And How to Nail It!
The theme this month is brand consistency. If you have read my previous blogs, you will know that consistency is a recurring theme. This month, I am going to explain why brand consistency is the key to business growth, starting with a definition of what I mean by brand consistency.
I will take a look at the components of brand consistency before showing you some simple steps to ensure the consistency of your brand at every touchpoint.
I have selected a couple of big names to highlight the effectiveness of consistency in engaging audiences and will provide some no-no’s you should avoid at all costs!
If you need help with brand consistency, or you are not sure where to start with a brand audit, talk to Clare. Simply book a brew to talk things through and discover a professional’s viewpoint of your brand.
What is brand consistency?
For your brand to be consistent, it must look, feel, and sound the same wherever your audience comes into contact with it.
Brand consistency is the key to business growth because it increases recognition.
If your brand looks, sounds and acts the same on your website, social channels, adverts, sales, customer services, etc., then customers will be in no doubt that it is you.
Being consistent increases:
Visibility – your chance of being heard above the noise.
Recognition – customers will recognise and remember your brand, whatever platform, or touchpoint they engage with.
Trust – consistency builds trust through reliability, honesty, and credibility.
Loyalty – brands resonate with customers who share their values.
What are the main components of brand consistency?
In an earlier blog post, I detailed the key elements of brand identity.
The main components of brand consistency entail the consistent application of brand elements.
- Visual elements
The visual elements should be the same across every channel, so customers recognise and remember your brand.
- Tone of voice
The tone of voice (e.g., jokey, serious, friendly, formal etc.), language and messaging should be consistent in style wherever they appear.
- Mission/values
Messaging should reflect brand values and mission/purpose.
- Brand experience
Align the brand mission/purpose and values with the customer experience.
Step-by-step guide for nailing brand consistency.
As part of my explanation of why brand consistency is the key to business growth, here is my step-by-step guide for nailing brand consistency.
Step One: Create a brand guide
A brand guide pulls together the elements of brand identity to ensure clear, professional and consistent communications, including how to use visual elements and contain templates for messaging, tone of voice etc.
- Logo usage – all variations, sizes, spacing and examples of how not to use it
- Colour palette – define primary/secondary colours with HEX, RGB and CMYK references
- Typography – primary/secondary fonts and sizes, detailing how and when to use them
- Style of image
- Voice – how your brand speaks
- Templates – standardise layouts for emails, adverts and social media platforms
- Create a central asset library and grant permissions for those who need access
Step Two: Align Communications
Align all communications channels so they are consistent in how they reflect your brand:
- Social media
- Website
- Emails
- Advert
- POS
- Printed materials
- Product packaging
- Vehicle livery
- Customer service/sales responses
Step Three: Train and retrain!
Train everyone, so they understand the brand guidelines, and are on-board with the brand purpose and values, which should be reflected in KPIs and how employees do their jobs.
External partners, suppliers and freelancers need an explanation of the brand guidelines.
This task cannot be done once and forgotten about!
Brands may be refreshed to maintain relevance, and new employees will join the company. The brand guide should be updated, refreshed and retrained as and when necessary.
Step Four: Automate and streamline
Use tools to automate and streamline content to reduce the chance of human error and make scaling up your business easier.
For example, tools like Asana for collaboration, and Hootsuite for templates and scheduling will help you to remain consistent as your company grows. Implement an asset management system to ensure visual elements are centrally located, avoiding storage on individual devices.
Step Five: Brand Audit
Make sure that your content remains aligned by performing regular brand audits. Review visuals and messages regularly to identify inconsistencies, updating content accordingly.
Use analytics and customer surveys to help you to understand how customers perceive your brand and what resonates with them.
Use content analysis tools to monitor and check the consistency of messaging throughout digital communications.
Companies that show why brand consistency is key to business growth
I have chosen a couple of well-known companies who get brand consistency right.
Apple
Brand consistency has been a key factor is developing customer loyalty and ensuring Apple’s success.
Apple’s core values of innovation, simplicity and elegance are incorporated into every touchpoint, presenting a seamless brand experience.
From product design and packaging to advertising campaigns, customer service and store environments, these values are woven consistently into the customer experience.
Starbucks
Consistency of brand experience and messaging have been key contributors to global growth.
The Starbucks green mermaid logo is instantly recognisable. But consistency doesn’t stop there.
The company implements consistency throughout the customer experience, offering the same quality of product, service atmosphere and community involvement, throughout the world.
No-no’s!
- Variations in visual elements
- Different tones of voice
- Ignoring or breaking brand guidelines rules
- Inconsistent messaging
- No alignment to brand purpose or brand values
- Neglecting to update asset management systems and content tools
- Allowing employees to create content individually, without checking against brand guidelines
- Storage and use of old logos, icons, photography and fonts
- Failure to train new employees
- Failure to update staff following a brand refresh
Why Brand Consistency is the Key to Business Growth
Consistency builds trust and recognition and lifts a brand above the digital noise.
Businesses that show up with the same visuals, tone of voice and messages throughout communications, underline their reliability and professionalism to customers while reinforcing brand values.
Brand consistency makes it easier for potential customers to recognise and remember the brand and the trust it creates helps to build business confidence, contributing to growth.
In this blog, I have explained why brand consistency is the key to business growth. However, if you need help in getting started, you can download my FREE branding checklist or book a brew with Clare to get the ball rolling. It only takes one call to find out how a professional branding expert can ensure business growth through brand consistency.
