There have been plenty of times in my life that I have seen or heard something that made me either a) cringe, b) look the other way, or c) both. Have you ever seen or heard something like this? I’m sure that you have. Have you ever seen or heard something like this from a company or person that you subscribe to, purchase from, or follow on social media? What have those things made you do? Do you think of buying from a competitor? Do you unsubscribe? Do you unlike? What if I told you that every person and company has the potential to create a brand that not only keeps people from “un-liking” but also draws others to join in?
Branding can be confusing to think about. Most people chalk up a brand to putting your logo all over a bunch of stuff. That, however is just a small aspect of what makes up a brand. Branding is the study of of gut feelings. Specifically, it is understanding what people think of what you make, say, or do. Branding is looking away from what YOU say you are to what THEY say you are (“they” is anyone looking at you). Hearing that phrase can cause some fear in people. It takes control of perception out of the hands of the maker and puts it solely in the arms of the people interested in what you do. Even though this idea may seem scary to many people there are three key things that a company or person can do in order to make sure the brand that is created is one that is beneficial and growing, and not scaring people away. The simple way of putting it is:
Look Good
Sound Good
Feel Good
Looking good is the first step to getting a person interested in what you are doing. If what you do doesn’t “look good”, then it is hard to catch someone’s attention. But what does “look good” mean?
- Know what you look like.
- By having an image that is the universal symbol for your “brand”, you create a consistency in appearance. If something looks good like a graphic, a video, or anything else you make and it has your logo on it a reputation for excellence is created. Mind you, I’m not getting into the whole copyright issue of slapping your logo on anything you find… So don’t do that.
- Know what attracts you.
- If you can’t say that you are proud of the thing that you are putting out, then how can you expect others to be excited or proud to have what you offer? If you’re wanting to make something funny, it better make you laugh. If it’s informative, then you better have learned something from it yourself. Working your best to create something you are attracted to is a great way to make sure other people will be attracted too.
Sounding good is the next thing on the branding list that will help create, continue, and grow interest in whatever you are doing. Sounding good is dependent on your audience. If you are making products, writing, or speaking for a professional setting you want to sound professional. If you’re talking with your every day Joe, sounding conversational is the way to go. So, how does sounding good work?
- Know who you are.
- If you don’t know who you are (meaning your products, your philosophies, etc.) then it is going to be next to impossible to present yourself well. Become familiar with what you offer. If you’re a blogger, know what you write about. If you’re a health coach, know health things. This may seem pretty foolish and trivial, but until you can tell someone in 45 seconds or less who you are, what you do, and why it matters then you’ll be stuck without a solid brand. If you can’t say the previous things, then how can you expect others to say them about you?
- Know your audience.
- This may also seem really trivial, but many people get stuck by not knowing their audience well enough. In order to convey who you are, what you do, and why it matters you have to know how to effectively communicate with your audience/following/tribe/clients/etc. Know their speech. Know what’s important to them. Know what hasn’t worked for them. The best way to sound good is to know who you are sounding good for.
This section is the one most people don’t think about, and is what makes branding so special when it comes to getting people on board with a vision, mission, company, or whatever you have to offer. What do people feel about you and what you offer? Feeling is such a huge aspect of creating a good brand. Do people feel safe when they get what you’re offering? Confident? More Connected? Equipped? Cool? Whatever the feeling is, feeling good is important. How do you get your brand to feel good?
- Know what feeling you are advocating.
- Have you ever looked at a Mac advertisement? Have you ever thought about what they are wanting you to feel? Let’s take the ad for the FaceTime app. They show a grandmother getting to see her grandchildren. A father gets to read his kids to sleep. What does that make you feel? Love? Connection? Mac knows what feeling they are advocating. What ways are you wanting people to feel something by using your stuff? Knowing the feeling attached to what you do helps give a better picture of why you matter to anyone interested in what you are doing.
- Know that everyone responds differently.
- Even though you can think, plan, advertise, and convey the emotion you want people to feel it doesn’t mean the way that someone will perceive you is what you planned. Be prepared to be flexible to the ways in which people perceive you and make the most of every situation. This is the difference between thriving and surviving.
Now, this is not a comprehensive list or study of branding. It’s a 5-8 minute read. But, there are some great tips and tricks that have been laid out to start you on your way to creating a brand for yourself, your company, or whatever else you might have to offer. Branding is crucial to creating growth, change, and consistency. What steps are you going to make to start or continue the branding process? One way is to subscribe to LifeSuccess.com to get more helpful tips, tricks, resources, and opportunities that will help you and your brand develop. Get connected by simply clicking below!
