One of the most fundamental roles of a marketing team is to build a strong brand. Over the past decade, as marketing has become obsessed with bottom-funnel growth tactics that deliver short-term volume uplifts, the power of brand has been overlooked. Thankfully, it’s making a comeback.

Marketing undeniably plays a role in driving sales volume, but our true value is in driving profit and this means delivering sustainable demand and higher price. The beauty of a strong brand is that it drives both—expanding demand for the long term while boosting pricing power. And yes, this is just as relevant in B2B as it is in B2C.

Building a brand is challenging yet rewarding for any startup, especially in Southeast Asia, where markets are diverse and cultural nuances are more complex. Drawing insights from Monita, our fractional CMO with a forte in brand building, product marketing and organisational development, here are 5 common missteps in brand building that startups often encounter and strategies to sidestep them.