What Non-Verbal Message Does Your Marketing Convey?

Tuesday, July 14th 2009

In today’s emotional economy you can’t afford to look like a small business even if you are. Customers are more likely to do business with trusted, recognizable companies or brands.

In most cases it’s the non-verbal components of your marketing that will build or break your brand.  No matter what words are used, these non-verbal messages are picked up by your prospects the same way body language noticeably communicates without saying a word. 

The Internet age has created an “information-rich and time-poor” marketplace.  Now people buy based on symbolic attributes – not just facts and figures.  Today’s consumer wants to “buy it now, without a lot of research, and then worry about it later.”  That is what you’re ultimately trying to achieve with your marketing, advertising and branding

Your brand must create that widespread “gut feeling” of trust in your company, product or services.  For the marketplace there is only one true brand identity for any company.  That brand is CREDIBILITY.  From a marketing perspective, I define credibility as “the power to elicit belief from the marketplace that your company, product or service is trustworthy and therefore the obvious one to do business with in a sea of confusing competitive choices.” Credibility trumps everything.  It trumps techniques, repetition, specs, systems, strategy, capitalization… everything.  It’s the ULTIMATE SHORTCUT in the prospect’s decision-making process.

If all the components of your message are not consistent and credible, it leaves “a disconnect” in the mind of the prospect.  It presents itself as a gut feeling that “something just isn’t right,” resulting in a decision to buy elsewhere or procrastinate.

How Do You Know If Your Marketing And Branding Is Credible?

The criteria vary significantly in different industries and demographics.   What works in the teen-aged cell phone market would result in total failure in the senior home care market. 

Take a print ad or brochure for example.  Here are a few of the non-verbal factors in the control of your marketing department: ad size/ shape, your logo, the colour pallet, background, graphics, images, “white” space, font style, font size, the overall layout and flow, paper thickness and print quality.

Let’s talk about a few: Size matters.  Unfortunately it costs too.  The perception is – small ad = small company.  The added expenditure to upsize could be worth the expense, especially if it attracts more customers.  Larger ads are placed closer to the front of magazines so they are more likely to be seen.  Always ask the publisher to place your ad forward.  If you are a new advertiser taking a full page they may accommodate you.  Examine your brochures.  If they look crowded and crammed, shorten the message or increase the size to allow for more blank space, graphics and images. 

The appropriate use of colour will evoke certain attributes of your organization.   Different colours and combinations of colours can suggest trust, (such as IBM blue).  Some suggest strength and authority while others serenity and gentleness.  When the colour decision is left to a graphic artist, most will choose colours they like, which may not be the ones that reveal the correct attributes for your company.  The same applies to font styles. 

Images should support the message.  It’s been said that “sex sells”.  It may attract attention but in the end it’s a false attraction when the product being marketed has nothing to do with the focal point of the image.  Colours within the image can also be used to achieve the correct combinations for attributes described above.  Wherever possible, use custom photography instead of stock images.  If I previously saw your image somewhere else I may associate your brand with my previous experience.  You don’t want to risk that.  

All these elements must have the right look and feel to position your company as a viable candidate for the prospect’s hard-earned money.  If they don’t combine to elicit the belief that your company is trustworthy, whatever you say in the body copy will be ignored.  It’s a prerequisite and if you get it all right your prospect will pay attention to you.  Only then will you be granted the opportunity to educate them as to why you are the obvious choice to do business with.  More about that in the next issue.

What Are The Rewards For A Brand That Achieves Credibility Status?

Results can be massive and immediate:

  1. A dominant position in the marketplace - sometimes higher than 50% market share in your market space
  2. More loyal customers that buy more often and refer others
  3. Highest premiums - this spot is reserved for the top 3.  Up to 40% more money than generically perceived companies
  4. Least likely to fall victim to commoditization or competitive cannibalization.
  5. Sales people close more sales, more easily and more of them exceed targets
  6. Qualified people want to join your organization
  7. Attracting investors becomes easier