This week’s word brought to you by:
Actually it isn’t sponsored by any of these companies. But I have a feeling you recognize each of these logos and were able to visualize their products instantly.
Brand: Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand)
On Monday, I suggested an article about building your brand with no budget. And in that article the author writes about finding a way to separate yourself from your competitors and he suggests you do it consistently and constantly.
In general, the single most important thing about branding your company is the consistency in which you do things. This means you do the same thing over and over and people will start to identify that look and image and thought – with you and your company.
Without me telling you – I know you know who this sign belongs to:
And do you know why you know – without having to think about it and say “where did I see that before?”
Because The Home Depot uses this look, font, marker size – – every. single. time. they do a sign in the store. All the stores, across the country. Every. Single. Time.
And even small businesses can do the same. Keep in mind – be consistent.
- Use the same font on all your correspondence
- Use the same template for every newsletter that you send out
- Set a rule that all calls will be returned within two hours
- Have the same look for your window display (think about The Gap)
I would love to help you audit your “brand”. I’ll offer my services free for the rest of this month. Let’s take a look at your image and see how we can create a brand that helps customers identify with you – – every.single.time.
Do you know someone who can use a little help with their brand? Have them give me a call. I’d love to help them too!
Happy Wednesday!
~Amy
March 8, 2012 at 10:54 am
Great post! I think the most important this is that a brand must be consistent! I never thought that something as simple as a font can be associated with a brand, but you’re definitely right – without consistency a business may seem like it is out of touch with its other branches. Next time I go to The Home Depot I’ll definitely be paying attention to the signs to make sure it’s staying true to its brand. Thanks!!
March 8, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Thanks for reading!