You Are Your
Brand
Here’s secret
successful marketers know: customers don’t buy a product. They buy you.
Your
personality.
Your
experience.
The
unique qualities only you possess.
There
was a time when “branding” meant a corporate-looking logo and a slick catalog,
but in today’s online marketplace, the real value is not in appearing to be a
big company, but rather in just being you. And your personality shines through
in a variety of ways.
Your Authentic Voice
How
you speak and write and even how you act on camera or in an audio interview has
the power to instantly identify you to your audience. You can see this in
action if you scroll through your Facebook feed. It’s easy to know who has
posted a particular image or status update, just by recognizing the voice with
which they generally speak.
Here’s
an even more important aspect of your “voice” though: it has the power to
attract a specific audience. In recent years, a few high profile coaches and
product sellers have become celebrities of a sort, largely because of their
harsh, “don’t hold back” language. Ash Ambirge over at www.TheMiddleFingerProject.org
makes no apologies for her use of offensive words, and her fans love her for
it. And those that don’t? Well, as she says right on her home page, her site
and services are “not for humorless bores.”
Snarkiness
and foul language is not the only way to go, though. Carrie Wilkerson has built
her brand almost entirely on her ability to be kind and generous. She always
has a nice word, never appears defeated or overwhelmed, and is an inspiration
to her fans and clients.
While
very different in their approach, these two women have one thing in common:
authenticity. It’s clear that if you were to meet either of them in person,
they would speak and act exactly as they do online. And their brands are
stronger for it.
Your Story
How
did you get to where you are today? The backstory—which to you might seem
boring and uneventful—is a powerful tool that can help solidify your brand and
attract just the right audience.
Melissa
Ingold tells of being a struggling single mother, and of creating an online
business rather than simply choosing to work one dead-end job after another.
Her success is an inspiration to her audience, and is a huge part of her
branding.
Kelly
McCausey speaks often of how she got started online when she was looking for a
way to earn just a few extra dollars every month to keep the lights on.
Creating graphics at $5 each quickly turned into a full-time online career.
Your
story doesn’t have to be dramatic, and you certainly don’t have to share more
than you’re comfortable with, but it does have to be yours. Be your true self,
and you’ll never have to worry about attracting the right audience. They will
self-select, and your perfect client will find you.
No comments:
Post a Comment