Consistency or Creativity in Marketing?

What is the most important VS what actually works.

Can you have Consistency AND Creativity?

With consistency there is a level of awareness of your brand over time which does not vary greatly, potential buyers will recognise your brand from one interaction to the next.

Creativity in marketing involves the generation and execution of unique ideas that communicate a message in an original way.

So, what do you think would be best for your business?

Consumers are constantly seeking something new. It’s not enough to be ‘creatively consistent’, which can lead to being left behind, unseen and forgotten. Brands now have to be ‘consistently creative’, bold and to shake things up in order to engage audiences and thrive.

Sadly, it’s not enough just to be creative. Brands now have to be consistent to make a difference and get noticed. It’s great if you can do both, but consistency will always make sure you’re noticed.

It is more important to marketing success to be consistent with your efforts than to be highly creative. A campaign that is consistently carried out over time will produce significantly better results than a highly creative, but inconsistently executed campaign.

Content marketing or inbound marketing – consisting of SEO, blogging, social media, ebooks, landing pages etc. (see content ideas blog) with rich content downloads and targeted email campaigns – will produce high quality leads that will convert into customers and loyal advocates.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or marketing for a well-known brand, maintaining consistency is critical. Trust has become a key brand differentiator for everyone. Every interaction of your brand should convey a similar tone that’s recognisable and familiar to your audience. However, consistency shouldn’t compromise creativity.

Content that gets you noticed

Content that performs well on one channel, probably won’t do so well on another, so you need to create separate content for separate channels. And, create content in different formats so potential customers can digest it the way they want to.

Don’t have too large a scale

When you have to work backwards from your schedule, consistent creation naturally forms constraints. You better have a system in place to finish work at regular intervals when you start small and work up.

Make content marketing a habit

It’s essential for your business to develop (and stick!) to a plan that will eventually create a habitual process that all team members can follow. Creating content doesn’t have to be a difficult or complicated process, but it does need to be consistent and valuable to your audience. Start by creating a document that holds any industry events plus all of your content ideas and a specific publishing schedule for each one.

Consistency lightens the pressure to be creative

It all comes down to giving excellent value when you approach each project with a strong foundation of creative, consistent, and clear thinking. Keeping with a regular strategy not only helps create a better customer experience, but it also helps build credibility, reputation and brand trust.

Both creativity and consistency are important; they need to be in balance with each other and I do believe that consistency wins by a nose. My advice? Get your marketing plan in shape now to reflect any changes. Don’t have one? I can help with that.