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Did you read the title of this blog post to the tone of Capital One's famous brand slogan: What's in your wallet? Because that's how I wrote it.
It's a simple question.
It could be shortened to: What's in your toolkit?, but for the sake of the Google Gods, I included a branded keyword so this blog post doesn't have to compete against the Home Depots and DIY bloggers of the world.
Before answering the question, let's discuss what a Brand Toolkit is.
What is a Brand Toolkit?
In marketing speak, a Brand Toolkit establishes who you are, what you do, and how you should market your offerings to current and prospective customers.
In normal person speak, it's a digital collection of abstract tools that help you be a better marketer and, in turn, business owner.
Everything in your toolkit serves a purpose and plays a specific role. You wouldn't use a flathead screwdriver to drive a nail into a piece of wood.
Well, maybe you could, but it wouldn't be as easy as using the tool that was created to hammer nails into wood. 🔨
You get the point.
The tools in your Brand Toolkit are designed to help you build your marketing strategy. When used correctly, your tools will guide you to develop a solid foundation for marketing your products and services to your customers.
Let's discuss the three main tools in your toolkit and how you can use them in your marketing strategy.
Three Marketing Tools In Your Toolkit:
Tool #1 - Brand Story
Your Brand Story is your Phillips Head Screwdriver. It is the ruler of your toolkit and your marketing strategy. You can't go anywhere without it.
Your Brand Story tells others why they should believe in you.
We all have a story, and if we're Small Business Owners, we all have a business story.
There's a good chance you know your business story. You know what you believe in, what you stand for, why you created your company, what types of people and customers you want to attract, and what you want your business to look like in five, ten, or twenty years. But how are you telling that story to others?
Your Brand Story clearly defines who you are, what you stand for, what you believe in, and why others should believe in you. It is the basis for all of your marketing efforts.
Tool #2 - Brand Message Identity
Your Brand Message Identity is exactly what it sounds like. It gives your words, images, and marketing an identity. It is rooted in your motives and aspirations for your business.
There are three parts to your Brand Message Identity.
Brand Purpose - A Brand Purpose statement is a company's reason for being. It guides your company's actions and decisions. Think of your Brand Purpose as your "why" to your customers. Why do your products or services matter to your customers? How does the way that you run your business impact and affect your customers? Why does what you're selling matter to the people buying it?
Brand Ambition—A Brand Ambition statement is a vision of the company's future. It reminds the company of its long-term goals and future direction. Your Brand Ambition helps motivate you to keep moving forward. You don't want your audience to get bored or complacent with your marketing and business offerings. Your ambitions remind you of what's next and the steps you must take to get there.
Key Benefit - A Key Benefit statement describes the primary benefit of a brand's product or service. Here are a few examples of Key Benefit statements from brands you've heard of. Gatorade: Fuels athletes. Patagonia: In the business of saving our home planet. Ikea: Offer a wide range of well-designed home furnishing products at low prices so as many people as possible can afford them.
Tool #3 - Brand Voice and Tone
Your Brand Voice and Tone help define how to express yourself when speaking to your customers. How you speak to your customers can impact how your brand is perceived.
Your Brand Voice helps define your business' image as a unique and individual product or service. Your voice stays constant and doesn't change.
Your Brand Tone changes depending on the situation or audience, much like a person's tone of voice changes based on their mood.
The voice and tone you use to communicate your Brand Story, Purpose, Ambitions, and Key Message are just as important as the tools themselves. People are attracted to brands they can connect with personally, and using a clear voice and intentional tone helps your brand feel human and unique.
Your Brand Story, Message Identity, and Voice and Tone are three tools required for a strong marketing toolkit. Without these tools, your marketing lacks structure.
Identifying these three areas of your business is the first step toward building a solid marketing strategy to attract, convert, and retain your customers.
Ready to start laying the foundation of your brand strategy?
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