subject: 3 Basic Guidelines In Creating Consistent Marketing Materials [print this page] A few weeks ago a flyer was handed to a friend of mine at the mall by a lady selling real estate. My friend doesn't have any intentions of purchasing a house, but she read the flyer anyway and checked out the company's website. The houses looked nice and the prices were reasonable but being a marketer herself, she was turned off by the typographical errors she spotted on the flyer and wondered why the color schemes in the flyer and the site were different. In marketing, image is everything.
This is why having consistent marketing materials is important. You may have started your business with a clear mission, vision and values. You know your objectives, and you're excited to implement your marketing strategies. You know you need to build your communications based on your value propositions, so you look at some of the most commonly used marketing materials and decide which ones you'll create for your company such as brochures, newsletters, product sheets, and business cards. With a copywriter and a great graphic designer, it should be easy right?
So why do we still see some inconsistent marketing messages in some marketing pieces?
The importance of a consistent look and feel
Just how important is producing quality, consistent marketing materials? These pieces are the "face" of the company, so it's essential that they not only look great and have flawless content - they also need to deliver consistent messages in order to be effective. We wouldn't want to confuse prospects, customer and clients with inconsistent messages, slogans and even company colors, would we?
I've enumerated some guidelines for creating consistent marketing materials. These may be very simple and basic for any marketer, but still, I believe it bears repeating. After all, marketing materials speak volumes about your brand, company and credibility. Might as well make it perfect.
Colors and Images.
Materials should be created from a consistent palate of colors and images. You don't want to cause confusion. You would want to ensure you are sending a clear, consistent and compelling message, from your website, brochure and email newsletters to your print and billboard ads.
Perfect grammar, consistent terminology.
What would you think of a company if you notice bad grammar after visiting their site or reading their brochure? Care about the words you use. Consistent marketing materials require the use of consistent terms so that your customers are clear on what you are explaining. Content is king in your marketing materials, and this reveals a lot about the professionalism of your business.
Update, update, update.
After spending the time and money on your marketing collateral, perhaps, you don't want to do it again. However, it's important to keep them current. Make it a habit to review your materials regularly to ensure your messages are still consistent. Maybe you could even tweak the content and improve the design. No matter how busy business gets, never, never forget to keep your materials recent.
With consistent marketing materials, you not only make a great impression - you also build your brand and draw potential customers in!
