Good branding is an absolute must have for any business and housing associations are no exception. HA also face the unique challenge of needing to appeal to and communicate with multiple audiences, all with different pain points. Whether you’re engaging with tenants, local authorities, or stakeholders, your brand plays a really important role in how you are perceived and how effectively you can build trust and relationships.
However, despite its importance, many HA make mistakes that undermine their branding efforts. So, what are these common mistakes? How can you avoid them? And what should you be doing instead? Fear not, we’re answering all of your questions!
Failure to develop a clear brand strategy
A lot of HA skip the step of developing a clear brand strategy. We get it, it’s a bit more on the dull side and not as exciting as designing a shiny new logo, but without a strong, well-defined strategy, your messaging can become inconsistent and confusing. It’s easy to assume that branding is just about a logo or a colour scheme, but a comprehensive brand strategy sets the tone for everything else, from how you communicate your values to how you engage with tenants and other stakeholders.
Why it’s a problem
When there’s no clear strategy, your HA might send mixed signals about what it stands for, what it offers, and how it interacts with tenants. This lack of clarity can make it harder to build trust with tenants, stakeholders, and the wider community. Confusion about your brand can also result in missed opportunities and reduced confidence in your organisation’s ability to deliver on its promises – not good.
How to avoid this mistake
Easy answer to this one – invest some time in developing a thorough brand strategy! Make sure that you define your mission, vision, and values clearly, and identify what makes your HA unique. Ask questions like; What do we want our tenants to feel when they interact with us? What’s our core promise to our community? Once these elements are in place, you’ll be able to create messaging that is consistent, meaningful, and aligned with your strategic goals.
Inconsistent messaging across platforms
Nowadays, HA communicate through lots of different platforms, including websites, social media, newsletters, and print materials. But when the messaging, logo, colours, and even tone are inconsistent across these different channels, it can cause confusion and make your brand feel disjointed.
Why it’s a problem
Inconsistent branding can make your HA appear unprofessional and difficult to trust. Think about a tenant visiting your website and seeing one set of colours and fonts, only to follow your social media accounts and see something completely different. This type of inconsistency may seem small, but it can make it harder for people to recognise your brand and understand what you stand for.
How to avoid this mistake
We can’t overstate consistency enough! Ensure that your logo, colours, fonts, and messaging are the same across all platforms and communication channels. Create brand guidelines that clearly outline how to use these elements, and make sure all staff, contractors, and partners are familiar with them. This will help build a cohesive, professional brand that people can easily recognise and trust.
Neglecting internal brand training
Branding doesn’t just live in your marketing materials, it’s something that should be rearing its head in every aspect of your HA’s operations, from customer service to day-to-day communications. That’s why neglecting to train staff on your brand strategy is a big no no.
Why it’s a problem
If your staff isn’t trained on the brand strategy, they might use the wrong tone of voice, messaging, or visuals when communicating with tenants or stakeholders. For example, if a new team member isn’t briefed on the brand’s core values, they could inadvertently send the wrong message in an email or during a phone call with a tenant. Over time, this can create confusion and weaken the consistency of your brand.
How to avoid this mistake
Make brand training top of the to do list for all staff. Include brand education as part of the onboarding process for new employees and provide regular refreshers for current team members. This training should cover everything from your mission and values to how to communicate effectively with different audiences. When your team understands the brand, it keeps everything consistent.
Overlooking the importance of visual consistency
We did warn you that we can’t overstate the importance of consistency! Visual elements like logos, colour schemes, and typography may not seem like that big of a deal, but they play an important role in how your HA is perceived. Yet, many organisations overlook or fail to maintain visual consistency, which can undermine their brand’s effectiveness.
Why it’s a problem
Inconsistent visuals can make your HA appear unprofessional or chaotic. For example, if your logo is placed differently on every document or marketing piece, it can make your brand seem disorganised; and who wants to be involved with a disorganised brand? Similarly, if your colour palette varies across platforms, it can confuse people and make it harder for them to recognise your brand.
How to avoid this mistake
It’s important to create clear brand guidelines that outline exactly how your logo, colours, fonts, and other visual elements should be used, and make sure these guidelines are followed consistently — whether it’s for a social media post, a flyer, or an email.
But beyond that, it’s also a great idea to build a set of easy-to-use templates for staff across the business. These could include templates for posters, social media posts, event invites, and more. Since these are the things your customers see and interact with most often, having them aligned with your brand will help create a consistent look and feel that strengthens trust with tenants and stakeholders. Having premade templates also helps make it easier for your staff and ensures there aren’t any mistakes.
Need some help with your housing association branding? Then come have a chat with us and let’s work together to create a brand that’s consistent and memorable!
