A branding strategy (a.k.a. a company’s image development strategy) is the plan for achieving a series of long-term goals that result in consumers identifying and preferring your brand. A successful branding strategy encompasses the company’s mission, its promises to its customers, how these are communicated and of course, its visual identity.
Often misconceived, a branding strategy is not just the sum of the logo, colour palette or website; although these creative elements are integral to a successful branding strategy. A branding strategy revolves around all the intangible elements that over time drive brand awareness and equity.
Developing a successful branding strategy starts with asking the right questions. And we help you uncover them with this article designed to guide you towards growing your brand.
What does a successful brand strategy include?
The main goal of a successful branding strategy is to show the world that your brand exists, what its purpose is and what defines it. A branding strategy is a fluid, long-term strategy that often needs to be revised over time based on success (or lack thereof).
The success of a brand development strategy is not always easy to measure, it often involves intangible elements that are not easy to quantify and, when planning this type of strategy, it is important to decide at the outset how success will be measured.
Each company will approach measuring success differently, but all will generally include the same elements in their strategies. Answering the following questions can be the first step in developing a successful brand strategy:
- What are the brand goals and how should they be communicated?
- What problems will your brand solve and what will its customers benefit from?
- How do you identify your ideal customers? How do these customers feel and how would they like to feel?
- How do you identify your competitors who are already giving potential customers what they want and how?
- How do you involve potential customers in the story? What personality and tone of voice will your brand need to achieve its goals?
- How do you visually differentiate yourself from the competition? What will your visual identity be and how will you stand out?
- What is the name your brand will carry and what does it mean?
- What makes your brand different so that it can be easily understood and recognisable?
In addition to all aspects of the company’s values and mission, a strong brand is visible. So let’s go back to visual identity for a moment and advise you to pay attention to even the smallest details. Pay attention to the number of elements in the logo, how the name sounds pronounced, choose carefully the colour that will be associated with your brand and make sure it can be easily implemented both online and offline.
From street banners, to shop logos, car collars, etc., to implementing the identity in your digital strategy: social media, Google Ads or email marketing campaigns.
Pro Tip: If your business will have physical stores, we also suggest olfactory branding. Give your customers a whole experience with every detail.
Branding is the whole story of a company. From values, to mission, image, communication and positioning. Make sure all of this is presented in a beautiful way, to represent the brand and at the same time differentiate it.
