I was listening to WHO radio earlier this week, and Bonnie confessing that she’d been a “bad girl” in high school because she had a somersault race during study hall had me laughing out loud.

That got me thinking about what an iconic pair Van and Bonnie have become in Central Iowa and how brilliantly they’ve built their brand. There are lessons we can glean from their successful efforts.

Consistency is key: Van and Bonnie have been together for a long time. They show up every weekday morning at 4:59, and even the flow of their show is pretty consistent. All that “sameness” breeds a familiarity that literally trains and comforts our brain. Because brands are built on trust, consistency is a brand basic.

How you could apply this: Employee retention is a valued client retention tool. Keep your teams intact around a client so the relationships can deepen over time. You can also create that familiarity with consistent store layouts, starting every meeting in a particular way or using systems to direct project flow.

Create traditions: One of the ways to strengthen your brand is to create traditions that your audience anticipates and participates in on a regular basis. Van and Bonnie have done an excellent job with events like their Chocolate Breakfast and Memorial Day broadcast from Camp Dodge. Whether we actually attend the events or enjoy them from the stories on the radio, they become milestones that we connect with the brand.

How you could apply this: Create an annual client appreciation party or a peculiar sale that piques people’s attention. Make your tradition fresh and meaningful in relation to your work.

Wear your heart on your sleeve: For a brand to work long-term, it has to be genuine. That means you need to be willing to let your audience get to know the real you. This is one of Van and Bonnie’s greatest strengths. When Van injured his foot or when Bonnie packed peanut butter before a trip to China because she was afraid she wouldn’t like the food, they were being themselves and they shared that with us.

How you could apply this: Even in the most buttoned-up and regulated field, you can let us see a little bit of who you are. This is a perfect use for social media like Facebook fan pages.

Surprise me: Though consistency and traditions are important brand builders, you don’t want to be so predictable that you get boring. You need to understand your brand well enough to know how and when you can shake things up a little. When Van and Bonnie broadcast while sitting on the cow statues outside Anderson Erickson Dairy – that freshness and element of the unexpected added to how we connect with their brand.

How you could apply this: Be mindful of ruts and routines that no longer serve a purpose. Look for ways to add a playful element or create a memorable moment in your dealings with your customers.

Van and Bonnie have created an iconic brand with a genuine blend of brand building elements. You can do the very same thing.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached by email at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2011 Drew McLellan