Brand strategy refers to the overarching plan that guides your brand development efforts. It is a long-term plan that takes into account your product or service, target audience, type of branding, and desired brand positioning. Essentially, it is the roadmap that will guide all of your branding efforts and ensure that everything you do is aligned with your overall brand vision.
One of the key components of a strong brand strategy is brand messaging. This refers to the tone of voice and messaging that you use to communicate with potential customers. Your promotional messages should remain consistent no matter the platform, and should be made to appeal to the people you are trying to reach.
Another important aspect of brand strategy is the development of branding elements. These include your brand identity, visual identity, and a clear definition of your brand’s desired customer experience. The way your brand is visually portrayed to others, such as your logo, color choices, and font, all come together to create your brand identity. Your visual identity encompasses all of the design elements that make up your brand, including your website design, social media graphics, and advertising campaigns. Your desired customer experience is the way that you plan for customers to interact with your brand, both online and in person.
While brand strategy refers to the overall plan for developing your brand, strategic branding is the implementation of that plan. It involves the day-to-day decisions that are made by the branding manager to ensure that your brand is consistently represented across all marketing channels.
One of the key components of strategic branding is social media management. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are essential for building brand awareness and engaging with potential customers. A strategic branding manager will develop a social media strategy that is tailored to your target audience and is consistent with your overall brand messaging.
Another important aspect of strategic branding is the development of marketing materials. This includes everything from website copy and blog posts to print ads and brochures. Your strategic branding manager will work with your marketing team to ensure that all marketing materials are aligned with your overall brand strategy and messaging.
Ultimately, the goal of strategic branding is to build a strong brand that resonates with your target audience and sets your business apart from the competition. By consistently representing your brand across all marketing channels and delivering a high-quality customer experience, you can create a brand that customers trust and that will drive long-term success.
How do all the component parts of these two aspects of strong brands work together in practice? Let’s see if we can make the process linear:
Whether you’re developing a brand strategy or implementing a strategic branding plan, there are certain key elements that you will need to consider. First and foremost is your target audience. Using rigorous research, you can understand who your potential customers are, what they are looking for, their motivation for looking in the first place, and what will resonate with them. (At BS LLC, we use the Jobs to Be Done research lens to suss out these insights.)
Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience, you can begin to develop your brand messaging, visual identity, and customer experience. Your brand messaging should be tailored to your target audience and should communicate the unique value proposition of your product or service. Your visual identity should be consistent across all marketing channels and should be designed to appeal to your target audience. Finally, your customer experience should be seamless and designed to make your potential customers feel valued and respected.
Building a successful brand takes time, effort, and a strategic approach. Whether you are developing a brand strategy or implementing a strategic branding plan, it is important to stay focused on your long-term goals and to represent your brand across all marketing channels consistently. By developing a strong brand that resonates with your target audience, you can create a powerful competitive advantage that will drive long-term success for your business. The easiest way to achieve this is to partner with a brand strategy agency that understands your industry and that aligns with your values. Consider a simple 15-minute conversation with us at BS LLC; share your objectives and challenges, and we’ll let you know in a no-nonsense way what we’re capable of doing for you.
