Build your brand for 2025 and beyond...

With 2025 almost here, I have a question to ask. Several actually...

• How does the public view you?
• Do they even know who you are?
• If they don't know you, then they will not become clients so what are you doing to change that?

Brand matters. Have people heard of you? What do they think of you? What is your reputation? What do they know about you? All of this factors into clients decisions on who to hire.

Building your brand and marketing is not always easy for salespeople to do. But here are 10 questions, the answers to which can easily become the core of your marketing and brand.

• How did you get into your industry?
• What do you love about your career?
• How do your products / services help your clients?
• Tell us about you... family, hobbies etc?
• Who are you... coffee shop guy, outdoorsy gal, concert person, chef...?
• What do you offer your clients that your competitors don't?
• What do your clients say about you?
• What was your path to your current career (past jobs and professional experiences)?
• Where are you from?
• How do you give back... volunteering, charities etc.?

These 10 questions tell your story. They can be used in marketing, sales presentations, on social media and everywhere else. But if you don't tell your story you will never build your brand.

Clients and prospects want to know about you. They want to understand who they are doing business with. It is up to you to tell and control the story. Make sure to..

• Present your story in a positive uplifting way.
• Avoid politics, religion and other parts of your story that are controversial or that will cost you business.
• Showcase yourself as a person, not a salesperson.
• Look for common ground with your clients.
• Showcase but don't brag. Don't talk down about your competition and make your story feel inclusive to all.

Lets add a key part to your brand. What testimonials do you have, and can people find them? Nothing impacts your brand like past client testimonials, testimonials that tell others who you are and what you do. Reviews online matter, recommendation posts on Facebook, what people tell their SOI about you... this is all a major part of your brand.

These questions will help.. hope they give you some great ideas for your brand and marketing. But you need to have a goal for your brand, just like you do for sales and income. What are you doing everyday, week, and month to build your brand? If you have the goals, then get it done. If not, put the pen to paper and create goals for your brand and a plan to get there. 2025 awaits.