Tag Archives: branding

4 Ways to Communicate Your Brand

Speak Your Brand Panel

Speak Your Brand Panel; Photo Courtesy of Justin Gillen

Recently, I hosted a panel discussion Speak Your Brand: How to Communicate Your Message with Ease. The panel consisted for four branding experts: video gal Holly Gillen, style expert Tania Sterl, mojo coach Dibi Silber and photographer Alyssa Peek.

Thirty women entrepreneurs came together with a common goal: to clarify their brand messages so they can easily communicate and create connection with potential clients.

That’s the power of a clear brand:

When you have a powerful message you become magnetic to prospective clients.

Here are four ways you can speak your brand message:

Find your voice

Think about your favorite book, movie or TV show. What keeps you reading, watching and tuning in? Great storytelling and a clear point of view.

What is the message you are here to share? What separates you from others in your industry? By clearly defining your unique perspective you will stand out from others in your field and create connections with clients and customers.

Dress for Success

You have just 7 seconds to make an impression.

7 seconds.

What impression are you making when you walk in a room? Do you clothes represent your brand?

Selecting clothes that accent who you are and what you want to say is more important that being on trend. A statement necklace, a fabulous pair of shoes or a beautiful scarf will make you stand out in a crowded room. Wearing these items can also start a conversation and open opportunities.

Consistency is Key

Potential clients and business partners will Google your name before working with you, so it’s important to put your best photo forward. As an entrepreneur you’ve probably taken professional headshots for your website. So why does your LinkedIn profile have a picture of you at the beach? Professional photos used on your website should also be used on your social media profiles to create consistency and reinforce your brand.

Silence the Inner Critic & Embody Your Brand

You can have the right clothes and image, but if you don’t feel confident on the inside, you won’t make a positive impression. When networking, giving a presentation or meeting with clients, the inner critic may creep up and whisper ‘Who are you to do this?’ Don’t let this sabotage your success. When you hear that voice whisper, remember to let go of perfection, let your personality shine and be your unique self.

As Oscar Wilde once said, “Be You. Everyone Else is Already Taken”

Want to create a strong brand message? Sign up for a complimentary 30-minute session to get started.

Communicate Your Brand Message with Ease

I recently asked my Facebook community the following question: How do you describe your brand in a few words?

The response was overwhelming with words like

Warm

Audacious

Joyful

Dynamic

Tranquil

Fresh

Fun and more.

Ask any entrepreneur to describe their brand and the answers will be top of mind. Branding goes beyond a few words, logo and colors. A strong brand is infused in every part of your business creating a clear, consistent message.

What message are you sending with your words, style and image?

How you present yourself when speaking on stage, attending a networking event or filming a video speaks volumes to potential clients (even if you haven’t said a word)!

Too often, entrepreneurs send different messages on different platforms and they many not know it.

Creating a consistent brand message demonstrates the experience you create for your clients and customers.

Your message: What is it you want to be known for? What are the key messages you want to communicate about your brand? Write down your brand messages and infuse them in

Your appearance: When attending a networking event, meetingwith a client or speaking on stage, your fashion and style should represent your brand. If you’re a reiki master, and your brand is inspirational or tranquil, your clothing should reflect that. Wearing a suit is out of alignment with your brand and confusing to your audience.

Online profiles: Are your social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram branded? Having the same tagline, logo and and graphics that visually represent your brand creates consistency and builds trust with potential clients.

Photos: When was the last time you took headshots or updated your social media photos? When updating your photos your clothing, background and poses should represent your brand.

Want to learn more about communicating your brand with ease? Attend the Speak Your Brand event on October 30 in New York City.

What Music Can Teach You About Storytelling

When I was 8 years old, I received the best birthday gift a young girl could ask for -tickets to see my first rock concert. At the time, I was excited to see a live show by my favorite band, Bon Jovi. Looking back I realize how much that experience impacted my life – as a music fan, as a person and most recently as a business owner.

You don’t have to write a hit album or tour the country to be a great storyteller. Here are 4 key things music can teach you about storytelling:

  • Create a message that resonates with your audience. Musicians write about universal themes like love, heartbreak, loss and happiness, yet the message feels so personal. If you think about your favorite song, it feels as if it was written specifically for you. In business, your message should follow a similar format. If you can have a message that resonates and feels as if you are writing about your audience (your customers or clients), then that builds connection and makes them feel understood.
  • Engage your audience – At  rock concerts you’ll notice the artist will hold out the microphone to the audience so they can sing along or get the audience to waive their hands or get up on their feet. That’s engagement and engagement is key. As a business owner, you can have thousands of people on your newsletter list or following you on social media. However, if they are not engaged in your message or offerings, they won’t convert and buy your products or services.
  • Create an experience – Creating an experience takes on many forms at concerts – from the light shows, and fireworks, to trapeze stunts over the crowd, or wild costumes and make-up. In business, there are so many opportunities to create an experience: sending welcome gifts to new clients, the music played in a store or even the check-out process from an online purchase. By creating an experience your business becomes memorable in the mind of the customer and that will make you stand out from your competitors.
  • Find your voice – What is your message? What is the song you are here to sing? No matter which art form you use – writing, speaking, painting – you have to find your voice and share your perspective. If you’re unsure of your message, try to think about what you want to be known for in your work or your industry.

As an 8-year old child I had no idea that that concert would be a defining moment for me or begin a lifelong relationship with a band. But I have remained a Bon Jovi fan for over twenty years for many reasons. Their music resonates with me. The band continues to create an experience with their albums and live concerts. They have a unique point of view which keeps me engaged.

How can you use these same techniques to build lifelong customers? I’d love to hear from you so post your thoughts in the comments below.

If you want to find your voice and create a powerful message, sign up for a complimentary 30-minute strategy session.

Storytelling Spotlight: Capturing Clients’ Attention With Your Brand’s Story

In this week’s Storytelling Spotlight, we shine the light on Laura, owner of Royal Photo Booth. Royal Photo Booth, based in New York City, provides its guests photography, entertainment and party favors. However, it’s the story behind the photo booth business that truly captures its clients’ attention.

Q: Why did you start a photo booth business?

Royal Photo Booth (RPB): People always asked me why I started a photo booth business. I always smile whenever I share my story.

My close friend, Tiffany, got married in San Francisco in November 2009. She had a photo booth at her wedding. I gathered all of my friends I hadn’t seen in years and took so many pictures with them. Not only did all of us have a blast taking pictures together in the booth, but I was able to take home a piece of that special day, back home to New York City, and hold the memories in my hand.

One of my special friends in the photos was Felicia, whom I’d known since I was 9 years old. She was 8 years older than I was and I looked up to her like an older sister. She was my style guru and I could ask her about anything I was curious about and get words of wisdom. Felicia passed away in January 2011 and I was devastated. Tiffany’s wedding was the last time I would ever see her. Our photo booth picture, which was our last picture together, is framed in my living room. I’m so happy Tiffany had a photo booth at her wedding because without it I wouldn’t have these preserved memories.

RoyalPhotoBooth

Memories are miracles because they bring us back to those special moments in a flash. We’re able to keep the good alive and carry it with us in our present lives and use as inspiration for the future. While our loved one’s image is forever present in our hearts and mind, a photograph like this can capture a certain smile or expression that elicits such a fun moment shared together. A photograph can make you smile as I did and I’ll treasure it forever. I was so INSPIRED by how a simple photograph from the photo booth could make such a big impact on my life, and the feelings of nostalgia when I looked at it.

In that moment, there was no doubt I needed to start my own photo booth business so I can help others keep their own memories alive and close to their hearts. I wanted to follow my passion of sharing this kind experience with other people. I wanted to provide the same feeling I felt when I was in the photo booth and when I left Tiffany’s wedding photo booth to others in the Tri-State area. Sounds of laughter resonating from the booth from silly poses and then the feeling after I received the pictures, I couldn’t wipe that big bright smile off my face. That feeling was priceless. This is how Royal Photo Booth was created.

Q: How do you weave this story into communications with clients?

RPB: Pictures are meant to capture moments in time. I tell my clients that you want to give guests something they will treasure for years to come. Yes, you can give them a favor that may collect dust or you can give them something that they will have fun creating themselves and they can frame and showcase.

Q: What advice can you give other business owners about leveraging their story with clients?

RPB: Always be real, be yourself and be authentic. People like reading about how people created something that most people only dream about.