10 simple ways to brand yourself
Have you ever heard the saying “people buy you, before they buy your product”?
Isn’t it so true? You will very rarely, if ever, make a purchasing decision from someone that you do not like or trust. If given the choice of learning how to drive from a teenager just learning to drive or a 30 year career driving instructor, who’d you go with? You chose the instructor, of course, because they’ve got the credibility and trust.
The same rules apply to business, where people tend to go with the proven entity. Your goal is to lose the “learner tag” as quickly as possible. You do this, by positioning yourself as an expert in your field, as per the tips below.
Creating and maintain a strong personal brand is key to helping to facilitate the “subconscious transaction”, where the person you’re dealing with transitions from considering you, to BUYING you. Here we go:
You need to Face(book) the facts: If you’re not on Facebook yet, do it now! It won’t be long until a billion people are on Facebook. In Australia alone, more than 50% of the adult population is on Facebook. 2 in every 3 individuals between the ages of 18-64 are on Facebook. How do you expect to build your brand when you’re not participating in the main forum where most people you know hang out?!
Promote your achievements: Highlight your successes – It’s not like you’ve got a PR firm to do it for you! Use social media for this. A simple Facebook post along the lines of: “I’m so proud. I just achieved my biggest month of sales. Thanks to everyone for supporting my business”. You’ll see a flood of Facebook ‘Likes’ in the short term, but just watch the credibility and trust factor gradually build over time as you repeatedly highlight your wins. And a simple post like this goes a long way to helping you drop that “learner tag”!
It’s all good (even when it’s not): Trawl through a day of Facebook posts and I bet there will be a healthy (well, unhealthy) dose of negativity and sarcasm. I mean, if you and I had a dollar for every time we read a post about a headache, the flu, or how crazy the kids are driving someone, we’d be retired by now wouldn’t we? Your mission is to censor yourself. Nothing negative goes out. It’s all positive. This is not to say that you fake positivity or lie, you just don’t promote negativity. There’s a distinct difference. This will go a long way to branding YOU. To the contrary, like I said earlier, every time you share negativity online, you erode your personal brand.
Be helpful, provide value: Share links and resources from within your business niche that you know people will enjoy. Don’t spam people, but regularly posting industry-related information to Facebook goes a long way to building your credibility in your field. The general rule here is to run it through a basic filter so that you aren’t being seen as a ‘spammer’: Simply ask yourself – is it valuable information, or merely promotional? It’s OK to promote your service or product every so often, but providing regular, interesting and useful information is a great way to promote YOU (as an expert).
Get a blog (even if you don’t know what blog means): Blogs can be free, and they’re simple to setup. WordPress.com is my suggestion. I find WordPress to be the best all-round blog platform. I was able to learn WordPress with essentially zero website/blog management knowledge.
What to blog about? That’s simple – YOU! Your friends and family will love to keep connected with you. If it’s for your business, then you could start by covering your products or services and then providing valuable information related to your niche. Blogs are just a way to share your thoughts. There are plenty of free “how to” guides for setting up a blog or Facebook for business page online – Google it!
Register YOU: Even if you aren’t planning on starting a blog or website yet, you want to register your domain name/ s before someone else gets in first! You may wish to register both your business or home business and your personal name to be sure.
Actively be YOU: Huh? I hear you say? What I’m saying here is that you should read a lot and write even more (that’s the beauty of a blog). Then, if there is one individual that you follow frequently, you will inevitably tend to imitate them whilst you truly develop your sense of who you are. Catch yourself. Challenge the ideas presented by those that you respect most. Be you, and eventually you’ll build YOU.
Keep your brand fresh: Luckily for my blog, home business is super-diverse and there are plenty of topics for me to sink my teeth into. Be it your blog or your everyday life, keep it fresh. Keep trying new things and interacting with people around new topics. Whether it’s online, or offline, people tend to gravitate towards those others that are “always going things”. Be a “doer”. Be exciting. This will build your brand, and will probably result in a heck of a lot of fun too!
Start branding you from a niche: There is no such thing as an overnight success. Start small, build your following in that area and then branch out. Even though a niche business might be a small market, successfully becoming an expert in that field will allow you the credibility required to expand and dominate another field.
Over-deliver: If you’ve been counting, you’ll know that we’ve passed 10 tips and we’re now on 11! And here’s the tip: ALWAYS over-deliver. Have you ever been to a great live music performance and left it saying “I knew it was going to be good, but that was way better than I ever imagined”. Next thing, you referred that singer to friends, you downloaded the next song on iTunes and booked your tickets early for the next live show. Give a little bit more than expected.
So there you have it, 10 (+1) tips little-known tips to build your Personal Brand online! Perhaps more importantly, 11 often-not-done-by-your-competitors tips. Let’s get you branded in advance of your competition, so you can own your field.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7215767
Does Blogging Can Brand and Market Your Business?
Blogging on your website markets your business best when you provide well-rounded solutions that your customers are looking for right in the content of your blog. Do you offer solution based services? Write a blog post that tells your readers how to use your services.
Blogging on your website brings clients.
When you’re blogging on your website clients find you based on the topics about which you write. Write solution based content relevant to your customers. Never miss a chance to give them more of what they’re looking for.
Offer a call to action on your website.
Give your blog readers an opportunity to purchase your services, right in your blog post. Ask if they want what you offer during your discussion, then give them what they’re looking for. Blogging on your website is an opportunity to provide plenty of information to your readers, add content that drives traffic, and build a report with possible customers, by providing what they need.
What kinds of content can you provide by blogging on your website?
- product and service reviews – these can include anything from direct use product reviews to reprints of other people’s product reviews. Anything you add under a listing of product review will be relevant if the products you’re reviewing are available on your website. The same, of course, goes for services you provide.
- solutions to problems – these solutions can be either directly relevant or possibly an implied solution, such as cleaning suggestions for a product your sell on your site. The key here is to answer any questions via blogging on your website with an informative, easy to read commentary on whatever your solution is, and how it should be applied.
- information – new products coming out? Anything that gives you a reason to post an informational blog post on your website, makes a huge opportunity to share details, data exchange, or add links to your content. You’ll be happy to share information when it makes blogging on your website easier.
Never miss an opportunity to communicate through blogging.That’s a key concept for any website owner, because blogging on your website gives you a direct link to your reader. Always, stay current, add updates, and follow up on comments that show up on your blog, with additional information. Give them even more of what they want by answering their questions on your blog.
One of the best features of blogging on your website is the opportunity to add a call to action to the information you’re sharing in each blog post.
Blogging on your website may feel overwhelming, but we offer powerful posts in many areas of expertise, including product reviews, solutions to problems, and all kinds of informative content. Let us help you with content development for your website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9933502
How To Do Business In Facebook Groups?
Facebook groups are an excellent area to bring in leads, develop your email list and ultimately sell your products and services. But your group will fail if all you do is constantly try and sell stuff.
People are on Facebook because they like to socialize, and they’ll join your group because they are interested in what you have to say. So you have to get the conversation going. Here are 6 conversation ideas you can use on your Facebook group to get your followers communicating, connecting and socializing.
1. “What Is Your Biggest Issue About ‘X’?
Fill in the ‘X’ with a subject that has a connection with the market you are involved in. For example, if you’re in the fitness niche, a simple question to ask here would be, “What is your biggest issue with lifting weights?”
2. Talk About Something Off-Topic
People really like Facebook because they can talk about anything. Surprise your Facebook group members with random topic that has nothing to do with your industry or market. It will engage their creative brains and get them talking
3. Show Your Personality
People join your group for a reason. They want to get to know you. But they will only stay active in your group if they are drawn to you in some way. Show your personality in your posts and updates on your Facebook group so that your members can see you as a real person.
4. Promote Others
Your Facebook group is not just about you. Give your members some of the limelight. For example, once a week update your Facebook group with a post that promotes something from one of your members. This could be a blog post, article, video, infographic, etc. This grows respect and trust with the people in your group, and can also reveal some great joint venture opportunities and cross-promotions with others.
5. Talk About Goal Setting and Achievement
Ask your audience, “What’s the number one goal you want to achieve next month or next year?” Keep a note of all the replies that you get from your Facebook group members as it provides an excellent insight of what your market is looking for. You can then show them how you can help them accomplish it.
6. Ask Simple, Two Choice Questions
“Tea or coffee?” “Dogs or cats?” “Snow or sand?”. The simple style of these two choice questions makes them quick and easy to post and always gets people talking. Despite the fact that they seem very basic, the interactions and discussions that they can create can be rather in-depth and enjoyable. You can make these questions industry-relevant, but you will get involvement no matter what you ask about.
Facebook groups are an excellent place to hook up with people in your industry and potential customers. However, doing it the wrong way can lead to lasting damage to your reputation and brand. But doing it the right way ensures that you have the best possible chance for business success.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9632427
Branding – How To Be Relevant, Valuable and Successful In Online Business?
Brand recognition is an easy concept when you realize it isn’t a thing, but rather a feeling. What’s the feeling you share with others on social media, on your website, and in your business?
I’ve learned that I want to be known as witty, relevant, successful, and valuable. What about you? What is your word choice?
This year, as I was seeking through words to connect, I decided confidence would be my ‘word’. And I started using it in everything. At first, I thought maybe it was just a word, something that might be relevant eventually, like after the year is over… Then, one morning I woke up, started getting dressed and realized the word meant more than just something for later. It was my value word, the word I share with others, either visibly or invisibly, I feel confident.
Brand Recognition Markets YOU.
There are several ways you can market yourself, but here are a few of the better ideas you should be using to put yourself in a leadership position with your tribe:
- Be relatable. Relate to the interests and values of your tribe. Connect with them on a personal level. Know their name and something of value about each one.
- Be relevant. Seriously, you need to know what is happening RIGHT NOW and be part of that. Get involved. Share your opinion, and be sure it has significance with current events.
- Be recognized. If nobody knows who you are, they’re not going to make an effort to look for you anywhere. Be known. Be recognized. Be part of the social circle, and be involved.
Perception Matters for Leaders.How others perceive you makes a huge difference in how they relate to you. If they perceive you as being greater than they are, above them, or over them in any way, they won’t connect directly to you. You want them to communicate directly with you, and be comfortable with you.
When you set yourself apart, as the go-to-expert in your niche, you become a leader within your tribe. You’re not greater than your tribe, you’re equal to your tribe, and they feel comfortable coming to you with problems. You have solutions.
Connect With Your Tribe.
Your tribe relates to you when you share material interests. The basic elements of connection within your tribe will be elements of existence: food, shelter, and clothing. The significant reality of your connection is more than provision, it is security. Do you make them feel secure? Are you their security blanket?
Brand recognition comes when your tribe relates to you on such an elemental level that they can’t exist without you. They NEED you.
You need them.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9635961