Build a Brand in 5 Steps

Branding is no easy feat. It’s complex and made even more so by all sorts of business and branding gurus trying to sell their products and services and convince you their offer is exactly what you need. It can be confusing as hell, so I want to share a simple roadmap with you that breaks down the different phases of brand building and the ideal order of these phases.

Before we dive in, I want to emphasize that this is an idealized roadmap. Meaning, if time and money weren’t an issue, this would be the best order for building a brand. But I’m well aware that this is not attainable for everyone, and that’s okay! The reason I’m sharing this is that I constantly see business owners invest in the wrong things or in the right things at the wrong time. And I’ve definitely made my fair share of bad calls too. So, keep in mind that the reality of building a brand is not linear, but this roadmap is meant as a general guide.

Look out for the * as that marks all the things I can help you with.

Phase 01/05

Business Plan

Before you get all in with building your brand, you first need a solid business idea and need to figure out the legalities of founding your business. Ideally, you should also have a valid business plan. This plan should lay out your key goals and how you intend to make your business profitable and achieve your goals. Before going into branding, you should know how your business will operate.

Phase 02/05

Brand Strategy*

Whereas your business plan is more about the internal structure and operations of your business, brand strategy focuses on the perception people have of your business, in other words: your brand.

In order to successfully sell, you need to understand who your customers are, what makes them buy, and how you can differentiate yourself from all the other options your customers have (your competitors). Brand strategy is a bit like matchmaking between your business and your ideal customers.

It also focuses on the internal culture of your business. What are the values that drive your business? What is your purpose beyond making money? And what code of conduct and atmosphere do you want to foster among your employees?

A brand strategy, in short, lays out how your business needs to show up in the world to make an impact and shape people’s perception of your brand.

To learn more about brand strategy and how you can shape people’s perception of your brand, check out my Uncover Your Brand Essence Masterclass:

Phase 03/05

Copywriting + Design*

Once you have your brand strategy and know how you want your brand to be perceived and how you want to position your brand, it’s time to translate that into something tangible. Whereas phases 1 and 2 involve a lot of planning and preparation, we now enter the execution phases of your brand.

Copywriting synthesizes the strategy into sales copy for your product, website, and/or marketing channels. These are the words your audience actually gets to read, so it’s important to hit the right tone and to make your copy convert.

Design on the other hand creates a visual world for your brand. Visuals help to convey your message and help people to understand the value your offer brings. It also is a strong positioning tool. Think about shelves in a store. You don’t have time to read every label, but the design will help you to narrow down your choices significantly.

Copywriting and Design work great hand in hand so you can work on it parallel, but if in doubt focus on copywriting first, design second.

Phase 04/05

Marketing + Brand Awareness

Now that you know what your brand feels, sounds, and looks like, it’s time to get it out into the world and create awareness around your brand. People can’t buy from you if they don’t know you exist.

So now it’s time to create a marketing plan. Whereas your brand strategy is about what your brand is, a marketing plan, or marketing strategy, focuses on how to spread the word about your brand. It answers the question of how you can promote your brand and which channels are best suited to your business, without having to shout it from the rooftops (unless that’s the best approach for your brand, of course).

Phase 05/05

Website* + Online Presence

In today’s world, the majority of brands need a website and an online presence of some sort to market their brands. More and more consumers do their research online before making a purchase or visiting a new venue. Your website and social media are your online storefront and an easy gateway into your brand world.

People want to make sure you’re a real business, and having a cohesive online presence from your website to social media creates credibility and trust. But make sure it all fits into your larger marketing plans. If your people don’t hang out on TikTok, don’t waste your time creating TikTok content, for example.

What next?

Regular Monitoring + Check-ins

Brands need constant care and attention. While I don’t encourage you to follow every trend, we live in a fast-paced world and your brand needs to stay fluid and flexible to stay ahead of the curve. So it’s important to regularly assess what’s working well and what needs improvement. Usually, small adjustments are all that’s needed, but they can make a big difference to the overall success of your brand.

Monitor your brand performance on a regular basis to make sure your brand is actually working for you.

I hope this roadmap clarified the branding process for you. Many entrepreneurs start with marketing or design before they have the necessary foundation to build upon. This can not only cost you valuable time but also a ton of money. I know it’s tempting to start there, but focusing on the strategy first creates stronger results.

I offer brand strategy, brand design, and web design and also can connect you to copywriters and other experts when we work together.

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