Whether you are just starting a new business, or you have an existing business that you are only now bringing into the online realm, it s extremely important that you craft a corporate identity that fits your company. The best companies in the world have the best and most recognisable brands. While it may be a stretch to want to have the brand recognition of one of those corporate giants, you can develop and hone a brand that does wonders for your overall success on all fronts.
At the forefront of objectives for creating a business identity and core brand is that you need to project consistency. Far too many companies commit the same blunders in this regard. Their stores and traditional media campaigns project one brand, and then they take a completely different approach with their website. The only thing this does is confuse consumers and weaken your brand and image.
Instead, you need to view your website not just as a separate piece of the puzzle, but as an integrated platform, tied together with all of the other components of your business. This includes your advertising campaigns, any physical storefronts you have, all of your promotional efforts, the specific products and services that you provide and more.
Now that you know that you have to be consistent in all areas to really be successful crafting a corporate identity, it s also important to know a few ways to achieve this in the online world. One way to do this is with the graphic design and overall web design that you have. You must pay attention to all of the details to be consistent. That means consistent color schemes, designs and a consistent feel to all of your materials.
It also means projecting the image that you want through the style of content you provide and the tone that your website takes on. There is a big difference between highly professional and courteous, and friendly and engaging, for example. The way you write your content, what you actually end up saying and the way your website looks and feels will go a long way towards dictating how you end up being seen.
The type of identity you end up taking on will be a reflection of what you provide or what you do. Service professionals of course want to be seen as experienced and competent in that service. A manufacturer of children s toys however may want to be seen as creative and even a bit zany or off the wall. Your brand is who you are, and you are what you do. Therefore you want to craft an identity that matches whatever it is that you provide.
You can take on any style of corporate brand that you want, but as mentioned, consistency is the most important thing. If you re not consistent, all pieces of your brand will be weakened and you ll be hindering your own success. However, with consistency you will be creating a recognizable brand across all fronts, both online and offline. Consumers will come to know you and trust you, and you ll grow and flourish as a result.
Author Resource:
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For the very best in Corporate Branding services he recommends Hampshire-based Studio Republic: http://www.studiorepublic.com/branding.asp