The title confuses people. Some assume a brand strategist designs logos. Others think they run advertising. Neither is right, and the confusion leads companies to hire the wrong person for the job.
Here is a plain answer.
What a brand strategist does
A brand strategist works out what a brand, whether it is a company or a person, should stand for, who it is for and how it should talk. Then they write that down in a form the rest of the organisation can use.
That usually involves four pieces of work:
- Research. Understanding the audience, the market and the alternatives people compare you with.
- Positioning. Choosing the specific place the brand will occupy in the minds of its audience.
- Messaging. Defining the promise, the proof behind it and the language to use.
- Guidance. Turning all of this into a short document and a way of working that people can follow.
What a brand strategist does not do
They do not usually design the identity, build the website, buy media or run your social accounts. Designers, developers, media agencies and content teams do that. A good strategist briefs them so they start from a clear direction, and checks that the finished work matches it.
When you need one
- You are launching a company, product or market and need a clear position.
- Your brand says slightly different things in different places.
- You are growing and the leadership team describes the business in different ways.
- You are working with several agencies and each is guessing at the brief.
- You are a leader whose profile has not kept up with your seniority. In that case, look at executive and personal branding.
When you do not
If you already have a clear, tested position and your problem is execution, you need production capacity rather than strategy. If you have no audience or offer yet, there is not much to describe. A strategist can only work with something real.
How to choose one
Ask to see how they think, not just how things look. Useful questions: How do you decide what to leave out? What does your process produce at each stage? How will we know the strategy is working? What will you need from my team? A good strategist answers in plain language and is honest about what is outside their remit.
If you want to talk through whether it is the right time for brand work, read about my brand strategy service or book a 30 minute consultation.