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Enhancing the company's image through its visual identity

A company's visual identity is the set of graphic elements that represent the company. It takes the form of a combination of shapes, colours, typographic elements, symbols , etc. The aim is to give each company its own identity so that it can be directly recognised. Does it really have an impact on the company? Does it need to be renewed over the years?

How important is visual identity to a company?

Establishing the first contact between the company and the prospect

The corporate identity must set the tone. It is the first contact between the prospect and the company , so it must attract a potential customer and be easily recognisable. A logo that is too complicated to understand could have negative repercussions on target audiences. The font, the colours, the graphics - all these elements need to be studied as carefully as possible in order to produce work that is in line with what the company wishes to convey. If the branding succeeds in seducing the prospect, he or she will be able to move on to the next stage, i.e. placing an order or requesting a quote.

Conveying the company's values

The aim of a company is to convey a message, a set of values. This is achieved through its communications and, of course, its visual identity. In fact, thanks to its specific features, it must reflect the company and convey the values it defends. Thanks to this identity, the company can unconsciously convey certain messages and position itself in a specific sector, or even reach a specific target (young people, wealthy people, individuals, professionals, etc.).

Differentiate yourself from your competitors

A company's identity also helps it to stand out from its competitors. Companies operating in a competitive sector need to be able to stand out from the crowd thanks to a unique identity. This is the time to use your creativity and make your mark. With a quirky visual identity, a company is more likely to arouse curiosity and stay one step ahead of its competitors. An attractive logo, original typography and colours that reflect the company's values will all help to attract future consumers.

Should a company's identity evolve over time?

The question of evolving or changing a company's visual identity often arises. Should a logo be changed? Won't customers get lost in the shuffle? These are the questions that every company is entitled to ask. But it is essential for a company to evolve its identity over the years as new graphic design trends emerge. An identity that was striking in the 90s will not be as effective in the 2010s, in the era of the development of graphic design and typography. However, changing your identity does not mean changing your values or the message you want to convey. It is possible to keep strong elements (colours, symbols, etc.), but to use them in a more up-to-date and sophisticated way.

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• The graphic designer: a palette of colours and ideas to create effective, personalised communication

by mgyi-admin

An effective customer relationship is based first and foremost on trust

Today, to build customer loyalty, it is becoming increasingly important to establish a real relationship of trust with them. It's a long-term process, and a fragile one too, because trust can be lost very quickly, but it's one that can transform ordinary consumers into people who are genuinely committed to defending your products, in the best of cases. There are a few tricks you can use to build a lasting customer relationship.

Knowing your customers is essential for building loyalty

It is becoming easier and easier to collect data on your customers. Any company worthy of the name should now have a documented customer database.

The more levels it contains, the more effective it will be, because you can then really personalise the messages you send to consumers of your products. A simple birthday message or a promotion on recurring purchases, without being very original, are simple ways of showing that you follow your regular customers. Show that you are close to your customers and that they are not just numbers on an overly large list. Be careful, however, when it comes to data management: according to a Verint study carried out in partnership with Ovum and Opinium, 30% of French people do not trust companies when it comes to data security. Don't hesitate to be specific about the reasons why you are collecting certain information, in order to reassure prospective customers, and don't go beyond what you have committed to. A reassured customer is a confident customer.

Customers are everywhere, on the Internet and elsewhere

Your customers are not just those who visit your website.

They are also present on social networks. So it's important to reach out to them on these channels too, because a good customer relationship is about more than just a successful exchange at the point of purchase.

To establish a sense of proximity, you need not only to be present, but to engage with consumers. Responding to messages, whether critical, positive or simply questioning, shows readers that you are interested in them.

This practice also enables you to better understand the expectations of your customers or prospects and, if necessary, adapt your offer to meet those needs. As part of a local relationship, it is also customary to take an interest in local practices and events, whether you are a small business or a multinational (some fast-food chains offer regional products depending on the country in which the shop is located).

Why is your customers' trust so important to you?

A confident customer gets involved and feels concerned by the brand. They are also consumers who develop loyalty. When a reliable relationship is established between a company and an individual, the latter will have a clear tendency to return to that company for future purchases.

Trust is built, of course, by a well-displayed pricing policy and respect for deadlines, and not just by a continuous presence on the Internet. It's not a one-way street: a company can also show its customers that it trusts them, for example by accepting returns without justification. In this way, the relationship becomes a win-win situation in which everyone benefits.

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• The 4 fundamental challenges of conversational marketing
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by mgyi-admin

The 4 fundamental challenges of conversational marketing

Conversational marketing is based on two major facts: on the one hand, customers share their purchasing experience with their community, and on the other, consumers need to be convinced and reassured by their peers. The prodigious expansion of social networks over the last decade and the advent of the smartphone have led to greater interaction between consumers and an increase in the digital content produced by brands. To better understand their customers' needs, companies are investing even more in conversational marketing. However, the profound changes that conversational marketing has undergone in terms of both uses and tools have given rise to new challenges that companies need to take on board.

Customer content at the centre of attention

At the heart of conversational marketing, consumer opinions are the object of a particular appetite on the part of companies, which want more and more of them. They even create events to collect customer feedback, which they then transform into digital content. The aim is for brands to adopt an "earned media" approach, taking advantage of free exposure on digital tools. Companies then have to manage, compile and moderate this content.

The advent of the multi-connected consumer

While a few years ago showrooming (buying on the internet after having been in a shop) gave rise to fears for physical shops, it turned out that digital technology was actually more conducive to the act of buying. Unless the price difference is significant, customers will not leave the shop to buy via another channel. The content produced by conversational marketing has become essential information for consumers. Providing the best possible access to all the digital tools capable of delivering content becomes a key challenge for businesses, both in terms of customer conversion and customer loyalty.

The omnipresence of consumer opinions

Whereas consumer reviews used to be confined to the very end of product sheets, today they are displayed on home pages, newsletters, etc. and even in shops. With the rise of conversational marketing, they are becoming real selling points, like recommendations, put forward by companies. Customer feedback is essential because it reassures customers and lends credibility to the brand's message.

The discussion between brands and customers

These days, the changes in conversational marketing have introduced exchanges and not just unilateral opinions. Brands respond to customers on the various digital channels. They solicit and challenge them as part of an ongoing dialogue that allows them to listen and respond in real time to their customers' concerns. Some companies even offer customers the chance to earn points for their comments. Faced with this emergence of customer communities, brands that create fake consumer reviews from scratch will immediately find themselves discredited.

Even if the risk of bad buzz does exist, companies owe it to themselves to invest in conversational marketing in order to strengthen their customer relations. Nevertheless, brand communication operations are constantly changing, and the integration of consumer opinions and digital content must adapt to the new challenges.

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• Business and marketing: offering quality advertising content to win back web users
• A company's web communication: the challenges of successful programmatic advertising

by mgyi-admin