Think about all the channels your brand uses to communicate with its target audience. From social media, websites, paid advertising, email, direct mail, content marketing and print advertisements, it can feel overwhelming trying to keep up with everything.
Consumers today have more options than ever when it comes to engaging a brand. This is why it is essential to make sure that your brand is consistent across all channels.
Brand consistency focuses on bringing a specific feeling to your customers through your messaging that remains the same across all marketing channels. Consistency means your target audience is being exposed to core messages and visual branding repeatedly, which will help solidify brand recognition.
Brand consistency is all about creating trust. Establishing that trust works like this:
- In order for customers to trust you, they have to know you
- In order for them to know you, they must be aware of you, recognize you and remember you
- In order for customers to recognize and remember you, you must show up in a way that’s consistent
Here are three reasons why your brand needs cross-channel consistency:
1. It’s the next level in marketing
Brand consistency takes you to the next level in marketing. Your goal should be that when a customer sees your brand, they are already thinking about making their next purchase without you even having to ask.
By making your brand so consistent, so synonymous with your product experience, consumers will create positive emotions towards your brand. Over time, these positive emotions can be evoked with just a logo or brand name.
Think of brands like Amazon. Just seeing their logo will make consumers think about their next purchase. Amazon has created such a consistent experience that without even showing a single slogan or sale price, you are already thinking about shopping on their site.
2. Consistency is Dependable
When you are getting to know a brand, you start developing opinions, ideas, and assumptions about them based on your interactions. If they are whimsical and silly on social media, and then are conservative and straightforward on their website, it sends mixed signals. This can confuse customers and make them think that your brand cannot be trusted.
Consumers want consistency. They want to know what they are going to get when they go with your brand. They are not looking for surprises.
Why do you always buy the same brand of coffee? Because it is dependable. You know what you are going to get, and you know you will like the outcome.
Giving your customers a dependable experience across all of your communication channels works along the same lines as always putting out a reliable product.
Think about going to Starbucks. You know what you are going to get, no matter what store you visit. They have created a consistent experience across all their stores, and that experience builds trust with their customers.
By developing a consistent experience for your brand across all marketing channels, it makes your customers feel more comfortable with your brand. It will make them trust you and purchase from you again and again.
3. Consumers Feel Connected
When your customers start to recognize your brand and anticipate the actions your brand will take, they will begin connecting with your brand on a more emotional level. This kind of connection can lead them to feel like they personally know your brand.
When your customers feel connected to the brand, it becomes easier for them to identify with your mission and values. When this happens, it increases the chances of them making a purchase or recommending you to others. In fact, 64% of consumers say that having shared values is one of the top reasons they trust a brand.
You want your brand to trigger positive emotions in your customers. Those emotions can be evoked when your target audience sees your brand’s logo or even just hearing your brand’s name. Customers that feel connected to your brand’s mission are more likely to be loyal to your business.
Consumers want to know who you are and what you stand for. By interacting with consumers through a consistent brand identity that is accompanied by a comprehensive marketing strategy, your customers will be more likely to purchase from you and recommend you to other customers.
Need help ensuring that your brand has cross-channel consistency? Contact us at hello@eisenberginc.com or call 214.528.5990
