IDENTITY:. identity is an integral part of branding and refers to the visual representation of a brand. it is usually anchored by a strong logo. an identity system traditionally encompasses standard business collateral as well as other non-collateral and non-advertising pieces. a logo should reflect what a company's customers are looking for and what will make them trust and like the firm. when a logo is being designed, a lot of entrepreneurs are thinking more about what they like aesthetically than about who they are selling to and that can be a mistake. first impressions count, especially with small businesses. if you're a client and you're looking at whether you want to do business with company 1 or company 2, you will likely to go with the one that appears professional and credible because of the way it represents itself. a great logo can make a small company appear stable and seasoned. it can also help keep customers loyal. this and more starts with the logo. BRANDING:. branding is a very important concept in communicating who you are. a brand isn't a logo and it isn't matching colors. it is a systematic approach to marketing whereby an organization can communicate its "essence" and gain credit with current and potential customers for everything that it does. a strong brand image communicates a non-verbal feeling about a company or organization upon recognition of the brand. this recognition can be from seeing identity, but is often from advertising. this can be a feeling of quality, dependability, humor or even negative feelings related to perceived shoddy work or poor service. branding starts with a strong logo, but it is not only about the logo. ads in television and in print play a big part in branding. from there, branding is tricky because a brand is an evolving thing. it is a non-verbal definition based on a customer's experience, from news to word-of-mouth reputation. branding is influenced by every primary and secondary touch an organization has with an individual. for a brand to be successful it must follow close guidelines: 1.  it must be durable, 2.  it must be intentionally maintained and propagated through all aspects      of an organization and 3. it must have time to develop context. are you looking to create and/or define your identity? do you want to work to develop a positive brand image? give trent reker a call. he'd like to meet and discuss what he can do for you.     WRONG AND RIGHT: wrong - bad placement: sure it isn't arlington pedophile center? wrong - of of date: 1991 is calling, they want their style back. right - tarot and astrology: looks esoteric. right - network site privacy: keeping your skeletons in the closet since 2006.