Why startups need a brand strategy
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Take a step closer to your dreams
As an entrepreneur you’ve taken a leap of faith in starting your own business. You’re on a purposeful path towards achieving your dreams.
While you’re putting together your business plan, we’d like you to consider putting together a brand strategy too! Not only will it help you connect with your customers, but it will serve to remind you why you gave up that trusty day job to burn the candle at both ends, start up style.
The people at Innocent Drinks quit their jobs to make 100% pure unadultarated drinks because they thought modern living made it difficult to be healthy. Capturing these reasons at the early stages of your business will help you share your story, inspire people to buy and give your people a reason to get on board and be motivated.
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Create more of YOU in your business
Have you ever thought “if I could just clone myself” my business would run better, more would get done and life would be easier? As the leader of your business, YOU ARE your business. Steve Jobs (may he RIP) IS Apple (and still is). Virgin is bold and risk taking because of Sir Richard Branson. A brand strategy helps you to download the YOU in your business. It helps you share how things should get done (brand values), where you are heading (vision statement) and why people should care in the first place (purpose statement). Think of your brand strategy as a platform of your clearest thoughts.
Once you have these articulated them, spread the word. Make it permanent and visible for your employees and customers to see. And start living up to it now.
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One plan everyone can follow
As a leader, you’re wearing so many hats and some days you’ll feel like you’re spinning your wheels and not heading in the direction originally planned. As your business grows, you’ll face new challenges, difficult decisions and hopefully lots of great opportunities. Your brand serves as a truthful reminder of who you are and what you set out to do. It provides the parameters around how to make the difficult decisions you will look back and be proud of. If your brand is authentic, it will keep your team on track.
Business plans will change, but your brand strategy will be the true north in your business.
