#BrandConsistency – Branding is About Who Knows You, Not Who You Know
#BrandConsistency involves putting yourself out in the public eye with a clear and concise message. It’s about overcoming hesitancy in new sales and clients. Loyal customers buy based on their feelings. To build a solid foundation of success, it pays to be known.
Your brand is the idea, the emotions, images, thoughts, etc. that comes to mind when people hear your name, pass by your store, see your ad, or view your website. It’s your complete online presence. People remember how you made them feel over everything else. The world is flooded with other people and brands who want to corner the market on success. So how do you stand out from the crowd?
Word of mouth, brand consistency, customer loyalty, and dedication to the customer experience will go far in making your brand known.
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Know your target market, and appeal to them.
- Do you offer a unique product, service, environment, etc.? If you’re not sure, find a way you can do it better than the other guys.
- Are you consistent in delivering your customer service promise? And do you do it every time?
- How is your business memorable? Is it memorable for the right reasons?
- What is the first impression that you offer potential clients and customers? Is it consistent across all platforms? Remember that visitors to your Facebook page may not visit your site and vice versa. Try not to refer them back and forth unless it’s absolutely necessary. The same goes for cross-platform promotion. A twitter follower has no interest in your Instagram ad, and your YouTube subscribers will rarely care about your Facebook Live Q&A.
- How easy is it for new customers and clients to do business with you? Call your company or use the website. Perform an “experience audit” to determine whether or not you fall short.
- What are you good at? Where do you consistently get great feedback in your business? Highlight that as a great selling point. Networking with other companies who have used your service is another key aspect.
- Are you being genuine and sincere in your interaction with your clients and customers?
- Have you reached out to influencers who also interact with your target market? If you get them excited about your brand, others will get excited as well.
- Do you convey confidence in your interaction online and with customers? Your employees should be subject matter experts on your brand. Even apologies for making mistakes can be done with confidence. “I apologize for this mistake,” is much more confidence-inspiring than “I don’t know how it happened”. A quick and favorable interaction with a customer will build brand confidence.
It takes time and consistency to build a loyal customer or client base. These tips will put you on the right track for success and to #BeAwesome with your branding.
