Creating A Logo Assuming you’ve settled on a name and you’re ready to go over to local copy shop and get a thousand business cards printed.

Not so fast, before you have a business card, you will need a logo.

I’m not talking about picking out a symbol to go with your name from a business card sample book at Office Depot or a local print shop. I’m talking about creating a unique logo that captures your business’ style and professionalism, in a creative, appealing look.

It’s always best to work with a professional designer to create a logo for your business. While there are “do it yourself” web sites out there where you can create your own logo online—you have to make all make all design decisions and unless you have a design background, you may not make make best choices.

A designer can not only apply his or her creative skills to create a unique look for your business, they can listen to your vision of your business, your target market and give you an outsider’s perspective.

Marketing Consistency Having a professionally designed logo is first step in presenting a professional image of your business.

A designer can also help you with design and layout of your letterhead and assist with printing your business cards and other marketing materials. This is important in that all your marketing materials need to belong to same “family” in design and layout.

Designers can also help you with design of ads, web sites and can handle all “pre-press” work, and can make sure anything public sees always presents best possible image for your company.

While almost every printer now is working with digital files, some printers want PDF files to print from and others want .EPS or .JPG files. Four color printing requires that all files be converted to CMYK and a designer can bridge gap between your marketing needs and printed product.

Ok, so hyperbole meter is rising again, but you get picture.

Next time you're tempted, don't drool over latest Guru's 'How To's'...'Kindergarten Dropout Makes a Bundle Working Only 40 Seconds on Internet Each Day', 'How I Turned Google Into My Own Personal Cash Slave', 'My Secrets Are Worth 20 Million a Month to Me, I Just Can't Wait to Tell You Everything'!

Don't be fooled by slick copy writing, don't be tempted to reach for that plastic wand.

Take a smarter approach. Use your brain. Use your God Given Intelligence. Don't buy latest offerings from next big hot 'marketing guru'.

Instead, do this.

If a marketing expert is making $15,000 a month with Google Adsense, don't automatically go out and buy his/her book of secrets. Use your head - if you have time, seek out their sites and pick them apart. Study lay-out, study design, study keywords. Learn everything you can, and apply it to your own web site or marketing. The Internet gives up its secrets, nature of beast!

Next.

Don't cultivate a need for latest marketing 'tell-all' info-product, but rather cultivate a relationship with source. Seek out experts. Find one or two in areas of Internet Marketing you need help with: SEO, Mini Sites, Affiliate Marketing, List Building, Google Adsense/Adwords, Copywriting, etc.

Get to know marketer who's selling product, join his/her affiliate program, sign up to their opt-in newsletter, ask them questions in online forums. Be nice, be curious, be helpful to them - whether it's selling their products, bringing in more affiliates or just being of assistance if asked for. Always remember it's a two way street and must be beneficial to both parties, so give as well as receive.

Build relationships and you will build a foundation of knowledge that you can draw from again and again. Develop these relationships with a diverse group of marketing experts in areas of interest that's vital to your Internet Marketing and you will be at right starting point.

Nurture these relationships, grow them, watch them bloom and your own marketing results will harvest rewards.

All you really have to do is Learn How To Learn. Teach yourself and you will never have to go back to Kindergarten again.

Or buy another marketing info-product!