So you have an amazing business. You own it. You make your own hours, you set the pace, you make the rules… What an amazing set up you have! The question is, do your potential customers even know you exist? Do they know what you do, when or where you do it? What is the point of having this amazing business, spending your precious time creating this amazing brand if there is no one to hear about it! Well I am here to help you learn how to brand yourself as the expert in your industry!
First things first, we need to let them know you are out there and that you exist. This is more than a website, social media platforms or a logo. Believe it or not, no one is browsing google for your exact business name and your industry. It will not fall in their lap! It is time for you to do some work. You need three stops of the highway of success to existing!
First stop we need to make is Word of mouth: Tell your friends and family. This is always risky as someone beginning because you are worried about the “fail factor”. The whole, “What if i fail and need to tuck my tail and tell all of them.” Throw that silliness in the garbage right now. You need to invite them on this venture because they may know someone who needs your service. Your Uncle Curtis might have a friend who is in the market for your product. Who knows! My first client was a referral from a friend!
Okay second stop on the highway, is social media. Yes you knew it was coming. Your profiles need to be up-to-date. They need to be valuable to your clientele and they need to provide your clients with everything they will need to know about your business. Your bios should explain who you are, what you do, where you are located and how to contact you. You website should have a link in there too!
Lastly before your take off on the open road is referrals. A powerful testimonial is one of the best advertisements your business can have! Ask previous clients for testimonials about the time you worked together. Then post those little puppies everywhere! Social Media, websites, postcards… anywhere you put your brand in front of an audience!
Now, We need to know the audience you are working in front of. Okay, so we got their attention. We are now a name and people know about us. But, has anyone bought from you yet? You can only live on a passion product for so long. If it doesn’t pay the bills your business will not be sustainable.
Here is what you need to understand and it will be a hard pill to swallow. Not everyone wants or needs your products and that is okay.
That is why we need to target the ones that do need and want it. Focus on the audience and the relationships and cultivate communications with them. That will give you the understanding into what your prime audience is. Here are just a few things you need keep in mind when finding your audience.
Know who you are selling to and why are you selling it to them! Do not put content out just to put it out. Make sure you are locating YOUR audience and you are selling to them. Know their age, their gender, their ethnicity, their pain points, their struggles, their joys. This is important: make sure you know their platforms. The crowd on Instagram is different then Facebook and the crowd on Facebook is different then Twitter. Make sure you know where your audience is hanging out! It is your job as a brand to solve their problem, even a problem they might not know they have yet.
Establish your Authority. You are good at what you do. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have picked this as an industry to get into. You want to be a go-to in this industry. If you are a family photographer you want people to think, “I need family pictures taken this fall.” LIGHT BULB- “I’ll call XZY they are the BEST!” You want the spotlight and you don’t want to share it! Problem is, how do you do that. Okay, you are going to hate this answer. I promise you, I hate this answer too. Offer consistent free content and products. Do giveaways, put out valuable information content. Show your knowledge and allow people to build a trust in you. This will make it very easy for people to hand their money to you. They feel as though they know you without knowing you. They feel comfortable with your services and products because they trust the information that you regularly give them. I have clients that I do PR work for, Branding work, Social Media and Content producing for. They all put their trust in me because I have earned it. I have great relationships with all of them because I am knowledgeable and honest in my field.
Lastly, you need to put yourself on display. Yep supes uncomfortable. If you work as a stylist, show that off, be prideful in what you have done! If you work in freelance, show off what you do! You need to show why you deserve their business! Put it on your website, and your platforms. Bring your content to the forefront and let them see what you bring to the table! Whatever you decide on posting make it consistent and in your niche!
Your brand should invoke emotions and show your personality. It will show your audience your brand voice and that needs to stay consistent. Make sure your energetic self and passion for your work is showing through. It is important for your clients to see that as they will believe that you will bring that spirit to the products and service you give to them!
I would love to hear from you! What do you need help with? What content do you want more of? I added a new tab in my menu called FREEBIES! Go check it out! I am giving away a free Social Media Strategy this month! Email me with any questions! I would love to answer them and talk to you about your Brand’s needs!
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