With millions of businesses vying for attention in the consumer market plus more and more springing up every day, having a recognizable brand is more important than ever. Shaping consumer perception about your business in a way that conveys who you are, what you offer, and even why you offer it makes you memorable, ultimately driving up sales.
Now, digital branding methods have taken over as the primary type over others like physical branding, but the reasons why physical branding was the top method are still valid – memorability, tangibility, differentiation, etc – and plenty of prudent businesses now combine them.
So here are 3 tips for effective physical branding.
Consistency
If your brand is going to be easily recognizable, you have to prioritize consistency because it’s how you’ll create a cohesive brand identity that inspires familiarity and even trust. Especially with physical branding, inconsistency means confusion that dilutes the impact of your branding efforts. For example, if your logo looks different on your website than your packaging or in-store signage, customers may hesitate, or leave entirely.
Thus, consistency applies to all brand elements – logos, colors, fonts, copywriting, decor, employee uniforms, packaging – across all physical touchpoints where consumers interact with the brand.
How do you ensure consistency? A good idea is to establish brand guidelines outlining the proper usage of brand elements to be communicated to all relevant stakeholders such as employees. You also want to review these guidelines regularly so that they remain effective.
Creativity
Next, it’s important to keep in mind that consistency and creativity can and should be combined when it comes to physical branding because while you want your brand to be recognizable, you also really want to stand out from competitors in a way that’s memorable.
So while you set brand guidelines for the proper uniform usage of brand elements, it’s important to make provisions for creativity. There are many ways to be creative with your physical branding elements. Such as:
- Using the right finishing equipment for unconventional packaging methods
- Interactive in-store displays
- Branded environments
- Unique staff uniforms – scarves, hats, etc
Quality
When it comes to establishing a trusted brand identity, quality is not just essential for your products or services, but also for your branding methods. First, high quality conveys professionalism and attention to detail. Plus, it helps create a positive customer experience that impacts overall brand perception.
For example, high-quality packaging often contributes to making customers feel valued and an expertly designed physical store space always feels more professional than one that isn’t, all of which reflects a commitment to excellence that makes the brand memorable.
Physical branding can be very beneficial even in today’s largely digital business landscape. With consistency, creativity, and quality, you can create or promote your brand in a way that’s memorable enough to inspire brand loyalty in a way that ultimately increases sales.
