Consistency in branding is essential
Being consistent in your brand is essential as you can’t be two things at once. Like the picture demonstrates you can’t be a tiger and a budgie at the same time (despite the powers of Photoshop)!
Your brand should build awareness and develop trust and loyalty with your customers. To do this, you need to be consistent in your messaging and branding — whether using words, design, products or service so that your customers feel comfortable with you and what your business stands for.
Use your logo and design elements in a consistent manner and provide access to anyone who needs to use them within your business. To ensure that you can do this effectively, we would recommend the following steps:
• Create a drop box or shared folder on your network that allows your employees or wider team access to approved logos and images and instructions on how to use them both on and offline
• Get correctly sized social media images put together to create a familiar look and feel to all your social channels
• Set up branded document templates that help your team present a consistent brand look and feel to all materials
• Manage orders for print and promotional materials through a single organisation to ensure your logo is always reproduced correctly on print and promotional materials
Put together the elements for your content strategy
The subjects you write about should be consistent with your products, mission and goals. Look for opportunities to create content that relates to what you offer. If your products or services serve a particular target audience or group, you should look to create blog and social media content around topics that affect your customers — especially when your company has expertise in or special insight in a particular area.
Make yourself known – promote your offline activity and success online
If your company is exhibiting at an event, has received an award or is appearing at a community event, let your online community know. This is a key part of your brand-building efforts. You could make this known through a combination of different online tools such as blog posts, social media posts and video.
Don’t be schizophrenic! Keep your brand’s tone and personality consistent across channels
Be consistent – if your brand is fun and friendly on Facebook, it should be the same on Twitter or Instagram. Your messaging on Instagram may be more image led, but it shouldn’t sound like a different brand altogether. Think about it this way: there is the “at work” you and the “at home” you. Your personality is the same, but you adjust your manner to the context of who you’re with. The same goes for your brand personality across the different communication channels.
Know yourself and your customers!
Focus on platforms that align with your brand’s identity, prospects and target audience’s preferences. Don’t go for the shiny pennies of the latest online marketing trend and platform. You don’t need to be on a channel because everyone else is. Before following the herd, evaluate the platform to see whether or not it makes sense for your business.
The Benefits of Consistency
You’re seen as more dependable. If your social media voice is fun and playful, but your product packaging is sterile and plain, you’re sending mixed signals that will confuse consumers and leave them feeling like your brand can’t be trusted.
You’re trusted as you are recognisable. Brand recognition is not just about getting your name out there. It’s about helping consumers get to know your brand on a personal level. It’s well known that purchasing is led by an emotional response rather than a practical one.
To summarise:
If you can help your consumers to feel like they know your brand and that your brand can be trusted – they are more likely to buy from you.
