The day-to-day of leading a brand has a way of filling every available hour. Between product launches, campaign deadlines, and the constant pull of urgent tasks, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Strategic planning doesn't mean having all the answers. It means creating space to ask better questions and being honest about what you find. Some of these questions might feel obvious - but when was the last time you actually sat down and answered them?
Brand Foundations
1. Does our brand positioning still reflect where we're headed, or is it stuck where we started? Customers evolve and markets shift. If your positioning hasn't kept pace, it might be time to revisit what you stand for and how you're different.
2. Can our team and agency partners articulate our brand story consistently without constant correction? If you find yourself re-explaining your brand over and over, the issue might not be your team, it might be a brand that isn't clear enough yet.
3. When customers see our brand next to competitors, would they immediately understand why we're different? Differentiation isn't about being better at everything, but about being unmistakably distinct in the way that matters most to your customer.
Performance & Growth
4. If we turned off paid spend tomorrow, would we still have customers seeking us out? If the answer is no, you're not alone, but it's worth considering how to shift that over time.
5. Are we measuring brand health alongside performance metrics, or are we only looking at ROAS and CAC? It's easy to default to what's measurable in the short term, especially when there's pressure to hit this month's targets.
6. How much of our growth last year came from promotions versus full-price purchases? If discounts are doing most of the heavy lifting, it's worth examining what would need to shift to reduce that dependency over time.
Product & Portfolio
7. Are our new products strengthening our core positioning, or are some of them trend-chasing moves we felt pressured to make? It's tempting to launch what's trending or what a retailer requested, but if it doesn't ladder back to what makes your brand distinct, it can dilute your positioning over time.
8. Are we clear on which products are hero products versus supporting acts, and is our marketing reflecting that? Not every product deserves equal airtime. Your marketing should ladder up to what makes your brand matter.
9. Are customer requests and feedback guiding our product roadmap, or are we building based on what we think they need? Filling gaps in your portfolio to stay competitive matters. But mining customer insights for unmet needs they're actually experiencing? That's where the real opportunities are.
Retail & Distribution
10. Does our brand feel credible enough for the retail partners we're targeting? Buyers can tell when a brand isn't ready. If your positioning, packaging, or proof points aren't aligned with where you want to be, that's the work to prioritize.
11. Are we treating e-commerce and retail as separate strategies, or are they working together to build the brand? Your DTC presence should reinforce your retail ambitions, not compete with them.
12. Do we know which international market we're targeting next, and which one will follow after that? Without a clear sequence, it's easy to chase opportunities rather than expand strategically.
Customers & Community
13. Are we creating content and experiences that give customers a reason to engage beyond the point of sale?
Post-purchase engagement is where casual buyers become brand advocates.
14. Do we celebrate and spotlight our most engaged customers throughout the year, or do we only feature them when we need testimonials?
Genuine recognition throughout the year deepens relationships in ways transactional appreciation never will.
15. Are we on a first-name basis with our highest-spending VIP customers? Does everyone on our marketing team know who they are by name?
When teams know their VIPs as real people, they can spot opportunities that data alone would miss.
What Now?
The goal isn't to have perfect answers to all 15 questions. It's to know where you stand honestly. The questions that make you pause longest are probably the ones that need your attention most. That clarity alone can shift how you prioritize what comes next.
If you are willing to identify which areas cause the most hesitation, as those are the priorities that require immediate strategic attention, that’s where we excel. We'd love to connect, you're welcome to send us an email at effie@beautiful-sparks.com.
Author: Effie Asafu-Adjaye
Effie Asafu-Adjaye is the Founder of Beautiful Sparks. Beautiful Sparks helps beauty and fashion businesses get more fanatics in love with their brands, by refining their brand strategy, messaging, branding, content storytelling, and community-building strategy. Read more about Effie here. Linkedin.
