Sahil Gandhi, brand strategist and co-founder of Blushush, a London-based Webflow agency, crafts SMEs and businesses into impactful brands.
Ask someone about their brand, and they’ll likely point to a logo. Maybe it has a sleek font or a color that pops.
But that’s not a strategy, right? That’s decoration.
A real brand strategy lives deeper. It shapes perception, dictates price elasticity and guides every conversation between a brand and the world. Brand strategy goes beyond external perception. It can significantly shape the internal environment of an organization, influencing how team members behave, how stakeholders interact and who represents the organization internally and externally. It establishes a foundational mindset about the organization itself and can foster alignment between employees, customers, recruiters and other stakeholders.
While many business owners, facilitators and agencies perceive brand strategy primarily as a tool to control external perceptions, its deeper impact lies in shaping internal attitudes and behaviors. An effective brand strategy creates clarity and unity within an organization, guiding internal perspectives that ultimately radiate outward.
For instance, globally admired companies like Apple and Google have built powerful internal brand strategies that make them sought-after workplaces. Similarly, on a smaller scale, companies like SEOMG!, an SEO agency in England, illustrate the effectiveness of an internally focused brand strategy. The company was ranked as 2024’s small SEO Agency of the Year by the U.K. Agency Awards for its commitment to staff and “employee well-being-centric objectives” while also achieving revenue growth.
Thus, a comprehensive brand strategy is instrumental in shaping not just external perceptions but also cultivating a strong, coherent internal identity that resonates with all stakeholders. I always tell my clients this: You don’t need to look different in every post. You need to feel familiar at every touchpoint.
A true brand strategy delivers a cohesive, unforgettable identity that actually works.
Defining ‘Brand Strategy’
So, what is “brand strategy”? Think of it like you’re constructing a house. The paint, lights and furniture are your visuals. Your brand strategy is the blueprint. It’s the foundation—the wiring behind the walls.
A powerful brand strategy answers:
• Who are we really?
• Who are we for?
• Why should anyone care?
• And how do we stay unforgettable in a sea of sameness?
It’s a living system combining purpose, personality, positioning and promise. And when it’s done right, it aligns how your team works internally with how your audience feels externally.
Why Brand Strategy Isn’t Optional Anymore
1. It builds recognition that stays.
Humans are hardwired to remember patterns. Don’t simply create a website; design with strategic distinctiveness. Intentional branding makes you recognizable. It helps clients know your work before they even see your logo.
2. It elevates perceived value.
Pricing isn’t always about the product; it’s about the story behind the product. Through my work, I’ve seen founders reposition their personal brands and be able to double their pricing without changing their offerings as a result. That’s the power of strategic clarity. When people understand your value, they’re more willing to pay for it.
3. It aligns your team with your promise.
Companies that align their branding and culture with the organization’s purpose can see higher employee engagement. Why? Because brand strategy isn’t just an external asset; it’s a cultural compass. That’s why every brand strategy I create with clients starts internally. If your team doesn’t get the brand, the market never will.
4. It future-proofs you.
After reviewing 111 post-mortems from failed startups between 2018 and 2021, CB Insights found that 35% of startups failed because there was no market need (registration required for full report). But in my view, it’s not always that there was a lack of need; I’ve noticed that, sometimes, it’s a lack of clarity in communicating relevance. Brand strategy makes your value proposition unavoidable. It puts your “Why you?” at the front of the room, loud and clear.
A Few Brands That Nail It
Through my company’s work, I’ve found that clarity is a client magnet. Every brand strategy should have one goal: to make brands unforgettable and unmissable both to customers and search engines. Consider, for example:
• Apple: Featuring simplicity, lifestyle and emotional design, Apple’s brand strategy echoes its core pillars from packaging to presentations.
• Airbnb: The company has baked its “belong anywhere” strategy into the user experience, community standards and host experience.
Developing A Strong Brand Strategy
To begin developing a brand strategy, I use the following questions as the foundation with every client:
• Purpose: Why do you exist beyond profit?
• Audience: Who are they really, and what are they searching for emotionally?
• Positioning: What makes you not just better, but different?
• Messaging: What tone builds trust and emotion?
• Visual Identity: Are your visuals instantly recognizable?
• Customer Experience: Does every interaction deliver on your promise?
This isn’t a checklist, it’s a living system.
Once you’ve answered these questions, don’t stash them away. Keep them in front of your eyes—literally. Print them out. Pin them up. Make them the wallpaper on your desktop if you have to. This becomes your internal compass.
Then look at every brand touchpoint—your LinkedIn, website, intro calls and even how your team signs off emails. Do they all carry the same brand heartbeat? If not, adjust. Real strategy lives in repetition. It’s how you turn clarity into consistency and consistency into trust.
Wrapping Up With A Truth
In a crowded world, features fade. Price wars burn out. But brand strategy stays.
If you don’t define your brand, the world will do it for you. And you may not like their version.
Whether you’re building a personal brand or a global platform, strategy is the compass that keeps you clear no matter how fast the winds shift.
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