If someone looked at your social media page, then went to your business in person, would anything surprise them? And vice versa—if they visited your business, then checked out your social media pages, would they find anything unexpected?

Ideally, your online and offline brand should be as consistent as possible. By looking at your posts online, customers should sense the same personality, customer service, and uniqueness of your business as if they were physically there.

How can you accomplish this? Some tips include:

Keep a consistent personality: Talk about the same topics and use the same wording both online and in your business. Is your brand more funny, professional, informative, or artsy? Include this in your writing style and images online.

Include photos of your business online: People will become more familiar with the feel of your business if you share photos online. These can include photos of your product, employees, and storefront.

Use the same colors, fonts, and images: Your branding should be consistent online and in person. Use the same style on your website, social media graphics, signage, business cards, and anywhere else your branding is shown.

Communicate with employees: Keep your employees updated with what happens online. Whether it’s a contest, informative article, or conversation, your workers should know what your business is doing online, so they can continue the conversation offline with customers.

4 Your Car Connection is a great example of this brand consistency. You see their yellow branding and enthusiastic attitude on their Facebook page, signage, and advertising; their mannequin Gina is in front of their building, attending events, and even has her own Facebook page; and they are constantly engaging their community, both online and offline.

Having a consistent brand for your business can engage, attract, and retain customers. The goal is for someone to get to know your business before they even step foot in the door, and to then deepen that relationship through continued interaction both online and in person.

This article was published in the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce’s October 2018 edition of the VenangoWorks! Newsletter.