No products in the cart.
5 Secrets to Building a Consistent Brand That Customers Can’t Resist
Introduction
Everyone knows that brand inconsistency leads to confusion. But did you know it can actually drive customers away? In this post, I’ll reveal five essential secrets to building a brand so consistent, your customers will not only stay, they’ll become your biggest advocates. Learn from the mistakes and victories I’ve seen first-hand, and start transforming your brand’s inconsistency into its greatest strength.
SECRET 1: Clear Brand Message
Simplify your core message
When it comes to your brand message, less is often more. I’ve seen countless businesses struggle with overcomplicated messaging that leaves customers scratching their heads. Take a step back and boil down your brand’s essence into a simple, clear statement. What’s the one thing you want people to remember about your brand?
When we assisted 246 Printers, a local printing company, in improving their message, we transformed a long paragraph about affordable printing into a Unique Selling Proposition (USP): “Your Round-the-Clock Printing and Branding Partner.” This concise message was particularly effective as it was based on their name, reflecting their commitment to operating 24 hours a day, six days a week.
Consistency in communication style
Once you’ve nailed your core message, it’s crucial to maintain a consistent communication style across all channels. This doesn’t mean being robotic – it’s about creating a recognizable voice that feels like it’s coming from the same person (or brand) every time.
For example, 246 Printers had inconsistent tones on their website, social media, and customer service emails, making it seem like they were three separate companies. By aligning their voice to be friendly and helpful across all platforms, customer trust significantly increased.
SECRET 2: Visual Identity
Key elements of visual branding
Your visual identity is like your brand’s outfit – it’s what people see first. The key elements include your logo, color palette, typography, and imagery style. Each of these should work together to create a cohesive look that represents your brand’s personality.
Maintaining consistency across platforms
In today’s multi-platform world, there is a temptation to tailor your visuals for each platform. However, it is essential to maintain visual uniformity. Regardless of where a customer encounters your brand – be it on Instagram, your website, or a billboard – they should immediately recognize it as yours.
One effective tool I often suggest is creating a basic brand style guide. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; even a single-page document outlining your colors, fonts, and logo usage can help ensure consistency.
We assisted FLYFOFA AVIATION TRAINING, a South African aviation company, in establishing this consistency by developing a comprehensive brand style guide. This uniformity is now evident across all channels, including the website, stationery, social media, staff attire, signage, and more.
SECRET 3: Emotional Connection
Tapping into customer emotions
People don’t just buy products or services; they buy feelings. Understanding and tapping into the emotions that drive your customers is key to building a brand they can’t resist.
Storytelling techniques that work
Stories are effective in building emotional connections and can help customers relate to your brand. Some effective techniques include:
- Customer success stories
- Behind-the-scenes glimpses of your company
- The origin story of your brand
Authenticity is crucial in storytelling. For example, Dove, a personal care brand under Unilever, focuses on promoting “Real Beauty” and challenging unrealistic beauty standards to empower individuals and promote inclusivity. Their campaigns, such as “Real Beauty Sketches,” aim to foster a positive self-image and inspire people to embrace their unique beauty.
SECRET 4: Customer Experience
Standardize client interaction processes
Consistency in customer experience is just as important as consistency in your visuals or messaging. Every interaction a customer has with your brand should be consistent and positive.
For example, if you are in the hospitality industry like our client ANEW Hotel in Hatfield Pretoria, you could standardize the check-in process across all your branches. By creating a checklist for staff to follow, you can ensure that every guest receives a warm welcome, no matter which branch they visit. This simple practice could lead to a notable increase in positive reviews and repeat bookings.
Train your team for uniform service
Your team is the face of your brand. Ensuring they all understand and can represent your brand consistently is crucial. This doesn’t mean creating robots – it’s about giving them the tools and knowledge to embody your brand values in their own authentic way.
Regular training sessions, clear guidelines, and open communication channels can help achieve this. I’ve seen firsthand how empowering employees to be brand ambassadors can transform customer interactions from good to great.
SECRET 5: Feedback and Evolution
Listening to customer feedback
Your customers are a valuable source of information. Actively collecting and paying attention to their feedback can help you identify any inconsistencies in your brand that may have gone unnoticed.
I always recommend to my clients to implement simple feedback systems, such as follow-up emails, Google My Business (GMB) reviews, or social media polls. After receiving feedback from a long-standing client, Mrs. Mosh Bapela of MMB Consulting Inc, a business advisory firm specializing in Finance, Internal Auditing, and Management Consulting, about our lack of communication regarding the status of their order, we took action to improve. We added an automated email feature to our website using WooCommerce, which sends automated emails to clients at every stage of their order. This enhancement led to positive reviews from several clients, including Mrs. Bapela.
Adapting while staying true to the brand
The tricky part about brand consistency is knowing when and how to evolve. Markets change, customer preferences shift, and your brand needs to keep up – all while maintaining its core identity.
I like to think of it as growing up. Just as a person’s core values might stay the same while their style evolves, so too can a brand adapt while staying true to its essence. It’s a balancing act, but when done right, it keeps your brand fresh and relevant without losing the loyalty of your existing customers.
Conclusion
Building a consistent brand isn’t about rigid rules – it’s about creating a clear, recognizable identity that resonates with your customers across every touchpoint. By focusing on these five secrets – a clear message, strong visual identity, emotional connection, consistent customer experience, and thoughtful evolution – you can create a brand that not only attracts customers but keeps them coming back.
Call to Action
Take a moment to review your current brand strategies. Are there areas where consistency could be improved? Consider how these secrets could be applied to your brand. And remember, building a strong, consistent brand is an ongoing process – it’s okay to take it one step at a time. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to a branding expert like Printetc for guidance. Your future customers will thank you for it!