Are you your brand?

Branding and more specifically personal branding has become a hot topic recently because now everybody and their neighbor is an entrepreneur. The competition for space in nearly every industry is becoming tighter and tighter. The business with the biggest budgets or the loudest voices are not necessarily the ones who are killing it but the ones who are carefully crafting a brand that clients will come back to over and over and over. Those are the winners!

In addition, many entrepreneurs confuse branding with marketing and this leads them down a road of never ending confusion and frustration. “Marketing is the technique you use to acquire customers, but branding is what draws them to you in the first place and keeps them coming back for more” according to Neil Pattel.

If you are really serious about building a brand that will last for years to come, here are some strategies to consider:

1.Your name, logo and timeline

These should be memorable and specific. If you choose a generic name, look and feel, more than likely your brand will get lost in the clutter of all the businesses that are offering the exact same thing. Think about the challenge you are solving, how you want your clients to feel when they interact with your business and move backwards from there.

2.Your brand story

What is the story behind why you started your business and how do you want your clients to connect to you. Your brand story is just as important as your logo. People like a god feel good story because they feel a genuine connection to persons who have experienced some of the same things they have. Do not be afraid to share your brand story because this is a great way to stay memorable to your audience.

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3.The solution that you are providing

Clients are less concerned about the features of your business and more about how you can solve their problems on a long-term ongoing basis. Your brand should address those issues and focus on their needs. Too many times brands promote their features over and over and try to convince customers why they are the best. Your brand should be able to stand on its own if you focus on solving the challenges that your ideal clients face consistently.

4.Your voice

People buy from people. But people buy from people who have an opinion and are willing to share that opinion and tie it into a solution. Again because of the saturation of new business in every market, it is even more important now that you show up as your brand. People want to see a face and not juts a logo when they are ready to hand over their hard earned money. Nowadays, persons are more interested in if their sellers values are aligned with their own. They want to know if you will stand up for what they also believe in and will have their back!

Your voice and your point of view is as much a part of your brand whether you are selling a product or a service.

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5.Provide value consistently

Value is your gold nugget. Your clients will follow your brand, believe in you, love your brand and become ambassadors for your brand if you are consistently providing value to your audience. People want to be taught not sold to. This goes back to the solution that you are providing to them. Teach them about how it helps and keep sharing how it has changed lives.

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These 5 simple steps will help you move from an obscure brand to a brand that is known and love if applied consistently of course.

You are your brand, no matter how hard you try to run away from that fact.