Valuable time (and revenue) is lost when the wrong message is communicated or the wrong image is used.
As we come to the end of 2012 it’s a good time to look back and think about what you might have done differently. A do-over. In golf it’s called a Mulligan. In baseball it’s a foul ball. In most other sports—and in life—it’s simply another chance to do it right. But unlike golf or re-starting your day after waking up on the wrong side of the bed, a do-over in communications and marketing can cost your more than buying your gang a post-game round of drinks at the country club. A do-over in communications and marketing can be quite expensive. Valuable time (and revenue) is lost when the wrong message is communicated or the wrong image is presented to your audience.
So before we start talking about quick fixes and corrected courses we like to ask our clients, “Do you have the time and money to do this over the right way?” There’s always a cheaper way to get something done and we are always looking for the best way to stretch a dollar, but too often we see the communication and design being left to the lowest bidder who hasn’t thought out your marketing plan or considered what images are right for your audience.
It’s important to bring a holistic approach to designing a communication program. Every time you communicate you create an opportunity to make an impression and connect with your clients and prospects. Each touch-point in a campaign – even something as simple as an email – is like a billboard for your company, product or service.
When you think of billboards, think BIG but also think quick. How much information can you convey in the time it takes someone to drive by? The same type of thinking should be employed when designing an email, a brochure or any time you comunicate. Your audience has a short attention span whether it’s driving by in a car, scanning a screen, flipping through a smart phone or turning the page in an annual report. To get the content boiled down to the critical details in an effective manner takes time, planning and thinking. This is where the do-over comes in. It’s best not to race though the preparation and give little attention to the core copy points, or spend enough time evaluating if the images chosen are supporting the brand of the company, product or service.
When you look back at your communication and marketing programs, which ones stand out? How effective were they? A strong communication campaign needs to connect with a specific audience providing a tailored message with an unexpected, unique visual. It must be arresting, yet feel like it is the perfect way to express your brand’s personality. You cannot afford to be off-message with wrong visuals. If your communications plans are not generating the right results, then it’s time for a do-over.
