Branding is more than a good logo. Branding is total identity including the personality of your organization, a recognizable name, a memorable slogan or meaningful color family which inspires immediate association to your product or service. A strong brand will build customer loyalty and lead to repeat business for your organization. Your brand will communicate value, usefulness, worth, merit, or importance of your product. Are you branding yourself in all of the ways that you should be? Here’s a few tips to strengthen and grow your brand:

1. Be consistent. A brand’s visual identity is the overall look of its communications. Effective visual brand identity is achieved by the consistent use of particular visual elements to create distinction, such as specific fonts, colors, and graphic elements. At the core of every brand identity is a brand mark, or logo. Your offline marketing must also reflect the same consistent look and feel to that of your online communications.

2. Brand your website address. Find an address that is closest to your brand name or message. This will make it easy for the consumer to find you online and simple to remember your website address to visit again. Make your web address synonymous with your organization’s name. Be sure to include it in all of your marketing & business communications.

3. Commit to your logo location. Your logo should be in the same area on every page of your website to let visitors know they are still on your website as they move throughout your pages. A common location to place your logo is in the top left corner of the page: it’s quickly recognizable, as well as purposeful as it can easily serve in your navigation and link to your site’s homepage.

4. Find yourself- and put it out there. Even though designers try to squeeze as much graphic impact as they can into your visual presence, what matters most online are the words you use and the style in which you communicate with others. People need to know that they will find a specific “personality” when they visit your website or interact with your social media networks. Consumers need to find that same personality with every touch they experience with your organization. Decide how you want to be recognized (or- ahem- branded) and ensure that it’s carried over to all parts of your online and offline presence. Aim for defining your brand by what will reinforce to your consumer why they should do business with you.

5. Redesign at the right time. A professional designer may suggest a face-lift for your brand by recommending new color, fonts or a new logo entirely. When thoughtfully planned, a rebranding initiative will allow you to strengthen your marketing efforts and overall company identity. Surround your rebranding with a campaign that spans all online and offline resources, advertising and business communication. Be certain to carry the new branding in all materials, collateral and even conversations that you have with clients. This will reinforce the new look of your organization with the services the consumer is familiar with. One of the best times to implement a rebranding initiative is to incorporate your new look into the launch of a new website. This will allow you to push out your new website showcasing the fresh company brand and avoid having to make significant website changes later.

6. Check it. Your website should become an everyday part of your life – it is a direct reflection of your brand promise. Would you leave burnt out light bulbs in your office for weeks? Would you want clients entering your office through a broken door? We’re certain your answer is “no,” so make sure you keep that same commitment to your web visitors. Your brand is making a promise of quality to your customers- be sure your website also reflects that.

7. Make fans. As part of your branding efforts, go the extra step to not simply generate “users” of your site, but develop “fans.” “Users” are people who visit your web site, subscribe to your newsletter or buy your products and services, but “Fans,” cheer you on, rave about you to their friends and follow what you do. Fans believe in your brand promise.