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Five Brand Resolutions for the New Year
Five practical brand resolutions for the new year: be clearer, more consistent, more human, more evidence-led and more patient. Small steps that add up.
New year resolutions are easy to make and hard to keep, so these five are deliberately small and practical. None needs a big budget. Each one makes a brand clearer, steadier and easier to trust.
In this article
1. Be clearer about what you do
Write one sentence that explains what you do, who for and why it matters. Put it on your homepage, in your social bios and in your email signature. If you can’t say it simply, your customers will struggle to repeat it. Our guide to writing a positioning statement shows how.
2. Be more consistent
Pick the colours, fonts, logo versions and tone of voice you’ll use, and stick to them everywhere. A one-page brand sheet makes this easy. Consistency is dull in the best way: it builds recognition without any extra effort. See brand consistency across channels.
3. Be more human
Show the people behind the business. Share your story, your reasons and the things you care about. Use plain words and a warm voice. Our brand voice exercises can help you find the tone that’s yours.
4. Be more evidence-led
Decide how you’ll know whether the brand is working: enquiries, repeat customers, reviews, search traffic or price. Check them every quarter. A little data stops arguments and shows what to do next. See how to increase brand awareness for ideas on what to measure.
5. Be more patient
Brands are built over years, not weeks. Changing your look every few months resets the clock. Resolve to give your choices time to work and to change them only for a good reason. Read signs your business needs a rebrand when you’re tempted.
Make them stick
- Choose one resolution to start with
- Put a date in the diary to review it
- Tell someone, so that you’re accountable
- Write down what you did and what happened
Why small steps work
Big brand overhauls often stall because they feel like too much. Small, specific habits are easier to start and, repeated over a year, add up to a clearly stronger brand. Choose the resolution that feels easiest and do it first. The sense of progress will carry you to the next one.
A one-hour starter
If you’ve an hour in January, do three things: write your one-sentence description, check that your logo and colours are the same on your website and social profiles, and set up a simple way to count enquiries. These three steps will improve almost any brand.
When you need more
If you want a hand with any of these, our small business branding agency team is happy to help. Book a free brand consultation and we’ll help you decide where to start.
