Brand communication strategy: what is it and how to create it?

Interaction with customers is part of the day-to-day business of your company. However, it is important to remember that an organisation is made up of many people who should talk to their audience in the same way. To this end, a brand communication strategy is created. How do you define its objectives? How to manage possible crises and control the company’s social media image?

In this article you will learn:

• What is a brand communication strategy?
• What are the benefits of creating a brand communication?
• When is the best time to create brand communication?
• How do I create brand communication?
• Who should create a brand strategy?
• What should a brand communication strategy contain?

It is a comprehensive action plan that defines how the company will communicate with the environment. It includes activities such as selecting appropriate communication channels, defining the target audience and planning content.

A brand communication strategy is an action plan that defines how a brand will communicate with different target groups in order to build a positive image and achieve specific business objectives. It defines the communication objectives, target groups, brand message, communication channels and methods for measuring effectiveness.

Definition of a brand communication strategy

The brand communication strategy is one element of the overall marketing strategy. The latter encompasses all of the company’s activities to achieve business objectives, such as increasing sales, building brand awareness or building consumer loyalty. The communication strategy focuses on identifying the ways and tools that the company uses to communicate its values, product or service offerings, as well as to build brand image and customer relationships.

One of the most obvious is to increase brand awareness – targeting a message to specific target groups and adapting it to their preferred channels and ways can attract the attention and interest of the audience, increasing brand recognition. This also helps to build a positive image. However, it is important to remember that communication with customers should reflect the objectives, mission, vision and values of the company, and take into account the needs and expectations of customers.

An effective brand communication strategy can help to increase sales. To do this, it should take into account what the customer can get from your company’s products or services – this is easily achieved by using benefit language in your brand content. It should take into account customer needs and preferences. It can also help you stand out in the market and become more competitive.

One of the key benefits of having a communications strategy is effective crisis management. Specific actions allow you to respond quickly and effectively to crises and negative situations. In the event of unforeseen problems, the company can react quickly and communicate information to customers to prevent the spread of false or harmful information.

Other benefits of implementing a brand communication strategy:

1. Strengthening Brand Positioning – brand communication allows the brand to clearly define its position in the market, making it easier to stand out among competitors.
2. Building Credibility – clear and consistent communication increases customer trust, which can translate into greater loyalty and repeat purchases.
3. Brand Recognition – carefully planned brand communication can increase brand recognition, which is essential for attracting and retaining customer attention.
4. Greater Customer Loyalty – good communication can lead to greater customer satisfaction, which in turn can increase loyalty and promote positive feedback.
5. Increased Brand Re ach – communication can help spread brand information across different media and channels, increasing brand reach.
6. Facilitate New Product Introductions – established brand communication can facilitate new product launches as consumers are already aware of the value and quality offered by the brand.
7. Attracting Investors – clear and consistent brand communication can attract investors by demonstrating the stability and professionalism of the company.
8. Increasing Attractiveness to Potential Employees – a good brand reputation and communication can attract qualified employees, which is beneficial for the long-term growth of the company.

However, it is worth remembering that this is a process that requires constant attention and updating. Therefore, it is important that the implementation is done in a planned manner and in advance to gain time to analyse the results and make changes.

A brand communication strategy is also worth implementing in the case of negative events or crises that may affect the company’s image. In such a situation, the strategy should be developed quickly and effectively to minimise the effects of the crisis on the company.

The following describes some moments in the life cycle of an organisation when it is worth considering the creation and implementation of a brand communication strategy:

1. Initial Organisational Development Stage – initiating a brand strategy at an early stage of the business can foster the development of a unique enterprise value proposition and raise brand recognition in the market environment.
2. Implementation ofNew Products or Services – the implementation of a brand strategy during the presentation of new products or services can support the promotion of these innovations and the formation of a positive brand perception in the perception of consumers.
3. Expanding into New Markets – the process of expanding into new markets provides an excellent opportunity to implement or renew a brand strategy, allowing messages to be tailored to the preferences of local audiences and increasing brand recognition.
4. Modification of Brand Image – when a company undergoes a rebranding process or changes its image, it becomes necessary to implement an updated brand strategy.
5. Responding to Conjunctural Changes – changes in the market environment, such as the emergence of new players in the market or changing consumer expectations, can impose a requirement to adapt the brand strategy in order to remain competitive.

The development of a communication strategy largely follows a similar pattern to the development of other types of business strategies. It is therefore worth bearing in mind the following few steps:

Identify brand communication objectives

To begin with, the company’s objectives should be defined. They should be specific, measurable and realistic. It is worth considering objectives related to specific areas, e.g. social media (in this case, it could be, for example, increasing the number of fans). If you want your company to have a social media presence, a marketing audit carried out by a specialised social media agency can help you define your goals.

Target group

Thenext step is to identify the target group, i.e. the audience to which your brand communication will be directed. The preferences and behaviours of the target group need to be identified and the communication channels that are most appropriate for them need to be selected. Practices from UX design such as identifying the sales persona can help with this.

Competitor analysis

Competitor analysis allows you to learn about the communication strategies of other brands so that you can stand out from them. In doing so, it is worth noting which communication channels they use and what content they publish.

Choosing communication channels

Based on the analysis of your target audience and competitors, you should select the appropriate communication channels. In the case of social media, this could be Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, but it is also worth considering traditional channels – advertising on television, in the press or on the radio. A frequently used channel for communicating with the audience is the company blog.

Content planning and creation

Content published as part of a brand’s communication strategy should be of interest to the target audience and consistent with the company’s values and objectives. They should also be tailored to the channel on which they are published. For example, posts on Instagram may require a more visual approach than on Twitter. Press releases used in the media, on the other hand, will focus strictly on text and specific events.

Remember to ensure that the content you publish takes into account current trends – this will keep it interesting for your audience. Creating content that will give value to readers is a process that should be handled by a qualified content marketing specialist.

It is not enough to create content – it also needs to be planned, taking into account the individual communication channels and publication times. Planning helps to avoid a company publishing content too infrequently or too often. It also helps to keep the message and themes consistent, which influences customers’ perception of the brand.

Monitoring responses and building engagement

As part of social channel management, it is important to regularly monitor user reactions and respond to their comments and questions. This interaction helps build customer engagement and improves positive brand image.

Care should also be taken to build customer engagement and loyalty. On social media, this can be achieved by actively interacting with users, organising competitions and marketing campaigns and responding to user feedback and comments.

Controlling brand image in social media

In social media, it can be easy for negative comments or information to affect the brand image. The communication strategy should include a quick response to negative information or control of discussions in forums and groups. Acting according to the guidelines in the strategy allows for a quicker and better resolution of the crisis and reduces the possibility of mistakes.

Analysis of results

Monitoring the results of a brand’s communication strategy allows it to be adapted to the changing needs and expectations of the target group. Social media offer many analytical tools to analyse user reactions and the effectiveness of activities.

Implementing a communication strategy is a task for a company’s marketing team or communications department. The responsibility for implementing the strategy lies with the marketing manager or communications director, who leads the team. It can also be handled by a specialised marketing agency. It is less common for this type of task to be entrusted to freelancers – as a rule, the scope of work is beyond the capacity of one person.

Regardless of whether an external agency or your company’s marketing department is responsible for the implementation, the project team should consist of people with different specialisations, such as copywriters, social media specialists, graphic designers or analysts. This will ensure a comprehensive approach to brand communication and the use of appropriate tools and channels.

However, it is worth emphasising that the brand communication strategy should be closely linked to the company’s overall business strategy. Therefore, people from other departments, such as sales, production or customer service, should also be involved in its implementation. Cooperation between the different departments of the company allows for a better understanding of the needs of customers and the adaptation of communication activities to their expectations.

A brand communication strategy should take into account many different elements in order to effectively build the brand image and communicate with its target groups. Here are some key elements that should be included in a brand communication strategy:

1. Brand identity: Defining the brand’s mission, values and personality. This is fundamental to the consistency of the brand’s communication and building its unique image.
2. Target group analysis: Understanding the needs, expectations, behaviour and preferences of the brand’s target groups. This enables communication to be tailored to be effective and engaging for a specific audience.
3. Visual communication: Creating a consistent set of visual elements, such as the logo, colour scheme, fonts and graphic style. These elements should reflect the brand identity and be used consistently across all communication materials.
4. Content and storytelling: Sample content that is valuable, interesting and engaging to the brand’s target audience. A well-told story can help build an emotional connection with customers and increase brand awareness.
5. Communication channels: Selecting appropriate communication channels that will effectively reach target groups. This can include social media, websites, blogs, print materials, outdoor advertising, etc.

A communication strategy, especially in social media, is extremely important for any company wishing to build an effective image and increase its competitiveness in the market. A properly developed strategy allows a company to effectively achieve its business goals, such as increasing brand awareness or sales, building customer involvement and loyalty and controlling the brand image on the Internet. Without it, social media activities may prove ineffective or even harmful to your company’s image.