Reasons Your Association Chapter Needs a Strong Visual Brand

Updated: Dec. 7, 2021  |  Categories: Website, Inconsistent Branding  

With everything your members and prospective members have to focus on, if your association chapter doesn’t stand out, they won’t remember all the ways membership can make things easier, whether they’re looking for mentorship, networking, education or job assistance. Giving your association chapter a strong visual brand is an easy way to make your chapter memorable while increasing your visibility. Consider adding visual branding to your chapter’s member engagement strategy.

What is association chapter branding?

Branding helps association chapters better promote themselves through consistent content, memorable advertising and/or distinctive design. Visual branding typically starts with colors, logos, websites, and marketing materials and extends to the font you choose for your web content, creating web page templates so similar details like contact information is always in the same place. By calling positive attention to your chapter visually, you’ll better promote association chapter events, activities, sponsorship etc., which can all lead to the creation of lasting, relevant connections.

Benefits of a strong visual brand

1. Creates chapter awareness. Good visual branding reminds people who you are, even when they’re not looking at your association chapter website or something that mentions your name. Do you use member spotlight articles and videos? Hold monthly Lunch and Learns? By using the same colors, fonts and page templates when you post about one of these activities, people will better associate them with your association chapter.
2. Conveys your chapter’s differentiators. Maybe there are other organizations like yours in the local area. Or maybe your association chapter is the only one in your area but there are virtual association chapters that provide similar services. A clear, well-designed visual brand drives people to think of your chapter first.
3. Makes an emotional connection with prospective members. With the right images and colors and even fonts, you can convey the mood or feeling your audience is looking for. Are you using colors that grab attention and make people want to connect with you, register to receive your association chapter newsletter, and/or visit your website to register and attend one of your events? Or are your designs tired, and washed out, and they make web visitors want to look elsewhere?
4. Builds credibility, which leads to longevity. Whether you’re a new chapter or a chapter that’s existed for decades and your membership engagement strategy includes attracting new members, you’re asking those prospective members to take a chance on you. A well-designed brand, logo, website, marketing materials, etc., shows your chapter is well-organized, cares about your appearance and has “been in business” for a while.
5. Fosters loyalty and trust. Branding is about keeping promises. You want members, prospective members, and sponsors. to trust your organization will provide what they’re looking for. A strong visual brand makes people more confident in your chapter and as a result, more loyal. Members will return to your chapter because your visual brand is memorable, and they believe they can depend on you.

Outside help can ensure your association chapter branding is on point

Once you review your existing association chapter visual branding and see where it is versus where you believe it needs to be, you may feel overwhelmed, thinking that it should be done by chapter volunteers. Unless you’re a chapter of marketers or graphic designers, it’s best to work with outside experts. There are countless design firms available to help with your visual branding. Their work can include updating your logo or designing a new logo; helping you choose the right color palette and fonts.

Don’t Let Your Chapter Become Another Statistic

Building a strong association chapter visual brand is a necessity, not something that can wait until you have the time, volunteers, and/or financial resources. A strong first impression is essential for engagement with members and potential members as well as groups like sponsors.

Once you’ve updated your visual brand, don’t forget about these:

• Add redesigning your website and any existing marketing materials to your To Do list, to incorporate any updated visual brand elements.
• Update your chapter swag. Association chapter swag is an effortless way to extend the reach of your visual brand. Have chapter t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, mugs, bags, stickers, pens? Make sure they’re branded properly, and turn your members, families, sponsors, and allies into advertisements for your chapter.

When was the last time you took a good look at your colors, your logo, and your website? If you don’t have a strong association chapter visual brand, you could be sending the wrong message, or not sending a message at all, to those you’re trying to connect with.

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