One of the major factors behind a successful brand strategy is consistency. Without a consistent B2B brand strategy, there is confusion, which can lead to mistrust or the wrong perception. Whether you have recently created a brand, rebranded your firm, or are looking to revamp your existing branding strategy, we have 4 tips to help you create consistency across your entire branding strategy.
1. Standardize Everything
The first step in creating a consistent brand is standardization. Once you have built your B2B brand, make an effort to define, document, and standardize everything associated with your brand image. This can be a major endeavor, but once it’s completed it is easy to maintain.
Define and standardize fonts, imagery, tone, messaging, mission, and values. It’s important to make sure everything appears consistent. For example, if your firm’s name has “Inc.” at the end of it, determine whether this will be included in all your marketing, sales, and business communications. Even standardizing something as minor as the “Inc.” on your name will create a stable image for your clients and prospects.
2. Check Your B2B Website
Do you know what your B2B web design says about your brand? For many consumers and professionals, a firm’s B2B website is either their first contact with the firm’s brand or is how they learn more about the particular brand. Your website design absolutely must accurately reflect your brand. If you’ve recently completed a rebrand or if your website is outdated, it’s likely time for a new web design.
When evaluating how your brand is portrayed on your B2B website, check the consistency of messaging in the copywriting and the general look and feel. If your B2B branding focuses on luxury but the look and feel appears cheap or the copy focuses on cost-effective pricing, it’s time to update them. Additionally, take a look at the layout, services highlighted, and calls-to-action. Do they fit with what your branding communicates? For example, if your B2B branding is all about efficiency and time savings, your website should portray those same attributes in layout and usability.
3. Elect a Brand Cop
If your firm has more than two employees, you will need to elect a “Brand Cop” or a “Brand Czar” to oversee and enforce all brand guidelines. The benefit of electing one person or department to act as a branding watchdog is that you can control your brand and image very carefully. Once you have determined who will be your cop or czar, make sure everything is funneled through them before publication or circulation (this includes form emails).
Why do you even need a brand cop? As new people are added to the team or your service offerings expand, branding can tend to get watered down. Even by accident, members of your firm can alter your B2B brand simply by creating a new sales email template or creating a new client communication. A centralized B2B branding review person or team will catch minor changes that could end up modifying how the brand is perceived.
4. Communicate Internally
We’ve worked on a slew of Orange County and San Diego web design projects and we always advise our B2B website clients to communicate major branding or website changes internally before launching publicly. A new B2B Brand or Rebrand is fantastic news that should be shared with the team to elicit excitement and boost morale.
Communicating B2B brand guidelines internally also eliminates confusion, encourages knowledge sharing, and shows honesty and transparency. All of these things invite internal buy-in. Remember that every single person in your company represents your firm and your brand in one way or another. Clear communication creates a united message internally and externally.
A B2B branding strategy is more than just a logo design. A successful branding strategy creates a consistent message across all channels of communication.
