The Relationship between Brand Strategies and Business Strategies

Brand-Strategy v/s Business-Strategy

Branding Strategies and Business Strategies cause the most confusion in Brand Managers at the management level. While it is important to recognize the difference between the two, one must understand that both are to be aligned with each other to create certain value for the stakeholders of the organization.

While Business Strategy could effectively accommodate components like Business Horizon, Business Focus and Business Performance, an Effective Brand Strategy comprises of factors like Leveraging Touch-points, Optimizing Communications, Outcome Evaluations and Maximizing Brand Potential. It does not necessarily mean that Brand Strategy must be involved in the formulation of a Business Strategy, but like I just mentioned the alignment between the two is essential. Cisco Systems, for example, has it Brand Strategy so deeply entangle with its Business Strategy, that it is almost impossible to determine the boundaries between its Brand and Business Strategy. Tata Group, on the flip-side, has a clearly defined set of Strategic objectives that segregates its Business Strategy apart from its Brand. If you ask a b2b layman, to speak about Cisco Systems and Tata Group, the most certain answers would have clear identification of TATA Group and a confused (rather incorrect) set of perceptions about the Cisco Systems.

Both Brand Strategies and Business Strategies may be separately formulated, by the organization, but only with clear role identification. A brand strategy may include three steps,

Step 1: Developing Brand Strategy
1.   Segmentation
2.    Targeting
3.    Positioning
4.    Value Prepositions
5.    Pricing
6.    Offering

Step 2: Brand Performance Quantification
1.   Effective Reach
2.    Consumer Feedbacks
3.    Time based exposure
4.    Brand Age & Protection
5.    Surveys Results
6.    Overall Brand Performance

Step 3: Brand Strategy Workout
1.   Leveraging Touch-points
2.    Optimizing Communications
3.    Outcomes Evaluations
4.    Maximizing Brand Potential

Our focus on Online Brand Management revolves around these three steps. Very soon, we will launch a tactically showcased full fledge deliverables of Webalue.com, followed by a Marketing Campaign. [Thats a short-term Business Strategy for Webalue.com ]