Don’t Change Your Brand Promise Too Soon

Most companies switch their marketing messaging too frequently and undermine the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns as a result. The power of repetition is one of the foundations of world-class marketing.

So if it is a bad idea – why do so many companies do it? Find three reasons on the flip – see if any of them fit your company.

First, it’s something Marketing can do quickly and inexpensively when things are not going well. It makes them look like doers and keeps the suits off their back – until people figure out that things are worse than before. This just resets the clock on when messaging will be effective – backwards. When things are not going well changing messaging should be one of the last things you do.

Second, companies get bored listening to their own echo chamber. Marketing messaging is just starting to have an impact at the moment when everyone inside the company is sick and tired of hearing it, reading it, and saying it. It takes focus and an appreciation for the power of repetition to stick with a message until it has an impact.

Third – companies don’t take their messaging seriously. It is amazing how many companies put messaging together just to capture attention without any sense of the promise that is behind it. The kiss of death for messaging is when a Sales Rep says to a customer “Ahh – that’s just marketing.” Good marketing communicates the promise your company is making to prospective customers and it ought to be taken seriously by everyone in the business.

All of this presumes that you have put the time in to develop solid messaging the captures your promise and positions you well against the competition. Don’t change it just because you are panicked, bored, or insincere.

On the other hand – if your message sucks change it.