Branding is one of those marketing tools that people spend too much unnecessary time splitting hairs over. In most cases you can find your brand in 30 seconds or less by answering one simple question.
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I know this will upset some people so let me make it clear that I’m talking to small business owners and entrepreneurs…not large corporations. Branding is one of those marketing tools that’s waived in front of new entrepreneurs as THE most important thing they need right now. I strongly disagree…
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The Myth about Branding
Branding is sold as the saving lifejacket for entrepreneurs but that’s a myth. It’s one of many tools…and not the most important.
I saw the myth in full force last week at a business seminar here in South Florida. I stood at the side of the room and watched 87 eager entrepreneurs being hypnotized by an expert on branding. The speaker was sincere and intelligent…it’s just that the audience wasn’t at the point in their business where they needed branding. They needed clients!
But the speaker showed one commercial after another of Gap, Apple, IBM…all showing the importance of branding. Everyone lapped it all in…and completely missed the elephant in the room…
These were new entrepreneurs -- NOT multi-billion dollar companies with millions to spend on branding. Why would they even THINK about logos and branding when most of them were still figuring out who their target market was?
Your Logo Won’t Make You Money
Stop spending thousands of dollars hair-splitting about the color of your logo! Spend your time developing a headline that converts prospects to leads and leads to clients. Spend your money becoming an expert in your industry. Spend your time POSITIONING yourself as the expert your target market wants to hire…because THESE efforts will translate to money in the bank.
I remember I spoke at an event last winter about the power of knowing your target market, writing a winning headline, and converting leads to clients.
Seconds after I finished speaking a woman rushed up to me with a piece of paper in her hand and an eager look in her eye, “Will you look at my logo please?”
I held back the temptation to roll my eyes… “Sure!” I said.
She was a coach and trainer that taught success principles. Her logo was clean –easy to read - nice font, nice color…but right next to her company name was a huge picture of a seashell!
I immediately asked, “What’s up with the seashell!?”
She said, “Oh that’s a symbol of the Greek mythology about [blah, blah, blah] and it related to my astrological sign because [blah, blah, blah]…”
“Loose the seashell,” I said before she could finish. I put my hand on her shoulder and softened my voice to break the news, “Nobody but you cares…besides the seashell won’t make you money.”
Think Positioning - Not Branding
The position you hold in the minds of your target market is more important than your logo color. If you are known as an expert in your field, then who cares what font you use? People will work with you because you’ve proven that you can solve their problems...and THAT’S what people really care about.
Sure, you may want to invest in a branding makeover at some point…but it’s just not necessary while you’re building the foundation of your business. Once your practice is flooded with clients and there’s plenty of cash in the bank, then go ahead and get that professional polish. But in the beginning, focus your efforts on establishing your position in the market place.
Two Steps to Create Your Brand in 30 Seconds or Less
Step 1 - Your position in the market place starts with your name (Not your company name – just the name that everyone already calls you by.) Simple. In the beginning, your name is your brand.
Step 2 – You also want to create an identity…you want to position yourself in the minds of your target market. This is very easy to do. Think of what you want to be known as. To do this takes less than 30 seconds…
Simply answer this simple question: “If someone knows of you but can’t remember your name, what do they type into Google to find you?”
Whatever they type in…THAT’S what you want to be known as. Build your positioning around that word or phrase. The keyword or phrase your target market thinks of when they think of you is your brand.
That word or phrase will be obvious and simple. Avoid trying to be clever. Once you know that word or phrase, leverage it in your marketing message. For example, I’m “The Info Product Guy.” Ali Brown is “The eZine Queen.” Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero is “Red Hot Copy” (She’s a redhead who writes great copy.)
It’s that simple. Sit back right now and ask yourself what your target market would type into Google to find you if they don’t remember your name.
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How to Find your Brand in 30 Seconds or Less