Tips For Maintaining Brand Authenticity As You Grow

When you’re growing a business, maintaining brand identity and authenticity is important. But it can also be a real challenge. 

In the early days, your brand voice tends to be a direct reflection of the founder or your small team. As you scale, bring in new employees, and venture into different markets, maintaining that same level of authenticity can start to feel like an uphill battle. 

It poses a difficult question: how do you scale successfully without losing the unique voice that made you stand out in the first place? Let’s take a look…

What is brand authenticity? 

Brand authenticity means keeping your values, mission, and identity at the core of what you do, no matter how big your business becomes. It’s about making sure your entire output – that’s your messaging, customer interactions, and brand decisions – aligns with your original purpose and ethos.

Why does it matter? Because it builds trust and fosters loyalty. Customers can see straight through inauthentic marketing tactics, and businesses that stay genuine have a significant advantage.

Some brands have managed to scale while maintaining their authenticity exceptionally well. Take Patagonia – a business that’s remained committed to environmental activism despite its massive growth, reinforcing its values in every campaign. Similarly, beauty brand Glossier has maintained its community-driven, customer-first approach even as it achieved global growth.

Why does my brand voice suddenly feel different?

When you’re first starting out, shaping your tone of voice to match your values and personality as a founder makes your brand feel authentic and relatable. But as more and more people become involved in creating content – marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, and the like – your brand voice can become diluted or inconsistent.

Without careful management, that original authenticity you achieved so effortlessly can get lost in the creative process. What once felt natural might now come across as overly polished, corporate, or even inauthentic. This is why consistency in messaging across all channels – social media, website copy, emails, and advertising – matters as you scale.

Steps to maintain brand authenticity as you grow

1. Start with a solid foundation

Before scaling, take the time to clearly define your brand’s core values, mission, and identity. Regularly revisit and refine these elements to make sure they remain relevant as your business enters new phases.

2. Create brand guidelines for consistency 

Develop comprehensive brand guidelines that outline your tone of voice, messaging, and style. Include examples of dos and don’ts to help your team stay aligned with your brand identity. This promotes consistency across all content – whether it’s created in-house or outsourced.

3. Equip your team with the right tools

Investing in training that reinforces your brand’s storytelling and messaging approach is another key component of maintaining your voice. Establish a feedback loop so that employees, content creators, and even external agencies stay on the same page.

4. Foster authenticity across all channels 

Authenticity isn’t just about what you say – it’s about how and where you say it. Your brand’s voice should feel consistent across all platforms, including your website, social media, email marketing, and even customer service interactions. Take care that every person that creates content for you understands and follows your brand guidelines.

5. Appoint a brand guardian

Having a dedicated person (or team) responsible for maintaining brand authenticity can make all the difference. It’s their responsibility to double-check that all content aligns with your brand values – acting as a final quality control, and helping to prevent discrepancies as you grow.

6. Evolve your brand while staying true to your roots

While consistency is important, brands must also evolve and change. A refresh or rebrand doesn’t mean losing your authenticity, it just means adapting while staying true to your core values. If you’re experiencing growing pains and feel as though your brand no longer represents who you are, it might be time for a brand workshop or strategic realignment.

Don’t let growth dilute your brand 

Scaling your business shouldn’t mean sacrificing your brand’s unique voice. By implementing strong brand guidelines, training your team, and maintaining consistency across all channels, you can ensure that your authenticity remains intact even as you expand.

So, is your brand staying true to itself? If you’re not sure, or you’re after some guidance in upholding your brand voice while scaling, speak to our experienced team.

Words by Sophie

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