59% of global shoppers prefer buying new products from brands that are familiar to them. But how do shoppers become familiar with certain brands in the first place? The key is consistency.
Consistency can be challenging when working with multiple marketing channels. Still, despite the challenge, investing resources into print and digital channels is essential. Almost 80% of consumers act on print advertisements immediately, compared to 45% for digital ads.
So, to maximize your marketing, you'll need to focus on creating a consistent, powerful brand image in both print and online materials.
3 Tips for Creating Consistency in Print and Digital Marketing
1. Create and Utilize a Style Guide
Creating a style guide is essential when maintaining consistency across all your marketing channels.
A brand guide outlines the specific details of every aspect of your brand's image. It should include which fonts are acceptable, which language and wording (formal, casual, enthusiastic) are standard for the brand's "voice," which variations of the company logo are acceptable, the exact wording of the company mission statement, and more.
Once you've created your style guide, share it with every employee in every department. This is the first big step toward ensuring consistency since they will all have access to the same unified source of information when creating new marketing materials.
2. Lean into Consistent Colors
Color is one of the most recognizable parts of any brand and can increase brand recognition by up to 80%.
It helps consumers connect your products or marketing materials with your brand when they see them. Start by choosing one to three signature colors to commit to and connect with your brand. Then, integrate those colors consistently throughout your materials! Use those same colors for the background of your flyers or mail pieces, the text on your social media posts, the signage outside your storefront, and the headers and footers on your company website.
To create true consistency with color, focus on matching the exact shade of your brand colors throughout your materials. For example, if you choose red as your brand color, ensure that the same shade of red is used for every material. The best way to ensure an exact match in the shade is to include the hex color codes (CMYK or RGB) in your company's style guide so that team members across different departments can easily access the right color.
3. Focus on a Unified Team
One of the last things to keep in mind that might usually be overlooked is focusing on the team members creating your marketing content and watching how that will result in a more consistent image for the content itself.
When hiring team members, look for individuals who understand and fit in with your brand's identity. Educate your employees across ALL departments about your company values, mission, and image, including sharing your style guide.
Starting with the employees rather than with the content will create consistency between print and digital marketing, customer service, and every aspect of your brand.
Use these tips to start building a foundation of consistency in your marketing today! Visit our website for more ideas on elevating your marketing materials.
