We’re not much for assuming, so given the fact that you are here, you must know exactly how important great branding is and why it matters to your business.

Great branding separates good businesses from great ones.

Now that we’ve got that squared away, let’s talk brand before we talk strategy.

So, you might be asking, “what is a brand, anyway?” Let’s start by reviewing what a brand is not:

- A brand is NOT a logo

- A brand is NOT a name

- A brand is NOT a website

Quite simply, a brand is the way people think, feel, and experience your product or service.

Think about some of the big brands you interact with regularly. What runs through your mind when you think of them? What are your perceptions? That is the essence of what a brand is all about.

It would follow, then, that a brand strategy is the process by which you define the rules and guidelines of how your brand behaves and interacts with people.

When done correctly, you’ll create a roadmap to success and have a deep understanding of how you can most effectively influence the way you want your customers to feel, think, perceive, and experience your product or service.

Do I really need a brand strategy?

If you’re just starting out or already own a business, odds are you’ve spent a significant amount of time building a business proposal and maybe even an investor deck.

Why did you do those things?

Because you needed a crystal-clear understanding of how your business was going to solve a problem in the market and generate consistent revenue.

Clearly your investment paid off because you’ve developed a great product that fits a need in the marketplace – but how do you plan on appealing to, connecting with, and consistently winning the hearts of those customer’s seeking your solution?

For the sake of your business, please don’t say, “if I build it, they will come.”

The truth is, we live in a world fueled by perceptions and opinions. It’s no longer enough to simply solve the problem your customer is facing and look good doing it.

Instead, you must focus on the long game for your product or service by creating an experience for your customers that is consistent and real.

A successful and robust brand strategy helps you create a crystal-clear roadmap of how to do that.

Brand strategy framework

We’ve already established that a successful brand is built upon a sound brand strategy but what exactly does that look like?

Glad you asked.

Your brand strategy framework should, at a minimum, consist of the following four areas:

Brand Soul
Target Audience/ Personas
Competitive Analysis
Brand Voice

Your brand strategy framework in depth

Ready to start your brand strategy? Below are some key considerations to help you get started today.

1. Your brand’s soul

Before you get knee-deep into building a brand strategy, take the time to focus on internal brand development. This will serve as the foundation for your overall strategy. Without it, your brand strategy will be nothing more than a house of cards.

At this stage, it’s important to clearly define your brand’s:

Purpose- Why does your business exist?
Mission- Why does your business exist?
Vision- Where do you want your business to be at some future point in time?
Values- How do you plan to behave as you navigate towards your Purpose, Vision, and Mission?

2. Your target audience

You now know who you are, but who are your customers?

Too many businesses fail to invest the time necessary to understand how their customer eats, thinks, breathes, sleeps, and acts. This results in subpar performance or worse yet, going out of business.

It may seem like a lot of work and to be quite honest, it is -- but the more you know about your target audience, the better you’ll be able to reach them.

Spend time researching each of the following market segmentations as they relate to your target audience:

Demographics: Age, race, ethnicity, gender, marital status, income, education, etc.
Geographic: Location
Psychographics: Personality, values, interests, attitudes, etc.
Behaviors: Knowledge, interaction, attitudes, etc.

We mean it when we say, don’t skimp on this step. Without a customer you’ve got no business model and worse yet, without knowing your customer you’re just playing the guessing game.

3. Your competition

Unless your product or service is of true intellectual property, competition is likely to be abundant. If you want to win, you must understand what your competitors are doing and why they are doing it as deeply as you understand your target audience. Doing so will help you find your distinct position in the industry.

Identify the Brand Soul and Target Audience of your competitors, as well as the below attributes:

Their business numbers: Revenues, net profits, retail prices, item velocities, etc.
Sales Channels: Business to business, business to consumer, unique partnerships, etc.
Strengths and Weaknesses: What do they do well? What do they do poorly?
Marketing Channels: How are they reaching their customers? Consider traditional and digital marketing tactics.

Remember, without a unique selling proposition, your brand will have a difficult time carving out its slice of the market.

4. Your brand’s voice

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Once you understand yourself, your audience, and your competition you can focus on your brand’s voice.

If you’re not already, you should be thinking about your brand as a living, breathing entity. In much the same way that a human has a unique way of speaking, so should your brand.

Ask yourself the following question: If my brand were a human, how would they communicate with other people?

To support, consider the following questions as you begin creating the do’s, don’ts, and tone of your brand:

If your brand were a person, who would they be and why?
How should your customers feel when they interact with your brand?
What competition do you admire and why?
What do you NOT want to sound like and why?

Remember, if your target audience can identify with your brand, you’ll have a much easier time converting them into customers.

The takeaway

Developing a brand strategy is something that takes time. Don’t rush it.

By setting a solid foundation for your brand, you ensure the steps that follow (brand identity, brand copy, website, collateral, etc.) clearly represent who you are and what you stand for as a company.

Got Questions? Drop us a note in the comments below or reach out for more information on how we can help you get started with your brand strategy.

Understanding Brand Strategy and How to Start Today