We’re living in what I call the entrepreneurial era. It’s now possible to start a business with little more than a laptop and a good internet connection. So, it’s no surprise that it seems like social media is dominated by entrepreneurs, hustlers, #girlbosses…people who are capitalising on the ease of starting a business.

So, what does this mean for you- someone who is trying to make a difference in a crowded entrepreneurial space?

The answer is branding. You must build an elevated brand.

It’s extremely important for you to stand out from the rest. You need to find a way to let your voice be heard.

Marketing guru Seth Godin defines a brand as

the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.

I believe that there are three main things to consider when you’re building a brand: clarity, consistency, and customer experience.

CLARITY

In taking the first step towards building an elevated brand, you need to answer the following questions to be abundantly clear about your business.

• Who am I?
• What are my goals?
• Who do I serve?
• How can I best serve them?

Once you are clear about your business and its product/service offering, you can then decide on the best way to present them to your ideal customers.

Honest and critical introspection will help you gain some clarity. Think about your strengths, your talents, your passion. How can you leverage them within your business?

Market research is also a crucial part of clarity. You need to be aware of trends in your business and your competitors. It’s hardly necessary to try to reinvent the wheel. Find out what works for your competitors, what does not work well, and focus on what you can improve on to become a better option for customers.

There is no brand strategy without clarity.

CONSISTENCY

A well-designed advertisement posted once on your Facebook page is hardly likely to cement your brand’s value in the minds of potential customers.

Building a brand requires sustained effort. You must be consistently positioned as a source of value in the minds of your customers.

Take some time to style your brand to reflect the clear vision you have for your business. Create a colour palette, select fonts, and use imagery that portrays a cohesive feel to your target market. Proudly display your brand’s style everywhere you communicate with your customers. Ideally, you should create style standards and rules for your brand.

It is also important to execute your brand story in a consistent manner across all touch points. Be consistent with your messaging. Find innovative ways to articulate your value and make it indisputable to potential customers that your business is the best choice. Show up on your marketing channels as a source of knowledge and inspiration.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Today’s customer has high expectations, is extremely discerning, and wants instant access to information. It is our duty as entrepreneurs to attend to these needs.

Customer experience is where your brand comes alive. Customer service is the delivery of your promise to your customers.

In delivering your promise to your customers, you should go one step further. It should be a branded experience throughout all stages of the customer journey. This simply means that the experience itself should be distinct and memorable and, if done correctly, will be a source of competitive advantage.

Creating a branded customer experience requires a clear understanding of your business and your customer. You should understand how your branding elements influence the overall customer experience.

Think about the things you can do to elevate your brand in the minds of customers. Think about the customer journey. How can you enhance their experience in each step? How can you improve your sales process and product fulfilment? Does your packaging reflect your brand’s promise?

If you think that because entrepreneurship is so common you won’t be able to compete, you’re wrong. The difference between you and everyone else lies in your ability to create a clear, consistent customer experience that shares your value.

It’s time to get creative. Tell your story as only you can. Craft a strategy that captures your authentic magic and communicates it with the world.

Create a brand that your customers love.

If you need any further assistance feel free to drop me an email at christa@theinfoinn.com.

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