Do you feel your marketing collateral is looking jaded? Does it still represent your organisation and the way you do business today? Is your organisation in need of an image facelift? If you feel like you are being left behind? Then it’s time to do something about it before your invisibility starts to affect your bottom line. All businesses need to stand back and review their image every few years so they can keep up with the competition. You have to work continuously and consistently to ensure your message gets heard. You can never let marketing efforts slide, as there will always be another company joining the race to win business in your field. Here’s how to get your marketing collateral in order:
Logos Speak Volumes
Perhaps it’s time for a rebrand? Your company logo is often the first thing a prospective customer will see and to gain their custom they need to instantly identify with your brand. However there is more to a brand than a logo. Your company’s vision, values, ethos and reputation all represent your brand but it often starts with image. So take a long hard look at your logo, does it represent your products and services? If you do decide to rebrand ensure you choose a designer who really understands your industry, business and objectives. They should listen to your ideas, your likes and dislikes and ultimately offer a selection of designs for you to consider. A rebranding exercise is a major project that involves more than just your logo but you need to ensure the logo you choose has longevity. It must look current but it also must be designed to evolve easily over the years.
Brand it!
This is fairly straightforward. Brand everything in sight! If you are attending an event make sure all your marketing collateral is branded. Powerfully branded visual aids such as exhibition stands, banners and flags will help ensure your logo and organisation get noticed. Take up every opportunity to get your logo seen. Branded company vehicles that travel all over the country become cost effective advertising boards, in the face of the public any day of the week. Company uniforms, branded shirts, ties and jackets not only unify your staff but also mean your logo is seen wherever your staff go. You can have the usual letterhead, email banners, pads and pens but don’t forget to keep your social media pages and website up to date with your logo and latest product offers and services.
Printed Materials
Print is making a comeback! With improvements in technology creating cost effective printing methods that create quality products it’s cheaper than ever to revamp your printed materials. From business cards, letterhead, brochures and leaflets quality printed materials are a tangible representation of your business. Also as inboxes overflow with junk our in-trays have reduced in size so if you do receive promotional mail, you are more likely to open it and take a look. And if you like what you see then you will probably hold on to it for future use unlike email marketing which tends to end up in the trash when we clear out our inboxes!
Get Socially Active
We’re not just talking offline, we mean online too. To expose your brand to your target audience you need to become a social butterfly. This takes effort and dedication but in time you will reap the rewards as your brand awareness grows. A robust digital marketing strategy is a must. In the last decade, social media has exploded and offers multiple platforms to businesses to promote their products and services. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the main channels to try but undertake some research to understand the social activities of your target audience as well as your competitors so you can match what they are doing. Make sure your posts are interesting, appealing and of value to the end user to build engagement with your target audience. You should also consider social media advertising as well as PPC as both are powerful ways to promote your brand, products and services.
Being active online is not the only way to network though, don’t forget the more traditional methods such as attending events and seminars. People do business with people and face to face networking is still a very powerful way to promote your business. Why not take up opportunities to present and talk at business networking events as well as attending or exhibiting at trade shows and exhibitions. All these activities will help build your reputation, brand profile within your industry as well as raising brand awareness.
