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Why Consistency in Marketing Matters

Marketing is often seen as a task to be ticked off during the quieter times. But when business is booming, it’s easy to let marketing efforts slip, because it seems harder to justify investing in marketing when you’re generating plenty of business from referrals or returning customers and clients. However, consistent marketing is essential to keeping your business growing, no matter the current level of demand. Marketing your business should be an ongoing investment and it’s vital to maintain consistency even when things are going well – here’s why.

The Myth of “Only When Needed” Marketing

Many business owners believe marketing is something to focus on only when business is slow. But this mindset can be damaging in the long term. Marketing is not just about attracting customers during a downturn or promoting a product launch. It’s about keeping your business front of mind, building brand loyalty, and preparing for the future. A short-term marketing push won’t sustain long-term growth. That’s why consistency matters.

Building Trust and Brand Recognition

Consistency in marketing helps build trust with your audience. When potential customers see your brand regularly, they become more familiar with it. Over time, this familiarity fosters trust. People are more likely to do business with a company they recognise and trust, which is why ongoing marketing efforts are crucial.

Inconsistent marketing can have the opposite effect. If your presence is sporadic, customers may forget about you or, worse, see your business as unreliable. In a world where consumers are bombarded with choices, staying top of mind is essential, and consistent marketing achieves this.

Maintaining Momentum During Busy Times

When business is booming, marketing might seem like an unnecessary expense. After all, you’re already attracting customers. However, by pausing your marketing efforts during busy periods, you risk losing the momentum that’s been driving your success.

Marketing is not just about short-term sales. It’s about building a pipeline of future customers. While you’re busy managing current demand, consistent marketing ensures there’s a steady flow of new customers in the future. Neglecting marketing during the busy times could lead to a slow period once the current influx of customers dwindles.

Competitors Don’t Pause Their Marketing

Even when your business is doing well, your competitors are still marketing. If you pull back, you’re giving them an advantage. In highly competitive industries, it’s important to stay visible and relevant. Customers are constantly researching, comparing, and making purchasing decisions. If your marketing is inconsistent, you risk falling behind, and your competitors could easily fill the gap you leave.

The marketing wheel takes time and resources to spin up, and regular contact to keep it moving – if it’s left to grind to a halt, getting things restarted again can come at substantial cost. By maintaining a steady marketing presence, you can ensure that you’re always part of the conversation in your industry. It keeps your business competitive and helps you retain market share.

Customer Loyalty and Engagement

Consistency in marketing isn’t just about acquiring new customers; it’s also about keeping existing customers engaged. Regular communication with your audience, whether through social media, email newsletters, or other channels, helps maintain a connection with your current customers. It reminds them why they chose your business in the first place and encourages them to return.

Customer loyalty is one of the most valuable assets a business can have, but it requires nurturing. Consistent marketing ensures you remain in your customers’ minds and strengthens the emotional bond they have with your brand. This can lead to repeat business and referrals, both of which are essential for long-term growth. Gathering feedback and determining your Net Promoter Score (NPS) allows you to measure customer loyalty and engagement and get an idea around how much your marketing investment is moving the dial for your customers.

Long-Term Brand Equity

Marketing builds brand equity, the value that your brand holds in the minds of consumers. This isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s the result of regular, ongoing marketing efforts that create positive associations with your brand over time.

Consistent marketing allows you to shape and maintain your brand’s image. If you only market sporadically, you lose control over how your brand is perceived. Regular engagement ensures your brand stays relevant, fresh, and aligned with your values. Over time, this builds a strong, reputable brand that customers trust and are willing to pay a premium for.

Preparing for Market Fluctuations

Every business will face ups and downs, whether due to economic conditions, seasonal trends, or changes in consumer behaviour. Consistent marketing helps prepare your business for these fluctuations by ensuring a steady flow of leads, even when times are tough.

If you only market when business is slow, you may find yourself constantly reacting to downturns, rather than being proactive. By finding consistency with your marketing efforts, you can smooth out the peaks and valleys and ensure you have a loyal customer base ready to support your business in any market condition.

Avoiding the “Feast or Famine” Cycle

One of the biggest risks of inconsistent marketing is falling into the “feast or famine” cycle. This occurs when businesses only market during slow periods, then stop when demand picks up, only to find themselves scrambling for customers once the influx dries up. This cycle creates instability and makes it difficult to plan for future growth.

Consistent marketing creates a more predictable flow of leads and customers. It allows you to build sustainable growth over time, rather than experiencing sharp highs and lows. This stability is essential for long-term success, as it allows you to better plan for expansion, investment, and scaling your business.

Marketing is a Long-Term Investment

It’s important to see marketing as an investment, not an expense. The returns on marketing efforts aren’t always immediate, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t significant. Each campaign, post, and advertisement contributes to a larger goal of building your brand, attracting customers, and creating loyalty.

Just like any long-term investment, the more consistent your efforts, the better the results. A few months of marketing may bring some short-term wins, but it’s the businesses that market consistently over the long term that reap the greatest rewards.

Your Takeaway: Stay the Course

Consistency in marketing is the key to long-term success. It builds trust, strengthens customer loyalty, and ensures your business remains competitive, even when times are good. By maintaining a steady marketing presence, you can avoid the feast or famine cycle, prepare for market fluctuations, and create sustainable growth for your business. Marketing should never be a stop-start effort. Instead, see it as an ongoing investment in your business’ future. Whether you’re in a busy period or a slow one, staying consistent with your marketing efforts is one of the best decisions you can make for long-term success.

If you’re ready to make a move now – ask us for a complimentary initial consultation with our Brand Plus team to see how we can develop your business’ marketing strategy and achieve real results. You can reach us on 08 9325 2411 (Perth), 08 9301 2200 (Joondalup), or via our website.

written by:

Ben Hart

Ben joined the McKinley Plowman team in 2017 as a Marketing & HR Assistant, after completing a Bachelors degree in Marketing & Management from the University of Western Australia. Ben has since stepped up to the role of Marketing Manager and oversees the marketing activities for MP+ and many of our clients.

Ben enjoys helping clients take their businesses to the next level with thoughtful marketing strategies, innovative solutions, and timely reviews to ensure great outcomes. When he's not in the office, you'll find Ben playing football (soccer), watching it, or reading about it.