Use Consistent Branding and Be Remembered

Your business is defined by your brand, or lack thereof. Your brand, essentially who you are, should be designed to help you stand out from the competition. Consistent branding makes you memorable. When you see a rounded checkmark, or “swoosh” if you will, what is the first thing you think of? I’m fairly certain you immediately recall Nike and their tagline, “Just do it.” When you see a Clydesdale, do you automatically think Budweiser, “The King of Beers?” I know I do. Do you know why this is? Because both Nike and Budweiser have amazing brand consistency.

Stick in consumers’ minds

What makes your products or services different from another company’s offerings? Your brand–your promise to your customers. In a modern world where our lives are filled with advertisements every day, no matter where we are, sometimes it’s hard to know what is what. Brand consistency between your physical location, your marketing materials (packaging, brochures, business cards, letterhead, etc.), and your online presence helps your brand become easily recognizable, and if you’re true to your promise of delivering a quality service/product, your brand stands out against the competition.

Reinforce your unique selling proposition

When your audience sees and hears a consistent message of what differentiates your brand from the competition, it reinforces your unique selling proposition in their minds. By knowing what they can expect from your brand, and hearing it multiple times, they will begin to assign a higher value and trust in your business.

Write down your rules for consistent branding

Now that you know how important brand consistency is, you may be wondering, “How can I keep my brand consistent in my business?” One of the easiest ways is through a style guide. A style guide gives your designer and other employees certain rules to follow when creating brand materials. For instance, which colors you should use to match the logo, or how to properly use your tagline. Remember, being consistent doesn’t mean all advertisements have to look the same. While your brand’s appearance and messaging should be consistent, all of your advertisements shouldn’t be. Keep it fresh, but make sure the identity of your brand isn’t lost.