branding yourself.

Your brand is so much more than pretty pictures or a nice website. Don’t get me wrong, those things are great. Those things help enhance your brand. But those things aren’t your brand.

But what most people don’t realize when they’re starting their business is that your brand is YOU. Think of it this way, even if you’re a blogger or freelancer or you have your own business, the way you present yourself to others is part of your branding. The tone you use, the words you choose — that’s branding.

And I think a lot of people look at branding and think “Oh God.. this is too much. It’s overwhelming” so they spend more time throwing money into other methods hoping something sticks. But it doesn’t. That’s why that targeted Facebook ad isn’t working. That’s why your posts aren’t getting the engagement you’re hoping for. You’re not speaking in a way that’s reaching your audience.

Think of it this way, every single piece of content you write or email that you’re sending out should be building your brand. Your verbal brand is just as important as your visual brand.

Now before you panic, take a breath. Seriously. Breathe. You’re not alone. Finding clarity in your brand message, story, tone and voice will help make writing come naturally. Your marketing will have a solid path which will speak to your ideal client. How do you get there? It’s easier than you think!

4 steps to getting your brand on point.

1/ Be authentic. Remember my Moana inspired post where I touched on this topic before? So true. It’s hard, I get that, to look at others who may be more successful and play the comparison game but you can’t do that. You’ll spend all your energy trying to be someone you’re not and all that will lead to is… well, lots of frustration.

2/ Become the expert. Style blogger? Selling a service? Know everything you can about your niche and become the expert. Pro tip – if you’re looking to get some coverage, subscribe to HARO (Help a Reporter Out!) It’s a great way to get recognized for what you know!

3/ Engage, engage, engage. And no, you don’t need years of dating and a jewelry store do this step, guys. It means once you’ve created your social media pages or email marketing lists you want to create compelling content daily and making posts that are engaging. Did you know engaging posts are what gets you seen in a Facebook timeline?

4/ Don’t stop…. learning. Almost went Journey on you there. But for real. I can’t stress how important it is to stay up to date on what’s happening in your market. If you’re a social media expert you better know exactly what’s happening with Facebook algorithms because you can’t sell what you don’t know. Take relevant courses, invest in yourself, and don’t stop just because you’re out of school or you think you know it all.

What’s your biggest branding challenge? How are you hoping to overcome it?

Kaela

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