EXPLORING BEYOND THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG! A Communications & Marketing Approach

Communications & Marketing is an approach wherein one gets the communications (messaging) right, so that your marketing is perfect.  The logo or typical typeface in which the company name is written or represented – and is or was reflected through BUSINESS CARDS, LETTER HEAD / CONTINUATION SHEETS, and BRANDED ENVELOPE. Many considered this as branding and depending on the business, the fact that they maintain a consistency across all printed material, would want to believe they are building a perfect brand. That's been the conventional approach with companies only scratching the `Tip of the Iceberg'

In modern times when you share a business card as the first element of identity of your business, you tend to show: (a) Company Logo, (b) Legal Name, (c) Persons Name, (d) Designation, (e) Mobile number, (f) Office address, (g) email id (preferably an official one), and (h) WEBSITE.

Almost ditto on your letter head, with perhaps the Company registration number and other Compliance information is shared. The envelope may not contain items c,d,e,and f from the above, but rest of the information is constant. You have just opened the Doors to a DIGITAL presence in terms of a "WEBSITE" for it has become your new BUSINESS CARD -- an essential. Not just that, for your website would have links to your SOCIAL MEDIA pages in terms of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Blog and Youtube as a new basic. 

So this opens another Door within the main door, and you have to display your social quotient on social media by being present on relevant sites where your customers are. Even before you start with the content, think of the most important point of what does the customers do? on visiting the website – the Call to Action or CTA in short – leave behind their email id, contact us on mobile or email.

Coming to the content part of a website, the conventional thought dictates you to think of:

Home Page -- A one line about your business or your vision, mission and philosophy or credo of doing business

About Us  -- Company Profile, History, Evolution, Infrastructure, Management Team, Awards, Accolades, Certifications, CSR, Environmental Compliances, and so on)

Our Products / Services -- Listing down the products and services and if necessary in a gallery form

Careers / Opportunities to Associate with us -- For Employees / Service providers to apply

Contact Us - Capturing the customers email id / contact number or sharing the company’s email id and contact number and assuring a timely response to the customer

Visitors to your website will also want to check out your social media presence of various platforms, and hence a google map that shares location is a must.  A crisp 60-75 word profile about your company that people can see across the various platforms like Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Blog are crucial, and a link to your website for people who land up at these places.

There is an enthusiasm to be present on all social media platforms, but it is better to quickly check around with colleagues, and customers to find the platforms they frequent and concentrate on being present in those.  The social media platforms present you a challenge of constantly updating content relevant to the reader, and not just company information and developments. Creative thinking comes in handy here where you can subtly lead the visitor to your website and convert them to a lead. 

Having worked in detail on your website, now puts you in a better position to produce other important marketing collateral with the right communication in the offline mode like brochure, leaflets, data sheets, product guide, catalogs and so on.

Initially a bucketed approach of looking at your communications will involve

Content -- The Messages you want to convey, and the tone in which it is conveyed

Creative -- the way you plan to present your messages (print / online) for them to be attention grabbing that is adaptable to a Visual Design approach

Collateral -- The right method of producing the material that aids faster decision making. (psst.. Hard copy still helps in faster decision making)

Connect -- A digital presence – basic and advanced (Importance stressed above) that also serves as a cost effective method of sharing information

As you interconnect these buckets into one, you can now aggregate this as a base for your Campaign and Conversations. Getting this as a culture in place needs some Coaching too!.

As you get your organization Responsive Online and Offline with the relevant Communication Collateral for Marketing, may your Cash registers start ringing, helping you manage your Top line, bottom line, putting you and your business on the road to a sustainable growth, profitability, and prosperity