One of the principles we base our direct marketing programs on is continuity. This is especially important in the online world where each interaction is a millisecond apart as potential customers click through creative > landing page/site > order process > confirmation email communications. Continuity refers to all elements of the creative through the acquisition and early retention process. For example, through testing we know that the connection between the text in a paid search ad needs to be reflected in the headline in the landing page - this continuity confirms that you are on the correct page to “pay off” the text that you clicked on. It is important to take this message as well as the colors, images, design that you’ve introduced on the landing page and carry through the order process.

Here’s an exercise. Take off your company hat and put on your consumer hat looking for a solution to the problem that your company/service/product solves. Work through the acquisition process looking at each piece of creative > landing page > order path > welcome email > 1st product experience > as far as you can to the point of usage. While doing this, look at the initial message, the promise/value proposition, the motivation for the initial click and see how it is carried through all the way through. Look at colors, messaging opportunities and support. How can you carry these thoughts all the way through? If you do this and improve/test this process - you will get more people to the critical point of purchase as well as higher initial product usage.