As I wrap up a BIG re-branding of my business over the past few months, many of you have been asking me – why did you change your brand and how did you do it?
The main reason I chose to make over my brand is that I got to a point where I was no longer inspired or excited about my business. It got so bad that I nearly QUIT. Have you ever felt that way? Maybe it’s time you look at re-branding.
So many of you are spinning your wheels with social media, but don’t feel like you’re getting any traction. Or you spent a lot of money on a fancy new website, with lots of bells and whistles, but still aren’t getting any new clients. Well, I’m here to tell you, if you don’t have a strong brand, your marketing will never work. In order for a marketing strategy to be successful, you must have a solid brand foundation.
Here are a few keys to a successful branding:
1. Be Authentic
First and foremost, your brand must be authentic. It must authentically represent the core of your personality and uniqueness. Before delving into re-branding, take a very close look at who you are inside. What makes you tick? Try asking yourself these important questions:
– What makes you get out of bed everyday to do what you do?
– What qualities do others admire in you?
– What ticks you off (this is a clue to the innermost reasons you do what you do)?
– What experiences have you had in your lifetime (good or bad) that have shaped who you are? You may have heard the line “make your mess your message.” Often our life experiences are what fuel a passion within us to change the world.
– What difference do you want to see in the world?
2. Clarify Your Message
You have to get crystal clear about your WHO, WHAT, WHY and HOW. If you aren’t clear about who you are, who is your target market, what you offer and the value you provide, how can you expect your ideal client to be clear about you, and most importantly, buy from you?
3. Your Logo is Not Your Brand
Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of thinking that a brand is just a logo. Your logo and your website, along with other visual components, such as advertising, business cards, Facebook pages, Twitter backgrounds, speaker kits, client gifts and more, contribute to the development of your brand. They are not, however, your brand.
Logos are merely visual associations that create a brand in the mind of your target audience. For example, if you want to be thought of as organized, systematic and direct, then all of the visual components of your brand must express this in some way in order to affect the words, images, thoughts and feelings that come up in the mind of your target client. Successful branding clearly communicates your brand attributes (those authentic questions you asked yourself earlier), so that when someone sees the visual elements of your brand, those qualities shine through.