What’s a Brand Strategy & Do I Need One?!
Okay, so you’ve started a business, you’ve got a logo & your brand’s colour palette but now what?!
A lot of people think that this is the extent of branding, some pretty colours, a nice little logo and that’s it, right?! Well, not exactly…
Your brand is so much more than just a logo! Yes, the visuals are important but it’s time to think a little bit deeper.
What really makes a brand a brand?
Your brand gives your business an identity, it’s the feeling that your customers get when they interact with your business… it’s the position that your business occupies in the minds of your audience. A ‘brand’ is those hard-to-pin-down feelings that separate empires from mediocre businesses…
& this is where your Brand Strategy will come in…
A brand strategy identifies the intentions behind your business. The main objective is to pinpoint your brand’s purpose, and what defines it… It should include all of the intangible elements of your business that over time will drive brand awareness, brand equity & brand sentiment.
Think about;
Brand Objectives
Brand objectives are the measurable goals of your brand, these can be revenue based or related to brand engagement & awareness…
Brand Values
These are the core values that your biz believes in and stands for. Another way to say it? Core values are simply “the way we do things around here.”
Ask yourself; what does my business stand for? When conducting my business, what do I consider most important? What do I believe in?
Brand Personality
Your brand's personality is kind of like the human characteristics you would attribute to your brand… is it Flirty? Serious? Strong? Sophisticated?
Brand Voice
Following on from your brand personality, your brand voice should also be considered… I would suggest using a similar vocabulary to that of your desired niche or target audience.
Target Audience
Who are you targeting?
What are they saying about your brand?
What problem are you solving for them?
Potential Competitors
Even if your idea is unique, there's still a fair chance someone is doing something similar. Your business is always going to have competition, and if you’re not doing your market research you could be missing out on huge branding & marketing opportunities!
So… Do you really need a Brand Strategy?! Well, the short answer is yes.
A brand strategy will ultimately lay the foundation for a healthy and differentiated brand in an otherwise crowded market. It defines who you are as a business & focuses your long-term goals. Your brand strategy will set a benchmark to measure progress against, and help you to grow your biz into an empire.
Without a well-defined strategy, all of your beautiful visuals like your logo & colour palette will likely get lost in the sea of other businesses. Creating & implementing a well thought out brand strategy will set the tone for the success of your biz!
So, I think the question isn’t do you NEED a brand strategy but rather, do you WANT your biz to succeed?! And I think we both know the answer to that! If you’re not sure where to start, you can always leave it to the professionals!
Book a call with us today to learn more about how The Visual Collective can help your business thrive.
