Ah, branding. What a beautiful thing. It’s what separates good from great, average from above average, and normal from original. Does that answer your question? No? Ok, then read on dear reader…
DISCLAIMER: I LOVE the requests I get from everyone about what to write, makes my life way better knowing I’m meeting the needs of my readers, so firstly I’d like to THANK YOU!
What is branding?
Branding is a marketing strategy you use when turning a hobby into a household name aka well known business. Branding is a very powerful and often underestimated tool that can make or break your business.
Some of the best branding the world has ever seen has come from the Kardashians. Before you rant or rave, pay attention…
They have over 300 million followers collectively and hundreds of endorsements/business ventures from perfumes to books to make-up to video games. They’ve capitalized on the Kardashian name in every way possible and it’s quite genius actually, considering the family is worth $101 million. ::drops mic::
To successfully brand yourself you create an alter ego almost of the product, person, or business you’re trying to brand.
For example, I’m branding Not Another Blonde as a style and self-development blog so I’m not going to suddenly post about the hottest weight loss trends or my take on politics because it’s not “on brand”. This should be kept in mind while you’re branding yourself.
Catch the full series here:
Week 1 (this week): What is Branding & Do You Need It?
Week 2: How to Collab with Other Brands
Week 3: How to Promote Your Product
Week 4: Best Ways to Brand Yourself
3 Things to Know About Branding
Every brand has a voice, the faster you find your voice the better off your business will be.
There are a ton of carbon copies out there, what’s unique about what you offer?
Consistency is key. Keep your name, title, LLC, TM, etc. the same across all accounts (social media, email, products).
Do you need branding in your life?
That depends on what you’re trying to achieve or build. If you’re writing a book then no, you do not need to brand yourself you just need really good PR.
If you’re creating one single product, you could probably escape branding.
If you’re creating a platform that will enable you to promote multiple products, projects, books, etc. then yes you need to brand.
Branding doesn’t just apply to a traditional business like Apple, it can apply to a book series (Twilight), fan base (Spirit Junkies by Gabby Bernstein or Barbies by Nicki Minaj), clothing (Nike’s “Just Do It”, Nasty Gal’s “#GIRLBOSS“), fitness program (TSC’s Bombshell Body Guide, Kayla Itsiness’ Bikini Body Guide), or people (Trump, Jay Z, Hilton, Beyonce, Lena Dunham).
So, in order to figure out if you should start branding you should determine your goal{s}, short and long term and then decide if branding is right for you.
Personally, I think everyone should brand themselves and capitalize on any “little hobby” or “side hustle” because that could turn into your main source of income… with the right branding. 🙂
But for now I’ll leave you with this:
So, what’s it going to be for you? Share your take on branding in the comments below!
xx
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