The new year is here and that means a fresh start, a time of new budgets and new goals.
If you’re involved with a non-profit organization, you might be thinking about your marketing plans and strategy for the New Year. Have you had to set outreach aside for the more pressing operational challenges that come up every day? More programs to run, more hats to wear and always the question of how to make it all happen!
A company’s brand is the main way a customer identifies them. A brand represents the company in several different aspects including online, in print and on their building.
When a customer recognizes branding they also recognize the company, what it stands for and whether or not it has a positive reputation. In fact, with a good design, a brand alone can be enough to pull in a potential customer and cause them to want to find out more about a company’s product or service.
It’s important for any business to have an established customer base. This gives your business a sense of financial security. The only way for your business to grow though, is if you also attract new customers. Sometimes this can be easier said than done.
Whether you are a new business, organization or brand you’ve likely spent a lot of time researching your target audience.
You have to know who you are talking to in order to properly market your products or services. You also need to know how to talk to your audience. What forms of communication are they most responsive to? Websites, social media, print materials, mailers? Once you have a solid idea of who you’re talking to and how to do it, you have to design your marketing campaign.
Designing for your target audience can make or break you. Your overall design is your first impression to your target audience, and you only get one first impression. To make sure you turn your first introduction into a lasting relationship, read on for 5 tips on how to design for your target audience. Continue Reading
A business’s brand is quite simply its identity. It’s a story you want to tell your target audience– a story that expresses the promises you will make to your consumers. Branding spans everything you do from your website design, to print materials and conventions or conferences you sponsor.
Since your brand is all about reminding your consumers who you are and what you have to offer, it is crucial you are presenting a cohesive brand in everything you do. If you aren’t, you run the risk of confusing your audience with an unclear message.
Read these 4 tips for ideas on creating a more cohesive brand. Continue Reading
Maybe your sales aren’t exactly sagging, but if your business has sort of plateaued, it might be time to consider injecting some new life into it. A newly rejuvenated company can increase it sales and expand its customer base while helping to maintain the customers it already has. What company wouldn’t benefit from this?
Unsure of whether or not your company could use a bit of a makeover? Here are some signs your business might be in need of a facelift.
Outdated branding
If your business has been around for a number of years, your brand might be outdated. Over the lifetime of your business, trends change and having a brand and logo that keeps with old times can make your company seem stagnate unattentive. A company needs to continue to evolve its brand over time so it can: set itself apart, appeal to new and emerging markets, and connect with its target audience.
Startups can also benefit from updated branding. In the early days of beginning your company, you may not have been able to fully develop your identity. Taking the time to establish what you want your business to be is critical in helping with your brand awareness. This is something that can spill over to a company logo, website and printed materials all with the goal of unifying your business’s message and overall image.
Changing products or services
It’s certainly not unheard of for a company to start out doing one thing but overtime evolve into something different. This is a natural progression. The problem is, your company’s image needs to also reflect these changes.
Take some time to evaluate what your business started out doing and how it has evolved to the present day. Make sure your image reflects new products or services, so you can better communicate what you represent to current and future customers. A good tip is to review your business plan once a year to make sure your business is heading in the right direction to match the goals of your five-year plan.
Stagnate marketing plan
If your marketing plan doesn’t ever change, it’s likely your business is in need of a facelift. Over the natural evolution of any company, goals, products and services can all change. This will affect who you market to and how. In order to make sure your business is working with an up-to-date marketing plan, ask yourself the following questions:
Over the life of any business, a facelift is inevitable. You can’t expect your company to maintain its customer base without acknowledging new trends and technologies– let alone attracting new clientele. Three big indicators that your company may need a facelift are: outdated branding, changing products or services, stagnate marketing plan
Change is inevitable. How you respond to it will determine the longevity of your company.