What is a brand strategy?
Updated: Jun 19, 2018
In its simplest terms, a brand strategy is, well, a strategy for your brand. But, really, it’s so much more than that. For starters, it’s about building your brand in a systematic and strategic – rather than haphazard – way, with specific goals in mind. Then, it’s about executing your brand according to a strategic plan. Finally, it’s about communicating your brand, once again strategically, to your target customers.
So, a brand strategy will do three things for your small business:
One, it will define what exactly your brand stands for and why people should care about it. What problem it solves and for whom, and how it’s different for other brands.
Two, it will guide you in branding your business in the most advantageous way possible, based on your brand’s strengths and differentiating features.
Three, it will serve as a road map and plan of action for marketing your brand to customers.
How do you create a brand strategy?
Do a Google search and you’ll find loads of information on the need for your business to have a brand. But there’s precious little consistent information on what, exactly, a brand strategy is, what it comprises and how to create one.
To solve this problem, I created the Mongrel Method. This is a comprehensive ten-step system for strategically developing your brand and creating your brand execution strategy. It’s this system that we use at Mongrel. I'll walk you through all of the steps of the Mongrel Method in upcoming posts.
Wy should you be interested? Because working through the Mongrel Method is designed to give you greater clarity and insight about:
What your business is about
What it offers what problem it solves and benefits it provides
Who its target audience is
How it compares to its competition or the status quo
Where's it's positioned on the market and where to position it in the minds of its audience
What its unique value proposition and unique sales proposition are
What its personality and voice are what its visual identity is
How best to communicate your message to your target
It’s this clarity and insight that will allow you to communicate your brand effectively to your customers, building not only a positive reputation in their minds, but a desire to engage with your brand over any other.
The Mongrel Method?
The ten steps that comprise the Mongrel Method are:
Core Vision, Values & Story
Core Offer
Features & Benefits
Target Analysis
Competition Analysis
Positioning
UVP & USP
Personality
Visual Identity and
Execution Strategy
As I said, I'll go over each of the ten steps in detail in upcoming posts. For each step, I’ll give you a brief overview of what it is, why it’s essential to building your brand, what it covers, and how you’ll use it. I’ll also show you how you create each step using real-world examples from our own clients rather than relying on big-league brands that have nothing to do with your business.
So, keep reading to learn everything you need to about building your brand.