How to build a brand strategy from 0-1: a beginning guide
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Reminder: brand strategy should be done WITH your head of product vs presented to them.
This creates buy-in and alignment on why this is important.
This creates buy-in and alignment on why this is important.
Brand strategy is NOT a marketing plan.
Brand strategy is WHY you will win.
Marketing plan is HOW: levers you will pull to hit your goals.
Brand strategy is WHY you will win.
Marketing plan is HOW: levers you will pull to hit your goals.
Step 1: review competitive landscape
Do tear downs.
Understand leading value props.
Interview users of your competition to understand what’s working, what’s not.
Know who the players are and where they play vs where you will play.
Do tear downs.
Understand leading value props.
Interview users of your competition to understand what’s working, what’s not.
Know who the players are and where they play vs where you will play.
Step 1b: create your “Only” statement
Complete this sentence
We are the only brand that does x, y and/ or z.
Are you better, faster, cheaper? What makes you different and how would you say that efficiently.
Complete this sentence
We are the only brand that does x, y and/ or z.
Are you better, faster, cheaper? What makes you different and how would you say that efficiently.
Step 2: identity customer segments
Data helps here. If you already have a product, know who is already a purchaser and why.
Otherwise, create user personas of ideal customers.
Have fun! How do they get news? What social accounts do they follow? What shows are they watching?
Data helps here. If you already have a product, know who is already a purchaser and why.
Otherwise, create user personas of ideal customers.
Have fun! How do they get news? What social accounts do they follow? What shows are they watching?
Step 3: use 1 & 2 to create your brand pyramid
A brand pyramid helps you to think about the core essence / brand sentiment.
How do you want to make someone feel.
A brand pyramid helps you to think about the core essence / brand sentiment.
How do you want to make someone feel.
Step 4: bring that feeling to life - TONE
Create your voice & tone of your brand
Use statements like: We are this, not this
Ex: we are bold, not judgemental
Ex: we are funny, not crass
Pull together examples of social captions, welcome email and product copy for North Star.
Create your voice & tone of your brand
Use statements like: We are this, not this
Ex: we are bold, not judgemental
Ex: we are funny, not crass
Pull together examples of social captions, welcome email and product copy for North Star.
Step 5: bring that feeling to life - VISUAL
Pull inspirational photos to guide a designer to create 3 mood boards for tour brand to react to. Use the brand pyramid to guide you.
Refine and get to your MVP quickly. Don’t obsess over every pixel in the beginning.
Pull inspirational photos to guide a designer to create 3 mood boards for tour brand to react to. Use the brand pyramid to guide you.
Refine and get to your MVP quickly. Don’t obsess over every pixel in the beginning.
Step 6: Learn and Iterate
A brand is a living thing. Just like a human it learns and grows as new pieces of information from customers, product and market.
A brand is a living thing. Just like a human it learns and grows as new pieces of information from customers, product and market.
Let me know if this is helpful!
Just wanted to share how I’ve helped educate startups on the 0-1 of brand building in a shorter tweet form.
Next up: marketing plan 101
Just wanted to share how I’ve helped educate startups on the 0-1 of brand building in a shorter tweet form.
Next up: marketing plan 101
