Let’s say you have a newly established brand. Great! There’s a lot of work that goes into creating a brand. But it’s only the beginning. Maintaining your brand is as important as establishing it. So, what’s the key to a well-maintained brand? Consistency. A lack of consistency throughout your communication can weaken your brand over time. And it’s easier than you might think to slip into habits that create inconsistencies. We’ve put together a few tips to help.
4 Tips for Maintaining Brand Consistency:
1. Always follow your brand guidelines.
Brand guidelines outline rules and tips for using the elements of your brand. Color, typography, logo usage, etc. If you don’t have a set of brand guidelines for your brand, consider consulting with a designer to build one. At Folk, we create brand guidelines as a part of each and every brand that we craft, to help our clients maintain the integrity of their brands.
2. Don't forget about your brand voice on social media.
With so many free media platforms, it can be easy to think of social media as a secondary form of brand communication. While social media is conversational by nature, it’s important to keep your brand tone in mind while crafting posts. For example, let’s say your brand foundation is built around a caregiver persona; but your social media posts include three exclamation points at the end of each sentence.
“We’re here for you!!!”
Sure, the sentiment is there, but it’s not exactly caring as much as it’s yelling. Remember, every expression of your brand forms an opinion in the minds of consumers. Think about how you want to be perceived before clicking “post.”
3. How you promote your brand is just as important as your message.
Nowadays, everything is media. Where and how you make your business visible/audible creates an impression amongst consumers. Think about your brand strategy when considering placement opportunities to ensure that those placements, and the environments in which they appear, align to your brand values.
4. Consider finding a partner to help uphold your brand.
Let’s face it, running a business takes a lot of energy. And, in many cases, business owners don’t have the time or resources to carefully manage their brands. That’s where a trusted brand partner comes in handy. Much like the accounting or legal partners you trust to manage certain aspects of your business, a brand partner serves as an advisor to ensure that you’re managing your brand consistently.
Do you have questions about maintaining your brand?