Pick a Theme to Reinforce Your Marketing Message

Are you looking for a super cost-effective way to reinforce your marketing message?  Come up with a theme to hang your marketing message on all year long.

In my most recent article on the AMEX Open Forum, I give some brand-building recommendations that you can use that are easy on the budget and really get your message across to customers.

Here are some more tips around themes you might find helpful:

• Have FUN. Pick a theme that you and your company can have fun with.  A fun theme is infectious and will get your customers smiling whenever they see anything that comes from you with that theme.  Don’t underestimate the power of a smile paired with your brand.  Smiling releases endorphins  and relieves stress and if you can tie your product to happiness, you’re half-way to a loyal customer.
• Engage in shameless promotion. Because you’ll be running your theme across multiple channels, it’s going to feel like you are repeating yourself.  And that’s good because that’s the point.  Remember, your audience isn’t as immersed in your message as you are.  Just when you think you’ve over done it — keep going.  You’ve hit the right frequency when your audience finally starts commenting and looking forward to what you’ll come up with next.
• Use Competitive Advantage. Don’t just pick something out of thin air.  Choose your theme based on your competitive advantage. What is your brand promise?  What can you do differently or better than anyone else?  Pick a real and defensible competitive advantage and then load your theme up with proof and evidence that feature that advantage.

Picking a theme to hang your branding message on is a wonderful way to save money and penetrate the message clutter around your customers.  Try it this year and see what happens for you.