Ever catch yourself juggling a million brand-related tasks and thinking, “There has to be a better way?” Or maybe you’ve heard the term “brand management” thrown around but aren’t quite sure what it actually means.

Earlier this year, I started offering Brand Management services when my brand-building clients realized they needed ongoing support implementing their brand strategy and marketing their offers. But as I started talking about it in my content, I realized not everyone knows what brand management is. And honestly, that’s totally fair—the online business world is full of confusing titles and overlapping roles.

So let’s break it down: what brand management actually is, what it means to be your own brand manager (spoiler: you probably already are one), and how to know if hiring a brand manager would be a good fit for your brand. Plus, we’ll clear up how it’s different from having a VA, social media manager, or OBM.

Why Brand Management Matters

We’re all brand managers in some way (I’m the brand manager for Cedar June), but that doesn’t mean it’s a skill that comes naturally or a hat you even realize you are wearing. Learning how to be an effective brand manager can help you scale your brand sustainably. And if you’re not a “marketing girlie” (no shame in that game), hiring a brand manager might be exactly what you need to take that implementation piece off your plate.

Maybe you think it’s just posting on Instagram or updating your website occasionally. Maybe you’re stuck in the cycle of doing ALL THE THINGS without any real strategy behind it. Either way, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed and wondering if you’re doing it “right.”

First things first: brand management is not just coming up with content ideas or keeping your logo files organized (though those things are part of it). Brand management is the strategic oversight and implementation of your entire brand experience.

The DIY Brand Manager Life

If you’re running your own brand (which, hi, most of us are), you’re already a brand manager – whether you realize it or not. But maybe you want to get better at it.

On the day to day this looks like:

• Keeping your brand identity consistent (from your website to your Instagram)
• Creating content that connects with your audience
• Keeping your messaging clear and aligned across all platforms
• Planning and executing your marketing strategies
• Making decisions about where your brand shows up
• Tracking what’s working (and what’s not)

When to Consider Hiring a Brand Manager

First of all, I don’t know about you – but when it comes to ongoing service providers it can be a little confusing to differentiate about who does what. Let’s clear something up: a brand manager is quite different from a VA, social media manager, or OBM (even though many of their tasks oculd overlap).

Here’s the breakdown:

• A VA helps with specific tasks and administration
• A social media manager focuses solely on… well, social media
• An OBM oversees business operations as a whole
• A brand manager strategically guides and implements your entire brand presence

You might be ready for a brand manager if:

• You have a solid brand strategy but struggle with consistent implementation
• You’re spending too much time “in the weeds” of your brand instead of in your zone of genius
• You need someone to take ownership of your brand’s growth and presence
• You want strategic guidance along with tactical support
• You don’t have the time to manage your brand on our own, don’t consider yourself a marketing girlie & would love to get hands on help with designing & creating content for your brand.

Quick Tip: Before hiring anyone, get clear on what aspects of brand management you actually need help with. Make a list of what you love doing versus what you’d love to delegate.

You know I’m all about that slow branding life, and that’s a big part of where brand management comes in. Working with my 1:1 clients on a project basis could only get them so far. I realized that I needed to help my audience become better brand managers in order to scale their businesses and evolve their brands over time.

Good brand management is like tending a garden – it requires regular attention, sure, but also patience and trust in the process. Sometimes you need to let things grow and develop naturally rather than forcing immediate results in your brand. That is where approaching branding from an ongoing management POV can help you evolve and grow.

Common Brand Management Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Throwing your brand guidelines out the window and recreating the wheel every time you design assets for your brand.
2. Launching products or offers at the last minute and not giving your audience enough “warm up” time.
3. Only skimming the surface of your audience’s experience in your content because you are more worried about getting a post checked off your list than adding value (plus you don’t really understand your audience).
4. Constantly pushing off ideas, content, and new offers because you don’t have the time or clarity to give them the attention they need to be successful.
5. Failing to reflect and collect data on what is working – so you know where to pivot when needed.

I don’t mean to sound harsh – in fact these are all pitfalls even I (the branding expert) have fallen into. They are easy to fall into and before you know it, checking out of thinking about your brand strategically can end up holding you back.

Learning to become an effective brand manager on the other hand, helps you create a clear path from where you are now to where you want your brand to be – and then breaks down the steps you need to take to get there.

Ready to Level Up Your Brand Management?

Here are your next steps:

1. Audit your current brand and identify gaps
   • Click here to get my free 3 part brand audit mini-course
2. Create a simple brand management system that works for you
   • Click here to get my Notion Brand Management Dash
3. Set up regular check-ins to review and adjust your strategy
   • Click here to learn how to plan for the quarter In less than two hours
4. Start documenting your brand management processes (future you will thank you)
   1. Click here to get access to my free Monthly Brand Management Snapshot Template

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re DIYing or delegating, effective brand management is crucial for sustainable brand growth. It’s not about perfection – it’s about consistency, strategy, and showing up authentically for your audience.

Remember: you get to define what successful brand management looks like for your business. Maybe that’s handling it all yourself with quarterly planning sessions, or maybe it’s bringing in support so you can focus on other aspects of your business. Either way, being intentional about how you manage your brand will help you create something that truly lasts.

Ps. If you loved this blog and want to learn more about managing your brand strategically and sustainably, subscribe to my newsletter the weekly drop in.

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Drop a comment below: What’s your biggest brand management challenge right now? I’d love to hear what you’re struggling with and maybe share some personalized tips!