You’ve just finished a business lunch with a potential client, making a powerful case for why your services or product would be a great fit for her company. She seems interested and you thought she might ask you to provide her with a comprehensive proposal. Instead, she leans over and tells you that you’ve had a piece of spinach in your teeth during your entire lunch presentation.

When you hand out your business card or when a potential client sees your corporate brochure, Web site, product packaging or proposal, what kind of message are you communicating? Is the impression professional and competent, or does it look like your company has a piece of spinach in its teeth?

Presenting a badly designed or poorly communicated corporate identity to a potential client is more than just embarrassing.

Neurological studies have shown that humans make an emotional response to things they see within three seconds. That includes what they think of you and your business. In three seconds you don’t have time to present how beneficial your services or products are. In three seconds there’s no time to convince the client of your great return on investment or the quality of your products. In three seconds there is only time to present a quick visual impression of your company to that potential client or customer. And if that visual impression is poor, then their emotional hiring or buying decision about your company may already have been made – in a direction that won’t make you money.

Your corporate identity should mean something to your customers; it should convey positive truths about your company and your offerings. The value in going through an identity program comes from taking the time to consider exactly how you want your customers to see and experience your business in order to get them to respond in the way you need them to.

To read more of Rick’s ideas about branding your company’s identity, pick up a copy of the November issue – available at Auntie’s Bookstore in downtown Spokane.

Rick Hosmer is one of the principals and the creative director of Klündt | Hosmer, a visual communication and branding firm. His 15-person staff serves regional and national clients in financial services, technology, health care and other industries. Over the past 20 years, Klündt | Hosmer has created corporate identities for over 450 businesses and organizations. Rick can be reached at (509) 456-5576 x113 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .