With the booming growth of social media, new social networks and opportunities to connect with your audience, are you really taking every opportunity you can to stay aligned with your brand and stay consistent?

There are many benefits of consistent branding – that is the whole key to branding – ensuring that your customers and potential customers (or patients and potential patients) learn to trust you because you always look the same, sound the same, feel the same and stay the same.

By creating a consistent image for your brand, you let your customers and patients know that you stand for something special, and that they can trust you.

It lets them know that you will consistently be available to help them, and you will always say and do the same things, both online and at your office.

“Pick a lane and stay in it!” as I always say.

So how do you keep your brand consistent?

• keep your colours, logos and layouts similar across all of your platforms
• use the same profile picture and cover photo for each social network
• print your logo on every piece of literature that leaves your office
• use similar tone and language in your content
• choose your tone carefully and be sure you are connecting with your specific audience
• maintain similar nuances to each graphic that you share, so that a quick glance of your posts will let you audience easily recognize it’s from you

Additionally, when you are sharing others’ posts and graphics, be sure that it stays on brand with the messages that you generally share for your audience. Sure, make it funny, let it stray just a little bit, but be sure it always has a connecting factor to your brand.

Share things on purpose – will this enrich my reader’s life? will it make them laugh? will it give them a new point of view? does it educate in some way? does it open up a positive conversation?

Use your position as a community health expert and leverage that to educate your audience.

Remember that your audience is following you for a reason, or visiting your office for a reason – you are the solution to their problems! You offer health and healing, guidance and hope for a total transformation.

Be sure that your team is fully understanding the importance of the development of your brand, and educate them as to why you need to stay consistent with your messaging. Explain how it will benefit your patients as well as your practice to stay within your brand personality and get them on board with social media sharing and letterhead printing to extend the reach and consistency of your brand.

If you need more reasons to stay in your lane, here are some benefits to consistent branding:

• you create a unique personality online and in the community
• your image stands out in your audience’s mind because repetition is the essence of learning
• this differentiates you from other practices in your community
• boosts your authority and expertise
• increases customer engagement and loyalty
• positions you for future growth and development