A brand strategy can be described as a blueprint for an architect before they start building.
Strategic branding allows you to stand out from the crowd and build customer loyalty.
This article will cover all things branding and the key elements that make a strong brand.
What’s a Brand Strategy?
A business plan also includes a branding strategy. It describes the company’s plans for building trust and popularity in the marketplace.
(We’ll get into more detail in a few. )
Every aspect of a company’s business is affected by a well-designed and executed brand strategy. It directly connects with consumers’ emotions as well as the competitive environment.
Let’s start by dispelling the most common misconceptions about brand strategy. Your brand is not limited to your product, logo or website.
Your brand is everything. It is everything and more.
To help you maintain your company’s relevance over time, we have identified seven key elements of a complete brand strategy.
The Elements Of A Brand Strategy
- Scope
- Consistency
- Emotion
- Flexibility
- Participation by Employees
- Loyalty
- Competitive Awareness
A brand strategy consists of the following elements:
1. Scope
When positioning your brand, it is crucial to understand what your business stands behind. It’s important to know why you wake up every morning to go to work.
What’s your purpose in business? According to Business Strategy Insider purpose can only be seen in two ways
- Functional: This concept measures success in terms of both immediate and long-term economic reasons. It focuses on the purpose of the business, which is essential to make money.
- Intentional: This concept is all about making money and doing good.
The Key Takeaway
How to think about the purpose of your business when you define it.
We offer this advice: Look at the mission statements and vision statements of brands that inspire you.
2. Consistency
Avoid talking about things that don’t relate to your brand or enhance it.
Has a photo been added to your Facebook Page? How does it affect your company? Does it align with your message?
Your brand must be able to stand alone. Your messaging should be consistent in order to make your brand stand out. )
The Key Takeaway
A style manual is a great way for potential customers to understand your business. It can cover everything from your voice to colors used to position products, and how you present them.
Your brand will be more successful if you agree on these points.
3. Emotion
Customers may not always have the right reasons.
You can’t say enough about the man who paid thousands for a Harley, but for a bike of equal quality, and paid thousands less. “
Why?
Harley Davidson builds a community around its brand through emotional branding. The HOG –Harley Owners Group was created to connect customers to the brand.
Harley Davidson is a great choice for those looking to purchase a motorcycle. They offer customers the chance to feel part of a smaller, more intimate group.
Why? What? Psychologists Roy Baumeister and Mark Leary say that this psychological desire can be best expressed in their ” belongingness hypothesis ” which states: “People have an innate psychological urge to feel connected to other people and that close relationships can foster affectionate and caring bonds.
Belongingness, the need for love, to feel loved, and to belong to groups is not to be overlooked in Maslow’s hierarchy. This attempts to categorize human desires.
The Key Takeaway
What’s the lesson? It is important to find ways to build trust and strengthen relationships with customers.
4. Flexibility
Marketers need to be flexible to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.
You may be asking, “Wait, a second. What can I do to be consistent and flexible? “
That’s a good question. There are many things you can do to make your brand stand out from the rest.
The Key Takeaway
You don’t have to abandon your past strategies just because they no longer work.
Engage with your followers in innovative ways. Are there unique attributes to your product that you haven’t highlighted? These attributes are great for reminding customers why they love your product.
5. Participation of Employees
Consistency is the key to brand recognition. We’ve already spoken about it. Your employees should be able to communicate effectively with customers and represent your brand.
Customers who call a brand’s Twitter account and get connected with a boring, grumpy representative are unlikely to find it fun.
6. Loyalty
Do not be satisfied with the relationships you have with people who love your company or your brand. Recognize their love and reward them.
These customers have become brand ambassadors and written about you.
These people are loyal to your company and will return customers more often.
Sometimes, a simple thank-you is enough.
The Key Takeaway
Loyalty is a key part of any brand strategy. This is especially true when it comes down to supporting your sales team. This is how potential customers will choose to do business with you.
7. Competitive Awareness
Challenge your brand’s strategy with the competition. Be aware of their actions.
Have some of their strategies been successful? Is their experience helping companies to improve their brand positioning?
The Mobile Monitoring app allows you to track your competitors’ social mentions. For more information on creating custom social streams, see
The Key Takeaway
If you want to see your brand grow, it is crucial to keep up with your competitors’ strategies. But, they shouldn’t dictate your every move.
Although you might sell similar products and services to other businesses, your business is distinctive. Don’t let your competition steal your differentiation.
Branding Methods
- Attitude Branding
- Individual branding
- Product branding
- Co-branding
- Minimalist branding
- Brand Extension Branding
Let’s discuss each branding technique.
1. Attitude Branding
This branding style is used to demonstrate that you are real and can be trusted by customers.
This branding style is perfected in part by Nike. Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” promotes Nike products as athletes for everyone.
2. Individual branding
Branding refers to the creation of a unique brand or identity for a product/service to attract new customers.
3. Product branding
Product branding is the most popular type of branding. To establish an identity for the product’s product, the brand assigns a name and logo to it.
This branding technique is very effective because it gives products life and individuality.
4. Co-Branding
A partnership of brands is also called co-branding. To create a single brand, different brands can share their identities.
This approach has the advantages of increasing market strength, customer bases, and perceived value.
The Nike/Micheal Jordan partnership has been a landmark example of co-branding.
Brands who want their products to stand out for themselves use this branding technique.
5. Minimalist branding
Mastercard is a great example of minimalist branding, by the two colored circles alone.
6. Brand Extension
This unique branding technique allows companies to use one of their well-known brand names on a product. Customers will be more likely to buy the new product if they are given the option to extend the company’s brand name.
Strategic Branding: Its Importance
Management of a brand is hard work. This is particularly true in saturated markets.
Strategic branding is all about highlighting your brand’s uniqueness in a saturated marketplace. This is a crucial step in growing your company.
Strategic branding allows you to create a brand identity that is unique and will help you sell more products and services.
