When you are not sure how to answer a question, especially when it is about your business or a brand, a good way is to start from the definition and then see where you are.
So, first thing first. What is strategy?
Strategy generally involves, setting goals and priorities, determining actions to achieve the goals, and mobilizing resources to execute the actions. A strategy describes how the ends (goals) will be achieved by the resources. It involves activities such as strategic planning and strategic thinking.
- The strategy is not just having a logo and visuals
Usually, when you start a business and think about visuals you think logo and visual design is the first step of your brand. But the thought is strategy is always the first and when you see the definition above it is clear why.
When you hired somebody to do logo and brand visuals for you it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a strategy for your brand. Having a logo and visuals means you have a nice identity. But what when you get stuck in communication with your customers and you need to answer something like:
Which problem do I solve, to whom and how?
Brand strategy is more than just a story of a brand. It is like a spider net consisting of tools, questions, techniques and patterns to grow your brand and business, and not just to represent it.
When you have your brand strategy you have answered all possible questions about your customers. So, in times when you need to position yourself better or bring a new product to life, you just need to check your brand strategy and see what are the problems you solve for your target audience.
Having focus on this topic you will give a custom made solution to specific clients and that will be mainly with a better result. Moreover, you will know the language, tone and topics you communicate about, which allows you to connect to your customers more closely.
- Strategy means having resources you may use in every aspect of your brand communication
Do you know which story your brand tells and how you are telling that story? Whatever you do for and about your brand in the end you are telling a story. You are telling it through logo design, visual identity, social media messages and all the communication you make with your customers.
When you have your brand strategy you may be able to focus on communication and outline specific problems your customer has and after all give them the right solutions. Depending on your brand you will use tone, topics and language to evoke emotions as this is the way to address the problem of your customers in the way they will hear it.
- The strategy also means having achievable business goals and solutions on how to get to it.
You will know this precisely if you think about two major components: competition, market positioning and brand communication.
It is not new to tell you how important it is to be different and to stand out in the crowd. And having your brand strategy and knowing all the answers to the questions about competitions and market positioning strategy, you will know how exactly to do it.
Your audience sees thousands of messages every day, one that your competitors also posts. If you post one more like others there will be no reason to remember you and in the end, there will be no reason to exist as a brand after all.
It is important to give something different and you will be able to do that if you know what messages are already given and products that already exist. First, know your competitors and then find out why you are different and so authentic. After doing it, just put it in a brand story and communicate it. After doing so your customers will have a great reason to buy just from you.
You may contact us if you need your brand strategy, or download our free ebook below.
Check out this article for more on different strategies and branding.
