Brand Integrity: How Remaining Consistent With Your Message Will Help You Stand Out

One of the things we talk about on our company website is “maintaining the integrity of your brand.”

Brand integrity is important to any business. It begins with a corporate philosophy, and is reflected in everything a company says or does. That’s why messages need to be consistent, no matter what the medium.

For example, when customers come to us at Creative Source, our goal is help them present their message in a big, bold way. We do it with signs, displays and large-format print products that are designed to grab—and hold—people’s attention. In the process, we encourage clients to consider the purpose, location, message, use of name, logo, color and other important considerations that will make their message stand out and get results. All of those things are driven by one thing: their brand.

The same holds true with any other form of marketing—brochures, websites, advertisements and more. Branding is everything.

At its core, it comes down to your primary message. Some call it your position. It’s who you are, what you are, and, most important, why you are.

In sales, they call it your “elevator speech.” If you were to get on an elevator with someone and they asked what you do, what would you say—understanding that you may only have 30 seconds or less to say it? That’s your elevator speech. That’s your “why.” That’s your brand.

In my case, I describe how people say things to me like “We’ve always wanted to,” or What if we could,” and then fill in the blank with an idea. I respond by explaining how we can help make it a reality. That’s what we’re all about: Turning big ideas into bold presentations. (You can read my elevator speech at the end of this article.)

Earlier in my career I worked for the marketing department of a national retail chain. After my partners and I launched Creative Source, we narrowed our focus to signs and displays. That change in perspective has taught me a lot about how best to communicate your message. The fewer words you have to work with, the more efficient you have to be.

If you haven’t done it for a while, take a moment to consider your brand. What’s the essence of your message? What’s your elevator speech? Even better, if you came to us and asked us to communicate your brand on a sign, what would it say?

That’s who you are, what you are, and why you are. In business, that’s where it all begins.

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POSTSCRIPT: Here’s my actual elevator speech, which I’ve used when introducing myself at meetings or in front of groups. I would welcome your feedback in the comments section below, or by email at mike@csforideas.com.

We've always wanted to... We had this idea... What if we could...

These are the things we hear from our clients.

"Hi, I'm Mike Boyd with Creative Source. We're experts in the sign, display and printing industry. We've been particularly successful working with ad agencies, designers and in-house marketing departments.

"Many of our clients come to us because they're struggling to keep their branding, or their clients' branding, looking picture perfect, or they're looking for something fresh, different or unique—something that stands out.

"Again, I'm Mike Boyd with Creative Source. The next time you're looking to turn a big idea into a bold presentation...we can do that!"

MIKE BOYD is president of Creative Source. Clients looking for sign companies in Canton, Ohio

and the surrounding region look to Mike and his staff for creative marketing solutions.