If you’re marketing yourself online, you have just seconds to capture someone’s attention before they click away.
So how do you capture peoples’ attention? How do you keep then engaged and connected to you?
Through the power of your brand.
What’s a Brand?
Everyone talks about “branding” and how important it is to your business (and it is).
Yet there are as many different definitions of branding as there are people talking about it.
What do you think of when you think of “brand”?
Many people think of logos or colors. And that’s part of it, but it’s so much more than that. Here’s a simple definition that I like…
Your brand is how people think and feel about your company
It’s your job as a marketer to influence how people think and feel about your company — to give life to your brand.
And it’s not in a manipulative or slimy way. In fact, the best branding is the most genuine reflection of you.
Two Kinds of Branding
There are 2 key ways to give life to your brand — Visual Branding and Verbal Branding.
Visual Branding refers to how you shape your brand through visual elements, such as logo, colors, and design.
Verbal Branding is how you shape your brand through words, such as web copy, tagline, and marketing message.
The visual and verbal elements have to work together. But it’s generally smarter to start with the verbal.
Here’s why…
You want to get clear about what you want to say before you incur the expense of hiring a designer to represent that message.
Make sense?
So now, let’s talk about your Verbal Brand.
Verbal Branding
As you create your Verbal Brand, you want to be both authentic and consistent.
Whether you’re doing an interview, creating copy for your website, writing emails for your list, or doing a webinar, you want to have a consistent “voice” — both in the words you choose and how you communicate them.
So how do you create this voice and how do you know what to say?
It all starts by getting clear on the meaning and purpose behind your business. And the way you capture that meaning is through your “Core Message”.
Your Core Message
It’s the message that lets people know what you stand for. It’s the BIG idea you want to share with the world.
Your Core Message isn’t what you do, but why you do it.
When you’re clear about your Core Message you can build all your branding and marketing around that place of inspiration.
You want to be fully expressed in what you do, and not worry about what people might think about you. Yes, when you take a stand you’ll turn some people off. And that’s okay, because it’s all about attracting the right people.
Your Core Message let’s you attract clients who don’t just value what you do –but who you are.
Your Magnetic Message
In addition to your Core Message, you also want to create your Marketing Message.
Your Marketing Message explains WHAT you do and WHO you help, so anybody hearing your message will understand your value and how it relates to them..
And those are important things to communicate. But they aren’t enough to really stand out.
Because there are lots of people who do WHAT you do.
But there’s no one else who does what you do AND takes the same stand as you.
That’s where the power of your Core Message comes in.
When you infuse your Core Message into your Marketing Message, magic happens…
You create a truly Magnetic Message that communicates not just what you do, but why you do it.
Your Magnetic Message lets you talk about what you do in a way that you’re passionate about AND connects meaningfully with your dream clients.
This is what creates your unique voice and brand.
Your Next Step
When your message is congruent with who you are and what you stand for, your authenticity rings clear.
Marketing becomes easier and more natural. And the right people will raise their hands, inspired and excited to work with you.
Want to learn more about how to create your own Brand Message?
Get your Free Brand Message Template here.
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