A brand is not a logo. It is an idea. It is the perception others have about you. This perception can be developed and shaped strategically — with a brand strategy.
WHAT IS BRAND STRATEGY?
Brand strategy is your plan for developing a cohesive brand that aligns with your business goals. In short, it is your branding blueprint.
Brand strategy develops the intangibles of a brand. It defines your goals, identifies your target audience, differentiates your business in the market, humanizes your brand, develops your voice, and crafts your story.

BRAND STRATEGY INCLUDES 7 MAJOR ELEMENTS.
These 7 major elements express your brand and act as a guide for everything you do. Together, they create a unique brand experience for new and existing customers.
#1 Internal Brand (Purpose)
Your internal branding is your vision, mission, and values. These intangible elements provide the foundation for your business practices and your branding.
#2 Audience Persona (Clarity)
Brand strategy identifies your target audience, what they want, and how you can fulfill their needs and desires.
Buyer personas allow you to customize every step of the customer journey to increase sales and optimize your ROI.
#3 Competitor Analysis (Connection)
Researching your competitors allows you to identify their strengths and weaknesses. It also reveals the gaps in the market that are underserved.
#4 Unique Positioning Strategy (Authenticity)
A unique positioning strategy allows you to differentiate your brand in the market and stand out from competitors.
#5 Brand Persona + Voice (Values)
Developing a brand personality with human characteristics helps your target audience identify with your brand on an emotional level.
Your brand voice sets the tone of your communications with language guidelines.
#6 Messaging Framework (Message)
Your messaging framework includes a tagline, key messages, and core messaging. Together these express what you do, how you do it, and why.
#7 Brand Story (Story)
Brand story depicts your role in the customer journey. Through a series of events, this narrative identifies the customer’s desires and pain points, your solutions to their problems, and the transformation that occurs after using your products and/or services.
WHY YOU NEED A BRAND STRATEGY
Many businesses skip brand strategy and go straight to the visuals — their logo, website, and graphics. But this is a big mistake that will cost them later. Businesses that do not develop a brand strategy cannot build a successful brand.
Their visuals may be stunning. But without a defined target, those stunning graphics will miss the mark.
You cannot reach your ideal customer without identifying who they are, what they want, and how you can help them. You cannot stand out from the competition without analyzing the competition’s strengths and weaknesses and finding ways to differentiate yourself. You cannot deliver a compelling message without a voice. You cannot create a brand without branding.
Do you have a brand strategy?