1. Do all of the materials they look like they came from the same company in look, feel color palette and touch?
2. Do they contain consistent messaging –tagline, company history, description, important selling points?
3. If a stranger read these materials would they know immediately what made your company different from your competitors?
4. Is the quality of the materials consistent with the quality of your brand? (e.g., If someone is paying $6000 for your product or service, the collateral needs to let them know that they’re getting quality via a luxurious stock, original photography, and quality printing. If your product retails for 99 cents, the information can be printed on a basic flier or card.
5. Has the company gone through several changes since they were created? If your message is outdated or irrelevant, your company will appear to be as well.
6. Pay attention to the tactile quality of the piece – how does it feel in your hand? Touch conveys quality; sometimes only on a subconscious level, but nonetheless gives an impression of your business.
7. If photographs are used do they contain images that suggest the year they were taken? (e.g., if people in the photos are wearing a Farrah Fawcett hairdo or driving a 1978 Plymouth Fury, you could be sending the wrong message, unless you specialize in retro retail products.)
8. Do your print materials refer to your social media sites by displaying emblems for Twitter or Facebook? Combine traditional media with social media for continuity of messages and imagery across media types.
9. Ask people that don’t know your company what they think about the company based on the materials alone. Are they accurate in their descriptions? Do the graphics, colors, fonts, illustrations or messages convey something that was not intended?
10. Is your sales team creating their own marketing materials using a different look, feel, logo, tagline and imager that appeals to them, rather than being consistent with your graphic brand standards? It’s a surefire way to dilute the brand.
Every material you create is out there among clients and prospects. Inconsistency does not build confidence in your audience. Take note of any of the above items that are not up to par, and make a New Year’s resolution to bring customized and consistent communication to the market.
The materials you use in your organization speak volumes about your brand. Is every brochure, webpage and press release reinforcing your brand or just diluting it? These 10 simple steps of the brand communications audit can be done in a very short period of time and give you an idea of how your company could be sending the wrong message - or mixed messages - about your company's brand. Investing in your brand will yield many positive returns.
