Strawberry Communications has rebranded the feedback so far has been impressive. You may have already caught a glimpse of the fresh pink strawberry, seen the new Strawberry Communications website or noticed the updated newsletter template.

For those of you who knew the original Strawberry Communications brand, you will see the colours are the same, except for the introduction of a neutral beige which lifts everything.

When I first launched the business almost four years ago I loved the strawberry design, but always felt there could be something more. Or the brand could say more. Or something should be different… One of the problems when briefing the graphic designer then was my ambivalence about exactly what I wanted.

So after letting it sit with me for a few years, and after several conversations with designers, friends, clients, prospects and anyone else who would listen, I decided it was time for a change. I wanted to keep the colours, the name and the fresh feel, but I wanted the brand to be more “me” and reflect the expanding horizons for Strawberry Communications.

It made sense to ask a friend, who was also a graphic designer, to work with me on this. Forget about all the bad press around working with friends – if the brand was to be more me, then the designer had to know me and know the direction the business was headed. After a design briefing over Skype with the very talented Lena Tarasenko from visionfield design house, I was confident she knew where I wanted to go. And you can see the results!

Next step was to work the new brand elements into all the business touch points, leaving some teasers on various social media platforms to show people what was going on. As I waited for my new business cards and with compliments slips to arrive, another clever friend, Nicole Hammett from Picasso Media Group, started work on the Strawberry Communications website, putting together a clean design with an emphasis on the news we create.

Those who have seen the new brand have been excited by the change and the overwhelming response has been that the new look is more me, which means Lena and Nicole fulfilled their briefs perfectly.

More importantly, though, what do you think?

Picasso Media Group launches its online marketing business this month on the back of great success already through word of mouth.

The Central Coast, NSW, business will help small businesses create a prominent presence online by building awareness and exposure through WordPress websites, social media and Search Engine Optimisation on Google.

Owners David and Nicole Hammett have built their new business after achieving success in the online space through existing virtual assistance business Little Miss Useful. They will officially launch the new venture at the Central Coast Business Expo on 22 June.

The couple saw a need in the market to make business easier, particularly for micro and small business owners who wanted to compete with bigger fish on the online pond, without forking out for expensive online marketing solutions.

With Picasso Media Group’s easy to customise and manage WordPress templates and websites, this dynamic online duo has created a simple, yet effective way for businesses to get started online.

“It was born to focus specifically on small businesses and entrepreneurs with the need for an online presence,” David explained.

“Our current customers love the flexibility the WordPress platform brings them,” Nicole said.

“They constantly tell us how they love having the control to make instant changes, update and add content themselves without having to rely on their web developer to do it,” she added.

Added to a customised website, Picasso Media Group works with small businesses to develop social media and SEO strategies, ensuring online success.

Even though it hasn’t launched yet, Picasso Media Group has already achieved organic growth for new WordPress website clients and projects through referrals and virtually no marketing.

“We value simplicity and transparency in all that we do, and aim to provide an experience for clients that results in the continued organic growth we have seen ourselves over the past year through word of mouth,” David explained.

Picasso Media Group understands how expensive it can be to get a business online when first starting out, so introduced the WordPress-based econosite! It is the ideal package for small businesses needing to get online quickly – without blowing their budget.

As a launch offer, Picasso Media Group is giving econosite customers free web hosting for the first year, making doing business even easier!

Picasso Media Group offers an end-to-end online solution including design, hosting and maintenance. It is the one-stop-shop for small business websites.

For more information about Picasso Media Group and its wide range of WordPress websites, visit http://picassomediagroup.com/ follow @nicole_hammett and @dave_hammett on Twitter or connect on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/PicassoMediaGroup

Annalisa Holmes from The Transcription People will speak about the transition from home business to commercial premises and Justin Roberts from Big Click Studios will share simple tips on increasing your business’s ranking on Google.

CCBiz began informally earlier this year when a group of Central Coast small business people who had been communicating via social media decided to meet up in person.

This small group started to grow as other business people were invited to join in. The founding members decided to meet once a month at venues around the Central Coast and formalise their group, calling themselves CCBiz.

CCBiz is run by small businesses with small business issues in mind, CCBiz coordinator and owner of Nicole Hammett Business Support Nicole Hammett explained.

“One of the reasons we met in the first place was because we wanted to be able to talk about our businesses with other business people, but without the pressure if having to network with everyone in the room,” she said.

“We focus on informal meetings where everyone is relaxed and can speak to whoever they want to.

“This comfortable group situation has led many of our members to start doing business with each other, as well as offer support on whatever issues are affecting our businesses at the time. Someone else always has another option or solution to consider,” Nicole said.

Besides the monthly meetings, CCBiz has also launched a website www.ccbiz.com.au, which includes posts by CCBiz members, a Central Coast business directory, resources for small businesses on the Central Coast and information about the group.

The website was set up by CCBiz founding members. Dean Collins and Justin Roberts from Big Click Studios designed the site, Dave Holmes from Dictate Australia is hosting the site and Nicole Hammett from Nicole Hammett Business Support runs the site.

CCBiz has three main goals:
• Provide a support network for Central Coast businesses
• Encourage the Central Coast business community to support one another and help to grow our local economy
• Provide informal and low-cost networking functions

Tickets for the CCBiz launch event are $26. Space is limited so bookings are essential at the CCBiz events page: http://ccbiz.com.au/events/

For more information about CCBiz and upcoming events visit: www.ccbiz.com.au