3 Steps to Branding Consistency

3 Steps to Branding Consistency

BRAND (noun) 1. a type of product or service by a particular company under a particular name: a brand of cars

I get excited when I see the Golden Arches (french fry freak). I wave to Harley riders when I'm in my car! But why is that so? What is it about these brnads to me? They are a collection of values I share, personalities I relate to and the consistently great experiences that come back to me.

Those are the traits that identify a good brand. I know I can count on these brands because they have brand consistency. This means making sure your colors and your tone are on brand but also that your clients have a consistently good experience everytimg they interact with you on any channel.

This is going to be a pretty boring blog but it has great information for you to understand and maintain your brand.

Here are 3 Steps to Branding Consistency

1. Brand Purpose

The process of definining a consistent brand starts by know what your brand's purpose is. 

"You have to articulate it in clear and unmistakable terms. Your purpose is how you want to change the world for the better,” says Jackson. A diagram from that she saw from the Ogilvy & Mather ad agency shows what she means. 

She describes the diagram like this: "In one circle you have cultural tension. That's what is happening in the world that's relevant to you. In the other circle you have your Brand's Best Self which means what your company delivers when it's at its prime. The Intersection of these two circles is the Big Deal; or in other words, your purpose."

So you should start writing down all the "cultural tensions" that affect your company and all the ways your company delivers through its products and services. Your goal is to land on that one primary statemnent in the each section. Together they should be able to answer this question:

"for your comany, the world would be a better place if _______"

Consider not only what you want to accomplish, but the current state of your surroundings. Understanding where you fit in gives logic for a discussion on your brand. If you want people to talk about your brand, it has to have relevance. Being relevant doesn't mean you have bend to someone else's perception of what and who you shuld be. It means you are self-aware and recognize how to address issues.

My circles would look like this:

According to Arielle Jackson, your purpose should last a decade. Not four quarters nor forever. It should be in sight, but on the horizon.

2. POSITION

Positioning is how you're seen in the mind of your consumers relative to something they already know. It communicates what makes you and your company different. Unlike your Purpose, your position should hold for about 18 months. In practice your position is a short statement thatdefines what your product is going to deliver, how it's better and how it's a differnt solution to what is already out there.

Choosing specific words is an essential part of positioning. Your Position is your USP. As you fill out your positioning statement, keep in mind one key distinction: the difference between the key benefit and the primary differentiation. The benefit would be as if your best customer shared your company info with another potential client. Differentiation is your reason why you believe your benefit.

3. Personality

The last step in this mini-course is to identify your company's personality. This is less about what you say rather than how you say it. “Ask yourself: ‘If you met your company at a party, how would you describe him or her?’ List as many adjectives as you can and then pick the top three.” A real estate agent's 3 adjectives may sound something like this: I have a super motivated friend who is also very organized but also funny too!

Can you picture this person? It might even be you.

Now you need to pull it all together to bring your purpose, your position and your personality to create something that resembles you, your goals, your intentions and differences. This will become your brand.

Be sure to brand all of your work. From the meetings with clients, to the literature you hand out but primarily your online brand. Colors, logos, or the tag line are not necessarily your brand. They are part of what you brand.

Your brand is that deep consideration of your company's purpose, position and personality.