my happy place working with such wonderful and inspiring ladies (and a few gents!)

And the next ten years? Although I’m still designing and loving that side of things, I’m working on creating online products to help my wellness ladies continue to grow their fabulous businesses.

Liz x