“Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business” Steve Forbes, Editor in Chief of Forbes Magazine

Brand consistency in your online and offline marketing is the ultimate goal. It helps to convert potential clients which ultimately leads to increased sales. According to research, creating a consistent brand can increase revenue by 33%. Consistency in visual identity, message, and tone of voice accounts for a strong customer experience and helps them understand what they should expect, how to interact with a product, while encouraging them to come back and purchase some more.

No matter the channel you operate on, brands should aim at providing a unified experience in line with their branding elements, including core values, visual elements, and messaging. This helps brands create a strong bond with their audience, leading to long-term benefits for the company’s success.

But why is it so important? Why should brands invest time and effort in creating “consistent” customer experiences? Here are a few reasons:

First impressions count

When looking to attract new customers, consider the impression they get when they visit your website, social media or app for the first time. According to research, it takes only 0.05 seconds for users to get a first impression of a brands website or product, even before navigating or interacting. Brand marketers or designers should make sure they provide an impactful and consistent experience across all the channels - from social media ads to website presentation or in-app purchases. This means creating a user journey with a unique experience - from colours to visuals and messaging. Imagine a brand that advertises a product as fun and trendy, but the actual user journey is boring and dull! It sends out a confusing message to potential customers, who will probably leave without purchasing what they were looking for!

Consumers trust brands they recognise

Many designers invest time and energy to create a solid brand that users will remember, but brand recognition is not just about getting your name out there, it’s about creating a set of elements that users can find everywhere, with which they can connect on a personal level. Starbucks is a great example of that: customers can enjoy the exact same experience no matter where they are located - the menu is the same, the waiters make the same spelling mistakes when they write your name on a cup! Apply that rule to your digital touchpoints - customers will be more likely to come back as they will start to identify with your brand as you market to them in a consistent way via visual images, colours, messaging - this all goes to create trust, build a community which will ultimately lead to sales.

Brand consistency is not just important to help users remember a brand or company, it is also useful to help create what is known as “Aha moments” - feelings of delight that reveal the product’s true value as remembered by the human brain. Research has long shown that purchases are more often driven by emotions than logic. In fact, according to Harvard Professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of purchase decision-making takes place in the subconscious mind, driven by emotions and past positive experiences.

Why establish brand consistency?

Brand consistency is about establishing trust.

In order for customers to trust you, they have to feel they know you. In order for them to feel like they know you, they must be aware of you, recognise and remember you. In order for people to recognise and remember you, you must always ‘show up’ in a consistent way.

It takes time and constant repetition for customers to go from being aware of you to trusting, remembering, and considering you.

Maintain brand consistency by creating brand guidelines

Consistent branding is easily achieved by creating rules to follow and it ensures that your brand will not be diluted or altered when working with outside agencies.

Brand guidelines should include:

- How your logo should be used (what you can or cannot do with the logo).

- Your colour palette.

- Your brand fonts and how they should be used e.g. headings, body text, quotes etc.

- Photography, graphics, and icons.

- Brand voice and messaging e.g., the tone of voice, phrases, and personality of your messages.

- Rules for social media graphics and messaging.

Never underestimate the importance of your brand. Your brand is important and key to making your business a success or not. Hiring of a graphic designer to create your unique brand is key and not to be taken lightly in your business journey. Always seek professional help from a graphic designer or brand specialist. When deciding on who to work with, it is important to do your research, take a look at examples of their work, who they have worked with and go through any testimonials that you can find. Once you are comfortable that they might be a good match with what you are looking for, book an introductory call with them to discuss your project.

If you’d like to have a friendly chat with this graphic designer, please do get in contact via email laurenne@hounddogcreatives.com