Ever wonder why you have to work so darn hard to get people to your blog? Like come on, why aren’t people catching onto the fact that you have uh-mazing content? (Which you totally should have, btw.)
I’m positive you know where I’m going with this, but I’ll tease it out a bit more.
What do these 3 things (well, one is a person) have in common?
- Pepsi
- Audrey Hepburn
- Target
If you guessed a strong brand, you’re right. (And just plain awesome.)
Do you think any of these 3 brands have to work hard to get people / traffic / sales? No, they don’t. In fact, Audrey Hepburn isn’t even alive anymore (which breaks my oldies-loving heart) and people are still watching her films. That, my dear, is a powerful brand.
The good news is that you can have the same effect in your business. But it will take some effort on your part to create that strong brand.
I promise it will be worth it. So, grab some ice cream and let’s dive into why a strong brand is crucial to the success of your business. (P.S. When I say business, I mean your blog as well. If you don’t already think of your blog as a business, today’s the day to start!)
Why you need to brand your business
If you want to be successful, you need to brand your business. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. (Was that a little harsh?)
Your brand is what sets you apart from other businesses in your niche. It tells people why they should purchase from you instead of your competitors. It says “This is who I am and this is what I do.” It is the thing that allows customers to recognize you and your work.
A brand creates a connection. It reaches out to your audience and prompts them to relate. When they relate to you, they trust you. Because they trust you, they buy from you. And the more they relate to your brand and what you offer, the more they’ll buy.
Because we often make decisions based on our emotions, it’s important that your blog causes the right people to feel the right things. This is done through branding.
Think of your brand as the emotion of everything you and your business stand for. Ideally, we would snag 2 minutes of every visitor’s time to tell them all about what we offer and what they will gain if they stick around. But we’re all in a hurry and no one has 2 minutes to spend every time they visit a new site.
The good news is, your brand does this very thing for you. If done properly, your brand will convey in seconds what it would take you minutes to explain. Let’s break this down a little more.
Example of business branding #1
Assume you are visiting a new blog for the first time. What are some things you notice right off the bat? Most likely it would be the following:
- tone of voice
- focus / message
- color scheme
- photos
- logo / site name
- what’s being offered
- overall sense or vibe
And that’s without scrolling or clicking on anything! These basic elements on your page can give your visitors TONS of information about your site and unless you gain control of these things, they probably won’t stick around.
Without a brand in place, your business won’t be drawing anyone in. And that obviously will lead to no sales for you. In order to be successful, building a brand that people can relate to is so important. But before you build a brand to attract people, you should know who you’re trying to attract.
Wait, wait, wait. Isn’t what I’m selling for everyone?
If you’ve ever thought, I don’t need a brand because what I’m selling is for everyone, let me stop ya right there. Because girl, if you are selling to everyone, you are selling to no one.
Whatever it is you are selling, whether it’s a product you created, a service you are offering, or a blog you are promoting, it IS for a specific audience. There are people out there who need what you are offering but there are also people who don’t.
When we try to reach the masses with our product by assuming it is for everyone, it would be like yelling into a crowd. Everyone around you is yelling as well, but you are determined to be heard. You strain and strain until you lose your voice. When you eventually give up, only a few people will have heard your voice above the crowd.
But if you were to call out a name instead, not yell it but gently call it out, maybe even whisper it, ears will perk up. Did you know that a person’s name is the sweetest sound to their ears?
When someone says your name you immediately turn to see who’s speaking. Imagine having that effect in a crowd. You call out, “Michelle…Ashley…Tamara.” They will come running to see who has what they want.
This is in essence what your brand does.
It calls out to the people who will relate. It is speaking exactly what they want to hear and because it’s like hearing their own name, they will pick it up above the noise of the crowd. You are joining together with people who connect with you and what your brand represents. Connection will get you much further than leads ever will.
When someone sees something you create–your product, an Instagram post, a Facebook ad, etc.–they will have one of two reactions. Write this down–it’s really hard.
They will either respond with 1) yes, or 2) no. See? Difficult. But this is so important to remember! You want this to happen. Every time you get a “no” response, it is defining your brand even more.
The more “no’s” you get, the higher the rate of return on your “yes’s.”
Example of business branding #1
Let’s say you post a photo on Instagram of yourself modeling a bikini in your post-childbirth, stretch-marked, untanned mama body. You talk about the importance of self love and give a shout out to mamas who aren’t ashamed of their bodies (this is a great idea, by the way).
Your post will automatically inspire either a positive or negative response from anyone who finds this photo in their feed. The ones who respond negatively obviously don’t relate to you. They are offended by what you posted and are not interested in what you have to say.
They’re not your people, aka target audience.
They were never going to buy from you in the first place because they don’t relate to you.
The ones who respond positively will like and comment on your post, and not only that, but they will feel as though they know you better (and they do) which means they trust you more. You are one step further on the road to providing them with what they need.
The more your content rejects some people, the more it will attract the ones you should be targeting.
I’m not talking about intentionally stirring up drama by posting about hot, controversial topics. A brand is all about who you are and what you represent.
A professional will graciously acknowledge that their product or service is not for everyone. They are confident in what they are providing and they know exactly who will benefit from it. Those are the people they spend time and money in reaching. They’re not interested in the others.
Quick Review
A strong brand is the foundation for building a successful business.
It will draw readers to your site so you can stop fighting so hard for traffic, it will organically grow your email list with people who are actually interested in what you’re offering, and it will connect with your people and nurture them into paying customers.
Building a personal brand may be the single most important thing you do for your business because connection with people is what converts.
Basic summary? You gotta have a strong brand for your business. Period.
Not sure who your brand should be attracting? Time to get suuuper clear on your DREAM CUSTOMER!! That’s right! Your target audience is full of people who love everything you create and will be attracted by your brand!
When you are clear on your target audience, your email list growth will explode, your page views will start increasing, and you’ll start making more money! All by being clear on who you’re selling to. Get your hands on this free workbook and discover who is waiting for what you have to offer.
Action Steps
- Download and fill out the free workbook above to get super clear on who your dream customer is and how your brand can serve them.
- Read this follow-up post to learn how to create that strong brand for your business.
And that is it, my lovely business-builder! I cannot wait to see the epic-ness of your strong business brand! Yay!
Original article and pictures take i1.wp.com site
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