That brand story is also sometimes referred to as brand positioning. And in this blog post, we’ll tell you how to build a brand positioning.
The best way is to follow a blueprint… a blueprint that is surprisingly similar in structure to that of a house, comprised of five main levels:
1.) How to develop “a big idea”
On the top, you’ll find the roof. This is the ceiling level, pretty much up here, above it all, is your Big Idea. While this can be viewed as your brand story as a whole, the Big Idea is the takeaway, what you want people to remember, what you want them to think about. The Big Idea is what you stand for. The big idea can be leveraged to develop an advertising campaign for your brand.
2.) Developing brand positioning for your brand.
Under the roof, beneath the Big Idea, you have your Brand Positioning. This is the top floor. This is the level that shows — and tells — how you are relevant, how you are unique. How you are special to your customers, and how you are different from your competitors. Your Brand Positioning is your place within the overall marketplace, but it’s also your place within the customer mindset. And to understand your position, you must always have a sense of the places occupied by your competitors.
3.) How to define your brand’s attributes, or differentiators.
The next floor down is your Brand Attributes. This is your communications center… how you say things, what you say, what you feel, how you act. Your Brand Attributes can be proactive, reactive, responsive, with tone that can be lively, helpful, warm… the point is, this is the place that communicates the Big Idea to your audience, and does so in a distinctly, true-to-you way.
4.) Defining brand pillars.
As we move down a floor, we begin to see more structural supports. They’re non-negotiable, non-shifting. These are the rules that add strength, that make your story uniquely you. These are the Brand Pillars. For clarity and definition, there should be three you can identify, each one reinforcing what you do and how you do it. A Brand Pillar can be a flawless approval rating, using only fresh, locally sourced ingredients, offering two-day delivery, every time, and so on. Simply put, your Brand Pillars are the promises you make.
5.) Writing brand proof points, or reasons to believe.
Finally, we are at the foundation of your story. These are your Proof Points. This is the place of validation. From here, you offer evidence, data, research, materials that you can use to support everything above it. This is your messaging, your reason to believe… your proof.
Summary: How to build a brand strategy
Structurally, once successfully designed, built, and stacked together, it’s easy to see why this blueprint is a sound assembly for sharing your Brand Story. Altogether, this serves as your beacon, your citadel, your place in the landscape that never ceases to speak to your brand’s ability to offer something more in the hearts and minds of your customers.
Your blueprint is the core of your brand. It is the guide behind everything you do. Large or small, incredibly complex to seemingly insignificant, this blueprint is the place in which all brand storytelling decisions should be made. It is your Big Idea, your Positioning, your Attributes, your Pillars, and your Proof. It is your story. Be true it, and it will be true to you.
We’d love to talk more about your brand, your story, and how, with a little reimagining, we can work together to build your storytelling blueprint.
At Dovetail, a St. Louis branding and marketing agency, we work with brands to build engagement, rethink what’s possible, and accelerate success in today’s ever-changing market landscape.
Let’s engage — contact us today.