To begin with, first and foremost, branding is one of the most important foundational pieces of establishing a business. Most people think once you have a logo, you have a “brand” and are ready to go. I beg to differ and here is why…
Beyond a memorable logo, good branding and knowing yourself is necessary, as branding is about bringing out the personality and style in your business with flair and intention. It’s about emphasizing your best assets and creating a cohesive and compelling look. It’s about telling a story, evoking the senses and captivating your dream clients. It’s about aligning your style and identity with your business aspirations and helping you get to where you want to be, faster.
Branding is an inspirational process for entrepreneurs – begin with defining your intention. Intention will make the difference between a superficially pretty brand identity and one that has traction. One that captures the essence of your business and wins your work.
It costs nothing, other than your time, to sit down and really consider how you want your business to be perceived and appreciated by others and your community.
It’s important that your brand does the work for you in your business!!!
In order for your brand to work for you – it’s necessary to examine your business model, all the corners and areas of your business and gain a strong understanding of what really makes your company unique. Such as looking at your strengths, space in the market, your dream clients, mission, etc. Otherwise, there could be holes, gaps, disconnects, and miss communication within your brand and business.
Also, think about YOU…what do you bring to the table and how much of yourself should you put into your business.
Let’s take a look at some really important questions to consider when developing a brand AND help you realize your full potential to step up to your brand significantly.
1. What motivated you to start or restyle your brand?
Why are you doing this? Do you want to be taken more seriously in the market or establish yourself as an expert? Are you launching a new business, product or service? Whatever your motivations, be clear from the onset.
Why are you doing this? Do you want to be taken more seriously in the market or establish yourself as an expert? Are you launching a new business, product or service? Whatever your motivations, be clear from the onset.
2. What is the overall mission of the project or company?
What is the main objective, mission or value of the company? What is the main direction of your work, who you are serving, how you are delivering your work, etc. Write 2–3 sentence mission statement to carry your brand from the beginning.
What is the main objective, mission or value of the company? What is the main direction of your work, who you are serving, how you are delivering your work, etc. Write 2–3 sentence mission statement to carry your brand from the beginning.
3. What do you do and specialize in?
This may seem like an obvious question – of course you know what you sell. But take a deep breath and use this time to really examine where you are right now and where you want to be with your selling.
Are you selling what inspires you? Are you known for products and services that have you leaping out of bed in the morning? And do they sell? Are there products and services you’d like to drop and others you’d like to add to your business? This is your chance to gain focus or to reinvent yourself and your business!
4. What will make you stand head and shoulders above the competition?
When you’re in the thick of running a business it can be easy to focus on wrong things.While it’s important that you understand what’s going on in the market and you listen to feedback, what’s even more important is that you maintain your confidence and belief in what you’re doing.
When you’re in the thick of running a business it can be easy to focus on wrong things.While it’s important that you understand what’s going on in the market and you listen to feedback, what’s even more important is that you maintain your confidence and belief in what you’re doing.
Your entrepreneurial vision, your style, and your commitment to what you do are the greatest assets your business has: protect and celebrate them. Take a moment or two and focus on the things that you do better than anyone else. What do you really excel at?What else? And what else?
5. Who are your profitable dream clients? Why do they or would they buy from you?
Profitable dream clients are the ones who value what you do and are prepared to spend what you want to charge. They are people you need to attract more of. So who are they and what motivates them to work with you? What do they value about what you do?
Profitable dream clients are the ones who value what you do and are prepared to spend what you want to charge. They are people you need to attract more of. So who are they and what motivates them to work with you? What do they value about what you do?
6. What do you find most inspirational about your business?
The right branding can help you attract more of the clients and work that has you leaping out of bed in the morning – and less of the stuff that leaves you with the unpleasant knot in your stomach. Is there anything that needs to change about the way you present your business so that you can do more of the things that you love and less of those that you
The right branding can help you attract more of the clients and work that has you leaping out of bed in the morning – and less of the stuff that leaves you with the unpleasant knot in your stomach. Is there anything that needs to change about the way you present your business so that you can do more of the things that you love and less of those that you
don’t? Be specific.
7. What values and key traits drive your business?
This is quite possibly the most important question anyone in business needs to answer.Why do you do what you do? This is about the authenticity and the drive that keeps you going when things get tough? You might find this question very simple to answer. It is okay for both our personal and business values to often overlap.
This is quite possibly the most important question anyone in business needs to answer.Why do you do what you do? This is about the authenticity and the drive that keeps you going when things get tough? You might find this question very simple to answer. It is okay for both our personal and business values to often overlap.
8. What do you want to be known for?
To be truly successful you need to stand out, be distinctive and create a business that’s in a category of just one. Challenge yourself to dig deep and be brave. Find a spot in the market that only you can own and use this focus to align all of your communications with this one, compelling proposition. You can’t be all things to all people, so create a proposition so effective that it has clients crossing continents to work with you.
9. Who, exactly, should this new or restyled brand blow away?
Be honest with yourself here. Think broadly about who you really want to impress with your brand. Think beyond clients. Perhaps there is a magazine editor, blogger, media outlet, future staff members…
10. How should your dream clients feel when they look at your brand?
Imagine handing your newly styled and printed business card over to an exciting new prospect or a dream client visits your beautifully designed brand identity on your website or blog…how should they feel? What should they think about your business?
Imagine handing your newly styled and printed business card over to an exciting new prospect or a dream client visits your beautifully designed brand identity on your website or blog…how should they feel? What should they think about your business?
11. How will your brand reflect your big vision?
Give yourself the opportunity to dream a little, to think really big. Why shouldn’t your business be the leading authority in the field? Why shouldn’t you create something thoroughly aspirational, something that stakes your claim as a market leader and then encourages you to drive onwards and upwards? What would your brand need to do in
Give yourself the opportunity to dream a little, to think really big. Why shouldn’t your business be the leading authority in the field? Why shouldn’t you create something thoroughly aspirational, something that stakes your claim as a market leader and then encourages you to drive onwards and upwards? What would your brand need to do in
order to reflect your exciting vision?
*A QUESTION TO SET YOU FREE…
Here’s an inspiring question and thought:
What would you be doing with your business if nothing were standing in your way? If you knew you couldn’t fail? Who would you be working with, what would you be doing (or selling?) and how would you be doing it?
**Think bigger and allow yourself to be incredibly inspired by this question. It takes courage to dream big and think bigger than you ever thought possible and create something that truly reflects you and your skills.
Allow yourself to BE YOU in your business – create the brand and life you desire because ultimately you are an entrepreneur for a reason. Creating, designing and establishing a brand is necessary if you desire long–term success and fulfillment in what you are doing. Dream big and let your brand work for you!
