Three ways to be more consistent and grow your brand

Linwood, New Jersey, July 23, 2007 -- Most corporations are easily persuaded to change course and try something new when an advertising program doesn’t produce instant results.  The problem is often a lack of consistency, according to Guy Richards, Chief Branding Officer of Abiah, a brand strategy and design firm in Linwood, New Jersey.

Your prospective customer needs to be exposed to your message an average of 7 to 10 times before it even begins to register with them.  “If you know your ideal target reads Forbes, Business Week, and Fast Company, then why aren’t you advertising in those magazines on a regular basis?” he wonders.

Richards believes there are 3 key elements of consistency that are critical to build a strong brand. 

First, present a consistent image to make it as easy as possible for your prospect to recognize your company and develop strong awareness of you.  In order to accomplish this, Richards recommends companies use a brand style guide which should be distributed throughout the company.   

Next, communicate a consistent message.  While advertising must keep up with the times your overall general message remains the same.  That messaging may be encompassed by a tagline, such as Nike’s “Just do it”, or through the combination of an image and verbal message.  This is illustrated by the Energizer Bunny who visually and verbally “keeps going, and going, and going…”

Finally, Richards says it’s critical to be consistent in how you position your company.  Rolex has built an image that clearly conveys elegance and quality.  It attracts consumers who see themselves reflected in that positioning.  Consistent positioning encourages consumers to picture you in their minds when the generic commodity is mentioned.  For example, most consumers say “Kleenex” instead of “tissue.”

The next time you’re feeling the urge to change course in your advertising, consider how you can better use consistency to grow a stronger brand, promote sales, and develop customer loyalty.