In a complex world, one constant is the fact that life revolves around repetition. A bit like the missing parable from the bible about the existential dishwasher….where pleasure derived from sustenance and food gratification is often short lived due to the demands of having to clean up after yourself…DAILY!
Marketing and specifically branding, is no different, the excitement of creating a new ad or alluring campaign is soon subsumed by the need to ensure that simple repeat processes are in place to ensure everything works smoothly.
To quote Emily Dickinson…”look after the little things and the big things will look after themselves.” The intimation being that the balance of control can be maintained by paying attention to the small stuff.
Unfortunately, the marketing world abounds with people who are attracted only by the sexy stuff and go stampeding towards the end product without investing any due diligence in getting the basic processes right.
Here’s a simple 10 tip repetition programme for SMEs, that will lay the foundations for future marketing success
- Your brand logo is your DNA, so use it in every aspect of your marketing; digital and print, uniformly and consistently
- Let quality be your differentiator by investing in tools and processes that regularly deliver excellence
- Manage and maintain your database… when you meet new contacts, ask their permission to add them to your burgeoning tribe of contacts
- Don’t be shy – repeatedly ask your clients for regular testimonials
- Hold a mirror up to yourself and make sure you practice what you preach!
- Regularly upload fresh content onto your website – irrespective of whether it’s a blog, a testimonial, a new product or service page, this is much liked by search engines
- Everyone involved in your business must be customer facing and make your customers, feel the same way as you do, training in this is essential
- Adopt a rounded approach to your communications by stamping your own personality on your branding
- Use this tone consistently within your communications: your ads, brochure, blog posts, website, newsletters. This is great for brand reinforcement
- Hold a mirror up to yourself and make sure you practice what you preach!
No risk of repetition there, or is there???
To conclude I’d like to misquote and distort one of the sayings of a more classier breed of US President, JFK, whose maxims resonate with more alacrity than the current incumbents twitter bile storms….
“Ask not what your brand can do for your, but what you can do for your brand!”
