Integrating Lead-Generation
Marketing with Brand Marketing

Used in the right way, all your lead-generation tactics should support your brand initiatives. Your lead-generation tactics should have the same look and feel and use the same logos and imagery, so that every time someone sees one of your lead-generation tactics at work, it should reinforce your brand and build brand recognition.

Many major companies do this well. Banks like Bank of America and credit card companies like Visa and Discover use their logos extensively in their lead-generation efforts. Every time people see a direct mail piece, a marketing e-mail, or an online ad from one of these companies, it reinforces the company logo in their mind, building awareness of the brand.

You can also strengthen your brand if you tie the look and feel of your lead-generation tactics to your current branding campaign. If you can find ways to use brand imagery to personalize your lead-generation tactics, it will help you to create familiarity with your brand and company among potential customers. The more personalized your lead-generation tactics are, the more they will engage customers, and the higher your response will be for those tactics.

Geico Insurance has found numerous ways to integrate their mascot, the Geico Gecko, into their lead-generation tactics. The talking Gecko became an advertising star through TV commercials. But Geico also uses the Gecko mascot in marketing e-mails, on the envelopes and letters in direct mail offers, and in online display and social media ads. Usually, the Gecko mascot is giving a call-to-action in the marketing creative. In some cases, Geico can even use the Gecko brand image to personalize the creative for the target recipient. For example, a direct mail piece may have a picture of the Gecko printed at the top of the letter, with a speech balloon that says, “Hey, Dave. Act now to save on car insurance.”

By using the Gecko in their lead-generation creatives, Geico is able to extend the brand a step beyond simply using the logo. They are using the personality of the brand. This allows them to better engage potential clients, and it probably results in a higher response to the lead-generation tactic being used.