Why Every Small Business Needs a Brand Strategy Before a Marketing Plan
Most small businesses jump right into posting on social media and paying for ads and then wonder why they’re not seeing results. It’s as simple as this: marketing can’t succeed without a clear brand foundation.
Without a brand, what are you advertising? What are you selling - and to whom? Without knowing your brand, how do you know your audience? If you don’t know your audience, you’re essentially walking blindfold through a minefield with a wish and a prayer.
When developing a brand foundation, remember: strategy is what keeps your brand consistent and memorable.
Foundation Comes First
Before we dive further in, it’s important to define what a brand strategy actually is.
According to Forbes, a brand strategy is “a comprehensive roadmap that helps outline the details of your business.” A traditional brand strategy includes your mission, values, positioning, and tone of voice.
Think of a mission as your north star – the moral base for your business. What fuels what you do and why you do it?
Your values are the principles that support that mission. I recommend identifying three to five core values that guide how you and your team conduct business and engage with customers.
Positioning determines where you fit in the market against competitors. What makes you stand out? What makes you special? A SWOT analysis is a great way to uncover this.
Your brand tone is the emotional attitude you use to communicate with your audience. This tone becomes much easier to define once your mission, values, and positioning are clear.
In contrast, marketing focuses on promotion, tactics, and visibility.
Think of it like this: branding is the roots; marketing is the bloom.
Common Mistakes
Now that you understand the foundation of a brand strategy, let’s look at a few common mistakes - so you can avoid them when building yours.
Rushing Into Marketing Without Defining Your Brand Voice.
If you are an expert in, say marine biology, it might seem easy to talk about it anytime, anywhere. But without structure, your message becomes scattered. You’d be far more effective if you knew who you were talking to, where the conversation was happening, and what you wanted to emphasize.
The same applies to your brand. Even if you know your business inside and out, having a defined brand voice helps you communicate clearly and consistently with your audience.
Inconsistent Visuals or Messaging
This one is a biggie - even large corporations slip up here. Consistency in visuals and messaging is critical yet often overlooked.
When the priority becomes “getting the message out fast,” confusion follows. Instead, use this stage to revisit your brand’s mission, values, and tone. Let them guide your creative direction.
Skipping this step can leave you with a confused, and ultimately disinterested, audience.
Chasing Every Trend and Forgetting Your Strategy
Trust me, I get it – the urge to follow every trend is tempting. But you can’t (and shouldn’t) do it all.
Trend research is valuable, but not every trend fits your brand. Before jumping on the next viral idea, pause and revisit your mission statement – your north star.
If a trend doesn’t align with your brand values and can’t be adapted to fit, it’s best to let it pass. There’s always another one around the corner.
What Happens When You Get it Right
Now for the fun part – getting your brand strategy right!
When your strategy is solid, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor:
Stronger audience trust and recognition. Your audience will relate to your mission and values and feel like they “know” you. Over time, your brand becomes familiar like a trusted friend or a lighthouse in a crowded sea of competitors.
Simplified content creation and marketing clarity. Whether you’re a solopreneur or leading a marketing team, a strong strategy makes it easier to create aligned, meaningful content.
Smarter marketing decisions. With a clear foundation, you’ll know which platforms to prioritize, what campaigns to create, and which channels are worth your time.
Take Action: Start Building Your Brand Strategy
Ready to get started? Begin with these three foundational steps:
1. Define your mission and vision.
Think of your mission and vision as your north star and guiding light. Your mission is the core purpose behind your business (and it should go deeper than just making money). Your vision describes where you see your business in the future. Craft concise statements that convey both clearly.
2. Identify your target audience.
Research your industry and ideal customers. Start by creating a Primary Persona that captures your audience’s key traits – job, income, lifestyle, hobbies, and personal values. If you’d like, expand to Secondary and Tertiary personas for broader insight.
3. Craft a simple positioning statement.
A positioning statement explains how your product or service fulfills a market need and clarifies your unique value proposition. It will allow you to further clarify your position in the market and share your unique value proposition.
When it comes to branding and marketing your business, don’t put the cart before the horse. Build your brand strategy first. Slow down. Focus on clarity. Invest in the roots of your business so your marketing can truly bloom.
Ready to build a brand with purpose? Explore Lush Consulting’s branding packages to get started.
