Article Contributed by Sarah Elizabeth Saker
Consumers are bombarded with messages each day that direct them toward purchasing a particular product or service. A company that fails to provide a consistent message to its consumers is likely to be forgotten in the minds of its customers amidst the noise. The following tips will ensure your organization issues content that does not deviate from the image you would like to project.
Establish Your Style
Compile a guidebook that will specify what your brand is about and how it should be represented. Detail how your brand logo should be used in online and promotional marketing content. Choose fonts, logos and icons that are appropriate to be used across multiple platforms. By pointing out what the company deems its identity, there will be no confusion among employees about how they can showcase what the company offers.
Update Existing Branding Materials
Take time to review marketing content you have already disseminated. Make sure it is in line with the style and guidelines you have established for your brand. Even ensuring you have chosen a domain name that reflects your brands message is important. It is the first thing an online consumer will look at when reviewing what you have to offer. Look at all your social media sites, websites, business cards and brochures to see if they stay within the brand’s boundaries.
Make Sure Online Posts Reflect the Company’s Message
Social media and blogging are key tools in disseminating a marketing message, but the company’s posts should reflect its overall goals. Choose content that makes sense for your brand. If you represent a specific industry, have online posts that center on developments in that field. Focusing your content on topics based in what you offer will ensure you do not stray from your message.
Stay True to Your Brand’s Tone and Personality
Once you have established how you would like to be perceived by your consumer, make sure you use the same tone and personality across all platforms. If you take on a more serious tone aimed at professionals in the field, do not deviate to a more casual tone on social media platforms. Your credibility may be called into question if you create an inconsistent image that does not resonate with your target audience.
Create a Common Experience for Consumers
Consistent branding should not just be limited to visual recognition. Consumers should also come away with a feeling associated with your company’s identity when they encounter marketing materials. Make sure your team knows what values your company has established as important. The experience your employees take into account when featuring your brand helps establish the personality your brand represents.
Periodically Reevaluate Your Branding
As time passes, the tastes of your audience may change or you may notice your branding has become less effective. This means it’s time to reevaluate your branding strategy. Does the personality and tone of voice you have established still resonate with your target audience? Has your audience changed? If you find your audience is no longer connecting with your message, it may be time to implement change. Altering parts of your brand does not mean you are inconsistent. Instead, it shows you are in tune to the customers’ needs and shift accordingly.