Spring Cleaning For Your Brand

Since we are all working remotely, now may be the best time to focus on sprucing up your own brand. Sweep away the cobwebs in your libraries, and maybe organize your Brand Guideline pantry. Rally your distant troops to update content, write blogs, organize, etc. Better yet, why not refresh your brand strategy, identity or even website?

Here are 4 ways you can strengthen your brand during the quarantine.

1/ When was the last time you updated your website?

You don’t have to redesign your website, just keep it updated. If your news section wasn’t updated since the Obama administration, this is a great time to post an announcement around your COVID-19 response, or other relevant content. Maybe a blog like this, sharing your experience and how others can learn from it. You can also just take down your news section if it’s not updated frequently, so you don’t look lazy. Websites are easy to edit and refresh either by adding pages or just revising what you have. There are new requirements around accessibility and privacy – consider making your website ADA and GDPR compliant.

2/ Stop reinventing the PowerPoint wheel! Make templates.

With time, brands can become unruly as the staff goes rogue making their own PowerPoint presentations and documents. Take this time to whip your brand back into shape with templates. This will establish standards and consistent tools that will make your team more productive. If you use Google Docs with a Business Account, you can create a library of branded templates for Docs, Sheets, and Slides. The same goes for Microsoft Office, using 365 or OneDrive. Ideally, you will want to store these in a cloud-based location to make them accessible for your staff and lock them for editing so they can’t be tweaked. You’ll find your team wasting less time recreating “the wheel” and focusing more on the job at hand.

3/ Clean up your contacts.

While checking in on current, past and prospective clients, take the opportunity to update email addresses. Having a clean list will allow you to send targeted emails using services like MailChimp, ConstantContact and Campaign Monitor. It is also valuable to have physical addresses so you can deliver holiday cards, gifts and other hand-written notes throughout the year. We recommend focusing on digital at the moment, as many printers and mail houses are being affected by the shelter-in-place orders.

4/ Follow and be followed.

Now is the time to engage. Set a goal for increasing your followers on social media and creating posts. Experiment with hashtags like #quaranteam, #togetherwework, etc. to draw more eyes and ears to your content. Experiment with new features like Instagram Stories, Facebook Live and see where you are gathering more traction. Consider posting videos via YouTube, and maybe even TikTok. LinkedIn has more a B2B audience, and Instagram is more visual. Pinterest is great to advertise for consumers who are in the mindset to do or buy something– and we all know how bored we are at home right now. Remember, don’t make this all about you. Take the time to follow others and comment on their posts. They will be more interested to follow or “like” you back.

If you can corral your team to focus on all of those “shelved” projects, you will come out of this quarantine with a stronger, healthier brand.

If you need assistance with any of these, Schipper is available to help! Email us to set up a free Zoom consultation on your project needs.

Let’s start a conversation

HOW WE CAN HELP

• Digitizing collateral into interactive PDFs
• Creating virtual campaigns via e-blasts, webinars, etc.
• Refreshing your brand system
• Converting your Brand Guidelines to a cloud-based website
• Creating social media assets and content