What is Branding and How Do I Achieve a Good Brand Strategy?

You probably have a few favorite stores—ones you like to shop with above all others. For instance, I like Trader Joe’s and Etsy. But why do I enjoy these brands specifically? Sure, I like the things they sell, but I also like the way they sell—their branding and the brand strategy they’ve achieved.

That’s what we’re going to delve into in this article: the way brands sell things and how you can learn to do the same.

What is branding?

Put simply, branding is your company personified. Since companies can seem a bit like faceless organizations, a good brand strategy gives customers something relatable they can latch onto.

With the right branding, people will have a specific understanding of your company, and hopefully, it will make them feel something positive, too. This can start with something as basic as your logo and extend to everything you produce!

Let’s take the Trader Joe’s example: Even though Trader Joe’s is small, no-frills, and mainly sells generic food items, I see it as a “hip” grocery store. Why? I can buy generic food anywhere, and let’s be honest, isn’t Aldi essentially the same?

In many ways, this comes down to branding. The items I buy—although generic—have the TJ logo, clever copy, and quality package design. The store also appeals to a youthful, eco-minded audience with details like healthy options and paper bags. And this is no accident; the founder intentionally followed green trends and said his target customer was “over-educated and underpaid,” with an interest in items not purchasable en masse.

And even though Trader Joe’s is now a chain, and even though they, too, use plastic, and even though it’s not difficult to find similar items elsewhere, these unique branding choices have crafted the illusion of a positive, eco shopping experience.

Can a person also have a brand?

We’ve talked a bit about branding for companies, but what if your company is just you? Many people sell their services individually, like contractors, photographers, consultants, and, of course, many more. If this is your situation, don’t stress. People build personal brands with good brand strategies all the time.

How to create a personal brand

In order to create a personal brand, you’ll first need to make two lists: first, what people know about you now, and second, what you want people to know about you in the future.

For instance, if you’re already a photographer in, let’s say, Cedar Rapids, you already have part of your brand identity. But if you want to be the sought-after wedding photographer of Cedar Rapids, you’ll need to create a beautiful portfolio specific to your town. Your logo and website should be all about weddings, and the weddings you highlight should feature landmarks specific to the city.

This is just one hypothetical; there are dozens of ways to build a personal brand, and it’s okay if it takes some time. Just remember, you don’t have to be inauthentic to yourself to do it, and a good brand strategy will help.

What’s a brand strategy?

Essentially, a brand strategy is how you use your branding—those holistic elements that make up your company’s personality—to appeal to people and make money. What does your business offer that others don’t?

Ways to achieve a good brand strategy:

• Know your brand’s reason for existing

• Know your audience and how to appeal to them

• Know your brand’s differentiators

• Know your competitors and what they’re doing

Your brand’s reason for existing

Your “reason” is usually easy to pin down, because you hopefully have an idea of what you’re selling or plan to sell. You probably also know why you want to sell (other than just making money). Maybe there’s white space in the market, or there isn’t a company like yours that offers your value.

For instance, we knew we wanted to create Julian//West so we could help small businesses, regardless of their location or size. Our agency was created in part because women-owned firms are still much less common, and finally, we want to make a positive company in the South that values creativity over burnout.

So, consider your reasons for selling and what gives you an edge. If you’re an artist, it’s likely you have your own unique style. Embrace it. Maybe you’re an entrepreneur, and your town is missing an essential business. Show people how you’re filling that void.

By knowing the reasons behind your brand, you’ll have the confidence to see it through.

Your audience and how to appeal to them

You may think, “I’m just starting my brand. I don’t know my audience yet.” And while you may not know the specifics, that doesn’t mean you can’t appeal to the audience you want.

Maybe you decide to target people ages 35-55 because they make and spend the most money. The way you market to them is going to be different than how you would market to the 25-and-under crowd. (And it’s not just age—you can market based on gender, niche interests, business type, and more.)

Researching the people you want to attract is critical, because it helps you know how to engage them. For instance, Gen Zers prefer to interact with brands via social, while millennials prefer email. And younger consumers? They tend to watch videos on their devices every day, but after a certain age threshold, that number drops. This means a one-size-fits-all brand strategy isn’t going to work.

With the right data, however, you can meet prospective customers on the platforms they already use with the content they already consume.

Your brand’s differentiators

We touched on this above, but it’s important to know what makes your brand different and unique. Is your business minority-owned? Does it give back to the community? Do you have the highest Yelp reviews in town? These are things you can celebrate and incorporate into your branding.

And since 70% of consumers believe it’s important for brands to take a stand, don’t be afraid to take on issues you care about with your company, too.

To illustrate a brand that embraces these concepts, I want to quickly plug a local business I really like called Neon Moon Nashville. (Not an ad, but the coffee is really good.)

This coffee brand is Native-owned, so it supports positive change for indigenous communities. The branding also reclaims the cowboy identity, giving it a lot of individuality.

Now, your brand may look and feel totally different from a native-owned coffeeshop, and that’s okay. It should have its own look and feel. And remember, your company doesn’t have to take a stand on political or social issues, but you can still let your passions come through in your branding. This can help you achieve a unique identity in your respective market.

Your competitors and what they’re doing

While your business feels totally unique to you, there are unfortunately other businesses, likely ones competing for the same audience. And while you don’t want to copy their tactics, it is good to know what they’re doing so you can market accordingly.

By knowing who else is in the market, as well as their branding, you can create a persona that’s unique to the industry.

Once again, this comes down to research. You can do your own competitor research or even hire someone to do it for you. Either way, it’s good to know what you’re up against.

Conclusion

When it comes to branding and achieving a unique brand strategy, it’s important to remember all the reasons you started in the first place. As long as you put plenty of personality in the business, it will start to form an identity.

With a cohesive plan and plenty of data, you can make something special that customers love.

Ready for your branding journey? Contact us here for a free consultation.