Essential Brand Strategist Skills
Brand image refers to how a company appears to the public and its audience. In many organizations, the person responsible for creating and refining this image is the brand strategist. If you’re interested in helping companies create an image that’s tailored to their audience, you might benefit from learning about the role of a brand strategist and the skills they use in their daily work. In this article, we explain what a brand strategist is, list 10 skills they need to succeed and explore tips for pursuing this role.
What is a brand strategist?
A brand strategist is a marketing professional who helps define an organization’s tone and personality. Brand strategists research a company’s audience to determine how the organization can best interact with them. They then create a plan that often includes elements such as website copy, social media posts and logos, adjusting each based on the desired brand image.
10 brand strategist skills
Below are skills brand strategists use in their daily work:
1. Creativity
A brand strategist uses their creativity to find new ways to market their clients or employers. They use creative thinking skills to create marketing slogans, logos and website designs, ensuring each one fits the desired brand image. Brand strategists also use creative thinking to differentiate their brand from the competition.
2. Social media
Social media is one of the primary tools brand strategists use to create a brand image. Brands use social media to interact directly with their audience. Brand strategists develop a tone, voice and persona for their clients or employers, then use social media to introduce the audience to the brand. Brand strategists know how to get attention on social media and attract a large following for their employer.
3. Research
To develop a brand strategy, brand strategists research their audience and current marketing trends. They learn things about their audience, such as age, gender, location and income. They also research their audience’s desires, including the types of products they use and how they like to interact with companies. To gain this information, brand strategists use research methods, such as acquiring data from research firms, sending surveys or interviewing members of their target audience.
4. Analysis
Brand strategists make conclusions based on their analysis of different data sources before making important decisions. For example, they might analyze the results of a customer survey to learn what type of tone to use with customers. They might combine this information with their audience demographics to develop a brand voice to use in their copy. Brand strategists analyze the data they gathered thoroughly to ensure they’re making decisions based on actual results.
5. Problem-solving
Brand strategists use problem-solving skills to improve their employer’s or client’s marketing strategy. They try to find flaws in existing brand strategies and ways to solve them. Some brand strategists operate on tight budgets. They use their problem-solving skills to find cost-effective marketing strategies and unique ways to perform traditional marketing techniques.
6. Written communication
Brand strategists often communicate their ideas and strategies in writing. They also communicate with their teams through instant messaging software and email, where they provide detailed instructions and feedback. Brand strategists often create documents explaining each step of their brand strategy. These documents provide their team with resources they can follow. Brand strategists might also use these documents to present their strategy proposals to clients or employers.
7. Verbal communication
Brand strategists communicate verbally when they meet with clients or other members of their organization to learn about their products or services. They might also meet with company executives to discuss their desired brand image. After having these conversations, the brand strategist might make a presentation outlining their vision for the brand image strategy.
8. Collaborative
Most brand strategists work with other individuals to create a brand strategy. For example, they might work with a business owner to create a brand image that targets the correct demographic and portrays the business positively. This process is collaborative, with all parties sharing ideas and working together to find the best brand strategy. Brand strategists at large organizations often work in teams, collaborating to create an effective strategy.
9. Public speaking
After creating a brand strategy, brand strategists might present it to their teams or employers. They use their public speaking skills to explain the strategy’s goals and the steps needed to reach those goals. Brand strategists might also present pitches to prospective clients on their employer’s behalf, during which they use their public speaking skills to convince the potential client.
10. Leadership
In large organizations, a brand strategist might lead a team of marketing professionals. This team might include a social media manager, an advertising manager, graphic designers and marketing interns. As the person responsible for the brand strategy, it’s important for the brand strategist to use their leadership skills to ensure the team works toward its goals.
Tips for becoming a brand strategist
Here are helpful tips if you want to become a brand strategist:
Get a degree
A bachelor’s degree in marketing or advertising provides you with knowledge you can use throughout your career. During these programs, you learn about topics such as how to create a buyer’s persona, conduct audience research and develop a marketing strategy. While some brand strategist positions don’t require a degree, having one can improve your chances of getting a job.
Work in related positions
Gain work in similar roles, such as social media manager or marketing analyst, before applying for brand strategist jobs. These positions provide you with experience developing marketing strategies and interacting with audiences. Working in a variety of positions can help you learn about the many aspects of branding.
Earn experience with small clients
If you’re just starting your career as a brand strategist, it might be easier to work with smaller clients first. For example, you can offer to create a brand strategy for a local company or startup. When interviewing brand strategist candidates, many hiring managers like to see proof they’ve built and implemented brand strategies. Working with smaller clients gives you this opportunity, and you can talk about your successful campaigns during the interview process. As you gain more experience creating brand strategies, you can transition into working with larger clients or brands with a wider reach.