I heard a commercial the other day on the radio that everyone is their own brand. I couldn't agree more. I've written before about building your brand in my article called Top Tips for Building Your Brand. But I want to expand a little bit on that topic and bring in some things you need to know for building your personal brand.
Whether your business is solely offline or you have a hybrid business that is online and offline, or even if your business is solely online, you need a brand that tells people who you are.
One of the first things that people recognize in a brand is either their name or the logo or even font and color association. Developing your brand has to start at the beginning and that is being consistent with your name across all formats. This includes your domain name, on your social media accounts, and anywhere else you may be found.
Another key portion of your branding development is focusing on who you are and what you do in terms of what you're offering your customer along with your mission statement. The way you interact and develop yourself and your business is important for customer retention. It can make you completely different from your biggest competitor.
When I think about this concept I think about that quote by Maya Angelou that says “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This to me is the epitome great customer service and branding on your part. It becomes a part of who you are and who your brand is.
Always remember that you are unique and different from everybody else. Even if you're selling the same thing as the guy down the street, you have a unique vision, twist, and experience that you bring to the table. Developing this voice into your brand is a key part of your brand. You want people to feel warm and welcome so they want to refer you because of the experience they had while visiting your site or your shop.
There are easy ways to talk about branding yourself by going through the steps like I did in the article listed above. But there are also the emotional values that affects your brand as well. Take into account these thoughts you need to know when you're refining and developing your brand for your small business. I think it will make a difference in the overall culture within your business and the effect it has with your customer.