Does it ever feel like building your brand is an uphill battle? Sometimes running a business can feel like a long journey with no map to guide the way. Brand strategy is like the map you need to show you the way! Brand strategy is a long-term plan that helps you see your business from an outsider’s perspective. It helps you decide on your goals, how you want to position your business, and who you want to interact with your brand. An effective brand strategy is going to answer 5 questions… 

1. What do we do?
2. Who do we do it for?
3. What makes us different?
4. What are our brand values?
5. What will we do next?

 

What do we do?

What’s a business without a mission to keep you moving forwards? The first building block to set up your business is an idea! Once you know that, you can outline a clear mission for your business. To write a clear mission statement, ask yourself these key questions: 

• What problems do we solve? 
• What questions do we answer? 
• How do we make lives easier? 
• What are we passionate about? 
• What gaps are there in the market? 

When you know the purpose of your brand, you can start to build your goals, write a mission statement, and show up as a unique expert. While it may seem simple to just answer this question, a strategic answer will go deeper. When you have a clear idea of what you want to do, you’ll know what projects to say yes to. You’ll be able to set boundaries that honor the work that keeps your creative juices flowing. 

Who do we do it for?

Having an idea for a profitable business is great, but it’s even better when you know who you’re going to be marketing towards. This is key to your business success. When you have a clear niche, you’ll be able to…

• Show up where your audience is located to promote your brand 
• Work with clients that honor your process and boundaries 
• Perform market research that gives you accurate results based on your audience 
• Put together packages and services that are specifically targeted to your potential customers 

A niche is a specifically chosen group of people narrowed by industry, personality, goals, or something else that makes people especially interested in what you have to offer. 

What makes us different? 

There are millions of small businesses in the United States alone, and it’s no secret that there are dozens, if not hundreds of entrepreneurs in the same niche as you. This is why you need to know what makes your business different and more memorable than the rest of your competitors. 

Think about it this way: you’re looking to hire a social media manager for your business. You have two options, they have the same packages, prices, and nearly identical processes. But the thing is, you read their about page. One loves the beach and the other would rather spend their weekends in the mountains. Personally, you’re a beach girl. Which are you going to choose? Probably the one you have more in common with!

This is just a personal preference setting a service provider apart as different. But when you identify what makes you stand out, it’s not going to matter that there are hundreds of other businesses that do the same thing as you, because no one is you! People are going to want to work with you for the unique skill set you bring to the table. 

When trying to decide what makes your business different, think about things like your philosophy, process, deliverables, products, or price (though we recommend price less than the other options). This will make your sales process so much easier because you’ll know exactly what to say that will make your target customer just know that they need to work with you. 

What are our brand values?

Brand values are another way you stand out as different. They are a part of your philosophy and the big “why” behind starting your own business. Every person in your target market has a set of values, and when you share yours with ideal customers, the ones who resonate most with your mission are going to become loyal customers and clients. 

Your brand values can be the same as your core values in life. In fact, the closer they relate, the better it is! When building your business, you have the option to become your business or let it be just one defining piece of you. There isn’t a right or wrong answer, but when you are your business, it’s much easier to stay true to yourself and keep your audience happy.

So how do your personal values translate over into your business? 

• If you value family, then your brand values can focus on relationship-building with customers and employees
• If you value honesty, then your brand can promote integrity through transparent reports, statistics, and marketing campaigns. 
• If you value creativity, you can embrace that same concept in your business by taking a stand against plagiarism and experimenting with innovative solutions to the problems that your customers are facing. 

The list can go on, but there is always a way to make your personal values show up in your business. Not to mention, your customers will love you for it! Having strong core values shows others that you’re passionate and aren’t just looking for a big paycheck, but you love what you do. 

Side note: If this all seems a little overwhelming, don’t forget you can download our free Brand Strategy Workbook which will take you through everything step-by-step. Plus, you’ll automatically be opted-in for the 14-day email course that more thoroughly explains how to build your converting brand strategy, breaking each task down one day at a time.

Need help refreshing your brand? 

To help get you on the right track for 2023, we have created an in-depth Brand Strategy workbook/course that covers everything you need to know about creating a converting brand. Download it now below!

What will we do next? 

The last question your brand strategy needs to answer is future-oriented. This will help you create a vision statement – which is a simple sentence or two that will help you reach your biggest goals, no matter how your business grows and changes. 

Speaking of which, when you know what you’re going to do next, you can set business goals and outline a plan that will help you accomplish your goals. When you’re setting goals, always go back to your why. Sometimes we lose track of the reason why we started our business, but when we can remember our very first goal of actually starting a business, we find just one more way to stay true to ourselves and serve our customers with unique solutions. 

Think about the legacy you want to leave. What do you want to be known for? Build your future around the answer to that question, because it means that you’ll be constantly working towards a better version of yourself and your company. 

All of our brand design clients are provided with a brand strategy that will help you navigate the crazy world of entrepreneurship. Plus, we’ll build you a stunning and strategic visual brand identity that takes your business strategy and shares it with your audience in a way they’ll never forget. If you’re interested in working together to build the brand of your dreams, click here to download our investment guide and get in touch!