Gina O'DanielAs the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.
This is very true when it comes to keeping your brand up to date. Websites have a lifecycle, marketing has a lifecycle and even the face of your business (your branding) has a lifecycle.
It is a technologically advancing world and you need to keep up or be left in the dust.
Embrace the mantra, “Change Is A Good Thing”. And then pause, and take inventory of where your business is in this every changing advancing world.
Your business is changing year to year and your brand should be keeping up to resemble the business you are today and the clientele you are trying to attract. But keeping up may have you perplexed. Where do you start? Do you scrap everything? Change minor things? Or just put your head in the sand and think nobody will notice?
Tweet This
But what is the lifecycle of a my brand?
Business consumers are savvy, fickle beings. When it comes to keeping your brand current it isn’t just about keeping up with “The Jones” but ultimately surpassing “The Jones” in getting noticed. But what does this look like specifically for the lifecycle of your Brand Identity, Marketing or Website?
Below are some tips to keep your brand fresh and attractive in this fast-paced technology driven world…
Your Website
When was the last time you updated your website? Not just updated it by adding blog posts, video or added a little content, but actually gave it a fresh new look. And, how does your website look on mobile devices? Do you have to stretch the screen to make the page larger and move the screen around just to read the small print or push a navigation button? If so, it is time to “Go Responsive” – in other words, make your website look good on all devices from a desktop computer or laptop, to an iPad, and to a mobile phone.
Websites have a 2 year lifecycle before they should be redesigned. Yes, I know this is hard to believe but is very true. Our technology-driven world is advancing by leaps and bounds. If you don’t keep up online, you won’t be found. You may in fact lose business, because if a viewer has to struggle to see what you have to offer, they will click right past your site and onto your competitor’s site. Additionally, your “Search Results” on Google will be pushed down the page and replaced with your competitor’s sites who are keeping up with today’s technology-driven world.
Your Marketing
The marketing campaigns and materials you are using for your business have an “End Of Life” (in other words “End of Effectiveness”). Typical marketing campaigns run a 6 month lifecycle. In that 6 months you will measure it’s effectiveness and learn how to improve on your next marketing campaign. Much like the technology world, marketing becomes outdated and ineffective. It becomes white-noise, or more simply … “blah, blah, blah”.
To stretch your marketing attention to your viewers, create a marketing story with a marketing calendar. This story should have 4 segments to it – think of it as chapters to a book – First this, then this, than that, as a result “we all lived happily ever after”. Your marketing calendar will allow you to move that campaign onto the next but keep the essence of the message you are trying to spread.
With each advancement to the next campaign, assess the results, make any necessary changes, and pivot to a new campaign (if necessary).
Keep in mind, your business is advancing and the marketing of your brand needs to keep up with the savvy business clientele you are trying to attract.
Your Branding
Branding has the longest lifecycle. Your logo, if created correctly, can be timeless. Your business cards and branded materials may however need a periodic freshening up.
An example of this is that Drop Shadows are now out and Flat Design is now in. If your branding materials use a drop shadow, it is the time to drop that shadow and do a little updating to keep your business looking fresh and modern.
It may also be time to “stand out”. Business cards have come a long ways in the past two years. We now have a many more options with paper, finishes and shapes. Take a look at your business card and compare it to others you are networking with. Are your cards looking a little tired compared to others you are seeing in your networking circles? Are you displaying old social symbols on your cards? If your answer is yes, it is time to freshen up and modernize. This can be done with keeping the essence of your brand. Call it a polish or a good dusting. Business cards and your brand elements should be eye-catching and have people saying “wow, I need to see what this business is all about”.
Updating Your Brand Identity, Marketing Materials and Website Is Good For Your ROI.
The goal in business is to get business. But in order to get business you have to get noticed. Spending money to advance your branding, marketing and website to keep up with today’s technologically savvy world is good for your bottom line.
Looking modern both technologically and through other interactions a customer may have with your brand will get you noticed.
Earning just one client from these advancements will pay for the upgrades. But good news, you will receive many more than just one client. Upgrading has a ripple effect in getting noticed which is key for your bottom line.
Add comment