How to build a strong brand in 7 steps

Artyom Dovgopol

A strong brand is born not from a beautiful logo, but from a deep understanding of people and a systematic approach to every element – from market research to creating an emotional connection with customers😉

Key takeaways 👌

Step 1: Market analysis

Many entrepreneurs often make the same mistake – they start with another “brilliant idea” instead of an actual market analysis. The idea matters, sure, but without a proper baseline, even the brightest one will inevitably sink.

So, there are a few things to keep in mind when launching a product:

• Start by studying your target audience. Create detailed profiles of your potential customers: their demographics, psychographics, pains, and needs. Use interviews, surveys, social media, and analytics to gather data. Remember: it’s better to deeply understand 100 people than to superficially study a thousand.
• The next step is competitor analysis. Study not only direct competitors but also those who solve similar customer problems in different ways. Pay attention to their positioning, values, communication strategies, and weaknesses. This will help you find untapped niches for your brand.
• Finish the analysis by exploring industry trends. Understanding where the market is heading will help you create a brand that will be relevant not only today but also tomorrow. Remember: successful brands don’t follow trends, they create them.

If you’re into Forbes statistics, then here’s a goodie: a lack of insights investment creates conflicts between consumer and brand alignment. Customer loyalty plummets – 80% of customers say they're more likely to switch brands after just one bad experience.

The branding paradox: the more you try to please everyone, the less you appeal to anyone. Strong brands choose their people, not the other way around

Step 2: Positioning development

Positioning is important – it’s the main factor in how your potential customers will view your brand and your product. It doesn’t always correlate with how you see your business, but rather with how you are perceived.

• Define your unique value proposition. Every successful brand has one thing that makes it better than all the others. Answer the question: 'Why should customers choose you?' This could be a revolutionary product, an exceptional service, a unique philosophy, or a special approach to solving problems.
• Formulate your positioning in one sentence. Use the formula: 'For [target audience], our brand is a [product/service category] that provides [key benefit] because [reason to trust].' If you can’t fit your positioning into one sentence, it means it’s too vague.
• Test your positioning with focus groups. Make sure it is clear, relevant, and distinctive. A good positioning statement should instantly explain what makes you different from competitors and be memorable from the first time.

We do want all the potential customers to see how great your product is, right?

Step 3: Creating the brand platform

The brand platform is your foundation for all brand-related communication. It involves many intricacies, but let’s focus on the main ones:

• The mission answers the question "Why do we exist?" It should be inspiring and reflect the value you bring to the world. The vision describes the desired future — how you see the world thanks to your work.
• Values are the principles that guide your brand. They should not be just nice words on a wall, but real guidelines for decision-making. Each value must be supported by concrete actions.
• The brand character defines how your brand "speaks" and "behaves." Imagine your brand as a person: what is its character, how does it communicate, what motivates it? This will help create consistent communication across all touchpoints.

Great brand platforms have helped companies build massive global influence. 

Nike’s mission ("To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world") fuels its $51B annual revenue, with the "Just Do It" slogan making it instantly recognizable worldwide.

Step 4: Naming

A good name for a brand can make the difference between billions in profits and just another flick that disappears the moment market tides shift. A good name can carve itself into potential customers’ minds for a long, long time:

• Start with an associative field. Write down all words related to your activity, values, and the emotions you want to evoke. Don’t limit yourself to direct associations — sometimes the best names are born from unexpected connections.
• Study successful cases in your industry. What techniques do market leaders use? Descriptive names (Facebook, YouTube), abstract ones (Apple, Nike), onomatopoeic (Yahoo!, Xerox), or geographical (Amazon, Twitter)?
• Check availability thoroughly. It’s not enough to make sure the domain is free. Check trademark registration in key jurisdictions, availability of social media handles, and make sure there are no negative associations in other languages.
• Test on real people. The best test for a name is the reaction of your target audience. Is it easy to pronounce? Memorable from the first try? Does it trigger the right associations? Don’t hesitate to ask directly: "What kind of services do you think a company with this name provides?"

Etsy (over $2.7B annual revenue) is a completely invented word, which means: zero prior associations, easy trademark registration, global adaptability, and full control over brand meaning. It’s short, catchy, and emotionally neutral, allowing the brand to grow from a small crafts marketplace into a massive e-commerce platform without being limited by its name. The "empty vessel" approach Etsy used is one of the hardest but most scalable naming strategies – you're not explaining the product in the name, you’re building all associations from scratch.

A bit more about branding...

Without thoughtful brand design, a company risks going unnoticed! Read the article Who is a brand designer and how they create a unique style

Step 5: Visual Identity

You might think that visual identity is only about, well, visual stuff. However, it’s also very much about communication — each element of visual identity should work towards strengthening the connection between the customer and your product:

• The logo is the face of your brand. Forget about complex symbols and hidden meanings that quickly become outdated. The best logos are as simple as a child’s drawing, yet unique and memorable. It should look equally good on a business card and a billboard, in color and black-and-white.
• The color palette works on the subconscious. Every color carries emotional weight: red excites and motivates, blue calms and builds trust, green is associated with nature and growth. Choose 2–3 main colors that support your brand’s character.
• Typography is the brand’s voice in text. A font can be friendly or formal, modern or classic, playful or serious. Select a primary font for headlines and a secondary one for body text. Make sure they are easy to read on all devices.
• Photography style sets the mood. Define what kind of imagery reflects your brand’s character: bright and dynamic or calm and minimalistic? With people or without? In a studio or natural environment?

Step 6: Communication strategy

In a world where numerous brands at the same time try to make you believe that their brand is the one that you need to hear. We want you to win all the hearts and minds, right? That’s how you do it:

• Define the tone of voice. How does your brand speak: formally or friendly, with humor or seriously, emotionally or restrained? Create a guideline with examples of phrases your brand would say, and ones it would never say.
• Segment your messages. Different customer groups have different needs and motivations. Messages for newcomers should explain basic benefits, for experts — highlight technical superiority, for skeptics — provide evidence.
• Choose your channels wisely. It’s better to work well in three channels than perform poorly in ten. Study where your audience spends time, which content they trust, and how they make purchasing decisions.
• Create a content strategy. Plan content in advance, taking into account seasonality, industry events, and audience behavior. Follow the value rule: 70% of content should educate and help, 20% should entertain, and only 10% should directly sell.

Step 7: Brand book

The brand book is not just a nice presentation for clients but a working tool that ensures brand consistency at all levels. It should be clear enough that any new employee can create brand-compliant materials based on it.

• Structure the information logically. Start with the brand philosophy (mission, vision, values), move on to positioning and target audience, and then to visual and verbal identity.
• Show correct and incorrect examples. Carefully detail visual identity: logo usage rules, color codes, typography samples, photography style. For each brand element, include examples of proper use and common mistakes. This helps prevent distortion of the brand.
• Add practical templates. Include mockups for key materials: business cards, presentations, social media posts, and packaging. This saves time and ensures consistency.
• Update regularly. The brand book is a living document that should evolve with the company. Review it once a year, add new examples, and refine the wording.

Conclusion

Remember: people don’t buy products – they buy stories, emotions, and status. Give them a reason to be proud of choosing your brand, and they will become not just customers but your advocates.

Start now with the first step. Success loves action, not overthinking.

Recommended reading🤓

“How Brands Grow”, Byron Sharp

A data-driven approach to building brands based on consumer behavior.

On Amazon

"Contagious: Why Things Catch On", Jonah Berger

Why certain brands and ideas go viral and how to use this in marketing.

On Amazon

“Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind”, Al Ries, Jack Trout

The art of owning a unique place in the consumer's mind and standing out from competitors.

On Amazon