This podcast covers:

-Why intentional branding matters

-The four components of a successful branding strategy

-How to use AI tools to enhance your branding

Business owners know that first impressions are everything. Having a strong brand can play a key role in your business success. In fact, research shows that having a brand that is consistent increased revenue by up to 20%.

Bernel Westbrook, owner of Branded by Bernel, joins us to talk about the ROI of intentional branding. Having a good brand goes beyond a good logo and Bernel shows us how having an intentional brand can lead to sustainability in our business. 

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What does intentional branding actually mean?

Branding is more than a pretty logo. Intentional branding means you have a strategy and you are not taking a passive approach to how others are perceiving your brand. 

Intentional branding goes far beyond visuals—it’s about building trust and credibility with your audience through the following components:

• Visuals
• Your voice
• Your values
• Your vision

How to take an audit of your brand

The best way to understand how your audience is perceiving your brand is to ask them. Find where your target audience spends their time and poll them; this could be in a Facebook group about your niche, on your own Instagram stories, or your email list. You could ask any of the following questions:

1. What did you think of my brand before you met me?
2. What attracted you to my brand?
3. What was your first touch point to my brand?

The four components of a successful brand strategy

A successful brand strategy is made up of four main components: core identity, ideal client, brand personality development, and position.

Core identity

Your core identity encompasses your purpose and mission statement. It’s the ‘why’ behind your business and the first step in building a successful brand strategy. If you take money out of the equation, why are you providing this product or service?

Ideal client

The second component of your brand strategy is your ideal client. You should conduct market research to figure out who your ideal client is and really get to know them. What are their values? You also need to understand their desires and fears, and the solution they need from your business. Sending out surveys is a great way to gather this information.

Brand personality

Your brand personality allows you to you speak and engage with your audience, which plays a key role in your brand strategy. Are you formal or casual? Are you witty? Are you motivational? You need to engage with your audience in a consistent style so that they come to know and trust you. 

Position

The fourth component of a successful brand strategy is your position in the market. This is where competitor and peer research comes into play. What is your differentiating factor from others who offer similar products or services as you? What’s your secret sauce?

The positioning component also encompasses how you want to be known. When someone comes to your brand, what do you want them to walk away with? What is the one conclusion they will come to and tell their friends about?

When you put all four of these components together, you have a successful brand strategy that can drive your decisions and move your business forward.

A brand that has done an amazing job with intentional branding is Olipop Soda, a company that has made a huge impact in the saturated soda market. They are a great company to study and emulate as you work on your branding strategy.

Don’t be afraid to pivot your brand strategy

If you have a brand strategy but it isn’t working for you, it’s okay to try something that feels outside your brand. Your audience matures and evolves with your business, so it’s important to experiment with your brand. If you’re releasing something that feels out of the ordinary for you, you can attach a “beta” label to it to let your audience know that you’re testing it out.

AI tools that can help enhance your branding

1. ChatGPT: insert a URL from your website into ChatGPT and ask the AI to review it. Give it stipulations, such as: “you are reviewing this website as a busy mom of three who owns a photography business and wants to attracts more seniors in Knoxville, Tennessee. What do you think of this page?” ChatGPT will send you back suggestions as if it is coming from your target audience.
2. Castmagic: on this platform, you can upload an audio or video file and Castmagic will create written content out of it. For example, if you have a podcast and want to create a blog based on a recent episode, you can upload the podcast and ask Castmagic to write a blog based on the episode topic. 

The biggest differentiator between the businesses that succeed and the ones that fail

Bernel believes that the biggest differentiator between the businesses that succeed and the ones that fail is planning. The businesses that succeed spend time planning instead of flying by the seat of their pants. However, they also remain flexible and are willing to make adjustments to their plan as needed.

Important sections of the conversation

• [1:54] What is intentional branding?
• [3:46] How to take an audit of your brand
• [7:26] The four components of a successful branding strategy
• [14:18] Olipop Soda case study
• [23:36] Experimenting with your brand when it isn’t working
• [29:05] How to use AI to enhance your branding
• [35:57] The biggest differentiator between the businesses that succeed and the ones that fail

Links Mentioned:

• Olipop Soda
• ChatGPT
• Castmagic