It’s said that progress is not possible without change. We all must evolve to grow. And that applies to marketing, too. Yet I find that companies tend to get complacent with their marketing. They figure their current marketing is good enough. Why change something that seems to work?
I’ll tell you why. Simply put, our world is in flux. Customer needs, your company’s offerings, consumer perceptions, competition, technology and even design styles are all constantly changing, whether you notice the changes or not.
In sales and marketing, these things matter a lot. Each year, companies should be evaluating and fine tuning their brand image, their messaging, their tone, their strategy, their tactics—everything. Complacency is the route to stagnation.
Logo Changes, for Instance
Take BMW, Burger King and Pfizer. In 2021, they all changed their logos.
I am sure most people didn’t think those logos needed updating. But, through studies and research, each of those companies determined that evolution was necessary to keep up with changing times.
Yet, I’ve found that most companies are reluctant to update their logos. We tend to become emotionally attached to them. Often just one person complimenting a logo once a year is sufficient to keep management believing that it’s helping, not hurting, company sales. If your logo has not been updated in 5 to 10 years, chances are it needs to evolve.
A Website Refresh
Change is about much more than the company logo—and it doesn’t need to include a new logo, either. A website is the most-accessed source of information a company has, so it should never remain stagnant. According to a survey conducted by RainToday.com, 97% of 200 surveyed buyers said they relied upon websites to sway their purchasing decisions. And these were not just regular consumers. They were buyers from companies of varying sizes who were responsible for $1.7 billion in professional services purchased.
Beyond regular updates to keep content current, a website needs a complete refresh approximately every 5 years—sometimes much sooner. The website sets the image of a company and its messaging, and it helps establish a company’s market dominance. All of these things inevitably evolve with time.
For instance, let’s take Strategic Vantage client Evolve Mortgage Services. This mortgage outsourcing and technology services company has grown a lot over the past several years. A 260 person company in 2019, it now staffs over 500 people all over the United States. Evolve’s management knew that keeping the status quo would not spur the company’s growth—nor would it position them well for future market changes.
That’s when marketing discussions with Strategic Vantage revved up. While Evolve had received a brand refresh and a new website a couple of years ago, we saw that the look and tone of their marketing was undeniably going to hold them back. Even though it was new, it looked dated. It made them look like a small company.
Fast forward a few months. Last week we launched a new website for Evolve with an all-new look, tone and messaging for the brand. It’s sharp. It’s modern. And it accurately screams of market leadership. It’s a huge evolution, even for Evolve. See for yourself at www.EvolveMortgageServices.com. You can compare it to the website of the Evolve subsidiary, SigniaDocs, which is branded much like Evolve used to be. It’s at www.SigniaDocuments.com
Be sure to take a look at the old SigniaDocs website soon, though, as in a few weeks we’ll be unveiling a brand-new look for them, too. That’s going to be a great thing for SigniaDocs, as this SMART Doc and eMortgage services provider is well-positioned to help lenders find their way to a true, end-to-end digital process—and the new look will accurately reflect that.
Paul Anselmo, the CEO of Evolve Mortgage Services and SigniaDocs, commented “We’ve seen a huge improvement in our marketing, PR and social media since engaging Strategic Vantage. They really understand our industry and know how to communicate in a way that truly resonates. They created a brand-new, very modern look for us, and are successfully spreading the word through email marketing, publicity and social media. They’re doing an amazing job of ensuring our marketing is evolving and positioning us for future growth. We’ve very pleased.”
Key Take-Away
The moral of the story here is that marketing should never stand still. Doing the same thing over and over again does not lead to fast growth.
Whether or not you have an internal marketing team, it’s invaluable to have an expert industry marketer evaluate your brand, your messaging, your tone and your strategy. Choose someone whose work you respect, and then see samples of their work and proof of their expertise. Have them evaluate how you currently market your company, as well as the strategies and tactics you use. Because if you’re relying purely on your busy internal staff to make these decisions, they may opt to keep the steady course.
If you’d like my advice on branding, marketing, public relations or social media, feel free to email me at Info@StrategicVantage.com. I’d be happy to help.
By Rosalie Berg, President, Strategic Vantage
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