How do you know it ain’t broke?

 

Old adages usually prove to be true. Where marketing is concerned, however, there is a caveat. Adopting the If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it approach will stifle your growth at best and render your brand stodgy and dated at worst.

 

This is not to say you need to constantly rebrand. That would be just as damaging to your credibility and growth potential. Instead, consider another adage: In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand firm like a rock.

 

Assuming your positioning is solid and you have established a concrete mission, philosophy, and stellar culture, stay on top of the latest industry trends so that you always know how to reach your target. For instance, if your target is 20-year-olds, the look and feel of your marketing collateral will change every few years as new generations enter their 20s.

 

How you marketed to your target in 2010 is going to look much different than how you will market to it in 2020. At the rate technology changes, your marketing vehicles will be different, too. 

 

Instagram was launched in 2010 but most businesses were too busy adapting to Facebook and Twitter to pay mind to the photo-centric social platform. Five years and a half billion followers after inception, Instagram started to become a force for reckoning. Today, nary a business will establish a social presence without considering Instagram.

 

Imagine your business or industry reaches its audience best through more traditional advertising like direct mail. Perhaps your ad campaigns are seasonal. Is it wise to run the same campaign year after year? This is not a trick question, but one you should ask and answer honestly. If running the same campaign year after year is not resulting in enormous growth each time, then it is time to spruce up your approach. Choose new verbiage, a new look, a different offer. None of these options require an overhaul of your business, just a refresh for your new courtship. Think of it as a date. Who would not want to don new attire to impress the gal or guy, or new customers? 

 

Consider your website, business cards, office. Do they look the same as they did when the business was launched? Mom, Dad, or grandparents would be fine to say about their homes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In fact, we might encourage them not to change it because of the nostalgia we experience when visiting and eating off great-grandma’s china. That nostalgia generally does not translate well in business. Imagine walking into a professional office and seeing the receptionist on a rotary phone with no computer in sight. You might question doing business with that organization.

 

How about the business’s online presence? Websites and social pages are the front doors of many organizations. Are yours responsive? Will they present well on all devices? Is the content sharp and concise? Are the colors engaging? The design elements modern? Is your call to action obvious? Most importantly, are visitors and prospects able to immediately see the value of doing business with you?