On brand.
For the lone wolves, free thinkers, and unique creators, here are a few thoughts and ideas to help big dreamers like you go bigger.
Branding strategy hack: Get to know your villain.
Remember that book you couldn't put down? Or that movie you didn’t want to end? Great storytelling is an undeniable art. And the basic principles of storytelling are also the same principles behind the brands you love. That’s how brands come to life—by sparking emotions and inspiring action through great storytelling.
Personal Brand Tip: Speak to One, Others Will Follow
Think about Sarah as your "ideal" customer. That doesn't mean you exclude other people from benefitting from your content. I like to call Sarah your "bullseye" target because we want to aim for the bullseye, knowing that we'll hit the bullseye only a fraction of the time. For all the misses, we will—at least—be in range.
Is Branding Dead? Part 2 of 2
Like I said in my last video, branding is dead. I made a purchase based on a recommendation from a friend. I didn't care about the product's background story, I didn't care about the founders. I just clicked purchase. And done. No brand development necessary! Let me tell you about a very important service that my friend performed for me: Product curation. She did the hard work of comparing the products and selecting the right one, making the purchase, trying it out, and then recommending it to me. Or, someone somewhere up the line had performed the due diligence to spark the word of mouth. And we can all agree that word of mouth is the most persuasive tool out there to build a business. So my question is, where do the "words" from word of mouth come from? If you're an unknown and you're just getting started. Or if you're a commodity—you're one of many. How do you wedge your product or service into the awareness of your potential customers? That's where branding comes in. So is branding dead? Absolutely not.
3 Ways to Spark a Brand Breakout
I remember when Green Day's album called "Dookie" hit in 1994. I became a huge fan of it. You'll find a song on it called Welcome to Paradise, which was one of the many hits on that album. It reached number 56 on the Billboard charts. Did you know that song was actually on the previous album? It was released three years prior. So Welcome to Paradise did nothing in 1991. And then it did something in 1994. It's the exact same song note for note lyric for lyric. What changed?
Big Promise = Big Results
Have you articulated or written your big promise? All great brands have a big promise attached to it. If you don't have one written, you're missing out on two tremendous opportunities: 1. A big promise is a powerful way to connect to your customers. 2. A big promise is an equally powerful way to keep you consistent over time because your big promise becomes the centerpiece for your storytelling. The big promise consists of 4 essential elements: 1. Articulate the desired end result: This is what your customers want more than anything else from you. 2. Identify the barriers: So what is the action that they need to take, but they're not taking it because they don't know how to take it? With these two elements, your big promise is 80% there. The last two elements are going to help elevate your big promise to the next level. 3. Timing: When are your customers going to get the desired end result? The quicker the better. 4. Eliminate excuses: This is about relating to your customers with what's blocking them inside from doing anything at all. I used this 4-part template for the big promise for the title on my webinar. It has each component baked in. See if you can identify them: How to break free from your draining job and finally pursue the work you dreamed of in as little as four weeks, even if that feels impossible right now. If you can write your big promise, big results are sure to follow. The content for this post was inspired by this article: https://www.marketingcipher.com/4-step-formula-to-crafting-your-products-big-promise/
I Love My Pet Brand Even When It Pees on My Carpet
Don’t trash talk my favorite brand. Because I love it. Yes, I know there are other brands out there that sell products that function just as well—if not better—but I don’t care. It's my brand. I know I’m irrational. I realize I pay more than the going rate. But I still love my brand—even when it makes a mess.
What my crappy portfolio taught me about branding.
As a budding copywriter from Florida's west coast, I managed to connect with a bunch of New York City Creative Directors at big-time agencies for a handful of meetings. I couldn't contain my excitement. I couldn't believe my good fortune. My dream job at a big NYC agency was just a conversation away. All I needed was one foot in the door, and one CD to see the delicious brilliance of my work. Just one.
How to Borrow an Audience to Build Awareness
One of the best ways to build your brand is to find great partnerships and "borrow" their audience—even if there is some crossover in your offering. My collaborators often trust me to engage their audience with valuable content. And I am able to spread the word about what I do to new prospects.
Don't Just Aim for the Target Audience. Aim for the Bullseye.
One part of developing a powerful brand story is to focus your energy and focus your storytelling on one person. Literally, one person. Your bullseye target. Real or imagined, if you can conjure up that one person in your mind, you can empathize and relate to them in ways that you can't with a group of people.
Are you a blur?
Most people do their work, cash their check, and repeat every week without the intention of creating personal brand value. Here's my latest post on what can happen when you don't invest time and energy in building your personal brand.