UGA SBDC Branding Standards V2.0

SBDC Branding Standards, 1

UPDATED: MAY 12, 2015

BRANDING STANDARDS


TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction Letter . . . . . . . . 3

Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Branding Overview . . . . . . . . 5

Official Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Accent Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Colors Use & Color Codes . . . 9

Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Logo Use & Tagline . . . . . . . . 12

External Messaging . . . . . . . . 15

Email Signature . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Statewide Materials . . . . . . . . . 17

Branding Theme . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Web Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Member Recognition . . . . . . . 21

Social Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Hashtags, Photos & Video . . . 27

Newsletters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Locating Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Telephone Etiquette . . . . . . . . 30

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31


We are so excited to begin this transition into our new UGA SBDC brand! Rebranding allows us to be more visibly recognized as a statewide organization,

providing our network with vested interest and increased credibility.

We understand that rebranding is not to be taken lightly. To aid you in this transition, we have compiled a Comprehensive Branding Standards Guide. This guide should provide you with all the information you need to successfully use our great new brand in your future marketing efforts.

We are counting on all members of our team to serve as Brand Ambassadors, recognizing the need for staying true to our brand and upholding brand equity. Please take time to familiarize yourself with this document, referring back to it when necessary, as it is the foundational piece for the entire brand unification process.

Consistency is key when it comes to marketing and as we move forward, we want anyone and everyone to be able to see our logo and know exactly who we are and what we are about.

As representatives of the SBDC, we appreciate your cooperation and assistance in preserving the integrity of not only The University of Georgia, but all host institutions, as well as the Small Business Development Center brand. With your help, we can achieve the awareness and recognition needed to become the leading small business educational organization in the state of Georgia.

We hope this guide answers all of your branding questions, but if not, please feel free to contact a member of the State Office.

Thank you,

Beth MelnikBeth Melnik

Assistant State Director


The network conducts marketing efforts at both the state level and the area office level. The following outlines the responsibilities of the State Office and of the area offices.

STATE OFFICE

Federal and State LegislatorsNational and State Stakeholders

National and State-Level AssociationsFederal and State Government Agencies

National and State Media

AREA OFFICES

Local Small BusinessesLocal Federal and State Legislators

Local StakeholdersLocal Associations

Local Government AgenciesLocal Media

PUBLIC RELATIONS


Brand consistency helps identify our message against

the thousands of images and information shouting

for attention in today’s world. When achieved, it

projects a unified image in a marketplace and clarifies

competitive advantage.

This comprehensive

branding guide serves as

the foundational piece of

our entire brand unification

strategy. Our brand directly

contributes to the perceived

strength of our network. We

strive to reflect strength in

our unity and identity. We

are the “principal providers

of small business assistance

in Georgia!” Our brand

should be reflective of the

designation - representing

unification, pride and loyalty.

BRANDING OVERVIEW


Our new look symbolizes unification across all offices and host institutions as a statewide organization. The unification symbolizes the pride we have in our expertise, the work we do, the impact we create and the loyalty we have to small

business success and economic prosperity.

The following pages outline the branding standards of the UGA SBDC brand. Please refer to these when creating all

future marketing materials.

All SBDC members are encouraged to be proactive and contact a State Office team member when questions about

our new brand identity standards arise.

The following sections represent how the UGA SBDC brand should be utilized.


ACCENT COLORS

CRIMSON | 20% TRUE BLACK

CMYK (Print) | C: 28 M: 100 Y: 87 K: 38RGB (Web) | R: 130 G: 18 B: 32HEX (Web) | #81121F

STEEL | 50% TRUE BLACK


ROSE | 25% PANTONE 200 C

CMYK (Print) | C: 2 M: 23 Y: 15 K: 0RGB (Web) | R: 245 G: 203 B: 198HEX (Web) | #F5CBC6

PLUMC: 59 M: 80 Y: 30 K: 11

R: 116 G: 73 B: 116#744974

SAGEC: 52 M: 23 Y: 77 K: 3

R: 132 G: 158 B: 96#849E60

AQUAC: 87 M: 45 Y: 13 K: 1

R: 0 G: 122 B: 173#0379AC

KHAKIC: 18 M: 13 Y: 26 K: 0R: 208 G: 207 B: 187

#D0CFBB

CHARCOAL | 75% TRUE BLACK


Only 25% of the design can contain these colors.

Primary colors MUST dominate the design.

Only 10% of the design can contain these colors. Primary colors MUST dominate the design.


COLOR USE & COLOR CODES

PANTONE AND CMYK: PRIMARILY USED FOR PRINTED PIECES.

WHY: Graphic designers have to deal with the issue of seeing their work on screen in RGB, although their final printed piece will be in CMYK. Digital files should be converted to CMYK before sending to printers, unless otherwise specified. Because of this issue, it is important to use “swatches” when designing if exact color matching is important. Swatches provide a designer and client with a consistent example of what a color will look like on paper.

CMYK refers to the four colors used; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black to generate a color. It is these four colors which are mixed together to make up other colors, much the same principal to how paint is color matched. The components are the amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink that a CMYK color contains and are measured in percent from 0 to 100. The CMYK color model is a subtractive color model, whereas RGB color model is an additive color model. Subtractive color models use reflected light to display color.

Pantone is a standardized color matching system, utilizing the Pantone numbering system for identifying colors. By standardizing the colors, different manufacturers in different locations can all reference a Pantone numbered color, making sure colors match without direct contact with one another. The most commonly referenced colors are in the Pantone Solids palette. The Pantone Solid palette consists of 1,114 colors, identified by three or four digit numbers, followed by a C, U, Or M suffix. Originally designed for the graphics industry, the Pantone Solids palette is now used by a wide range of industries, and is the most commonly used palette. For example, Pantone 199 Red can be identified as Pantone 199C (C= Coated Paper), Pantone 199U (U= Uncoated Paper) or Pantone 199M (M=Matte Paper).


RGB IS USED FOR ELECTRONIC/WEB USE.

WHY: RGB color system is only suitable for screen reproduction such as computer monitors, mobile phone displays and TV screens. This is not suitable color matching for printing or to color match from, as each screen may represent colors differently. What may look fine on one screen, may be look completely different on another. The components are the amounts of red, green, and blue light that an RGB color contains and are measured in values ranging from 0 to 255. The RGB color model is an additive color model. Additive color models use transmitted light to display color. When you add red light, blue light, and green light together, so that the value of each component is 255, the color white displays. When the value of each component is 0, the result is pure black.

HEX IS USED FOR WEB USE.

WHY: The phrase, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” can help understand what the heck “HEX” is. Basically, different people consider different colors as different shades. When you hear the word “sea foam” some people consider it a more “turquoise” color and other people consider it a “aqua” color. To eliminate this confusion, web designs have a special code they use when selecting colors. Rather than typing in: font color = “blue” the coder tells the computer EXACTLY which “blue” they are referring to by using a hexadecimal code that most humans gloss over: 24-bit colors.

That is, 16,777,216 unique combinations of exactly six characters made from ten numerals and six letters — preceded by a hash mark. Like any computer language, there’s a logical system at play.

The first character # declares that this “is a hex number.” The other six are really three sets of pairs: 0–9 and a–f. Each pair controls one primary additive color.

NOTE: Color varies between computer monitors and in-house printers. All colors should be matched using their appropriate color values, NOT by matching them with the printed colors in the document.


Our NEW brand should have 3 basic fonts used in all publication materials (with an additional 4 extra fonts used strictly for headings or special text). These fonts achieve overall cohesiveness essential to our brand. All publication materials are required to use these fonts.

PRINT“GO-TO” SAN SERIF FONTS:Arial - Body TextArial Black - Headings; added emphasisImpact - Headings

“GO-TO” SERIF FONTS:Minion Pro - Body Text

Minion Pro Bold - Headings; added emphasis areas

“GO-TO” SCRIPT FONTS:Vladimir Script - Special Text; Headings; Names; Never in All Caps (Everyday)

Rage Italic - Special Text; Headings; Names; Never in All Caps (Casual)

Edwardian Script - Special Text; Headings; Names; Never in All Caps (Formal)

ELECTRONICCalibri - Body Text

Calibri Bold - Headings; added emphasis

Calibri Italics - Locations; Titles; added emphasis

FONTS


STANDARDS OF USE OF THE UGA SBDC’S OFFICIAL PRIMARY LOGOS ARE AS FOLLOWS:• Alterations to the logos are prohibited; this applies to typeface, proportions and

placement of graphic elements.• The organization’s primary logos (full color, black and white, and reverse black) are

the only permitted color variations. The red and black logo should be used as the primary choice.

• The full color logo is to appear on a white or light neutral background. If full color printing on a white or light background is not an option the black and white logo should be used, but you must contact the Marketing Manager to receive these files.

• Logos are not to be used as a background/watermark for text or graphics and must be legible.

• Logos must be surrounded by clear area as shown below and on next page. No other graphics or words are permitted to touch, appear, or overprint in this area.

• The minimum size for the reproduction of the logo is approximately 1.25 inches tall in printed media or 90 pixels tall for electronic media.

• The logo may not be resized disproportionately, either taller or wider.• The logo is to appear on all published communications, electronic or print.

NOTE: There may be exceptions to some of these standards; however, State Office approval is required.

OFFICIAL LOGO USE


THE LOGO IS ONLY TO BE USED IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

Full Color

NOTE: The “SBDC” must ALWAYS be PANTONE 200 C unless given approval by State Office. If you need a strictly black and/or white logo,

please contact the Marketing Manager.

Reverse Black

TAGLINEOur official tagline (which may not be altered in any way) is:

“Growing Georgia’s Businesses.”

The tagline should only be used with a branded serif or san serif font. No script fonts. The tagline should be used when able, but use isn’t required. When using

the tagline, it must be on the same page as the logo.

LOGO EXAMPLES AND TAGLINE


Do not place the black logo on a dark colored backgrounds (white or light back-ground only). The reverse logo should be used for all backgrounds witha dark color.

Do not compress the logo.

Do not remove any portion of the logo. Do not stretch the logo.

Do not recreateelements

in the logo.

Do not tilt or skew the logo.

INCORRECT LOGO USAGE:


EXTERNAL MARKETING MESSAGING

DON’T USE...

Free (ex: The UGA SBDC offers free consulting)

Counseling (ex: sign up for counseling)

Expertise for Entrepreneurs (old tagline)

Start-up/Start (ex: The UGA SBDC can help you start your business)

Kennesaw State University SBDC

DO USE...

No Direct Cost (ex: The UGA SBDC offers consulting at no direct cost)

Consulting (ex: sign up for consulting)

Growing Georgia’s Businesses (new tagline)

*Start-up/Start (ex: The UGA SBDC can help you grow your business)

UGA SBDC at Kennesaw State University

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center has previously been identified as The Small Business Development Center of the Georgia Network and perceived as an organization whose primary purpose was to serve start-up enterprises. While the statutory definition is inclusive of businesses up to 500 employees in the broader marketplace of the word “small business,” it is understood by most as “mom and pop” businesses. To gear our organization more towards helping established businesses grow, we have made the purposeful decision to foster a change in the perception of the SBDC by exchanging specific words for more appropriate and more inclusive words.

When asked (or when writing) what is the “SBDC” and what do we do, please consider using the following language:

*Although we offer start-up courses, as well as provide assistance to start-ups, established business-es are our focus. So, it’s ok to use the word start-up/start, but never as a primary feature of the SBDC. And, when labeling the SBDC’s services, growing businesses should ALWAYS be listed before starting a business (even if it seems backwards in order).


The statewide standard of the UGA SBDC email signature is pictured below. To ensure consistency across the state, all employees automatically have a pre-stamped signature attached in each e-mail message.

If you wish to have your social media links (professional pages... no personal accounts) included in your email, a “subscribe to our newsletter” link included, or a “view upcoming events” link, please submit a ticket to [email protected] and one of our Information Technology Specialist will assist you in this process.

NOTE: Your signature will be included at the very end of each email (you will not be able to see it in your actual email however), but will be pushed to the

bottom of each additional email thread once dialog begins.

EMAIL SIGNATURE


The statewide UGA SBDC brochure is standardized to ensure effective and consistent communication of the SBDC’s unified services. The brochure highlights statewide core, targeted services and information that will drive customers to the state website.

The State Office coordinates all orders for the statewide brochure. Contact Sharon Jennings for supplies of this brochure ([email protected]).

NOTE: Modifications to the brochure are not permitted.

THERE SHOULD BE NO OTHER SBDC BROCHURES IN PRINT. THE BROCHURE LISTED ON THIS PAGE IS THE OFFICIAL BROCHURE AND IS THE

ONLY BROCHURE PERMITTED TO USE THE UGA SBDC LOGO UNLESS OTHERWISE GIVEN PERMISSION.

GROWING GEORGIA’SBUSINESSES

www.georgiasbdc.org

For additional information, please visit our web site or contact one of our local offices:

OUR LOCATIONS:

ALBANY 229-420-1144ATHENS 706-542-7436GEORGIA STATE 404-413-7830UNIVERSITYAUGUSTA 706-721-4545BRUNSWICK 912-264-7343UNIVERSITY OF 678-839-5082WEST GEORGIACOLUMBUS 706-569-2651DECATUR 770-414-3110GAINESVILLE 770-531-5681GWINNETT 678-985-6820KENNESAW STATE 470-578-6450UNIVERSITYMACON 478-757-3609CLAYTON STATE 678-466-5100UNIVERSITYROME 706-622-2006SAVANNAH 912-651-3200GEORGIA SOUTHERN 912-478-7232UNIVERSITYVALDOSTA STATE 229-245-3738UNIVERSITY

Manufacturer Shows ‘Made in America’ Benefits Bottom Line

What if you could outsource to an American company at the same cost as an overseas provider? Anker, owner of Columbus-based manufacturer and distributor Ankerpak, says he frequently poses this question to buyers.

Anker is on a mission to bring more manufacturing jobs back to Georgia. “More CEOs are telling their staff to go buy American. I tell them, ‘we have your solution right here.’” Then he shows how his company can make and package a variety of products faster, better and at a price competitive with overseas providers.

Anker describes his plant as similar to one he saw on a visit to China: “You walk in the front door, and we’re manufacturing diversity. Like my plant manager says, we’re limber and flexible. We’ve got a good, stable structure and can make anything.” His employees now number 80.

Anker’s consultant, SBDC Area Director and Consultant, Mark Lupo, helped him obtain a $1.8 million loan to refinance his building and equipment purchase. He is a FastTrac graduate and GrowSmart speaker, has taken the ExportGA course and participates in the CEO Roundtable.

“I will keep going back to Mark and the SBDC,” says Anker. “The things he and the SBDC do help me dig deep roots. They’ve been really good to me.”

John Anker, Owner of Ankerpak Columbus, Ga.

OUR PARTNERS:

A Public Service and Outreach Unit of The University of Georgia.

STATEWIDE MATERIALS


www.georgiasbdc.org/digital

DIGITAL MARKETING BOOT CAMP

A Public Service and Outreach Unit of the University of Georgia. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.

Designed specifically for small business owners who want to learn to integrate technology and marketing in the digital space to increase profits and gain customers. Learn how to:

• Make search engines work for your business• Use social media to cultivate brand

ambassadors• Look into the future and examine the powerful

applications made possible by broadband technology

• Tap into the mobile marketplace• Effectively utilize paid online advertising• Learn about free tools to improve traffic to your

website• Use photos and video to promote your products

and educate your customers

Sponsored by: COST: $49

Social media icons, headers, profile photos, cover photos, logos, flyers and brochures are available at the online SBDC Portal (https://sbdcuga.sharepoint.com/SitePages/Home.aspx). There are also some statewide special services, including loan brochures, ag brochures, and international trade materials as well.

A variety of branded graphics and stock photography are also available for general use (only licensed for SBDC materials) at http://bit.ly/sbdcmarketing. Below are a few examples:

SPECIAL SERVICES MATERIALS


BRAND THEMES












AT BAT

11 1 2

0 00

07

0

P TEAMYOUR BIZ

COMPETITORSX

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

BALLS STRIKES OUTS H E

SERIES

REGISTER FOR OUR CLASS!WED., JUNE 15, 2015 | 8 AM TO 5 PM

IN GAINESVILLE, GA

FOUNDATIONSWHAT IS ONDECK? OnDeck targets entrepreneurs who have already started a business (on deck) and are “at bat” in the small business world. As we know, a business owner only have so many strikes before they’re out and the doors to their business are closed. This series of courses will help you take the laces of your business and provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to hit a grand slam!

For more information, contact the SBDC Gainesville Offi ce at:Phone: (555) 555-5555 -or- [email protected]

Featured are a variety of themes that compliment our brand. The new brand can be married with a variety of colors and graphics as shown on pages 7 and 8. We encourage you to produce themed materials appropriate for your events while still staying true to our brand.

When space permits, use the triangle design element in your designs. The triangle should never be in the center of the page, but rather on the top right or left inside margin, or on the bottom right or left inside margin. The triangle should never run into the edge of the design, nor should it ever be cut off.

Also, instead of using thin divider lines, try overlapping horizontal bars with titles inside. An example of what this may look like can be found in the marketing section of the portal under “Event Materials” (growsmart, startsmart, quickbooks, digital marketing bootcamp, etc. flyers available).

NOTE: Do not use a red header or footer as the SBDC will disappear and blend into the background. Please be sure to only use black, white, or grey as the

header and footer colors.

Some examples of headers/footers you may use for social media, newsletters, flyers, etc. are:

FOOTER

HEADER













WEB STANDARDSThe state website that is being developed will include a page for each individual office. Centers are encourages to use the state site as their websites; however it is not a requirement. By consolidating blogs and any additional websites floating around, our search engine optimization will be drastically increased, as well as ensure that any consumer who visits our site will be able to view full information about their nearest location, upcoming training, and any additional information they are seeking.

For centers to choose to host their own website, the official UGA SBDC logo, along with our tagline must be used and placed PROMINENTLY at the top of the website’s homepage and subsequent pages.

• The size of the logo and tagline must be appropriate so that the type is legible.• The brand is to be incorporated throughout the website (tagline, logo, colors, etc.).• All UGA SBDC website homepages must include the official logo, as well as the SBA

acknowledgment requirements (as outlined in this document. See pages 21 and 22).• Homepages are to highlight the fact that the UGA SBDC is an accredited member of the

national America’s SBDC, as well as state that The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center at/in [insert location/school here] is a Public Service and Outreach Unit of The University of Georgia.

at Georgia State University

at Georgia State University

NEVER APPROPRIATE


As part of the SBA Program Announcement, SBA outlines specific guidelines for acknowledging the importance of the resource partner relationship. The official SBA acknowledgment of support statement must be featured in a prominent location on all materials produced using project

funds (i.e., federal funds, matching funds and/or program income). Materials include, but are not limited to, press releases, brochures, reports, advertisements, training booklets, website homepages, etc. SBDC websites must include the statement and hyperlink to the SBA (www.sba.gov) on the homepage. The term “materials” does not include items such as stationery or business cards.

SBA ACKNOWLEDGMENT STATEMENT FOR MARKETING MATERIALS, VIDEOS, AND WEBSITES:The UGA SBDC at (University/College Name) is funded in part through cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

SBA ACKNOWLEDGMENT STATEMENT FOR ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS WITH EDITORIAL CONTENT:The UGA SBDC at (University/College Name) is funded in part through cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). All opinions, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

SBA ACKNOWLEDGMENT STATEMENT FOR EVENT MATERIALS:In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, all notices; promotional items; brochures; publications and media announcements informing the public of events, programs, meetings, seminars, conferences, and workshops sponsored or cosponsored by the SBA, must include the following accessibility/accommodations notice:

The UGA SBDC at (University/College Name) is a member of the University of Georgia SBDC, a statewide service program funded in part through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA’s funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if

MEMBER RECOGNITION


requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact (name, address, and phone number of the person who will making the arrangements).

The appropriate acknowledgment of support must appear verbatim and may not be altered or replaced with substitute language. However, on materials with severe space constraints such as signs and banners, a SBDC may substitute “SBA” for “U.S. Small Business Administration” in the acknowledgment of support. The acknowledgment of support must be presented in a legible typeface and font size.

SIGNAGE REQUIREMENTS:UGA SBDCs are required to prominently display signage featuring the current SBA logo and the acknowledgment of support at all facilities open to the public. The State Office has provided signage for each office.

SBA LOGO AND ACKNOWLEDGE STATEMENT -- USE RESTRICTIONS:The SBA logo and/or acknowledgment of support statement may not be used in connection with SBDC activities that are outside the scope of the Cooperative Agreement. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES may the SBA logo or acknowledgment of support appear on items used in conjunction with fundraising; lobbying; or the express or implied endorsement of any good, service, entity or individual.

NATIONAL ACCREDITED MEMBER RECOGNITION:

National accreditation status brings credibility

to the Georgia SBDC as a high quality

economic development and delivery system.

It speaks to a sense of public trust, as well as

to professional quality.

AMERICA’S SBDC ACCREDITATION SEAL

To showcase the UGA SBDC’s national accredited member status, the America’s SBDC accreditation seal should be used. The accreditation seal follows the same rules as the UGA SBDC logo in regard to usage, areas of isolation, color variations, brand colors, etc. The seal graphics are also located on the portal in the marketing section along with the SBA logo and any SBDC trademarked logos.


SOCIAL MEDIASocial media sites are an additional extension of our brand. All social media channels are required to adhere to our branding standards, as well as the social media regulations set by The University of Georgia. This comprehensive branding guide provides strategic direction to the organization on the appropriate and effective use of social media. In addition to providing strategic guidance on the use of social media, we offer additional social media resources that can be found on the portal under the marketing section titled “Social Media.”

Social media profile pictures are to contain the logo, unaltered and sized proportionately. Below are examples of how your profile photo should look:

Social media headers should also be created to include our branding elements, as well as be location specific. For example, if you are located in Savannah, you might picture downtown Savannah, the battery, the bridge, or the ocean. If you are located in Atlanta, perhaps feature the ferris wheel, the beltline, the ATL skyline, Piedmont Park, etc. If you are a contract center, you may also use this space to feature your school. The only alterations that can be made to the social media header is the color of the web address bar (must be a school color). The web address MUST be www.georgiasbdc.org.


SOCIAL MEDIA POLICYADHERE TO OUR CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS AND THE TRUSTED PRINCIPLES• You can find copies of these documents on our website.

MAKE SURE THAT YOUR POSTS ARE ACCURATE AND FACTUAL • If you realize that you’ve make a mistake or error, correct it quickly. It’s better to verify

information with a source first than to have to post a correction or retraction later. • The social media community values when users cite and link to sources whenever possible;

that’s how you build community. This will earn you respect in the online community. • Deleting inaccurate data is discouraged on social media because of the amount of emphasis

put on transparency, so it is important to get things right on the first post (this excludes typos and misspellings).

ACCEPT AND MONITOR COMMENTS AND REPLIES• Be respectful. • Posts on social media sites should protect both the SBDC and all host universities institutional

voices by remaining professional in tone and in good taste. • Don’t publish content containing slurs, personal insults or attacks, profanity or obscenity, and

don’t engage in any conduct on a social media site that would not be acceptable in SBDC and all host university workplaces, classrooms or websites.

• Always be fair and courteous to our followers, even if you disagree with their opinion. Anyone using social media at the SBDC should be aware that material published on these outlets may be subject to policies outlined in the UGA or host institution Human Resources’ Policies and Procedures, including but not limited to the Disruptive Behavior/Workplace Violence or the Conduct sections as well as any other applicable UGA policies or laws.

• Anything that would be deemed a violation of policies in a face-to-face or telephone communication would likely be considered a violation of those same policies if it took place within the social media environment.


SENSIBLY POST• When posting, avoid using statements, photos, video or audio that reasonably could be

viewed as malicious, obscene, threatening or intimidating, that disparage customers, co-workers or suppliers, or that might constitute harassment or bullying. Examples of this type of conduct might include offensive posts meant to intentionally harm someone’s reputation or posts that could contribute to a hostile work environment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex/gender (including pregnancy), gender identity and expression, national origin, disability, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship status, Veteran status or any other classification protected by applicable law, rules or regulations.

MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF BUSINESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. • Don’t externally disclose, post or share “insider” business-related, confidential information

or communications that belong to the SBDC or our clients, vendors, suppliers or others, such as client lists, pricing and sales information, financial data, systems and technology information, intellectual property, operating plans, etc.

• Always use ethical judgment and follow university policies and federal requirements.

SPECIAL GUIDELINES - OFFICIAL USE• Obtain permission for official organization use of social media. If you’re interested in starting

an official external UGA SBDC-sponsored blog, website, podcast, account, page, group, etc. related to our organization, products or services, you must get approval from the

• SBDC State Office.

REPRESENT UGA AND HOST INSTITUTIONS• Remember that you’re representing not only our organization, but also the entire University

of Georgia (and other host institutions) in your posts and content. • Don’t delete a comment just because you disagree with the commenter’s point of view.

Comments are an important part of the conversation and a foundational aspect of social media. People will disagree with you from time to time. However, you can (and should) monitor social media for which you are responsible, and you may delete any comments that are abusive, obscene, obviously spam or have links to irrelevant or inappropriate blogs or websites.

• When posting on social media, be cautious of what you share. Anything you share on your office’s social media page should not take a stance on any political view. Anything that is questionable, you should stay away from.

ACCEPT AND MONITOR COMMENTS AND REPLIES• Social media is, by design, a conversation and not a one-way broadcast. • Be prepared to accept and respond to comments. Understand that not all comments and

replies will be positive, and respond to negative comments professionally and by providing any additional information that may help resolve the issue.

• Users may post comments and start dialogue that has little to do with the post in question. • If the matter in question involves a topic that can easily ignite debate (politics or religion, for

example), avoid it.


FACEBOOK SHORT DESCRIPTION (AND TWITTER DESCRIPTION):Enhance the economic well-being of Georgians by providing a wide range of educational services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

FACEBOOK LONG DESCRIPTION:ABOUT [Insert Center Name Here]:The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center at [insert center/location name here]...

Information about [insert center/location name here]... goes here.

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center is an extension of UGA’s Office of Public Service and Outreach. The UGA SBDC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

TWITTER HANDLE:@ugasbdc_[center’s initials here] (ex. ugasbdc_ksu, ugasbdc_csu, ugasbdc_gaso, ugasbdc_uwg, ugasbdc_gsu, ugasbdc_vsu)

FACEBOOK NAME:UGA SBDC at/in [insert center/location name here]

FACEBOOK CATEGORY:Business Consultant (or Center) | Local Business | Educational Organization (or Education)

SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINESBE A VALUED MEMBER• If you join a social network, make sure you are contributing valuable insights and posting

quality content regularly. Be sure not to overload your updates. • Your connections will stop paying attention if you overload with too much information and

ignore you if you rarely post useful information. • As with any other form of communication, having a strategic plan or a content calendar is a

good idea and will allow for proactive use of social media.

BE TRANSPARENT• The line between professional and personal business is sometimes blurred. • Be thoughtful about your posting’s content and potential audiences. • Always remember that you are being entrusted with cultivating relationships and building

community on your social media profiles.

DISTINGUISH AND DOCUMENT YOUR GOALS• Monthly assess why your office chooses to use social media and ensure that all members of

your office are on the same page with your basic goal for social media marketing.


HASHTAGSSome hashtags that are most commonly used in our industry are:• #smallbiz or #smallbusiness• #marketing• #networking• #economy• #socialbusiness or #socialbiz• #entrepreneur• #socialmedia• #innovation• #leadership• #management• #collaboration

Some hashtags to consider using when marketing an SBDC event are:• #ugasbdc• #wehelpsmallbusinesses• #sdbctraining• #sbdcconsulting• #sbdcprofessionals• #sbdcgrowsmart• #sbdcstartsmart• #sbdcdigitalmarketing• #sbdcquickbooks• #ibelieveinsmallbiz

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOWhen selecting photos, please be cautious of the resolution of the photo and refrain from using any photo under 300 DPI if you plan to use it for print. To make this process easier for you, the State Office has provided a Stock Photography Library location in the marketing section under the “Stock Photos” tab. http://bit.ly/sbdcmarketing

Please refrain from using any photos from Google unless they are Creative Commons licensed. You can search for Creative Commons licensing at www.creativecommons.org.

When filming video, please ensure that professional equipment is used, as well as has good sound quality before publishing. We want ALL of our marketing efforts to represent the prestige of our brand. If you think a video might not be up to par, rule of thumb should be to get approval first.

NOTE: All photos and videos obtains from clients must have written consent through completed client release form.


When sending out newsletters, there are several elements you must include to not only comply with the law, but also comply with both the SBDC, as well as the UGA standards.

Each e-newsletter you send out is required to have the following information:• UGA SBDC logo at top of newsletter• “Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business

Administration. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis”

• “Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance”

• Website address• Unsubscribe feature (constant contact includes this automatically)• Organization name, address, phone number (constant contact includes this automatically)

If you choose to send a newsletter via another source other than Constant Contact, you MUST adhere to the CAN-SPAM Act, which requires:

• Don’t use false or misleading header information• Don’t use deceptive subject lines• Identify the message as an ad (if advertising a course or an event) • Tell recipients where you’re located• Tell recipients how to opt out of receiving future email from you• Honor opt-out requests within 10 business days

PENALTIES FOR VIOLATING CAN-SPAM ACT:Each separate email in violation of the law is subject to penalties of up to $16,000, and more than one person may be held responsible for violations. For example, both the company whose product is promoted in the message and the company that originated the message may be legally responsible. Email that makes misleading claims about products or services also may be subject to laws outlawing deceptive advertising, like Section 5 of the FTC Act. The CAN-SPAM Act has certain aggravated violations that may give rise to additional fines. The law provides for criminal penalties – including imprisonment – for:

• Accessing someone else’s computer to send spam without permission,• Using false information to register for multiple email accounts or domain names,• Relaying or retransmitting multiple spam messages through a computer to mislead others

about the origin of the message,

E-NEWSLETTERS


LOCATING FILES

• Harvesting email addresses or generating them through a dictionary attack (the practice of sending email to addresses made up of random letters and numbers in the hope of reaching valid ones), and

• Taking advantage of open relays or open proxies without permission.

For more information about CAN-SPAM Act, scan the QR Code or go to: http://1.usa.gov/1DdH6dN

NEWSLETTER COLORS:You are only permitted to have a red, black, grey, or white background (primary branding colors). Do not use accent colors for backgrounds UNLESS it correlates with a national holiday. At which point, you should only use approved branding colors.

Headings and dividers should also only be approved colors and used in the percentage allowed by the branding guide.

Most files can be found on the sharepoint site: www.sbdcuga.sharepoint.com. You can login to this site using your UGA SBDC credentials.

If you are looking for stock photography, logos, social media material, or templated course materials, you can go to http://bit.ly/sbdcmarketing (or select the marketing tab on the sharepoint portal) for a variety related files.

There are many stock photography files available. The photos available range from general marketing to agriculture, international, people in action, landscape, city scenes, medical, pharmacy, finance, backgrounds, and even vector files for those familiar with .EPS file formats and Adobe CS software.

WHEN TO USE WHICH FILE TYPES:

• TIFF: TIFF is good for any type of pixel-based images requiring large files and no loss of quality. • JPG: JPEG (most common file type) should be used for smaller files and when no transparency

is required. Don’t use .JPG for images with lots of text or when crisp lines are needed.• GIF: Use GIF for very small, fast-loading graphics for the Web. • PNG: Use PNG when you need smaller file sizes with no loss in quality. PNG’s are great files

types when transparency is needed. • EPS: A standard graphics file format containing vector drawings. EPS is universal and can be

opened by just about all programs (except Constant Contact).


When the phone rings, often this is the first opportunity we have to make a great first impression; therefore, it is imperative that our brand promise is delivered properly.

Phones are suggested to be answered with the name of your office and an offer to assist the caller:

For instance: “Thank you for calling The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center. This is [insert name here], how may I help you?”

Recordings should be used only when a person cannot get to the phone. The customer should be called back in a reasonable timeframe (no later than the next business day).

Some questions you should ask the caller before referring them to a consultant:

• At what stage are you in the business planning process?• Where is your business located (to make sure your are the best office for service)?• Do you have a business plan?• Have you owned your own business before?• Will you need funding?• Do you have a projected start-up cost?• Banks will require some type of down payment, do you have that available?• Do you know your credit score? (as your personal credit will be a factor also)• For SBA loan, you may need a credit score of 700+, if caller has bad credit and no money, send to

www.credibility.org for credit counseling.• Email (for source of contact)• Name, Phone, Address (for additional information to be mailed... email is best though)• How did you hear about the SBDC?• Referred by whom and to which consultant?

The first steps should be to get the caller to enroll in a class. If the person is trying to startup a business, perhaps the Starting a Business, Writing a Business Plan, or StartSmart class is right for them. This is, afterall, the quickest way to get in front of a consultant.

If the caller already has an established business, then meeting with a consultant would be the next appropriate step or attending a GrowSmart class.

TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE


RESOURCES

Adobe Creative Suite Helphttp://tv.adobe.com/

SBDC Logoshttp://bit.ly/sbdclogos

Course Event Templateshttp://bit.ly/sbdctemplates

Portal Marketing Sitehttp://bit.ly/sbdcmarketing

Stock Photographyhttp://bit.ly/sbdcstockphotos

Marketing 101 Guidehttp://bit.ly/1IuAxH0


DRAFT VERSION 4 (REV. 5/5/2015)1180 E. Broad Street - Chicopee Complex, Athens, GA 30602-5412

O: (706) 542-2762 | F: (706) 542-7935 | www.georgiasbdc.org

A Public Service and Outreach Unit of the University of GeorgiaFunded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

UGA SBDC Branding Standards V2.0

Documents

Transcript of UGA SBDC Branding Standards V2.0