Ever been nervous to show up on social media because you’re conflicted on what to post or if people will even care? Been there!! 🙋🏼‍♀️
It seems obvious, but you can’t grow a strong brand if you can’t define it. And you can’t build a meaningful relationship with someone you know nothing about.
This is where brand strategy comes in. Correctly done, your brand strategy will clearly and quickly answer the following questions:
- What does your business do?
- Who is your business for?
- Who does your business serve best?
- If I need to write a caption or a blog post for your business, what would the voice sound like?
- What are your brand colors and why?
- It’s brand photoshoot time – what kind of images do we need and what style should they be?
Were you able to answer all of those questions? You’d be surprised at how many business owners – successful ones included – can’t answer those questions succinctly.
And that’s why, as your brand fairy godmother, I’m sharing my magic recipe – the first 4 steps to brand strategy development – things you can get started on TODAY (and a free workbook at the end to help you keep it all together!). It’s called the ISLA Framework™. It stands for Ideal Client, Statements, Language, and Aesthetics. This framework comes directly from the brand strategy process I use with each of my clients. Let’s jump in! (Download your free workbook below and follow along!)
Brand Strategy Development Step 1: IDEAL CLIENT
The initial step of brand strategy development, and the I in “ISLA” is to define your IDEAL CLIENT. This piece of information will guide you throughout your brand strategy process and help you make pointed and intentional decisions. Knowing and understanding who you can best serve will help you frame your offerings, know what content to create and post, and help you create a brand experience that your ideal client will absolutely adore.
When trying to define your ideal client, think, “If I could choose one type of client to work with over and over, who would that be?” Undoubtedly, you’ll still attract clients that don’t fit this mold perfectly, but having a clear idea will give you an added edge when it comes to serving that ideal person. Think about the common thread of your favorite projects. Is it age? Style? Budget? Personality?
Then take a moment to write down the following:
- Demographics
- Gender Identity, Age, Income, Location, Marital Status, Education, etc.
- Psychographics
- What is their “why”? What challenges are they facing and hoping to solve? How do you help them solve their problem?
- Behaviors
- What are their interests? Why type of accounts do they follow online? Where do they shop?
Defining your ideal client in these three areas will give you a big advantage when it comes to creating content that converts. It’s also a huge help when creating your branding and web design. This information is invaluable to us in creating strong and successful brands!
Brand Strategy Step 2: STATEMENTS
The S in “ISLA” is STATEMENTS. Next, you’ll want to define your Brand Statements. Think of these as the “101 Course” of your brand. This includes your Brand/Mission Statement and Brand Bio.
Brand/Mission Statement: What does your company do and who is it for?
(Business Name) provides (Ideal Client) with (Your Product or Service) that (External Benefit/Feature) so they can (Internal Benefit for Your Client).
Example: Taylor Wade Interiors provides busy East Coast Families with timeless and colorful homes that are designed to complement their daily routines so they can feel joy and harmony every single day.
Brand Bio: What is (your company)?
(Business Name) is a (Differentiating Adjective + Your Industry + Business Type) that (Your Unique Offering).
Example: Taylor Wade Interiors is an East Coast interior design firm obsessed with creating custom, colorful homes built for your lifestyle.
Want to go one step further? Find your USP or Unique Selling Point. I write more about this in this blog post.
Brand Strategy Step 3: LANGUAGE
What comes next in ISLA? We have the L or LANGUAGE. This includes how you communicate with your audience. What does your brand voice sound like? Are you friendly and casual? Educated and refined? Edgy and blunt? Elegant and flowery?
When you’re starting out, your brand voice might be, well, you! As your business grows, your brand voice may change. This is normal! What’s important is to keep the voice defined for clarity and efficiency in your business. Choose 3-5 words to use to describe your brand voice. Go one step further and create a Word Bank of common words your brand uses. Again, this will bring clarity for both you and your team, keeping your business focused and streamlined. Copywriter extraordinaire, Ashlyn Carter, wrote this blog post on how to find your Brand Voice – it’s worth a read!
Brand Strategy Step 4: AESTHETICS
Lastly, the A in “ISLA” is Aesthetics. Are you surprised that it’s actually last on the list?! Yes, your aesthetics actually come last. That’s because the work you’ve done previously will dictate everything in the design – the color palette we choose, the font choices we make, the type of imagery we’ll use – everything!
When it comes to aesthetics, I could go on forever (I guess I chose the right profession!) But I’ll stick to 3 things that every business needs to have – a mood board, a color palette, and a logo suite.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Creating a mood board for your brand helps communicate to you and your team the overall vibe you’re going for. It will also help you identify colors to use in your color palette as well as the type of imagery that should be found on your website and social media.
Your color palette should be taken from your mood board and be clearly defined. Find the hex codes of each color to stay consistent across platforms. Color Psychology plays an important part in choosing color palettes, which is why I recommend getting a professional’s help with your visuals. A designer will not only be able to choose the right colors for your brands but the right shade, tone, or tint of that color as well, leaving you with a palette that immediately catches the eye.
Lastly, you’ll obviously need a logo suite. We all start somewhere, but I recommend investing in a professional brand suite as early as you are able. It will immediately add credibility and appeal to your business – priceless!
To recap, completing your brand strategy development will give your business the clarity and confidence needed to scale. The Brand Strategy “ISLA” formula is as follows:
IDEAL CLIENT
STATEMENTS
LANGUAGE
AESTHETICS
Have questions? Shoot me an email!
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