Does your marketing message align with your brand?
Photo by tumsasedgars/iStock / Getty Images
Years ago, I took a grammar workshop to enhance my writing skills. During the course, the subject of punctuation came up, namely the idea of when it was appropriate to use an exclamation point. At one point the instructor said, “but remember you must only use ONE exclamation point at the end of a sentence, never two or more…unless, of course, you’re in marketing!” Everyone chuckled, especially the marketers in the room, because we all know that with marketing, the rules of writing – style and voice – seems to be a little more relaxed, which in today’s climate, can be a great thing for your brand.
I bring this up because nowadays, many brands, specifically the marketing and communications departments, are struggling at how they want to project their image to their customer base. Should they appear stoic and professional or should they share a more personal and possibly even joyful side with their audience? To know your voice, you need to know who you are and what you stand for, and how your customers perceive you – basically you need to know your brand. In today’s world where 68% of consumers expect “clear values” from the brands they choose to follow (Kantar Monitor), marketing professionals have the responsibility to ensure that what they communicate is consistent with how they act as a company.
Let’s look at State Farm as an example. For decades State Farm’s motto has been “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. ®” I’m sure you’re all humming the jingle along with me right now, it’s so iconic. But if the company didn’t live up to their motto, the jingle wouldn’t have maintained its longevity. The motto lives on because the company worked to identify the attributes that were important to their customers, and then worked hard to ensure that the processes and procedures they implement behind the scenes live up to those claims (no insurance pun intended!)
Which gets us back to finding your brand’s voice. If you know your customer and you know your own culture, you can easily find the language that best tells your story and relays your message. Determine what attributes are important to your brand and then tailor your communication to reinforce those ideals. The key is to know when your message needs to convey strength and confidence, and when you can communicate in a little more light-hearted or personal style.
Once you find the voice that what works best in a variety of mediums – online, social media, written communication – keep fine-tuning to ensure your message is consistent. Remember that the end-goal is to engage your customer, keep it real, and use language that best speaks to them. If you have to resort to an extra exclamation point or two to persuade your audience effectively, then so be it! And if you need the help of an experienced communicator, Kackert Marketing is here help you find the voice that best fits your brand.