Behind every brand is a brand strategy, or so they say. Does your brand have a consciously thought-out brand strategy? Do you know what a brand strategy consists of and the importance of building an effective brand strategy?
Your brand strategy sums up why your business exists beyond making money. It defines what it is that makes your brand what it is, what sets it apart from the competition and how you want your customers to perceive it. How can you expect your customers to clearly pinpoint what makes your brand different if you can’t?
It is part of a business plan that outlines how the company will build rapport and favorability within the market. The goal of a brand strategy is to become memorable in the eyes of the consumer so that they decide to patronize your business over the competition.
5 Elements of a Strong Brand Strategy
Brand Voice
Brand Design
Brand Values
Brand Story
Brand Vibe
Brand Story
Your brand story is a cohesive narrative that encompasses the facts and feeling created by your brand. Many people think that this is the “history” of your brand, or something that you created in a marketing meeting. This is not entirely wrong, but in reality, your brand story should be something bigger. It must inspire an emotional reaction.
Think of it as the narrative you use to communicate essential moments in your business story, core beliefs and values, and the purpose of your business. Use it to spark a connection between your business and customer base. By sharing why you exist, what you stand for, and what inspired you to get started and keep going, you are creating an open environment where people can get to know your business on a deeper level.
Brand Voice
A brand voice is the distinct personality a brand takes on in its communications. Think of the flow of the words, the language used, the personality it conveys all combined together to make your brand consistent, relatable and recognizable.
Why is your brand voice important? It helps your stand out from the crowd. You can’t have a distinct personality without a distinct brand voice. Content is not just about photos and videos. It includes words and graphics. How you present yourself is important to consumers.
Brand Design
When talking about brand identity, it typically refers to key brand elements such as the logo, colors, typography, packaging, and messaging, and it complements and reinforces the existing reputation of the brand while allowing it to stand out from competitors, and recognizable to consumers.
A lack of design can leave your brand without a visual identity. Designing the visual components of your brand gives it a stronger position in the market, can improve customer experience, creates a strong visual identity, and can help differentiate you from your competitors.
Brand Values
Brand value refers to the work of the brand to the consumer. It’s the ‘perceived value’, and how often people will choose one brand over another. It’s important because when people perceive a brand is distinct and aligns with their personal values, it’s a powerful competitive advantage.
Brand value is a fairly modern phenomenon. With the emergence of modern marketing, companies can choose to associate themselves with positive characteristics such as style, elegance, trustworthiness, security, and innovation, aka, building a brand.
Brand value parameters become important when making decisions on partnership fits, build connections with your community, and find potential customers who share similar beliefs. Brand values are often included within your brand guidelines.
Brand Vibe
A brand’s vibe is the sentiment it delivers within its communication. It can be anything from playful to sarcastic, serious to funny, but it will always intermix with your brand’s personality, values, and aesthetics.
Creating a vibe contributes to the overall customer experience with your brand, and it can leave a more memorable and lasting impression.
Creating a brand strategy is all about feelings. A successful brand strategy inspires a sense of connection through honest values, a brand voice that captures the essence of the brand and design that reflects a business’s true personality. It’s used within all your marketing content and across your marketing channels.
Even if there are no changes in your business, it is recommended to review every nine to twelve months to ensure your target market and messaging is inline and still supporting your business the way they should.
Another important time to look at your brand strategy is when there are changes in your business.
When was the last time you look at your brand strategy?
If it’s been some time since you look at your brand strategy, now just might be the perfect time, especially since it’s mid-year audit time.
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CMCollective is a boutique marketing agency focused on the fundamentals of digital marketing and strategy. We are your marketing partner. With 20+ years of experience, we bring a team of top digital expertise to assist in revenue growth by working with your teams to create, develop, implement and analyze result driven strategies.
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