One of the litmus tests we use with marketing messages is how unique they are compared to the competition. We’ll ask ourselves, “Could you change the logo to another company without the public knowing the difference?”
Sameness doesn’t do your business any favors. It negatively impacts customer loyalty, repeat business, and referrals. People prefer doing business with people and organizations they like. If you look and sound like everyone else, it’s difficult to tease out the differences between one company and another.
Here are some ways we see organizations fail at personifying their brand:
Using AI to generate content – This is an easy trap because AI tools make it easy to generate content. However, that content is typically generic, with no clear “voice” or personality. The R2R team sometimes uses AI to help develop content topics, but it’s part of our research, not content generation. Your content should sound like your business and the people with whom customers will interact.
Not following a brand standards guide – Brand standards are the rules for how a company looks and feels to customers. Guides identify the logo treatments and variations, font use, color palette, icon families and more. It’s too easy to use online tools to add flames behind a logo or use an off-brand color, leading to inconsistencies. Consistency helps sales efforts – inconsistencies are a barrier in the sales process.
Trying to look bigger – Years ago, we talked with a restaurant owner who wanted to update his website, and he sent us an example of a restaurant site he liked. The problem? He liked the website for a fine dining establishment with linen tablecloths, cloth napkins and all the extra forks and spoons. His restaurant was a family casual business that gave crayons and coloring sheets to children at the table. He wanted a fancy website, but it didn’t match his brand. Ultimately, we improved the site in a way that still communicated what made them unique.
Using an industry-specific website template – There are web design agencies that specialize in specific industries, which can be great for in-depth knowledge of customer journeys, custom apps, chatbots and similar tactics. However, that approach can lead to a cookie-cutter format, where a law firm’s website looks like every other law firm website. Good design is essential, but it should reflect your brand, not the designer.
The bottom line is your company’s brand should consistently communicate who you are and what makes you, you. If you’re not sure your brand is on the right track, contact the R2R Marketing team and we’ll take a look and share our thoughts.
