They are making tons of profit, have lots of happy clients, their systems run like a clock, and they are making a good impact. Even though everyone has their own metrics, the image of a good business is quite homogeneous.

If we do another round of questions, but this time we ask what a strong brand should look like, answers will get very polarized. Some will be quick to check the “epic logo, shiny colors, cool font” boxes. Others will ring the “online marketing” bell. And many won’t even know where to start.

A good brand assessment is quite a challenge. The best way to start on the wrong foot is to jump in thinking about visual elements, Instagram posts, and killer shirt designs. These are just byproducts and applications, and brands are more complex than that.

Brands play in a different league now. They went from cool designs and shiny logos to deep strategic thinking and rigorous product-market fits. Today brands span all over the business. Touching foundations, organizing ideas, creating systems, communicating visions, and influencing performance.

Great businesses love that. And they’re always looking for opportunities to hold their brands accountable and optimized.

There are lots of details to check on. And it will take time to work on them. But we have to start somewhere, right? Let’s keep it simple. Here you have four high-level benefits of having a strong brand that will be easy to spot within your company -if you have them.

Strong brands provide clarity and direction.

This is why strategy has become so relevant. Businesses get unstoppable when they have clear goals, a strong “why”, a straightforward action plan, and a company culture that keeps everyone on board.

A great brand will start right at the foundations. Defining things like vision, values, positioning, target customer, and value proposition. These will create a network of parameters and standards that will guide your business performance, decision-making, communication, and even operations.

If you are all over the place and nowhere in particular, you have a strategy issue. This is very risky since you’ll be mostly reacting and improvising. For this, there’s no solution other than sit down and do your homework.

It’s harder to do it on the run when all you want is to take massive action. But at this point direction is more important than velocity. A tiny misdirection and you could end up in a totally different place. Take the time and calibrate your brand strategy.

Strong brands are consistent and recognizable.

Effective identity design instantly establishes a baseline for visibility and recognition. And, if done consistently, it’s a key factor in building trust — especially if you know your customers care about good design.

From the outside, you’ll perceive an attractive brand that always seems to be “on-point” no matter where you find it. From the inside, it would look a lot like creativity and good design working in harmony under empowering brand guidelines.

There’s always space to improve in this area. Keep an eye on your brand’s identity and visual elements with periodical checks on logo, colors, fonts, and themes. And don’t forget it all have to fit within your strategy.

Strong brands communicate effectively.

Connecting with your audience on an emotional level is one of the most important brand features. A brilliant story and voice will effectively transfer your message and values to your audience, creating a bond with your brand.

You can see this in brands that motivate people to buy from them, persuasively communicating why their brand and products are worth the attention. They have great copywriting, engaging stories, and no fear to stand up for a cause they find relevant (of course is also relevant for their audience).

If your communication skills are getting rusty, go back to your purpose. Revisit your story, and craft a message and a tone that fits with what your audience like to hear.

Strong brands are accessible and easy to find.

Your branding may be genius in theory, but if execution falters, all that hard work will go down the drain. You need to make sure everything you build (web, ads, flyers, offices, funnels, etc.) is in perfect alignment with your brand strategy.

This is usually a strong point for brands with a massive presence. They make sure to be right there where their users can find them, and when they do, the interaction is a hook for more business.

If you feel the need for more exposure, maybe adding more channels and creating better interactions are good ideas. Just make sure you have your strategy, identity, and communication up to date, or you’ll be putting off your audience with useless touchpoints.

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When a brand has a steady good performance in these four areas, it becomes a booster for your business.

If you feel like something is not going well, the business is stuck or misaligned, or even if you’re planning a re-branding, you can always avoid burning your wheels or leaving money on the table by doing a quick brand check.

You can use our Brand Strength Evaluation to get you started.

Make it a habit to put your brand under the microscope, do an honest assessment, and take action to improve anything that can be done better.

‍Keep in mind that great businesses wear powerful brands.