Friday, April 27, 2018

Internships Build Tomorrow’s Workforce

Cue up a little sunshine and suddenly everyone’s thinking about summertime. And that means internships are a common denominator on many college students’ minds. Whether it’s required or not, most are looking to get a jump start on putting their newly minted education to the test with some real-world experience. In fact, several short years ago, I found myself in that very situation.

As a business person, considering hiring for an internship position might leave you with myriad feelings. But perhaps answering this one question will find the solution to all the others—can I provide this student what they need to further their journey to a career? The following four thoughts will ensure that not only your intern, but also your company, will reap the benefits of investing in tomorrow’s workforce.

Be realistic about your investment.

It’s an age-old notion that interns are for coffee runs and grunt work. And it’s true that merely being exposed to your office environment will provide a certain amount of benefit, but the fact of the matter is you should be prepared to invest staff time in your intern. Whether it takes the form of preparing tasks for them to tackle over the course of their tenure or specifically training them on a certain skill, the true value you can provide is giving them valuable work experience. Speaking from experience, my best days were those spent tackling a targeted to-do list with trusted advisors at the ready to answer questions and guide me along the way (though it certainly didn’t hurt me to make the coffee sometimes, too!). The more you empower your intern with projects to tackle, the more mileage you’ll get out of their skills and the more you help them gain that valuable working knowledge.

Find an intern that fits your situation.

If you are looking to hire an intern, you are likely in an industry that requires some sort of specialized education. There are several options for finding an intern that fits your specific needs. One is to advertise as you typically would for any job opening. Another—if you’d like to pursue an intern from a particular college or university that has an emphasis in your area of focus, get in contact with them. Many universities have staff dedicated to connecting students with internships. They may offer job fairs, notice boards, or might even put you in direct contact with some potential recruits!

Take advantage of their perspective.

Often—though not always—your potential interns will belong to a younger generation. They represent not only the future of your workforce but also your consumer market. Whether you’re selling widgets or services, your intern can bring a fresh perspective to your business, and insight into alike consumers. Plus, there’s the added benefit that their education has laid a hefty groundwork of knowledge. Use this opportunity to collect valuable information that can contribute to the direction of your company.

Consider hiring potential.

It’s a pretty good guarantee that within a year or less, your intern will likely be hitting the job market looking for full-time employment. The beauty of hiring a candidate as an intern is it gives you a direct window into their capabilities and work ethic, without any commitment beyond the internship. Likely you’ve earned loyalty in the candidate from what you’ve invested in them by the conclusion of the internship. And, ultimately, if the intern has had a positive experience with your company, and you feel their skillset matches with your needs, it’s in the best interest of both parties to formally bring them onboard.


At VistaComm, we love to share our thoughts and experiences in hopes that they fuel your business decisions in a positive way. One of our favorite internship success stories comes from our very own Graphic Designer/Editor Talisa Wager, who initially joined us as an intern. We will celebrate her fifth year with VistaComm this summer!

Learn More Here: Internships Build Tomorrow’s Workforce

Thursday, April 12, 2018

What’s your logo design really saying about you?

The answer? More than you might realize.

Whether you manage a brand, represent a non-profit, are planning a startup or already own a business, your logo is one of the most valuable assets you have. An effective logo instantly connects your audience to your brand, serving as a visual shorthand for who you are and what you represent. Which is why it’s more important than ever to make sure your logo sends the right message and is a positive, accurate reflection of your brand promise.

To determine if your logo is assisting or impeding your mission and message, ask yourself the following six questions.

1. Is my logo sending the right message?

Let’s say, for example, you’ve identified your target audience as married males over 40 who are passionate about the outdoors and live in central Canada. Visual cues incorporated in your logo treatment—including font selection, color palette, shape, subject matter and more—can either attract that audience or repel it. Prospects should feel as if the logo is appealing directly to them. It should also be an accurate reflection of your brand and what you stand for. If those two aren’t both true, there is a disconnect and you might need to reconsider your positioning, your audience or your logo.

logo design on bottle

2. Will my logo “hold up” over time?

Unless you’re Coca-Cola and have a century of company history under your belt, your logo shouldn’t evoke the era in which it was designed. Today’s oh-so-hot design trend might work just fine for your current ad campaign, which is meant to run for a year, or even a quarter. But your logo must transcend the trend and not tie you to a particular time period. That cool style you loved in 2002 might scream “retro” to today’s consumer. A better, more versatile logo appears timeless and stands the test for multiple decades. It also saves you money by not periodically requiring costly updates of websites, printed materials, signage, apparel, etc.

3. Does my logo blend in, or stand out?

Unless you have an enormous advertising budget (hello, GEICO®) and can continually put your brand in front of millions of consumers every day, your logo needs to be distinctive, if you want your audience to recognize and remember it. An unusual shape, a custom font or a memorable combination of colors can help save you from the sea of sameness.

logo design on crate

4. Is my logo unique to me?

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it can be a death sentence for your image. If your logo reminds people of another brand—especially a direct competitor—it may be more of a liability than an asset. Worse, you could be helping to build their business, not just your own. Conduct a visual audit of logos in your industry, to ensure you are distinctly positioned against the rest of the field. And don’t limit the study to your current market. Think bigger.

5. Is my logo trying too hard?

It’s true that your logo should encapsulate the essence of your business and its promise. But that doesn’t mean it needs to tell the whole story. It can’t, and it shouldn’t. Marketing offers myriad ways to communicate your story and develop your brand position. That’s not the logo’s job. Rather, when your logo consistently appears in conjunction with your brand messaging and imagery, over time it will take on that meaning—even when appearing alone. Which is how even the simplest of logos can eventually mean so much to their audience.

in n out burger logo design

6. Am I hurting my logo?

One of the most common mistakes in branding is inconsistent logo usage. It will take much longer for your logo to build brand equity if it looks different from one application or venue to the next. What may seem like a harmless “tweak” to make your logo look better on, say, a pen, a sweater or a banner, can cause real and measurable damage to your brand. Inconsistent treatment of your logo not only makes it harder for your audience to recognize the company it represents, it actually makes you look unprofessional and substandard. So, avoid or eliminate superfluous alternate treatments of your logo, and whenever possible, use the standard version.


If you have concerns about your logo and what it is saying about you, our team would be happy to help you optimize your current logo or design a whole new brand identity. Just contact VistaComm today for a free consultation!

 

Read Full Article Here: What’s your logo design really saying about you?