“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.” 

This mantra from Marie Forleo, New York Times Best Selling Author, renowned marketing guru and entrepreneur, resonates but leaves us asking an obvious question. If we agree it’s important, why aren’t we more consistent in our marketing initiatives? Before we delve into the answer to this perennial question, let’s explore some reasons marketing consistency matters. (And, don’t worry, we’ve got some tips to help you reach optimal consistency too!)

Use Marketing Consistency To Reach Your Goals

Why is marketing consistency so hard to accomplish? We live in an instant gratification dominant world. We expect things in real-time. In both our personal and professional lives, we have access to data and responses at lightning speeds. Add to that dynamic that businesses are:

• Under unprecedented competitive pressures
• Facing budgetary constraints that demand ROI ASAP 
• Possibly driven to find the next big, viral marketing campaign that blows up the internet
• Working from a constantly-improving mindset (not an entirely bad thing)

All these variables, and many others, make us stray from something that we know to be true steady, consistent effort pays off. Knowing when to pivot is important too, but pivoting too much and/or too early can cause us to fail before we ever really get started.

Why does marketing consistency matter so much? In a world where chicken sandwich wars drive consumers to wait in ungodly long lines for fast food, why does consistency matter more than the hunt for the next big thing? Marketing consistency is important for a multitude of reasons, here I’ll list a few:

• Your brand requires reinforcement. Think of a brand that you love. The world’s top brands are recognizable with only a word, a color or a symbol. Nike, with its swoosh, Amazon with the mention of “Prime” or Google with the letter G – are all great examples. The truth is that these brands were built on a consistent image and message that reinforced and drove home what they are and what they stand for. 
• Some conversions take more than one touchpoint. Data can (and should) help you determine exactly how much nurturing your prospects require to take the leap and purchase your goods or services. In most cases, the number is higher than one. Assuming your KPI in any given marketing initiative is a conversion, aka sale, your message should be consistent across every touchpoint that is driven toward nurturing that conversion. It should be a reminder, a nudge and a push toward the finish line, not something completely different.
• Consistency creates a foundation from which you can change. Consider a brand that has branched out in many different directions. Brands with a clear, recognizable identity can diversify into other areas without muddying the waters so much that their audiences no longer know who they are.

What steps can I take to get more consistent in my marketing efforts? Okay, let’s assume I’ve successfully built the case for more marketing consistency, and you trust in my marketing experience to guide you onward from here. Let’s unpack some of the next steps you can take to ensure you are consistent in your marketing efforts:

The good news is my specialty is helping businesses, not only define their marketing strategies but also to guide them on how to stay consistent with them to contribute to their long-term success. Your customers want a consistent message from you, be sure that’s what you’re giving them!