With news of a changing tide post-pandemic, 2021 could just signal the end of virtual events – and a slow transition back into face-to-face ones. Many of us will have used 2020 to work on our branding, using the extra time we’ve had to reinvest into our own marketing. But while we may have finessed our online presence, are we ready to go back out into the world again?
Our digital marketers in Chorley and Bolton have shared their tips on how to keep your brand consistent, with and without the internet:
1. Review your design elements
Your website might have undergone a huge rebrand throughout 2020 – which is more than just a logo! But is this reflected in your offline marketing? Are your brochures, trade show stands and business cards consistent? Now could be the time to make sure typefaces, logos, slogans and even copy styles are revised.
2. Update your terms and conditions
2020 was not just a year for rebranding – it also made us rethink our business practices. If you’ve ‘pivoted’, or simply updated your rate cards or terms and conditions, this needs to be clear. There’s nothing worse than giving a client old information on a piece of printed material, only for them to get a shock online later on. Make sure your information is up to date with any offline marketing materials you produce.
3. Make the transition from online to offline simple
It’s easy to say “just visit our website” when chatting to a prospect in person. But how simple is this? Is your website clearly displayed on your printed materials? Could you make it easier with a QR code, or even develop an app to scan upon arrival at an in-person event?
To really finesse your marketing, you could consider creating specific landing pages. For example, if you created www.website.com/trade-event, you could track how many visitors went to this page, and in doing so, measure the success of that event as a lead generator.
4. Make sure people know you are there!
While we can encourage those to visit us online when we meet them in person, it’s also important to do it the other way around. So if you’re exhibiting at a trade show, make sure you shout about it on social media. Publish photographs of your stand where possible, and include your stand number in any email communications or landing pages.
You might even offer some sort of incentive, like a raffle, to make your stand memorable and attract more visitors.
5. Keep staff on-brand
As you know, your business is about more than promotional materials. Your staff are ambassadors for the brand, so consider having a set of guidelines for every in-person event you attend. Think of these as ‘brand guidelines come to life’ – for example, using the right tone of voice when approaching new customers. It’s crucial that sales teams avoid the dreaded cliché of overpromising and underdelivering – make sure that every lead they talk to is targeted, and that their conversations take users through the same ‘funnel’ as they would go through online.
For example, your sales team might have a friendly welcome (like your home page) followed by a few questions to determine your prospect’s pain points (service pages), before booking them in for a consultation (conversions).
Let Tall Zebra Designs unify your marketing today
At Tall Zebra Designs, we’re passionate digital marketers who offer myriad experience in creating beautiful marketing assets, both online and offline. Get in touch with us today to make your strategy consistent and start winning new clients.
