One of the most common questions I hear is, “What is a brand?” Well, let’s clear this up. Your brand is not your logo. It is not your value proposition. And it is not what you say it is.
Your brand is someone’s gut feeling about your product, service or organization.
By that definition, branding encompasses everything that might influence that gut feeling. This includes more obvious efforts like advertising and social media, but also things like:
- what products go to market and how you price them
- your reputation as a great place to work
- how you package your products
- your return policy
- a customer service experience
- your social responsibility policy
- and much more!
Anything the general public could possibly see or discover about your company has potential to impact your brand.
That’s why brand strategy is so important.
Your brand strategy defines the right approach and the long-term plan for how your business can shape your brand in order to meet your goals.
Your brand strategy is the blueprint that underlies everything that can impact your brand–which we have already established is a lot! It takes into account who you are as a company, who your customers are and what they care about and what your competitors are doing.
The goal is to define a strong and creative identity that is true to your identity as a brand, that resonates deeply with your customers and that stands our from the competition. That’s the sweet spot!
Not sure if you need help? Check out 15 Signs That You Need a Better Brand Strategy to learn more or contact me today to get started building your brand.