5 steps to create and optimize your brand strategy

4/11/2024

Have a strong and well-defined brand strategy is essential to stand out from competitors. An effective brand strategy not only improves the recognition and perceived value of your business, but also builds a lasting and consistent relationship with your target audience. We show you the essential steps to create and optimize a solid brand strategy.

Brand Strategy: Definition

Brand strategy encompasses brand identity and positioning. It should present all aspects of the brand's appearance, behavior, and communication, as well as the emotions it wants its target audience to experience. A well-designed brand strategy ensures consistency in how the company presents itself and interacts with its target audience.

Brand identity

To define a brand strategy, you must determine the identity of the brand. Brand identity encompasses all the visual and textual elements that distinguish a business from its competitors. These items include the name, logo, colors, typography, slogan, and brand voice and message. It is used for communications across various channels (advertising, social media, public relations, etc.) in order to create a coherent and memorable image in the minds of consumers.

Brand positioning

Brand positioning refers to the place that a brand occupies in the minds of consumers compared to its competitors. It is crucial to define a distinctive positioning that allows to reflectreflect the unique mission, values, and benefits of the brand. A well-articulated positioning guides all marketing actions and strengthens the relationship between the brand and its customers.

Why establish a brand strategy?

A brand strategy is essential. It contributes to the success and sustainability of a business.

Make your values perceived

A brand with a well-defined strategy allows creatingcreate immediate recognition, which is currently in a very competitive environment. A consistent brand identity and clear communication generate customer trust. Perceived brand value by its target is important for forging an emotional connection. These links encourage Loyalty, because customers often prefer to buy products or services from brands they trust and feel connected to. A well-positioned brand can justify a higher price by increasing the perceived value of its products or services.

Stand out

In a market that is often saturated and competitive, a brand strategy makes it possible to distinguish yourself from competitors. The brand strategy will make it possible to highlight the unique values, distinctive advantages and history of the company. This differentiation is essential to attract customers and persuade them to choose your brand over that of your competitors. A strong, well-defined brand identity makes it easier for customers to identify and remember your business.

Achieve consistent communications

A well-defined brand strategy is also a roadmap for all marketing activities so that they are aligned with a unified message and identity. This guarantees consistency in internal and external communication of the company, thus avoiding contradiction and confusion. It is important that your customers and employees understand the values and goals of the company well.

The steps to design your brand strategy

Building an effective brand strategy involves a structured and thoughtful process.

Step 1: Research the market and analyze the competition

Market and competition analysis makes it possible to understand the landscape in which the company operates. It's about identifying market trends and consumer expectations (depending on the personas defined) and the strengths and weaknesses of competitors.

Step 2: Define brand mission and values

A clear mission and fundamental values help establish a direction for brand strategy. The mission describes The company's raison d'être, while the values reflect What she believes in and what she stands for.

Step 3: Develop visual and verbal identity

Visual identity includes logo, color palette, typography, and overall aesthetics (content creation, design...). Verbal identity includes the brand name, the slogan and the tone of communication. These elements are important for creating a cohesive image.

Step 4: Positioning the brand

Brand positioning must clearly articulate what makes the brand unique and valuable for the target audience. It involves a combination of promises, values, and powerful messages.

Step 5: Create a communication strategy

Communication strategies include all channels and messages used to reach the target audience. They need to be aligned with brand identity and positioning to ensure coherent communication. Choosing the communication channels through which the brand interacts with its audience is crucial to ensure that the brand message reaches the right people at the right time and in the most effective way possible. Social networks, emailing, television ads, public relations, corporate blogs, etc.

You can also opt for dynamic signage and a solution like Cenareo to communicate the message you want according to the target and the positioning of the screen. Digital screens broadcast content in real time in various locations, such as points of sale, waiting areas or even outside. This captivating mode of communication offers incomparable flexibility and interactivity, allowing brands to deliver personalized and engaging messages directly to their audience.

When should you update your brand strategy?

Knowing when a brand strategy update is needed is crucial to ensure that the business remains relevant and competitive.

Changes in market trends or consumer behavior can make an existing brand strategy obsolete. Regular market analysis makes it possible to detect these changes and adapt the strategy accordingly.

If the company broadens its horizons, changes its objectives or reorients its mission, it may also be necessary to review your brand strategy to reflect these changes. If the brand fails to meet its goals of recognition or customer loyalty, a reassessment of the strategy may be necessary to identify and correct the shortcomings.

Building and optimizing a brand strategy will require a thorough analysis of identity and positioning, as well as a coherent and thoughtful implementation of visual and verbal elements. Continued monitoring and adapting to market changes will allow the strategy to remain relevant and effective.

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