Five Keys to Consistent Architecture Firm Branding

 There are a few reasons brand consistency is essential for your architecture firm:

• It helps clients recognize your business.
• It creates trust with both existing clients and potential leads.
• It presents a clear message to your audience.
• It supports your connection with prospects on an emotional level.

Let's explore how to create and keep a compelling and consistent brand.

1. Take an Honest Look at Your Brand

Part of brand consistency is ensuring your clients know precisely what's what when it comes to your architecture firm. If you haven't already developed your brand, or if you are considering making changes to your branding, take time to be sure you understand the image you've already portrayed to your clients and your market.

Ask yourself: What do our website, social media, and promotional materials look like and say about us?

As you examine each of these, consider if and how they reflect the core values of your firm. You should also review what people are already saying about your brand and whether clients recognize your branding efforts.

This info goes a long way in helping you decide what to do next. 

If you want to learn about Using Smart Goals to Grow Your Architecture Firm click here.

2. Know Your BEST Audience

3. Brand Rules

Brand guidelines can be crucial to help ensure your architecture firm brand remains consistent no matter where or how your it is represented.

These rules for how to use your brand should include:

• A definition of your unique selling point
• Your logo
• Colors
• Fonts
• A layout for any printed marketing materials
• The words, tone, and style you do and don't use to describe your firm.

“77% of B2B marketing leaders say branding is critical to growth.”

— Circle Research

Now you have a framework for your branding. You need to run with it and test it out. Hold a team meeting and make sure everyone knows what's required to keep your branding consistent across the company.

When you get into it, you'll be surprised at how many decisions these guidelines influence. Everything from how you deliver your client service to how you launch your marketing campaigns.

You need to be prepared to change how you think things through. Your brand needs to be at the core of everything you do!

4. Focus on Your Website

“The main benefit of branding tools, and reason to employ them, is to boost profits.”

— Forbes

We've given your website an entire section to itself because it's by far the most important of all your branding assets.

You need to think of it more as a stage for you to showcase precisely what your business does, how you can help your audience, and prove it to them. Use social evidence of your abilities; reviews, testimonials, social shares, etc. These are excellent for showing credibility and building trust with consumers.

Creating a good impression is essential, you have to show them you're capable of getting the job done.

If you're looking for a way to demonstrate your core values and beliefs to your audience, set up a blog on your website. Not only is high-quality content amazing for SEO, but it's also one of the easiest ways to communicate your brand to potential clients.

A high-performing website should communicate your brand as well as generate new leads and clients. It's a crucial stepping stone for nurturing new and potentially profitable business relationships.

5. Embrace Change

Yes, branding needs to be consistent. However, this doesn't mean it never changes. Naturally, your company will change over time, and therefore your branding will as well.

We frequently find ourselves reassuring someone that it is OK to change their logo even if it's been in use for many years (in part because that is only one small representation of a brand). 

At least once a year, refer to your branding guidelines and make updates and changes as needed. Your brand will evolve as your business grows. While you may want to stay true to your roots, you must be open to adapting your brand in line with your growth.

Learn more about How To Build a Strong Architecture Brand here.