December 10, 2020 How to Boost Brand Consistency

Muddled brands don’t sell and customers won’t remember a brand that has a mixed message. So how can you boost your brand consistency?

For most companies, branding is everything. How do people know what your services are? Can they spot your business a mile away? What makes your brand “you”?

It’s important for a business to have consistency across its brand. Customer memory is really all about repetition. Customers won’t remember a brand that has a mixed message. A muddled brand never sells – clarity is key. So, how can you boost brand consistency?

Brand guidelines

First and foremost, every business needs brand guidelines. Essentially, this is your company’s “rulebook”. It tells employees how your branded assets should be used when communicating with your audience. Brand guidelines function to ensure that all employees use the same language when communicating with customers or creating marketing material. Brand guidelines create brand unity. If, at any stage, an employee isn’t sure what to say or how to say it, they can check over the brand guidelines for assurance. They’re an essential part of building a brand and making it memorable.

Auditing

Once you’ve got your brand guidelines in place, it’s time to evaluate everything you’ve created so far. This means examining your website, social media pages and any ads you’re currently running. Does the tone and style fit? Is everything consistent with your message? If not, it’s time to have a clear out. Remove anything that isn’t on-brand and tackle the issue head on. A full-scale brand audit should be conducted every few years to keep you on message and boost your consistency as your business develops.

A short slogan

We all remember certain slogans: Frosted Flakes – They’re Gr-r-reat! Nike – Just Do It. Skittles – Taste the Rainbow. Catchy brands are memorable. The most memorable slogans are simple and to the point. But, not only does a simple slogan stay in our minds, it also boosts brand consistency. A short and simple slogan is impossible to get wrong. While big brands tend to change and adapt their slogan over time (like Coca Cola, for example), smaller businesses should focus on the consistency of one slogan until they have met their growth goals.

A brand management team

Depending on the size of your business, it can be difficult for one person to keep an eye on all elements of brand consistency. So, if you’re struggling, it might be time to create a brand development team. This is a group of trusted employees that keep an eye on all elements of branding and make sure it’s consistent. The more eyes on your brand, the more consistent it will be.

Collaboration

Brand consistency can go further than collaboration within your own team. By collaborating with other brands with similar ethics or styles, you add another level of consistency to your brand. Say your business sells ethical coffee, for example. Is there an ethical tea brand you can collaborate with? What about a sustainable handmade mug designer? Collaborating with influencers who share your brand message can be great, too. All these factors hammer home what you believe in and boost your credibility, while keeping a consistent message. It’s a win-win.

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