Authenticity and Consistency Are Key Ingredients to an Effective Brand

People want to hire and buy from those they know, like, and trust. That’s a universally held truth across the business world and the best way to earn the trust of your clients is to be authentic and consistent in how you present yourself.

What is authenticity?

Other than being a commonly-used buzzword these last few years, authenticity means being your true self in both words and actions. Your words and actions should match; your passion should be evident but not looking like it’s an act. Your honesty and integrity should be evident when speaking to you. And your online persona should match your offline persona when people meet you in person.

There’s a subtle nuance to authenticity that really means being yourself in the correct setting. For instance, wearing shorts or a business casual outfit to a corporate meeting where the other attendees are in formal suits could be seen as a sign of disrespect, even if that’s what you wear at your beach house. If you start cursing in the middle of a staff meeting or in your emails or on your social media posts, even if that’s how you speak at home, it could be seen as disrespectful and off putting. No matter how you define the word authenticity, it’s an important trait when it comes to company branding and associating yourself as an entrepreneur.

Your brand identity is the image your company portrays to the world at large, to your customers or clients. When people look at your online presence, they should know what you do and that you bring value to the market. Your brand identity should be appealing to your target market and should be consistent in every printed piece you produce and across every online platform.

Consistency is important because it brings name recognition. If people see your logo and/or your brand colors online, they will recognize your snail mail brochure when it arrives, and vice versa. When people recognize your identity, your name is always brought to mind, which is helpful when they receive your email or see your social media posts.

Let’s examine 3 Places Your Brand Identity Should Be Consistent

Your Website

Very often your company website is the first element a potential client will see and most people will make a 10-second decision whether or not to explore further than the home page. Needless to say, your identity should be strongly represented on that home page so your potential clients will explore further or contact you.

On your website brand colors, fonts, and your logo are vitally important and should reflect your brand identity. If your message is sobering and you handle tough problems, using whimsical fonts and cutesy graphics doesn’t meld with the serious issues your company handles. The opposite is also true; if your identity and mission are more light-hearted, using deep, dark colors and traditional fonts might turn people away after they make a quick judgment call.

Your Social Media Platforms

Not everyone in your target audience will use the same social media platform so it’s a good idea to post across multiple platforms to reach more of your audience. However, if your name, colors, and logo are different on all these platforms, when someone jumps from Facebook to Twitter, they may not think yours is the same company because the profiles look different. Or if they receive a piece of mail that looks different than the social media profile, they may also be suspect. Consistency brings recognition and also helps to build trust between you and your clients.

Your Email Marketing Campaigns

Contrary to rumors you may have heard, email marketing is still one of the best ways to keep in touch with clients and to keep your company name in their memory. The key is to be relevant with your messages and offer valuable and engaging content. On top of these, create a template that incorporates your brand colors, fonts, and logo. Don’t miss a chance to build that trust between you and your audience.

Create a Stellar Reputation by Building Visibility and Authority

Successful businesses stay afloat when they build their credibility. These business owners learn from their own mistakes, adjust the way they do business when something doesn’t work, and are willing to share their knowledge with their clients prior to being hired. No matter what stage of business you’re in today, whether you just opened your doors or have had a string of clients for years, today is the day to concentrate on building your credibility and sharing your expertise with the world. Be proud of your success and plan on sharing it with your audience. Learn how in this book.