There's no way around it. Brand consistency is one of, if not the most crucial component of business. To put it simply, brand consistency translates to consumer loyalty. If you have a well-crafted brand that is maintained over time, your consumers will identify with you and aid in the mission you are pursuing, which will result in the continued success and growth of your business.

Let's consider Apple. Apple has undeniably established itself as one of the most iconic and recognizable brands of our time. What comes to mind when you think of Apple? Their brand is synonymous with simplicity, beauty, cutting-edge technology and reliability. There are a number of competitors in the smartphone industry who compare their phone's capabilities to that of Apple's iPhone brand to try and lure users to switch to their product. They use rhetoric such as, "you can drop it in water, slam it against a wall, and have unlimited data with no hidden fees." Yet, what phone do you see in the hands of most high-profile people? An iPhone. Are you one of those people who cringe when you send an iMessage and the bubble turns green? Apple uses small triggers like this that users subconsciously become accustomed to.

And Apple doesn't just conquer the phone industry. The PC computer industry has unremittingly enhanced their computer's capabilities and branding to contend with the Mac computer, dropping their prices to nearly a quarter of what a Mac costs, to no avail.

The foundation of the Apple brand is established through a number of different channels that remain unwaveringly cohesive. Their commercials elicit emotions that draw a consumer in, with a storyline that remains invariably simple. Their packaging is white, clean and elegant, yet modern. Their logo has been consistently recognizable since its development in 1977, with only simple color and design enhancements to their partially bitten apple icon.

The first step in obtaining brand consistency is to ask the questions: "Who am I?" and "Who am I trying to reach?" Having a good sense of your mission, product and current industry trends is absolutely necessary when forming the foundation for a strong and consistent image and identifying the type of people who will make up your client base. From there you can pinpoint how to tap in to the emotions of potential customers who will most likely want to use your product or service. Does your company have an easily recognizable logo? Does your messaging appeal to your target audience? How do you want consumers to feel when they see your brand? It is essential to connect the dots between each aspect of your brand before finalizing its moving pieces.