Week 4 – Cashing in a Little Brand Equity

Choosing the new logo and accompanying identity package was the main focus last week – along with the continued refining of Web copy. The process resembled my experience in buying our first house when we fell in love with the first home we saw but needed to see some others before we could make a decision. The logo is simple and distinctive and will serve me well for many years – just like that house.

The new logo is necessary, of course, because of the name change, which begs a much bigger question. Why change the name of something that has worked?

The short answer is that SalesTouches.com does a good job of describing the process of reaching out to existing customers/members etc., but it is sometimes viewed as a bit harsh. It is really not about sales at all (at least not at first) – it is about building relationships.

So, the new name is all about relationships – both the interaction between business and individual and the relationship my clients have with me. Unlike the do-it-yourself newsletter options, my clients trust me to be that conduit between them and their people. To communicate their vision and their desire to serve them.

Doing business with my company instead of using online software means you are doing business with me, and the new name reflects that about as well as any name could.

The new name is (wait for it…)

There you have it. How’s that for going for it? All the creative and functional aspects of the Web site and collateral pieces will be based on the concept of personal interaction. When you hire davemail, you get dave (for better or worse).

I am not a software developer, I am a writer, editor and publication manager. My clients will have to believe in me for this to reach its full potential.

Am I risking anything with the name change? Absolutely. I could lose the momentum built through the SalesTouches name, I have to educate existing clients and start all over attracting new ones. But in the long run (which is the only race I’ve entered), I really believe it will be worth it.

ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT (3/22)

Dow: 7278 (up .8% -- first two-week gain in almost a year)

Unemployment Rate: 8.1% (Feb)

Big News: National outrage over $1 million+ bonuses to at least 73 AIG execs after the company got $173 billion in government bailout funds.