Putting together the pieces

There’s no doubt I’m a bit of a Nazi when it comes to continuity but there is some pretty strong rationale around it…it works!

One of the keys to marketing is having all the pieces fit together and work in harmony. Just like a jigsaw puzzle. When everything is working as one it’s easy to see how the bigger picture works.

It’s often the ‘1%ers’ that get left out but it’s not unusual to see gaping big holes in an overall approach to a business that just don’t appear visible from the inside.

Simple aspects such as clear lines of communication are so vital in today’s market. Not because people are stupid – far from it! People are simply too busy and so bombarded by an excess of mediums that you have to be clear to cut through. That’s not to say you can’t be clever or innovative. I’m speaking in terms of the vehicles that carry your client / customer from their home to your operation with their wallets in tow.

For example, if you intended for your market to receive a brochure that leads them to the web that supplies them with information that leads them to contact or visit you, then you’ve created a pretty simple and clear line of communication. Where this falls down in many cases, is if there is no continuity of the message between all three areas. The brochure looks nothing like the website, the website sells a totally different message to the brochure and the sales team didn’t even know about the campaign until a customer enquired about it a week after it was launched!!!

This may seem rather humorous but I’ve seen it happen before! Most of the time it’s not to this level but it does happen and it’s where so many sales can be lost.

Continuity of design. Continuity of message. Continuity of branding. Continuity of communication.

It’s just so vital.

When every dollar…no CENT counts, how you can afford not to be sure that you’re not giving your clients a packet of Cornflakes and asking them to put together the picture on the pack…