We live in a society that is more likely to remember and engage with condensed messages rather than elaborate information. Twitter’s character limit, Vine’s short video loops and the effective and minimal marketing strategies of international companies are evidence of the current marketing trend. There are a number of ways you can simplify and embolden your company’s brand identity, website design, and marketing message. Here are some of the key minimalist strategies you should integrate into your company’s marketing plan for veritable success:
Think Mobile
With the predominant use of smartphones, mobile website design is a very important element to take into consideration when you design your company’s website. It is advantageous for the mobile design of your website to occur first, since it is a simplified view of your site that must relay all of the imperative information. In mobile site design it is best that you keep it short and simple — a concept that should also be applied to your full site. Company sites like driving-tests.org, Dropbox, Scrapd, Mint, and Basecamp don’t over-explain the fine details of their services, but instead focus on the key points and information the customer will find most valuable.
Brand and Logo
Brand identity is an incredibly important aspect of your company and is a tool you should fully utilize for increased market presence and recognizability. Brand identities have grown more simple and effective, within the last few years. Many logos of companies have undergone a process of simplification so their company’s brand-image can manifest into iconography. An example of this is the Starbucks mermaid logo, which has transformed multiple times since the company was founded in 1971. In 2011, Starbucks removed the type and the black background from their logo for a simple, green and white mermaid logo. This logo has now become an icon of the company, which greatly strengthens the Starbucks visual brand.
Other examples of simple logos that have become internationally-recognized icons include the Macintosh “apple,” Microsoft “window,” Nike “swoosh,” and the Shell “shell.” In September 2015, Google revamped their typeface into a more simple, Futura-inspired, custom made font called Product Sans. The six-lettered, multi-colored logo relays a simple, friendly and approachable style — this is what many people feel when they think of their experience with Google’s user friendly software and products. Simple designs, shapes and colors are easier to retain in memory versus complex and abstract designs. Minimalist branding and straightforward logos are clear-cut and effective tools that can tangibly represent your company’s identity and steer the viewer’s thoughts toward your brand.
Pick a Niche
Understand who your customer is and what they’re in the market for. For example, if you’re in the hair care product business and you target everyone who washes their hair, you may miss the mark because that category is too large. Instead, decipher how the characteristics of your brand connect with a more specialized audience and decide how your message should cater to them. Ask yourself who your customer is, what they want and what is the motivation behind their purchase. Once you’ve focused your campaign toward specific types of customers, you can effectively develop a marketing message that will speak to their needs. A more specific demographic will assist with the visual direction of your campaign — a younger audience will respond to a humorous message and a simple and bold graphic look, whereas an older audience appreciates elaborate information on the product and softer visuals.
Less is More
It is important that you never overload your customers with information. Keep your message simple, clear and concise — in all forms of advertising or marketing strategies. For example, refrain from sending a barrage of daily email messages to your customers and instead decide what specific pieces of information are the most important. Share what is relevant for your customer based on their age, location or any other information you may have for them in your database. On your website, reduce the amount of unnecessary text and utilize visual marketing strategies, like photo and video. Visual media helps your customer clearly receive your message and will not require them to sift through discouraging amounts of excess information.
