www.narvinta.com

Having a concise, clear image that you project to your clients
and customers is important in today’s market. More and more
people are leaving the job market and creating their own
business, whether by choice or necessity, so the competition
continues to expand. Therefore it is increasingly important to
stand out among your competition. You want your business to be
memorable!

Customers remember images and feelings that are evoked more
than just a name on a business card. What type of feeling do you
want your business to evoke in your customers / clients? How do
you want to be remembered? Do you want to be the first one your
customer thinks about over your competition? Of course you do.
But what do you want to be remembered for?

Your excellent customer service?
Your winning smile?
Your product?
Your prices?
Your logo?

How are you different from your competition? What makes your
business special? Ask yourself these questions and then look at
the answers. Maybe you are already projecting a particular
image. It is cohesive, or is it sloppy? Do you even have an
image? Do you have a brand name? Do you have any sort of
identity?

What about your services? Does each one have a different
look, feel and image, or does it tie into the image of your
business? Can you look at your services and see the brand name,
image or theme running through each description? Choosing to use
the same logo on all your materials, sticking with a consistent
color theme and playing off a specific theme is part of branding.

For example, a recent episode of Taking Care of Business on
TLC television highlighted a company that custom designed baby
gift baskets. Their logo, color scheme and theme were brought
together to expand their image. The professional business
mentors assisted the owner with creating press releases and media
kits for his baby company that were done like birth
announcements. This created visual interest, continued the theme
of the company and along with the logo and color consistency, the
branding was top notch. As a result, he had several articles
written about his business in key magazines that target his
specific market.

What about your company? Does your image reflect your
product? Do your customers recognize you by your business name
or a product name? Are you consistent with your marketing
message? These are ALL important questions whether you are
starting a business or looking to expand your existing business.
So, ask the questions, listen to the answers and create a plan
for branding your business!

© 2005 Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster is a managing partner in Baraka Bay, a visionary business and organization development consultancy. They offer unique knowledge, techniques, and expertise to provide solutions, services and products for businesses, organizations and individuals. http://www.BarakaBay.com

Publisher’s Guidelines: You may freely publish this article online, in email newsletters, or in print so long as the resource box and byline are in tact. Author would appreciate a notification, but that is optional.

Share This

Small businesses owners today are aware of the importance of carving an image in the minds of their prospective clients. They realize the effect of a catchy business name, a distinctive logo and the perfect slogan as well as the effective execution of their brand through appropriate marketing material and advertising.

For a small business to stand out in the minds of their prospective clients, it is not enough to just look the part, they have to be the part. Thanks to developments in technology and the propagation of information, prospects today are just as savvy as business owners. Put yourself in the shoes of your clients; would you rather go with a firm that looks the part and makes huge promises or one with a record of keeping their promises? Far greater than a good image is a good reputation, for an image is who you say you are but your reputation is who others say you are based on their encounter with you or that of another.

It is essential that your reputation lines up with your image; your reputation is mostly influenced by the customer experience you provide. Here are a few tips to help you build a solid reputation and reinforce your image:

Keep your promises. Don’t promise your clients the moon and the stars if you cannot deliver. Breaking a promise affects you integrity and the disappointment your client experiences may result in the severance of the relationship depending on the severity of the situation. Offer what you are capable of delivering.

Be original. Trying hard to fit in, or mimic the image of other more successful companies may be to your detriment; be you. As an example I chose the name The SoHo Cheerleader for my business because it represents what I want to accomplish, which is providing motivation and support to solopreneurs, it also represents my fun and witty streak. Like you, your business is unique so dare to be original. Ensure that your image truly represents you.

Provide excellent customer service. Create a positive customer experience for each client from the time they contact you right until the completion of their project.

Exceed their expectations. Every time you deliver service above what is required you are adding value and giving client cause to remember you.

Become an expert in your field by:

1. Staying on top of developments in your field.
2. Investing in training opportunities.
3. Writing articles and/or books.
4. Taking on speaking opportunities.
5. Educating your clients.

Focus on a niche. It is difficult to stand out when you lack focus. Stop being a Jack of all trades and get recognition amongst the group you have decided to target. You’ll gain popularity quicker and get more referrals.

Survey your clients. Find out how you can be of better service to them and what other business needs you might be able to meet within your specialty.

Research your competition. Learn from their mistakes and triumphs.

Begin with the end in mind. What do you want people to tell others about your company? Once you have made up your list, integrate it into your mission statement and look for opportunities to accomplish the things on your list with every single client that comes your way.

Bisi Adepo-Bassey (The SoHo Cheerleader) is a business coach and workshop/group facilitator, who helps sole proprietors achieve success by providing practical tips and advice as well as motivation and support. http://www.sohocheerleader.com/

Share This

Everything you do is linked directly to your Personal Brand. As entrepreneurs
and small business owners, we have a distinct advantage that larger companies
do not. When it comes to our brands, we have the ability to get very
personal.

Larger companies strive to establish a relationship with their target audience
by making their brand feel more personal or relatable. This is one of the
reasons why spokespeople are such a commodity - larger companies piggy
back off of the relationship an audience has with that spokesperson. Those
experiences are then tied directly to their product or service thanks to the
Personal Brand draw of their spokesperson.

Take Tiger Woods for example. W hen he is hired by Nike to represent their
latest ad campaign, the mere image of him stands for perseverance,
determination and overall excellence. Nike benefits from those perceptions
simply by having Tigers brand lined up with theirs.

You don’t have to take such expensive measures, as a small business owner,
because you have the ideal spokesperson to represent your brand - YOU!

With that said, there are 7 keys (the 7 C’s) your brand must possesses to
establish that personal touch, and ultimate loyal following, with your target
audience. They are:

Character: Everything begins and ends with you. Your character is
at the heart of your brand. As you develop your Personal Brand, if you discover
that your character shows up in a less than favorable way, use this as an
opportunity to grow. Without a strong character, the remaining six success
principles won’t matter to anyone.

Commitment: Not surprisingly, when others see that you are a
committed individual, they will join in helping you achieve your goals. We are
attracted to people that follow-through on their word and have a “no matter
what” attitude. When you are committed, you deliver on your promise and
show the value of your Personal Brand. Great brands are built on this C - make
yours one of those brands.

Confidence: You’ll find confidence at the backbone of self-esteem.
It is our confidence that makes us unstoppable and drives us forward. Let’s
not confuse confidence with arrogance, which is a sign of insecurity or poor
social skills. True confidence knows no limitations and strives for solutions.
How are you acting on this key in your every day life?

Competence: Being competent is more than just knowing a skill.
True competence comes from having failed, dusted yourself off and tried
again. Competence is what separates the amateurs from the professionals.
The more competent you become, the more competence you will project
through your Personal Brand and the more loyal your brand following.

Consistency: We respect those that show us consistency through
their actions. A great idea not followed through on is fleeting. Consistency
takes continuous effort. Without consistency, your efforts are diluted over time
and ineffective. If you are inconsistent in how you communicate your Personal
Brand, your brand will confuse and eventually loose interest in the eyes of your
target audience.

Creativity: Life doesn’t offer us a blueprint for success, which means
we must ignite our creativity to achieve. Those that are creative live out of
their imaginations. As life evolves, and thankfully it does, the creative are in
great demand because they are always seeking out solutions to new
challenges. How about you? Are you seeking out new solutions or are you
stuck in what was?

Courage:
Courage looks fear in the eye and laughs. It sees only what is possible.
Getting clear on your brand attributes means revealing yourself - flaws and all.
It takes courage to recognize that sometimes, you must let go of who you were
in order to become who you were meant to be. Personal power and courage go
hand in hand - I believe they are one in the same.

© 2006 - Liz Pabon. All rights reserved.

About the author: Liz Pabon is a Personal Brand and Image
Management Strategist. Liz publishes a monthly eZine entitled Keys to
Success providing personal brand success strategies that work! Register
for your subscription at http://www.head2toeconsulting.com.

If you’d like to learn how to have a breakthrough in your business by
developing your unique personal brand, contact Liz at 916-788-2962 or email
her at lizp@head2toeconsulting.com.

When not coaching her clients or presenting Small Business Branding
Intensives, Liz enjoys family time with her husband and four “fur kids” in
Rocklin, California.

Share This