117. Achieve Clarity, Confidence, and Consistency in Your Food Business with a Brand-First Approach
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
Release Date: 10/10/2024
135. Is a Great Product Enough to Grow Your Food Business?
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
Your product might be great, but that’s just the beginning. Learn what can actually set your brand apart to build clarity and trust as you scale.
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134. How to Shift from Running a Business to Growing a Brand
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
What’s the difference between running a food business and building a memorable brand? You'll hear a powerful mindset shift and a real example to help you build with more clarity, consistency, and purpose.
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133. Which Learning Style Fits You Best? (Plus, 2 Quick Updates!)
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
Today’s episode is a little less strategy teaching and more self-reflection about how you learn best. In part, this is to help you maximize investment of your time and money when you want to learn something for your business, but also because I want to get your feedback about the content I create as well! I will walk you through common learning styles to help you think about how you best absorb new ideas and take action in your food business. You'll find the link below to the short survey to help shape future content and support, whether...
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132. B2B Brand Strategy: How to Create Clarity & Build Connection Faster
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
Does brand strategy apply to B2B brands in the food industry? Absolutely! In Ep 132, I share why it matters, how it works, and what makes it different. If you’re a B2B business looking to stand out, build trust, and scale faster, this one’s for you.
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131. Would You Rather Be Connecting or Marketing to Build Your Food Business?
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
What if you created a Connection Plan instead of a traditional Marketing Plan? In Ep 131, we explore how a connection-first approach to marketing can help both B2C and B2B brands build loyalty and stand out.
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130. How to Write a Brand Positioning Statement That Makes Your Brand Stand Out
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
Brand positioning is the heart of your strategy—it connects what you stand for with what your fans value most. In Ep 130, you’ll learn how to write a brand positioning statement that brings clarity to your messaging and confidence to your next move.
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129. Too Busy for Marketing? 3 Steps to Create On-Brand Content Faster
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
When time is short, your brand strategy can be your biggest time-saver. In Ep 129, I share 3 simple steps to create on-brand marketing content—faster + with less stress—so you can take aligned action without burning out.
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128. The Real Story Behind a Good Brand Story
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to tell a compelling brand story, you’re not alone—and there's good news! You might just be starting in the wrong place. In this episode, I share the story behind crafting a meaningful and memorable brand story. That includes why your brand story should support your strategy—not come before it. You’ll learn how to use the 3Cs framework (Company, Competitors, and Consumers...in that order!) to uncover meaningful insights that make your brand story stand out and connect. Tune in to discover: Why skipping ahead in your brand story is like skipping...
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127. Looking for Your Competitive Advantage? Start With Strategy
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
Brand strategy isn’t just for big brands—it’s your competitive advantage as a growing food business. Learn how starting with strategy gives you the clarity, confidence, and cohesion to stand out and scale with purpose.
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126. Running In Circles? The Power of a Fresh Perspective
Food Business Marketing | Brand Strategy Tips to Build Real Food Brands
Ever feel like you’re running in circles? I'm sharing a funny but true story that reminded me how a simple shift in perspective can lead to surprising relief—especially if you feel stuck in your food business.
info_outlineIn this episode, Katie Mleziva, Food Brand Strategist and host of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast shares how taking a brand-first approach can help you prioritize ideas and take aligned action to build a strong, cohesive food brand that stands out. Whether you’re just starting or have been in the business for a while, this approach ensures you lead with strategy, not just tactics.
Key Takeaways:
- The difference between branding (logo, visuals) and brand strategy (the foundation that guides your decisions).
- Why a brand-first approach can help you find more joy in your business.
- How to think like a brand manager, focusing on the bigger picture while aligning all parts of your business.
- The Define, Align & Activate framework Katie uses to help her clients build strong, cohesive brands.
3 Steps to Take a Brand-First Approach:
- DEFINE: Identify your ideal customer, clarify your brand’s unique role in their life, and align your brand with your Purpose, Vision & Values.
- ALIGN: Ensure every area of your business reflects your brand strategy, so your team feels motivated and confident about building your brand together.
- ACTIVATE: Implement your strategy with a cohesive plan that helps you stay focused and avoid shiny object syndrome.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- Why it’s important to think of yourself as a brand manager, wearing the general manager hat for your brand.
- How building a brand strategy and leading with your brand saves time and money when it comes to projects like website redesigns and packaging updates.
- Why having a clear strategy makes your team more effective and helps your brand become more recognizable, meaningful, and ownable.
Join the Conversation:
- Are you taking a brand-first approach in your business? Have you encountered any challenges with this mindset? Share your thoughts in the Real Food Brands Round Table Facebook Community or comment on Katie’s latest Instagram post.
Work with Katie:
If you’re ready to define your Brand Strategy North Star and make more aligned business decisions, connect with Katie to see if her 1:1 Brand Strategy Playbook program is a good fit. Or, if you’d like to start with an assessment of where you are today, learn more about the One Room Test. These spots fill up quickly, so don’t wait!
- Learn more about the 1:1 Brand Strategy Program with Katie.
- Check out the One Room Test "audit" to assess where your brand is today and where you can improve.
Now, let's go shake up shopping carts!