You Are Your Brand

Why do you need to know about Branding and why is it important to your business success?

Here is the secret that successful marketers know; customers don’t buy a product; they buy you.

What do I mean?

When someone wants to buy a product or service they want to work with or buy off someone that they like and trust.

They want to like:-

• Your personality.
• Your experience.
• The unique qualities only you possess.

There was a time when “Branding” meant a corporate-looking logo and a slick website and catalogue.  However, in today’s online and offline marketplace, the real value is not in appearing to be a big company, but rather in just being you.   Someone who they can identify with and trust. 

Your personality stands out and attracts buyers in a variety of ways.

Your Authentic Voice and Message

How you speak and write and even how you act on camera or in an audio has the power to instantly identify you to your audience.  You can see this in action if you scroll through your Facebook or any other Social Media feed.  It’s easy to know who has posted a particular image or status update that resonates to you, just by recognizing the voice with which they generally speak.   You will either identify with and like them or not.

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 people have attracted certain audiences and customers by deciding on their niche and targeting people by their Branding and voice. 

If you like a soft, gentle approach, you will go for someone or a company who represents that.  If you are looking for a ‘No Bull#hit’ approach, you will go for someone who has a much harder personality and image.

There is room for both approaches, but you must be aware of who your target audience is and how you will attract or repel them.

If you are selling the services of a trauma counsellor or therapist, you will need to ensure that your Brand is built on your ability to be a good listener, kind and generous.

If you are selling the services of maybe a Civil Engineering or ‘Tough Mudder’ experience, then you want to be seen to be fit, strong, healthy and brave.

While very different in their approach, these two Branding examples have one thing in common: authenticity.  It’s clear that if you were to contact or meet either of these businesses in person, they would need to speak and act exactly as they do online.  This is what makes your Branding so important to get right and makes your business stronger for it.

What is Your Story?

How did you get to where you are today?  What was your journey?

The story behind your business and your personal experience; which to you might seem boring and uneventful; is a powerful tool that can help solidify your Brand and attract just the right audience.

There are lots of stories that you can read on the internet, which tells stories of being a struggling single mother, and of creating a successful business, rather than simply choosing to work one dead-end job after another. Many of these stories are an inspiration to their audiences and are a huge part of their Branding.

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 you over your competitors and your perfect clients and customers will find you.

If you would like help with building your Brand and Story, please email me at ali@alimcoaching.com and let me help you to stand out from the crowd.