Have you ever entertained the thought that if only there was another one of you how much easier or simpler life would be? Sure you have when there seems to be so much more work to do than there are hours in the day to do it.
But of course we know this is not possible!
However, a Holiday Inn Express advert to promote their free wifi, suggests that maybe it is when we create an online brand and an offline brand with the only connection between the two being the name we use.
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Whilst the video suggests that it is okay to have two personas this is not so acceptable in business as it will only serve to confuse your customers.
Your target audience will be experiencing your brand through multiple channels so having a consistent look and feel when your potential customer sees you online and connects with you offline is crucial to building your customers trust in your company and encouraging them to spend more money with you. And unlike the people in the Holiday Inn Express advert your offline you and your online you need to work together.
You can do that by creating a consistent branding experience between the offline and online parts of your marketing campaigns. If you reassure your prospects that you’ll deliver the same quality experience every time, no matter the medium, they will come back again and again.
Some points to consider:
Decide who you want to be and then be that. Decide what brand you’re creating and then embody it in everything you do online and offline. Are you the version of you that friendly person they met online, or are you the person who it is difficult to do business with? Are you the company that offline said they’d go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction or are you the online retailer who they know won’t make a wrong order right?
Your brands look and feel need to match. Your website and online marketing needs to look similar to your offline branding. The best way to get people to remember your brand and become your customers is consistency, so make sure you use the same messages and tone of voice in all your marketing. Your main business slogan should appear on every piece of marketing material that you create, and messages from offline campaigns should appear on your website.
Your website address should be on everything. Sounds obvious but it is also the thing that it is often the most overlooked. Your website address should appear on absolutely everything – there is no point having one if you aren’t telling people about it. Put it on your business cards, letterheads, invoices, brochures etc.
Synchronicity between your online and offline worlds. Make sure that you have relevant information, across the channels, that support your sales process. Blending what people hold in their hand, the message and story that engages them, with the visual and verbal brand both online and offline is the most powerful way to connect and build your brand presence.
Is it time to refresh your brand? Are you making the most of the communication tools you have in the real world (signs, buildings, brochures etc?) Could your brand identity use a face lift that will present a more up-to-date, progressive persona? Are your business cards attention-getting?
Successful marketing is all about consistency, so take these steps to get your online and offline marketing working together. These strategies will give you a stronger brand and more leads and sales from your marketing.