How to create a brand strategy blueprint

This “how to create a brand strategy blueprint” will be helpful for both an established brand that you want to take to the next level and to establish a new brand as a small business owner. It’s no secret that having a strong, well-defined brand is essential for any business. But how do you go about creating a brand from first principles?

With this “Brand strategy blueprint”, I’ll show you the best way in simple steps. The brand blueprint has everything covered. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get started on building a successful brand right now.

In this brand strategy blueprint issue:

• Define Your Brand
• Design Your Brand Visual Identity
• Develop Your Brand Message
• Create Content That Supports Your Brand Identity
• Build Relationships With Influencers
• Utilize Paid Advertising
• Track and Measure Results
• Conclusion

Define Your Brand

The “brand strategy blueprint” starts with the strategic brand identity to define your brand, which is essential to the success of any business.  In my experience, strategic brand identity is often ignored and/or confused with visual identity. So what is a strategic brand identity?

Strategic brand identity

There are two types of brand identity. The strategic brand identity consists of core brand associations, mission, vision (or combined into a purpose statement) and values. It’s important to take the time to determine your strategic brand identity because this provides long-term direction for everyone involved with your brand.

Brand associations

Really spend time on this. These are the 1 to max 3 core associations that define your brand.  These are the associations that are always part of your brand and innate to all your offerings.

For example, three brands can sell cars, but each will have different associations attached, like safety, driving pleasure and luxury. The core associations are baked into the products and services.

Mission, vision or purpose

In addition, a vision, mission or purpose are added to create a strong foundation for your company.  The meanings of vision and mission are different in the US and the UK. In the UK and countries following the UK system, your vision statement should be an aspirational long-term goal that outlines where you want to go and why you exist as an organisation.

The book Start with why , one of the best brand strategy books, will open your mind in this regard. The mission should be a statement that describes how you will accomplish your vision.

For those in the US or following the US system, it’s just the other way around. The mission comes first, and is the long-term goal and why the organisation exists, and the vision details how to achieve this.

Keep this in mind when reading books that are by authors from different parts of the world. This confusion is one of the reasons why I prefer to develop a purpose statement instead of a vision and mission.

Brand values

Finally, your core values are beliefs or principles that guide how your business operates and interacts with customers. Yes, the vision, mission, or purpose statement, and brand values are still relevant and important.

Ideal consumer

Once these elements have been established, it’s essential to understand who makes up your target market or ideal customer base. This involves researching potential customers and understanding their needs, wants, interests, demographics, etc., so you can tailor content specifically for them when creating marketing materials or campaigns to improve the customer experience.

Additionally, this helps define what sets you apart from competitors by showcasing unique features about your product/service offering, further solidifying brand awareness among consumers, and can lead to a favourable brand image. In my experience, nothing is more important than understanding your customers.

Market research is how you gain insight into your target audience and is the best way to understand your customer.

Brand personality

I find myself relying on brand personality as a differentiator to a greater extent as brands become homogenous. The few things technology can’t yet trump humans on are personality, relationships, and creativity – even though DALL·E can create realistic images and even art based on input.

Focusing on these things is how we can still differentiate brands to create memorable brands.

Brand positioning

Now that you have defined your brand strategic identity, purpose, ideal consumer and brand personality you can master brand positioning. Brand positioning is about communicating your 1 to 3 max core brand associations to your ideal audience to position your brand in their minds relative to competitors. This is done with your brand message which must include your brand visual identity or brand elements. These are discussed below, after highlighting the importance of context.

Context

I include this in all my university classes, understanding current trends within your brand’s industry allows businesses to stay ahead of the competition while still staying true to their own identity – something many brands often overlook when trying to establish themselves online or offline presence.

Keeping track of relevant news stories and developments keeps followers engaged and provides valuable insight into what works best for specific audiences, allowing companies to make more informed decisions when crafting content strategy plans moving forward.

A simple dashboard based on PESTEL and OT of the SWOT analysis can do. Only once you clearly understand your brand’s strategic identity is it time to start designing the visual identity that will represent it. This is the next step in the “brand strategy blueprint.”

Design your brand’s visual identity

Your brand visual identity is essential in establishing yourself within the marketplace; the visual elements include everything from logo design and colour palette selection down to font choice and tone of voice brand voice used in messaging across various channels (e-mail newsletters/ social media posts).

These components help shape consumer perception of who they think “you” are as a brand – ensuring they align with overall branding goals is paramount.

Using brand elements to design a brand visual identity is essential in creating a successful business. It must incorporate your brand’s personality and values and create an image that resonates with customers. In addition, a strong visual identity can help differentiate you from competitors and build trust with potential customers.

Brand name

The first step in designing your brand’s visual identity is to choose a brand name for your business or product. This should reflect your brand’s values and speak to the target audience you are trying to reach.

Colour palette

Choosing colours for your brand is another critical element of its visual identity. Your colour palette should be consistent across all marketing materials, including website design, print collateral, packaging design, etc. So, selecting colours to reflect the tone of voice you want to be associated with your brand is essential. Colour psychology fascinates me.

Typography

Selecting fonts for text elements such as headlines and body copy will also help set the tone for how people perceive your brand visually. Choose fonts depending on what best fits your branding efforts’ overall look and feel and are easy to read – is your brand personality sophisticated or playful?

Imagery

Images used throughout various marketing materials should be carefully chosen based on their ability to evoke emotion while staying true to the core message behind the visuals (i.e., lifestyle images vs. stock photography).

Brand tone of voice

Creating one unique voice for the content produced by or about the company can go a long way towards establishing credibility among potential customers who may have yet to hear about them before seeing/hearing them online or offline. Logos are often one of the most recognisable aspects of any brand; they serve as symbols representing companies in physical form (on products) and digital form (on websites).

As such, logo designs must be crafted carefully to accurately portray what makes up each organisation’s mission statement/brand promise while remaining aesthetically pleasing enough to capture attention quickly without becoming too busy looking when scaled down into smaller sizes (like social media profile pictures).

Additionally, graphic design elements like icons can add flair when used appropriately within logos or other areas where visuals need additional “pop.” As you can see, I covered a lot before getting to the logo. Yet, this is often where people start. For me, the logo must represent what was discussed above – personality, values, tone of voice, etc.

Professional stationery designed specifically around one’s branding efforts is still necessary to project professionalism when sending out letters, postcards, etc.; yes, it still happens :). Likewise, high-quality business cards printed professionally are still handy for sharing contact information during face-to-face meetings and networking events.

I only made the mistake of attending a conference without taking business cards once. Designing a strong visual identity is essential for communicating your brand message. With the right visuals, you can create an impactful and memorable impression that will help establish your brand in the minds of consumers.

So now, let’s look at how to develop a cohesive and compelling brand message. An underutilised brand element of the “brand strategy blueprint” is sound or sonic branding.

Develop your brand message

Every single piece of communication should communicate the value of your product or service, and it should be easy to understand and remember. Less is more when it comes to brand messaging. Don’t underestimate the importance of weaving your value proposition into your brand story.

The first step in creating a compelling brand message is identifying your target audience. Knowing who you’re speaking to will help you craft a message that resonates with them. Once you know your target audience, you can just think about what they need from your product or service and how it can solve their problems. Addressing “pain points” will give you the foundation of a compelling message that speaks directly to them.

When writing out your brand message, ensure it’s clear and concise so everyone can easily understand it. Avoid using industry jargon or technical terms, as this may confuse people instead of helping them understand what makes your product unique. Because the bulk of my writing is academic writing, when I do client work or this blog, I need to remind myself often about what Donald Miller says: “if you confuse, you lose”.

So, instead, focus on conveying the benefits of using your product or service in simple language that anyone can relate to. It is also essential to consider how different channels affect how people receive and interpret brand messages. For example, shorter messages work better on social media, while longer-form content works better on websites or blogs where readers can digest information at their own pace.

Finally, make sure whatever channel you use fits with the content you want to share with potential customers. Hence, they get a consistent experience no matter where they interact with your brand, online or offline. This builds customer loyalty.

Test out different versions of messaging until you find one that resonates best with customers. This could mean running A/B tests on website copy or experimenting with email subject lines. Or trying out different visuals for ads across various platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The Ads Manager tools available today make testing more accessible than ever before.

Once you clearly understand your brand message, it’s time to create content to support and communicate this message to your target audience.

Let’s get into the next steps of the “brand strategy blueprint”.

Create content that supports your brand identity

Content creation is an integral part of any brand’s identity. It helps to establish a connection with your target audience and can be used to communicate the values and mission of your business effectively. Therefore, when creating content, it’s essential to ensure that it supports your brand identity and speaks directly to your target audience in an engaging way.

To paraphrase Mike Tyson, this sounds perfect until reality hits the theory in the teeth.

But when crafting content for your brand, start by identifying what type of content will best resonate with your target market. Consider the topics they are interested in and their preferred format (blog posts, videos, podcasts). Once you have identified the type of content that works best for them, plan how often you post new material on each platform. This could include weekly blog posts, monthly video updates about recent developments within the company, or industry news related to what you do.

In addition to providing helpful information through written or visual media formats, consider using social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram to connect with customers on a more personal level. For example, share stories from behind the scenes at work events or customer success stories. This kind of storytelling can help build relationships between customers and brands while highlighting critical aspects of who you are as a business.

I now believe that storytelling is underrated. My content marketing strategy this year is to start with long-form content (blog posts), develop a video script, and then slice content fries from the potato for social media.

The biggest challenge with content marketing is the time it requires. We must use technology to compete effectively and have a life. I could share some of the technology I use in another post since I have tested many programs over the years.

Learning from my clients, I have experienced that doing less appropriately and consistently is a better strategy. I tried to include all communication platforms for a few weeks before fizzling out. A realistic and sustainable publishing program for you will depend on your resources: people, time, and money.

Creating content that supports your brand identity is critical to connecting with potential customers and driving engagement. Now, let’s explore how building relationships with influencers can help you further strengthen your brand as part of your “brand strategy blueprint” branding strategy.

Build relationships with influencers

I wrote about influencer marketing as an effective way to increase your brand’s visibility online. Influencers have built a following based on their expertise and knowledge, so connecting with them can help you reach new audiences and gain credibility for your business. In addition, employees should also be focused as brand ambassadors.

Identify relevant influencers

I want you to know that identifying relevant influencers in your industry is essential to building relationships with them. You can start by researching who has a large following within your niche and who is respected within the community. Next, look at what content they’re sharing and how often they post – this will give you an idea of whether or not they’d be interested in working with you.

Finally, I started taking note of any existing relationships between other brands and influencers that could benefit the brands I am working on.

Reach out and connect

Once you’ve identified potential influencer partners, it’s time to start reaching out. Personalise each message according to the individual’s interests and focus on creating mutually beneficial partnerships rather than simply asking for free promotions or discounts for yourself.

I saw a book entitled “Never split the difference”, but this is not for me. I believe that both parties should get something out of it. Be sure to provide precise details about what type of collaboration you’re looking for (e.g., sponsored posts) so there’s no confusion down the line.

Establish trust and rapport

Building trust between two people or businesses takes time, but establishing rapport early on can help develop strong relationships with influencers over time. Play the long game. Ensure that communication lines remain open throughout the entire process, from initial contact to post-collaboration follow-up.

This way, everyone feels comfortable expressing their ideas freely without fear of judgement or criticism from either side. This also helps ensure transparency throughout each project, which is essential for working together successfully.

Monitor performance and track results

I don’t know who to credit for “what gets measured gets improved”, but monitoring performance metrics such as engagement rates (likes/comments/shares), website traffic generated from links shared by the influencer(s), and conversions resulting from campaigns, allows you to track progress against goals set before beginning collaborations with these individuals.

This helps identify areas where improvements may need to be made. In addition, I always use analytics tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or Facebook Insights. This is to understand better how successful campaigns have been, which allows for more informed decisions when considering future collaborations. Building relationships with influencers is an essential part of any successful brand strategy.

By connecting and engaging with the right people, you can leverage their reach to grow your audience and maximise visibility. Now, let’s look at how paid advertising can help take your brand to the next level. And this brings us to the next part of the “brand strategy blueprint”.

Utilise paid advertising

Paid advertising is a great way for brand owners to reach more people with your message and drive traffic to your website or storefront. It can be an effective tool for businesses of all sizes, but it’s essential to understand the basics before investing in paid campaigns.

First, decide which platform you want to use for your campaign. Popular options include Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads, YouTube, and Twitter, but shortly it may include the metaverse. Each platform has its own set of rules and guidelines that you need to follow when creating ads, so please make sure you study them before launching any campaigns.

I have been testing a program where you enter your brand communication info once, and then the program ensures the ads comply with all the platforms mentioned requirements. The only thing the program lacks, in my experience, is a retargeting function. Until this feature has been added, I cannot recommend it.

Once you’ve chosen a platform, create an ad that speaks directly to your target audience using language they can relate to and visuals that will grab their attention. But, of course, visuals and headlines are king and copy queen. Ensure the copy clearly communicates what action users should take after viewing the ad – visiting a website or making a purchase – so they know exactly what steps they need to take next.

When setting up budgets for each campaign, consider how much you are willing to spend per click or impression and how long each campaign should run. You may also want to experiment with different types of targeting. This could include location-based or demographic-based targeting and retargeting.

Narrow down who sees your ads even further based on specific criteria like age group or gender identity, etc. to reach your specific target customer. This will help ensure that only relevant audiences see your ads and increase engagement rates while reducing overall costs associated with running campaigns.

Online advertising has become very expensive, so we need to become smarter to stay profitable. As mentioned, the important thing is to track and measure results. Monitor key metrics such as impressions served, clicks received, and conversions made to determine if the campaign was successful. This data will also provide insight into where improvements need to be made.

There are “free” ways like content marketing and using an email list, but advertising can be an effective way to reach your target audience and build brand awareness. Still, the campaigns have to be effective, and it’s essential to track the results of your campaigns to maximise ROI.

Next, we’ll look at the important step of tracking and measuring those results.

Track and measure results

After laying a strong brand foundation, it is essential for business owners to track and measure the performance of their marketing efforts to ensure they are getting the maximum return on investment (ROI).

In addition, knowing how your campaigns perform allows you to make adjustments as needed, ensuring that each drive delivers the desired results.

Tracking and measuring results

The first step in tracking and measuring results is to set up a system that will allow you to monitor your campaigns’ key performance indicators. This could include setting up analytics tools like Google Analytics or using third-party software like Hootsuite or Sprout Social.

There are also more affordable options. Once these systems are in place, tracking key metrics, such as website visits, conversions, leads generated, etc., is essential to see which campaigns are working and which ones need improvement.

Analysing performance

Once you have established a tracking system and gathered data from your campaigns, it’s time to analyse the performance of each one. Start by looking at overall trends across your campaigns – are there any patterns? Are certain types of content more successful than others? What about different channels?

Then drill down into individual campaigns – what worked well and what didn’t? Finally, ensure you note any insights or learnings from this analysis process so they can be applied.

Making adjustments

Once you have identified areas where improvements can be made, it’s time to start adjusting accordingly. This could involve changing tactics within an existing campaign or scrapping it altogether if necessary. It may also mean launching new initiatives based on what has been learned from previous efforts.

If a particular type of content was found to be particularly successful, then consider creating more similar pieces in future campaigns.

Testing and optimising

Finally, once changes have been implemented, it is essential to continue monitoring progress and test different variations against one another to optimise performance even further over time (e.g., A/B testing). By continually refining strategies based on data-driven insights rather than guesswork alone, businesses can maximise ROI from their marketing activities while minimising wasted resources.

Conclusion

Building a brand is no easy feat, but with the right strategy and dedication to your goals, you can create an identity that will make your business stand out from the competition.

If you need help a brand strategist may just be who you need or maybe it’s time to create a Chief Brand Officer position.

By taking the time to define your brand, designing its visual identity elements, developing a strong message, creating content that supports it, building relationships with influencers and utilising paid advertising when necessary – you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful brand.

With this “brand strategy blueprint” in hand and by tracking and measuring results along the way, you’ll have all the tools needed to build a brand that resonates with customers for years to come.

Go on, use this strategy blueprint template to brand like a pro!

Brand for Success brand strategy workshops

If you need more help developing your comprehensive brand strategy, consider our Brand for Success workshops. During the workshop we collaboratively clarify what authentically differentiates your brand and align your marketing once and for all so that you can grow your business and succeed.

FAQ

Q: What is a brand strategy blueprint?

A: A brand strategy blueprint is a roadmap that outlines the step-by-step process of creating a brand strategy. It serves as a comprehensive guide to position your brand effectively in today’s competitive market.

Q: Why is creating a brand strategy important?

A: Developing a brand strategy is crucial as it defines how your brand will be perceived in the market. It helps in creating a clear and solid brand identity, which is the key to successful brand positioning and achieving business goals.

Q: How do I create a brand strategy blueprint?

A: You can create a brand strategy blueprint by outlining your brand story, identifying your target audience, defining your brand’s position, and developing a content strategy. Using a brand strategy blueprint template can also help streamline the process.

Q: What should a pro brand strategy blueprint include?

A: A professional brand strategy blueprint should include a comprehensive brand story, a clear brand position, a solid brand awareness plan, and a detailed content strategy that aligns with your business goals.

Q: What are the key components of a successful brand strategy?

A: A successful brand strategy includes a well-defined brand story, a clear brand positioning, a strong brand awareness plan, and a targeted content strategy that resonates with the target audience.

Q: What is the importance of a brand strategy in marketing?

A: A brand strategy is essential in marketing as it guides all marketing efforts to ensure consistency and alignment with the brand’s positioning and objectives. It helps in creating an effective and cohesive marketing strategy.

Q: How does a brand strategy help in achieving business goals?

A: A well-crafted brand strategy aligns the brand’s positioning with its business goals, which in turn helps in creating a roadmap for achieving those goals by effectively communicating with the target audience.

Q: Can a strong brand strategy help in creating brand awareness?

A: Yes, a strong brand strategy plays a pivotal role in creating brand awareness. It ensures that the brand’s message and identity are effectively communicated to the target audience, leading to increased brand visibility.

Q: What are the key elements to consider when developing a brand strategy?

A: When developing a brand strategy, it’s crucial to consider elements such as understanding the target audience, defining the brand’s unique position, creating a compelling brand story, and aligning the strategy with the overall business goals.

Q: What if I don’t have a brand strategy for my business?

A: If you don’t have a brand strategy, it’s like building a house without a blueprint. Without a strong brand strategy, you can’t effectively position your brand, communicate with your audience, or achieve long-term success in the market.

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