5 Key Elements to Develop Strategic Vision
While many branding experts have unique systems for building strategic vision, most will include the five key elements below.
In my practice, I prioritize these key elements as follows.
Brand Customer
Brand Vision
Brand Values
Brand Purpose
Brand Personality
Brand CUSTOMER
The 1st key element in strategic vision is the brand customer.
Who is your brand customer? Find and define your target customer, be relentless in this pursuit.
Most strategists start with the company purpose, but as someone who has grown and scaled multiple companies, I always start with the customer. Of course, your brand purpose is a key element, but if you don't have a paying customer, your 'why' doesn't matter. All brands should revolve around their customer's needs, wants, fears, and desires. I offer a free customer reframe worksheet to help jump-start prioritizing the customer.
Knowing your target audience allows you to speak directly to the customer buying your product or service, streamline your marketing efforts, and increase sales conversion.
Brand VISION
The 2nd key element in strategic vision is the brand vision.
Where is your brand going? Find and define the long-term vision of where your company will be in the future.
I am not only guilty of losing my vision while scaling my first company, but I have also been a part of an organization without a vision. In both instances, failure loomed heavy. In addition, visionless companies tend to attract bottom-of-the-barrel talent and create a culture of frustration. A frustrated talentless company will eventually crash and burn. Owners who don't possess vision are not leaders; they are merely bank accounts funding an eventual collapse. I offer a free vision workbook to help you craft a killer brand vision.
Having a clear vision defines what your organization will look like in the future and provides direction to everyone in the organization as they focus their efforts on achieving the aspired state.
Brand VALUES
The 3rd key element in strategic vision are the brand values.
What does your brand stand for? Find and define your organization’s core values.
Brand values show your customers and employees what your business stands for. I always back into values by defining what a brand stands against, which helps prevent generic value statements. Brand values should make your company unique and support the brand purpose.
Brand values give your company a human face that resonates with your target audience. Values are the heartbeat of a company.
Brand Purpose
The 4th key element in strategic vision is the brand purpose.
Why are you in business? Find and define the purpose behind what you do.
A brand's purpose shows your employees and customers that you're more than just a product or service. A well-meaning brand purpose should connect with the customer and provide a unique competitive advantage to your business. In addition, brands that provide vital purpose to their employees find greater productivity and job satisfaction.
Having purpose allows your brand to create a deep connection with your customers that no other brand can replicate. In addition, it provides clarity, reason, and strong culture for your employees.
Brand Personality
The 5th key element in strategic vision is the brand personality.
What is your brand's tone of voice? Find and define how you want to sound to your target audience.
Our personalities are what make us enjoyable or off-putting, inspiring or lackluster. The same goes for your brand. Brand personality should be authentic to your organization, consistent in your messaging, and relatable to your brand customer.