How to develop a brand strategy?

A brand strategy is developed in six steps: market and customer research, choosing a positioning, writing the value proposition, setting communication rules, selecting channels and defining metrics. The result is a short document the team and contractors use to make decisions.

What is a brand strategy?

A brand strategy is a long-term plan for how a company wants customers to see it. It records the target audience, positioning, brand promise, tone of voice and channels. The document answers one question: why does a customer choose you over similar offers?

The brand strategy is part of the marketing strategy. The marketing strategy is broader and also covers pricing, sales channels, budget and a month-by-month plan.

What are the elements of a brand strategy?

• Target audience: segments, customer jobs, who makes the buying decision.
• Positioning: where the brand stands against competitors. The options are covered in 8 brand positioning strategies.
• Value proposition: what the customer gets and what proves it.
• Brand platform: mission, values, personality, promise.
• Communication: tone, key messages, things you never say.
• Channels and metrics: where the brand meets customers and how results are measured.

How do you develop a brand strategy step by step?

1. Research. Interview 5–10 customers, survey the sales team, review feedback and competitor websites.
2. Segmentation. Choose one or two priority segments where the company makes its money.
3. Positioning. One sentence: for whom, which problem we solve, what proves it.
4. Platform and tone. Values, personality and brand vocabulary.
5. Visual system. Logo, colours, typefaces and usage rules.
6. Rollout plan. Website, social media, ads, packaging, sales scripts.

The test is simple. Show the positioning statement to three customers and ask whether they recognise the company. If the answers differ, refine the wording.

What goes into the brand strategy document?

A single template keeps it practical:

• a profile of one or two segments with customer quotes;
• a map of competitors and their promises;
• the positioning statement with three pieces of evidence;
• brand values and personality with examples of phrases that fit and phrases that do not;
• key messages for the website, ads and sales team;
• metrics and review dates.

The document goes to the designer, copywriter, ad agency and head of sales. Each of them should find the answer to their question without another meeting.

What mistakes are the most common?

• the strategy is written from management’s gut feeling, with no customer conversations;
• the brand promise has nothing to back it up: no case studies, reviews or certificates;
• positioning changes every six months with each new campaign;
• the document runs to 60 pages and nobody reads it.

A working strategy fits on 2–5 pages. A new sales manager can learn it in ten minutes.

Who takes part in developing a brand strategy?

On the company side: the owner or managing director, the head of sales and one or two managers who talk to customers every day. On the agency side: a strategist, a marketing analyst, a copywriter and a designer. The owner is needed at two points: at the start, when goals are set, and when the positioning is approved. The team handles the rest to an agreed plan.

How do you measure the results of a brand strategy?

Track branded search trends in Search Console and Google Trends, the share of direct visits in GA4, repeat purchases and average order value. For B2B, record in the CRM how each customer heard about the company. The first shifts in branded demand usually appear after several months of consistent communication.

An example of end-to-end work from our portfolio: for a motorbike taxi service in Istanbul we ran market research and a SWOT analysis, defined the positioning, and developed the creative concept and ad campaign.

FAQ

How long does it take to develop a brand strategy?

It depends on the number of interviews, segments and markets. We give a stage-by-stage plan after an intro meeting and a review of the data available.

What is the difference between a brand strategy and a marketing strategy?

A brand strategy defines how the company is perceived: audience, positioning, tone. A marketing strategy adds pricing, sales channels, budget and a plan by period.

Does a small business need a brand strategy?

Yes, in a short form: a segment, a one-sentence positioning, evidence and tone. That is enough for the website, ads and sales team to speak with one voice.

When should a brand strategy change?

When entering a new market, changing the product or audience, or after a merger. Switching ad agencies alone is no reason to change it.

What does the company need to provide?

Access to sales data and the CRM, contacts of a few customers for interviews, two or three meetings with the managing director and existing brand materials.

Sources

• Google Trends