INSIGHTS

Your brand strategy is the foundation on which your brand is built. Not to be dramatic, but without a brand strategy your brand will lack substance, direction and impact, meaning it will take you longer to achieve your goals. This is because your message might not be clear, your branding might not be anchored to the right positioning in your market so you won’t engage or speak to the right audience and your values won’t run through everything you do. 

In essence, your brand strategy is your (g)brand plan if you will. It helps you understand who you are and acts as a blueprint to help you communicate it. This is key for consistent and cohesive marketing communications.

Your brand strategy should clearly articulate what you do, how you do it, why you do it and who you do it for– We go into more detail in this article and have a simple download guide here.

Here are our 5 reasons you need a brand strategy..

1. Builds trust: People buy from businesses they know, like and trust. By having your brand strategy in place you ensure your message, values and value proposition are honest and true from the beginning, also giving you a strong, authentic brand identity that accurately reflects your beliefs and values.

2. Develops brand loyalty: This follows on from the above. If you build trust and create an emotional connection with consumers, through your brand message and personality, they’re more likely to stick with you. Your brand strategy is the emotional element of your branding – when you create an emotional connection with clients/customers who become attached, you get more engagement and buy in and all of your marketing efforts become much more powerful when they are coming from a strong brand that has a place in the hearts and minds of its consumers.

3. Sets you apart from your competitors: By leveraging an effective brand strategy, you can define a clear market position for your business making it easier for potential customers to see that you are different from, or better than, your competitors – this could be what you offer, how you offer it or just based on the values that your business stands for.
4. Boosts company value:  Brands are valuable business assets, as above, they can be powerful drivers of trust, repeat purchases (loyalty), and instil (brand/business) recognition. With a strong brand strategy, you can ensure you’re delivering on your brand promise, helping you create a brand experience that is worth paying a premium for.“ Buying decisions occur in split seconds instead of long, drawn-out processes, and are based on memories, images, and feelings.” Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,Malcolm Gladwell’s
   This is your brand.

5. Brings in the right people: A strong brand strategy not only attracts the right clients and customers but also the right people who want to work for your business. When a business is clear about what it stands for, it will appeal to an engaged and skilled workforce that shares the same ethos, values and vision. These are the people that will help you achieve your goals and grow your business.

In summary, by defining your brand strategy – vision, mission, values and more, you can impact perceptions of your business, creating a more positive, inspiring and engaging experience every time and with every touchpoint of your brand.  You can better connect with your audience through your consistent brand visuals, cohesive messages and strong marketing campaigns, giving you better brand recognition and stronger ambassadors and loyal clients. Helping your business to grow and succeed towards your vision.