Four Things a Company needs to be "on brand."

For my fourth message in the On Brand Series, we have a list of four things for your knowledge base; see what we did there.  

Clearly define your values, mission, and goals.

Making sure you know and understand your company's values, mission, and goals is vital to being "on brand." Getting caught up in the day-to-day hustle of running a business, you can quickly get off-message and off-brand if you don't take time to step back and reflect on what's most important.

Consistency is key.

If you want to be "on brand," consistency is essential. It's vital that your brand looks and sounds the same across all channels--from social media posts to email newsletters, from packaging to advertising campaigns.

If you're inconsistent with your messaging, people won't know what to expect from you or how they should feel about your product or service. And if they don't know what to expect from you, you won’t earn their trust!

You have to be authentic.

No one likes a fake, and everyone sees right through it. If you're going to be successful and build a strong brand, you have to be yourself. You can't pretend; people will see right through it. People want honesty from brands; they don't want to work with companies that pretend to be something they are not.

Being authentic means being honest about where you stand in relation to competitors as well: if someone asks what separates your brand from others, tell them your honest opinion. This approach helps build trust over time.

You must be committed to the brand for the long haul.

It will show if you aren't committed to your brand for the long haul. Your company can't be constantly in flux and expect its customers to follow along for the ride. When you start making decisions that are out of character for your brand, people will notice and won't like what they see.

To make sure this doesn't happen:

• Don't make promises that you can't keep or change your mind too often;

• Don't be afraid to admit when you're wrong;

• And don't hesitate to say "I'm sorry" when necessary.

The brand is your voice; it's the image you want people to associate with your company. This voice must be consistent and authentic so that customers can always trust what they hear from you. No matter how much time passes or how many new hires are made, a brand must always remain true to its original values and mission.

In a few days, we will post critical things to consider when maintaining an Authentic Brand; watch for it here on plaidmoosecreative.com and LinkedIn.

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