Everything, everywhere, all at once

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Hello Spark reader,

Brand signposting encompasses the many ways we prompt audiences to recognise and hopefully remember us, and then nudge them towards the destinations they might be seeking. A logo is the ultimate brand signpost, but so is a call to action button, or a selection of visuals that help customers to categorise our brand and perhaps begin to weave some of our desired associations into their minds.

But there is such a thing as too much signposting—as Amy Erato cautions in this week’s feature. Amy is a marketing leader and writer who recently joined our bench of talented senior marketing specialists. She and our Managing Director Jeanette Juetten were commiserating over their shared experiences of terrible hospital signage, something many of us can probably relate to, and the following piece was sparked…

—Ryan

The science of brand signposting

Walk into a hospital and what’s the first thing you notice? Signs. They’re everywhere. Directional arrows. “Registration.” “Authorized Personnel Only.” “Do Not Enter.” “Emergency Department Ahead.” Sometimes there are even hallways with directional arrows painted on the walls or floors in colors corresponding to specific departments or patient areas.

The intent is to help, but in fact the effect is often the opposite. When there is too much information everywhere all at once, the result is confusion. People hesitate. They ask for help. In a hospital where urgency and stress is already high, unclear signposting compounds the anxiety.

The same can be said about marketing.

Every touchpoint is a brand experience

A website banner and call-to-action is a type of signpost. Every navigation bar is supposed to help you find your way, but when there’s too much information, too many directions, and too many messages, the result is the same as a crowded hospital hallway: confusion.

From digital touchpoints like websites, emails and social media pages, to direct mail, brochures, and articles, the visual and verbal cues are all signposts guiding people through a journey. When brands try to say everything, everywhere, all at once, customers don’t know where to look or what to do next.

The importance of subtle and overt cues

When shaping and guiding a brand experience, details matter. Details like what people see and how they interpret your message are important. These subtle and overt cues work together to shape how audiences connect with your brand.

Visual
These are the consistent fonts, colors, and typography of your brand.

Sensorial
Consider the needs of those with visual impairment, including color choices, font size, and the use of braille or text-to-speech features.

Linguistic
Language used must be clear and intentional. Consider offering information in multiple languages and ensure those with disabilities can understand.

Navigational
Layout must be intuitive and easy to follow, with clear calls to action.

Navigation shapes perception

Like a patient trying to navigate a hospital’s hallways who loses confidence in their sense of direction and becomes confused, a customer faced with too much information during a brand experience loses confidence in the brand. Good signposting whether in digital experiences or in real life reduces friction, anticipates needs and simplifies decisions.

When you navigate your website, product or app, how easy (or difficult) is it to find your way around, without asking for help? If the experience doesn’t meet your customer’s needs, they may search and ask for help, or they may just leave. When they leave, they will find someone else to meet that need—probably your competitor.

The cognitive load on the customer journey

Every customer journey comes with a cognitive load: What do I do next? Is this trustworthy? What can I expect now? When it’s too much, people disengage. When your brand guides people seamlessly and each “sign” makes the next decision obvious, you build trust and make the journey seamless.

Hospitals get this wrong all the time, and so do brands. However, both are simply trying to get people somewhere important without getting lost. In marketing that means being intentional.

• Is your brand language clear or cluttered?

• Are you trying to say too much all at once?

• Are your visuals helpful or do they distract?

• Does your digital navigation make the next steps obvious?

When you guide your audience with intention, they find what they’re looking for without frustration. They trust they’re in good hands. And trust, both in hospitals and brands, is everything.

Amy Erato has led marketing efforts at several non-profits in industries spanning healthcare, insurance, financial services, and the performing arts. She builds brand strategies that drive engagement, strengthens reputation, and connects mission-driven organizations with the communities they serve. Currently she is the Director of Marketing at a rural hospital in Wisconsin.

Photo credit: Gregory Schmidt MD | Navjunk = horrible hospital navigation (+ a solution)

Thanks for joining us this week. Anything we missed? Something we should include next week? Send us your shout-outs and strong opinions to include in next week’s edition at [email protected]. 

Spark is a production of Vivace, a global B2B creative studio and consultancy that helps businesses drive meaningful brand and commercial impact. Get in touch if you’d like to chat with any of the team. Have a great week ahead.