Building a brand?
If you need to create a new brand or rejuvenate a flagging/unsuccessful brand then there is no shortage of articles and advice all saying that you should build you brand but gloss over exactly how!
Simply put – Brand building is the combined result of a well thought-out and carefully delivered brand strategy.
No one has ever built a successful band without having a clear understanding of what that brand stands for, who it speaks to and what it says – the basis for any brand strategy.
So, does a building a brand only mean getting a brand strategy? No, but it’s a great place to start. A good brand strategy isn’t just nice to have, I would argue it is as essential as your business plan or sales targets. If more people could realise the value of a good brand as a physical asset and recognised on the balance sheet – there would be a lot more successful companies (and therefore brands) out there.
Talk to Toast today about your brand
So how do you build a brand by creating a brand strategy?
You build a brand by connecting with your key stakeholders across a range of channels including (but not limited to) print, digital (websites, blogs, SEO, PPC, Inbound), PR, Advertising, Exhibitions, POS… And your brand needs to be aligned and consistent across every single channel. Any deviation or miscommunication can damage your brands messaging and positioning, meaning any chance of building any momentum or stability is impossible. A well-crafted brand strategy document will provide the guidance and confidence to apply your brand values to any channel and achieve both short-term marketing goals while building long-term results for brand and business alike.
So how do you create a brand strategy?
There are a number of ways, here at Toast if we are asked to help create one, we start with a branding workshop to identify exactly what stakeholders are involved, what the key persona’s are and how they relate to services and products, Look & feel, positioning and a host of other brand fundamentals. Once identified these can then be challenged, developed and finally agreed. The result is a working document that acts as a benchmark or foundation for the brand to grow from. If you are interested in finding out more about our branding workshops then check this post out.
So if I have a brand strategy
You now have the map or plan of what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it, now it’s a case of applying it. As with any plan, a brand strategy is only truly effective if it is delivered effectively and consistently, this is the true value of the branding working document. The working document acts as a constant reminder of brand values and core branding elements, whatever the channel or communication project. If you would like to know more about our brand workshops and creating a branding strategy and working document, talk to us today.
