Staying True: The Power of Brand Consistency

Figuring out who you are (or want to be) as a brand is as important as coming up with the startup capital to get your business off the ground. Customers stick to what they know and without a clear vision and presentation of who you are and what you stand for, you're forgettable.

Think about Apple Inc. as a brand. From the first second of any Apple television spot, you are very aware it's Apple. The same can be said of their print ads and their official press releases. Over the years, Apple has remained remarkably consistent in everything from the way they deliver information (study any Apple delivered keynote presentation - you'll find no matter who is presenting, they all use very similar deliveries and word choices), to the typefaces they choose in their products all the way through their advertising. It's through this commitment to brand consistency that helped Apple stay at the top of Forbes' most admired brands list. So the question becomes, how does this brand consistency affect your business and how can you remain consistent?

Define who you are - humanize your brand

Your business is more than just the sum of its offered services. Customers shop just as much based on how they feel about a particular company as they do for the price or service itself. To help make your business more relatable, put to words what your company stands for beyond just the services you provide. A good place to start is with why you created your business in the first place. Do you build the most environmentally friendly custom homes? Is your commitment to delivering a stress free move in/out experience with cleaning and painting? Whatever the case may be, define what drives you to succeed and remain consistent with those values throughout all of your communication.

Earn customer trust and build brand loyalty

The success of your company is largely based on creating a network of loyal customers who trust what you do. Straying from your company's messaging or visual branding can give the impression that your company is unfocused and therefore unreliable. Being consistent in your work, pricing, and communication from your business strengthens the trust and faith your customer base has in your ability to deliver on your promises. With this trust, not only will your current customers continue to remain loyal, but they're much more likely to recommend you to their friends expanding your network even further.

Solidify your reputation

When building your brand, you want customers, both current and potential, to easily recognize communication that comes from you. Since there are likely to be other businesses out there that offer similar services, remaining consistent in your overall communication helps to avoid confusion. Stick to a one logo, typography style, and color scheme in advertising and other communications. In addition to making your communication uniquely yours, it also allows customers to easily find your information and publications (blogs, user reviews, advertisements, etc) to help assert you as a leader in your field.

Manage customer expectations

By remaining consistent in your messaging, you're able to be transparent when it comes to service availability, pricing, and terms. This transparency helps you avoid the awkward conversations of customers requesting prices you can't meet or services you don't provide. Additionally, by delivering a consistent message for your company, it naturally attracts customers who believe in what you do and already agree to your terms.