The 5 Steps of Branding
Success
A Step-by-Step Approach
Nothing good in life comes overnight. As much as we crave short-term success, the reality is that
it sure does not come easy. It requires planning, devising strategies, implementing them,
sometimes failing, and trying again until we get the results we want. In short, a good amount of
blood, sweat, and tears.
The same can be applied to branding. Many businesses have a vague idea of how their branding
image should look like. But getting to work and actually seeing that image come to life involves
dealing with an extensive set of challenges and setbacks. And sometimes they might find that
things did not pan out as they’d expect. That’s when they pivot and adjust.
Considering the uncertainty surrounding your branding initiative, it would be good to start with a
plan. A step-by-step branding approach can do wonders for your business and keep you on
track to reach your milestones and objectives. Wondering what should go into your plan? Read
on to discover the steps you can take to inform your branding strategy and make sure you get
the results you want.
Made with Xara Cloud | Last updated 04 December 2020
The 5 Steps of Branding Success
Made with Xara Cloud | Last updated 04 December 2020
The 5 Steps of Branding Success
Branding Strategy: A Step-by-Step Approach
Step 1: Define Your Brand
Defining your brand means setting up the foundation on which all other elements are built. Once
you have a definition, it will be so much easier to measure and evaluate your branding and
marketing efforts. Moreover, the defining traits should also inform other aspects of your brand —
the way your office looks, what you include in your ads, and the branding elements you choose to
represent your brand image.
The aspects you should consider as you define your brand are the following:
•
Your unique value proposition.
Also known as the unique selling point, this aspect should clearly define what you offer to
consumers and what sets you apart from the competition.
•
Your target market.
At this point, you should determine what would convince a consumer to make a purchase
from you, then segment your overall market, and finally research it to identify insights that
can help you inform your branding strategy.
•
Your employer brand.
Employees are a reflection of your brand. That’s why it’s important to define what kind of
employer you want to be. To this end, establish your core values and how they are reflected
in your unique value proposition. The goal here is to attract the best people and make sure
they stay with your company as you grow.
Netflix is one example of an organization taking this principle to heart, focusing efforts on
developing its employer brand in 2020, and showcasing company culture through empathy.
Source: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/wearenetflix-netflix-COQYHSIvx3f/
Made with Xara Cloud | Last updated 04 December 2020
The 5 Steps of Branding Success
Step 2: Zero In on Your Brand Objectives
Think about what you want to achieve through your branding endeavors. How are these results
going to influence the way others perceive your products or services? Maybe you want to focus
on brand awareness with a certain campaign. Or perhaps you want to be more sales-oriented
during a certain quarter.
Setting rational and clear objectives is key to help you leverage your branding strategy to
actually make your goals come true. But setting out objectives should be followed by a concise
action-plan that will help you track and evaluate your progress.
Step 3: Identify Your Target Audience
Maybe you have a rough idea of your target market after you defined your brand in step 1. Now
it’s time to get more granular and establish your target audience in more detail. Ask yourself the
following questions as you get started:
•
How old are they?
•
How much do they earn?
•
What do they do for a living?
•
What are their interests?
•
Where do they live?
•
What other brand has their attention?
Zooming in on these answers can help you refine your branding efforts in order to genuinely
appeal to your target customers. If you have the possibility to interact with your audience in-
person, do it. It’s always a great idea to engage with your prospects and get a good grip on their
needs and expectations. You can use surveys, networking groups, or forums to get in front of your
audience and get noticed.
Step 4: Single Out Your Obstacles and Overcome Them
As you consider your goals and objectives, it’s also important to narrow down the obstacles that
prevent you from scaling. The barriers are also known as market conditions and could put a dent
in your success. That’s why a thorough analysis is in order — to help you understand what you’re
up against. To get started in this direction, you could do the following:
Made with Xara Cloud | Last updated 04 December 2020
The 5 Steps of Branding Success
Small Steps, Big Changes
Following these steps to branding your business will put your strategy into perspective and help
you understand what else needs to be done and what you can change to maximize your efforts.
And most importantly, feel free to expand your brand planning as you see fit — as long as it’s
consistent with your brand strategy.
If you don’t keep your strategy top-of-mind in all branding endeavors, you risk doing everything
and nothing at the same time. Combining different tactics without a center strategy means that
your brand lacks an identified purpose. This will only make it more difficult for you to stand out
from the crowd and leave a mark on your audience.