You’re creating a brand strategy. What factors should you consider?

When building your brand, take a moment to dig deep and define what your brand is all about. Clearly express the 'why' behind what you do and outline the principles that steer your actions. This isn't just about selling a product; it's about giving your brand a meaningful purpose that resonates with people. Think of it as defining the heartbeat of your brand :)

In establishing a brand's purpose, it is essential that its current or potential strengths and motivations be analyzed, as well as how these can enhance customers' lives. Equally crucial is to discern the company's unique contribution to society and how it can promote superior practices within its sector. However, what truly matters beyond the definition of purpose is the ability to integrate it consistently and continuously across all brand actions. This means adopting the purpose as the primary criterion in every decision, covering actions and communications.

Defining your brand's purpose is like setting the foundation of a building; it's what everything else is built upon. A brand like Patagonia, for example, has a clear purpose centered around environmental sustainability. This purpose not only guides their product development and marketing strategies but also deeply resonates with their customer base, creating a strong emotional connection and loyalty. Your brand's purpose should be a beacon that lights the way for all your business decisions, ensuring they align with the core reason your brand exists.

When creating a brand strategy, it's essential to consider factors such as your target audience, understanding their needs and preferences; your brand's unique value proposition, what sets you apart from competitors; the brand's mission, vision, and values, to guide your messaging and actions; the market and competitive landscape, to identify opportunities and threats; and the channels through which you'll communicate with your audience, ensuring consistency across all. This holistic approach ensures your brand resonates with your audience, stands out in the market, and achieves long-term success.

It's important to understand WHY your brand needs to exist. Why do you exist? Who are you existing for? Why should it matter to them? And how are you doing it in your way/differently to others? If you are clear on that (in the simplest of words, not marketing jargon), then it's easier to unpack the other elements of your brand strategy. You should then be able to ask yourself "does this make sense to WHY this brand needs to exist?"

Crafting a vision for your brand is envisioning the future you aspire to create. It's like plotting a destination on a map before starting a journey. Tesla's vision of accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy not only sets a clear direction for the company but also serves as a source of inspiration for its employees and customers alike. Your vision should be ambitious yet attainable, providing a long-term goal that motivates and unites your team and stakeholders.

Where do you see it in 5-10 years? This is your vision, your guiding star. Think of IKEA's vision of creating a better everyday life for many people, which inspires their focus on affordable, functional furniture solutions.

-Company's vision must be clear and constantly reminded to the teams especially if it's a new company -The key element here is the line between a dream and vision. Vision should be aligned with the product/teams/progress in order to have credibility -Getting a clear vision from the founders' are a bit challenging if you are working at a start-up company. May be difficult to measure and obtain strategies across teams if the vision keeps changing in short periods of times.

A vision is about enjoying the journey, not just reaching a goal. It's like a never-ending run where we focus on moving forward together, rather than worrying about the finish line. This driving force brings people together, ensuring the brand keeps moving forward.

Your brand's values are the moral compass that guides its behavior and decisions. For instance, Google's commitment to "Do the right thing" reflects in its efforts to provide unbiased, accessible information to users worldwide. These values are not just internal guidelines but are also communicated outwardly, influencing customer perception and trust. They should be evident in every interaction with your brand, from customer service to your marketing materials.

Define the core values that guide your brand's actions and decisions. These values become the foundation of your brand culture and shape how you interact with your audience.

Perhaps the most important variable of Brand strategy is your audience. Mantra is know your customers at intimate level. Know what they want emotionally, functionally & socially. One can avoid getting overwhelmed by rightly segmenting the customers based on various variables like demographic, Need or behaviour. This helps to add value at various stages & acquire customers seamlessly

Understanding your audience is akin to knowing the guests you're inviting to a party; it ensures you cater to their tastes and preferences. Spotify's use of data analytics to create personalized playlists demonstrates a deep understanding of its users' listening habits, enhancing user satisfaction and engagement. By thoroughly researching and segmenting your audience, you can tailor your brand strategy to meet their specific needs and desires, ensuring your brand remains relevant and appealing.

Conduct qualitative surveys if you want to better analyse the consumer behaviours towards your category and brand. Use tools like Audiense, CrowdTangle and Meltwater to find deeper audience insights. Add more depth to your buyer personas by applying the ‘Think-Feel-Do’ framework. This gives you more clarity on how you want your audience to think and feel about your brand and the desired actions you expect them to take. While mapping the customer journey, venture beyond defining the touchpoints. Specify how you want the different segments of your target audience to engage with the brand at each phase of the journey and how your brand can facilitate these actions.

Begin with your audience before anything else. Instead of focusing on specific demographics, like mid-thirties women living in urban areas, identify the attitudes and behaviors that define your brand's key supporters. This strategy aims to create a clear picture of your "brand champion," the individual who will passionately embrace your brand and promote it to others.

understand your target audience like the back of your hand. Who are they? What are their needs, desires, and pain points? Deep audience insights help you tailor your message and build genuine connections.

Positioning your brand is about carving out a unique space in the competitive landscape. Apple's positioning as a provider of premium, innovative technology products sets it apart from competitors and defines its market niche. By identifying what makes your brand unique and articulating it clearly, you can distinguish your brand in the minds of consumers, making it the preferred choice for your target audience.

Define your competitive positioning. What makes your brand unique? How do you stand out from the crowd? A clear positioning helps you avoid getting lost in the noise and attracts your ideal customers.

Developing your brand identity involves choosing visual and verbal elements that collectively communicate your brand's essence. Coca-Cola's iconic logo, distinctive red color, and "Taste the Feeling" slogan are integral parts of its identity, instantly recognizable and evoking specific emotions and associations. Your brand identity should consistently reflect your brand's purpose, values, and personality across all touchpoints, creating a cohesive and memorable brand experience.

Develop a distinct brand identity that reflects your purpose, values, and personality. This includes your visual identity (logos, colors), brand voice (how you communicate), and overall brand experience.

When developing your brand, it is important to understand that every touchpoint is an opportunity to express who you are. Your brand is not just about your logo, colors, or general look. While this is a small piece, your identity also includes everything from your tone of voice or general messaging to how people are left feeling after interacting with representatives of your brand. Does everyone have the same experience? Consistency is key. It is critical to understand that every touchpoint a client, prospect, referral source, etc. has with your brand is an opportunity to showcase your identity.

You should consider hiring an expert in the matter. More than a decade of experience can't be condensed into a few sentences of a LinkedIn question, and there is no "one size fits all" solution.

Collaboration is key. Building a branda task that lies within the capabilities of the internal team alone. This isn't just a project for the marketing or brand teams, t's a mission for the entire organisation. It presents a fantastic opportunity for everyone to be in the same boat, rowing in the same direction with the same tempo. Such unity is essential for bringing a strategy to life. It ensures that every department and individual is aligned with the organization's objectives, fostering a culture of cooperation and shared purpose. Only through working together can a strategy truly take shape and flourish.

Beyond these foundational elements, consider the evolving digital landscape and its impact on your brand strategy. In today's digital-first world, your online presence, from your website to social media, plays a crucial role in shaping customer perceptions and interactions with your brand. Embracing digital innovation, such as augmented reality experiences or AI-driven customer service, can enhance engagement and set your brand apart. Additionally, staying adaptable and responsive to market changes and customer feedback ensures your brand strategy remains dynamic and effective in meeting the needs of your audience.

Creating a Winning Brand Strategy: Opportunity First, Vision Second. Brand strategy is an informed opinion about how to win, so before diving into mission, vision, values, it’s key to understand how your business will grow. You need dissect the business issue – what challenges and opportunities are you facing? What are the pain points? Where do the growth possibilities lie? Brand strategy is not just about filling in templates; it's an informed opinion about how to win in the market. By laying a solid foundation that emphasis business growth, you pave the way for profitable growth. 💬✨

Craft a strong brand strategy by considering these key elements: Brand definition: Who are you targeting, what's your essence, and how do you stand out? Messaging: Craft a clear positioning statement, consistent voice, and messaging framework. Identity: Develop a visual identity (logo, colors, etc.) and ensure consistency across marketing materials. Implementation: Define brand guidelines, plan your launch, and establish KPIs to measure success.