As a brand strategist, you are responsible for crafting a brand story and delivering results that boost the company’s business. Companies rely on brand strategists to help them create an image that people not only remember but want to buy products and services from.
To understand how to create long-lasting relationships with companies, you have to know the right questions to ask.
The Importance of a Brand Strategist
Some companies don’t understand the importance of having brand strategists to help raise awareness about their business. The brand strategist takes a lot of the work off the company’s hands. Company owners may not know much about market research, analysis or how to develop a marketing plan that will reach desired audiences.
At the same time, not all companies have the funds to hire an entire marketing team. Instead, they need someone who specializes in brand strategy to help them develop a story that people will not only remember but feel compelled to check out and make purchases from.
A good strategist can make or break a company. With that in mind, strategists cannot do their job without certain information from a company.
Top 5 Questions Every Brand Strategist Should Ask
Every initial interview with a client company should involve back-and-forth questions. The company needs to know what the brand strategist can deliver, and the brand strategist needs to be able to form a picture of what the business wants and how he or she can provide the outcome. Before any work can begin, there are several key questions to answer.
1. What Does the Company Value?
As a brand strategist, you have to learn what the company values. The core values of a business are what the brand builds on. When you think of famous brands, can you imagine their personalities? Some brands want to appear strong and have loud, bold colors that stand out. They have slogans that exhibit strength. For witty brands, clever phrases and jokes may be more acceptable.
Ask the company what they value the most. Do they want to seem down to earth with their clients and customers or want clients to look at them as a more exclusive, high-end company? The tone of the brand has everything to do with the business’s core values. Think about all the words that you could associate with the brand and the words that the company does not want to be associated with.
For example, say the business values environmental causes. Market the green side of the business to target those whose values align.
2. What Is the Company’s Story?
Every business has a story behind it. When people go to a business, they often are looking for an experience. They want to be motivated to purchase from specific companies. The brand’s story depicts who they are and what they want to sell. Business owners should be able to explain where their company has been and where they see their company going in the future. There should be a context that expresses the struggles that they have had and what successes they’ve had in the meantime. The story should be able to grab the client’s attention and pull them in. When a business has a compelling story, its products become more valuable.
How can we help?
At Rogue Wave Marketing, we reveal the uniqueness of every brand through inspirational and impactful messaging and content catered for your audience.
3. What Does the Competition Look Like?
You cannot build a strategy until you understand what the competition looks like. To be a successful business owner, the owner has to have details about the completion in the market. Most likely, the company’s business plan addresses some of the competition in the area. Ask about the competition and what the business owner thinks that the competition is doing right. If you know how the competitors are marketing, you can also figure out what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong. Think about it like a consumer and figure out the strengths and weaknesses of their marketing.
4. Who Is the Ideal Client?
How can you perform your duties as a brand strategist if you do not know the clients you have to reach? The type of client will determine where you have the most robust marketing. For instance, if the business wants to reach a young audience, you must develop a marketing plan that includes the internet and social media. While all companies have a social media presence nowadays, the demographic can help you determine what type of social media the company needs to advertise on. For instance, older people are more commonly seen on platforms like Facebook rather than TikTok or Instagram.
Companies sell more than products and services; they sell a feeling. A brand strategist must consider the clients’ closeness to the company itself. Some companies may want the products and services they sell to make clients feel at home. Businesses can thrive when they make clients feel like they are a part of their wider family and appreciate their support. The customer experience should be a significant part of the strategy. Does the company want clients to admire them or to feel like they are a part of them?
5. Which Brands Does the Company Admire?
Not only do you need to ask the company about their competition, but you should also ask about brands they admire. Who do they look up to in the industry? When you can look at a role model company, you have a better idea of the type of business your client wants to build. You can take your research to other brands and look for what they do right and wrong. If you see mistakes, you can fix them and turn them around as strategies for your business.
Learn To Market Yourself as a Brand Strategist
A brand strategist boosts a company’s reputation through conducting market research, studying competitive reviews and identifying the challenges within the current marketing strategy. If you do not fully understand the company you are marketing, you cannot create a custom strategy that works for them. At Rogue Wave Marketing, we know how important it is to move away from bland marketing. Check out what we have to offer your marketing strategy.
