In today’s digital world, having a strong brand strategy is necessary for you to connect with your customers and stand out from the crowd! Many people mistakenly think that a brand strategy is limited to a nice logo design, a color palette, or a catchy tagline. In reality, your brand strategy should encompass everything from your visual identity, mission, and purpose, customer experience, and more!
What is a brand strategy?
According to Hubspot, a brand strategy is “part of a business plan that outlines how the company will build favorability within the market. The goal of a brand strategy is to become more memorable in the eyes of the consumer so that they decide to patronize your business over the competition.”
A strong brand strategy includes and affects all aspects of a business by connecting with consumers’ needs and emotions, as well as the competitive landscape. This includes the things that feel intangible, such as your purpose and mission, brand voice and personality, and brand story and messaging.
To understand how to build a strong brand strategy, we’ve broken it down into 5 key steps.
1. Discover the purpose behind your brand
Understanding your brand’s core purpose is the very first step you need to take in order to build a strong brand strategy. Remember, brands are often (if not always) purchased for emotional reasons, and people like to buy from businesses whose purpose and values align with their own. To help you define your brand’s purpose, ask yourself the following questions:
- How is my brand different from the competition?
- Why do I (we) exist?
- Why should people care?
These questions will guide you to form the foundation of your overall brand.
2. Know your competitors
One common mistake that companies sometimes make is imitating what other successful brands are doing. Your goal as a brand is not to imitate but to stand out amongst your competitors! This can come by conducting competitor research in order to be aware of what these big brands do well, or where they fall short. Knowing your competition well will help you build a strong brand!
3. Understand your target audience
A strong brand is inherently about having a clear focus and purpose. If you don’t know who your target audience is, you could waste a lot of time and money. Therefore, identify and understand who your target audience is! Look for people who share similar interests, values, and habits that align with your brand’s purpose and goals. You will become more confident in business decisions when you keep your audience at the forefront of your brand.
4. Develop a brand message and story
To build a strong brand, make sure to tell your brand’s story! A brand story has the powerful ability to connect people with the human aspect of your brand. Stories also can build familiarity, and trust, and elicit emotion, and people are more likely to remember interesting stories. This is a great way to connect with your audience while expressing the value of your brand.
5. Create a strong visual identity
Finally, after you’ve established your purpose, conducted some research, and developed your story, it is time to create an outstanding visual identity. The strongest brands are consistent. Whether a consumer is looking at your social media profiles or website, each touchpoint should be easily recognizable and consistent with the rest of your brand. Your visual identity includes anything from a logo, tagline, and color palette to the overall look and feel of your digital and print presence. Just remember to stay consistent.
End Note
Building a strong brand strategy does not have to be difficult! Corkboard Concepts would love to help you! Because strategy is at the forefront of everything we do, we spend ample time creating marketing content that adds value to your brand. Are you ready to build your brand? Let’s get started today!
