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Year after year we find that companies invest heavily in their branding strategy but end up failing to capitalize on their efforts. In most cases, it’s usually only one or two slip-ups that cause their whole campaign to unravel.

The truth is, all it takes is one mistake to sabotage a brand. Don’t believe us? Just check out the backlash after Gap briefly overhauled its famous blue-box logo in 2010. Clearly, corporate branding mistakes can cause a world of problems. To help prevent this, we put together a list of the top corporate branding mistakes so you can build a bullet-proof brand identity.

LEAVING THE WEBSITE UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE

These days, a rock solid website is a must. Gone are the days when a company’s landing page could read “Under Construction” indefinitely and nobody would bat an eye. Today, from the moment your company launches you should have an intuitive, visually-appealing, and fully operational website.

It’s not uncommon for us to run into small business owners that insist on investing in their website later in their development when more resources are available. While their reasoning makes sense, it ignores how important a well-designed website is for a nascent business. In today’s mobile-obsessed world, an effective website is necessary for drawing in initial clientele.

DOING DIY DESIGN

When it comes to design, trust a professional for the job. Whether it’s your logo, website, business card, or social media graphics, a shoddy design job can ruin your company’s chances of success.

Even if you think you’re a wiz with Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, chances are your time and effort can be better invested elsewhere. Instead, a professional designer can craft an eye-catching brand that follows all the latest visual style trends.

REBRANDING TOO EARLY OR TOO OFTEN

It’s natural for a company to rebrand when the market calls for it. However, there’s nothing natural about a company that changes its name or identity with the seasons. When you rebrand, you first need to make sure that the benefit of starting over is greater than the cost of severing recognition with your customers. Then, you need to be sure that your customers are made aware of any brand changes you make.

USING SLOPPY COPY

This is a deal-breaker for us. Whenever we come across websites or social media channels with poorly written text, we’re immediately turned off from it. The truth is, writing squeaky-clean web copy isn’t easy. When you throw search engine optimization (SEO) into the equation, it becomes a serious challenge.

Business owners that write their own copy often miss the mistakes and inconsistencies in their text. But when visitors read it, they stick out immediately. To save yourself the embarrassment, be sure to hire a professional SEO copywriter to get the most out of your brand’s communications strategy.

BEING INCONSISTENT WITH THE MESSAGE

Now more than ever, you need to stay on message. With the task of managing multiple social channels comes the responsibility to be consistent with the style and message being presented with each. Whether on your company’s landing page, LinkedIn profile, or weekly Facebook Live session, you need to make sure that your style, tone, and content portray a consistent identity.