The amount and quality of research you do will directly correlate with how strong your brand strategy is. Now that you have conducted your brand audit you know what your brand is doing and you know what you want your brand to do. The tie that binds these two together is researching how you’re going to do it.
Research
Research is the most important step in gathering insight into how your brand will move forward. It will tell you who to target, where to play, and why. Below is a list of questions that are critical in answering before you move on to any part of the planning process.
Why do consumers choose one brand over another?
Why do consumers choose your brand over another?
Why do consumers choose not to buy other brands?
Why do consumers choose not to buy your brand?
Who are your competitors?
What specific new products and services are offered in your industry?
What specific new products and services can your brand offer?
What messages do consumers identify with your brand?
What messages do consumers identify with your competitors?
What benefits do customers want from a brand in your industry?
What benefits do customers get from your brand?
In what area is your brand vulnerable?
What are your competitor’s weak spots?
How do consumers use the brands they buy?
How do consumers use your brand?
How often do your consumers purchase your brand?
How often do consumers purchase your competitors brand?
Why would consumers recommend your brand to other people?
Who would consumers recommend your brand to?
How is your brand similar to competitors?
Planning
After and only after these questions have been answered, can the creative elements of your brand be defined (or redefined). These are the tangible elements that represent your brand identity visually. The brand name, logo, imagery and colors cause the immediate recognition of your brand among consumers.
From the information you gather from the above questions you can decide the who, what, when, where, and how of your brand strategy. It is important to take a holistic approach in planning and make sure your strategy encompasses an integrated solution among several platforms. Once the plan is drawn out is when the fun begins: implementation! Check back to our blog for the next step in our branding blog series.
