Your brand is more than an elevator pitch and a nice logo.
You have to develop your internal brand before you can verbally or visually express it to the world.
If you find yourself getting stuck when trying to answer the “what you do” question, there’s some uncertainty around the who, what, and why.
When you’re unsure of what to talk about, what to do next, or how to connect with your audience – it’s almost always because there’s a lack of clarity.
It’s not just new people who struggle with this. There are people making over six figures who still struggle with clarity around what they offer and what they really do.
I’m someone who always thought that people ahead of me had it all together… then I joined masterminds with successful people and saw that they still struggled with their elevator pitch, didn’t really know how to utilize their above-the-fold area on their site, or didn’t even really know what their bigger vision was for their business.
Every time you level up in your business, you’re going to have to do work on your messaging and your positioning.
It’s not a one-and-done thing.
I strive to teach my clients how to handle these changes. My goal is to have them feeling confident managing their brand moving forward. Until you are a giant business that can hire a full-time brand manager, you’re going to have to know how to do identify misalignment so something can be done about it.
The Four Major Parts to your Brand:
- Your core brand – this is the purpose beyond making money. Included is your vision, mission, and values. It’s the DNA that all other things are influenced by. This ultimately provides clarity around who you are , what you do, and where you want to go.
2. Positioning – This is all about the space you take up in the minds of your ideal client (target market). Positioning takes place in your clients head and is ultimately defined by exterior influences; all we can do is try to control the narrative and influence our audience in a positive way. Positioning takes into account your skills and unique differences, the competitive landscape, market research, and an understanding of the people you’re selling to.
3. Verbal Expression – This your messaging, which includes your brand story. Most people realize they have a problem with their brand when they find they’re having trouble connecting with their audience or drawing in the wrong people. Being able to verbally express your value and benefit to the client relies on a deep understanding of your core brand.
4. Visual Expression – Visuals are important but they need to do a job. A pretty picture with no substance is selling tickets to a show that doesn’t exist. You may attract people, but you won’t keep them and that will hurt your brand. Your visuals are influenced by how you’re trying to market your business and should attract the people you’re selling to. It’s important to separate what you like personally from what the goal of the design is. It’s a marketing tool, not an art piece.
Want to learn more?
Download my guide on Premium Positioning and the anatomy of a strategic brand.
