Does your publication look the part?

• Does your publication look the part?
• The fundamentals of branding
• Resources & Links

Whether you produce an internal periodical or an external one, communicating is the key to staying afloat in rough waters. In the past, I've talked a lot about how important it is to provide your readers with good solid content that they need and can use. But there's another aspect to communication that is often overlooked - especially if you weren't specifically trained in it. I'm talking about the 'vehicle' or layout that your content is presented in. Don't scoff! Eighty percent of all communication - spoken or written - is non verbal (or non text). I'm talking about branding consistency; not making the page look 'pretty', but creating a subtle air of credibility that underscores your content and presents your organization as an 'entity' that means business.

Lately, I've been approached by companies that, in the interest of saving a few dollars up front, want to forego the development of a professional layout to present their message. Let me ask you the same question that I ask them: "Would you go to a business meeting in your dirtiest sweats and your breakfast dribbled down your front?" No. You'd make the effort to put on something business-like and try to appear professional, wouldn't you? Well, if you're going to go to all that trouble to present yourself - or your organization - professionally in person, wouldn't you put at least that much effort into presenting your message professionally when you can't be there personally?

When thinking about the costs, consider these statistics:

• 80% of all business comes from 20% repeat customers (but only if you build the relationship - tip: don't just sell)
• A 5% increase in customer retention budget could translate into 25% to 125% increase in profitability (research results from Bain & Co.)
• Print newsletters have more than 25 times more credibility than an advertisement or an email
• A print publication (newsletter or small magazine) lingers in offices and homes for days or weeks and tends to get passed around or saved (compare this to the longevity of an ad or email)
• Credible publications have a very high 'pass through' rate - this means it gets past the secretary or the spouse because they're received as relevant material
• Connecting with your customers, or employees, results in long-term loyalty and quality referrals

An Example
Let me give you a real-life illustration. A few years ago, I was asked to help a local company with communicating with their customers. It was a local appliance store that had several branch stores across the state. They had designated Sears as their nearest competitor (which I think was a bit of a stretch - nobody really competes with Sears). I had never been in this company's showroom. Do you know why? All of their marketing material (TV commercials, print ads, brochure, and bi-annual publication) presented them as a sort of bargain-basement warehouse, plus their TV spots were loud and featured the local basketball team (all of whom have had extensive run ins with the law - not a good PR connection). I was surprised to find their store upscale, very clean and organized, their staff was extremely professional and knowledgeable, and their merchandise was high-end (I had never seen a $4,000 refrigerator!). What was the problem? They had just used Microsoft templates for their print materials and got free TV ads through their annual sponsorship of the basketball team. In short, they were 'saving money' on the front end - the design and branding aspect.

During our conversation, I was told that this company had spent thousands of dollars on marketing analysis to determine their target market (educated women between the ages of 34-65 with an income above $35K). I have to admit that I ruffled a few feathers with my opinion of their marketing materials. They had no credibility when compared to the actual company and the link to the basketball team was just ludicrous. How does that relate to selling women dishwashers and refrigerators? Quite honestly, I think they were all set to throw me out the second-story window until I asked them to look at that target market again and see if they could identify anyone in the room that met the qualifications. As the only educated woman between the ages of 34-65 with an income above $35K in the room, I had made my point.

The following branding overhaul was painful - mostly for me (Men can get so attached to their basketball team! Who knew?) Here are the steps I took in turning this credibility shipwreck around:

1. We looked at what their competition was doing (Yes. That's legitimate! Don't copy but get on the same level.) Like I said, I don't really think Sears has much competition. They're swimming in credibility. But as a role model, they're the best. They know who they're communicating with and they make the connection. In this instance, they play up 'life style' rather then drone on about the laundry list of features. FYI: Women don't really care about BTU or energy ratings, they want to know that a dishwasher will wash dishes and get them out of the kitchen.
2. We developed a mission statement and set some goals This company was over 40 years old and was established on the premise of being the 'go to' appliance company in the area. Somehow that had gotten lost in the bargain-basement/basketball fiasco.
3. We developed a professional personality This company had tons of experienced professionals who could answer any question you could ask, but for some reason this was kept a secret. (Never forget, people do business with people!) A couple of the well-known employees developed a few short articles and check lists for those looking for an appliance.
4. Brand redesign I stripped out everything that had to do with basketball, all of the cartoons, noisy colors, and obnoxious fonts. We picked a balanced color theme and took some good full-color photos of the product and the staff. I also developed some design guidelines to ensure consistency across media. Please get a qualified design professional to help you with this. There are many considerations from the psychology of colors to the readability of fonts. If in doubt, shoot me an email.
5. We did a test shot I convinced them to test my 'wild' ideas on one easy piece and measure the results. We did a communication piece that did not sell but had a lot of information on choosing an appliance and caring for older ones. We followed up with an invitation to a Fourth of July celebration at the main showroom. Gone were the basketball logos and players photos, replaced by full-color photos of people using the appliances (and enjoying life). The result: The sales were double what they had been in the 40 years previously!
6. Rinse and repeat! This company has made a lot of changes since them. Their TV commercials are so much improved, even I watch them! They interview happy customers and their experienced staff. Unfortunately, they still sneak in a basketball player occasionally. What are you going to do?

This was a retail situation, but the relationship/credibility concepts are valid for any type of communication piece. If you want to be taken seriously, you've got to look the part. I work with a lot of world-class writers who develop some of the best content around. One fact is clear: If the design and layout of a piece isn't professional, it won't draw the reader in to enjoy that great content. I've recently been working with a nonprofit organization that was struggling with this idea. They had used a simple Word document for years to communicate with their dwindling membership base.

Another quick example
They were a little dismayed when they contacted me to help re-energize their quarterly publication and I firmly told them to ditch the Word format. Don't get me wrong. Word is a great program. But it's a Word processor. It's not going to create the vehicle for all that great content. And they had some good content, but their readers just weren't weeding through all that text to get to it, plus it did not look like it came from a credible national organization. It looked like it came from somebody's kitchen table.

We redesigned it into a 16-page mini magazine complete with high-end stock photos and a very clean, easy-to-read layout. We kept it black and white to minimize print costs and used a stock paper. The result: They've had incredibly positive responses from existing members, interest from prospective members now that this 'magazine' is a membership benefit, plus professional advertisers are buying ad space to help offset the print costs now that it's perceived as a publication instead of just a little Word document.

Don't short change yourself by scrimping on the front end of your publication design - whether it's a 4-page newsletter or a 32-page magazine. The payoff can be incredible. Overwhelmed by the concept? Let us help. Send me an email and we'll take care of it for you.

Email me to let me know if this article was helpful.

The fundamentals of branding

Amy Tucker, VP of Fluent Communications, Inc. gives these basic fundaments of branding your material to help you create credible, powerful communication pieces.

1. Set measurable objectives. Something like reduce customer service calls or increase average purchases
2. Establish benchmarks. Benchmarks help you measure your goals, then review quarterly
3. Segment your target market. Have a priority ranking like A) local; B) age group; C) income level
4. Understand your target market's needs. When you understand their needs you can present information that resonates with them.
5. Map touch points. Know where your clients are getting their information about you and strive for a consistent message across the board.
6. Develop a content plan. Always take into account your mission and goals when developing your content and be sure that your content is meeting your readers' needs. Be sure that it's appropriate for the market segment: Customers don't really care how you plan to hit your revenue goals - save that for your share holders.
7. Integrate multiple media. Print is great for publications, but don't forget your Web site, email, and advertising material. Make sure that it's all consistent in look, content, and target.
8. Maintain a content database. This allows you to monitor what you're sending to your different market segments.
9. Measure the results and revise where necessary. Communication is an ever-changing thing and it needs to change with your readers

Links & Resources
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