It’s more than just a symbol of your brand. Often, logos send a message – even subliminal ones. At MeloTel, we have a very talented staff comprised of graphic designers who aim to create the most unique logos for businesses of all types. Have a look at our various Business Logo Design packages to determine which one may be right for you.

It’s important not to underestimate the power of a logo. It’s also important to take a deeper look into the logos that many companies out there have. Last week, QMI Agency posted an interesting article on The Toronto Sun’s website unveiling some pretty clever details about some popular brand logos. Many of them have deeper meanings than what first hits the eye.

Take the Tostitos logo, for example. A closer look at the text for this popular snack’s logo reveals two people sharing a chip over a bowl of salsa. The people are represented by two letter “t’s” and the salsa is dotting the letter “i”. QMI points out that the logo conveys the company’s encouragement of sharing and making connections with people.

The Tour De France logo is another interesting one. What may first appear as a logo made up of a simple modern text is actually one that incorporates a bicycle rider. The designer cleverly made the letter “r” in the word “tour” the rider while the letter “o” in “tour” represents the bike’s back wheel. The yellow circle, of course, is the front wheel.

Making unique images out of letters seems to be a common trend among logo designers. But it’s a cool technique time in and time out. The Goodwill Industries logo is another great example. Do you notice how the smiley face in the logo doubles as the “g” in the name of the company?

One of our favourite logos is for a sports team that doesn’t even use the design anymore. But Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers used to use one of the most clever logos in sports. The glove holding a baseball seemed like a simple enough logo…until a closer look reveals that the logo is actually the letters “m” and “b”.

What would you like to be part of your logo? At MeloTel, we are only too excited to get working on a logo that may have the most clever design you’ve even seen. Let us know what you’d like to communicate about your company. And we’ll find the most interesting way to express that to the world. Your new business logo awaits you! Call us at 1-888-MELOTEL.

There are many family businesses out there. But just because a business is run by a family doesn’t mean that it’s easier and more fun. In fact, many business owners have told us that it’s harder to do with business with family members because of the risk of hurting these deeply-rooted relationships. So what are some ways that entrepreneurs can maintain successful family businesses and families at the same time?

On Entrepreneur.com, Karin Price Mueller writes about the various ways in which family-owned businesses can avoid the traditional pitfalls that generally come with the territory. She reveals five “must-dos” for family businesses to follow so that they remain strong as both companies and family units.

Create a hierarchy. There must be a chain of command that entails specific job descriptions. Mueller writes that positions within the business must be clearly defined based on skill as opposed to other factors such as age or gender. If not, confusion can be created and arguments may ensue. It’s important for non-family members to know exactly who to answer to as well.

Communicate. Isn’t this often heralded as the most important aspect of any relationship? To avoid frustration and resentment, company news must be passed on to family partners on a regular basis. Schedule meetings, suggests Mueller, making sure that all necessary members of the team are properly informed about business affairs. This allows everyone to provide feedback, voice concerns and offer suggestions.

Set compensation rules. Money is often at the centre of most conflicts within business. Not letting money break up relationships within the family structure is key. Mueller insists that you have a compensation plan that clearly outlines salary amounts. The payment ranges should be determined by the respective job descriptions regardless of one’s role in the family.

Establish a welcome plan. Your family may have members who are not yet eligible for the work force. But once they become of age, it will be important to determine how they will enter the business. Don’t simply hire someone because he or she is a family member. Encourage interested parties to gain experience that is related to your industry before become a key cog in the wheel.

Have a succession plan. Writes Mueller: “You may plan to stay with your business until the day you die, and maybe you will. You need a succession plan to make sure your business will survive after you’re gone–something too many businesses fail to do.” Be sure to plan how your business will live on long after you do, and hopefully the business will carry on the family name for generations to come!

Of course, that’s not all Twitter is used for. As we’ve blogged about a number of times, tweeting is also an excellent marketing tool for business owners. Take it from us! The MeloTel Twitter page seemingly attracts followers at a quicker pace than the MeloTel Facebook page secures “likes”.

Maybe this is because, at the end of the day, Twitter keeps it simple. People have the ability to skim through numerous tweets within seconds, perusing through news until they hit a tweet of particular interest. The site also allows followers to retweet those news bites allowing for Twitter to be the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to get the word out.

So how can you use Twitter to your advantage as a business owner? On Twitip.com, Michael Martine from Remarkablogger writes that it is important to tweet what your followers want in order to be a successful tweeter. This includes a variety of things that don’t always refer to direct and blatant advertising of your business. Let’s take a look at a few of Martine’s suggestions of what your followers want.

Cool links to click on. One of the great benefits of Twitter is that a website link as part of a tweet provides a direct path to anything you wish for your followers to check out. They could be videos, songs or your main website. Having your tweets become “click worthy” will make them more interesting and garner you more followers.

Something worth replying to and having a conversation over. On MeloTel’s Twitter page, we often tweet and retweet current events news pieces. Obviously, whatever is hot in the news is what people are talking about. If our page can serve as a hot topic news source, all the better. In the past week, we have mentioned the rise of Jeremy Lin and the death of Whitney Houston while retweeting stories from CNN and CP24.

Something worth retweeting to their own followers. Be exciting and inventive. Often, people will tweet witty quotes or make mention of humorous observations. If you can generate either a laugh or curiosity out of your followers, you will find that you will have your tweets retweeted more often. This leads to more followers and greater exposure of your business.

Feel closer to others they like. Take note of the type of followers you are getting. Firstly, it makes sense to follow them back. But, secondly, it’s also wise to tweet about their interests involving other people they may be following. It never hurts to get to know your followers – which is the whole point. Knowing your customers will help you to better serve them. And Twitter can definitely help you to do that!

We’re all collectively mourning the passing of Whitney Houston whether we listened to her music or not. And why? Because through social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook, the news about today’s hottest stars – be it good or bad – can’t be communicated fast enough.

Take, Jeremy Lin, for example. A 23 year-old point guard for the New York Knicks, Lin has become a recent sensation. His story is very inspiring. Having started his NBA career in 2010, Lin once toiled on the Golden State Warriors only to be put on waivers. He was later picked up by the Houston Rockets who inevitably showed him the door in much the same manner.

But with Lin having a recent opportunity for playing time rear its head with the Knicks – who claimed him off waivers in December –he has practically become an overnight superstar! Having scored 109 points in his last four games, Lin has caught fire throughout the world – especially thanks to social media.

As The Toronto Star‘s Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew pointed out in an article last night, traditional marketing and merchandising cannot keep up with Lin’s meteoric rise. She notes that Lin’s Twitter account has accumulated over 220,000 new followers in the past three months, while nearly a half million people “like” his Facebook page.

Meanwhile, the NBA itself has not been able to meet the demand of the many brand new fans who now wish to idolize Lin. The unlikely superstar’s t-shirts are in high demand and have been sold out in the official online store of the New York Knicks. Evidently, no one expected his star to rise this high, this quickly.

Social media, it seems, has been Lin’s best avenue of connecting with his new fans. He apparently was very aware that this would be the case well in advance of his newfound stardom. Kashmir Hill is a staff writer for Forbes. Hill commented on Lin’s ability to use social media to his advantage.

Said Hill: “What I’ve been impressed by — from the technology perspective — is how prepared Lin was for this onslaught of attention. Lin began strutting his stuff on social media long before doing it for the Knicks.” Evidence of Lin’s far-reaching popularity was found last night at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Lin and the Knicks were in Toronto to take on the Raptors, where it was pretty obvious that “Linsanity” was catching on. If you haven’t yet figured out what social media may be able to do for you, look no further than the NBA’s newest and brightest star. Jeremy Lin is a star on both the court – and online!

At MeloTel, we feel that no matter what your reaction to Valentine’s Day may be, it should be the same for all business owners. And that is one of glee and excitement. (Yes, we actually said “glee” – we know!). That’s because, like most special occasions during the year, Valentine’s Day provides an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs to cash in on the occasion.

As Arnold Anderson of eHow.com points out, “Valentine’s Day is a holiday that offers many different marketing possibilities for the creative business owner. When you market products to people for Valentine’s Day, try to work within their budget, and try to offer services that are not offered by many other retailers.”

In other words, tomorrow is a day when you can add to the strength of your customer relationships – not just the personal and romantic ones that you may have. How so? Well, there are a number of ways to tie the special day to your business. It just takes a little bit of creativity to get the buzz growing louder about your company.

Valentine Emails. Why not send out an e-mail to your customers as if it was a “love letter”? Now, don’t take that the wrong way! We’re talking about an explanation of your appreciation for their patronage. Perhaps, you can offer a special discount at your place of business for all customers who visit it during the week of Valentine’s Day. Simple enough, right?

Special Deals. Offering these deals can be a great way to drum up more business this week. Anderson reminds restaurant owners that tomorrow is an especially important day for them. Consider offering special pricing on couples’ meals or provide free entrees if certain items are purchased from the menu. It goes without saying that many people will be going out to eat tomorrow.

Cupid Hunt. According to Anderson, “Retail stores benefit from games that customers can play during holidays.” So since Easter generally provides the perfect opportunity for egg hunts, why can’t Valentine’s Day spark a “Cupid Hunt” at your place of business? All of your customers should be able to benefit from this.

Anderson suggests you hand out envelopes with an image of Cupid on them. Each envelope should contain a special discount coupon that may be used if the customer makes a purchase above a certain dollar amount. Sounds sweet, right? Here’s hoping you have a very happy and prosperous Valentine’s Day!

Write an article for a newspaper or magazine. Taking out an ad in a newspaper is generally very costly. But if you are able to write an article that is relevant to your industry and submit it for publication, you will end up getting yourself more space in a newspaper than your ad would have given you.

MeloTel President, John Meloche found this to be the case this past holiday season when he had his online shopping article printed in The National Post. (Perhaps we’ve already mentioned that a time or two.) Of course, reminds Hipp, it’s important that your article is of value to your customers, and not just a simple advertisement.

Host a networking event at your business. Last blog, we mentioned that it pays dividends to attend community events. But why not throw one yourself? As Hipp writes, “Hosting an event is a quick way to introduce your company to 50 or more people without paying a dime.” So why not get started on those invitations today?

Start a blog and use the power of social media. Now where have we heard this piece of advice before? In fact, it seems nearly impossible to look up any list of advertising advice and not read that business owners should write blogs and post regularly on social networking websites.

If you haven’t set up a Facebook and Twitter account yet, you are quite simply not up with the times. But don’t take our word for it. Just ask the millions and millions of users of these sites who visit them each and every day. Each site profile is free to set up and easy to manage. And, of course, they are great ways of making new connections quickly.

Partner with another business. Why not combine your resources with like-minded individuals? And although Hipp recommends that you partner up with those who share your same target market, they don’t necessarily have to even be part of your industry.

The “scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” mentality also costs you nothing, and is bound to send more customers your way. As Hipp points out, this strategy allows you to “split marketing costs, and give referrals back and forth.” You see? You don’t have to spend Super Bowl-sized bucks to boost your business!

No wonder there is always such a buzz surrounding these commercials. The thing is though, most business owners can’t even think of spending that kind of money on advertising. Obviously, that doesn’t mean that no advertising should be done. Instead, cost-conscious ways of building business is necessary.

At MeloTel, we know about this all too well. We excitedly work with entrepreneurs across Canada, helping them to build their own brands through such ventures as regular blogging, voicing radio ads and even providing branded promotional gifts. At the end of the day, there are always ways to promote yourself without having to overspend.

On SmallFuel.com, Mason Hipp agrees with us. He writes that there are several ways that entrepreneurs can spread the word about their small businesses without “breaking the bank”. Traditional forms of advertising are not always the way to go. Sometimes a bit of creativity and effort can work as great substitutions.

Go to networking and other community events. Considering that you run a small business, it will be important for you to have a strong presence within your community. After all, you have the unique opportunity of connecting with your clients one-on-one. This is something big corporations rarely have the ability to do.

Go out and meet new people. Be sure to bring along business cards, or even better a promotional gift that will be sure to leave a great impression. Don’t forget to smile, engage in firm handshakes and leave each person you meet with the feeling that he or she would like to do business with you.

Generate referrals from current clients. One of the greatest benefits of handing out promo gifts is that they encourage they type of customer loyalty that often generates referrals. Don’t be afraid to ask your customers to refer you to their family and friends. When your customers are satisfied, they become your greatest sales reps.

Give a free class or presentation. What are you an expert at? How might you be able to share your expertise in a way that generates interest in your business? Think about running a workshop – perhaps even one that occurs on a regular basis – to demonstrate the various things that people may be able to do using your products.

Check out our next blog as we continue to take a look at this list of budget-minded advertising suggestions!

The outcome was no better for the Patriots in 2008 when they lost the Super Bowl to the Giants the first time. The Super Bowl, however, is so much more than a professional football final – as most people know. People from all over the continent usually attend Super Bowl parties, whether they are football fans or not.

They are all fully aware that with so many people getting excited about the big game, it only makes sense to connect with family and friends to take in what is one of the most watched televised events of the year. Halftime, for example, is about as big as the game itself.

This year, pop sensation Madonna, graced the stage for an intense, theatrical performance which also featured the likes of modern-day music sensations, Cee-Lo Green and Nicki Minaj. But as elaborate as this show was, it was not to be upstaged by what most people admit they watch the Super Bowl for – the commercials.

Can you imagine any other television event where people actually look forward to the commercials? Those who are heavily interested in advertising were no doubt paying close attention to this year’s ads, which literally cost millions to both make and have aired during the biggest game in the NFL season.

Not surprisingly, the two arch enemies of the soft drink world went at it with major advertising campaigns. The commercials advertising Coca-Cola and Pepsi, however, were interestingly met with derision by some online critics. On a website dedicated to reviewing the Super Bowl ads, the Coke commercial was referred to as “boring” and “lifeless”.

The all-computer animated ad featured the polar bear characters that are now synonymous with the soft drink. In comparison to many other ads shown during the Super Bowl (stars like Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Matthew Broderick and Clint Eastwood all made appearances in car commercials), the Coke ad seemed pretty tame. Watch it HERE.

The Pepsi ad didn’t fair much better, according to critics. In fact, the website commented that the ad featuring star musician Elton John “was going to be a ‘worst commercial’ contender from the moment we laid eyes on it.” They felt that the use of John was a poor choice as he wouldn’t be able to relate to a young audience. The site was also noted that the concept was a “stinker”. Watch it HERE.

If Canadian shoppers can stay within a budget, Canadian business owners should surely be able to do the same. In our last blog, we took a look at a Microsoft.com article by freelance writer, Jeff Wuorio that outlined ways that entrepreneurs can work within a budget. These tips are bound to be helpful, especially for small business owners who may have no other options but to maintain tight budgets.

Err on the side of conservative. Wuorio suggests that when setting your budget, you should overestimate your expenses just a little bit and “lowball” your expected revenue. This way, you will better ensure that your cash flow will hold up. Budget-saving strategies including special telephone plans and less expensive office furniture should also be part of the plan.

Nurture a cash cushion. Remember that staying within a budget is a plan, not a certainty. You may be on a budget, but you will always want to set aside some money “for a rainy day” as they say. You never know when your “hidden” income may save the day because an unexpected expense has come up. You would basically be creating your own bail out!

Check your budget every month. This is an important tip. You don’t want to neglect your overall objective by simply being lazy. Make sure that each month, you are examining your budget so that you have enough funds to meet your needs. This practice may require you adjusting your budget on a month-to-month basis.

Use your budget as a form of restraint, not constraint! Writes Wuorio: “Setting up and sticking to a solid budget is the most effective teacher of fiscal discipline there is. But don’t be shy about busting your budget on occasion should something truly warrant it.” In other words, there are times when you may want to cut yourself a little slack.

Sometimes situations will arise that require an unexpected amount of spending. But if these situations provide beneficial business opportunities, you wouldn’t want to miss out on them for the sake of being frugal. A valuable investment for your business will pay dividends down the road. Just be certain that it’s a sure shot!

Naturally, these unexpected events are hard to budget for. But as Wuorio explains, “It’s often impossible to budget for a valuable last-minute seminar or a trip to a trade show to make valuable contacts. If you are too rigid with your budget, you’ll refuse to spend when you really should.”

The more you know about someone, the more you develop a personal concern for his or her well-being. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but because you are working with people you like, don’t forget that they still owe you money! It’s fine to offer those who are close to you discounts, but there’s a way to do it that will still allow your business to thrive.

After all, you don’t want your business to suffer just because you are working with friends who are on a tight budget! There may be times where you are working within a tight budget yourself and will need a helping hand to get through some difficult patches. On Microsoft.com, freelance writer Jeff Wuorio discusses the ways in which business owners can make budgets work.

The key, says Wuorio, is to remember that being on a budget is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a good business strategy to set guidelines for yourself that include smart saving habits. There are some problems that arise when working within a tight budget, however. Wuorio offers some suggestions that may help.

Accept the learning curve. Wuorio writes that it’s important to understand that the practice of properly allocating your money towards appropriate expenses will take some trial and error. Learn to adjust your budget, over time, as you go through your list of requirements that will help drive your business. The more you do this, the better you will get at it.

Be prepared to miss your budget estimates and act accordingly. According to Wuorio, “This was rule No. 1 in setting up a budget: knowing that your budget projections are a best guess and nothing more.” As part of your learning curve, you will sometimes need to reallocate funds to certain areas of your budget so that you are able to make up for potential losses in particular areas.

Work flexibly. Sometimes your revenue won’t match what it is you expected to make. In some cases, you will need to trim back your expenses. In other cases, you may need to invest in better advertising methods. This works best, however, when you actually are making more than you expected!

Watch your cash flow. Writes Wuorio, “If you want to stick to a budget, make sure that your inflow more than compensates for your outflow. Monitor your income closely to make certain that you’ll have adequate funds to pay your bills, particularly if your business is prone to long lapses between paychecks.” Check out our next blog for the completion of this list of tips!