Take your brand strategy from slide deck to real life

So you’ve invested lots of time and money developing your brand strategy.

You’re clear on your brand’s vision and values. Big tick.

You’ve defined what makes you special and unique in your value proposition and why your customers should believe this.

Great!

But what comes next? 

A brand strategy shouldn’t stay buried in a slide deck, but unfortunately this is where many businesses hit a snag. I’m here to offer some practical advice on how you can lift your brand off the page and take it to the world.

For context’s sake, let’s start with why a brand strategy is important.

When you look closely, there’s rarely any difference between competing products or services in a category these days. Guaranteeing that something you sell is 100% unique is pretty much impossible, and even if it is rather innovative, you’ll have competition snapping at your heels in no time.

So unless you’ve managed to successfully develop and patent your own IP, one of the only ways to create (and maintain) differentiation is by crafting a brand that is really something special. Not only that, you’ll need to feed, nourish and evolve it over time so it continues to thrive.

Everywhere your brand exists is an opportunity.

Bit by bit, brands are built in peoples’ minds through cumulative experiences over a period of time.

With that in mind, start by listing every single interaction someone might have with your business or product, and where as well as when this might take place. There’s the obvious, like your social media presence, website, email newsletter or packaging. But what about the not-so-obvious?

It could be the help tips that pop up in your app. 

The price tags on your product. 

The templated emails your customer service team sends out. 

The invoices you send to send to clients. 

The contracts you send to suppliers. 

The packing slip you pop in your delivery box (heck, even the delivery box itself).

The more you think about it, the more you’ll realise there are endless places and opportunities for your brand to shine through. And every interaction your customers have with you, be they big or inconsequential, will leave a lasting impression - so make it count. 

Be consistent, not formulaic. 

For your brand to be memorable, there needs to be consistency. Certain cues need to be the same so that people can connect the dots, and any activity should reflect your unique value proposition.

But it’s important to realise that consistency ≠ templated. Predictable Instagram posts, formulaic copy and tired old marketing gimmicks repeated over and over are more likely to repel your audience than keep them keen.

So by all means, keep your font the same across everything and ensure your tone of voice is consistent, but don’t be afraid to push the boundaries creatively within different channels and contexts.

Tell a consistent story inside and outside your business.

Credibility comes when you do what you say you will. You live up to the promises you make, and the expectations you set. That counts inside your organisation as much as out.

Think back to the values you’ve set out and consider how these can be reflected in everything from your recruitment and onboarding process, to how you reward employees and celebrate achievements. 

For example, if one of your values is sustainability, how does this manifest within your organisation? It could be that you have policies that limit printing, or that branded reusable coffee cups are provided to new starters to discourage waste.

Could it also be that employees are given a paid day’s leave every few months to volunteer for a sustainability cause? Or could it be that as a leader, you make a conscious choice not to work with clients who operate in an unsustainable way?

Championing your brand to those within your company goes beyond sticking your logo above reception and painting the walls a lovely shade of [insert style guide colour here]. It needs to be baked into your employee experience, and indeed the way you do business at every step of the game. 

Got a brand that could do with a little oxygen? We’d love to help! Get in touch for a chat.