Branding is Like Friendship: Why Inconsistent Messaging Equals Distrust

Branding is your most valuable asset in the intricate dance of building strong client relationships. It's the essence of your company, the personality that resonates with your audience, and the promise you make to your customers. Like any long-lasting relationship, a strong brand foundation is built on trust, reliability, and authenticity.

THE FOUNDATION OF TRUST: CONSISTENT MESSAGING

Imagine having a friend who tells you one thing one day and something completely different the next. How would that make you feel? You'd probably question their sincerity and start to doubt the relationship you have with each other. The same principle applies to branding. Inconsistent messaging confuses your audience, erodes trust, and hinders brand loyalty.

When your brand's message is clear, consistent, and authentic, it fosters a deep connection with your customers. They know what to expect, are confident in what you stand for, and feel comfortable in their choice to continue to support you.

THE IMPACT OF INCONSISTENT MESSAGING

Inconsistent messaging can lead to a host of problems for you and your brand image:

CONFUSION - Mixed signals dilute your overall message and 'WHY' that lead you to start your business. When your brand does not put time into creating a cohesive image customers become unsure of what your brand stands for. This can lead to cheapening your overall brand recognition and losing strongly aligned customers who relate to your story.
DISTRUST - A lack of consistency in your brand image can make your brand seem unreliable or untrustworthy. People are drawn to intentional branding, with heart and soul. A brand that can portray their story at every touch point they make with their customer shows the effort and dedication they put into their craft. This proves their commitment to service and quality, in contrast to other brands who may be 'getting things done cheap', creating a feeling of distrust in the brand's values itself.
WEAKENED IDENTITY - Your brand's unique identity should be at the forefront of every venture you take. It is the guiding light for all that you do and something that should be shown to customers with pride. When you have not taken the time to develop a strong brand identity, customers take notice, forcing them to decipher through the randomized Canva templates to uncover what truly drives your brand and why they should care.
LOST OPPORTUNITIES - 94% of first impressions are design-related ... when you have inconsistent messaging throughout your brand you lose the impact of catching potentially loyal customers at first glance. Customers want to be told who they will become when interacting with your brand. How will it make them feel? What will they tell their friends and family about you? As humans, we seek connection - if at first glance your messaging is portraying something completely different than what is true for your unique story, you are doing your brand a disservice.

HOW TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS THROUGH CONSISTENT MESSAGING

Maintaining consistent messaging across all touchpoints is crucial for building a strong brand. The key components of consistent messing are:

A STRONG BRAND VOICE - Developing a distinct tone of voice that reflects your brand's personality is a crucial component of learning how to speak to your ideal market. Once you figure out who they are, you have to start speaking their language. Think of your brand as a real person, who would they be? Funny, charismatic and playful like Ryan Reynolds? Serious, luxurious and commanding like Anna Wintour? Once you have honed in on your brand voice it will give you the framework for every message you release about your brand. From customer service to TikTok videos, your brand voice should be speaking the same language through and through.
INTENTIONAL VISUAL IDENTITY - Once your brand voice is locked into place, you must develop the identity that backs it up. I get asked a lot if I can design 'just a logo', but branding is so much more than that. Elements like colour palettes, typography, brand photography, etc. are essential pieces to create and reinforce your entire identity. Slapping a logo on a preset template is one thing, but watch your brand truly come to life with its own uniquely curated identity at play. Having an intentional visual identity is based on psychology, not just aesthetics and it truly makes ALL the difference.
FOCUSED KEY MESSAGING - Identifying your core brand values, mission, and unique why should be your main priority when starting your journey. Without these pillars of your brand, you will have a spineless shell of what could be a heavy-hitting and impactful message about who you are and what you do. Your values, mission, or why should be clearly reflected in every touch point you make with the world.
THOROUGH TEAM ALIGNMENT - With all this said and done, you still need to have the people to back it up! Team members who fully align with your voice, identity and messaging are the crucial follow-up to creating a cohesive brand experience. You can talk the talk, but you need to have people on your side walking the walk. Without this follow-through, the illusion all falls creating distrust in your brand no matter how beautiful it may be.

By prioritizing consistent messaging, you're investing in a long-term relationship with your customers, just like nurturing a valuable relationship. Remember, trust is earned, not given. A strong, consistent brand is the cornerstone of building lasting customer relationships.

If you're reading this thinking you have no idea where to start, don't worry, I can help! Contact me to get started and have your brand fine-tuned into a messaging powerhouse before holiday season 🪄