Picture what you wear to a job interview or a date:

For these important events, you try to make a great first impression by looking your best. It’s important for every business to do that, too. You want your first encounter with your client, and every impression after, to be cohesively branded in order to build a consistent, professional, trustworthy identity.

But how does it work?

Here are three easy steps to build a cohesive brand, build client trust, and make a stellar business impression.

BE CLEAR

Be clear in your audience, your purpose, and your mission.

You need to understand your ideal client, so you know what appeals to them, what engages them, and what excites them. You can’t possibly build a cohesive brand if you don’t understand who you are targeting.

Have a clear purpose. Be well-defined in who you are and what your business brings to the table, so you know how to brand it.

Finally, you need to unmistakably present what you are trying to do in the world. In order to have a cohesive brand you need to know your core values and business motivation. Cohesive branding is all about knowing your “why” because, as Simon Sinek explains in his TED talk, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”.

BE CREATIVE

Cohesive branding should be the creation of unique visuals and messaging that stand out and represent your business.

For example, your logo is an integral aspect of cohesive branding; it is the symbol that represents your business and serves as a visual cue to your client each time they see it. Logos should be an extension of your brand and you want your brand to stand out. You need a logo that is unique and engaging, clean and professional, and that speaks to your ideal client.

BE CONSISTENT

Whether it’s messaging, visuals, or your logo, you need to stay consistent. People engage with businesses that they understand and trust. How can you build trust with your client if you aren’t presenting yourself consistently? How will your client recognize you if you repeatedly change your presence?

You might need to change your messaging to match a platform or speak to a different demographic, but your tone and voice in the message should always be consistent. You might have to change your logo size or orientation in order for it to be used in different ways, but the icon itself should always be consistent. You will need to change your visuals of products, events, and interactions, but the colors, the style, and the editing should always be consistent. See how well that consistency worked?

Cohesive branding is integral to the creation of a consistent and memorable brand identity. Make a good first business impression: get intentional with cohesive branding.

Lindy Chaffin Start is principal and creative director at Unstoppable Start Studios based in Atlanta, Georgia. She contributes her knowing and talents as a marketer to small businesses across the country and listeners around the world.

To learn more about cohesive branding, contact us.