Here is a definition that works for me:

The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a “name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.” 

Your brand is your reputation. It’s your promise to your customer or client. It’s the cornerstone of your marketing that will separate you from your competition. (See what I did there with cornerstone?)

But this doesn’t mean that branding is about choosing you over your competition, it’s about getting your target market to see as you or your business is the only one that provides a solution to their exact problem.

So how do you build a better brand? Here are three ways:

Now this seems a little silly. Of course you know why you’re in business. But you don’t want to spread yourself too thin, you want to keep your brand focused and be the best in the business on what you do.

For example, if you’re a fitness instructor and you’re looking to drive more traffic to your website and become an authority in the fitness world, there’s a ton of competition.

So figure out how you could define your niche further than just health and fitness. It’s possible that your niche could be focused on dieting, and even further, it could be weight loss for new moms. By doing this, you won’t be competing with Dr. Oz or Jillian Michaels, but you’ll create your own space. Even the search engines will start to love you because of your content and your audience.

A good niche is to go two levels deeper than the most popular and competitive companies and celebrities. Look at these two examples below. Instead of the larger health and fitness category, try a more targeted segment such as Crossfit or Gluten-free recipes.

Another example is:

Action: If you’ve been in business for a few years already and want to attract an even bigger audience online, ask your happy customers or clients to tell you what you excel at. Take a survey to find out your strengths and weaknesses so you can focus on how you can elevate your business.

Your brand promise is a powerful statement of your promise to your customers and clients. It’s based on something you can prove. It’s grounded in your company’s culture and philosophy no matter if you’re a solopreneur or small business. It’s your remedy that you give to make your audience’s pain go away. 

Think about these brands:

Zappos.com: ultimate shoe source, amazing customer service 

Athleta: performance athletic wear for women, return guarantee

Action: I’ve heard it put this way. If you need help defining your brand promise, fill in the blanks here. “My customers or clients buy from us because we’re the only one that ________________.”

Your brand needs to be authentic. Everything from your pitch, voice, your teaching style, and your delivery needs to be consistent and genuine with who you are. Your employees also should follow in your footsteps and duplicate the same.

Because you’ve taken the time to define your brand and your promise, authenticity should come naturally. Be hip and happy if you sell fashion products for a new mom and baby. But your brand should be formal and fact-driven if you’re an accountant. With that said, if you’re a CPA and you’re outgoing and have charismatic personality, then your target market will fall in love with you if you stay consistent with your dynamic personality as a CPA.

It’s not supposed to be confusing. Just be you.

Action: Be consistent and genuine. When your audience connects with you, they’ll keep coming back for more, which translates into repeat business for you.

And all of this begs the original question, “Do you love your brand?” Is your voice and personality consistent on your blog and social media? Is your visual identity representative of your brand? Do you love your website and not apologize that it’s outdated when hand out your business cards?

Let’s be honest.

Love your brand and make it amazing.

image courtesy of freepik.com