When I started my business in 2014, it was on a hope and a prayer. I was offering website design because I had taught myself the basics of coding a website and it was my way of proving to everyone that I could make money while being home with my boys.
After a few clients hired me, I realized that coding a website was a lot harder when you didn’t have the foundations of creating a brand.
It was hard to try to design a website for someone without having an idea of who they were trying to reach even if they gave me a brief idea of who they thought that was.
Often it was a woman between the ages of 30 and 50 who needs my service. Way too vague.
The Beginners Guide to Branding includes:
- What is branding?
- How to get started with branding.
- Tips for successful branding.
- Common questions about branding.
What is branding
Branding is the process of communicating confidently who you are and what makes your business different to customers.
There are two parts of branding – strategy and identity. Strategy is basically who you serve, how you serve them and what you do to serve them. Identity is the pretty stuff – the logo, fonts, colors and patterns/textures.
You need both strategy and identity. Your brand is the blueprint for your business. Without a strategy your identity could be falling flat and not attracting your target audience.
How to get started with branding
The first thing you need to do in branding is define who your target audience is. Start here by answering these four simple questions that demystify the key your brand.
Do yourself a favor and really try to create that one person as your target audience. I know, I know your service, blog, or products are for everyone.
Sorry but they are not. Your offers might be able to help a lot of people but it isn’t for everyone. Just like I’m not for everyone.
I curse – some people will be repelled by my cursing while others might find it relatable.
You need to find those people…otherwise you will be swimming the sea of sameness and attracting no one.
Tips for successful branding
Remember, your brand is being created for your target audience not you.
Also, know copying or mimicking someone else’s brand will not bring you their success. I understand it can be overwhelming in the beginning and she makes it look so easy. And that’s because she has created her brand for her target audience.
And remember your logo is not your brand. It is a small part of your brand.
Simplicity is more effective than overkill especially in logo making. A lot of people want very extravagant logos but once you upload or print that logo it becomes apparent, it was too much.
Common Questions/FAQ about branding
Do I need a brand?
If you want a business that makes money and has longevity then you need a brand like I need my coffee. Create a brand that attracts the perfect people to you and repels that ones that aren’t into you.
Once you do that your business will start to create some traction. Remember that creating your brand is the first step – then you need to build it and marketing it.
The biggest key is consistency. Consistency in marketing but also in staying on brand.
How do I brand myself?
Grab your favorite beverage and a notebook. Start by defining who your target audience is and everything else will fall in to place.
Following the rule of one helps you. The rule of one in this case means speaking to that one person. Everything you create is for her – logo, colors, website, everything you write or publish. Everything.
How does a brand help me sell my products/services?
When you create a brand that speaks to that one person, the right people will buy from you. In fact, she will be ready to work with you without any hesitations.
You have probably visited a lot of websites that look pretty generic. They might even look homemade – which is okay – but you have no idea who the website is for or what is solution is being offered.
You don’t want that. You want your target audience to feel instantly connected. And if they feel instantly connected, you are “on brand”.
If you need help with your brand, join the Branding Breakthrough.
