Does Brand Strategy feel like something big CPG companies talk about, but you’re not sure how it can actually work for your emerging food business? The Brand Management Mindset™ matters to brands of ALL sizes – maybe even more so for smaller brands who are positioning themselves to stand out in a meaningful way rather than relying on big budgets. When you take the time to get clear about who your brand is at the core, who you serve and how you meet your consumers’ needs in a way your competitors can’t, or won’t…you can start to identify how you will set your brand apart.
In this episode of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, I (Katie Mleziva) explain why it’s important to think about building a strong brand not just a great product.
It goes without saying that food products need to taste good. Food business founders spend a lot of time – rightly so – perfecting the product. But sometimes we think that one more flavor or packaging tweak is all it takes to unlock growth, when actually having your brand foundations set is the most important next steps in order to guide what those future growth efforts should look like, focusing not only on product features but also consumer benefits.
If people don’t know what’s different about your brand, they tend to compare on price and most of us do not want to get caught up in the price game and become a commodity product (Note: this is a different conversation from working to make real food more affordable and accessible).
People often ask me when the right time is to work on their brand strategy. The answer is always now, unless there is a financial crisis happening and even then it’s good to have some handle on where you want to take your brand so that you know what success looks like. How can you get started? Think about Katie’s favorite question to ask that sums up Brand Strategy: “How can I meet my consumers’ needs in a way your competitors either can’t or won’t?”
You can always work on your answer to that question over time – it’s a process, but with a framework it doesn’t have to be just for the “big guys” in CPG. I’m bringing you the tools so you can level the playing field even without an expensive agency and big bugdets.
Listen to the episode to hear the steps you can take to get started shifting from a great product to a great brand today, so be sure to listen for some key tips.
Now, let’s go shake up shopping carts!
Katie
In This Episode:
– How I first got interested in Brand Management during college.
– Why a great product is necessary, but not enough to build a strong brand.
– How brands and bank accounts are similar.
– When the right time is to work on your brand strategy.
– Why clarity and confidence are so important for building a brand.
– How building a strong brand can help you with brand recognition and referrals.
– How having a strong brand can help new product launches succeed.
Resources:
Ep #56: Meeting Consumer Needs – What Are You REALLY Selling?
Ep #64: [Brand Strategy Series] Setting Your Food Business Apart Step 1: The Competitive Snapshot
Ep #65: [Brand Strategy Series] Setting Your Food Business Apart Step 2: Identifying Your Ideal Consumer
Ep #66: [Brand Strategy Series] Setting Your Food Business Apart Step 3: Company Strategy
Ep #68: Turn Your Marketing Plan into a Consumer Connection Plan
Real Food Brands Marketing Roundtable Facebook Community (FREE!)
Connect with Katie on Instagram
Get Your Free Brand Strategy Checkup