What’s a brand strategy and why the heck do you need one? Well, have you ever spent countless of hours on Pinterest searching for inspo – trying and failing miserably to find the right combination of fonts, colors, and graphics only to have your brand still feel…off?
You can keep tweaking that color palette ’til your eyeballs fall out, but changing that shade of beige for the hundredth time won’t solve the problem. If you’re feeling frustrated and stuck when it comes to branding your business, it’s not because you can’t nail down the right font. Chances are, the culprit is lack of a solid brand strategy.
This the is the biggest mistake I see people make when DIYing their brand. It’s not the fun visual part, so this step of the process often gets skipped or overlooked. But in today’s competitive marketplace, a well-crafted brand strategy is essential to standing out and building a thriving brand and business. Even the most beautifully designed brand doesn’t always cut it when it comes to connecting with your audience and converting followers into clients.
This is why crafting a solid brand strategy to serve as your foundation is so important. While your brand identity is the visual expression of your brand (what people see), your brand strategy defines who you are as a brand and guides your efforts in effectively communicating your unique value proposition to your audience. From defining your audience and values to crafting compelling messaging and designing visually appealing assets, every aspect of your brand strategy plays a crucial role in shaping how your business is perceived.
So what exactly is a brand strategy and how do you create one? Let’s break it down.
The 4 Part Brand Strategy Framework
- Brand Core: Your ‘why,’ core values, mission statement, and vision
- Brand Persona: Your brand voice & personality
- Brand Positioning: Defining your target audience, their needs, and how you position yourself
- Brand Visuals: Your brand identity
Brand Core
Your brand core consists of the heart of your business – Your ‘why’ or story, your values, your mission statement or purpose, and your vision and goals for the future. When your brand’s beliefs, purpose and business are aligned, you can begin to successfully bring people together, cultivate community, and attract the clients you want.
Questions your Brand Core should answer:
- What’s your brand story?
- What’s your brand’s purpose? Why does your brand/business exists?
- WHAT do you do, WHO do you serve, and what VALUE do you bring?
- What are your long-term goals for your business?
- What kind of impact do you want to have long-term?
Brand Persona
Think of your brand persona as the charismatic friend who effortlessly steals the spotlight at every party. It’s the personality, the voice, the vibe that makes your brand relatable, memorable, and downright irresistible. Just like a good friend, your brand persona should resonate with your target audience, speaking their language and understanding their quirks. Whether you’re aiming for a suave and sophisticated demeanor or a quirky and playful attitude, crafting the perfect brand persona is all about finding that sweet spot that makes your audience sit up, take notice, and say, ‘Yes, this brand gets me!’
Questions your Brand Persona should answer:
- What adjectives/verbs best describe your business/brand?
- How do you want people to feel when interacting with your brand?
- How do you want to come across in your content?
- What characteristics characteristics do you want your brand to convey through your tone of voice and messaging?
Brand Positioning
Brand Positioning is about uncovering that unique differentiator that sets you apart from the competition and resonates deeply with your customers. Just like finding the perfect seat at a concert or scoring the best spot on the beach, strategic brand positioning is all about finding that sweet spot where your brand can shine brightest. Whether you’re aiming to be the affordable option for budget-conscious clients or the luxury choice for those who crave indulgence, getting your brand positioning right is the key to attracting the right customers and keeping them coming back for more.
In order to do this, you need to start by identifying your ideal client (WHO), their needs/pain points and your unique solution (HOW you can help), and what differentiates you from the competition (WHY they should care). With your brand positioning established you should be able to answer questions like:
- Who is your ideal audience or dream client?
- What do they need help with?
- What’s your solution to their needs?
- Who are your competitors?
- What differentiates you?
Brand Visuals
Last but not least – the “fun” part! With the clear values, vision, persona and positioning you’ve established above, your brand now has a solid foundation to build everything else out from. From your logo and color palette to your typography and imagery, your visual elements – or brand identity – bring your strategy to life. They’re the eye-catching elements that help your brand make a memorable entrance wherever it goes. Like curating the perfect Instagram feed—you want them to be cohesive, captivating, and totally ‘you.’
To help establish a visual direction for your brand, I recommend creating a moodboard. You can do this by creating a pinterest board or collage on canva. When choosing visuals for inspiration, focus on what you like about certain images. If you find a logo that inspires you, try to think what about it in particular attracts you – is it the type of font they used? is it the simplicity of it? Is it more modern or more traditional? Try to think in terms of your business and what your ideal client might be looking for, not just just personal preference or style.
The pain point I hear from most from my clients that have struggled to nail down their branding on their own is that they like too many styles and can’t choose. As a designer, I get it! We can be visually attracted to lots of different styles. My advice for you if you’re struggling with this is to ask yourself: “Do I like this just because it’s pretty or because it feels aligned to my brand and my client?” You’ve built out a solid foundation with this strategy, so use that to refer back to help you determine which visuals are best aligned with your ideal client, persona, and goals.
Take Action
Building a solid brand strategy requires some time and research, but is key to crafting an effective, stellar brand. Even if it starts out as a brain dump, don’t skip this important step! It will save you hours of tweaking fonts and colors in the long run.
Now that you know what a brand strategy is and that you NEED one, I’ve got just the tool to help you get started! Whether you’re just starting a new business or could use some clarity around your existing one, The Brand Strategy Guide will walk you through the same discovery process I use with my own clients in order to craft a solid brand strategy, and it’s all yours…fo FREE! So grab the download, pour your drink of choice, and take the time to truly dive deep into your brand.
