Art of Marketing You–Consistency

Marketing word for the week….Consistency

I enjoy reading Christine Kane’s great blog whenever I can. I highly recommend you check it out. She suggested a couple years ago, of finding one word on which to focus your intention for the year, instead of making a New Year resolution. It’s a great concept based on the idea that you can’t do or have something until you’ve decided to be that something. It’s the BE-DO-HAVE concept. Personally I’m down with that. I am taking that idea to heart and plan on finding that word, soon. It’s percolating as we speak. I’ve read several other blogs where they also are going to try it. It’s a viral idea that is taking shape.

 

What better way to get on our marketing program than to tackle a word, perhaps weekly, that explores its importance to marketing ( an idea, strategy, theory, etc). So that’s why I chose consistency to kick off our new year. It’s apropos for January!

 

I’m sure you’ve been considering eating better, an exercise program, perhaps a budget, and maybe even a marketing program. Consistency is one of the keys to your marketing success. Often consistency is equated with repetition, but it’s best form takes shape as repetition with improvement. Take the evolution of the Apple logo. It’s consistent in its shape, but different in its coloration and more importantly, its message. What summation can you make about it’s evolution in conjunction with Apple’s success?

 

Apple

image from www.drewsmarketingminute.com…a great blog

 

What is consistency in marketing and why do you need it? Have you heard the idea that it takes 7-10 times for someone to see your product or brand for them to take action and make the purchase? If there is no consistency in the message (the theme, the color, look, style, etc) can they actually form some sort of recognition of your product? Do you use the same logo on your cards, postcards, website, blog, bagging material at shows, ad in magazines, and is it consistent with your product/artwork? Are you sending several mixed messages with no consistency? Do you change too often or too radically? After many years of reading every art/jewelry magazine and attending most shows I can tell you there are very few artists that have a consistent message. There are very few artists that have a brand…but that’s another word for another day. This may be why those that are consistent with their brand are actually successful!

 

If you only do shows, do you think the same potential customer comes to all those 7 different shows? If you only do one show a year, how long will it take for them to purchase something from you in a sea of other jewelry? Do you advertise 6 times a year (they are all usually every other month) in 3 different magazines. Will that potential customer see you 7 times either in combined magazines and shows enough to push them into action because your message has been consistent? Do you market yourself just once or twice a year before the biggest shows? Is that good use of your marketing dollar? What else could you do, that costs very little to market yourself, if you can only afford that one ad?

 

On the other hand there are a lot of artists that work very hard to get recognition and be consistent…until they burn out or get distracted. There goes the consistency and their place in the market. Then they are forgotten by the consumer. So learning to pace your marketing is important. It’s like going to the gym 5 days a week in January, then 3 in Feb, one in March and then, nada. Don’t burn yourself out. Remember you are a business of one. You are your business…you are your brand.

 

So being consistent is important and key to becoming and remaining a success. Consistency doesn’t come without planning. Maybe that’s the next word for the week.

 

Now forget the part where I normally tell you to go to your bench/studio and go play. Instead git to your brainstorming place and start a list of the ways you can be consistent with your marketing tools (biz cards, letterhead, envelopes, invoices, signage, table skirts, banners, signage, blog headers, ads, catalogs, sales sheets, postcards, sales boxes, bags, tissue, earring cards, etc, etc). It’s play time…just of a different kind. You can still be creative with it! I recommend it.

 

BTW..did you read the newsletter yet and have you gotten your Position Statement done? Looking forward to hearing what your position statement will be and or if you’ve completed one yet. Keep me posted. Join with me and make Monday a day to focus on marketing your business!

 

 

 

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