“Halloween was once an inexpensive holiday. Families made treats like candy apples, constructed costumes out of old bed sheets, and made their own spooky decorations,” says Howard Dvorkin, CPA and founder of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc.

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This Halloween, Spot-On Branding did just that. I designed a fun new logo, constructed using a simple idea: the standard bed sheet ghost costume.

Great news—the logo design was an instant hit and a perfect fit! Let’s explore the branding process with Niki Robinson, owner of Robinson Writers and recent founder of her exciting new writing enterprise, Posts By Ghost™.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Nora on various projects over the last few years,” says Niki Robinson, “and I’m continually impressed by her creativity and her dedication to her craft. So when I needed a logo and some branding ideas for my new business venture, Posts By Ghost™, I knew Nora and Spot-On Branding would be THE best option for a fun new brand.”

The Challenge

Niki explains, “I’m a writer—which is an appropriately broad description of the freelance writing work I’m often hired to perform. Over the last few years, I’ve discovered the market I really want to focus on to attract ideal new clients, so I created Posts By Ghost™. My new business is centered around writing web content for businesses and busy professionals to increase web presence through excellent, natural search engine optimization, or SEO. One way this is done is by providing blog posts, hence ‘Posts.’ Additionally, I write in the style and voice of the business or blog owner, which is called ghostwriting, hence ‘by Ghost.’ Put them together and you get Posts By Ghost™!

“While I know my business, I’m a word person, not a visual person—so it was hard for me to convey what I wanted in a logo design,” says Niki. “I want an exciting website and business launch, so I need my brand to accurately capture my enthusiasm and excitement for what I do. However, while I wanted a fun logo, I didn’t want it to be too goofy or silly. I still wanted a certain level of professionalism, shown through a creative approach.

“I really had no idea what I wanted, “ Niki continues, “but I knew how I wanted my new brand to feel—and I wanted this logo to serve as a jumping off point so I can create a cohesive brand and present an engaging business to my target audience.”

The Solution

”Nora was hands-on every step of the way, so I knew that she ‘got it’ because she listened to every single one of my rambling, scattered thoughts,” Niki explains. “Nora dug deep to discover what I was looking to do with BOTH my business and my branding, so we could holistically approach the logo design and branding process.”

Niki wanted to express fun and creativity. She wanted a character to pull the weight of the logo so her brand message could speak and shine through.

The solution was a simple, fun, googly-eyed ghost (who has since been dubbed ‘Colin’).

Colin has a lot of personality on his own, but also because he’s very versatile—with only a simple move of his pupils, his expression changes quite easily. Also, Colin doesn’t have a mouth, so he thinks rather than speaks…which goes hand in hand with the idea behind hiring a ghostwriter.

Colin is a quiet, but insightful helper with a dynamic personality, which is just what Niki was looking to convey through her business.

The Result

”I’ll admit I was nervous when Nora called me up (so excitedly) to unveil my new logo…but it was an immediate hit! I didn’t just like it—I LOVED it. With her help, I know this brand is going to be a huge asset to my business,” says Niki.

Once Niki found the right name for her ghost (Colin), the brand ideas really started flowing…

“I’m even MORE excited about my new business because of my awesome new brand!” Niki explains. “I’m now working on a series of C-words that describe Colin’s vibrant personality, while explaining the different facets of Posts By Ghost™. For example, Colin the Candid Ghost (because business owners want their privacy respected and a good ghostwriter is always behind the curtain) or Colin the Charismatic Ghost (because a great ghostwriter will always write in a way that entices your exact and ideal target market).”

Niki’s ideas for brand messaging and brand building continue to grow as we work together to solidify the brand as a whole. Although the logo hasn’t officially launched quite yet, Colin has already made a positive impact among Niki’s current clients, and is a huge success with her friends and family as well. We’re expecting a soft launch for the new Posts By Ghost™ website around December 1^st, and the full site launch, complete with integrated branding, by January 2013.

So keep an eye out for Posts By Ghost™ and Colin the Creative, Cool, and Clever Ghost!

Happy and Safe Halloween, everyone—from your friends at Spot-On Branding!