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You may be anxious to start promoting some news you have to share, such as big, formal launch.
But, as with many things, the best PR requires preparation. So, before you launch or share an announcement that may inspire people to look more closely at who you are and what your business is all about, ideally you can set aside time to answer those questions in the most complete and compelling way possible. This series of "Prepping for PR" posts aims to help you do that, beginning with a discussion of business names and logos.
If you haven't launched yet, now is the best time to ask these questions. But if you're an established business, and even it's not possible or practical to make these all of these changes before an upcoming scheduled announcement or PR push, these suggestions can always be transformed into an aspirational "to do" list for future consideration. You can refine or reinvent yourself at any time.
Technically, the very first thing you should be doing is defining your brand, whether that's current or aspirational. If you haven't given any thought to your small business mission and vision yet, you may want to stop and do that first, as everything else should arguably flow from there. You can find an interactive exercise to do so in a previous post HERE.
BUSINESS NAME AND LOGO
Are you happy with your name and logo?
Were they perhaps quickly selected and thrown together, because you excitedly just wanted to get started?
Do they accurately describe not only what your business is (e.g., your mission and vision) now, but what you want it to be?
Before you start shouting your name from the rooftops with a strong PR and marketing push, you might simply ask yourself whether these core pieces of your brand identity will work optimally for you and the business goals you want to accomplish.
Even if you are an established business, sometimes a rebranding—and the reasons you will give for same—can even be a powerful PR ‘hook.’ Your news and your rebranding might even possibly be bundled, sharing a common theme and basis.
Finally, you might want to quickly confirm that business name and logo work from a legal perspective.
Did you research your name before you selected it?
Did this research include a trademark search?
If you are even unknowingly infringing upon someone else’s trademark, you could someday be asked (or forced) to change your name and logo for legal reasons. The best time to do that is early, before you have spent considerable time and money using and promoting your current brand identity and before you have accumulated a significant customer/client base that has come to strongly associate you with your current brand.
[Note: The “Meet the Bincubators” interview series featured interviews with experienced professionals—both on the importance of a strong logo and the logo design process, and trademark law basics for small business owners.]
And if it's not possible or practical to make any of changes before an upcoming scheduled announcement, these suggestions can always be transformed into an aspirational "to do" list for future consideration. You can refine or reinvent yourself at any time.
This post is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to constitute legal advice. For specific advice on your own situation, please consult an attorney.