If you are anything like me then you have surfed the web to learn as much as possible about how to make your business successful. One of the things I kept seeing was branding for business. I kept thinking…. Hmmm ok… so what are they talking about? How do I brand myself? Did they mean using something like a good old fashioned branding iron?
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Actually … YES!
Ok, so we aren’t actually going to get out the old iron branding iron set it in a fire, and stick it to your skin. However, you do want to come up with a quick and easy way for your viewers to instantly know YOU are the one they are reading about or talking with.
This is branding for business. That instant recognition and trust me, we all want that. Think of common companies or products you love.
I bet you know what their logo is or what their slogan in commercials says. You want to create this same thing for yourself. So now I guess you are thinking… “Well, ok… Crazy computer lady… How do I do that?” Let’s dive in and figure it out.
How do I brand myself?
Below are 5 easy steps you can use to help figure out how you are going to brand yourself.
Who is your ideal client?
The first thing you need to answer on your quest about “How do I brand myself?” is figuring out who you are talking to. Who is your ideal client and why are they going to want to buy your products. Most of us like to purchase products that help us with everyday needs we have.
This is different if you are talking to stay at home moms or talking to single men. Find out what types of things they like or what things they need to solve. Cater to and make sure your branding partially wraps around those things.
What is your online personality?
As you think about your branding for business you need to figure out your voice. Are you sassy? Casual? Sophisticated? Your personality will attract people like you, making this SO important.
You do not want to be stuck with some bland, hard to personify personality that isn’t you. Make sure your online personality fits you well because you don’t want to be constantly overthinking your posts.
Make sure you are your brand. NOT your company.
This is an especially important point if you are in Direct Sales. Those who have their own small business may be able just to skip this tip. As you are branding for business, you are branding YOU, no the company you sell for.
Don’t just use the colors/logo of the company you sell for. That isn’t you and doesn’t make you stand out at all. The company you are selling for doesn’t want you to stand out, they try to make sure we are all the same.
It’s your job to set yourself apart from every other person selling your products. There are so many ways to do this, but a lot of it starts with your logo, your voice, your brand!
Create your Visual Look
Concentrate on an easy to use, easy to recognize logo. Logos can be created in most graphics programs such as PicMonkey or Canva. Make sure you think about all the different aspects of your logo including how easy it is to be recognized, the colors, fonts, etc
Do you want to be known for a certain thing? Think about what you want to be known for as it will be really hard to break away from a visual later. (Like my butterflies – which are a big part of my logo)
Pro Tip: Check out how to use Canva Font effects to make your graphics even more stunning.
Last but not least… Use Social Media to reinforce your brand
Creating your own images by recreating things you like that you’ve seen or come up with a whole new design is good for your personal brand. Plus, it just makes a more personal connection with the community you serve.
Not only should you be creating your own images and watermarking them. But take it another step and promote your content on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
Quick Recap: How do I brand myself?
- Who is your ideal client?
- What is your online personality?
- Make sure you are your brand. NOT your company.
- Create your visual look – logo, colors, fonts
- Use social media to reinforce your brand
I hope this article has helped you figure out your branding for business. As you sit down and decide what to work on next consider all the tasks you have in front of you.
Figuring out what tasks are actually priorities will help you manage your time most effectively. This is harder than it sounds. That is why I’ve created a workbook to help you figure this all out. Let’s get your actual business and life priorities straightened out.
