Here’s a business secret you may not know (or want to believe).
Creating an interior design brand that people remember and talk about is easy. Our feeds are flooded with gorgeous images from interiors around the world, created by both pros and enthusiasts alike. The most resonant of those images aren’t always from professional designers, and it’s becoming more clear that in order to stand out from the crowd you need to have a distinct point of view that shares a consistent story about your business.
Here’s the takeaway:
If you want to build a resonant interior design brand, you don’t have to be fancy. You just have to be consistent.
Let me say it again – consistency is the key to brand building. Fresh, new content with a unique point of view is essential. Social media platforms reward time on their platforms by distributing your content to a greater audience, but it isn’t enough to just be there anymore. You have to produce consistently fresh content that brings value to your audience.
And that content doesn’t need to be internet-breaking, instantly viral install shots or videos – it just needs to be a consistent storytelling that resonates with your followers.
So why is brand consistency so important? There are three answers to that question….
01:
Because clarity is key to understanding anything.
Your brand identity tells a clear story about your business, products, and services. It helps your customers understand immediately what they will receive from you. In the words of John Williams: “your brand is your promise to your customer.”
02:
Because visibility means people will actually see you and remember you.
It’s like when someone mentions a red car to you in casual conversation and then all you see the following days are red cars. It’s the same for branding. Once someone has an impression of your brand, the next time they see your brand it will reinforce these (hopefully positive!) messages.
Ask yourself:
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- Is your brand distinctive? Does it differentiate you from your competitors? Does it represent your values? Are you a design-focused brand or do you lead with sustainability? How do these values show up in your brand?
- And, is your brand showing up over and over again in the places where your ideal customers are? Would they recognize (and remember) your brand? What do you need to change about your approach to ensure the right people see it and take notice?
03:
And last, but not least, consistency is important because it builds trust.
Consistency creates reliability in what people see and believe about the value and quality of your brand.
This is called brand equity, and it pays in spades to invest in ensuring your brand is communicating your values. Brand equity often manifests as emotional attachment and perceived value – two qualities that your customers and clients will oftentimes pay more for. Make sure your brand is telling the story you want it to.
Ask yourself:
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- In what ways have you invested in building brand equity? What do you want your customers to think and feel when they see your brand online?
The Case for Building a Consistent Brand Identity
When your branding is inconsistent, there’s a big risk that you may become unrecognizable, and who wants that? It’s also possible you could be mistaken for another brand, or worse – you could confuse potential clients and customers about what you do and how you can best serve them. Then you’re invisible again.
You want your brand to be easily recognizable and distinctive, right? You want to stand out from others in a way that draws your ideal clients in droves. A recent Lucid study showed that brands that are consistently presented result in 3-4x more visibility. That’s huge!
And that means the more consistently you’re showing up between all your channels – from your Instagram posts (and stories and now Reels), in your Pinterest boards and Facebook feeds, to your printed collateral like business cards or sales and promotional tools – the more people will begin to recognize your brand, and inherently, your message and values.
The more consistently you’re showing up between all your channels, the more people will begin to recognize your brand, and inherently, your message and values.
Every business started somewhere. For some companies, it takes months of planning and a whole lotta money to develop a professional brand identity package (and this happens at all phases of business – from early startups to well-established businesses that need to pivot to attract new customers or sell new services).
Creative entrepreneurs (especially solopreneurs) often don’t have the luxury of working with a branding agency to develop a strategy. There are a myriad of resources available to help businesses of every size streamline their brand. So whether you DIY your own brand renovation or hire a pro to help you, the takeaway is this: You don’t have to be fancy. You just have to be consistent.