5 Ways to Prep Your Brand for 2023
As we wrap up 2022 and head into 2023, we figured we'd use this awkward week between Christmas and New Year's as an opportunity to share some planning tips for your brand.
Whether you have this week off (like our team) or you're using it to get a head start on January, we hope these tips help!
Tip #1: Audit Your Brand
To kick things off, our first tip is to take some time and do a thorough brand audit.
"That sounds great," you may say, "but how the heck do I do that?" Don't fret! We've got you covered.To get started, head over to our website and fill out the handy form on the bottom of the page. That will send you a FREE download of our brand audit guide.
From there, you follow the steps, fill in the boxes, and figure out where you stand. Easy as pie.
Tip #2: On Your Mark, Get Set, GOAL!
You need to set some goals for the coming year. You'll never know which direction to head if you don't know where you want to be. And you can only be truly strategic if you have an end game in mind.
What do you want your brand to do this year? Is your goal to grow your following on social media? To get people to your website? To sell super cool widgets? To get people to call you and schedule a consultation call? To become a household name in your industry?
Lay out whatever it is you want to accomplish with your brand, and then set up some measurable milestones that will help keep you on track.
Tip #3: Develop Your Strategy
For us, this part is the MOST fun because we get to really dive into your brand, how you're going to reach your target market, and the tactical ways you'll show up in the marketplace. It's kind of our speciality. 😎
This process can get pretty intense, so it's good to reach out for help (you can contact us anytime!). But if you're not quite ready to bring in the big guns, here are a couple simple things to keep in mind:
Brand is always first. Trends come and go, but you need to think about everything through the lens of long-term brand health and brand equity. The short-game is fun, but the long game is where you really want to be to build a lasting business.
Do everything with intention. Who are you, who are you serving, and how will your decisions today affect everyone involved? Think through how you want to be perceived and how you want to interact with your audience.
Communicate clearly. What is your main point of view and how can you tell people about it in the simplest way possible? Don't just lean into business jargon and catchphrases, craft your brand with clarity and purpose.
There is so much more that goes into developing a brand strategy, but if you can reframe the way you think about the process in this way, you're off to a good start!
Tip #4: Build Out Your Messaging
Now that you've audited your brand, set your goals, and thought through your strategy, it's time to plan out what your messaging will be this year.
What will you say to your audience?
What will your voice and tone be for all your offerings this year? How will you create a cohesive message across all your external touch points?
Thinking through this on the front end will be a huge time saver throughout the year, because when you develop your messaging, you're basically creating a framework for how your brand speaks. And this can apply to EVERYTHING — social copy, website copy, print materials, billboards, media, etc. Consistent messaging helps get your brand's POV out there in a clear, concise way to help drive decisions and draw people in.
Tip #5: Design Your Visual Identity.
This includes your logos, fonts, patterns, design systems, photo/video style, collateral designs, and more! Basically, anything and everything that represents your brand out in the world.
Whether you're just starting from scratch or your brand already has a killer logo, cohesive imagery, and design assets out the wazoo, you still need to think about how you're showing up THIS year. Maybe it's time for a little refresh? Maybe it's time to update some of your assets? Maybe it's time for a total overhaul?
Only you can decide how you want your business to move forward, but whatever you do, do it with intention.
If you're going to show up in 2023, show up well. Get organized, do the work to plan effectively, and set yourself up for success next year.
Thanks for joining us for all our planning tips. And if you need a little help (or a lot of help) with any of these steps we covered this week, you know who to call. In the meantime, we'll see ya next year!