Branding is a basic, yet vital, way to distinguish your firm from the vast array of your competitors. But it needs to be deployed effectively to be of great value.
Using your branding effectively is not complex, and in most instances need consume only a very small amount of your time.
But by taking aboard just a few, or all, of these tips you will constantly reinforce your brand in the minds of your clients, competitors, and the wider marketplace.
- Email signature blocks are an often neglected, and unused branding opportunity. Your email signature should be consistent throughout your firm and where possible include your logo, tagline, your firm name, and your name, and relevant contact details.
- Documents and external communications should (where appropriate and possible) include your logo, tagline, and contact details. It is a way of announcing to the world that this is your work.
- Website - your website is an important link between your firm and the rest of the world. Ensure that it at least has your logo and contact details. Anything less is a waste of time. Documents attached to your website should be branded with your logo. As a minimum, this stops people claiming your information as their own work.
- Letterhead, business cards, and other stationery should always bear your logo/branding, and contact details. Letterhead and business cards are especially important - and one of the most frequently used - branding tools.
- Consistency, consistency, consistency. This is the most fundamental element of branding. Every single piece of communication, whether it's your website, letterhead, business card, signage, or documentation, must convey a consistent brand image.
By ensuring that everything leaving your office - whether destined for a client, competitor, supplier, or the wide world - has your logo and contact details on it, you will be constantly reinforcing your brand.
This week's eTip was authored by former Associate Consultant, Brooke Rees.
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