Often times when people think about a brand the first thing that comes to mind is the company logo, the colors or perhaps the tagline. Although those are pieces to the brand, it is NOT what a brand is. You need to not only have a mental image (logo, colors, tagline) but also a heartfelt emotional image. After all, your brand is the promise of the experience your clients get when they work with you or buy your products. There are many secrets to building a brand, but here are 3 to start you off:
1. Unique Brilliance – You must know what you are an expert in. This of course starts with knowing what is your unique brilliance (check out the blog for more articles on Unique Brilliance soon). With this key piece you will be able to figure out and communicate why you are different and unique and why someone should do business with you over anybody else. From there, you can uncover your specific expertise.
One thing I need to mention in this is that this is NOT your credentials, qualifications or your degree. You can have the same qualifications as someone else, but there will be a uniqueness and a natural “way” you deliver your service or sell your product over the someone with the same qualifications.Your expertise is tied into that uniqueness… so figure out your unique brilliance.
2. Brand identity – You must know what your brand identity looks and feels like. Now I said in the beginning that your brand is not your logo or your tagline. However, when you use these visual and external elements and combine it with the emotions you stir up in your potential clients, you end up creating a distinctive and memorable brand that is uniquely you. This becomes your Brand Identity. Your brand identity includes those emotions that should be included in your sales copy, brochures, websites and so on.
3. Brand Promise – Figure out why you are in business and what results you promise to deliver. Asking yourself what is your purpose or why did you go into business in the first place is essential to creating a solid brand. Decide what you are a stand for and what your clients can always depend on if they engage in your service (or buy your products). This is what a brand promise is all about. You will end up attracting more of your ideal clients when you have a message that is clear and resonates with them.
Having an authentic client attracting brand will help you not just survive as an solopreneur but thrive. If you are ready to get into action, I would love to talk to you about building your personal brand today.
Because a brand is essentially showcasing who you are authentically, it only makes sense to use a system that is client centered to put together your personal brand. Contact me today.
