Though it might not seem like it, brand strategy is one of those elements that needs to be revisited certain times a year. Many businesses make the mistake of creating an overall brand strategy once…but never visiting it again.
But as businesses grow and change, their brand must evolve with them. The best times to reevaluate brand strategy: The first time is the end of the year/beginning of a new year, and the second is summer. Yes, that’s correct, summer. It tends to be a slower time for business, which makes it a great opportunity to create a marketing plan to forge ahead with the latter half of the year.
But what exactly is a brand strategy?
You might hear the term often, but not quite understand it really entails. The first thing to establish? It goes far beyond a simple logo and graphics. It’s deeper than that, it’s your mission and vision and ultimately how an audience truly perceives your company – it is really what your company identity is rooted in. You’ve heard the saying, “your vibe attracts your tribe”? That’s your brand strategy. It’s telling a story that attracts your ideal client.
A great brand strategy is when a business can clearly communicate its value, and differentiate itself. It cultivates roots, and it is why your customers are attracted to you and ultimately loyal to you.
What makes a good brand strategy?
Knowing your audience
Your focal point in this case is answering the fundamental question: Who are you trying to attract? That answer will drive all of your marketing, so give it substantial thought. Perhaps you have gained new information that sheds further insight on who your ideal client is. Or maybe you now know who you want to work with, and want to tweak your buyer persona accordingly. This will drive strategy going forward, so it is incredibly important to identify the ultimate target of your marketing efforts.
Competitive Analysis
Summer is a good time to see what the rest of the market is doing, and how you measure up against that. What seems to be working well for them, and how can you integrate that into your business? Or maybe there are certain things your business excels at, while others struggle. Tap into that knowledge, and use it to your advantage.
Give your website a refresh, and ensure that the messaging is consistent with your overall brand strategy. Audit accordingly, and remove images that may not fit, or look at ways to improve the aesthetic appeal of your site (i.e. look at fonts, and colors). Curate new images to use for your website and content.
Set a goal, and a budget
Summer is also a good time to set resolutions. What do you want to accomplish in the next six months? Is it to increase content production, such as blogging? If that is case, it might be worth hiring a content strategist and/or SEO specialist to get the ball rolling. Identify your business needs, and start budgeting so that you are able to forge ahead with full force.
Use the summer as a catapult of sorts. Target what needs improvement, what is working well and where the gaps are in your brand strategy during this time as it will help drive success the rest of the year.
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