When creating your brand, it’s important to think about everything from your logo to the color scheme to the tag line. You also have to have a memorable brand name, strong message, support system, and the necessary legalities in place. But, that’s only the beginning of your branding process. To help you create an awesome brand, here are eight tips.
1. HOW DO PEOPLE SEE YOU?
The first place to begin building your brand is to know what people think of you, as someone said: “The interesting thing about your personal brand is it’s never what you say it is, it’s actually what everyone else says it is.”Try to google yourself, and hold a focus group (of close friends), or by asking a life coach or business coach to conduct a 360 analysis on your behalf.
2. BUILD YOUR ONLINE PLATFORM
Find out what social network resonates with you. Available options include LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Build your own online platforms such as a blog or website and then amplify your content and engage with your audience on social networks.“The secret. Don’t wait to be perfect. Just start.”
3. Weave your brand into everything you do.
Personal branding should be a large part of everything you do. It should be weaved into your life, as to how you blog online. It shouldn’t just be in the clothes you wear but in your every action with friends and business colleagues.
4. BE CONSISTENT
All of your communications and marketing assets should tell your brand’s story. As a customer, think about the brands that you are most loyal to. Chances are that they’ve earned your trust because they are dependable. For example, Zappos is known for delivering superior customer service. Dropbox includes it’s signature hand-drawn blue box logo on all of its messaging.
Both examples prove just how important consistency is for brands.
5. DON’T TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE
Don’t be afraid to be yourself – even if that means saying the things that no one else will. You’re never going to please everyone, so don’t try to be everything to everyone. A business owner really can’t do everything. Learn to be the best brand possible to a specific set of users. Remember, you’re in business to grow a business and not to please everyone.
6. PRODUCE VALUE
You should be producing value with whatever you do. When thinking about the value that you can add, ask questions like — what sets your product, service, and company apart from your competitors? What value do you provide and how do these benefits tap into your customer’s emotions? Is my brand in sync with how I’m marketing myself and is what I’m producing for my customer bring enough value to them for the price I’m charging?
7. ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH STRONG BRANDS
Your personal brand is strengthened or weakened by your connection to other brands. Find and leverage strong brands that can elevate your own personal brand. You can begin by looking at the three C’s: company, college, colleagues. For example, you could contribute content to your alumni or company newsletter or blog.
8. GET SNEAKY WITH BRAND=BUILDING AWARNESS
How have you created your awesome brand? You can start spreading brand awareness by using outside-of-the-box techniques like setting up a referral program, creating an infographic, offering freemium content, partnering with local businesses, running a social media contest, hosting a podcast, and setting up PPC ads and a remarketing campaign.
#brandingtips #branding101 #thebrandlaureate
