Marketing 101
How to build a brand strategy from 0-1: a guide for startups
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How to build a brand strategy from 0-1: a guide for startups
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Reminder: brand strategy should be done WITH your Head of product and Head of Ops vs presented to them.
This creates buy-in and alignment on why this is important from day 1.
This creates buy-in and alignment on why this is important from day 1.
Brand strategy is NOT a marketing plan.
Brand strategy is WHY you will win.
Marketing plan is HOW: levers you will pull to hit your goals.
Brand strategy is WHY you will win.
Marketing plan is HOW: levers you will pull to hit your goals.
Step 1: Review Competitive Landscape
Do tear downs.
Understand leading value props.
Interview users of your competition to understand what’s working, what’s not.
Know who the players are and where they play vs where you will play.
Do tear downs.
Understand leading value props.
Interview users of your competition to understand what’s working, what’s not.
Know who the players are and where they play vs where you will play.
Step 1b: Create your “ONLY” statement
Complete this sentence
We are the only brand that does x, y and/ or z.
Are you better, faster, cheaper? What makes you different and how would you say that efficiently.
Complete this sentence
We are the only brand that does x, y and/ or z.
Are you better, faster, cheaper? What makes you different and how would you say that efficiently.
Step 2: Identity customer segments
Data helps. If you already have a product, know who is already a purchaser and why.
Otherwise, create user personas of ideal customers.
Have fun! How do they get news? What social accounts do they follow? What shows are they watching?
Data helps. If you already have a product, know who is already a purchaser and why.
Otherwise, create user personas of ideal customers.
Have fun! How do they get news? What social accounts do they follow? What shows are they watching?
Step 3: use 1 & 2 to create your brand pyramid
A brand pyramid helps you to think about the core essence / brand sentiment.
How do you want to make someone feel.
A brand pyramid helps you to think about the core essence / brand sentiment.
How do you want to make someone feel.
Step 4: Bring that feeling to life - VOICE
Create your voice & tone of your brand
Use statements like: We are this, not this
Ex: we are bold, not judgemental
Ex: we are funny, not crass
Pull together examples of social captions, welcome email and product copy for North Star.
Create your voice & tone of your brand
Use statements like: We are this, not this
Ex: we are bold, not judgemental
Ex: we are funny, not crass
Pull together examples of social captions, welcome email and product copy for North Star.
Step 5: Bring that feeling to life - VISUAL
Pull inspirational photos to guide a designer to create 3 mood boards for your brand to react to. Use the brand pyramid to guide you.
Refine and get to your MVP quickly. Don’t obsess over every pixel in the beginning.
Pull inspirational photos to guide a designer to create 3 mood boards for your brand to react to. Use the brand pyramid to guide you.
Refine and get to your MVP quickly. Don’t obsess over every pixel in the beginning.
Step 6: Learn and Iterate
A brand is a living thing. Just like a human it learns and grows as new pieces of information from customers, product and market.
A brand is a living thing. Just like a human it learns and grows as new pieces of information from customers, product and market.
If you thought this was useful, join me for a 1 week virtual Masterclass on Agile Startup Marketing
May 6-13th (4.5 hrs total + 1:1s)
Learn exactly how I grew House of Wise w/o Google & Facebook using community-led marketing & sound brand strategy
maven.com
May 6-13th (4.5 hrs total + 1:1s)
Learn exactly how I grew House of Wise w/o Google & Facebook using community-led marketing & sound brand strategy
maven.com
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To anyone that liked this thread - I teach a one week course and dive really deep on brand building for startups (great for founders and marketers).
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Next cohort will be announced soon!
Sign up here to be notified so you don't miss it!
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