You Have to be Consistent to Have a Distinctive Brand

A brand, by definition, is an image that represents a company or product. Most brands are made distinct by how they consistently present themselves over time.

It's no wonder why Nike has become one of the most valuable brand names in the world with its slogan "Just Do It.?" The same with Apple and "Think Different.?"

Those two iconic companies have remained steadfast with both their respective slogans and their commitment to distinction.

Brand distinction is partly defined by how you choose to promote yourself -- day after day, month after month, year after year. Consistency is key.?

If you're constantly changing your brand identity, customers won't know what to expect from your business. They'll never have a reason to trust it because they'll never know what to expect.

This is why brand distinction is so important -- it presents you with the opportunity to build brand trust, brand value, brand authority, and customer loyalty.

• Brand distinction requires you to remain consistent with your organizational authenticity -- which means being true to your core values.
• Your brand is required to reflect who you are as a business owner at every touchpoint across every medium for this authenticity to take effect. If it doesn't, no new brand slogan will make a difference.

Recently, MediaPost's Marketing Daily, in an article by Todd Wasserman, cited how Burger King has become the "revolving door of slogans."

"Burger King's penchant for reinvention," Wasserman suggests, "comes at the expense of its long-term brand identity. After all, if a brand reinvents itself too many times, consumers must conclude that the brand doesn't really stand for anything." (emphasis mine)

Brand distinction is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no way to create brand distinction overnight. It takes time and patience to build trust, authority, value, and customer loyalty for any brand. These are all highly intertwined with having a consistent brand identity distinct from the competition.

Decide what you want your company's image to be, then stay the course. Even the slightest changes will potentially cause brand confusion. Once you've lost your audience's attention because of it, there's no going back.

One more point: you aren't required to have a marketing slogan to be a distinctive company!

A High Concept is a short, powerful statement that uniquely engages the attention of your prospects and customers. Every company -- and professional -- needs one of these! In "Create Distinction" and "ICONIC," I write about the importance of the High Concept as an approach to the First Cornerstone of Distinction: CLARITY.

However, as Wasserman points out in his article, some of today's most iconic organizations do not have a memorable marketing slogan! (Think: Starbucks, Whole Foods, or Tesla.) What these companies DO have is a compelling High Concept. As customers and prospects, we can describe to anyone exactly what they stand for! And there's no doubt these three groups have been absolutely consistent in executing on their High Concept.

If distinction is what you're after, you must be consistent.

Consistency doesn't mean being boring and unoriginal. It means sticking with what you know works and giving your brand a lasting impression that can be recognized -- and is distinctive and trusted -- by everyone you seek to serve.

Our organization would love to help you create distinction to solve the challenges you face in today's competitive marketplace! Connect with me here on LinkedIn for more information!