What Happens During a Brand Strategy Intensive (And Why I Completely Rebuilt Mine)
Brand strategy often feels like showing up for a test you didn't study for.
You get this questionnaire that feels like applying for a mortgage. Spend hours second-guessing your answers. Then sit through a video call where someone throws around words like "brand architecture" and "value proposition" while you nod along, secretly wondering if everyone else just gets this stuff and you somehow missed the memo.
And then you get this gorgeous, incredibly detailed PDF that... lives on your desktop. Forever. Untouched. Because honestly, who has time to decode 39 pages of strategy speak when you're just trying to figure out what to post on Instagram this week?
I ran my process that way for a while too. And then I blew the whole thing up and started over.
But First: Let's talk about what brand strategy does
Your brand isn't your logo. I know you know this. But let's actually sit with what that means for a second.
Think about Lululemon. Those black leggings with the little logo on the waistband? They're just black leggings. You can buy black leggings literally anywhere for a fraction of the price.
But people will drop $128 on Lululemon leggings without blinking because of what the brand has become shorthand for: quality that lasts, a community of people who prioritize wellness, that "I take care of myself" identity. The aspirational Sunday morning yoga class energy.
None of that lives in the logo itself. The logo is just doing its job—marking the product so you can spot it.
What makes Lululemon Lululemon is everything people think and feel when they see that little omega symbol. The trust that these leggings won't go see-through during downward dog. The connection to a lifestyle. The belief that investing in yourself matters.
The visual stuff—the logo, the sleek store design, the inspirational quotes on the shopping bags—it's all just the shortcut to that meaning. The bookmark for all that value.
So if your brand isn't your logo... what is it?
Your brand is what people think and feel about your business. Full stop.
And here's the uncomfortable part: whether you do something intentional about it or not, people are already forming opinions about your brand. They're asking themselves questions every time they come across you:
Is this for me?
Can I trust them?
Do I feel connected to this?
Will this actually change something for me?
If you're not answering those questions intentionally—with how you look, what you say, what you create, how you behave—then you're leaving the answers up to chance. And that's where things get messy.
Brand strategy is how you answer those questions on purpose.
It's the roadmap that makes sure everything you put out into the world is working toward the perception you want to create, instead of just... hoping people get it.
Because branding without strategy is just window dressing. It might look pretty. It might even look "right." But if it's not built on a foundation of clear intention, it's a coin flip whether it actually does what you need it to do.
The Thing Nobody Tells You About Brand Strategy
Here's what I realized after running my intensive the "traditional" way for a while: my clients were already confused when they came to me. That's literally why they were there.
And I was asking them to fill out this massive questionnaire like they had all the answers somewhere deep inside, just waiting to be unlocked by the right essay prompt.
Spoiler: they didn't.
They were tired. Overwhelmed. Running successful businesses that had outgrown their brands. And the last thing they needed was more homework, more decisions to make, or another beautiful document that required a PhD to implement.
So I rebuilt the entire process around one simple idea: brand strategy should help you make faster decisions and feel confident about where you're going—not leave you with more questions than you started with
Here's How My Brand Strategy Works Now
Step 1: The "Finally, Something Simple" Questionnaire
You book. You get a questionnaire that takes 15-20 minutes max. (I timed it. Multiple times. Because I'm neurotic about respecting your time.)
You'll also gather up anything that might be helpful—testimonials, current brand stuff, email templates you use, whatever you've got. No pressure if you don't have much. Some of my favorite clients have shown up with basically nothing, and that's completely fine.
Step 2: The Discovery Session (Where we have a conversation)
We get on a call and I ask you questions. The kind that help me understand what's actually happening in your business, what you're trying to build, and where you keep getting stuck. I'm asking questions to understand your specific situation so I can do research that's relevant to where you are and where you're trying to go.
Step 3: I disappear into research mode
Okay, this is where things get a little wild.
I dive deep into your industry, your competitors, your ideal client's behavior patterns, where the opportunities are, where the gaps are. I'm looking at what everyone else is doing, what's working, what's tired, what's missing.
Because here's what most people don't realize: your audience is asking specific questions about whether you're the right fit for them. And to answer those questions well, I need to know what else they're seeing, what they're comparing you to, and what gaps exist that you could fill.
This part takes forever and it's honestly my favorite. (Yes, I'm a nerd. We've established this.)
Step 4: The Research Playback (aka: Here's what I found)
Instead of just taking all that research and disappearing to "do strategy" with it, I record a video walking you through everything I discovered.
You get to see the landscape. The patterns. The insights. The things I noticed that you probably can't see from inside your own business.
This matters because you need context before we build anything. And also because I don't want you wondering what the hell I'm basing my recommendations on later.
Step 5: We co-create your strategy (Together! Revolutionary!)
Here's where most strategists hand you a finished document and peace out.
I don't love that approach.
Because here's the thing: you know your business better than I ever will. And I know positioning and messaging better than you probably want to. So we should... actually work on this together?
I draft your strategy on a single page (yes, ONE page—we're keeping this usable), and then we get on a call to workshop it together.
We talk through:
Who you're really for (because when you try to appeal to everyone, you end up resonating with no one)
What you want to be known for (so people immediately understand if you're the right fit)
How you build trust (through proof, competency, and the confidence that comes from knowing exactly what you do)
How you create connection (so people feel like you get them and want to be part of what you're building)
What change you create (the transformation, the outcome, the reason people choose you in the first place)
We make sure it feels right, not just theoretically sound.
You're not just nodding along while I present. You're actively shaping this with me.
Step 6: The Final Strategy + Brand Guidelines
After our workshop, I take everything we discussed and polish it up. You get:
Your one-page brand strategy (the thing you'll reference regularly)
A brand guidelines book that's more like an internal playbook than a coffee table book
This becomes your roadmap for every marketing decision, every piece of copy, every design choice going forward.
It's how you make sure that everything you create—from Instagram captions to sales pages to the way you show up on discovery calls—is working toward the same goal: creating the right perception with the right people.
Step 7: The 90-Day Blueprint (Because "What now?" Is a valid question)
Most of my clients love having a clear "here's what to tackle next" plan, so I include a 90-day blueprint with my recommendations for immediate next steps.
Whether you're heading into a rebrand, a website project, or just need to know where to focus your energy—you've got a plan that's based on strategy, not just what everyone on Threads says you should be doing.
Why this gets used (Instead of collecting digital dust)
Look, I'm not going to stand here and tell you I've invented some groundbreaking new approach that nobody's ever thought of before.
What I will tell you is this:: if your strategy sits unused in a folder somewhere, it's just expensive documentation taking up space on your hard drive.
And I've seen too many business owners invest in brand strategy only to feel more confused afterward. They get handed this encyclopedia of information with no clear path forward, no sense of what to do first, and definitely no idea how to translate "brand archetype: The Sage" into an Instagram caption.
My entire goal is to hand you something you can use. Something that helps you make decisions faster, communicate more clearly, and stop second-guessing yourself every time you sit down to write an email or plan a launch.
After working with me, you'll understand how your brand is perceived right now. You'll know what you want to be known for instead. You'll spot the opportunities and blindspots you couldn't see before.
And you'll have a tool that works in your day-to-day marketing, sales, and design decisions.
Also…you won't feel like you need a translator to understand your own brand strategy. Which feels like the bare minimum, honestly, but here we are.
So... Is Brand Strategy for you?
If you've been in business for a few years and your brand feels like it's wearing clothes from two sizes ago—yeah, probably.
If you're making decent money but your marketing feels like you're just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks—definitely.
If you've tried to DIY your messaging seventeen different times and you still can't explain what you do in a way that makes people say "oh, I need that"—absolutely.
And if you're just tired of feeling like everyone else has their brand figured out while you're over here changing your Instagram bio every other week... hi, I see you, and yes, we should talk.
Ready to stop overthinking your brand and have a plan? Check out my Brand Strategy services or contact me to see if a Strategy Intensive makes sense for where you're at.
And if you’re still not sure if you're "ready" for brand strategy? Here's my litmus test: if you can't confidently explain what makes you different in under 30 seconds, or if your website copy makes you cringe a little every time you look at it, or if you're avoiding marketing because you genuinely don't know what to say anymore... you're ready. Let's fix this.
