How to Build a Brand
Your brand doesn’t have to be Instagram perfect, it just has to be YOU.
Your website and your colours is NOT your brand. There, I said it. It’s very important to your brand, but it’s not the only thing that makes up your brand.
I know that statement may offend many branding experts, and designers, but your brand is something more tangible and should reflect you personally.
Branding isn’t about being perfect but it should be reflective of who you are, and what you do…
A BRAND DOESN’T HAVE TO BE INSTAGRAM PERFECT
Be prepared to mix it up a little!
Too often companies (British Airways in its battle with Virgin, or think of the big company collapses – Enron, BHS, RBS) work very hard to portray a particular image in their advertising and when something goes wrong, there is no personality to allow for screw ups.
If you’re not perfect, then you can laugh about something… Oops! I sent out a wrong link… Oooops, my Facebook Live failed… Oops! My Instagram life doesn’t look perfect – it’s a little bit normal.
Richard Branson sums this up beautifully.
“Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealised, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character and no public trust,” Richard Branson
Your brand is what sets you apart from the zillions of other online traders out there.
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” Howard Schultz
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
What’s your story that makes you unique and different, and makes someone chose YOU?
Your brand should be something that no one can take away from you… your story, your message, and your connection. It’s not about a logo or a website colour – or even a name.
That’s why your connection with your ideal client on video and through social media is so important for building your brand.
I WAS FORCED TO CHANGE MY NAME AND MY BRAND:
When I first started up in business, I was called: Dream it, Do it, Love it.
After I’ve been operating for about 8 months, another woman wrote to me and said that her blog, which is vaguely similar (and hadn’t been updated for 18 months) was disputing my name. I approached solicitors and in the UK they said it was a grey area, and in the US they said she didn’t have a leg to stand on….
I couldn’t risk growing my business, and then having a legal dispute so I changed my name.
Yes, this was painful. Yes, this was very disruptive to my business.
Yes, this forced me to rethink everything I did.
You could think this was a nightmare for my business, and see me wailing into my cuppa tea, or you could see me just getting on with it. Why?
Because my name is not my brand. My website colouring is not my brand. And my logo is not my brand.
WHY YOUR STORY MATTERS:
Your brand is your connection with your audience, and it’s that magic something that means that they resonate with you…
What is your WHY?
I love Tom’s Shoes because of the brand story… I adore the fact that I buy a pair of shoes for someone in need, as well as buying a pair for me. I connect with the Tom’s shoe, and I want to be part of their success, and their journey.
What stories are you going to weave into your social media campaigns?
How do you connect with your audience? Well, it’s about knowing your ideal client, and knowing how they use social media.
- Are they corporate and want to read articles in their industry on LinkedIn?
- Or are they on maternity, or a stay-at-home mama and they’re reading something while breastfeeding or pushing the pram?
- Would they watch you talking on Facebook lives about you and your story?
- And how will you convey your passion and your brand values?
You don’t have to talk… Kate Moss is a massive brand and she doesn’t open her mouth – she just looks cool, and sometimes beautiful. People don’t necessarily listen to what you say, they just watch you… so think visually!!!
Even if you’re camera shy, Facebook live a great tool to market your business…. if you’re selling cakes then you can show off a little video of you baking a cake.
If you’re marketing a nature blog, then you can go live with wildlife/beautiful scenery that will inspire people to go to that location… you don’t have to be seen (or talk if you don’t want to), and it will market your page.
Remember, on Facebook people often watch with the sound down… so it really is about your body language, and how you APPEAR. Your brand values should be represented in the way that you frame and position your lives.
Write down everything you know about your ideal client…
- Where does your ideal client shop?
- What is their pain points? (and how can you help them?)
- What media do they consume?
- What social media do they use?
How are you going to attract your ideal client:
- Set you apart from the crowd
- Communicate your unique message, purpose and mission
- Radiate vitality and success (but not perfect).
How are you going to present your brand/product? Key points to remember:
- Corporates use Linkedin – you can’t do live videos, but you can schedule blog posts /articles… even if you don’t write the articles, you can find relevant articles that will engage with your ideal client and promote you.
- Pinterest is evergreen and popular with mums. Think of Pinterest as a social media search engine.
- Think about using tools to help you manage your social media and schedule posts – Hootsuite / tweetdeck / Meetedgar
- Mums use Facebook / Instagram a lot! Join groups on Facebook (it’s engagement that counts) and on Instagram it’s all about your engagement, and not necessarily your likes.
- Facebook and Instagram actively promote the fact you’re doing a live so it’s FREE MARKETING FOR YOU!
The most important thing is to be true to your brand, and your story… Ask yourself would Lucy (insert your ideal client’s name) do this? Remember, people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
