The difference between a brand strategy, a business strategy and a marketing strategy 

Brand strategy, business strategy and marketing all sound really similar but have very different meanings for you and your business. Knowing the difference between them and how to use each to your benefit is very important to your success. 

A brand strategy is the part of your business that identifies your voice, purpose and overall directs your business and marketing strategies. Branding allows your clients to understand the characteristics, values and attributes you stand for, in addition to how you compare to your competitors. Brand strategy is different than a marketing strategy because it acts as the umbrella under which marketing, product, sales and customer service exist. 

Your brand is the holistic reputation of your company, product, or service. It consists of many parts – one of which is marketing. Other equally important parts of your brand are product, sales, and customer service. Each part of your brand strategy should effectively communicate the aesthetic and feeling behind you and your brand. This also helps your team make well informed decisions on issues, since everything should match up with your overall brand strategy. It should focus on the big picture but include an actionable mission that aligns with your short, mid, and long-term business goals. As you get more specific with your business and dive into more strategic and personal business goals, you begin to reach your business strategy. 

Your business strategy details your business’ vision, mission, objectives and how you plan to reach your goals. Your business strategy focuses more on the inside work and how your business will succeed in the market, whereas brand strategy focuses more on how your message is perceived by clients. You must include your main objectives, how you plan to compete in the market, how you will optimize performance and the resources you will need to carry out your strategy. 

Brand strategy is more about marketing the brand’s image, while your business strategy focuses on communicating your brand’s mission. Your business strategy should focus on your businesses’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, all in relation to your competitors. 

Specifically, a business strategy considers market trends, differentiation, technology, partnerships and even business models, all related to figuring out how your business can do it better. However, your business strategy doesn’t focus too harshly on promoting your products or services, because that’s where the marketing strategy comes in. 

A marketing strategy is shaped by both brand strategy and business strategy. Creating a marketing strategy means you have to consider how and when to promote your business and how to make the most of your social networks. You can use your brand and business strategies to form a strong marketing strategy that encourages buyers and reinforces the brand essence. 

To form a successful marketing strategy, you should identify your clients, position in the market, strengths, weaknesses, and how you can take advantage of your brand strategy to further promote your products and services. Read VALLETTA’s journal post on flawed marketing strategies here and how to fix them. 

Successfully merging brand, business and marketing strategies is important to your company’s success. After mastering each individual branch, you can put them all together and find yourself with more sales, followers, and clients! Book a consultation today with VALLETTA so that we can help you with any strategy needs and push you towards your business goals!