As an entrepreneur, what's your biggest challenge in creating your brand identity?
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Nov 7, 2012
In addition to having a focused and appealing message, there's another dimension: Getting all the visual materials in synch: Website, blog, online profiles, Facebook and Twitter pages, biz cards and mail pieces. Logo, graphics, colors, look and feel, etc.
It's not just CREATING your brand identity initially but SUSTAINING it over time. Things change. You evolve and offer new things. Graphics look dated. "Your website looks so-o-o-o 2000s!" What used to work no longer produces the results it once did.
Be concise, be consistent, be integrated, be on the lookout, be ready to change it.
Nov 6, 2012
beholding the power of focus. Most definitely important. So easy to get distracted isnt it?
Nov 6, 2012
NARROWING the focus. SO many people feel they need to be everything to all people and that's a sure ticket to hell.
So, for example, are we marketers? Are we online marketers? Or is it even better to be The Video Marketing Guys?
Tighten as best you can. If you need MORE than one niche, do that... but keep your focus narrow - it's MUCH easier to get your message across when you do that.
Nov 4, 2012
I found it fairly easy to translate the emotions we wanted to transmit into visuals. It was really difficult was to find a unique voice in the blog and everything written.
Nov 4, 2012
One of the businesses I started, provided lots of different services. The customers like choice and information but not the hassle of trying to locate it on a vast website. The solution for me was to create micro sites that answered questions quickly. The niche is what my customers appear to want, and it works.
The challenge is that this all takes time, lots of time, because the information is very specialized, it is not something that can be farmed out for someone else to write and develop for me. It also means I needed to brand multiple sites and not just one - creating lots of duplication.
Whats great is how easy this method is for slipping under the radar of larger, less agile competitors.
Nov 4, 2012
Narrowing my focus. I haven't cut down the number of services I offer. I have cut down the number of services I talk about when networking. To One. Three years ago I started presenting myself as just an Elevator Pitch Coach. As a result, all areas of my coaching practice have grown by leaps and bounds. Counterintuitive, yes. And it works.
Nov 7, 2012
I completely agree. Paige's advice is right on. The challenge is that it's tempting to get pulled in all sorts of different directions. The most psychologically difficult decision I ever made was focusing on my Elevator Pitch work. I wish I'd done it sooner. I get much cleaner leads and inquiries now from people who know exactly what I'm about and how I can help them. Even though it works much better, it still seems counter-intuitive...
Nov 4, 2012
In our multi level social media it is being consistant across all the countries you wish to add your product too and continue to change the wording or video and picture images to suit the client.
When you are working across these different facets the wording can make a big difference so your Brand name needs to be constant while the smaller print only changes.
Nov 4, 2012
People are going to "pigeon hole" you; its the nature of how we cartmentalism data. The biggest challenge is trying to control which hole you're going into. are you going to be the call center guys, or the customer service guys? I know some teenagers that consider Apple to be the iPod company. So my advice is to shorten-up the pitch and embrace the pigeon hole.
Nov 4, 2012
I think the biggest challenge would be to first identify and then translate your prospective clients' needs into a clear brand image / company message revealing how you are going to help (them) solve their problem. So basically not working from the inside out (sending out your message, old school style), but engaging your customers, setting up a dialogue and determining your branding strategy accordingly.
Nov 4, 2012
A brand identity is who you are and how you can benefit others. The problem I see so often is entrepreneurs who try to be all things to too many people for fear of missing out on business somehow. In reality, this is the path to almost certain failure.
Finding a very small niche and owning it is the key to success. Go deep, not wide. If you're too broad, no one can identify with you which makes it hard for them to know, like and trust you (critical elements in selling). When someone can look at your brand and messaging and think, "They really understand me and my issues." you don't have to do much selling.
As an entrepreneur, your brand is really who you are as a person. So many people are scared of "exposing" themselves or being transparent which blocks the ability to connect with others. Remember that all of business is people connecting with people. The more transparent you can be, the easier it is to connect and do business. By doing this, there will certainly be people who don't identify with who you are but you may not want those kinds of people as customers. For example, Apple wasn't out to convince the Blackberry users of the world to switch to the iPhone. They were two very different kinds of people. Apple remains strong about its brand and people can either take it or leave it.
Nov 6, 2012
And I third the motion! Brilliantly stated, Paige. The more transparent I become, the more comfort and permission others have to do/be the same.
Nov 4, 2012
Getting business owners to open up to the need and benefits of business coaching
Nov 4, 2012
Hi Rob,
Most small companies try to be a smaller version of a bigger company. The problem is the big company will out sell, out market, out brand you...unless you change the game.
The way to do this is to become the trusted source...the trusted advisor in your market niche. The way to do this is to get information, how-to videos out on You Tube, create great content , blog 3 to 5 times a week and publish an Amazon Kindle book. How do you do this?
Record 10 videos with the questions you always get asked and 10 videos with the questions you should get asked. (You can use your iPhone or webcam to do this) Get this out on You Tube directing them back to an optin page to build your list. Have the videos transcribed, edit the pages, write an introduction and you have what is needed for a Amazon Kindle book. It really is not that hard.
The importance is answering the questions and giving great advice that helps solve your customers problem. This is a fast way to begin to build a brand.
Best,
Rich
Nov 4, 2012
The Kindle idea has been bouncing around in my head for a year now - time to take a closer look - Thanks Rob.
Nov 13, 2012
Rob, I just read this closely after a week. This is very well said. People should turn your post into a To Do list and put it onto their monitor. Hey, maybe you should do that for them, Mr. Trusted Source!
You should follow your own advice. (Perhaps you have already.) I'll buy your ebook that handholds people through the steps you outline, complete with links to your YouTube tutorials.
Nov 4, 2012
Remembering that my branded message is about marketing my "message" not my brand! So, I always think first about my "message" and how it connected to my brand identity. Is it clear to my targeted market?... and will it rise about the noise of other brands.
Nov 4, 2012
Thanks for your response, Kenneth. I agree that your brand must deliver a consistent & differentiated message that elicits an emotional connection with your target market.
Nov 4, 2012
It's sounds like we think alike about marketing and "branding".
Asking an entrepreneur like myself "what they do", ends up one big list. I have found that people respond much better and are more comfortable when you say just one of the things you do. Like Paige Burkes said above - go deep not wide, and exploit the power of the niche.