Something I have found many small business owners seem to skip over is the creation of a Brand Strategy but what exactly is a Brand Strategy?

Is it a fancy term for creating a logo or look and feel?

Do you need one?

Is it different to a marketing strategy?

Where does your marketing plan fit in? 

Let's talk it out!

Brand strategy, by definition, is a long term plan for a brand to achieve your goals. It is a written plan for how you'll apply your brand strategically throughout the company over time.

A Brand Strategy is what gives you clarity on what your business stands for,  describes your company's ultimate purpose in the world, defines your target customer. what you offer your clients (not just in terms of what your services do, but what kind of emotional impact or result you can give to clients), and how you’ll uphold your brand’s values and attributes long-term.

Having a solid brand strategy in place helps you to recognise when your business starts to stray too far from your core purpose, or doesn’t sound enough like itself.

The result is a Blueprint for what's most important to your company and to your customer.

And while it includes your logo, color palette and slogan, those are only ‘creative’ elements that convey your brand.  Your brand is not the name or the slogan of your business. It is so much more. 

As your business grows, it’s important to make sure your entire team is on-board with your brand strategy so they can consistently maintain the integrity of your brand.

What does a Brand Strategy look like?

It can take many forms depending who is putting it together for you but it generally answers three questions:

1. Who are we speaking to?
2. What do we want to be known for?
3. How do we want to achieve that?

It’s a bit like planting a flag in the sand and saying… Here we are: this is what we stand for.

It’s a pull tactic, drawing your ideal customers to you. That’s why it’s important for your brand to be distinctive, identifiable, consistent and emotive. 

What you ultimately want is for your marketing activity to reinforce the brand position. You do this step by step and month by month.

IKEA's vision isn't just to sell furniture, but rather, to "create a better everyday life." This approach is appealing to potential customers, as it demonstrates their commitment to providing value beyond the point of sale.

Does a small business need a Brand Strategy? Yes!

It doesn’t matter how big (or how small!) your company is if you’re in business, you need to think about branding your business. Here are 3 reasons why:

1. It tells people what experience they will get when working with you. 
2. Without it, marketing your business just feels harder, vanilla. 
3. It tells you what NOT to do! For a small business owner with limited time and resources, a Brand Strategy will actually help you focus your time. 

Where does a Brand Strategy sit?

When running a business there is a bit of a strategy hierarchy, a roadmap to growth so to speak. Unfortunately, it's often it's the Brand Strategy that's missing.