Brand Building

First impressions, we often think of them when going on a first date or interviewing for a job, but we may not think of them as much when it comes to our business.  Branding is an incredibly important part of a sales funnel, often sitting at the top of the funnel that leads potential clients to do business with us. The amount of advertisements people view is estimated to be between six to ten thousand a day, making today’s consumers quick to judge and quicker to move on to the next thing. Someone’s initial impression of your business can determine weather they bounce or weather they continue on through the journey of your sales funnel.  

Once it is determined who your targeting in your marketing efforts, you now have a clearer direction in building your companies branding.  Think of the styles, color palettes, fonts, and moods that would appeal to these avatars. You may want to look at the sources of content your avatars regularly consume for inspiration. When a potential client sees your logo, writing, photos, video, etc. you want them to feel “this is me, this is my tribe.”  When we create fans of our business, we create customers that will do business with us for years to come. 

In the book Start with Why by Simon Sinek, the author explains that many leaders and organizations do a good job of explaining the “what” (product or services offered) or the “How” (The methods and processes used); however, the most successful leaders start with the “why”—the purpose or belief that drives them. When we figure out the “why” of our business, that mission should be used to spearhead our branding and marketing efforts. Our “why” grabs the attention of ideal clients, creating an emotional resonance in them, letting them know they are apart of your tribe. Emotions have a much stronger effect than logic in peoples decision making, so by leading with your belief and purpose you are likely to resonate with people on a deeper level than simply sharing information.   

Another factor that makes my uncle’s stories boring as hell, is the fact that he mostly focuses on himself in conversation.  An ideal relationship is a two way street, where both people feel heard and understood. When a business’s marketing focuses on the interests and issues of their customers, it let’s them know the business is listening and cares about them. Most people are wrapped up in their own thoughts and worries, when we offer content that relates to their life experience, they are much more likely to become a fan, and in turn become receptive to future offers we provide.  In the book Sell like Crazy, author Sabri Suby suggests producing content that gives value to subscribers a majority of time, and gives an offer no more than a third of the time. When we ask too much and provide too little, we risk coming off as salesy and self-serving. Be generous with the content you provide, and make sure it is valuable or entertaining to your followers.