By Rhonda Page
Branding Expert
Toronto, Ontorio Canada
If you’re a speaker, the importance of creating a brand is key to your success. Just so we’re on the same page, YOUR BRAND IS NOT YOUR LOGO! It’s the overall impression you leave with your audience. How do you want your audience to feel when they think of you? That’s your brand.
If you’re not getting the results you want, it may be time to examine your brand more closely. You’ll know it’s time if you can identify with any of the following red flags:
1. You’ve lost sight of your vision and are unsure of your “why”
2. Your audience isn’t biting – they don’t seem excited about what your saying.
3. You feel like you’re saying the same thing as everyone else and your materials are inconsistent.
4. You’ve lost sight of your vision and are unclear of your “why”.
We all have a big vision. Then we get caught up in day-to-day. If you’ve lost sight of your vision and are not 100% clear on your why, you may be losing steam as soon as you hit a roadblock, you may easily get distracted, you may be expending energy in the wrong direction and you may be beating yourself up with every little thing that goes wrong. Being crystal clear on your vision and your “why” is the first step in creating a strong brand.
5. Your audience isn’t biting – they don’t seem excited about what your saying.
It may not be what you’re saying, you may just be talking to the wrong crowd. Being clear on your ideal audience is a cornerstone to creating a brand. Take a good look at your ideal audience. Cut out
pictures of them. Think about who they are as people what their challenges are etc. You’ll know quickly if you’re barking up the wrong tree!
6. You feel like you’re saying the same thing as everyone else and your materials are inconsistent.
If your competitors’ message speaks clearly and their image outshines yours, it may be time for a change. It’s important to stay ahead of the curve and stand out. It may feel more comfortable to be
similar to your competitor but essentially you are just creating more noise. If you don’t look, sound, and behave differently, with a very clear and consistent message, there is no clear reason to choose you. Make sure everything you put out there is well designed and leaves your audience with the “feeling” you want them to have.
If you can relate to one or more of these red flags it’s time to take a step back and get some brand clarity before you continue to promote yourself as a speaker.
Rhonda Page is a trail blazer. She’s taken her 20 years experience creating brand strategies for global companies such as Kraft and Coca Cola and created a program that teaches the small business owner how to leverage the power of branding for business success.
She began as a graphic designer and has been mentored by the worlds top branding experts, Including the creator of Mikes Hard Lemonade, one of the most successful brand launches in history. Early on her clients remarked on her ability to give clarity and solve problems quickly. The “Birkman Method” personality test later confirmed that her problem solving skills are “off the charts.”
When the economic downturn began in late 2008. She observed many small businesses struggling with ineffective marketing and realized that if they understood how to build a brand, they could thrive in any economy.
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