Traditional Advertisement

This is the offline part of your marketing mix. Direct mail, billboards, print advertising, trade shows, television and radio. Some organizations would like to think “traditional advertising” is outdated and irrelevant, but for most businesses and nonprofits, an effective marketing mix is incomplete without this part of the strategy. Online alone is simply not enough. Prospective customers need to see your brand in multiple places and from multiple angles for the “big idea” to sink in.

A word of caution, however, for those companies who have engaged traditional advertising for many years: it’s easy to fall into the habit of “obligatory advertising.” That looks like this: “Well, we do what we’ve always done and spend money on the same things we’ve always spent money on. Everybody in the industry does it.” That’s a formula for wasted marketing dollars.

If your marketing mix is scattered, incoherent, habitual or sporadic, let’s talk. Chances are you can reallocate some dollars to be more effective.

Brand Identity

A brand is more than just a logo. And “branding” is more than using consistent colors and fonts. Your brand identity embodies the persona of your organization; it sets the tone for your marketing strategy; it sets expectations and makes promises. Your name, your logo, your tagline, your colors, your typography should all work together to clearly establish a position in your market that is uniquely and authentically you.

Think about it. How many times will your brand be used and seen over the next 10 years? How many website impressions, email signatures, advertisements, brochures and business cards will pass in front of prospective customers and referral sources? The numbers are staggering. So it makes sense to get it right up front.

Are you happy with your branding? Do you have three or four different logos, “slightly off” color schemes, inconsistent email signatures or a tagline with no teeth? Do you have a Brand Standards Guide that keeps your branding consistent and professional across your organization? If not, perhaps we should talk.

Web Development

In an age when most of your target customers carry the Internet in their pockets, expectations of websites have never been higher. Your prospective customers are on a self-guided tour of the web, skimming sites that might be relevant and pausing longer in places where they find valuable information. That’s why it pays to start your web project by thinking through the various types of users who will be engaging your site. Because it’s not about what you want to tell them…it’s about what they want to know.

Of course, understanding your audience is only the starting point. The design, functionality, content management systems and technical support behind your website are important, too – not just during the build, but long after the site has been live and managing traffic.

You know people make decisions about the quality of your products, services and team based on what they see online. So, what does your website say about your brand? If you need to establish a new site or revamp one that’s feeling a bit tired, we’d be delighted to start the conversation.

Online Marketing

This is the web-based component of your marketing mix. Search engine optimization. Pay-per-click advertising. Remarketing. Content marketing. Blogging. Press release distribution. Banner ads. Social media.

For our online marketing clients, we employ a balance of organic search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising through Google, Facebook and other outlets (also called “paid search”). Our aim is to determine the keyword mix that makes sense for you, then deploy a geo-targeted campaign that focuses on your target audience. Your brand shows up in front of prospective customers who are intentionally looking for what you offer. And best of all, it’s measurable.

The list of online marketing strategies goes on and on. Figuring out which inbound strategies to use can be time-consuming, confusing and just plain frustrating. North Star can help you evaluate the options, establish a budget and implement a strategy that has measurable ROI. Give us a call if you’re interested in raising your profile online.