What is brand strategy?
Every business would benefit from a brand strategy. Yeah, I'm that confident. So what is brand strategy, exactly?
Brand strategy is the plan that helps a brand define and achieve its objectives, and then help position that brand as an expert. Brand strategy is like a road-map that a company can follow in order to reach their goals. Strategy helps businesses and organisations stay on track, understand exactly who they are targeting, how they can implement their brand consistently and be clear as to how they communicate themselves.
The key words here are clarity and consistency. No more guess work. Sounds good, right?
You see, when you have a defined brand strategy in place, it takes away the head-scratching and replaces it with focus. You won’t need to think about how to go to market, how to find your ideal clients, and it removes the stupid questions that we all have as business owners. You know, those odd questions that creep up on you at random moments, such as "maybe we should redesign our website or design a new logo". Why?
Those knee-jerk responses no longer exist in the world of strategy.
Instead, at those frustrating and stressful moments, you simply refer back to the strategy. It's your company’s bedrock. At any given point of disillusionment you simply go back to the plan as it will explain what your business provides, what you stand for, what you offer, and who you offer it to. It offers inspiration, gets everyone back on track and can even stop the internal arguments and the day-to-day push and pull of office politics. One goal. One love.
It will help with your brand’s consistency, recognition, trust and loyalty. Your brand strategy can impart the personality of your business. I mean, how have you gotten this far without one? :)
A brand strategy can also help to inform your marketing strategy. Once your business knows your target market and ideal customers you can then communicate with potential customers in a concise, consistent and authentic manner.
So we say, before you throw yourself into paid social media ads, a new logo design, a fresh all singing and dancing website, print material, way-finding, apparel and anything else that your business touches, think about getting a brand strategy first, to help you move forward with clarity and to ensure that your actions add up to your objectives.
