I have been paying a lot of attention lately to how businesses brand themselves.  Who am I kidding?  I ALWAYS pay attention to branding. 

Something that I thought of was how all business owners could probably learn a lesson from their grandma.  Well, at least they could learn from mine.

Like most women (and men, for that matter), she had a style that was very unique to her taste, a “look.”  Where she starts to distinguish herself a bit is that she ALWAYS matched.  From her earrings to her shoes.  ALWAYS.

For a business to successfully brand themselves, they need to step into my grandmother’s footsteps.

STEP 1:  Pick a “look” and stick to it.  Distinguish yourself.

Ok, so maybe you are thinking “duh” but I’m telling you that the number of businesses that I have noticed that are constantly changing their “look” with the seasons amazes me.  It is one thing to update your look from time to time, but quite another to always change dramatically.  Not only do some businesses frequently change their “look” (color scheme/style of marketing visuals), I have noticed a number of businesses have a variety of logos. 

Pick ONE logo(look) and use it everywhere.  Coordinate your print materials, your website, your blog, your newsletter, your e-news.  EVERYTHING!

Sure, it is ok to have a derivatives.  For example, one of my clients has a horizontal and a vertical version of their logo.  They use the EXACT icon and the EXACT typeface on both. 

That’s it.  ONE STEP.  Well, ok, maybe that was two: 1) pick a “look” and 2) stick to it.

WHY?

Your customers and clients need to know when they have stepped into your door.  They do that by recognizing your “look,” your brand.  If you are always changing, it gets confusing.  Think of it as the feeling that you got when you walked into grandma’s house during the holidays.  For the most part, my guess is that it ALWAYS felt “the same.”  That familiarity makes a person feel comfortable. 

I’m not saying NEVER change.  It’s ok to update from time to time.  To “evolve,” is essential.  However, don’t change your brand with the seasons.  Pick something consistent and stick with it.

If you need help establishing a “look,” visit my friend, Paul, at EAG. If you need help pulling your look through your internet “fingers,” (website, facebook, twitter, blog, e-newsletter, etc.) click here to contact us. We would love to help you out!