Consistency does not mean boring

There is Chinese restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland, (that shall remain nameless) that is suffering from an identity crisis. There is a three-word name in large neon letters on the facade of their brick building, a different four-word name on the awning and still yet another name above their door (this one is also four words, but different from the one on the awning)! At least they are listed on Google as one of the three titles. If meeting someone there, I would give him or her the address instead of the name.

A company’s brand is its’ first impression. And, if the impression creates any sense of confusion, they’ve just begun to lose their audience.

With today’s overwhelming and ever-changing social media frontier, your brand’s impression has become more essential than ever. It also has a greater chance of getting lost in the mix. That is why a brand assessment, particularly an image assessment, is fundamental in propelling your company’s presence throughout all touchpoints.

Think of an image assessment as a good house-cleaning. You never invite people over without first cleaning your house, do you?

Take a look at all of your printed and online materials and lay them out on the table. Has your brochure copy been updated in the last two years? What new services or employees have you added that should be highlighted? Is your logo blurry on your printed flyer, or appear jagged on your website? “How do I get rid that white box behind the logo on my product pdf?” Is your logo sometimes green, sometimes blue? How about your web site’s placement on Google? If these issues sound familiar, it is time to reassess your brand’s image. The process can be fun, challenging, sometimes embarrassing, but always rewarding beyond belief. Working with a professional, external team of writers and designers is your best bet for a fresh critical eye, expertise and advice in starting this process. In other words, do not try this at home. This is potentially how you get to the point of having three names on the façade of your business.

Once you’ve cleaned house, it makes it that much easier to throw a party. Once you implement new standards, create a style guide, refresh and push out social media channels, you’ll stop focusing on the inconsistencies of your brand and truly start to focus on strategy, new markets, expanding and strengthen existing clientele.

Consistency within a brand does not have to seem redundant or appear boring. It creates a sense of strength and recognition. The easier it becomes for others to identify you, the quicker they’ll start to focus on your true strengths.

Your fortune cookie for today is: Don’t be afraid to take that big step.

Thanks to our guest blogger Ande Campbell,  Art Director at  Orange Element. Ande will be at Aartrijk Brand Camp discussing “Brand Audit: The Big A-Ha Moment.”