Marketing, branding and design are truly inseparable. They are like the Three Musketeers, all supporting one another. As you desire to get a message out about your company or business (marketing) the cohesive design of your company is absolutely crucial. Branding is that unified front of your business, and design is what drives and delivers your message.
Dan Kennedy is a marketing genius who wrote No B.S. Direct Marketing, as well as many other great works. He insists that outrageous marketing is what will lead to success. No bland advertising, no unnecessary fluff, and no …b.s. And it works!
In terms of marketing, the direct response strategy is a great way to go since it elicits a response from the viewer. Direct response marketing is effectively communicating a message directly to your consumer. This can be done through online ads, fliers, emails, promotional media, newsletters and so on. Whatever the medium, direct response marketing is clear, efficient, and effective. At Designflair, we care about strategic marketing because we create designs catered to employ direct response marketing for our clients.
Let’s focus on one crucial aspect of direct response marketing: making an offer. If done correctly, direct response will always include an offer from the company, business, or non-profit to the consumer or client. Here are some things to think about when you’re creating your next marketing strategy.
What does your company offer?
Start with what makes your company unique. From there, think of what specifically you can present to your client. Did your last professional newsletter include an offer? How about your email update? Wise marketing is not just information, but proposing something to the reader.
Make your Offer Clear
Make it quantifiable. Is it a one-time offer? Is a monthly or seasonal offer? Are you proposing 50% off or buy one get one free? This seems obvious, yet it is important to highlight these details. For example, if your offer involves people contacting you, how do you want them to contact you? Be sure to include crucial information such as, “Email us today for your 10% discount!” This is where the design aspect comes in. Succinct and bold design allows the offer to pop and grab attention.
photo from The Direct Marketing Voice
Gear Ads Towards the Consumer
As Dan Kennedy says, “Your ad isn’t about you. It’s about them.” As you do when you are planning your branding, think of your audience. (Again, here we see an overlap of the Three Musketeers!) Who is reading your advertisements or letters and what do they want to hear? Determining who you want to target your marketing to will allow you to easily generate what information to include or not.
Many businesses wing their way through marketing strategies, finding out works through trial and error. Don’t let money and time slip through your fingers.
Speak with us today to develop a marketing strategy that will be ideal for your business! We can come up with innovative ways utilizing design to get your company out there and to get people to respond.
