What makes the biggest brands in the world so successful? Yes, you guessed it, consistency in branding.
Do you think McDonald’s giant “M” was instantly famous? Would they have become so prolific if their fries didn’t taste exactly the same at every restaurant in the world? Can you remember the way you felt when you went to eat there as a kid?
Whether you love McD’s or hate it, there’s no denying they’ve done a lot of things exceptionally well – including being consistent with their branding.
If you look at any successful business branding – from Apple’s simple but effective chomped fruit to the cute stickman from Pak n’ Save, you’ll find the same consistency.
And while you may not have the same marketing budget as these companies, there’s no reason you can’t achieve the same level of consistency in your own branding.
By focusing on being consistent with your branding, you can take your business from forgettable to fabulous.
Let’s look at what consistency in branding is and why it’s so vital.
The Importance of Consistency in Branding
What is Consistency in Branding?
Brand consistency is about showing up in a predictable, aligned, and recognisable way for your audience.
It means your messaging and tone align with your brand voice, which aligns with your core values – and all those elements are in sync with your brand’s visual style.
The more consistent you are with your branding, the more memorable you are to your target
audience.
And while the visual elements play a vital role in your visibility, there’s more to consistency in branding than just your logo or colour scheme.
You must also be consistent with the customer experience you provide and the values behind your actions.
Related: 9 ways to build brand trust, and why is it so important anyway?
Why Consistency Wins Customers
Branding consistency isn’t something created and hyped by marketers. It’s a concept based on human psychology.
Think about it like this: to buy from you, your customers need to trust you. They need to know
they’ll get the value they expect, delivered in the way they need it.
But trust isn’t grown overnight. For someone to trust you, they have to feel like they know you.
To get to know you, they first need to know you exist, be able to recognise you and remember who you are. And the best way to be seen and remembered is to have a strong, consistent identity throughout your business branding.
Remember – in most cases, people aren’t going to purchase from your business the very first time they become aware of it – no matter how fabulous that first impression is!
They don’t know you well enough yet and likely need a little more time to warm to you.
How much time?
Figures suggest that your business needs to pop up in someone’s life (and be recognised) about 15 times before they really become aware of who you are and what you do.
If your visual branding is inconsistent and people don’t recognise you, you’re lengthening or even blocking the process. Or, if your messaging and tone are inconsistent with their previous impressions of you, they are likely to assume you’re flaky and become dismissive of your business.
The Benefits of Consistency in Branding
The most significant benefit of consistency in branding is recognition. If you’ve done it right, your target audience will be able to recognise your business every time they see your content.
When your branding is on point, it also helps provide the right perception of your brand. Therefore, you can target your ideal customers in a way that connects with them.
Done well, your branding consistency also helps you stand out from the crowd, differentiating you from your competitors.
Brand consistency lays the foundations for successful marketing. It greases the wheels, smoothing the customer pathway and ensuring the right people get to know, trust, and interact with your business.
One of the easiest ways to achieve consistency in branding is to have key visual elements to draw on – such as professional brand photography. The great thing is that you don’t need to spend a fortune on a professional branding shoot. You can take those photos yourself with just a smartphone! Get a taste of how easy this is with my Pro Selfies Masterclass, and create brand-appropriate, share-worthy selfies in a day.