Imagine you see a fleet of vans that belong to one company. You expect them to look similar, except on closer inspection you find logos of different sizes, varying fonts and a multitude of shades of the same colour. From the company's point of view, they've saved cost because they didn't make all their vans a standard colour to begin with. Anyway, it doesn't matter that much though does it? It's only small inconsistencies here and there. But in reality, these things do very little in the way of communicating to you as a potential customer that these vans represent a reputable company, and would probably deter you from choosing their services. And it's not just vans this happens with, it's everything.
More than just a pretty face.
In today's competitive marketplace, it's more important than ever for businesses to have a strong and consistent corporate identity. A corporate identity is the way that a company presents itself to both its internal and external audiences. It includes everything from the organisation's logo and visual branding, to its tone of voice and messaging. A strong CI that is kept religiously portrays to others that the company cares about their brand appearance, and a company who cares about their brand is a company who cares about their customers.
A strong corporate identity can help a company to:
- Stand out from the competition
- Build trust with customers
- Communicate its values and mission
- Attract and retain top talent
- Successfully grow and expand
Sugar, spice and all things nice.
What is branding made of? There are many different elements that can go into creating a strong corporate identity, all of which are as important as each other. Much like a complex machine, each one must work in unison with the other to produce the desired result. Successful brands will often consist of:
- A strong logo and visual branding
- A consistent tone of voice and messaging
- A clear mission and values statement
- A well-defined target audience
- A strong online presence
If you don't have clear values as a company then it's a great time to define these as you create your brand. Values are essential for creating a unique brand as it allows the brand to be shaped around the company rather than just a standard 'refresh'.
Consistency is key.
It's all very well creating a strong corporate identity but it won't perform anywhere near to its full potential if it's not implemented properly. In fact, a strong brand that is inconsistent can be just as damaging as not having one at all. Guidelines should be clear and concise to allow everyone to reliably follow them, which will ensure your brand can be accurately iterated across multiple applications. Brand guidelines will vary in length and detail as it very much depends on the requirements of the brand, the guidelines should define every case where the brand could be implemented in order to minimise the possibility of 'holes' in your brand.
It's not just creating the guidelines either, to maintain consistency the guidelines should be strictly kept to with little-to-no room for leniency. Anytime the standards slip will devalue the brand and all the values the brand was created around. It's very important to make sure everyone reads and understands the guidelines, so that your company image can be maintained.
A false economy?
Branding may be seen by some as non-essential, or a nice-to-have. Cheaping-out on your brand image may work as a cost-saving measure in the short-term, but ultimately means you could be missing out on potential revenue in the long-term. Not having a strong brand in place on day one prevents the chance to build a rapport with customers and cement your company as being trustworthy to the outside world. Taking the time to develop a strong corporate identity creates a lasting impression on customers and partners and dramatically increases business.
Brand recognition.
A strong corporate identity can help your company to stand out from the competition and be easily recognisable by your target audience.
Customer loyalty.
A strong corporate identity can help to build trust and loyalty with your customers, which can lead to repeat business and referrals.
Employee engagement.
A strong corporate identity can help to create a sense of pride and belonging among your employees, which can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
Increased sales.
A strong corporate identity can help to attract new customers and increase sales.
Improved reputation.
A strong corporate identity can help to improve your company's reputation and make it more attractive to potential investors and partners.
If you're looking to improve your business, investing in a strong corporate identity is a great place to start. By carefully crafting your brand identity, you can create a lasting impression on your customers and partners that will help you to achieve your business goals.
If you are interested in learning more about branding and our services, get in touch!
