4 Ways To Ensure Your Organization Communicates Your Brand Consistently
The biggest hurdle any organization faces when it comes to branding is being consistent. Getting everyone on the same page is a mammoth undertaking and something relatively few companies ever actually achieve. The good news, however, is that it’s eminently achievable with the right approach. In this article, we’re going to take a look at how you can create consistency across your organization to build a better brand and avoid confusing customers.
Be Clear On Your Values
Branding today is about so much more than mere logos or even “design language:” it’s more about what your firm means to customers and what it stands for. There are plenty of brands out there using world-class graphic design, but very few are loved and adored by their devoted and loyal customer base.
You need to be clear with your team about what your values actually are, and how to implement them on a practical level. It’s no good having a company that looks great if managers or employees do things which undermine your mission. Values need to be clear from the start and permeate your organization, informing every decision that people make.
Use The Cloud
The cloud is a fabulous tool which allows you to collect seemingly disparate data in a central database and distribute it in any way that you like. The great thing about the cloud is that you can use it to make your approach to branding more consistent, ensuring that everyone has access to identical branded materials.
If your branding documentation is stuck on old fashioned hard drives, you can use a cloud migration plan template to bring your documents to the cloud, allowing anyone to use and apply them to new situations. Keeping everything in the cloud makes it easier to do things consistently.
Keep Your Tone Of Voice Consistent
Conveying brand guidelines is essential, yet it’s not something that many managers often do, other than maybe during the onboarding process. It’s easy for staff to lose sight of the overall brand goals without regular reinforcement, which is why it’s vital for leaders to step up and provide direction.
Airbnb underwent a branding change a couple of years ago requiring the involvement of the entire team. The sharing economy company wanted to change its corporate image as a place where people went to find cheap temporary accommodation, to a website that allowed people to “craft experiences.” Staff was to reflect this new sense of purpose in all of their communications with people outside of the firm, generating a new understanding that Airbnb was a fundamentally changed business.
Keep Departmental Channels Of Communication Open
Getting departments to talk to one another is a challenge, especially in large businesses. Departments tend to create their own fiefdoms and look out for their best interest, regardless of the overall state of the company and may overlook brand insights of others. Its management’s job to ensure that departments talk to each other and get on the same page when it comes to branding.