Trademarks, Service Marks and Copyrights – How The Laws Have Changed As Of October 2010

When clients engage us to create a logo for their brand, we are often asked whether they need to register the logo as a trademark or service mark. While it is not a requirement, doing so provides broad-reaching legal protection for the use of the mark in commerce.

Whether a trademark attorney should handle the registration is another common concern. Our advice is that you may attempt to do the registration yourself for a maximum filing fee of approximately $375 but the involvement of an attorney who would conduct formal searches and submit acceptable proofs of use in the registration process may prove to be a wise decision when considering the liability, inconvenience, expense and negative outcome of conflicts of rights or flawed filings.

What is a trademark?

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), “a trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” That means that logos, taglines and slogans may be eligible for trademark registration if they meet all qualifying parameters and are approved by the registrar.

What is a service mark?

The USPTO defines a service mark as “the same as a trademark, except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product.” The terms “trademark” and “mark” are used equivalently to refer to both trademarks and service marks.

What is a copyright?

The United States Library of Congress’ Copyright Office, which is the registrar for copyrights, describes a copyright as “a form of protection provided to the authors of ‘original works of authorship’ including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, both published and unpublished.” Protecting the form of expression rather than the subject matter of the writing, a copyright would only prevent others from copying the description. It would not prevent others from writing a description of their own.

When to use the superscript symbols: TM, SM and ®

Another question we are often asked to address involves when it is appropriate to use the superscript trademark, service mark or registered trademark symbols: TM, SM and ®. The use of the first two symbols is a way to formally claim eventual intent to register either the trademark or the service mark but such registration is never a requirement. Furthermore, if use of the trademark or service mark can be adequately shown with dates of use clearly evident, the inclusion of the superscript symbols TM or SM in conjunction with such usage is not a requirement as proof of ownership. The symbol ® can only be used after formal trademark registration has been completed and approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and doing so without approval would be noncompliant with federal law.

When to use the Copyright Notice

To protect your “original work of authorship,” it is recommended by the Library of Congress Copyright Office that a copyright notice be placed on copies of the work “to inform the world of copyright ownership that generally consists of the symbol or word ‘copyright,’ the name of the copyright owner, and the year of first publication, e.g., © 2008 John Doe. While use of a copyright notice was once required as a condition of copyright protection, it is now optional.”

What the Copyright Protects

It is important to note that documentation from the United States Copyright Office states that “a copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that a copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.”

According to this office of the U.S. government, “your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created.” Such “work” now includes websites, but not domain names, which are registered and protected as such through The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit organization responsible for domain name system management and administration through accredited registrars.

Why Register a Copyright

Copyright registration is strictly voluntary but will be required in the event that you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement. It is helpful to have your certificate of registration a matter of public record, possibly making your work eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees in successful litigation. Proving copyright infringement requires skillful understanding, interpretation and defense of the frequently changing copyright laws which contain many gray areas of application and usually deter legal pursuit due to inordinate expense.

How to Register a Copyright:

If you choose to file online, registration of your copyright is $35 per work. If you file conventionally, the fee is $50 per work. You are not required to disclose your real name; pseudonyms are acceptable forms of identification. Also, it is advisable to keep in mind that your registration will become a matter of public record so you should be careful about disclosure of your private information. With more than 600,000 submissions received by the United States Copyright Office per year, the registration process can take up to six months if filed online, and up to two years or more if filed on paper. Fees are nonrefundable. You must also submit at least one nonreturnable electronic or hard copy of the work(s) you wish to register subject to an array of other requirements depending on the type of work, whether published and other variables. The length of this process should not impact your plans to publish either the copyright notice or the work itself. Only your need to file copyright infringement may be affected by the date of actual registration. For more information about this, go to http://www.copyright.gov.

How to Register a Trademark:

Before applying for trademark registration, a formal search of existing or pending trademarks is conducted in order to avoid conflict of rights. This can be done for free by the registrant or his attorney via the online federal TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System) database as well as at selected public search facilities nationwide. In the event that the trademark is defined by a unique design, it will need to be searched with the use of a design code available within the government’s Design Search Code Manual. If a possible conflict is detected, it can be checked further by searching the federal TARR (Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval) database. In order to conduct this type of search, you will need the serial number or registration number of the conflicting mark.

If no conflict is revealed, the next step is to prepare a “drawing” of the mark you intend to register. There are two formats possible for mark registration: (1) standard character format; or (2) stylized/design format. The USPTO describes the first as a mark that includes “word(s), letter(s), number(s) or any combination thereof, without claim to any particular font style, size, or color, and absent any design element. Registration of a mark in the standard character format will provide broad rights, namely use in any manner of presentation.” The second format would seek to protect a mark having a particular stylized appearance, such as logos we design for our clients. In the past, such a drawing had to be submitted in black and white with a range of patterns to depict differentiation of tones used. Today, the drawing can be submitted in color with precise accompanying descriptions detailing where the colors are used. Such drawings must be consistent with proofs of actual use also required for submission in the application process. These proofs are referred to as “specimens.”

In the registration of a product trademark, as opposed to a service trademark (or service mark), an acceptable example or specimen must show the mark used on the actual goods or packaging for the goods. This includes a tag or label for the goods; a container for the goods; a display associated with the goods; or a photograph of the goods that shows use of the mark on the goods. Actual products are not acceptable examples in the registration process.

When seeking to register a service mark, the USPTO states that approved samples of use can include “a sign; a brochure about the services; an advertisement for the services; a business card or stationery showing the mark in connection with the services; or a photograph showing the mark as used in rendering or advertising the services.” However, it is specifically stated that if the mark does not include terms that describe what kind of service is offered, it would not be an acceptable specimen of use.

It is essential to file the trademark registration form and its required components of application properly to avoid ensuing problems and delays in the process. If filing electronically, an immediate reply with a serial number of the application should be expected. However, the entire process can take up to several years depending on what legal issues arise during the course of the examination of materials. Findings by a federal attorney citing conflict of previously registered or pending rights, or failure to qualify as a trademark are common reasons for delay. These may include use of a surname or determination that the mark is purely ornamental or even deceptive in its presentation. Such criticisms can be appealed but often are unsuccessful and tend to add further postponements and additional expense to the process if you have engaged an attorney to represent you.

If all obstacles are overcome and the mark is approved, the registration remains valid for a period of approximately five years at which time a subsequent Affidavit of Use must be filed, with a Renewal filing due prior to expiration at ten years. Should any of these deadlines be missed, there is a six-month grace period allowance for either filing with the payment of additional fees.

In any case, it seems that the major reason to pursue formal registration of a trademark, service mark or copyright is to provide tangible grounds for suit if unlawful infringement of rights becomes an issue. For some small businesses, the cost to prevail in such a lawsuit would probably be so prohibitive that the decision to bring a case forward would be ultimately discouraged, rendering the effort and expense to submit all trademark or copyright registrations an exercise in futility. Therefore, the value of such registrations is dependent on the circumstances affecting each individual case.

For further information from The United States Patent and Trademark Office, go to http://www.uspto.gov/

Mobile Marketing: Integrating Offline Marketing In Print Media

If you’re like me, then you must have heard or been a recipient of some form of mobile advertisement in one time or another. Despite its promising spiel for being the next big thing, not only in the smartphone revolution but, in the realm of marketing as well, it is not intended to independently cater to all of your marketing needs.

The objective of mobile marketing is not to interact with the consumer exclusively on their mobile phones alone, but to constantly engage with them.

Repetitive exposures to a stimulus would increase the likelihood of them being able to remember your advertisement. Research indicates that a majority of consumers have to come in contact with a brand at a minimum of eight times before they are cognitively mindful of it, and an additional two before they actually take the consideration to purchase it. This type of dynamic and regular engagement is termed participatory marketing. Any time mobile marketing is incorporated in on-and offline strategies, it may end up being participatory and become fully employed to produce a profound and enduring relationship.

The proper mobile marketing can certainly create that essential connection between your customers’ offline and online experience (e.g. online for browsing through your catalog and offline for the particular transaction). The cost of an item is the usual reason in the delay concerning research and purchase. An incorporated participatory marketing strategy creates an awareness of your brand that will most likely influence the consumer. And by increasing consumer awareness, you may be able to generate those sales to boost your quarterly net profit.

Using Print

One of the most significant and most economical mobile integration options is by using print. This is often as basic as motivating customers to view your website using a mobile phone or to send a code via SMS to sign up in a study or sweepstakes or to obtain customer details.

* Flyers

* Letterheads

* Banners

* Instructions

* Newspapers

* Business cards

* Catalogs

* Magazines

* Handouts

* Menus

* Tickets

* Manuals

Among the best approaches would be to use current print promotions in classified ads, newspapers, and magazines. With these, you can integrate a mobile initiative which is associated with the advertising campaign, directions for downloading featured mobile vouchers for consumer convenience (the customers will not have to cut one out of the paper), or marketing content material that promotes the advantages of your campaign and describes the way to get connected to current location-based ads.

Businesses may also integrate within a direct-mail campaigns. They are able to enable customers to enroll in mobile alerts whenever their monthly bill is due or when their membership status has been updated or changed. When they send merchandise to the customers, they could also let them send a text message to obtain the status of their delivery, or motivate them to subscribe for promotions or special discounts in connection with whatever they have purchased.

An additional way to integrate print in mobile marketing would be to include things like mobile directives to respond (call to action campaigns) or Quick response (QR) codes in your packaging or provisional service products, including disposable paper plates, utensils, cups, and napkins. Alternative paper resources, like envelopes, letterhead, banners, flyers, and business cards, could be employed to direct people to your own mobile website or even get them to text in a brief code to acquire a file format (Vcard), with significant contact details or to receive an open source calendar standard (Vcal), of your respective events.

Printing – What Kind Do I Need?

Have you ever asked the question, “What kind of printing do I need?” If so, then read on. There are so many different types of printers and methods of printing it can be difficult to know which is best suited to your particular job. An experienced and reliable printer will recommend the right printer for your project but just so you know what they are talking about below is a brief overview to help you on your way.

Large Format Printing – A large format printer specializes in printing really big banners, signs, posters or trade show panels (to name a few). Typically, these large items are printed using a roll of media and can be up to 200′ long by up to 60″ wide. Alternatively, rigid substrates can be laid on top of a flat bed printer such as glass, wood or cardboard and are printed direct to substrate.

Flat Bed Printing – fills the gap between offset printing and silk screening by providing a way to print directly onto rigid, flat or unevenly surfaced objects. The ability to print with white ink opens up a range of possibilities whether printing a spot color or laying down a base to print on. The full color image is applied all at once to the surface and once it exits the machine it is ready to be cut and packaged for shipping.

Great for point of purchase, store advertising, indoor & outdoor signage, trade show display panels, signs & special events graphics. Flat bed printing is excellent for long-run work and with jobs requiring variable data.

Digital Printing eliminates the use of film and plates. It sends a digital file directly from a computer to the press. Digital printing is relatively fast making it a convenient method during a time crunch and great for short printing runs.

Solvent Inks – UV Curable inks are great for printing on outdoor banners and signage.

Pigmented Inks – water based inks used for indoor printing applications such as trade show panels, banners, signage, canvas, paper & posters.

Ink Jet Printing – Method of printing by spraying droplets of ink through computer-controlled nozzles. This can also be called jet printing.

Dye Sublimation is a printing process that uses heat to transfer dye onto a medium such as fabric. The Ink is bonded to the substrate giving the appearance of a continuous tone photograph and resulting in vivid, bold colours.

Silk Screening – A printing method in which the image is transferred to a substrate by means of squeezing ink with a squeegee through a stenciled fabric or metal wire screen stretched over a frame. This can either be a manual or mechanical operation and allows for the application of ink on almost any material. It is excellent for short-run line work on clothing, mugs, billboards & signage.

Off Set Printing is the most common form of high-volume commercial printing. It uses a technique that transfers ink from a plate to a blanket to paper instead of directly from plate to paper and is the method of choice for printing newspapers.

Dot Matrix printers use a series of small pins to strike a ribbon coated with ink, causing the ink to transfer to the paper at the point of impact.

Inkjet printers use a series of nozzles to spray drops of ink directly on the paper.

Laser printers use dry ink (toner), static electricity, and heat to place and bond the ink onto the paper.

Substrate – Any surface or material on which printing is done.

Thermography is a process that produces a raised image. A special powder adheres to wet ink and when heat is applied the two fuse together to form a raised surface. This printing method is often used for stationery, business cards, letterhead, wedding invitations, etc.

Flexography is a printing process used for packaging products. Flexible rubber plates are utilized for printing on surfaces such as plastic bags and cardboard boxes.

Gravure printing is a high quality process using copper plates. This process is commonly used to print high quality, large volume materials such as magazines and catalogs.

How to Come Up With a Great Tagline Or Slogan

My clients are always asking how I can up with great slogans. The secret is very simple, have a clear idea of who your key market is and what they want. That’s the ground of being for your business, your reason for existing.

Do Your Homework

Once you know exactly who and how you serve them, the slogan almost writes itself. Remember I said almost, next you have to sit down and write about hundred slogans. Try not to judge or fix any of them as you are writing them down, just get as many written down as possible.

Walk Away

Wait at least 24 hours and look at them again (with fresh eyes). Now, pick out the ones that really sound good. The ones that convey the main benefit of using your product or service. And also the extra quality I call rhythm (it sounds good to the ear). Most good slogans are very short, because you want to quickly get the readers attention. And its easier to remember when its very short.

The Art Is In The Details

At this point I’ll settle on about half a dozen slogans to start improving on. Improving a slogan involves fine tuning it, adding a word or even a letter here and there. Or you may need to subtract a word or a letter. Remember a good slogan can help you get a great deal of customers so take some time developing it.

Logo VS Slogan

Your logo, in my opinion is not as important as the slogan. A picture is not worth a thousand words. People will remember and act on a good slogan, but a logo takes time to really make an impression. But I see so many businesses who have nice logos without slogans.

Test, Test, Test

The next step is to take your new slogan out for a ride, show it to a few people and get some feedback. Compare it to the competition and get a feel for how the market will react to it. After doing all this work on it you’ll know when you’ve hit on the right slogan, something just clicks.

Creating a good slogan is hard work, but it’s also fun. A good slogan can last for decades and help make a business very successful. Just remember to use it everywhere, on your logo, website, letterhead and business cards.

The Importance of Office Stationery

There are several key aspects that remain standard to almost every office, no matter what type of business is conducted in that office. Most offices will have chairs, tables, computers, coffee makers, printers, copy machines, and telephones. They will also have keyboards, bathrooms, windows, and possibly a place to eat. These are all things easy to identify. Another set of objects that would be easily forgotten are sets of office stationary. Office stationary is key and integral to most all offices, but is likely to be forgotten because it is taken for granted.

Office stationary plays a huge role in office settings. Without office stationary, it would most likely be impossible to conduct business without any degree of frustration. This would be like a basketball player going to practice basketball with no basketball or shoes. Due to the huge role that office supplies and stationary take, someone in the office is usually responsible for the ordering of all office supplies and stationary. If someone in the office is not responsible, there is generally a company that contracts with the office to make sure it is completely stocked.

Office supplies and stationary include paper, letterhead, pens, pencils, markers, pre-printed envelopes, stamps, staplers, erasers, and all the other essentials that you would need. While the electronic age has really taken hold of today’s society, most business transactions still require office stationary to some degree. This office stationary is key, especially if it looks very professional and planned. No one wants to see an invoice coming from a company with a sloppy or outdated letterhead. People want crisp, clean, and non cluttered items on a piece of paper that are easily readable. This is why proper office stationary is so hugely important. It may seem like such a small piece of the puzzle, but it can have extreme effects on the business satisfaction of the clients.

In closing, if you do not have a good supply of office stationary, it would be wise to look into getting more. Along these same lines, it is important that you find the best value for money. Often-times stationary stores are a business with a sole purpose of making the most money they can from you. This is why it is often a great idea to find multiple quotes on what you are wanting. Also, the degree of flexibility and innovation that stationary companies have is key. You want a company that can give you a cutting edge with modern ideas and formats.

Tips To Choose A Good Digital Printing Company

When looking for quality prints for your brochures, posters, calendars, flyers, letterheads and even business cards, then you need to find a company that can effectively handle the digital printing project on your behalf. All these printed products are important because they will be representing your brand and company out there in the market and you want them to paint the best image for your brand. A few helpful tips will make it easy for you to choose a digital printing company you can trust.

1. Choose a company that can handle any project size to cater to your large and small consignments depending on your current needs. It should offer you good turnaround and high quality regardless of how big your printing project is.

2. Find out how easy it is for you to make online enquiries and place printing orders. A company with a pleasant online presence and great customer service will give you an easy time going through the process and getting prints you truly deserve.

3. A company that has in-house designer will be more advantageous because you can have your designs handled professionally even when you have no idea what is best for your products. You should get assistance when you are not very sure of what to choose or what you are looking for.

4. The company you choose should be innovative enough to offer you print solutions that are adaptable in your business environment. It should offer ongoing support recommendations and consultation to help evolve the business.

5. Check how technically competent the printing company is in terms of machines and personnel. It should have good organized printing process to deliver the best of services to you.

6. Ask to see samples of previously done work to help you gauge the quality of work you are about to get. It also helps to find out what your printing options are to make sure that you are not limited to an option you might not like on your products.

7. Choose a company that has experience in digital printing. Experience is important because it could mean that the company can handle other projects and services such as data management and marketing campaigns. Find out what other services you can enjoy from the company because they could be important to you in the future.

8. Check out the reputation of your service provider. You can go through client feedback and reviews on the company to find out how good it is in offering the printing services.

9. If possible, ask about the financial stability of the company just to be sure that it will not go out of business before completing your printing project. You should work with a company you can fully trust with your needs and financial stability is important.

10. Consider the printing charges. Even though you should never compromise quality because of the price, you want to ensure that you don’t end up being overcharged. Some companies offer discounts for bulk printing so check around and choose what you find most affordable.

Cyprus: Capital Gains and Immovable Property Taxation

Low taxation and straight forward bureaucratic procedures attract business people and investors from all over the world to invest in the Republic of Cyprus. Cyprus’ low taxation regime facilitates the expansion of business activities in the island. In the current article, I will present some useful information about capital gains and immovable property taxation schemes in Cyprus. The recent amendments of the Law 119(I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013 aim at encouraging economic activity, attract more investors and simplify even more the Cyprus tax regime. According to the amendments of the legislations mentioned above, more capital gains are not taxed in Cyprus. The only capital gains that are taxed are those associated with the disposal of real estate located in Cyprus. Following the amendments of the Law 119 (I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013, real estate owners will be taxed based on the value of their property.

Capital Gains Taxation:

Subject to certain exceptions (see the list below), the capital gain tax is charged on profits arising after the 1st January 1980, from the sale or transfer of immovable property in the Republic of Cyprus or company’s shares, located in Cyprus, that owns immovable property (Reference 1). Briefly, the net profit derived from the sale or transfer of real estate is taxed at the rate of 20%. The calculation of the net profit derived from the disposal embeds the inflation rate. Inflation is calculated based on the official Retail Price Index. Moreover, according to the amendments of the Law 119 (I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013 the value of the real estate is calculated following the related provisions of the Immovable Property Law.

List of Exemptions:

  • Transfer of property due to death.
  • Gifts to children, spouses and any other relative up to the third degree.
  • Gift to a company. The shareholders of the particular company are and continue to be members of the donor’s family for five years after the offer of the gift.
  • Gift offered by a firm to its shareholders, given that the particular property was originally donated to the company. Moreover, the recipient is obliged to keep the immovable property for at least three years.
  • Gift to the government or to local authorities of the Republic of Cyprus for educational or other charitable purposes.
  • Exchange or sale based on the Agricultural Land (Consolidation) Laws.
  • Exchange of properties. In this case, the values of the real estate properties that have been exchanged must be the same.
  • Gain derived from the disposal of shares, listed on any Stock Exchange.
  • Transfers resulted by reorganisation.

Lifetime exemptions for individuals:

  • Disposal of own residence: Gain (85.430 euro)
  • Disposal of agricultural land by a farmer: Gain (25.629 euro)
  • Any other disposal of real estate: Gain (17.086 euro)

Immovable Property Taxation:

In Cyprus, the annual immovable property tax is imposed on every individual or legal person who owns immovable property in the island regardless of whether they are or not residents of the Republic of Cyprus. The tax they are obliged to pay is based on the total value of the whole immovable property registered in their name (Reference 2).

The immovable property tax is estimated according to the market value of the immovable property as at 1st January 1980 and is payable by the 30th September of every year at the Inland Revenue Department. In this point, it should be clarified that individual owners are exempt from this tax in case the 1980 value of their property is less than €12.500.

The relevant tax bands as revised in 2013:

  • If the assessed 1980 property value is less than 12.500 euro the annual tax rate is 0 (%) and the accumulated tax is zero.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 12.500-40.000 euro the annual tax rate is 0.60 (%) and the accumulated tax is 240 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 40.001-120.000 euro the annual tax rate is 0.80 (%) and the accumulated tax is 880 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 120.001-170.000 euro the annual tax rate is 0.90 (%) and the accumulated tax is 1.330 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 170.001-300.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.10 (%) and the accumulated tax is 2.760 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 300.001-500.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.30 (%) and the accumulated tax is 5.360 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 500.001-800.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.50 (%) and the accumulated tax is 9.860 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is between 800.001-3.000.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.70 (%) and the accumulated tax is 47.260 euro.
  • If the assessed 1980 property value is more than 3.000.000 euro the annual tax rate is 1.90 (%).

Note: Every registered owner whose immovable property is more than €120.000 is obliged to submit a Declaration of Immovable Property (IR 301 and IR302) and pay the equivalent annual tax before the 30th of September.

Important Warnings:

Because of the delays in issuing Title Deeds, some developers are the registered owners of real estate property. In accordance with the law, the “registered owners” (in our case the developers) are obliged to pay annual declarations of their immovable property to the relevant authorities and pay the Immovable Property Tax, plus any late payment penalties.

Until Title Deeds are issued purchaser is obliged to pay only Property Transfer Fees so that to secure ownership of the property he or she has bought, which will then be registered in his or her name.

Nevertheless, in some Contracts of Sales, developers request the buyers to pay the immovable property tax by the time they take delivery of a property. In many cases, some developers charge purchasers outrageous sums of money based on the price the property was sold. Moreover, in some cases, the developers add to the whole amount the late payment penalties.

I would advise buyers to ask the developers to provide them with the adequate proofs that demonstrate that the immovable property tax that has been paid to the Inland Revenue corresponds to the land where the development has been constructed.

As a result, I am advising purchasers NOT to pay a developer any Immovable Property Tax unless the developer:

  • Provides a written proof of the amount of Immovable Property Tax that the developer has paid to the Inland Revenue for the land where the development has been constructed.
  • Provides buyer a written statement clarifying buyer’s shares of the aforementioned land.
  • Issue a written invoice on the company’s letterhead that states the agreed amount to be paid.
  • Issue a written company receipt for the amount that had been paid.

Invest in Cyprus: Have a proper legal support

As it was explained above, the amendments of the Law 119 (I)/2013 and the Law 120(I)/2013 together with the tax friendly regimes give more incentives to international investors and business people to expand their business activities in Cyprus. However, investors and business people should take into account that investing in real estate requires a proper legal guidance.

Reference 1: TAX DEPARTMENT: DIRECT TAXATION: Capital Gains Taxation http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/ird/ird.nsf/dmlfaq_en/dmlfaq_en?OpenDocument#3

Reference 2: TAX DEPARTMENT: DIRECT TAXATION: Immovable Property http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/ird/ird.nsf/dmlfaq_en/dmlfaq_en?OpenDocument#5

Factors Affecting Your Corporate Identity

The strong Corporate Identity is vital need for any organization irrespective of its size. Even a smaller company with strong corporate identity can beat its strong contenders. In other words, the brand image of any company, business or organization is vital to its success. An organization can generate fresh set of customers through strong corporate identity or industry presence.

There are various factors which can affect the brand image of any organization. Some most important factors are as follows:

  1. Website – A perfect portal is must for every small, medium or big organization, company or business. The world has become so small in this e-connected world, people are eager to know anything and everything about the details of products being offered by a particular company. They are also interested in knowing what your past customers are saying.
  2. Logo– A logo represents the goals, vision, and attitude of any organization or company towards his business and customers. They need to be specific in terms of a Logo. Companies give stress on a logo which design can match the services and targeted customer’s prospects.
  3. Stationary – Stationary is also one of the most important factor in deciding corporate identity and brand image of a company, business or organization. That includes, Company Letter Heads, Correspondence Business Envelopes, Services Brochures, Post Cards, Business Cards, and Employees Identity Cards (Magnetic Cards). A letter head makes an emphatic impact on readers or viewers mind. If your Letter Head looks professional as well as classy at the same with illustrating vital information regarding your organization, most of your business proposals will be readily accepted or at least you will get first hand queries enquiring more about your services. Business cards also make a great impact on your company’s identity and brand image. Those are not a thing to be included in wallets of your Top Business Executives and marketing personnel’s in fact they carry the most feasible means of contact for your organization. With every distributed business cards you executives are leaving information as well as future business prospects for your company, so it should be realistic and matching to your company’s identity and Brand.
  4. Print Advertisements – Print advertisements still carry the same level of importance in front of people as earlier. Every ad flyer or ad brochure is representing a sample of your organization. So it should reflect the pride and uniqueness of your organization.

There are several other branding options and ways of enhancing your corporate presence. But stationary is one of the most important among all of them. No doubt the business scenario has changed a lot during last few years from manual to automatic transfer of operations. But still your printed materials are very important and you should not avoid it at any case.

Start a Home Based Company With Small Business Grants

In this day and age as we witness the rapid advancing of technology in unison with the increasing unemployment rate, many American citizens are turning to small business grants sponsored by the US government as a means of establishing home based online businesses. This practice is becoming more and more popular each and every day as the evolution of technological business enhancements is rapidly rendering traditional methods of company operations obsolete.

There is no better time than now to begin considering telecommunication and virtual office positions as a regular work or career procedure. This is the age of computers, and web cams, and digital this, and automated that. It’s seldom that you are ever even able to reach an actual live representative when calling most customer service centers. It is pretty frightful to think that your job can actually be eliminated and replaced by an inanimate object, yet those days are growing near. It is a daily occurrence that thousands are laid off of their long time jobs while major corporations downsize employees to redirect payroll funds, in order to upgrade their automated systems. Becoming self-employed is seemingly the last chance at any type of job security for some, and small business grants are often the only chance of achieving that.

The smartest thing about using small business grants to establish an online “work from home” business is, obviously, because this is free government money. Most taxpaying American citizens are eligible to qualify for business grants, and the best part is, they never have to pay them back. There is no credit check, cosigner, interest, collateral, or anything else. This is a gift from the government awarded to you to establish your new business. By using these funds to create an online web and/or home-based business, you can virtually open up shop and see an immediate profit with absolutely no overhead whatsoever. No other type of business can achieve those highly favorable results.

You can acquire enough free government money in small business grants to start your home-based business in the utmost of professional fashions. It is entirely possible to be awarded enough funding to…

*Construct and/or set up an efficient and well equipped home office

*Purchase computers, software, telephones, copy machines, fax machines, printers, and all other essential major electronic or technical equipments to keep your company running smooth and efficiently.

*Buy all paper, pens, folders, professionally printed letterhead stationary, calendars, business cards, and all other necessary office supplies that you will need.

*Afford advertising materials and services to properly promote your business, whatever it may be.

*Obtain special training or college courses that correspond to your choice of career path to enhance and improve your business.

These are just a few of the advantages of creating your own online business. We haven’t even touched on the pleasure and freedom of not having a boss, not having to commute to work, not having to pay for gas or parking, wait for trains or buses, get stuck in rush hour traffic, be late for work, take a cut in pay, or get laid off. Sounds pretty appealing, doesn’t it. Well imagine being able to do all of that, for free.

Follow the links below to see how much free government money you qualify for in small business grants. It may not be long before you are enjoying lifetime job security in that plush corner office with a window…with a view of your patio.

Project Outsourcing: Why ALL Businesses Should Consider Outsourcing An Integral Part of Business

OUTSOURCING: AN OVERVIEW

Businesses of all kinds can and do benefit from the tool of outsourcing every day. Businesses large and small have been outsourcing every day projects for many years. The businesses that use outsourcing as a tool to enhance and grow their business already know the value that outsourcing brings to their organization. Outsourcing is a business process term for what has literally become known as hiring a consultant, independent contractor, or freelancer to do a specific task or tasks for an organization in which the organization either does not have the time or the expertise to do on their own. The organizations that have used outsourcing for many years know that with the positives it brings to the organization that it is also important to have a well managed plan of action for hiring a consultant or contractor for a business task. This includes deciding which projects or tasks to outsource, whom to hire for these tasks, how to manage the project, how to agree on payment terms, and how to achieve the desired results. There are many forms of outsourcing ranging from outsourcing payroll to outsourcing package handling, to everything in between. Small businesses hiring a self-employed accountant to handle the corporate tax returns are in essence hiring a tax consultant. Large corporations that hire outside customer service firms to handle their customer support are outsourcing that function of their business to focus more on their core business functions. It is entirely possible to outsource practically every business process within an organization.

OUTSOURCING TOOLS

There are a wealth of tools available for the organization looking to outsource business processes. Companies such as SmartyLance.com, enable a business to post a project to a project marketplace and receive bids from experts in the field. These type of freelance sites match companies with freelance professionals, consultants, and independent contractors. There are many advantages for a business to use services such as SmartyLance. First, the marketplace enables businesses to use a centralized location to post their project, receive bids on that project, communicate with potential providers, choose a winning bid (either based on lowest cost or based on the credentials, expertise, or prior feedback of a particular provider), manage the project specifications, receive the delivered project and make final payment based on the terms of the auction. This centralized marketplace provided by SmartyLance greatly streamlines the entire outsourcing process and enables the business owner or manager to have greater control over the entire outsourcing process.

INCREASING COMPETITION

Competition is a complicated subject for many people. Ultimately, competition is good for the consumer, whether the consumer is an individual or a business, competition enables products and services to maintain high quality and low cost. Although many people dislike competition because it forces action to improve quality, the benefits to the overall economy even result in improved products and services for the very people that dismiss competition and the headaches it sometimes brings. Freelance marketplaces such as SmartyLance are no exception in that competition improves the overall quality and value for the project buyer and causes the freelance provider to adjust to market conditions in a practical, intelligent manner to win new business. The benefits to the company looking to hire freelancers are obvious. For example, Company A can compile a list of consultants to work on the design of their new company logo. This list may include a multitude of design firms from the same geographical area. Company A would be required to submit an RFP by contacting each design firm individually, stating the requirements of their project and requesting a quote based on the requirements. Many factors come into play in deciding which design firm Company A will choose. Chances are, that using this approach, Company A will end up paying too much for the project and will only have a handful of providers to choose from. Company B also must outsource the design of their new company logo. Rather than compile lists of design firms, which can result in overpriced quotes, Company B decides to post their logo design project to the SmartyLance marketplace. Doing so enables Company B to get competitive bids that help ensure that Company B gets the most competitive price for their project. By posting the logo design project to SmartyLance, Company B not only reduced costs associated with the project, they had access to specialists and skilled professional designers from around the world that were competing to give Company B the best cost and highest quality design for their money. The entire process was managed easily through Company B’s SmartyLance account enabling them to keep in contact, manage project specifications, manage competing bids, and send payment easily and securely through one of several different payment methods. An escrow account enabled Company B to ensure that payment wasn’t released to the provider until all project requirements were met. Company B successfully outsourced the logo design project and was able to save several hundred dollars. They also received the project several days quicker than Company A. In this example of Company A and Company B, we see that Company A had limited its ability to find a skilled professional and limited its ability to save money on the project. Company B took full advantage of all the resources and benefits of the SmartyLance marketplace and was able to save time and money. By outsourcing critical business functions that are not core business functions, the organization greatly benefits through a savings of time and money which in turn benefits us all through decreasing costs that are passed down to the consumer.

TO OUTSOURCE OR NOT TO OUTSOURCE?

That is the question many small business owners and large corporations alike are asking themselves each and every day. Risks are inherent in any new business strategy or thought process. However, like any business decision, risk can be managed. By intelligently choosing a provider that matches your intended skill requirements, carefully detailing and outlining your project requirements, and ensuring that you maintain the requirements within budget, the benefits can far outweigh the risks.
One of the more common fears among some larger organizations that may be reluctant to outsource projects is a fear of the unknown. This fear stems from the inherent inability to oversee each and every aspect of the project from start to finish and to evaluate each step along the way. Internal employees devoted to a project are more easily evaluated and can be guided through performance and work appraisals. Managers may feel that outsourced projects are more difficult to oversee and manage with an eagle eye. The fact of the matter is that so long as there are well-defined contractual obligations and project reporting requirements, an outsourced project can in fact result in a more manageable outcome than actually thought. Also, the talent pool and skills obtained that may be completely unavailable to the organization allow the organization to reach milestones and achieve success that may never have been possible with their current employees.

OUTSOURCING CONTROVERSY

The outsourcing controversy that is making headlines today is the public opinion of outsourcing jobs to other countries. This includes manufacturing of products, such as those that are “Made In China” as well as service outsourcing such as computer programming that is outsourced to skilled workers in India. One can argue that outsourcing projects overseas is taking opportunity away from workers in their native country. Others may contend that outsourcing projects, whether it’s overseas or in the same country is a great opportunity that will improve business processes, improve productivity, reduce costs and have an overall positive effect on the economy, thus creating more new jobs and specialized jobs in specific skill areas. All businesses are consistently looking for ways to increase productivity and lower costs. From an economic standpoint, increasing productivity and lowering costs are essential elements for business success. Business success, in turn leads to more growth, which leads to new job creation, be it in a more specialized skill area or through the development in new types of jobs in new specialized areas.

OUTSOURCED BUSINESS PROCESSES

As mentioned previously, practically any business process not related to the core business activity can be outsourced. Some examples of commonly outsourced business processes include:

Accounting and Finance

Graphic Design & Multimedia

Sales and Telemarketing

Web Design and Development

Administrative Support and Data Entry

Business Strategy, Advertising, Business Plans, Consulting

Legal, Contracts, Copyright, Corporate, Incorporation

Software and Technology, Database Development

Writing and Translation, Copy Writing, Creative Writing

Press Releases

A REWARDING CAREER

Having a specialty or skill in a particular business area can enable you to begin a career as a consultant or freelancer. Freelancing enables you to have the flexibility to work on your own and on your own schedule. You can choose which projects match your skill set and decide which types of freelance projects that you would be interested in working on. There are numerous sources available to find freelance work. Some sources include browsing freelance directories, job boards, and registering with talent auction sites such as SmartyLance. All of these resources are filled with potential jobs. In comparison, it seems that talent auctions are the most comprehensive resources offering the most flexibility to both the freelancer and the company hiring a freelancer. They offer the breadth and depth of listings and the simplicity to bid on numerous projects as well as services enabling the handling of the entire payment process through a service provider account with the talent auction site. Bidding on projects requires much discipline and planning. Before placing a bid or giving a quote on a project, the freelancer must take into account many factors including the length of time required for the project completion, the budget the service buyer can afford, and whether or not they can actually meet the requirements to complete the project. It is also important to keep in mind that developing relationships with service buyers can lead to more work in the future. Developing a relationship with service buyers and meeting or exceeding their project expectations will enable you to develop a client base that allows you to practically always have new projects to work on.

COMPETITION FOR PROJECTS

There will always be competition in all forms of business. Competition for freelance projects is fierce. One of the major ways to compete and win is to make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd. You can start by fine tuning your resume. This will force you to think about your accomplishments as well as your exact skills and abilities. There are numerous services that can help you with your resume, including ResumeEdge. Using a service to help you with your resume will enable you to better explain your accomplishments and present them in a manner that will captivate and impress the reader. Especially if you are an independent freelancer, having your resume retooled by ResumeEdge will allow you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Many freelance service buyers will wish to see a list of your accomplishments and your skills. If you register as a service provider with a freelance marketplace such as SmartyLance, they offer several different options that enable you to stand out above the crowd. First, there are different subscription levels when registering. There is a Limited subscription, a Novice subscription or a Professional subscription. Each higher level subscription offers more options to the service provider. Every service provider does have the ability to post a profile, detailing various information about their abilities. Limited subscriptions limit the cost range in which a service provider can bid. For example, a Limited service provider can only bid on projects with a price range less than one thousand dollars. Novice subscription service providers can bid on projects less than five thousand dollars, and Professional subscription service providers can bid on any service level project. Several added bonuses with the Novice and Professional subscription levels include the ability to purchase credential verification services as well as the ability to post “Buy Now” projects. Credential verification services enable you to post information related to your references, certifications, licenses, education and previous employment. Simply adding these options to your account gives you a special designation stating that your information has been checked and verified as being true and accurate by the freelance marketplace. This designation gives you an added level of credibility making you stand out from the rest of the service providers and enabling you to showcase your achievements and abilities, giving a service buyer confidence in choosing you to complete their project. This will undoubtedly lead to more work and more projects coming your way. In addition to verifying your credentials, you have the ability to showcase a portfolio of your previous work. This allows you to show the service buyers your achievements and your successes with previous clients. Showcasing your portfolio is another important aspect that gives the service buyer confidence in your ability. Finally, the higher level subscriptions enable you as a service provider to offer “Buy Now” solutions. Similar to purchasing products immediately without bidding as on major product auctions such as Ebay, “Buy Now” solutions enable freelance service providers and consultants to make a solution available to all service buyers for a specific set price. For example, a freelance graphic design firm may create a “Corporate Identity Package”, enabling a service buyer to purchase this package that may include the graphic design of a logo, along with designs for letterhead, business cards, and banner ads. Another example could be from a lawyer or legal consultant who creates an incorporation package that includes corporate setup and incorporation services for all fifty states, creation of shareholder agreements, employment agreements, and registered agent services all for a set price. These simple examples of “Buy Now” services enable freelance consultants and independent contractors to create easy options for service buyers who are looking for simple solutions and quick turnaround time. Service providers also enjoy creating these type of services because it enables them to focus on their core interests and abilities. Only higher level subscriptions such as the Novice or Limited subscriptions enable freelance service providers to post “Buy Now” projects. The beauty of these additional options as a freelance service provider is that you can focus on one specific aspect of your business. If you are a consultant for a graphic design firm and you simply enjoy creating and designing corporate logos and identities, then you can find work specifically in this area by posting your own “Buy Now” solution. If you are a lawyer working for your own legal firm and your passion is new business setups and incorporation services, then you can steer projects your way with a “Buy Now” solution posted on a freelance marketplace like SmartyLance.

CONCLUSION

These are only a few examples of the many opportunities that exist as a freelancer. Whether you are a small business, an individual, or a large corporation, this article simply serves as a guide to help you in your quest to use outsourcing to your advantage to help your business grow and flourish. Outsourcing, when done correctly, can benefit your business in so many different ways. The two most obvious benefits are a savings of time and money. From the freelancer’s standpoint, this article has been developed to help educate and guide you with the many options available to find work as well as to delve into the minds of freelance service buyers. Knowing their concerns and understanding the reasons for choosing one service provider over another will greatly benefit you by enabling you to increase your odds for getting new business. Understanding the concerns and needs of service buyers will lead to your gains as a service provider. If you are able to provide enough people with services that they wish to have, then you will always be in demand.

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