As a Brand and Business Owner, Are You Picking Your Priorities Right?

Don’t like reading? Listen to the audio instead:

If you listened to the audio, you may want to Click Here.

Otherwise, read on:

As a business owner, even if it is a one person operation, you are a brand. Branding comes in three basic forms: Personal (face), logo, and the two combined. There has been more than one instance where the two have been combined.

For instance, think about Kentucky Fried Chicken, which still has the founder’s face on its branding.

Most often, this is done with a drawing as opposed to an actual face. For companies build to last a single lifetime, an actual picture can be used.

As a one person operation:

You really don’t need a logo when you are running a one-person company. People will recognize your name and face if you are giving them value. The important thing for a one person operation is this:

How do you give or demonstrate value before someone becomes a buyer?

The ideal is to build a brand which is solid enough that people trust that you will deliver a certain standard of product or service from you, even if they don’t know you as a person yet.

What should your first branding priority be?

The first priority should always be working on the know, like, and trust formula. People are way more likely to do business with those they know who fit in this category. It also helps with referral business.

After all, when we don’t know who to trust, we often ask our friends who they would – or do – trust.

Two ways to accomplish this:

One option is networking. This involves talking to people, and learning what their needs are.

And if they don’t need what you have today, keep in contact anyway. Even non-customers can refer a friend.

Networking is not about making sales. It is about helping people out of situations they are in because they don’t have your product or service, and you won’t ever understand the situation someone is facing on a first call.

Networking is simply about getting more and more people to know you. The more people know you, the more likely you are to become the first thing they think of when they need your products or services.

The second option is by creating content.

What do people search for when they need the solution that you offer?

Whether they search in Google, Youtube, Facebook or another social network, knowing the keyword phrases they are likely to use will enable you to create content that will lead them to you.

The internet world is a buyer’s market. You will find the majority of people with wants or needs research before they buy.

Arguably, the only exception is selling low ticket products, which are so cheap that they are bought on impulse.

For everything else, people want to be sure that they will be given value in return for their money – hence the research.

Your content is aimed at educating them so they can make an informed decision. Your content is also aimed at showing potential customers your company, and only your company, as the solution they seek.

A brand is a promise, whether it be a personal or business brand:

Every company owner makes a promise along with every transaction. It is important to keep the promise your brand is making. Carefully consider your promise, and make sure you can deliver on it. You can make more than one promise as long as you know you can deliver on it.

It can be a promise of quality, price, uniqueness or service – or any combination of the above. The public perception of your brand will depend on how well you delivered on your brand promise.

Sometimes a promise is implied, and not clearly stated:

A few years ago a company owner came to me about marketing services. He was doing about three million a year in gross revenue at the time.

His goal was to raise this to ten million a year. While no specific figures were discussed, when I was given the payment, this implied that he would see his 10 million a year gross income.

His goals set the bar for his expectations from our services.

The bottom line is that you need to be able to deliver on your promises, even implied promises.

If not, it can cause damage to your brand, and cost you a lot more in lost revenue than you would like to assume.

In conclusion:

As a small business owner, you need to focus on the right things in order to establish and grow your brand.

Focusing on the wrong things may allow you to generate business, but it won’t help you to build a brand – personal or business – which in turn won’t attract people who have never heard about you.