How do your prospects and customers reach out to you? I’m willing to bet it’s through a variety of marketing channels.
In today’s work, we reach out to our target audiences in many ways:
- Television ads
- Radio ads
- Flyers
- Postcards
- Websites
- Blogs
- Facebook profile
- Twitter account
- Instagram page
- LinkedIn account
- YouTube channel
You probably have several of the above, maybe even a few marketing channels I haven’t mentioned. With so many different ways of reaching out to your target audience, it’s essential you have consistency across every platform.
Creating symmetry helps establish your brand. And once you have a brand that’s recognizable, it makes it easier for your customer base to understand who you are and what you offer.
Any disconnect can cause confusion for the customer. You don’t want to send mixed signals. And because it’s likely your audience will see you on more than one platform, consistency is key.
Why Social Media Is Important
You probably don’t need us telling you how important social media is to today’s businesses. That’s easy to figure out on your own.
But we would like to give you a few statistics to impress on you how important it is to your marketing.
- Social networks earned an estimated $8.3 billion from advertising in 2015, increasing to $40 billion in 2016 – and it’s growing exponentially every year
- While 20 Fortune 500 companies regularly engage with their customers on Facebook, 83 percent have a presence on Twitter
- People 55 to 64 are more than twice as likely to engage with branded content than those 28 and younger
- 96 percent of people discussing brands online do not follow those brands profiles
That means it’s more important than ever to ensure you are where your prospects and clients are. And that you have a clear, precise message waiting for them once they get there.
If you’re having trouble maintaining consistency, we can help.
Start With Your Images
There’s a saying: A picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures are powerful messages and resonate more with people than words do. While someone may enjoy reading your content or hearing your message, it’s a log or a graphic they’ll remember far longer.
According to the Social Science Research Network, 65 percent of us are visual learners. That means we process more of our information on what we see, not on what we read or hear.
That’s why infographics are shared. That’s why funny videos go viral. That’s why logos become memorable.
Don’t confuse this and share different things between different platforms. Keeping everything aligned will help reinforce your brand.
Establish Your Voice
Consistency goes beyond visuals. Your graphics might capture attention. But once you’ve gained interest, people want to “hear” what you have to say.
That comes through not only in the words you use, but also in the persona your company takes on.
This is never a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing. But different companies are known for different things. One company may prefer a hard-core approach while another maintains a suave and sophisticated look and feel.
A California company serving up fish tacos on the beach might use slang like “rad” or “groovy”. Can you see a bank in New York City using those same words in their marketing materials?
That’s your tone. That’s your voice. That’s your company persona. And it needs to maintain across platforms.
This is essential in the links you share on Twitter or Facebook. It’s important in the way you write up your content you share on your blog. And if you’re speaking and creating videos, it’s important that the persona continues to every point of contact you make.
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What’s Your Call To Action?
You’ve defined your audience. You’ve developed your persona. What do you want them to do?
Do you want them to sign up for something? Fill out a form? Contact you for more information? Ask for a free demo?
There are a lot of ways to call to action. And you can even test it to see what works best for you. But once you develop your strategy, it’s important to align your call to action on every platform you use.
First of all, ensure every marketing channel has a call to action. Studies show that up to 70 percent of businesses don’t ensure this is so. (And what’s the point in using a social media channel if it’s not bringing you in the potential you deserve?)
Once they are in place, ensure they have the same message, the same follow through, from place to place. An easy way to do this is by having all of your call to action buttons land on the same landing page. It’s easy; we can help.
Contact Information
This seems like a moot point, but you’d be surprised at how many companies get this wrong.
How do you want people to contact your company? How do people prefer to contact you? You’d be surprised at how many times these two questions are answered differently.
Your contact information is how people connect with you. You define it and lead prospects by the hand. But if you don’t do this in a predictable manner, or have it consistent from platform to platform, it leaves confusion in its wake.
Never assume people will hunt out an option. Give them as many possibilities to connect with you as possible. And be specific. It’s okay to list things out:
- Email me [here]
- Visit my website [here]
- Connect via web chat [here]
- Phone me [here]
- Find me on Facebook [here]
And so on.
Have you ever grown frustrated searching online for something as simple as a phone number? Us too. And the more frustrated you become, the greater the chance of you seeking out something new.
Don’t let that be you.
While you might know your contact info is clearly defined on your website, how about your Instagram profile? Or your LinkedIn?
Because we always remember it when it’s a main part of our marketing. But when we quickly sign up for a new social account, the basics are often forgotten.
Consistency is key.
Make it easy for your customer to learn about you and connect with you across your various marketing channels. Don’t assume they’ll know your customer value proposition without clearly defining it before you ever begin.
Need some help?
