Brand Strategy for Solopreneurs Who Hate the Word Strategy
- Hannah Garrison
- Oct 26
- 9 min read
Updated: Nov 3
If you just Googled “What is brand strategy?” and immediately felt your eyes just glossed over the results, you’re not alone. If you’re trying to learn how to do brand strategy for your business and every article sounds like it was written for a brand strategist, you’re also not alone. The phrase alone sounds like something that would come with a 40 page slide deck, a consultant who talks over your head, and a price tag that makes you need to lie down. It feels inaccessible and overwhelming like you need a business degree just to understand what people are even talking about.
But brand strategy shouldn’t have to feel this way. And if you've worked with someone who made you feel like you needed a decoder ring just to participate in your own business decisions? That's not on you. That's on them.
So let me break this down in a way that actually makes sense. No jargon. No eyes glossing over. Just real talk about what brand strategy actually is, why it matters, and how working together doesn't have to feel like decoding corporate speak.
Here's what we're about to dive into:
This Isn't A Small Business Problem
Can I tell you something that might make you feel better? Even people at big brands, the ones with entire marketing departments and budgets that would make your head spin, struggle with this exact same thing.
I've worked with executives at big companies. These are brilliant people running massive initiatives, making huge decisions every single day. And you know what I learned? Everyone has their area of expertise. Everyone has their strengths.
The CEO who can navigate complex business operations like it's nothing? They might look at me with that same blank stare when I start talking about visual hierarchy and brand touchpoints. The finance director who can make sense of spreadsheets that look like hieroglyphics to me? They're nodding along to brand positioning talk, but I can see it in their eyes. They're not entirely sure what they're agreeing to.
And that's completely normal. That's actually the whole point of having partners and experts in your business. Your strength is in what you do, in your product or service, and running your business. Brand strategy? That's where I come in.
This isn't about you not being smart enough or experienced enough. This is about recognizing where it makes sense to bring in support from someone whose actual job is to understand this stuff inside and out. The same way you're the expert in what you do, I'm the expert in helping you figure out how to communicate that to your customers.
So if you've been feeling like you should just "get" all of this branding stuff on your own? You can let that go. Even people working with massive teams and big budgets need someone to walk them through it and translate the strategy speak into actual, actionable clarity.
What Brand Strategy Actually Is (Without the Jargon)
Alright, let's strip away all the fancy terminology and talk about what brand strategy really means.
At its core, brand strategy is about three things: the who, the what, and the how of your brand.
Who are you talking to? Who is your customer? What do they care about? What keeps them up at night? What are they hoping to find when they stumble across your business?
What are you offering them? Not just your product or service, but what are you really giving them? What transformation, what solution, what feeling? What makes you different from everyone else saying similar things?
How should you show up? How do you communicate all of this in a way that makes sense to your customer? What does your brand look like, sound like, feel like? How do you make sure that every single place someone encounters you, from your Instagram to your packaging to your website, tells the same cohesive story?
That's it. That's brand strategy. It's not magic. It's not some mysterious corporate thing that only makes sense if you have an MBA. It's about getting crystal clear on who you are, who you're serving, and how you're going to show up for them in a way that actually resonates.
The Pieces Of The Puzzle
When we talk about brand strategy, we're really talking about a few key elements that work together to create your brand identity and your position in the market.
There's your purpose and mission. Why does your business exist? What are you trying to accomplish?
There are your values, the principles that guide how you do business.
Your target audience, the actual humans you're trying to reach.
Your positioning, how you fit into the market and what makes you different.
And your messaging, the way you communicate all of this to your customers.
Then there's the visual identity (the pretty stuff). Your logo, your colors, your typography, your overall aesthetic. This is usually the stuff everyone thinks about first, however the visuals aren't just about looking good. They're about creating a cohesive brand experience across everything your customer touches.
Your Instagram should feel like the same brand as your website, which should feel like the same brand as your packaging, which should feel like the same brand as your email newsletters. Honestly it’s about good ole storytelling. Making your brand something that people want to interact with, something they want to use or buy from again and again because they understand your story and they connect with it.
Most business owners I work with already know who they are. They get their values, they understand their mission, they're clear on what they're offering. The challenge isn't figuring out who you are. It's figuring out how to articulate that in their branding and to communicate it in a way that lands with their customers without them having to be there to explain it.
That's the whole point of this work. By the time your customer actually talks to you, whether that's through a discovery call or walking into your shop or clicking "buy now," they should already feel like they know who you are and what you can do for them. They should feel like they get you. That all comes from having a really clear, strategic foundation that guides everything you put out into the world.
Why Brand Strategy Actually Matters (Beyond Just Looking Pretty)
Look, I love a beautiful brand as much as the next person. Probably more, honestly. But if I’m being real with you, a pretty logo isn't going to build your business.
Brand strategy matters because it helps you learn how you should show up to your customers. It gives you a roadmap for every single decision you make about your business, from what you post on social media to how you price your services to what you say in your email welcome sequence.
When you're clear on your strategy, on your who and what and how, everything else gets easier. You're not second-guessing every Instagram caption or wasting time staring at Canva trying to figure out if this graphic "feels right." You have a foundation and clarity to make quick and smart decisions.
Most business owners already know who they are. You didn't start your business on a whim. You started it because you're good at something, because you have something valuable to offer, because you saw a need and decided to fill it. You're clear on your purpose and your values when you're talking to someone face to face.
But translating that into your brand? Into your website copy and your visual identity and your social media presence? That's where things get muddy. That's where you need a partner who can help you take everything that's in your head and in your heart and turn it into a brand that communicates all of that clearly to your customers, even when you're not in the room.
Your brand needs to tell your story so that by the time someone reaches out to you, they already feel like they know you and trust you. Since your brand has done the heavy lifting of communicating who you are and what you stand for, they're already excited to work with you or buy from you. Wouldn’t that be the dream?
That's why brand strategy matters. Not because it's some fancy corporate concept. But because it gives you the tools to show up confidently and consistently in a way that actually resonates with the people you're trying to reach.
What Working With Me Actually Looks Like
Okay, so we've established what brand strategy is. But I also want to talk about what it's like to actually go through this process with me, because I think that matters just as much as understanding the work itself.
First things first. I'm not going to talk over your head. I'm not going to throw around jargon and buzzwords to make myself sound smart. My whole approach is built around being your partner, not just your vendor. That means explaining things in a way that actually makes sense, answering your questions without making you feel like you should already know the answer, and making sure you're genuinely excited about the work we're creating together.
Because here's what I've learned from working with everyone from big brand executives to solopreneurs building something from scratch: the worst thing that can happen is when someone is nodding along but they're not really sure what they're agreeing to. You can see it in their eyes. That blank stare that tells you they're lost, but they don't want to admit it.
I never want that to be you. I want you to understand what's happening at every single stage of the process. I want you to feel like you're part of creating this brand, not like I just waved a magic wand and handed you something you don't know how to use.
That's why I use what I call The Rose Method. It's my four-phase approach that walks us through everything from discovery to launch. We start by asking the right questions to uncover what makes your brand unique. We define your positioning and messaging. We design your visual identity. And then we deploy everything in a way that sets you up to use your brand confidently moving forward.
At every step, I'm explaining what we're doing and why it matters. I'm checking in to make sure things feel right to you. I'm making sure you have buy-in, not just because I need your approval, but because this is your business. Your brand should feel like you. And you should understand the strategy behind every decision we make so that when you leave this process, you're not just holding a brand kit, you're holding clarity.
You should feel confident showing up. You should understand how to use your brand, how to make decisions that align with your strategy, how to grow and evolve without losing what makes you special. That's what I want for every single person I work with.
Working with me means you get a partner who's invested in your success, who's going to make this process as clear and approachable as possible, and who genuinely cares that you walk away feeling empowered, not overwhelmed.
You Don't Have To Figure This Out Alone
So if you've been sitting on the idea of working with a brand strategist because the whole thing feels too complicated or intimidating or expensive or just... not for you? I get it. I really do. However, this work doesn't have to feel inaccessible. It doesn't have to be full of jargon and confusion. It can be clear, it can be collaborative, and it can actually be kind of fun when you're working with someone who's committed to making sure you understand what's happening every step of the way.
Your business deserves a brand that feels as intentional as the work you're putting out into the world. You deserve to show up with confidence, knowing that your brand is doing the work of communicating who you are and what you offer, even when you're not there to explain it yourself.
And you don't have to do it alone. You don't have to be the brand strategist and the business owner and the product developer and the marketing manager and everything else. That's why people like me exist. To be your partner in this, to bring clarity where there's confusion, and to help you build a brand that feels like home.
So whether you're ready to dive in now or you just want to start exploring what's possible, I'm here. Let's figure this out together.
Ready To Get Started?
If you're feeling overwhelmed by your DIY brand or you're just ready to bring some clarity and strategy to how you show up, I've got a free Brand Check-In that'll help you figure out exactly where you are and what you need next. It's a simple assessment that takes about 15 minutes and gives you a clear picture of your brand's current state, what's working, and where there's room to grow.
Download your free Brand Check-In here and get some immediate clarity on your brand.
Explore working with me here or reach out to schedule a discovery call. No jargon, no pressure. Just a conversation about your business and what's possible.
Because you don't have to figure this out on your own. And your brand doesn't have to be one more thing on your overwhelming to do list. Let's make it the thing that actually makes everything else easier.
Digital Rose Design is a brand strategy studio helping women-led small businesses show up with clarity, confidence, and intention.
