Not every prominent brand was created for exorbitant prices. I believe most of us are aware of the fact that a famous logo, Nike Swoosh, was made for a miserly $35 cost, but the same logo is now the rationale for one of the most eminent brands in the world. We can also find a number of cases in the UK market as well. Even though the cost of famous logos are not usually disclosed to the common man, I tried to find out what famous logos cost these days in UK market.

Following are the costs incurred on making famous UK logo designs that I managed to find.

1. Liverpool City:

The was created by the company Finch Design Agency. It was made in 2009. The price of this logo was £70,000.

2. BBC3:

In 2008, BBC made a decision to revamp its BBC3 logo. They asked Lambie-Nairn Agency to do this work, who made this identity for £400,000.

3. London 2012 Olympics:

you might be familiar with the designer of the London Olympics logo, Wolff Ollins. He designed it in the year 2007. it cost around £400,000 to make.

4. Office of Government of Commerce:

This logo design was made by the company FHD. It was designed in 2008. It was built for a total of £14,000.

5. Belfast City

Lloyd Northover Agency was tasked to create an identity for Belfast City. They made it in 2009 for a hefty cost of £180,000.

Britain and the States have always shared common values; historically the two countries are closely aligned. Whether you are watching a repeat of Friends, or grabbing a Starbucks coffee, the cultures seem similar. But when it comes to PR, what are the significant differences in how companies on either side of the Atlantic operate?

Dennis L Wilcox, author of Public Relations Strategies & Tactics, says that that PR practices are not only the same in the UK and the US, they are the same globally. He explains: “The principles and basic concepts of effective public relations are the same around the world. There’s still a focus on media relations in all nations, but practitioners around the globe are getting much more sophisticated about managing issues, crisis communications, CSR, social media, and even the metrics of measurement.”

Rebecca Southern, account director at PR agency Edelman, has worked both in London and in New York. She agrees that, basically, PR work in a large agency is the same in both nations. Rebecca took a five-month placement to the New York office and she was surprised at how alike working in the US is to working here. “The first thing that struck me when I started working in New York was actually how similar the day-to-day activity was when compared to my role in London. The processes, strategy and tactics underpinning client programmes were much the same.”

Day-to-day life may be similar for PROs working in the New York or London office of a large consultancy, but the differences between the British and Americans start to come to light when working with clients and with the media. Here there are important differences, both culturally and logistically. Because of its size of America, there is a huge range of communities, in terms of consumer tastes and therefore media consumption. Andy Barr, co-founder of PR agency 10 Yetis. He has experienced marked contrasts when working across the Atlantic. “The sheer geographic size difference between the USA and the UK means that where you can use generic press releases nationally over here it simply won’t work in America, they need to be really tailored state by state.”

Apart from its size, there is a great deal that the UK shares with America, which is why UK PROs find it relatively easy to cross over, and vice versa. However, the differences between us should not be discounted.

This is not necessarily true, as there are hundreds of thousands of businesses within the London area and true that some are well known for quality and value (at a cost) this is not the case with all of them.

PR agencies within London number over 1,000 and true there are some of the larger PR firms based in the city (international agencies that have their corporate offices within the M25 or close to a key client) however there are lots and lots of ‘pr boutiques’ and smaller agencies that are located close to the center, but may have just started out.

Many of these will provide competitive prices to compete with the many other PR agencies that there are in the UK (not to mention the ones from overseas that are pushing into the UK now).

If an agency is based in the very heart of London then they may charge more due to their costs of rent and staff however this is not necessarily the same across the board as all agencies will be different.

For a larger agency, they may have more staff that need to commute into the center, whereas a smaller agency that only has 2-3 staff that live locally, would be more price competitive.

The best way to check what prices and options PR agencies offer is to get quotes from them and compare them like for like with perhaps other agencies in London or even agencies that are outside of the M25.

We do advise to work with a local agency where you can, as meetings are an important part of the agency understanding your business and goals, this can be lost with a more virtual relationship that is based around e-mail. Not knocking hands off business relationships however with marketing and PR a meeting is recommended in the early days but also to have review meetings. If your company is based within the M25 and live close by it would make sense to work with a local London based agency – just a case of comparing them with others locally to be price conscious.

Joining a trade association can open up new opportunities. You might come across information specifically for your type of business through magazines, websites, and software programs. Also leadership opportunities can result from your joining a trade association.

Trade associations host conferences that allow you to meet other people in the business. You can also expect to see a lot of vendors that will be offering products and services related to your business. For example, if you are in real estate you could expect to see software vendors to be present with real estate software programs or real estate website packages. Some events will have an expo where all the conference vendors are located. You can take time to walk the floor and see all the products and services that are offered for your type of business.

Training and classes are the real point of conferences and conventions. This is where you get to learn the newest information on what is going on in your industry. These classes are just like the classes that you had in school. You get a schedule of events and pick the ones that you want to attend. You need to get to the classes early to get a good seat for the presentations. If you get there late and are in the back of the room it can be hard to see the information on the projection screens. Usually at the back of the room there will be products for sale that are related to the class. Some classes are really information based and others are just promotional pitches for a specific product. Make sure to take good notes during the presentations that might be useful when you get home.

Conferences allow you to get out of the office, meet new people and learn new information. Conferences and conventions are usually held at large hotels. When a conference is announced make sure that you identify the dates when it is going to take place. Check for early bird discounts. If you register for the event early you might receive a discount on the price to attend. Also check to see if there are any association member discounts for staying at the hotel. Bring plenty of business cards when you go to a conference.

PR is basically the acronym for Public Relations and is the art, Profession or technique of Promoting the goodwill of a business. Most companies have their own PR officers who are quite efficient in promoting their individual businesses and companies. And with the improvement of technology, PR success is much more defined.

This is because the mobile phones, PCs, blackberry phones, notebooks and PDAs all help PR officials in the management of their extensive contact lists. In other words, with these mobile Productivity apparatus, PR officials can have their contact lists with them at all times. They don’t have to search for the contact list in their notes to access the lists.

Moreover, with their tools with them wherever they go, they can build up their contact list as and when they get to know more customers and clients. There is no worry of not having a pen and paper ready to note all this information with their mobiles and notebooks with them. With the help of these devices, there is no chance of mistakes occurring as data that is once stored in these electrical devices will not change. The data will remain as it is even after months or years of storage.

Practically all organizations have their own public relation professionals; and in large organizations, you may even find a dedicated group of communications department in charge of PR skills and success of the firm. The main duty of these PR professionals is to communicate to the audience so that the message they propagate through PR coincides with organizational goals while seeking benefits to mutual interests when possible.

To succeed in PR, it is important that you project a positive image of yourself. The best way to do this is to show your professionalism in the work you do as this makes people give you a good and professional response in return.

Attending seminars, meetings and public functions give you an opportunity to meet new people who may directly or indirectly help you in your business or organization. Carry your mobile and PDA device when you attend these functions so that you can store information like the name, contact numbers, email addresses and even birthdays of your new acquaintances.

With the extensive memories these mobile devices have, you need not worry about the limitations of the number of new contacts you can add to your contact list. In addition to the birthdays of clients, over a period of time, you can also later save the wedding anniversary date of married clients.

There is no point in just storing all this information; use the automatic alarm features of your mobile productivity devices to remind you on the birthdays and wedding anniversaries of your customers and clients. It is up to you then to decide whether to just give them good wishes for the day or to send over a bouquet or gift to them for their special days.

Just the thought that you had remembered their birthdays and wedding anniversaries, and the occasional calls you give them all project a positive image of yourself. People like being remembered on their special days and this act of calling them is all part of PR skills you have to develop.

There are also other methods to be followed to improve your PR skills through enhanced mobile Productivity. Never hide facts with people; providing false information and impressions only lead to people not having faith in you. Instead, provide them with valid dates and contact information on any project or deal you suggest them.

Whenever possible, try to be as supportive and approachable as possible to customers and clients. Even when on a holiday, take along your mobile or laptop so that you can be contacted while on the move. Those needing help and advice will surely appreciate your thought and consideration in answering their calls when you are on a holiday. Spending only a few minutes on a call can give a great and positive impression on your PR skills.

Instead of getting your message across in conventions and seminars with only a speech, use pod casts to get a better and clearer message across to the audience. There is no chance of mistakes occurring with web casts and pod casts, making it all the more better for you as people will admire you for your PR skills.

In fact, when at a presentation, and you find that you are stuck with your presentation; you can use your PR skills and some mobile productivity to pull you ahead. Use your smartphone to open your PowerPoint presentation or excel sheets and connect the smartphone to a projector while using your oratory skills in giving a successful presentation.

With your mobile Productivity devices, you can offer quicker responses to your partners, customers and colleagues. This facilitates faster communication with your coworkers and customers and in the process, gives your PR skills a boost. There is no reason for anyone to wait for your response as you are accessible anywhere and anytime.

In fact, with your mobiles, PDAs, smartphones and other handheld devices, you can be reached even at the most urgent of situations. Emergencies can be handled over the phone; you can reach a destination in a matter of minutes. And if you are not well versed with the area you are heading to, you can always use the GPS system on your phone to help you out. Whatever you do to reach the destination, the fact that you had acted promptly to a call signifies your excellent PR skills.

With the development of your PR skills with mobile productivity devices, you find that you prove to be successful in your work and business too.

manager level, forefront the activity than being engaged in backend, and for all this we change jobs like we

change clothes in the hope of better job roles and positions. Seemingly, this is found in public relations or

communications line more.

The management in various PR agencies is cognizant of this but do little to correct it. Focus is on growth,

expansion through acquiring more clients, offices and partnering with PR agencies offshore and extensive

management policies.

The need of the hour is to hold on to resourceful talent and invest in them along with growing your business.

Giving a day off from work to attend training sessions and seminars, rewarding best sellers, organizing pr award

events is a step forward but certainly not enough. Nothing can beat self realization, self learning and self

development.

In the light of increasing productivity and harnessing talent, PR agencies should adopt superior technologies and

simple management policies to cut down unnecessary time wasting processes! By doing this, resources will not

only be able to invest time judiciously on their self learning, attaining more in-depth knowledge of client’s

business, understanding of their industry better, and focus on planning along with basic operation work but value

add in whatever they do.

Citing a common example of intranet here: Almost all companies and agencies have intranet with multiple

features to keep everyone connected, informed, and also perform basic operation such as timesheets,

appointments, and store files. How many actually make use of it? Or I would say, spend time understanding and

using it efficiently. Either, it is too complex, or there is no time for it. Even then, just because the management

has invested in it so you must use whether you like it or not.

Simplifying work life is the key. Technology is good but it should be simple and user friendly, and most

importantly resonate with all.

No chatting, checking personal mails, social media sites allowed. All this in order to protect work related data

from leaking out but this isn’t going to work anymore. We all want to stay connected through chat, and be able to

access all our files and folders online. Everything can’t be possibly stored on webmail or mobile. So, there has to

be a system where I’m equipped with information where ever I go and needless to bother colleagues for mailing

the documents to me when I need them the most.

Accessibility is important.

Mistakes happen; after all, we are human. Having said this, there are times when you are held against for

something you haven’t done or was wrongly communicated which resulted in crisis. Do you keep all your

communication documented? Is all your communication in one place? Maybe not! Perhaps, you keep all your

exchanges in outlook and spend hours locating that one mail which will fence you from the acquisition laid by

your boss or client.

Accountability and clarity in whatever you do

Commonly, documents reside in your inbox, intranet or desktop. Multiple places to store! In one shot can you

locate your documents without having to look through all these multiple storages? More commonly, most of the

documents have multiple versions or drafts that clutter your storage. Can you identify the final correct version of

your file in one glance without having to open the file?

These are small but important things where we end up spending a lot of pointless time. That is, improper storing

of files and locating them.

One storage place, one search and all files grouped in order

Time is money. If you are not able to save time diligently you will lose out on self learning, resources and

business.

With old people leaving and new people joining your business, not only your credibility will be at stake but your

investments on talent will go up. This is simple logic! When people leave, all information is scattered and

unfathomable.

With logic there is a solution, it is to get organized the TaskTrek way.

TaskTrek is one common place available anytime and anywhere:

· To communicate with multiple stakeholders
· Store information in an organized manner
· Bring accountability & clarity in work

This application is your agony aunt at work place. It takes away your multiple layers of irrelevant communication

and stores all documents in an organized yet natural manner so that there is no lapse.

· All communication with stakeholders and work related information is stored in one place
· All work related information is accessible at all times, anywhere
· Multiple versions of the same document or file chronologically organized in a common section
· Easy and systematic way to delegate work within team and share information with key stakeholders
· No send button, only share. No e-mails, only conversations.
· Real time updates by e-mail and pop-ups to keep you abreast on your work, with automatic refresh
· Standard folders to manage documents the way you want to see them
· Quick filters & powerful search locating documents in the system and within files by key words
· Fastest way to get minutes of the meeting as you chat online
· Easy way to log hours and track status on activities and team performance
· Confidentiality of communication and information retained through access rights

Shopping has become effortless. Also, people do not have a problem paying extra for their goods. Importers and exporters indeed have an
important role to play in this supply chain. Export import business can be done from one’s own home. The funds required to begin it are minimal. If you have a computer with internet facility, then you can work from the comfort zone of your home. You do not have to face another person as your boss.

One needs to have good networking. If you have a good contact base, then you can successfully do this business and move items. Online
business is quicker and if you have a voice over IP facility, then you can shop online. One can trade and promote goods online without any
difficulty at all. There are trading processes where one can buy and wholesale without having to ship the goods oneself. You only need to maintain cash flows, maintain flawless accounts and offer good customer service. If you have made a customer unhappy, he is not going to place repeat orders. They may spread bad word about you which can be disastrous for your business.

The pre-requisite for any business to be successful is to have a business map or plan. Do your homework and research in the line of goods you intend doing business. What type of goods are you looking at, what amount and what method or mode of money you intend doing business. You need to identify the nations you intend doing business with. One needs to research thoroughly before entering this field. Just like any other business, you need to do your groundwork so that you know that the foundation is strong and you will thank yourself for this.

Are you going to handle and manage the entire business by your own or are you going to employ someone. You may want to start small initially and then grow as time flows and you understand more about this business. Once you understand the export import market trend, you will be able to take a decision as regards the goods or items you intend trading. Purchasing goods in bulk or wholesale is good if you are sure that you have taken the right marketing strategies.