Common Branding Mistakes To Avoid

​
Let's face it. We all make mistakes. Unfortunately, mistakes can cost time and money. The good news is, we can correct our mistakes and learn from them. Here are a few of the most common branding mistakes made by businesses and organizations:

• Lack of planning - There's an old saying that states "Prior planning prevents poor performance." This is so true. Take the time to create a branding/marketing plan and calendar. Planning will help you stay on task and on budget throughout the year.
• Inconsistent brand image - We've all seen it. A logo that's faded or stretched. How about an organization that uses several versions of their logo with a variety of colors, fonts and designs? To remain "top of mind" you must have a consistent brand. That includes logos, colors, fonts, email & newsletter templates, web design, your social media presence and more.
• Producing low quality content - While it may be easier to post generic content in your newsletters and on your websites, you're not doing yourself any favors. Localize your content. Target your information. Get specific and personal. Never forget to proofread. Present your information in the most attractive and engaging way possible to ensure viewer engagement.
• Underestimating online marketing opportunities - The easiest and fastest way to engage your audience is via online marketing - website, email, text, social media. Online marketing also provides you with a wealth of data on your audience. Knowing audience preferences, such as when and how they prefer to receive information about your organization, will increase your branding ROI.
• Not listening to your audience - Always ask for input from your audience and always respond to their input. It keeps your branding efforts in sync with the needs of your audience. An important part of successful branding is audience "buy in." Your audience should feel engaged, appreciated and acknowledged. 
• Badly designed and hard to navigate website - Ugh! This is so common, yet so easy to fix. The beauty of online content is you can track what viewers want to find. Follow their lead and make your most important content easy to find. Less is more. Keep it simple. If it takes more than 2 clicks to find, then it's not in the right place. If you can't update a web category and keep it fresh don't post it. 

Are you making any of these branding mistakes? It's okay. Keep calm. Help is just a click away. Fusaro Consulting is ready to share over 30 years of branding and marketing experience. Contact us today for a free consultation.

---