You Are Your Brand

Here’s what secret successful marketers know: customers don’t buy a product. They buy you.

Your personality.

Your experience.

The unique qualities only you possess.

There was a time when “branding” meant a corporate-looking logo and a slick catalog, but in today’s online marketplace, the real value is not in appearing to be a big company, but rather in just being you. And your personality shines through in a variety of ways.

Your Authentic Voice

How you speak and write and even how you act on camera or in an audio interview has the power to instantly identify you to your audience. You can see this in action if you scroll through your Facebook feed. It’s easy to know who has posted a particular image or status update, just by recognising the voice with which they generally speak.

Here’s an even more important aspect of your “voice” though: it has the power to attract a specific audience. In recent years, a few high profile coaches and product sellers have become celebrities of a sort, largely because of their harsh, “don’t hold back” language. Ash Ambirge over at www.TheMiddleFingerProject.org makes no apologies for her use of offensive words, and her fans love her for it. And those that don’t? Well, as she says right on her home page, her site and services are “not for humorless bores.”

Not my style at all but each to his own. I prefer to speak in the Queen's English (No Zs instead of S's! and, yes, I really do use words such as wonderful and super when I speak).

Snarkiness and foul language is not the only way to go, though. Carrie Wilkerson has built her brand almost entirely on her ability to be kind and generous. She always has a nice word, never appears defeated or overwhelmed, and is an inspiration to her fans and clients.

While very different in their approach, these two women have one thing in common: authenticity. It’s clear that if you were to meet either of them in person, they would speak and act exactly as they do online. And their brands are stronger for it.

Your Story

How did you get to where you are today? The backstory—which to you might seem boring and uneventful—is a powerful tool that can help solidify your brand and attract just the right audience.

Melissa Ingold tells of being a struggling single mother, and of creating an online business rather than simply choosing to work one dead-end job after another. Her success is an inspiration to her audience, and is a huge part of her branding.

The ket though is to stay true. I have been told umpteen times how much better I could do and further I would go if I tell a tale of redundancy, vulnerability and woe but that just isn't me to try and sell myself on negatives to elicit sympathy. I would rather portray a genuine image of hard work, a strong inner core and gradual but prosperous growth.

Your story doesn’t have to be dramatic and you certainly don’t have to share more than you’re comfortable with but it does have to be yours. Be your true self, and you’ll never have to worry about attracting the right audience. They will self-select, and your perfect client will find you.

For bespoke social media marketing advice to increase your online visibility amd take full advantage of the opportunities available to you via #LinkedIn, schedule an initial phone consultation here: https://calendly.com/melaniegoodmantrevisan/call

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