3–from–1 "Do You Need Brand Strategy?" #135 😊
3–from–1 by arnt eriksen
"Brand is just a perception, and perception
will match reality over time"
— Elon Musk
Why is brand strategy important?
Brand strategy. Why is it so important, and why do I think it is needed now more than ever? Well, the thing is - with “everyone” being a content creator, we are bombarded with a magnitude of brand messages every single day. It is actually closer to 4x more than what a human experienced in a lifetime, some 70 years ago. That’s just crazy! In addition, these brand messages are more than often just advertising space. It is kind of like the red nose a clown wears to distract you, make you focus on, and entertain you – well, in reality, distract and disrupt you.
I have this one rule (to rule them all) when I create narratives for brands; 1rE2zag. This means one message that is relevant (important) emotional, engaging, and different or remarkable.
And that is where a brand strategy comes into play. Because if you don’t have your core brand truth in place, (point A) then how do you know you’ll reach your goals and ambitions (point B)? Without a solid brand strategy, you are sort of navigating Sahara with sandpaper. You’ll be lost and all the brand assets and tactical marketing materials you produce will be based on short-term wins, which in a best case scenario might work, but in the worst case scenario be decremental to your brand. You will end up creating cognitive dissonance in the minds of your audience, because your messaging is all over the place, without a proper foundation and brand strategy in place.
I mean, that is one of the issues I hear a lot from the brands I work with, especially when it comes to performance marketing. They struggle to get ROAS at x5 and above – partly because of the brand narrative, and partly the setup and assets.
If you are having the same challenge, I am here to help
Schedule a quick 20 min chat. It is on me ;)
Ok, let's move on with the show, shall we 😊
INSIGHT: BRAND : Should you offer a free product?
"One big reason you should never give away the "product on the field" for free. Yet startups, especially tech startups, give away their product all the time in the form of a free tier. They let you use their product as much as you like for as long as you like, within certain limits.
Here's the thing. Those free tiers work. Unquestionably, but within certain limits... READ MORE"
Why it matters
The concept of freemium, where brands give away the entry level of their product for free, with the hopes that you'll be hooked, and if the experience is satisfactory, you'll upgrade to a premium tier at a later point. Chris Anderson wrote about this concept in his book, the long tail. I do agree with the concept, and it can be a very convincing way to attract new audiences, however, it also needs to be something that is related to, but not directly diluting the value of your main product... what are your thoughts?
Here is a video that is relevant to today's newsletter topic where I go into the importance of defining your brand ambitions and why it matters. Have a look, and let me know what you think.
INSIGHT: STRATEGY: Will You Survive The Future?
Very few companies even today get strategy right primarily because they do not understand the exponential impact of technology but also because they make the cardinal mistake of defining their category and competitive set looking backward versus forward... READ MORE"
Why it matters
I think the essence of this article is right. Sometimes a strategy can make a failed attempt to fill some enormous shoes, but without the right metrics, insight, data — and most of all people - it will be misaligned with the fundamental business goals and brand truths. These two components need to be aligned, and then the focus should be on attracting the right talent, to ensure you have the internal strengths to perform the right set of thinking, and then implement and execute. What are your thoughts?
INSIGHT: MARKETING : The Golden Rule of Marketing
"Are you a consumer? Really? Is that why you exist, to consume? Look at your little children, are they consumers? Are you a locust descending on a field to consume all in your path? I hope not.
And you might say it’s just a word but my orientation as a copywriter is that words are everything and how we label things bends perceptions. And man, have we bent our perceptions to think of ourselves as “consumers.”... READ MORE"
Why it matters
We all have the responsibility to do our best to inform, enlighten and delight our audience, addressing their needs, and delighting them with better customer experiences, be it in the interactions, perceptions or behaviours while dealing with the brand we represent. Marketing is (still) the very essential component for any business, alongside innovation. By expressing our brand truths, show empathy for the audience, and actions that support and deliver on our promises. RIght?
What is your company’s true purpose?
As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of running a business. But it’s important to take a step back every…
Click to read my latest blogpost here
END NOTE
Businesses currently exist within a highly competitive landscape. In order for a business to be successful, it must have a clear and cohesive brand strategy. This means more than just having a recognizable logo or catchy slogan. A brand strategy is an ongoing process that takes into account the interactions, perceptions, and behaviours of customers and other stakeholders. It is essential in attracting the right audience and talent, and in building long-term relationships with customers. Without a strong brand strategy, businesses will struggle to survive in today's competitive marketplace.
Would you like to have some outside input on your brand strategy, product or service? Let's set up a short call to see how I can help you. My brand promise is to use my knowledge, passion and curiosity to make a positive impact on people around me, so I would be more than happy to take a call to catch up and see if there are ways to optimise your brand or marketing efforts.
Thanks for reading.
If you liked this week’s newsletter, please forward it to someone, the more people I can inspire, the better 🥰 as I believe knowledge combined with curiosity is true strength.
Be safe — stay awesome!
Another milestone for me was to finally have the book published as an audiobook on Audible. So if you are like me, listening to books is just so much easier than sitting down to read.
Audible UK — Audible US
Apple Audiobooks