Brand strategy

[Spaceonwhite]

I've been a brand and identity designer for many years and I have been lucky to work on projects for many fortune 500 companies as well as many small start-up companies and everything in between. I'm now in the process of expanding my offering by going into brand strategy rather than just the development of identity systems.

The large companies I've worked for have always understood the benefit of brand strategy but I'm amazed that in conducting research into the strategy segment on this forum that 'brand strategy' doesn't come up. My question is, as business owners what is the reason for this? Is it a lack of knowledge? Cost barriers? Having worked in the creative industries for over 15 years, I see constant malpractice from design companies who are great at producing 'pretty' design work but who do not setup the solid foundations of a brand through a comprehensive brand strategy framework.

90% of the clients who come to me just want a logo and a website without understanding the importance of brand substance (purpose, vision, mission, values), positioning (audience, competitors, differentiation), Personality & Voice, Core messaging, Story telling, & naming.

Without the above, companies will likely eventually fail or need to compete on offers and cost and struggle to differentiate themselves in the market place. They'll also spend excess money on marketing and design that is not connecting strongly with their audience.

I'm trying to understand the barriers and struggles in relation to branding for funded start-ups all the way through to companies up to £20m turnover. I understand that for many small companies, brand strategy cost is a barrier but I've dealt with several million pound + companies who just want a logo and website!

Thanks in advance.

 

[fisicx]

Hi @Spaceonwhite - people need to see the benefit. You need to provide numbers that show having a branding strategy will increase profits by X%.

Bob the builder doesn’t need personality and voice. And my barber doesn’t need vision or values.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Small business people are often averse to corporate speak. They don't want brand strategy, they want more sales.

Or simplistically, they want to be well recognised

At a base level, if you ask small businesses what marketing us 95% will respond with promotion.

 

[Spaceonwhite]

Small business people are often averse to corporate speak. They don't want brand strategy, they want more sales.

Or simplistically, they want to be well recognised

At a base level, if you ask small businesses what marketing us 95% will respond with promotion.

Thanks for the reply, I really value your thoughts. I know that small businesses will not understand the benefits and do not have the funds to be spending £10K+ on brand strategy. I understand that from being in the creative industries for a long time and from research into my customer persona. The truth is that a strong brand strategy will 100% drive much stronger sales and from my research and experience in the marketplace, most do not understand what brand strategy is and see it as corporate speak, when it truly is not.

This is an issue of the creative industries as the 'pretty' is always sold. It's a malpractice I see every day and it annoys me as a designer. I see money thrown into marketing that's just wasted as there's no solid foundations. Purpose, Mission, Vision, Values are seen as 'corporate speak', because so many brand companies pay lip service to this, which mean most of them produced are crap and just get forgotten about. Their true value, for any business no matter how big or small is very powerful. Again it's a problem of too many creatives not delivering properly on these. This plus a comprehensive framework to analyse customer persona, market positioning, brand archetypes, differentiation, story and tone of voice are backbone of why you always buy one brand over another and are loyal to brands. Just selling on what you do is 1980's selling and I see it all the time due to the barriers of strategy.

Unless you have a truly unique feature in the market, you'll be stuck trying to fight off competitors on price and features, or they'll overtake you as they invest is brand strategy. I think the word 'strategy' invokes certain connotations of 'corporate speak', which is OK if that fits with my target audience. Selling strategy on why it matters and what it can achieve is definitely key as that touches on customers pain points, rather than selling it on what it is.
ROI needs to be shown.

 

[Shopclicks]

I'm trying to understand the barriers and struggles in relation to branding for funded start-ups all the way through to companies up to £20m turnover. I understand that for many small companies, brand strategy cost is a barrier but I've dealt with several million pound + companies who just want a logo and website!

Having worked with brand & digital strategists, I can tell you that the vast majority have no idea how to create an effective strategy. It's amazing what you can get away with, when the client has no idea what they need. I now put them into the same basket as SEO experts (a newish science built on the ability to extract money from businesses that don't know better).

Not saying you are in that basket. But you need to prove (show evidence), that what you do adds value.

If I were you, rather than reaching out to businesses direct, I'd be networking with freelance and agency designers/developers who already have a foot in the door. Prove to them that your strategies can add value and let them do your marketing for you. Give them something their clients will thank them for.

90% of the clients who come to me just want a logo and a website without understanding the importance of brand substance (purpose, vision, mission, values), positioning (audience, competitors, differentiation), Personality & Voice, Core messaging, Story telling, & naming.

How did you learn to get all of this right for 100% of your clients?

 

[The Byre]

90% of the clients who come to me just want a logo and a website without understanding the importance of brand substance (purpose, vision, mission, values), positioning (audience, competitors, differentiation), Personality & Voice, Core messaging, Story telling, & naming.

Without the above, companies will likely eventually fail or need to compete on offers and cost and struggle to differentiate themselves in the market place. They'll also spend excess money on marketing and design that is not connecting strongly with their audience.

I absolutely agree with the above and totally disagree with my fellow form 'elders' - if I may call them that!

Hi @Spaceonwhite - people need to see the benefit. You need to provide numbers that show having a branding strategy will increase profits by X%.

That bit is OK and correct - SME people need to see real figures!

Bob the builder doesn’t need personality and voice. And my barber doesn’t need vision or values.

But this bit is wrong (IMO) because (a) they really have jobs and not businesses - and (b) they already HAVE a personality and a voice. That's Bob and he builds houses and that's Fred and he cuts hair and ears. That's identity and story all rolled up in one.

The two books on the subject I recommend are Fans, Not Customers by Vernon Hill and You're Gonna Need a Bigger Story! by Houston Howard. (The second is about creating a fan base for films but in reality it is singing the same song - whether film or company, you need a fanbase!

Most first-time startups fail either because they do not have a fanbase or there is no real demand for whatever it is that they are selling. And often it is a deadly combination of both of those things!

If Talor Swift or Rammstein wants to sell their concert tours and follow-up concert BluRays, they can because they both have huge global fanbases. But then, so too have the likes of Apple, VW and Coca-Cola.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Thanks for the reply, I really value your thoughts. I know that small businesses will not understand the benefits and do not have the funds to be spending £10K+ on brand strategy. I understand that from being in the creative industries for a long time and from research into my customer persona. The truth is that a strong brand strategy will 100% drive much stronger sales and from my research and experience in the marketplace, most do not understand what brand strategy is and see it as corporate speak, when it truly is not.

This is an issue of the creative industries as the 'pretty' is always sold. It's a malpractice I see every day and it annoys me as a designer. I see money thrown into marketing that's just wasted as there's no solid foundations. Purpose, Mission, Vision, Values are seen as 'corporate speak', because so many brand companies pay lip service to this, which mean most of them produced are crap and just get forgotten about. Their true value, for any business no matter how big or small is very powerful. Again it's a problem of too many creatives not delivering properly on these. This plus a comprehensive framework to analyse customer persona, market positioning, brand archetypes, differentiation, story and tone of voice are backbone of why you always buy one brand over another and are loyal to brands. Just selling on what you do is 1980's selling and I see it all the time due to the barriers of strategy.

Unless you have a truly unique feature in the market, you'll be stuck trying to fight off competitors on price and features, or they'll overtake you as they invest is brand strategy. I think the word 'strategy' invokes certain connotations of 'corporate speak', which is OK if that fits with my target audience. Selling strategy on why it matters and what it can achieve is definitely key as that touches on customers pain points, rather than selling it on what it is.
ROI needs to be shown.

TBH, bearing in mind that you are essentially in marketing, I'm gobsmacked!

3 long paragraphs of gobbledygook and corporate speak is absolutely guaranteed to put any small business owner off.

They don't want brand strategy, they want customers/prospects to recognise who/what they are.

They don't need a truly unique feature, they need a reason why customers come to them.

I respectfully (I have to say respectfully due to a prompt on my screen) you move away from big business and get down with the OMBs if that's the crowd you want to be in.

 

[Spaceonwhite]

Having worked with brand & digital strategists, I can tell you that the vast majority have no idea how to create an effective strategy. It's amazing what you can get away with, when the client has no idea what they need. I now put them into the same basket as SEO experts (a newish science built on the ability to extract money from businesses that don't know better).

Not saying you are in that basket. But you need to prove (show evidence), that what you do adds value.

If I were you, rather than reaching out to businesses direct, I'd be networking with freelance and agency designers/developers who already have a foot in the door. Prove to them that your strategies can add value and let them do your marketing for you. Give them something their clients will thank them for.


How did you learn to get all of this right for 100% of your clients?

Thanks for your reply Shopclicks. I'm reaching out to businesses owners as this is research into my customer persona development, looking at issues and pain points. I have a good network of design and marketing agencies thankfully, but white labelling my services isn't an approach I'm looking to undertake initially. I have a proven comprehensive brand strategy framework in place and the experience of developing identity systems for start-ups and fortune 500 companies. But I'm not the hero in the story, my customer is, I'm just the guide!

 

[Spaceonwhite]

TBH, bearing in mind that you are essentially in marketing, I'm gobsmacked!

3 long paragraphs of gobbledygook and corporate speak is absolutely guaranteed to put any small business owner off.

They don't want brand strategy, they want customers/prospects to recognise who/what they are.

They don't need a truly unique feature, they need a reason why customers come to them.

I respectfully (I have to say respectfully due to a prompt on my screen) you move away from big business and get down with the OMBs if that's the crowd you want to be in.

Mark, I apologies if you took my reply as condescending to small business owners, it was not meant that way. I am a small business owner and I understand the challenges. I also understand that there are cost barriers which is why not everyone can be a customer.

They don't want brand strategy, they want customers/prospects to recognise who/what they are

This is an essential part of brand strategy.
"They don't need a truly unique feature, they need a reason why customers come to them"
As is this.
I think the issue is a lack of understand what brand strategy is. I'm not trying to be condescending in saying this as it's taken me a long time to learn this!

 

[Spaceonwhite]

I wholeheartedly agree with your observation about the lack of focus on brand strategy, especially among small to medium-sized businesses. As a representative of a small business myself, I can affirm that the issue is indeed far more complex than it appears on the surface.

From my experience, a significant portion of the problem stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the concept and benefits of branding. This is not necessarily due to ignorance, but more likely a result of having to juggle a myriad of other pressing issues that small businesses typically face.

Cost is another substantial barrier. While branding is undeniably an investment that can yield substantial returns in the long run, many small businesses operate on tight budgets, especially in the initial stages. Allocating a significant portion of the limited resources to branding, which may not produce immediate tangible results, can be a tough sell. This is especially true when other more urgent costs, such as inventory, wages, and rent, are clamoring for attention.

The issue of cost is also compounded by the fact that, as you rightly pointed out, many design companies are more interested in churning out aesthetically pleasing designs than in laying the foundations for a solid brand strategy. This often leaves businesses with a hefty bill but without the strategic guidance they need to effectively use their new design assets.

Furthermore, it's important to consider that the physical and mental investment required for branding is another significant challenge. Business owners are often already stretched thin, juggling various responsibilities from operations to sales, customer service, and more. Adding the development and execution of a comprehensive brand strategy into an already packed schedule can seem daunting, if not impossible.

Furthermore, branding isn't just a one-off task; it requires consistent attention and maintenance to remain effective and relevant. This means that it's not just a matter of finding time to set up a brand strategy, but also dedicating ongoing resources to manage and adapt it over time.

Assigning these responsibilities to an existing employee can be a potential solution, but it presents its own set of challenges. Not all employees will have the necessary knowledge or skills to handle branding effectively. Furthermore, just like the business owner, they likely have their own set of tasks and responsibilities. Adding brand strategy to their plate could lead to burnout, or at the very least, a decrease in the quality of their work in other areas.

In sum, the barriers to effective branding for small to medium-sized businesses are multifaceted, encompassing not just financial constraints, but also time, knowledge, and human resources considerations.

This is really solid and insightful feedback. Thank you!

 

[Mark T Jones]

Mark, I apologies if you took my reply as condescending to small business owners, it was not meant that way. I am a small business owner and I understand the challenges. I also understand that there are cost barriers which is why not everyone can be a customer.

This is an essential part of brand strategy.
"They don't need a truly unique feature, they need a reason why customers come to them"
As is this.
I think the issue is a lack of understand what brand strategy is. I'm not trying to be condescending in saying this as it's taken me a long time to learn this!

It's not a question of condescending, it's a question of relating/resonating. And there is definitely no need to apologise, I'm seldom offended.

One of the responses on this thread is fairly obviously either AI, or someone with no imagination scraping and copying information. Technically true & accurate & no resonance whatsoever. You're not at that level, but it does emphasise my point.

 

[Mark T Jones]

This is really solid and insightful feedback. Thank you!

That's the one I meant!

 

[Spaceonwhite]

It's not a question of condescending, it's a question of relating/resonating. And there is definitely no need to apologise, I'm seldom offended.

One of the responses on this thread is fairly obviously either AI, or someone with no imagination scraping and copying information. Technically true & accurate & no resonance whatsoever. You're not at that level, but it does emphasise my point.

100% agree. This thread is part of my research in to my customer persona. It is in no way a sales pitch at this stage. It is research into the marketplace to gain an understanding for issues and pain points. I've been a brand designer for 15 years, but strategy is a different ball game. I'm on a transition into strategy that will take time to develop and learn those skills. Resonance will come as part of this brand strategy process!

 

[Mark T Jones]

OK.

Having taught, mentored, owned & financed start ups over the years, here is a view on your 'average' start-up.

• Marketing = promotion. 'Getting the name out there'.
• Brand = Logo/colours/strapline (at a push). These 2 are naturally because it's what they see and have an opinion on.
• Target market = stupid/missed opportunities/FOMO. (I used to teach this using stuffed-toy zebras)
• USP = Cheapest or 'great customer service'.
• Brand strategy = Corporate speak.

That's your starting point. If it was me I'd ditch the 'brand strategy' label all together and use a more generic OMB-friendly terminology.

 

[Shopclicks]

That's your starting point. If it was me I'd ditch the 'brand strategy' label all together and use a more generic OMB-friendly terminology.

This

 

[japancool]

The truth is that a strong brand strategy will 100% drive much stronger sales and from my research and experience in the marketplace, most do not understand what brand strategy is and see it as corporate speak, when it truly is not.

But here's the thing - it's not a strategy that's relevent to everyone. Dave the plumber doesn't need to build a "brand", unless he's planning to expand his business beyond a few people.

You have to understand that many businesses that come to UKBF are microbusinesses, ranging from hairdressers to window cleaners, to people who sell on Amazon. For those businesses, brand is of limited value. Particularly the last ones, because people who shop on Amazon aren't shopping based on the brand of the retailer.

You mention "story-telling". In my experience, that is of limited value - the caveat being, it depends on the business. We have had a number of people come here trying to do exactly that. I recall one dessert restaurant on here, selling marshmallow desserts, where they'd tried to do this - big social media presence showing all those elements, and they came here asking for help because nobody was turning up. That was because their core offering was wrong. You have to get the basics right before that, and many of the businesses asking for help here haven't done that. Your audience here isn't the right target.

We spent a lot of money building a brand the first time around, which is not easy given that we sell something many other retailers do as well. The first business crashed and burned under the weight of debt and Brexit, but the second incarnation is reaping the benefit of the work we did before. So it has value, but the challenge comes in understanding what that value is, how it might benefit you and how best to do it.

I personally am very suspicious of anyone who suggests it as a panacea for all your growth strategy woes, and we get a lot of those people on the forum.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

@Spaceonwhite
I think that you don't understand small business brand strategy.

its about being in every bodies phone in Devon and Cornwall !
Any company that needs a same day courier company here has a independent courier in their phone and email contacts and it is probably Jeremy Hawke

Mention same day couriers to businesses in the South West and they will probably just say my name

I think you would be good teaching this stuff at college but I would avoid working with businesses as you have made the common mistake of assuming that other businesses don't understand something

The people on this forum wrote the book back in the day on the type writer

 

[Shopclicks]

90% of the clients who come to me just want a logo and a website without understanding the importance of brand substance (purpose, vision, mission, values), positioning (audience, competitors, differentiation), Personality & Voice, Core messaging, Story telling, & naming.

I personally am very suspicious of anyone who suggests it as a panacea for all your growth strategy woes, and we get a lot of those people on the forum.

I'd go as far as breaking down the offering into segments, rather than a total 'strategy'. Find the parts that add the best value and focus on those. You're really going to struggle with evidence that a strategy worked. Too many other factors come into play.

 

[fisicx]

@Spaceonwhite, businesses don’t need brand strategies, SEO, social media or anything like these.

What they need is to get more bang for their buck. They achieve this by doing something different to what they currently do. What you do will depend on the business. It might be a brand strategy, it could be SEO, it could be social media.

There is never going to be a single solution for everyone. If you want to get more business you need to drop the buzzword bingo and start selling the financial benefits of employing you. Show them the money.

 

[japancool]

Don't talk about a brand. Talk about how the business is going to get their name in front of everyone, and what people will associate that name with.

To most microbusinesses, a brand means a logo, and that's not what it is.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

If you want to get more business you need to drop the buzzword bingo

Oh that's how you say it without getting your post moderated and a message saying that the post is no longer relevant

Personally I think the OP is nuts

 

[MBE2017]

Just my opinion, but I find all these “Trekkie” and “technical” terms such a turn off. In sales, we learn to mimick our clients, talk like them, drink like them, act like them.

I understand OP you truly believe you are offering something wonderful that people don’t realise they need, the trouble is most of your potential clients are more worried about paying the gas and electric, getting the next order, recruitment and the other hundred things they are required to do.

You need to learn how to sell the benefits rather than quoting features, or sell the sizzle as I often mention. Any potential clients first and most important question when you communicate is what is in it for them. Keep it simple.

You need to work on your elevator pitch. Just to add,you might not think you are pitching, but you are.

 

[Newchodge]

The truth is that a strong brand strategy will 100% drive much stronger sales and from my research and experience in the marketplace, most do not understand what brand strategy is and see it as corporate speak, when it truly is not.

It sounds like corporate speak. It sounds meaningless to many SME's. Repeating the phrase and saying it is not corporate speak will have zero effect. I nearly didn't open the thread because it means nothing to me. I am afraid I could not follow much of the rest of your post.

 

[Newchodge]

This is really solid and insightful feedback. Thank you!

Didn't you think it was AI generated?

 

[Newchodge]

Resonance will come as part of this brand strategy process!

What does that mean, please?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Didn't you think it was AI generated?

That's very interesting as it is a common theme among a few new posters recently .
I have never actually met anybody that talks like this. I wish I could, I could do with a good laugh!

Yes its a bot

 

[ethical PR]

the issue is @Spaceonwhite you are trying to sell small businesses something they can't afford and can't see the value of

You need to talk in their language not yours

You need to sell the benefits of how your approach will result in more business

When working with clients on branding I never talk about 'brand strategy'

 

[NickGrogan]

What was your brand strategy in posting here?

 

[UKSBD]

the issue is @Spaceonwhite you are trying to sell small businesses something they can't afford and can't see the value of

You need to talk in their language not yours

You need to sell the benefits of how your approach will result in more business

When working with clients on branding I never talk about 'brand strategy'

I think that's the crux of it

Businesses may want help with promotion, with getting their name known, with help in becoming seen as the local "go to service provider", with help getting recognised by their vehicles, their staff uniforms, a conistant color scheme, consitants ads, etc.

These same businesses will be turned off by someone offering help with their "brand strategy"

 

[Mark T Jones]

To summarise; the OP is on a quest for an effective brand strategy to market the concept of brand strategy to small business.

Consensus is that brand strategy isn't an appropriate brand

 

[lattod]

I've been a brand and identity designer for many years and I have been lucky to work on projects for many fortune 500 companies as well as many small start-up companies and everything in between. I'm now in the process of expanding my offering by going into brand strategy rather than just the development of identity systems.

The large companies I've worked for have always understood the benefit of brand strategy but I'm amazed that in conducting research into the strategy segment on this forum that 'brand strategy' doesn't come up. My question is, as business owners what is the reason for this? Is it a lack of knowledge? Cost barriers? Having worked in the creative industries for over 15 years, I see constant malpractice from design companies who are great at producing 'pretty' design work but who do not setup the solid foundations of a brand through a comprehensive brand strategy framework.

90% of the clients who come to me just want a logo and a website without understanding the importance of brand substance (purpose, vision, mission, values), positioning (audience, competitors, differentiation), Personality & Voice, Core messaging, Story telling, & naming.

Without the above, companies will likely eventually fail or need to compete on offers and cost and struggle to differentiate themselves in the market place. They'll also spend excess money on marketing and design that is not connecting strongly with their audience.

I'm trying to understand the barriers and struggles in relation to branding for funded start-ups all the way through to companies up to £20m turnover. I understand that for many small companies, brand strategy cost is a barrier but I've dealt with several million pound + companies who just want a logo and website!

Thanks in advance.

Brands don't really matter other than in the heads of the actual consumer of the product or service
Also Branding doesnt make me buy, but it helps remove the barriers to NOT buying.

I like the idea of getting the 3 things in alignment with regards TRUST
- product or service
- The person selling it
- The company behind it

And that's where brand matters

Sadly for most businesses, they never get to having enough eyeballs on their business so never really reach out to newer customers enough