Your company image – hit or miss?
I just saw an amusing email from a company we work with about social media branding and it got me thinking about how brand development has become multi-dimensional.
It used to be that your business card, brochure or ad was the first way customers were introduced to you. We’d advise our clients that “you only have one chance to make a good impression” so take the time to create professional marketing materials. Most business owners and marketing managers understand this two-dimensional world and put at least some effort into having materials that are consistent and professional.
Branding in a new world.
In what is being called the “Now Revolution” where doing business is becoming increasingly immediate and round-the-clock, it is more likely that prospective clients will find you in a social media channel or on the Internet rather than an ad or a brochure.
What kind of impression are your prospects getting when they land on your Facebook or Twitter page? What about your landing pages and blogs? Or a video or slide presentation? Is it a hit or a miss? to ensure a hit your layout and offers should be the equivalent of a greeting with a smile or a warm, welcoming voice.
Unless it is your intention to convey your brand as sloppy, boring or tedious. You laugh! I did when I saw the photo in the email of a couple with teeth missing, disheveled hair, and wearing sloppy tee shirts. No businessperson in their right mind would want that image for their company. Yet that’s what’s happening with many of these new marketing channels. They get overlooked, forgotten or relegated to the office intern.
Lay out the welcome mat.
Design promotions, images and copy that welcome visitors to your pages and conform to your established brand elements. Train your staff to respond in your brand voice, one that represents your company. Lay out the welcome mat and personalize it. The default settings are just like having a robot answer your phone—boring and impersonal.
Don’t know what your brand image or voice is? We have a brand development worksheet to get you started. And if that’s too much for you to deal with, hire a professional with the branding experience across different platforms, not just social media. Everything needs to be integrated to maximize your efforts and investment.
Your presence in today’s marketplace shouldn’t be hit or miss. You want to be sure their first impression, no matter which way they come to you, is your very best.
