WANT TO BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYBODY?
I’ve known business owners who wanted nothing more than to capture 100 percent of the market. Really? Yes, they thought 100 percent market share equaled success.
However, there’s nothing that dilutes a brand faster than being all things to all people. It’s not possible and it’s a toxic expectation for any business – because any brand that creates customer passion is, by its own definition, not for everyone.
Recently I came upon a product from an online beverage firm, specializing in chai drinks and latte mixes. It was love at first sip!
Shortly after we had finished our first cup, I was at my computer, looking for the company where I could order more of this amazing drink…and was shocked to see how “niche-y” the company was. Nothing but chai and latte products.
But it made perfect sense! By specializing in products that, indeed, created passion among their customers, this company could focus on what it does best…finding products for people who enjoy a daily cup of chai or latte to create an “experience.” No, the company offered nothing else, just chai and latte mixes…but their brand had tremendous impact because it established an identity “at first sip”.
In other words, they had defined their customer by simply carrying a small sliver of the beverage product spectrum. If they had attempted to be everything to everybody, this brand would have had no identity and no customer loyalty.
It’s a brand strategy worth considering. Know your product – know your target audience – and be all you can be to that specific demographic. Then, build your brand by focusing on your niche in the marketplace. If you build your brand, the – your passionate customers – will come!
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http://www.valerieandcompany.com/valeries-voice.html
Valerie
How Strong Is YOUR Brand?
The strongest personal brands in the world have a few things in common: they are clear about what makes them unique; they consistently communicate to their target audiences; and they ensure that everything that surrounds them sends the same on-brand message.
Want to see how you measure up? I offer a personal branding quiz to assess the current strength of your brand. You can access it here:
http://www.valerieandcompany.com/branding-quiz/
Valerie
Don’t Leave Your “Hidden” Strengths Out of Your Personal Brand.
Mark had been a Cubmaster in the Boy Scouts for years. Under his leadership, the group had become one of the largest and most active in his community. However, when Mark, a chemical engineer, began branding himself, guess what? He left his leadership style and success in Scouting by the wayside. No, it wasn’t connected to his professional achievements, but anyone seeking him as a consultant, manager or team member would have been impressed. Claire, a volunteer with the local hospital’s clown corps, never mentioned she had spent two Saturdays each month, bringing cheer to patients of all ages. She didn’t see it as an important part of her personal brand, but if you asked anyone about the importance of getting before groups, dealing with unwilling audiences or the difficulty in bringing sunshine into the gloom that accompanies serious or chronic illness – they’d tell you Claire possessed not just a special talent but a true gift!
Want to learn about How to Brand Yourself to Success? Then go to:
http://www.valerieandcompany.com/personal-branding/strategic-personal-branding-and-you.html
Valerie
The Importance of Branding
As a Reach Certified Brand Strategist I talk a lot about the important of Branding.
Here are a few facts I wanted to pass along to you today.
Fact - Customers / clients build close bonds with brand identities. So, your you and/or your business should have an identity that they can cling to.
Fact – Trust and respect follow when your brand is embedded into the consciousness of your target market.
Developing and maintaining a successful brand is a deliberate and dynamic process.
Read more about Branding here:
http://www.valerieandcompany.com/personal-branding/strategic-personal-branding-and-you.html
How “Green” Is Your Brand?
It may not happen today or next week, but sooner or later, companies and individuals will choose consultants, vendors and employees based on their “green” attitudes and work ethics. You may be scratching your head about now, but – mark my words – the time is coming where ecological sensitivity, energy conservation, recycling and environmental protection will make a difference in business relationships. So, begin today…right now! Don’t hesitate to describe your work ethic in green terms. Point out your sensitivity to the environment. Let people know you recycle. Buy only products with the Energy Star rating. Make “green” your favorite color…and if you haven’t already “gone green,” start today.
Read more here:
http://www.valerieandcompany.com/personal-branding/strategic-personal-branding-and-you.html
How to Brand Yourself to Success
What is branding? In the common sense branding is recognition… the Nike swoosh; the Brawny Man; the little blue box from Tiffany’s. The minute you mention a strong brand people would use the same words to describe it.
What if you could do that as a person? What if you were so recognizable that when people heard your name, they would describe you in the same positive light? You can learn to manage how you are perceived both inside and outside the company, take more control of your professional success, and know and live your personal brand. So what if you could hone your reputation as an intelligent, fair, hardworking business person with a good product or service and not only exude your brand but use your reputation as a marketing tool?
Read more here:
http://www.valerieandcompany.com/images/stories/WE-Branding-Article-10-08.pdf
You Can Increase Your Success If You Act Now!
Personal branding is a way for you to take more control of your career while knowing how you are perceived in the marketplace. Almost 10 years ago Tom Peters wrote this in Fast Company, “Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.”
I am not sure if he expected it to take as long for the noise of Brand You to be finally heard in the mainstream of peoples careers – but the buzz has finally arrived and is only going to get louder.
“Stand Out by Building Your Brand -
How to Brand Yourself to Success!”
Monday, February 9, 2009
7:30-8:30 pm EST
Five Key Things You Will Have Accomplished by the End of the Teleseminar:
1. Understand your unique promise of value
2. Identify your personal attributes
3. Understand the VP’s of Brand You
4. Learn ways to “stand out” and be outstanding!
5. Learn the value of Social Networking
If you are serious about your career and are ready to proactively manage it then this teleseminar is for you!
Read more here:
Stand out from your peers and competition
Whether a business owner or an individual on a career track, having a strong personal brand is critical to your success. If you are committed to expediting your success by discovering your uniqueness, you need a brand strategist. Certified Personal Branding Strategists, Marshall Brown and Valerie Sokolsky will help you put yourself ahead of the crowd. We are proud to offer:
“Stand Out by Building Your Brand – How to Brand Yourself to Success!”
Monday, February 9, 2009
7:30 pm Eastern
Branding is not just for products anymore. YOU are a brand. Personal branding has become a MUST, not a maybe, if you want to progress in your career, build your business, add value to your company and stand out from your peers and competition. Personal branding shows your uniqueness, your value, your goals… it’s the reason people choose you above your competition.
If you are serious about your career and are ready to proactively manage it then this teleseminar is for you! Click here to register: http://www.valerieandcompany.com/valerie-teleseminars.html
