In today’s world, the market that a certain little piggy usually goes to is typically first researched by going to the market’s website and seeing what exactly they have to offer. Because of this, it is important that the online experience directly reflects the experience little Mr. Hambone would have if he were to walk into the store directly. Integrating your brand throughout your website, and social media platforms, are key to this user experience.
Do you think that a brand begins and ends with a logo and a color scheme? I kindly, albeit strongly, disagree. The fact of the matter is that a solid brand will go well beyond these two points. A brand is more like the all-encompassing philosophy that drives your business, non-profit or blog.
“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”
-Seth Godin (Author, entrepreneur, and teacher)
Your logo and color scheme help to make a statement in that philosophy, but you also need to focus on the voice, as well as other cues and platforms, to tell a compelling 5 little pigs story of your own. If we are honest with ourselves do really know what sort of market little piggy went to?
I’m sure we all have this image of a pig pushing a shopping cart in the local grocery store. Why wouldn’t you? The story has, after all, been branded that way many times. What if the market had been branded as a slaughterhouse? Oh, what a sinful tale we now weave.
To build brand recognition you must consistently apply your branding in every aspect of your organization. Consumers should be able to glance at anything from an advertisement to packaging and know it is yours. This means that your website should look and feel like your brick and mortar store. If you look at just about any big box retail store website, you will see the same style of images that exist in their ads and the presentation banners of their actual store.
“You have to create a consistent brand experience however and wherever a customer touches your brand, online or offline. The lines are forever blurred.”
-Angela Ahrendts (Apple Inc.)
This sort of branding doesn’t just happen overnight. Brands are built through the blood, sweat, and tears of an organization and thus should not be changed for the next novel idea. In this arena, the other little piggy isn’t going to eat cake just because it’s the in thing to do. It’s roast beef on the menu my friends, and he is having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Vive la Consistency!
If you watched the last Webbin’ It Wisdom, you would have heard Ryan and Garrett discuss the importance of using natural speech in your website’s content to improve your Google rating. It is just as important to use the lingo of your target customer, volunteer, and follower.
“A brand is a voice and a product is a souvenir”
-Lisa Gansky (Author andentrepeneur )
People want to be talked to with their tone and language rather than corporate jargon. All of this is what we call “your voice”. This too should be carried from one platform to another. The dialect used on your website should be the same in your social media posts and ad campaigns.
Let’s take the slaughterhouse scenario again. If our customers were farmers, then using the term “market” might indeed have that meaning. If we add a little bit of sinister to our voice, “This little piggy went to market. Mwah ha ha ha ha”. This is a slaughterhouse market for sure and a scary one at that.
Your voice tells your customers a lot about the experience they are about to have, so make sure you are portraying the experience you are wanting to give them.
Wrapping this up, your brand must bleed into the virtual world seamlessly, leaving no doubt to who you are and what you do. Why did the final piggy go “wee, wee, wee” all the way home? To go check out your market’s new website created with love by us here at Webbin’ it.
Still not sure what exactly to do with all this? Don’t worry, we can help you get your direction.
You can tune into our next Webbin’ It Wisdom event held at Pikes Perk, 5965 N Academy Blvd #203, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, on January 24 from 7:30 to 8:00 pm. If you are local to the Colorado Springs area, stop into Pikes Perk the day of the event and join us for a nice caffeinated beverage!
