The time has come!
Fourth quarter is the ideal time to refresh your marketing materials. Take a hard look at your logo, website, brochure, corporate deck, and any other collateral materials you have. Just as you are no longer wearing bell-bottoms or using a flip-phone, you should not be using the same marketing materials that you’ve used when you started your business. If your materials look dated, it’s time to refresh.
Re-define your “who” and your “what”
Take a step back and determine the “who” of your brand. Articulate your value-added proposition and clarify what distinguishes you from the competition. You should be able to clearly state why someone would choose to do business with you and what is unique about your offerings. Then create the collaterals to reflect the newly defined you.
Update your messaging
Make sure the language in your messaging is up to date, and try to reference contemporary issues and industry buzzwords. Remove any outdated jargon or phrases that will clearly tarnish your marketing and your brand as outdated and irrelevant. Professionally-written, to-the-point marketing collateral will make the right first impression, and build trust in your values and quality of your products or services. If the content does not resonate with your audience, even the most aesthetically pleasing materials will not bring results.
Incorporate a physical-digital mix in your strategy
Well-written and beautifully designed print materials can be coupled with online marketing mediums to deliver a well-rounded MarCom strategy. Have brochures point to mobile-friendly websites and social media platforms, incorporate QR codes to let users scan marketing assets with their smartphones, and link slide decks with video campaigns.
Catch your customer’s eye
Make sure your collateral will cut through the noise of the competition, grab the attention of potential customers, and project a vibrant image to your current portfolio. Headlines and images must be engaging and the content itself should be presented in an easy-to-read and compelling layout. All marketing collateral – whether brochures, websites, one-pagers, emails, infographics, videos, slide decks, etc. – should be consistent, both in language and design. Every MarCom piece should showcase updated images, have a fresh look-and-feel, and convey a clear and consistent message.
Constantly track the competition
Paying attention to your competitors’ marketing messages will give you a good view of your industry’s marketing landscape, and help you craft messaging that will stand out. Once you determine who your direct competitors are, collect their marketing materials and identify both their positioning and target market. This will help you map the competitive landscape, and pinpoint openings that you can exploit to your advantage.
Contact Grow for a free consultation and together we will refresh your brand. Whether you need content marketing, business plans, branding guidance, digital and video marketing, or tradeshow preparation, our strategic advice has helped many businesses, from both start-ups to established multi-nationals around the world. Now, let us help you.
