As the calendar flips to 2025, businesses of all sizes are setting their goals, strategizing for the year ahead, and asking a critical question: What’s next for our brand? But before you dive headfirst into change, let me offer a word of caution: Whether your brand consists of one employee or one million, consistency is key—but it’s not enough.
Consistency is the foundation of trust, which is why the “R” in my SUPER Model stands for “Repeat.” It’s what makes your superfans confident they’ll get the same great experience every time they interact with your brand.
Consistency in your messaging, values, and customer experience reinforces your identity and makes it easier for customers to choose you over the competition. In short, consistency is crucial for building loyalty and maintaining credibility.
But here’s the catch: while consistency keeps you grounded, growth requires adaptation. Customer expectations are constantly evolving, technology is advancing at a breakneck pace, and competitors are finding new ways to capture attention. Brands that cling too tightly to the “way we’ve always done it” risk being left behind.
So, how do you strike the perfect, Goldilocks-approved balance between staying consistent and embracing growth?
Here are three tips to help you evolve without losing what makes you special:
1. Align Bold Changes With Your Story
Your brand’s Story should act as your North Star—the constant that guides your decisions and reminds you why your brand exists in the first place. Before making any big changes, ask yourself: Does this align with our mission? If the answer is yes, you can confidently move forward, knowing you’re staying consistent with your brand’s story.
Sometimes, staying true to your mission means embracing bold changes. Subway’s “Fresh Forward” initiative is a perfect example. The sandwich chain aims to bring bright colors, vibrant graphics, and signage that connects to the local community. Global Chief Development Officer, Mike Kehoe, explained that the initiative is “a competitive necessity for attracting guests and building pride among our restaurant teams.”
By modernizing its restaurants with a customer-friendly design, Subway remained committed to its promise of fresh, quality food while reinvigorating its brand for today’s market.Similarly, Starbucks announced plans to redesign its cafes to encourage a more intimate dining experience and connect back to its roots. They strayed too far from their story, and the brand suffered. As I wrote about previously, their new CEO is betting big that a return to the past will bolster the brand… and help position it for a brighter future.
2. Focus on Your Core Audience
Knowing your audience inside and out allows you to make strategic, impactful changes. For example, Lowe’s has made targeted improvements for the small and medium-sized contractor shopping experience. Through initiatives like the “Shop the Job” program, Lowe’s helps contractors find everything they need for a project in one trip. In addition, knowing that painting is the most popular home project, Lowe’s elevated its free same-day paint delivery service.
Lowe’s is doubling down on its core audience and providing tailored solutions that drive convenience and loyalty. As you make changes to your brand, get highly specific about the customer persona you’re trying to reach so you can deliver experiences that matter most to them.
3. Never Get Too Comfortable
Even brands known for consistent, exceptional customer experience can’t afford to rest on their laurels. Chewy, a leader in customer satisfaction, exemplifies this mindset. The pet retailer implemented changes to their on-site and in-app experiences that will help them grow their existing customer base. With the ability to identify and segment their customers, they’ll be able to offer personalized product recommendations, encourage auto-shipment, and promote the premium Chewy+ membership.
CEO Sumit Singh summed it up well: “Overall, we’re playing a pretty strong playbook, continuing to differentiate ourselves, both in terms of the basics of the category on price and convenience and assortment, but also in bringing new innovations to life.”
As you plan for 2025, remember that consistency and growth aren’t opposites—they’re partners. Think of it as, “More of the good stuff, but better.” The key is to evolve intentionally, ensuring every change enhances the customer experience. By staying true to your brand’s core while adapting to meet the moment, you can build deeper connections with your customers and make this your most impactful year yet.
Here’s to a year of balance, growth, and, of course, creating superfans!
