Digital marketing is the most cost effective, targeted form of marketing available today. But how many businesses truly understand its value in the face of traditional advertising platforms?

Monaco Life spoke to JP Goodwin, CEO of Design Centre in Monaco, to get the lowdown on creating a successful business identity, from the branding to posting pictures on Instagram.   

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Monaco Life: Many business owners are wary, confused or don’t know where to start with their digital marketing. What should they know?

JP Goodwin: Firstly, people are confused because I think digital marketing hasn’t been handled very well to date. It is often offered as an after thought, and responsibility is given to juniors or trainees who have used social media, but who don’t necessarily know how to use it as a business tool or, more importantly, don’t have any marketing expertise.

Think about it this way: if you are going to have billboards printed, invest in radio or magazine advertising, you would use a marketing professional to do those for you, right? So why would you trust your digital marketing to a junior or intern? Digital marketing carries an equal if not greater weight of importance nowadays. And that’s how you need to approach your marketing opportunities. Whether it is traditional marketing or digital marketing, they must both be handled professionally – the organisation, planning, idea generation, design and marketing. It is about making sure you have the right target audience and, above all, that you are getting a return investment.

Secondly, digital marketing is the easiest form of marketing to enter into, because it is a start-stop service. You are not committing to buying 100,000 brochures or an annual contract, for example. You can edit, review, adjust, and see instant return on investment. You can track where your users are coming from, what’s working and what’s not working. But you need a team who can actually show you that data and interpret it; professionals who can advise you on how to amend your strategy to further maximise return on investment, optimise click through rates, engagement and visibility.

In fact, the one thing that is rarely promised with digital marketing is return on investment, but it should be a measuring stick. If you’re good enough you should stand by your word. If you commit 1,000€ on a marketing budget, what are you going to get back? 10,000 likes or thousands of impressions? That doesn’t guarantee that you are going to sell more tickets or more handbags, for example. I think return of investment (ROI) is an essential part of the package and it is absolutely possible with digital marketing. If I was choosing a digital agency I would insist on some measurable returns, then hold the agency accountable. If not, you may be taken for an expensive ride by the agency who will happily run up a bill in the thousands per month, needlessly creating content which doesn’t directly result in any returns.

Why is digital marketing so targeted and effective?

It is scary how much data that is actually available on the customer and user. If you tick a box to accept terms and conditions on a web page and social media platforms, you are sharing your age, gender, location, likes and dislikes. So, the next time you like a picture of a fine dining restaurant, I – as a restaurant owner – can target you as a potential customer, I can see if you clicked on my advert, and then follow up with a message directly, or a special offer. This is just one very easy, direct way to seek out a potential customer and, more importantly, convert that customer.

Would you recommend people try digital marketing on their own?

I have clients who have tried social media and it was to the detriment of their business. Sometimes not doing it properly is worse than not doing it at all. Did you know that around 70% of the top richest people in the world use Instagram? They tend to have more time on their hands and do more interesting things, which is why they are probably on Instagram. If you don’t get your Instagram image right, you will not only be damaging your brand but you will be missing out on a nice target market.

Also, we often see people start with a lot of good intentions and all guns blazing, posting a lot of pictures. But then they run out of ideas and photos. By that stage, they have generated some interest in their profile, but they can’t back it up because they’ve run out of ideas, energy or time. Planning and strategy are all part of the work that a digital agency should be doing for you. Making sure you are sending out quality photos that all have the same feel, then ensuring that they are posted at the right time of day and to the right audience. This structured approach is the only way it can work, there’s no two ways about it.     

What are your qualifications when it comes to branding and digital marketing?

I studied at Bauhaus University, Weimar, which is one of the most prestigious design universities in the world. I worked at various companies, large and small, initially in the UK, fine tuning my design skills with some high-profile brands including BP, Marks & Spencer and O2. I then headed up Monaco Print, and after 10 years at the helm, I sold out to a family run business in the Principality. My passion and skill are design, so it was a great opportunity to exit the manufacturing side and concentrate purely on design.

For the past two years I have been growing my company, Design Centre sarl in Monaco which specialises in branding, logos and corporate identity. However, we are seeing more and more demand for full design and marketing services, from designing brochures, magazines, and websites through to digital marketing, online stores and social media marketing.

Can you explain for us the process in creating a company identity?

Firstly, it is important for a brand to have a clear story. We would ask questions of our customers like what is the industry you are in? What are your goals for the company? What is your style, and who are you customers? What is the future of your company? Where do you want to be in five years? Once that’s all been defined, it is important that the styling and logo fit within the spectrum of what the company stands for. Even down to the naming of a company – how does it look in another language? How does it look printed in one colour rather than full colour? How does it sound on the radio? Can it be confusing?  

It seems like an easy process, but there is a grid that we personally check off to make sure every logo meets these criteria. It is important to have a great logo along with full brand guidelines for your company, right down to the choice of papers and the pantone colours. A brand isn’t just a flat logo on a page. It is the style of photography, the style of writing, the feel of the business cards.

Your logo is a silent ambassador for your business. One that is working for you non-stop, whether on your business card, brochure, website, or social media. It represents who you are, what you stand for, and what industry you are in. You should be able to pick up essences of all these in your logo and brand guidelines.

So, after the logo has been created, what comes next?

Once a logo and brand guidelines have been achieved, a brochure and website are the next logical steps. A website is just a more dynamic version of a brochure. We have a full-time developer, a full-time web designer and considerable in-house expertise in digital marketing, traditional marketing as well as design. All of these are important for a successful branding and marketing campaign. 

Can you name drop some of your clients in Monaco?

While there are many clients we can’t disclose, I can mention that we have produced a book for a Phillip Starck yacht, we have been working with Bugatti, Aston Martin and more recently the Monaco Ambassador’s Club. When Christian Moore took over as president, he wanted a completely new look for the club including brand and logo, in an effort to attract a younger demographic. So, we started with a new logo – which was approved by HSH Prince Albert II – and then a new website, with a full private and secure member portal among its features. It’s a modern approach for quite an old club that was established in 1973.

Additionally, we are proud to be working with Monaco Life. Eric Brundage, the publisher, inherited an old, out of date website, so it was nice to create a new website design which makes it easier for readers to navigate and find the news that they’re really interested in. It was also key that the website and distribution was easy and consistent with the brand. I think it’s a great success, especially the daily stories on Instagram, and I hope that your readers think so too. I would love to hear their feedback and for them to let me know if we should do anything differently, like adding other features or improving on what we are offering.

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