It doesn’t matter if you’re an entrepreneur, working for a company, or playing professional sports. You’ve heard of brand strategy. But how well do you understand it?
You see it everywhere. Every product you buy and every service you pay for is connected to a brand. Have you thought about your brand? Maybe you’re thinking you don’t have a brand. Trust me – you have a brand; in fact, you are the brand.
Brand strategy is defined as an in-depth plan for creating and marketing a brand¹. It sounds simple enough, but there’s nothing simple about it. There are many factors that go into successfully marketing your brand. And with every single step – your intention must be clear, defined, and constantly refined.
If you’re trying to build a successful business as an entrepreneur or rise up in your current job, it’s time to realize that you are your brand.
You’re one and the same. Sometimes you’re a brand inside of a brand. This is something I preach to my professional athlete clients and my legal and healthcare clients.
Developing your brand is difficult for anyone. And it can be even harder when you’re in a position that comes with immense pressure. I’m no stranger to working with clients who deal with pressure. This is why my executive coaching program – as well as my coaching for public figures and celebrity entertainers – focuses on creating and developing brands in an intentional way. One that speaks to who the client is and how they desire to be perceived.
No matter what situation you’re in, you should focus on building your brand in a way that aligns with your values and communicates those values to your audience.
So What Should You Focus On for Successful Brand Strategy Development?
There are different types of brand strategies and not all of them will apply to you and your brand. If you don’t sell any products, you probably won’t be using product branding. On the other hand, differentiation branding is geared toward emphasizing the uniqueness of what you offer².
You want to have a one-of-a-kind offer that convinces your audience they can’t live without it.
You probably don’t want to hear about all the different strategies – so I’ll cut to the good part. If you’re struggling to develop a brand strategy framework that speaks to the right people – you’re likely missing the most important piece of the puzzle. And that piece is intention.
Intention matters regardless of your strategy. And even the simplest actions and statements will lose their potential impact without intention.
Let’s say your company releases a statement to its customers with the simple message “our company cares about you”. You can either put the emphasis on “our company” or you double down on “cares about you”.
If your intention isn’t clear, your audience will make assumptions about what your message means.
Of course, you can’t control how others perceive your intentions, but you can minimize the chance of misinterpretation. You can control how, when, and where your message is delivered. But if you don’t put effort and research into your brand strategy marketing – you’re missing out on the opportunity to connect with others. You’re failing to differentiate yourself from the crowd and attract people to your brand.
Where Should You Start With Your Strategy?
You can’t have a brand without purpose. That purpose might be helping people get healthy, selling a product that promotes productivity, or educating others in your field.
Your purpose, vision, mission, and values contribute to forming your brand core³. Your brand core should be clear to you and to others who interact with your brand.
When you’re clear on your goals and your brand’s purpose, you can act and speak accordingly. This could mean something as simple as choosing the right environment to meet someone who might sponsor your brand. You don’t want to have an important meeting with someone at a noisy Starbucks.
The odds of your brand strategy successfully connecting with the right people are significantly increased when you consider elements like:
- The timeline for your goals and if your timing will be right for your target audience.
- The potential impact your strategy will have on your intended audience and others outside of that audience.
- Your current circumstances and the steps you need to take to accomplish your goal.
If you can define the strengths and weaknesses of your approach – you’ll have a better idea of the steps you need to take.
Your Brand Strategy Should Reflect Your Intention
Before you communicate something to others – you have to make sure you define it internally. It has to resonate and connect with you. Because if it doesn’t – your target audience won’t connect with it either.
Spend time defining your brand and its purpose. If you treat your brand as a meaningless or aimless aspect of your business – that’s how it will come across to others.
Your brand shouldn’t be completely separate from you and your values. This is particularly accurate when you’re in a management position, in the limelight, or a brand inside of another brand.
It can be easy to get lost in yourself or your brand, especially when you’re in a position that is under the threat of scrutiny. That’s why it’s crucial to define your core values, goals, and intentions to develop a brand strategy that reflects who you are and who you want to be.
I’ve helped countless individuals gain clarity and confidence in their vision for their brand strategy. And you can’t accomplish this clarity without working for it. Book a call with me if you’re ready to take control of your life and turn your brand into an unstoppable force.
https://drdivanyoung.com/executive-coach-diversity-coach-black-male/
Dr. D Ivan Young is an expert on human behavior and relationships. He’s a Master Credentialed expert on personality type, an ICF Credentialed Master Certified Coach Certified Professional Diversity Coach, and a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Dr. Young is also a member of the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council.