Posts Tagged ‘marketing’

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The Business of Selling Yourself, Part One: Personal Branding


2010
03.12

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

If you work in the real estate, mortgage, insurance or financial-planning industries, or any service-related industry for that matter, aren’t you really in the business of selling yourself? Think about it: If you’re a real estate agent, you know that a homeowner can sell their home without you … they can use another real estate agent or try the for-sale-by-owner route. But with all the services you offer and the expertise you bring to the marketing and sales process (not to mention your likable nature and slew of other personal attributes), why would they want to do it alone or with anyone else? That is the message your personal marketing to current and potential clients must clearly and consistently demonstrate.

But how? Well, that’s a big question and it deserves a multi-part answer. So we’re going to tackle this one in a series of posts. Let’s start with Part One: Personal Branding.

What is personal branding? It’s a collection of everything that represents who you are and what you stand for. It’s how you market yourself to others. Personal branding is just like corporate branding, only YOU are the corporation. Think of all parts and pieces that contribute to a corporate branding strategy:

• logo
• tagline
• stationery
• business cards
• signage
• web site domain name
• web site design, content and functionality
• social media engagement: Twitter, Facebook, blog, LinkedIn, etc.
• direct mail (print and electronic)
• advertising
• media relations
• charitable alliances
• events
• company dress code
• office decor
• company policies

And so much more!!

Corporations spend millions of dollars on branding because it’s so critical to establishing and maintaining their desired image. Personal branding is no less important, even though an individual’s budget is typically a tiny fraction of a corporate one. Fortunately, the Internet age has made personal branding very affordable. Of course, that also means that everyone is doing it …. or at least trying to.

To stand out among a sea of real estate agents, mortgage brokers, financial planners, etc., you need to differentiate yourself by establishing a personal brand … and strategically maintaining that brand in everything you do. It’s called “brand continuity.” It also needs to be authentic, because trying to be someone you’re not is simply too much work and will inevitably backfire anyway.

As stated by personal brand expert Dan Schawbel: “You need to be yourself because everyone else is taken and replicas don’t sell for as much. Furthermore, you need to define your brand before someone else does for you!”

Ready to take a hard look at your personal brand? Ready to take some simple, affordable, effective steps to enhancing and controlling your personal brand? Speakeasy Studios now offers several personal marketing packages that collectively work toward creating and managing your brand.

Give us a call (970-663-3279) or shoot us an email. Let’s talk branding!

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Branding: How to Set Yourself Apart


2010
03.02

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Posted in Web Tips | No Comments »

In today’s competitive business world, it’s important to do anything you can to separate yourself from your competition. The most effective way to do so is obviously to offer service or products that are second-to-none. If you’ve already done so, the next thing to focus on is branding.

What’s This Branding You Speak Of?

Brand by definition is “the sum total of a company’s value, including products, services, people, advertising, positioning, and culture” and “the use of logos, symbols, or product design to promote consumer awareness of goods and services.”

The overall goal of branding is simple:

Establish a positive image for your business in order to distinguish you from your competitors.

The Who

There are some things one must consider when starting a branding process. The first is your business as a whole; who are you? What makes your business great? How do you want to market yourself?

  • What is the main focus of your business?
  • What service do you provide?
  • What are the values you carry out in your business?

Once you’ve determined how you’d like to market yourself, its time to figure out who you’d like to reach and how to do so. Many people make the mistake of molding a branding package around their own personal preferences. The real secret is to take the perspective of your clients. What will appeal to them? What will they be drawn to?. Consider the following characteristics of your target market.

  • Who are they? (gender, age, profession, values)
  • Where are they? (environment, living conditions, work conditions)
  • What do they do? (physically active, socially active, nightlife, networks and groups)

This is important because you obviously wouldn’t try to market to young, single, socially active professionals as you would to older, retired, married couples. (at least you shouldn’t)

The How

Your branding as a whole can be broken down to several smaller parts

  • Logo: The visual symbol of your business.
  • Name: The name of your business
  • Colors: The colors you choose

These components can determine how successful your branding will be. When used correctly, your branding can deliver your exact message to your exact audience. On the other hand, a poorly thought-out branding package can go completely unnoticed by your target audience or even deter clients.

Check out the links below to see some great examples of smart logo design

The Why

Branding can do a lot for your business.

  • Let you stand out in a crowd: A good combination can explain who you are and what you do without saying a word.
  • Create brand resonance: Well-thought out branding will come to the minds of your audience without thought
    • Create Brand Loyalty: The more people remember your brand, the more they’ll return for your services

      Although there is no cut-and-dry solution for a successful branding package, with some preparation and thought, you can aim your message at your target audience and make sure that they hear it loud and clear.