Last month, we shared what brand strategy is, and why businesses like yours need it. In case you missed it, brand strategy gives you the words you need to talk about your brand and the vision you need to bring to life. It's really your brand's marketing cornerstone. It's the foundation on which your messaging, visuals, and marketing tactics are built. When you invest in brand strategy, you'll have the information you need to connect with the right people, at the right time, and in the right place.
But when do you invest in brand strategy? Let's start by saying—it's never too late!
Whether you haven't started your business yet or you've recently taken over a 30-year-old company in need of a revamp, we have a brand strategy solution for you. In this post, we're breaking down when you should work with a brand strategy agency and invest in taking your brand to the next level.
We said it's never too late to invest in brand strategy, but it's also rarely too early! Here's why:
The first thing your audience will know about you is likely your company's name. So it's important that it resonates with them and tells them a little about your product and how it will change their life for the better. By investing in brand strategy, you'll have an idea of who your audience is and what resonates with them so you can come up with a meaningful name that encompasses your brand values and energy.
You may think the first thing you need when starting your business is a logo. But it's not. Because if you just create a logo without an indication of who your audience is and what resonates with them, you'll likely miss the mark. By investing in brand strategy before you launch your business, you'll have a clear, unbiased perspective of what your business should look like so your brand identity system is intentional and purposeful.
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn...posting on all of these channels seven days a week is a big lift. But what if we told you you might not need to be on all the social media channels out there? Brand strategy will help you discover where your audience spends their time and what they're looking for, so you can create content that converts. With brand strategy, you'll deliver the right message at the right time and in the right place.
Starting a business is full of unknowns and it's impossible to know what the future holds. However, brand strategy will give you a roadmap for what you need to do next so you can keep moving forward.
If you've been at this for a few years, you probably have a good idea of what's working in your business and what isn't. You've likely experienced some pain points in the workload—especially if you're a solopreneur—and you've probably experienced some shifts in your product as you've discovered who your audience really is. Here's how a brand strategy and consulting agency can help you if you're at this stage:
If your business has changed over the past few years and you're having a hard time describing it to your customers, it may be time to invest in brand strategy. Brand strategy will give you the language you need to describe the solution you offer.
We're not going to sugarcoat it—there's a lot of ego that comes with running a business. Whether it's your own or you're stakeholders', ego will often get in the way of giving your audience what they need. Brand strategy will help you shift your focus away from your own ego by identifying your audience and their pain points. This will give you an empathetic approach to marketing so you can make meaningful connections with your customers.
At this stage in your business, you're probably wondering what's next. You may be seeking investors or looking to expand your reach. Either way, brand strategy will help you identify these opportunities and how you approach them.
If you're a seasoned business owner who has operated a company for up to 15 years, chances are you've experienced lots of growth and change. You've likely expanded your team and have more people than ever touching your product and marketing. Here's how brand strategy can help:
If you've grown your business to include more people and teams, you need consistent messaging. Your sales and marketing teams should speak the same language when it comes to your product so you're delivering consistent information to your audience. Brand strategy will help you determine your brand's unique language and tone so you're entire team will know what to say and how to say it.
Your sales and marketing teams should speak the same language when it comes to your product so you're delivering consistent information to your audience.
These times, they are a-changing...and they always will be! Brand strategy will help you look forward and anticipate changes in the market so you can be proactive in your marketing, rather than reactive. Working with a brand strategy agency will make you think about your competitors and how they're shifting the market, so you can ride the wave and make your own changes, too.
When you're running a business, there's a lot to do! There is always a fire to put out or a stakeholder demand...erm request...to be fulfilled. Brand strategy will give your team a purpose—a north star if you will—so they can prioritize work that fits in the big picture plan, rather than getting distracted by shiny objects.
Maybe you've been operating your own company for 15+ years or you've recently taken on a C-suite role at a new-to-you company. Regardless, chances are you could use a refresh—especially if nothing has changed for over fifteen years. Here's how brand strategy will help if you're a seasoned business.
It may be easy to work with your blinders up, not paying attention to what your competitors are doing for your own sanity. But it's not the best way to grow. When you work with a brand strategy agency, they'll help you identify your key competitors and understand what threats they pose to your business. You'll also identify key opportunities so you can outperform and outlast the competition.
If you're been in business for over a decade, you've likely seen a shift in your audience. Gen Z and Millenials are key decision-makers in most markets these days, and you need to know how to connect with them on a deeper level. Brand strategy will help you build target personas so you can communicate with and expand your audience.
Gen Z and Millenials are key decision-makers in most markets these days, and you need to know how to connect with them on a deeper level.
We all want to be disruptors, but becoming one is a harder task. Brand strategy will help you identify holes in your market, your audience needs, and your competitor's communication gaps so you can disrupt and make waves in your industry.
Whether you're an industry newcomer or a seasoned leader, brand strategy will give you a new perspective on your business. As a brand strategy agency and creative collective, we specialize in setting your brand apart so you can outpace the competition and make meaningful connections with your audience.
To get started with your brand strategy project, send us a message. For more brand-building tips, subscribe to our newsletter.
Jamie is a brand strategist and designer based in Nashville, TN. She founded Strange Salt in 2021 as a way to bring the creative powerhouses in her life together to create amazing things.
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