What It's Like To Work with a Brand Strategist

You've started your business, you've built your product, but now you're having a hard time selling. You're feeling a bit, well..stuck. Your social media channels aren't growing, you're not converting your audience, and your design strategy consists of a lot of Canva without a lot of aesthetic. You're juggling so many projects that you're not even sure which ones are worth your energy. You don't even know what your goals are anymore.

Whew. Yes. I've been there. If you feel like you're spinning your wheels, you might need a strategist that will get you out of the mud so you can see the big picture and build a kick-ass brand that captivates your audience and more importantly—converts.

What's a Brand Strategist, anyway?

Whether you're starting a new business from scratch or revamping a decades-old product, chances are, you have some opportunities that a brand strategist can help you identify. A brand strategist will help you determine your brand's look, feel, and tone, and develop an implementation plan - that means determining everything from your email automation strategy to your consumer touchpoints.

How does a brand strategist differ from a designer?

I get this question a lot, primarily because my background is in design and I served as a Creative Director before leaping to running my own business.

The long and the short of it is that a brand strategist is in the big-picture, long-term thinking that helps determine everything that you're brand is doing. While a designer is focused on how an email campaign, brand identity, or social media graphic is telling your brand's story through visual means, a brand strategist is focused on what story to tell.

Because of my design background, my work as a brand strategist includes determining the direction for a brand's visual identity using competitive analysis and market research.

What does it look like to work with a brand strategist?

Everyone's processes and practices are different and even my process varies based on a client's needs. However, developing a brand strategy often looks something like this:

Discovery Call

I start every project with a discovery session to uncover new growth opportunities and identify existing pain-points in your process. I also use this time to get to know you and your colleagues and learn more about the history of the business. I take time to learn about what's worked and what hasn't, what your competitors are doing, and what you want to achieve in the next year and beyond. If you're a new business, even better! This discovery call will be used to uncover what groundwork needs to be laid before you begin promoting your product.

Research

Following a discovery call, I take all of my notes (trust me, there's a lot!) and dive in on the research. Usually, my research begins with a competitive analysis. I also take time to explore market trends and do even more digging on your brand (if there's an article about you, I'll be reading it).

Brand Strategy

Following all of that research, I take a short coffee break, then dive into writing. I use all of my research and the knowledge I've gained from our conversations to build a brand strategy that includes things like your brand why, target audience and personas, unique value proposition, and voice.

Implementation

After we refine your brand strategy, your brand is ready to grow! During typical strategy implementations, I'll help you build or refine your brand guidelines and use the newly created brand strategy document as the foundation for this document. I will either equip your team with the assets they need (Email templates! Social media design! Logos! Color Palettes! Website Copy!) or provide ongoing support for you and your team as a graphic designer and brand/creative consultant.

What are some key questions I can answer to help grow my brand?

If you're still thinking, "OMG, there is so much to do I can't even focus!" – it's going to be okay. Here are some questions you can answer on your own to help you determine what you might need to grow your brand.

How am I getting people into my marketing funnel?

The top of the marketing funnel is so often ignored. Because many brands are so focused on conversion, their content often comes off as transactional and sales-focused. I always encourage brands to focus on getting people into the top of the marketing funnel by providing education and insight that will make consumers want more. A blog is a great way to provide free resources or insight to potential customers and also establishes you as an authority in your industry.

What value am I giving that top-of-the-funnel audience to lead them further down the funnel?

In today's non-stop marketing world, it's an honor to get an email address. While I don't anticipate it, Instagram could go away tomorrow and if you haven't built an email list - how are you going to communicate with your customers? Downloadable resources—whether that's a checklist or recipe—are a great incentive for consumers and will educate them on the benefits of your product, thus leading them toward making a purchase.

What doesn't belong?

One of my favorite things to do when working with a brand is a full brand audit. Put every piece of collateral and content you've created on a wall (maybe a virtual Pinterest board if you're remote!) and work with your team to pick out the things that stand out (in both good and bad ways). Focus on how you can do more of the good and start eliminating the bad.

Ready to get to work?

If you're tired of spinning your wheels, you need a plan to get out of the mud. A brand strategist will help you plan your next move and give your team the tools they need to create captivating content that converts.

‍