Every business has a brand. In a nutshell, a brand is the impression you give people, intentional or not – the ideas and images that come to mind when customers see your name. A recognized brand starts with a strong logo supported by consistent messaging across platforms. Over time, these messages cement attitudes and opinions about your company – think of them as a “bookmark” customers use to “tag” their sense of who you are and what you can provide them.
Image Credit: Carlos Arias (https://www.carlosja.com/slide/portfolio-branding-1)
In this post, we’ll look at some of the reasons why of brand consistency is so crucial to building and maintaining a strong brand.
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What is a consistent brand?
To get a sense of what consistent branding looks like, consider Apple Inc. Apple’s “bitten apple” logo is instantly recognizable, but their branding strategy goes far beyond logo design. Under the leadership of their Chief Design Officer Jonathan “Jony” Ive, the creative mastermind behind Apple’s pioneering iMac design, Apple has created a highly recognizable product line.
All Apple products fit into the same design family, with clean contours and streamlined controls that prioritize durability, quality, timeless expertise and futuristic technology. Even if Apple’s “apple” were covered up, their consistent design would mark every product as belonging to Apple’s product family.
Brick-and-mortar locations carry Apple’s brand message forward, from the “Genius Bars” promising one-on-one consultations with trained specialists to the gleaming row of innovative products for sale to the carefully curated menu of third-party products. As a personal technology company, Apple’s brand gains value from emphasizing efficient user interfaces and spotless surfaces. Whether you’re buying a desktop computer or an iPhone, you can see that you’re buying a product from a company that wants to impress customers.
Consistent messaging has helped Apple become a market leader, and their understanding of consistent branding as a strategic process has created a solid market advantage. Best of all, customers have learned to associate the Apple brand with quality – which means that they see special value in owning a product that looks like an Apple product.
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How Does Of Brand Consistency Help?
Let’s consider some of the ways in which consistent branding helps you:
Consistency conveys your outlook and attitude. A consistent brand image is the best way to transmit messaging about your company. Whether you want to highlight an on-trend product line or a unique personalized approach to customer service, a consistent brand is the best frame for a memorable message.
Consistency helps you manage perceptions. A consistent brand image is a little bit like a uniform for your products and company activity – it signals to customers that your company is conscientious, purposeful, and in-control.
Consistency protects your investment. Your logo announces your company, and it’s worth investing in a high-impact professional design. But without a consistent strategy to foreground your logo, all that visual impact will be squandered.
Consistency eliminates confusion. A consistent brand will lend clarity to your company’s presence and image. Customers will see a single strong impression, not a series of conflicting ideas.
Consistency creates consumer confidence. Look back at our Apple example – customers who buy a new Apple product are basing their decision on Apple’s history of stellar performance. Brand consistency will allow you to use your reputation to build on your success.
Photo Credit: Web Design Boston (http://www.mywebdesignboston.com/blog/essential-guide-branding-your-company)
How Can You Maintain Of Brand Consistency?
Consider values. Whether you’re a startup or an established business, it never hurts to consider what you want your customers to hear. What are your priorities? What is your mission? What sets you and your products and services apart?
Be proactive. Brand consistency is about diligent attention to maintaining the prominence of your brand. It’s vital that every member of your team is an active participant in your branding strategy. Is your logo prominently displayed on every page of your website? Do your email marketing campaigns incorporate your logo and message? Does your social-media presence strengthen your brand or dilute your message?
Offer guidance. Create a “Brand Standards Guide” containing comprehensive guidelines about your brand – logos in multiple sizes and formats, taglines, fonts, standard settings for text materials, and any protocols you want to include for social-media updates and other routine parts of your marketing plan. This way, your team will have a definitive “style guide” allowing them to implement your brand strategy in a consistent way.
Stay creative. Consistency is a frame that establishes space for creativity. With consistent branding and logo deployment, you’ll be able to embrace new marketing techniques without worrying about losing customer interest.
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Of brand consistency rests on the same principles that lead to business success overall – planning, teamwork, and attention to detail. Conscientious development of your brand will give you new opportunities to capture customer interest and capitalize on your company’s performance. Take care of your brand, and your brand will take care of you!
Are you interested in learning more about of brand consistency and other components of a successful marketing plan? We suggest working with a team of digital marketing professionals who make it their business to develop and implement comprehensive marketing strategies tailored to the business needs of every client. Contact Square 1 Group for a consultation today!
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