How to Build Brand Culture – 5 Keys I’ve Learned

Want to turn your brand into a magnet for sales, community, and recognition? You need to become obsessed with how to build brand culture.

Establishing a strong brand culture creates a metaphorical “home” for the type of person you want to serve. In many ways, brand culture is the future of marketing. 

Creating a personal, unique, and meaningful experience for all members of your community (not just your customers) is essential. Why? Because it allows your brand to become magnetic to loyal customers and clients that take your brand to hit new heights

My role as a brand mentor and strategist…

…has given me an inside look into the aspects of branding that creates the greatest positive impact on a business as a whole. From generating revenue, increasing customer retention rate, and building a community of ride or die fans, a brand’s culture is the crux of a brand that practically grows itself. 

In this article, I’m giving you “no bullshit” advice from years of experience about how to build a brand culture. As you’ll soon learn, culture is essential to hitting your goals for more impact and more income. 

How to Build Brand Culture Tip #1 – Be Willing to Expose Yourself

At its core, brand culture is the reflection of a set of beliefs, values, and goals. And these elements attract a specific type of individual who aligns with what a brand stands for.

For your brand to be magnetic, it must possess a strong identity that lands with the people you want to serve.

And as the brand’s creator, who you are will play a crucial role in establishing the culture of your brand. Plus, your beliefs, values, and goals become the brand’s beliefs, values, and goals.

The potency of your brand’s culture is reflected in how willing you are to be authentic and intentional about sharing your beliefs and values. No matter how polarizing they may be!

Yes, this requires vulnerability which requires courage (making Brenee Brown proud). But by exposing your deepest motivations, you create the emotional charge your brand needs to stand for something bigger than just great services or products. 

Ready to focus on strengthening your brand voice? We’ve got you covered.

Check out How to Develop Your Brand Voice Like a Pro (plus tips we give our paid clients) to learn more!

How to Build Brand Culture Tip #2 – Put Your Blinders On (but know when to take them off)

Your brand’s culture needs to come from the truth that’s on your heart. But as a modern entrepreneur who uses social media to promote your business, it can be easy to get distracted by other brands.

To repeat: your brand must be built off a strong sense of identity that resonates with the people you want to serve. So in order to stay focused on your people, your beliefs, and your unique form of expression, put your blinders on.

• Are there social accounts you need to mute or unfollow?  
• Do you need to check in with how much content you are consuming?
• What about your email subscriptions? Are there newsletters you should consider unsubscribing from?

There are times when analyzing other brands can be helpful for revising your brand strategy. And of course, consuming certain types of content can help spark your creative juices. However, to keep your focus sharp and your brand authentic, keep your blinders on 80% of the time. Then, take them off 20% of the time to strategize and reignite your creativity. 

How to Build Brand Culture Tip #3 – Amplify, Amplify, Amplify

Being a valuable leader by sharing education and resources will absolutely position you as a voice of authority. But at the end of the day, this won’t do much to build a strong brand culture.

There is a tendency for entrepreneurs to hide behind the logical value of their expertise or skillet. However, the emotional value provided when you share your beliefs, personality, and values are equally (if not more) important.

Remember, the strength of your brand’s culture will be reflected in how willing you are to be authentic and intentional. Especially when expressing your beliefs and values. No matter how polarizing they may be.

Building brand culture starts with you courageously taking a stand for who you are and what you believe. And then boldly expressing how you are out to transform the world through your brand.

Remember, the strength of your brand’s culture will be reflected in how willing you are to be authentic and intentional. Especially when expressing your beliefs and values. No matter how polarizing they may be.

Amplify your brand’s identity in order to amplify your brand’s culture. 

Want to learn more about how to amplify your brand culture through how your brand looks? Check out Creative Direction Process 101: All the Basics You Need to Know.

How to Build Brand Culture Tip #4 – Expect to Lose Some People

A strong brand is reinforced by a strong culture. And just like any other culture in the world, there will always be changes and shifts that take place over time.

This means certain people will shift with you, while some will decide they no longer resonate with your brand. As counter-intuitive as this may sound: you actually want to lose certain people from your community over time.

Why? Because ultimately, you want your audience to be filled with people who strongly resonate with what your brand stands for. This is key to seeing high engagement, conversion, and customer loyalty. 

Give yourself grace self grace as some people fall away. That way, you will have the energy to strengthen the connection with the people who continue to stick around.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt to provide excellent customer service to every member of your audience. This will help people stick around through the pivots of your brand. Read Insider Expert Info on What Makes the Best Customer Experience to learn how to do this!

How to Build Brand Culture Tip #5 – Get Ready to Put in the Hours

Creating recognition for your brand’s identity simply requires the correct application of logo variation, color, etc. in the right setting. However, establishing recognition with your brand’s culture isn’t as straightforward.

Brand culture revolves around a set of beliefs, values, and objectives that reinforce a specific identity. Unlike your logo and color palette (which are used in certain settings), culture needs to be expressed through absolutely everything that you do. Including your brand messaging, offers, content, marketing, etc.

It will take time and practice to establish a strong understanding of what your brand’s culture is. It will also take many hours to rally your community around your brand’s culture.

But if you are willing to craft your brand’s culture and be consistent with how it gets expressed through all that you do, your audience will come to recognize and support exactly what you stand for as a brand.

As you can tell from the insider tips shared above, building a strong brand culture does not happen overnight. 

Not going to lie, culture is a multi-faceted piece of brand building that is woven throughout everything. 

But, if you are willing to devote some time and energy to creating a meaningful brand culture, everything else in your business becomes exponentially easier. Why? Because you inevitably attract the exact people, clients, opportunities, press, etc that you need to manifest the business of your dreams.    

As a brand mentor and strategist for spiritual entrepreneurs, I’ve had the privilege to observe the development of many brands and the growth of countless female business owners. Through their marketing, visual communication, team building, and overall expansion as leaders, I’ve been the right-hand chick to the most inspiring wild womn CEOs.

If getting support with your creating your brand culture is your next step, I invite you to book a Complimentary 30-minute Call where I can fill you in on how you can design a powerful culture that creates an incomparable brand experience.

Ready to book a Complimentary 30-minute Call? Click here to schedule!

About the Author

Tristan Thibodeau is the founder of Wild Womn Haus and is the brand strategist for entrepreneurs in the wellness, beauty, and lifestyle brand industries. 

She specializes in helping companies create and maintain their image. She works with market research, industry analysis, and consumer trends to offer strategic insights for brands so that they can enhance their marketing efforts and grow their bottom line. 

Tristan also hosts The Wild Womn Hotline, which is a podcast that features expert-level conversations for growing your brand in bold and strategic ways. Follow her on Instagram @tristan.wildwomnhaus and follow the agency on Instagram @wildwomnhaus and on TikTok @tristan.wildwomnhaus!