One of the biggest mistakes we see with websites is a lack of identity, something that the visitor can recognize as your brand, whether it’s a definable logo; tag line; or color theme. Be sure to carry that identifier through the whole sales process.
Too many times we see an optin page (the page a visitor comes to first when they visit your site and give you their name and email) that either was pretty basic or had one look and feel. Then, after the visitor opts in, the page they’re sent to has a different look and feel, only to be followed up by the shopping cart or order page with yet a third different look and feel.
This can create a total disconnect for your visitor. In some cases it’s hard to customize your shopping cart page to look exactly like your website. But, in most cases, you can upload or use a secure link for your logo. You can also customize some or all of the color settings to make those match your optin, sales and thank you pages.
Be sure to be consistent with your tag line or catch phrase as well. Also, the email address you use for communicating with your visitors is part of your branding.
While cleaning out an inbox recently email was sorted based on the “From” field and so many emails from the same marketers were totally inconsistent with their “from” line or even their email address.
Please understand we’re not pointing fingers at all marketers, just stating the fact that I think some forget this rule. It’s hard enough to get emails delivered consistently, so why make it more difficult by changing the way your name is formatted or the email address you use to send it from?
There needs to be a certain identity carried through the whole process from the website and back to the website for follow ups. If you visit any of Frank’s websites you will see some type of carrythrough to all of the sites. Most will have Frank’s “That One” logo somewhere on the page and will either be Orange with Blue accent or Blue with Orange accent. And most, if not all, will have in the copyright section either “That One Corporation” or “That One Web Guy”.
Also, when sending out email, autoresponders, newsletters or promotions all of my email comes from Frank—That One Web Guy! Unless it is from one of my joint ventures with a partner and we generally have a set email we use for communications for that partnership such as a support address or an info address.
Look around and you’ll see branding all around you. There are certain companies you immediately recognize either because of the color, font or logo and you’re immediately reassured this is a company you’ve learned to know, like, and trust over the lifetime of your relationship with that company.
You should follow the lead of the corporate giants. Even on a small scale this can be done. Think about your branding and stick with it.
