Updating Your Logo: A Critical Positive Change

Old Logo

New Logo

Like with decor in a home or restaurant....often a small business or even a corporate business needs an update or face lift with their logo, especially if the logo never really worked in the first place. 


Alot of people are hesitant to change their logo because its SCARY and I totally get it. But there are ways to do this without losing the identity the original logo had. But how do you know you really need a change?


Here are some questions you should be asking yourself:


1) Was the original logo created by a professional?
2) Is the logo outdated?
3) Does it properly represent your business?
4) Has there been a major change in your business or location?
5) Has there been a rise in recent competition?


All these questions are pretty important. The change in logo can be scary because you feel you might lose your current logo recognition with something new. Big companies have done this logo change and failed miserably. Tropicana is a prime example. They changed their logo and the negative effect was immediate!!! Same thing with Gatorade!! 


I think the best way to change your logo is to update it without losing your original identity. The images above show how I took the old logo and gave it a face lift!!


The Client and viewers were agreeing that the new logo is much better.


“By changing nothing, nothing changes.” -Tony Robbins


Check out my other logo designs at www.robertcipolla.com

When building a website...CHECK BROWSER COMPATIBILITY!!

I can not tell you enough that the hardest part of building websites for my clients is to make sure all the functions  work properly in all browsers....especially on older browsers. It's extremely hard when what you design looks good on your end and other computers you might check....then you get a call from your client saying "The page looks out of wack and nothing is aligned properly".........GRRRRR!!


These things can happen! I mean the main browsers are Internet Explorer, Chrome, Fire Fox, Safari, Opera and Netscape Navigator. But wait....each browser has several old versions to also contend with! 


The main problem is every browser acts differently and has its own quirks! Certain java scripts, html code and php might work well on one browser and not work at all on another!!


The good news is as browsers keep updating their versions....the bugs become less and less! But what happens if the viewer is using an older version? This becomes one of those pick your battle situations....you have to decide what features are extremely important and necessary and will work on most browsers!! The one's that might look great but not function well across the board....you might have to deep six it!


In war you have to pick your battles!!

Check out my follow up post on how to check your website on multiple browsers!


Check out my website at  www.robertcipolla.com

Wisestamp: A Great Email Signature Tool!!

This is a follow up to my last post about email signatures. I use an application by Wisestamp.com. This basically lets you kick up your email signature a notch!! Basically this application lets you incorporate RSS feeds into your email, ebay auctions into your email, twitter posts into your email, famous quotes into your email signature....and so on and so on!! 

Below is their about us info:
"WiseStamp’s vision is to build an Email Apps Platform that enables users to utilize their emails with social, productive and engaging Email Apps. There’s a huge gap between email and the social and dynamic web of today. Our passion is to bridge this gap by building a strong platform with a variety of Email Аpps that on one hand lets users make a better use of their daily emails – adding a whole new level of functionality and interaction – and on the other hand enables publishers (social services and brands) to distribute their content and engage users in one of the biggest online markets – email."

They have several different options as far as pricing goes. I would recommend trying the free version to start and see if you need to upgrade.

I am currently using the free version and I so far think its great.


Check out their website at:   www.wisestamp.com


Also check out my website at www.robertcipolla.com

Business 101: Email Signatures are Important!!

This one is something that most small business's including myself have been guilty of....and that is forgetting to put a "professional" email signature embedded into your email setup. 


I know...why is this such a big deal? A few reasons!!


1) If your client/prospect has to go back to your website to remember your phone number or basic contact information....then you are at risk of losing them as a client. A big NO NO is to have your client get distracted from your email or website and not come back!! Keep them in the loop at all times!!


2) Adds professionalism to all your outgoing emails. Perception is extremely important today and its the small things that can make you lose a client or prospect. Something so small as you not having an email signature but your competitor does could be the ultimate deal breaker!!


3) Adding social media buttons and rss feeds into your email signature is a way to keep your client in the loop of your blog, current promotions and more importantly spread your name out there even more!!


Check out my blog later for some good email signature tools.


“Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich.”  - Henry Ford


Check out my website at www.robertcipolla.com

The Double Opt-in List...a SAFER way to opt-in!!

When developing opt-in lists you have to be careful on how you actually develop the list. Your biggest fear is that you develop a bad list that can be blacklisted by google.....then you have a nightmare on your hand. 

This is why you need to develop an actual list and not buy one!! If you develop the list yourself with a DOUBLE opt-in box, you know that your list is legitimate and don't have to worry about this.

Below is some information on how the double opt-in works courtesy of mailchimp.com.  Mailchimp.com lets you do bulk emails with your list, send newsletters with your list, mobile emails...etc etc. Check out later posts on how to use Mail Chimp.

Here's how double opt-in works:

Generally, double opt-in requires that someone sign up, and then click a link to confirm that they want to be subscribed to your list before actually being added. When using the MailChimp signup forms, double opt-in looks like this:

1. Someone wants to join your email list so she fills out a signup form on your website.
2. A message is displayed telling her to check her email to confirm.
3. She checks her email, and finds a message with a link she must click in order to be added to the list. If the link isn't clicked, she's never added to the list.
4. She clicks the link and is taken to a thank you message so she knows she's been added.
5. Behind the scenes, our system collects her IP address and the date and time she confirmed as proof that she indeed opted in to your list
6. A Final Welcome Email is sent with the information she submitted, for her records, and information about how she can unsubscribe.

You can customize each step in the confirmation process, too, if you'd like.

Advantages of the double opt-in method over opt-out, single opt-in, and confirmed opt-in methods:

1. Friends, foes, grandmas, co-workers, etc. won't be able to sign up other people (who never gave you permission) to your list. This means fewer spam complaints, and a cleaner list.
2. If a person (or malicious bot) enters an email address with a typo, you won't be sending campaigns to some poor recipient who never opted in or to an email address that will bounce. Here's a real life example of this.
3. Your competitors can't sign up to your list, then maliciously report it as spam (yes, people actually do stuff like this). Since we collect IP addresses when using our forms, you'll have proof that someone confirmed their interest in your list.
4. People won't be able to sign up with fake, non-existent, or dead email addresses. They must have a valid email account to opt in.
5. Only people who truly want to hear from you will click to confirm. So your list will be more engaged and responsive (we've seen differences of up to 20%!) and you'll waste less money sending emails to people who don't care to hear from you.

Your losing money if your website does not have an OPT-IN Box!!

Its great if you have a pretty website and it promotes your business well but alot of websites are really missing the boat by not having an OPT-IN box. An Opt-in box really is a Call to Action marketing tool. Its designed to collect your viewers information that you can eventually use to help your business. 


Lets use a restaurant for example....your website should have an Opt-In Box that gives the viewer and chance to win a $25 gift certificate each month. All the viewer has to do is enter their name, email and maybe a shipping address....and in return they get put into a drawing for this gift certficate. So basically your giving in order to get their information. 


Now once you collect that information....you put it in a database or spreadsheet and eventually do a mass menu mailing to these customers. You can also email your customers from this opt in list your weekly specials and so on and so on.


Many companies pay big bucks just to collect information as information is very vital today! So you should kill two birds with one stone by doing this. Check my next blog on how to exactly use this information!!


Information is the most valuable tool when it comes to marketing!!

Check out my portfolio for more opt-in boxes at www.robertcipolla.com

Print Advertising....Try to Think OUTSIDE the box!!

Ok...this is kinda a funny one. I can't say this was completely my idea with the ad but it really came from a joke that my buddy sent me. I put two of my business cards on his work truck a few days ago at lunch. He sent me this picture back saying "I know what to do with your two cards" !!


At first I thought it was pretty funny but then a light bulb went off!! I thought of a good ad concept for my next month of advertising.  I wanted something a little different and that might get branded in a consumers head. Now to be honest, I don't know what type of response I'm gonna get but its always worth it to take a creative shot at something....especially if your current ads are getting stale. 


To see more of my work check out www.robertcipolla.com


Below is the actual ad concept that I derived from my friends funny text. ...the verbage might need tweaking but I'm gonna go for the hail mary on this one!!

Thanks DAN!!! LOL