Tag: Personal Branding

#MarketingTrends2018 – Why You Should Be the Highlight of Your Brand

It’s almost the start of a brand new year, and that means it’s time to make your marketing plan. There are customers out there who are looking for your business, so what are you doing to bring yourself to the forefront and #BeAwesome?
There is power in storytelling, and your brand story is essential to gaining the advantage of your ideal market. Your real story, the pains you are solving, the struggles you’ve faced to be able to help them with their pain points…all of this is essential to a solid brand story.
Your customers want to know who YOU are, and what YOU can do for them. It’s time to put yourself at the forefront of your brand.
Here are some great questions to get you started:
  • What is your company’s origin story? Where did it begin?
  • Where is it headed and how do you plan to get there?
  • What significant events in your life and company’s history lead to where you are now?
  • What pains have you overcome to succeed, now?
  • What drives you to help others overcome those same struggles?
Your audience is tired of seeing generic platforms that try to sell to them constantly. They want a personal touch, a way to connect with a real human on the other side of the screen. Showing them the work behind the scenes is a great way to build an emotional investment in your viewer. People relate to the stories of other people.
Remember that you’re the face of your brand. If you’re late or slow to comment, that’s also a part of your brand. You should put your best (and most professional) foot forward. That doesn’t mean you have to use stilted language and respond like a robot. It does, however, mean that you need to put out professional quality and accurate information. A key point to remember is that a live video Q&A, training, etc. doesn’t mean a last minute production. Create quality content and you’ll gain the trust of your audience.
As a side note, consider adding a section to your site that highlights your most popular articles, products, or services. This gives your potential customer/client a great place to start. Shining the spotlight on these valuable posts and services will showcase what your brand is all about. Using the title “Most Popular” can have a great side effect of showing an active brand community.
It’s a new year. Use this time to ensure that you have the YOU in your brand.

 

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Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

#AuthenticallyAwesome – An Authentic Branding Strategy

As a small business owner, you already understand the value of branding. If you’ve been following my blog, you’re also aware of the importance of personal branding. Now that you have the fundamentals, let’s talk about where many people go wrong with branding. We spend so much time putting together our strategy and our content that occasionally authenticity gets lost.
Have you ever come across any of the following?
  •      A brand that didn’t ring true to its own messaging?
  •      A business owner whose message felt forced?
  •      Content that didn’t seem to match up with the projected brand?
  •      Inconsistency or lack of clarity in a brand’s content?
  •      Drastic swings in message without a proper re-branding strategy?
I’m sure at some point, you’ve witnessed at least one of the above scenarios. It happens. Just because you are an entrepreneur or small business owner, doesn’t mean that you are a branding expert.
Authenticity
The path to authenticity lies in taking the time to discover who you really are. What does your company provide, what pain points does it solve, and how do you provide solutions to problems? What is your message? How do you want to present it to the world? These are the questions that have to be answered because, without this knowledge, you are not able to be authentic in your marketing.
“Authentic companies don’t try to be something they’re not, but instead recognize what they are, what they do best, and what customers value most about them.” 
Vision Critical

Consistency  
Where many businesses miss the boat is failing to remain consistent. Consistency is a vital aspect of branding. Your company, and your team, must live your brand story every day. It needs to be shared, in a variety of ways, as often as possible with your target audience. A clear, concise, consistent message will make a bigger impact than just throwing whatever out there and hoping for the best result. Understand your brand, understand your message and then develop a process where you are sharing high-quality, authentic contentwith your followers.
Brand Loyalty
Authenticity has a powerful return on investment. Honesty, integrity, and candor are highly sought after and valued. Opening up a window, allowing yourself to be a bit exposed and vulnerable, breeds trust within your audience. That trust converts into brand loyalty. Loyal brand ambassadors are the best, FREE, marketing strategy a company can have. Your tribe will not only follow and engage with you – those who trust your message will share it, whenever and wherever they can. This is the real return on being authentic in your marketing.

Don’t be afraid to shine. You have to put yourself out there. Toss aside the masks you tend to use for protection when you face the world and have faith that your authentic message will draw the right clients to your doorstep. This is a fundamental foundation to #BeAwesome with your branding.

Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!
Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

#BrandConsistency – Themes in Your Marketing Can Help With Consistency

One highly-useful tool for Brand Consistency is the use of themes. Marketing themes help solidify your branding in the mind of your audience. There are two areas you should consider when it comes to themes: visual recurring themes and thematic messages.

Visual Brand Consistency

Visual Brand Consistency is something we’ve mentioned before. You want your images and messages to follow guidelines you’ve built for your company. Think of brands you know. Pepsi and Coca Cola are two that really stand out. Across the board, they use the same branding style: Colors, fonts, etc. to push their brand into the mind of the consumer.So how do you create visual brand consistency? 

  • Create a brand use document where you list how your logo icon can be used. Make sure you provide a color and black and white logo. Place your logos in a group folder so your employees can use the logos as needed for official correspondence.
  • Use uniform colors across your social media platforms and website. 
  • Standard graphic layouts. It’s best to create a graphics template for your preferred social media interaction. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and more all have ideal size requirements. Create templates that meet those needs. Don’t forget to include a PowerPoint and video template that has your logo already inserted. Creating these templates will save you time and money since no one will have to guess which layouts work.
  • Uniform images with logo placement. To further expand on your logo style guide, you need to determine where your logo and text should be placed. Consistency is key. 
  • Keep the same cover image for all aspects of your social media platform so your customers aren’t jarred by inconsistency. Modify it, of course, to adapt to the platform’s requirements, but keeping consistent is necessary for making you stand out in a crowd.

Thematic Consistency 

  • Create a one-line summary of your company, a tagline if you will. Expand it, by adding a two-sentence paragraph that further explains the mission of your company. After this, create several in-depth paragraphs with detailed descriptions. Provide your blogs, social media, and website links in that final detailed description package. Use these as needed depending on your social interaction. If you have room for a one-line summary, then use that. If you have an opportunity to further explain, use the more in-depth options. These files, like the logos mentioned above, should be available for your company’s use.
  • Create themed content based on your company’s values. If you believe in speedy delivery, create content that emphasizes that part of your brand. If your company puts the customer first, emphasize that instead. While you can have more than one value, choose the one you want to emphasize over the others.
  • Release themed content on a consistent basis. Whether you’re doing a Q&A, highlighting new trends, or providing motivational content on Mondays, keep your content consistent with both releases and styles.

These are just some ways to get you started. If you’re ready to tackle #BrandConsistency, start with your brand and logo use document. Decide which fonts, colors, and logo can be used. Once you have that established, move into building thematic content. Templates are key to speed and quality, so make sure you set them up as soon as possible.Do you have any tips on Brand Consistency? Let us know in comments. 

Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!
Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

#BrandConsistency – Put YOU in Your Brand

We’ve talked a bit out #BrandConsistency this month. We know that people prefer to put a face to the brand and that it’s about who knows you, not who you know. But what are ways to put YOU into your brand? This is really the cornerstone of what personal branding is all about.
Your brand should encompass your values. You are the face, the voice, and the truth for your brand.
Remember that potential customers and clients need to feel connected to your brand and, therefore, connected to you. You are more than a logo and a tagline. You are the heart of your message.
If you’re struggling to find your way, don’t worry, we have some fantastic tips to help pave your path to solid brand consistency.
  • Your voice needs to reflect your brand. How do you want your brand to come across? Whether you’re the friendly neighbor who always helps out, the subject matter expert they go to for advice, a troubleshooter who can always get the job done, or the mentor who helps others overcome obstacles, your brand’s voice is important. Is it professional but understanding? Is it fun or quirky? Is it supposed to be conversational and approachable? What do YOU sound like when you talk business?
  • Here is a key element to brand consistency. If you prefer a formal tone, keep it that way through your personal messages, interactions, and emails. If you prefer a more conversational tone, do the same. Be consistent or else you will confuse your audience. Many of your followers are already sold on your brand and you don’t want to frighten them away.
  • Determine your purpose, and your vision. What do you want to provide to others? You are more than a title. You ARE your brand. How will you help people find what they need? Instead of thinking in terms of what your business does – think in terms of what pain points do you help solve for others?
  • Be authentic. The world doesn’t need copies of successful brands. They need someone who stands out from the pack.
  • Find what you really enjoy doing about your job and integrate it into your brand. Do you enjoy talking on the phone? How can you integrate phone consultations into your business? Your enthusiasm will translate to your customers and clients.
  • Put your story into the brand. Be vulnerable to your clients and customers. Let them see what you went through to get where you are today.
  • Give them a peek into your personal life and the things that you love – but just a peek. There is not need to flood them with personal information. You want them thinking about what you do in relation to who you are.
Your personal brand is a blend of who you are and what you do. They aren’t separated. Don’t be shy. It’s time to step out and let your brand shine.
Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!
Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

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