Branding is about the promise of an exceptional, memorable experience.
At Brandit360, we believe it’s about creating an expectation and delivering it consistently every time anyone comes into contact with your brand, whether it’s the way you answer the phone, how your website functions, your customer service process, how your office looks or how your product/service performs. It’s how you make your customers feel about themselves and their decisions when interacting with your brand. It’s why you shop at store A vs. store B even if the price or product might be similar.
Developing an authentic, strong brand and delivering it consistently is the key to success.
Think about it. Apple. Disney. Ikea. Patagonia. These brands are memorable because they evoke emotion in consumers. And the consumers feel that emotion because they believe. And they think this because, most of the time, these brands deliver on their promises.
- Apple thinks differently.
- Disney creates magic.
- Ikea democratizes excellent design.
- Patagonia saves the planet.
These brands are valuable in every sense of the word because they make lives better. They make people more hopeful. More spirited. Being conscious about your brand strategy empowers you to do the same with your brand.
Does your business marketing connect the dots for your prospective customer?
Of course, each of your marketing pieces individually makes sense: You have your brochures, a website, and your Facebook or Instagram account. Great, Check, check, and check. But have you ever thought about the effectiveness of these pieces when they are part of a bigger plan?
Do you remember the connect-the-dots puzzles when you were a kid? You would connect each dot by drawing one line to connect to the next. Once combined, the dots reveal a larger picture.
Your marketing efforts should do the same. More is needed to move from one project to the next. Your marketing pieces should connect to every other aspect to reveal a larger picture of your business to your prospective clients.
Your business will reap the benefits of your cohesiveness when your marketing is strategically connected. Connecting each element to work together rather than independently is the key.
Here are seven ways to better connect the dots for your business’s marketing efforts:
1. Brand Consistency
Developing a strong and authentic brand and delivering it consistently is critical to the success of your business.
These critical elements in your marketing plan should always be consistent:
- Brand Voice in copywriting (including tone and style)
- Design elements (colors, typography, design elements, and white space)
- Photography/Videography
2. Simplicity
Keeping your marketing simple will ensure success.
Make it easy for your prospective clients to see the big picture.
- Present content and information clearly and effectively.
- Use best digital media practices, including copywriting, navigation, and hyperlinks.
- Make it easy to respond when using a call to action.
3. Emotion
“People don’t buy for logical reasons; they buy for emotional reasons.” Zig Ziglar
In the organization, we present the opposite: emotion. The Ziglar quote is so accurate regarding marketing: real emotion works.
They begin to build relationships. They experience an emotional connection to the brand or business.
4. Calls-to-Action
Guide prospective clients to the next logical step in your funnel or customer journey.
Every page on your website, every email, and every brochure you hand out has to connect to the next step you would like your potential client to complete. You can only expect someone to go from 0 to 60 with acceleration. So your marketing needs to provide them with simple tasks that will take them one step closer to becoming a client or purchasing your product
5. Multi-Faceted
A connect-the-dots picture is not made from only one line.
Your marketing plan needs multiple elements. Most of us use a website, a brochure, and business cards. But what about:
- Email marketing
- Print materials, including direct mail
- Social Media
- Microsites & Landing Pages
- Event Marketing
- Digital Advertising
- Contests
- Blogs
- Podcasting
6. Automation
Connect the dots while you focus on other tasks.
Marketing automation provides the ability to nurture leads who have offered their contact information, to go into the next phase of the customer journey or funnel.
This automation can provide a more significant number of touchpoints while nurturing the prospective client into a human connection. Connection points for marketing automation include:
- Social Media
- Direct Mail
- Microsites or Landing Pages
7. Tracking Data
Measure everything to know what is working.
With today’s technology, it is easier to provide metrics for your marketing efforts. In addition, tracking allows a better understanding of what is working and what needs tweaking.
Google Analytics will track your website and provide tools to follow the links from QR codes, print materials, email campaigns, social media, and other advertising.
Businesses need to present the bigger picture of their organization. Connecting the dots from various marketing elements to a greater whole can take your business from just a brand to a brand in demand.
