What Is Brand Strategy?
Brand Strategy often gets confused for Branding which is more visual in nature. Brand Strategy & Brand Design are complementary but distinct workflows for your business. A clear brand strategy will help define the visual aesthetics of your brand. The brand strategy is the plan for your visual, verbal, or any form of expression for your business. It shapes perceptions of what customers think of you.
A great brand strategy begins on the principles of Brand Heart. It supports the overall strategy by weaving the why, what, and how through its messaging. When I work with my clients, before even supporting their visual choices (such as color palette) or even choosing a name, I begin with a series of Brand Heart exercises to help identify what the brand stands for, what is the mission & values, and aligning its purpose. With all of those elements combined, you can begin to shape the tone of voice which will also support what your brand visuals should look like.
Whether you have yet to launch your business or are already in business, a brand strategy will serve as the visual and verbal navigator for your brand.
What are the first steps for landing on a brand strategy?
Begin with articulating why your brand exists.
Next, list what you offer and what you are solving with your offering.
Then identify your target audience. Who is your product/service for?
Once you’ve identified your audience, work through what the tone of voice will be for your brand. When you know what you are solving for and for whom, you will have a better picture of how to speak to them.
Finally, keeping your target customer in mind, plan where to engage with them and during what times. For example, if your product offering caters to a mature crowd, consider making Facebook a part of your marketing plans and think about what times your audience is using the platform.
If you need extra guidance, I offer Brand Strategy services to help you define the who, what, where, how, and when of your brand expression. Contact me for a free consultation.
For my visual friends, here is a (highly condensed) quick guide to an effective brand strategy.
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“Having a clear and defined sense of your brand identity is not nice to have, it’s a must for your business to stand out. Knowing your business values, product differentiators, personas, and the brand story will also help you develop stickiness with your customers which = sales.”
