Over the next six months in this series, I plan on bringing you some tips and tricks that will help you better connect with your customers, and ultimately strengthen your brand.
But first, a quick bit about me.. I am Laura, the Creative Director at Create Design Studio, for over ten years I have been working with local NZ businesses, and I love to see them be successful in what they do. I started at Create as a cleaner, while teaching myself graphic design. Through a series of changes in the company and with the experience I was getting, I became the lead designer and now I am the Creative Director. Six years ago I brought the business, and now my husband and I are the owners.
So, Brand strategy – what is it and why is it important? Without the right framework, creating, developing and maintaining a brand can be a daunting task no matter the age and stage of your business.
At the base of any successful brand is strategy. But, why? Well, without clear direction and detail, your brand is at risk of having little or no impact. It may fail to reach your ideal customers, and those who it does reach will become easily disengaged from your brand.
The goal when curating a brand strategy is to first outline the WHY (money aside)., WHAT, HOW, and WHO.
- WHY your company exists
The WHY encompasses the purpose, motivation and drive behind the brand. Understanding what is the reason behind your company’s existence and why people should care. This is where you delve in deeper looking at whether the sales are increasing or decreasing, some problem areas that you are currently facing and asking the age-old question of if time and money were not an object what would the perfect outcome look like? It is also important to think about how you measure success and what the long-term goals are for the company.
- WHAT does your company hope to achieve?
The WHAT encompasses the vision of the brand, looking at what accomplishments you wish your brand to have. This will include things such as what your target audience cares about, and what value you will provide them. This vision is essentially the north star of your business and the desired direction you wish to take the brand. Without a clear and direct vision, your target audience won’t know how to feel about your brand, and you will not be able to give a clear description to them of what your brand is, and why they should care. Looking at the desired future state of your brand will help you identify your vision, and what value you bring to your customers, beyond just making money.
- HOW do you plan to achieve this?
The HOW encompasses the mission of your brand, and what needs to be done to accomplish this mission. This question brings together the WHY – this is your purpose, and the WHAT – this is your vision, how are you going to live the purpose and reach the vision? At this point it is good idea to take a step back and see what you are currently offering, how you are currently communicating with your audience, and also looking to see how you promote/market your products.
- WHO will your company serve?
The WHO encompasses your target audience and their needs. Imagine your ideal customer, now with that in mind how can you serve them, how can they find you today, and what can you do that will result in them becoming repeat customers, who will care about your brand, and will want to share your company with others.
The answers to all these questions are both essential and powerful, as they will build the foundation and definition of your brand. It is important to be as specific as possible, the clearer you are the stronger the connection and loyalty will be between your customers and your brand.
If this feels too overwhelming to begin with, feel free to give me a call today.
Let’s create a strong brand together.