Even if you build a great material handling website, and have the best advertising and a kick butt PR writer, you will fail with your marketing.
“If I have these awesome components, why do I need a strategy? They are all on separate channels (print, web, online, offline, etc…) what does it matter if I don’t have a strategy that ties them all together?”
Surprisingly, I have some ideas.
Branding
It has to do with brand consistency. You need to have the same message across all of your channels because your audience pays attention to not just one of your channels. Remember, your brand is not just your logo; every way that you touch your prospects or stakeholders is part of your brand.
At a trade show your prospect may read an article about your company in Material Handling Magazine, see an ad in DCV, visit your website and then stop by your booth. If all of those messages aren’t consistent, your prospect will experience a disconnect and not be as willing to interact with you or move further down the sale funnel.
Integration
Integration is not just important in the warehouse or distribution center. Integration is also important in marketing. The entire message must be integrated and not have any dissonance within your message or between your company and your message.
For instance, if you tell everybody that you are the leader in green technology for material handling and you make pallets out of Giant Pandas, people might perceive a bit of dissonance between your stated mission and your actions.
More than the Sum
If you have a consistent message across all of your mediums, the sum is greater than the parts. They say that if you want someone to remember your company you have to have them see your message 27 times. How many times do people have to be “touched” by your company before they remember you?
All of this to say that what gives you a consistent message is a strategy. If you have a strategy already in place then you know where you want to go. As strategy implies a goal and dictates all of your marketing efforts. It allows you to know where you are going and helps keep your marketing consistent.
Want to talk more about marketing strategy and get some actionable advice tailored to your company? Contact us and we will give you an hour of consulting for free! I even pay for the coffee.