5 Core Steps to Building a Business Brand Strategy

Every business has a brand image attached to it, but the work that goes on before that brand image is launched is critical to long term success. The role of the business owner or brand manager is to determine what you want your brand image to be, and then define a strategy to make the brand image a reality.

Following are five core steps to help you get started with a strategic plan to build a brand for your business. These are certainly not the only steps to brand-building, but they are at the heart of developing any brand strategy. Read my 5 Rules of Branding post to learn the steps you should take to build your brand after you’ve developed your brand strategy.

1. Research the market.

Before you can begin thinking about your own brand, you need to understand the state of the market in which your business operates. Until you understand the existing market, you can’t fully define where you want your brand to be positioned within that market. Take the time to investigate the market, your competition, threats and opportunities. Then sit down and evaluate where your business fits in the existing market and where you want it to fit going forward. That’s your business’ position in the market. Once you know your position, you can define a brand message that accurately reflects that position.

2. Define your primary brand message.

Ask yourself how you want your business to be perceived by customers. The answer to that question determines the goal of your primary brand message. Next, you need to map out the steps to get to that goal. How do you need to present your business through marketing communications, employee communications, customer service, etc. to gain the reputation that will lead you to reaching your branding goal? Outline the tactics you need to take to build that reputation and the messages that will help you develop that reputation, and your brand image will grow organically in the minds of consumers.

3. Consider long term objectives up front.

A dangerous error that is commonly made in the early stages of defining a branding strategy relates to being too short-sighted in outlining your goals. Take into account not just short term goals but also long-term, stretch goals as you develop your brand strategy. For example, don’t choose a brand name for your business or product that doesn’t allow for future growth to various target audiences. While a new company may only cater to female employees in the beginning, that strategy could change dramatically as the business grows. The Women’s Business might not be the right name for a company ten years down the road.

4. Be consistent.

Strive to develop a brand strategy that allows you to be consistent in all of your communications and business touch points. An inconsistent message from one day to the next or one department to another can destroy all the work you’ve done to develop your brand image. From the representation of your logo and the colors used in your printed materials, to the way employees speak with customers, each part of your business needs to accurately communicate your brand strategy. Integrate the need for consistency in all your brand development efforts and make it a key part of your overall brand strategy.

5. Don’t give up.

Creating a brand takes time. You need to be relentless in building your brand image and presence in the market. That means you have to be persistent in communicating your brand at every opportunity. Get ready to commit to developing your brand for the long haul and be prepared retool your brand strategy to meet the changing needs of the market.

Image: Flickr

Susan Gunelius

Susan Gunelius is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc. and Founder & Editor in Chief of an award-winning blog, WomenOnBusiness.com. She is a 25-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored 10 books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.