Are you thinking about how to create a consistent brand image that feels the same every time people interact with it, so they remember and trust it more?
Every company dreams of reaching great heights, but figuring out how to do it can be tough. Whether you’re a small business brainstorming ideas or a big company aiming to outshine competitors, there are smart strategies to help you build a trusted brand that stands out and stays relevant to your audience.
Research reveals that 94% of consumers prefer brands that are open and consistent in their actions. At RONEL, while we refreshed our brand, we stayed true to our core values and maintained consistency. Our logo, for instance, hasn’t changed since its creation because a lot of careful thinking went into it.
How to create a consistent brand image
It’s important for any company that wants to do well to have a strong brand image. If you’re wondering, “What exactly is a brand image ?” don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’re here to explain what it means, why it matters, and how you can ensure your organization has the best brand look possible.
What is brand image?
Brand image refers to how people see your brand or the emotions it brings in them. It’s the general idea or feeling they get about your brand from what you say, how well-known your brand is, and what it looks like. Your brand image grows as customers get to know your brand better through using it, seeing it, and talking about it. And you can make it even better by getting people to talk about it, advertising it, and running special offers, among other things.
Know that Your brand image is about how people see your brand, while brand identity is all about the visuals, like your brand’s face. They are not the same. Brand identity covers things like logos, colors, fonts, what you say, and how you package things and the brand image includes their thoughts, feelings, and associations with your brand based on their experiences, interactions, and exposure to your brand’s messages and visual elements
Why brand image is important
Brand image is important because it affects how people behave when they buy things, how much they like a brand, and what others think about it. A strong brand can mean a successful business. If people see your brand as reliable and consistent, they might choose it over others. When your brand connects with the right people, they’ll be interested in what you offer right away. But if your brand doesn’t look good or isn’t consistent, it can turn people away and hurt your brand’s reputation.
Having a strong brand makes it easier to introduce new products because people already like your brand. When customers like your brand, they’re more likely to buy more things from you, don’t you think?
Steps to develop a brand image
- Define Your Brand Identity:
Before you can create a consistent brand image, you need to define your brand identity. This means thinking about your brand’s vision, mission, values, personality, how it talks, and how it looks. Your brand identity should show what makes you special, who you’re trying to reach, and what your business is all about. Your brand identity must match up with your goals and plans for your business. This involves looking deep inside and asking yourself important questions like: What do we stand for? Why are we here? What makes us different from others? And what feelings do we want people to have when they think about us?
- Develop Brand Guidelines
Think of brand guidelines as a rulebook for your brand’s appearance. It’s like having a clear plan so everyone knows how your brand should look. It involves a set of guidelines you need to cover. By following these guidelines, you make sure that your brand always looks the same, no matter where people see it. It’s like having a roadmap that helps you stay on track and keep everything consistent.
Here are some of the elements that must be present in your brand guide
- Brand colours
- Logo
- Tune and voice
- Media formatting
- Signage specs
- Iconography
- Maintain visual consistency
Keeping things looking the same is important for people to remember your brand. This means making sure your logo, colors, and how things are designed all stay consistent. You can use your brand guidelines to help you do this. These guidelines show you exactly how your logo should look, which colors to use, and how things should be designed. By making sure everything looks the same on your marketing materials, website, social media, and products, people will start to recognize your brand more easily. It’s like leaving a strong impression in their minds so they remember you.
- Audit your current channels and platforms
After you create a guide for your brand style, it’s time to look at your current channels and platforms to see if they match up with your brand identity and guide. You can use tools like Google Analytics, social media stats, email stats, and feedback from customers to see how well your channels are doing. Make sure to check for any problems, like things that don’t match your brand or mistakes that could hurt how people see your brand. Once you figure out what’s going on, you can make changes to make your channels work better for your brand.
- Circulate your brand guide
Sharing your brand guide with other members of the organization is crucial. When you provide the brand guide to the sales team, it ensures they grasp the brand’s core values. This enables them to communicate these values effectively to clients and customers during sales interactions. Similarly, the production team needs to understand how to design products that align with the brand guide. Additionally, sharing the brand guide with external stakeholders, like partners and shareholders, grants them insight into the brand’s core values and identity. This fosters better collaboration and alignment with the brand’s objectives.
- Monitor and measure your brand image
Creating a consistent brand image isn’t something you do once and forget about. It’s an ongoing job. You need to keep an eye on how people see and feel about your brand. You can do this by asking them questions through surveys, polls, and reviews, or by checking what people say about you on social media. It’s also important to keep track of how well-known your brand is Altogether, with the number of contents, campaigns, and digital marketing flowing across each brand, it becomes quite tough to maintain an overall consistent brand image.
Conclusion
Thankfully, we have researched for you six amazing tips to build a consistent brand image. Building a brand isn’t easy, especially when you want it to be consistent. So, for now, just focus on following these tips carefully. Once you’ve mastered them, you’ll be ready to plan and grow your brand even more in the future.
Talk to Ronel to help you start your business branding journey
