Je merkidentiteit: schetst het ‘t juiste plaatje in hun brein?

In my previous blog I’ve mentioned it already: your brand is not only your identity. In fact, it’s an exchange between your identity and the way the market perceives your brand.

In this blog I will explain this a little further.

Here’s the thing you need to realize:

Your brand’s identity is worth only little when people have build a picture in their minds that is completely different from who you are.

The brand is, in fact, the result of your positioning. How you position your business – through marketing, communication, but also behavior, strategic choices, and so on – influences the idea people have of who you are.

With each touchpoint they have with your business, they will create this idea. The picture gets clearer, brighter, sharper and more colorful every time they work with you.

What if that’s not the picture you want them to have? 

A big problem is that customers might not be entirely happy, because they expected something different in the first place. They may have had expectations from the start that aren’t met during the process of working with you.

An even bigger problem – one that most entrepreneurs face – is that they’re NOT creating the right expectations yet. Why? They’re selling themselves short, and consequently they’re overlooked. Little expectations to be managed there, because the market isn’t given the opportunity to notice their brilliance.

Mark my words: it’s not about them failing to notice, it’s about you not giving them the chance.

So, how do you make sure they have the right idea of you?

To prevent this, you need to go back to the source. That’s you. Everything you radiate impacts that picture in people’s minds. You as an entrepreneur, as a brand, as a person. 

So ask yourself: What am I radiating? What am I putting out there? Is that how I want people to know me? Do I consistently contribute to the image I want people to have of my business and me as a the entrepreneur / visionary?

Yes, you can actually INFLUENCE how people see you.

This required awareness of who you think you are and what you send out.

Know this:

• If you stick to the safe way of positioning your business, you will never stand out from the crowd.
• If you create too much noise for the sake of ‘having fun’ and ‘being all of you’ you may confuse people.

Yes, there is a fine balance between doing things ‘your way’ to make sure you stand out, and overdoing it with the result of depositioning yourself.

I believe this:

1. Being different is your forté. Create a brand personality that stands out to the people you REALLY want to work with and show that personality throughout everything you do.
2. But… the advice “just be yourself” is utter bullshit. Some personality traits are simply irrelevant or distracting, because they may overwhelm people or not incite them enough. Use your forté strategically. There’s a right time and place for everything.
3. Start with the end in mind and DECIDE how you want to be known. Then, act and communicate accordingly. You may not even know what’s possible for your business.

You really need to make sure you align your brand’s identity with the aspired identity (yes, stretch yourself and discover what’s possible for you!) AND all you radiate. Even on your personal accounts. You, as the visionary, can amp up the business by positioning yourself consciously as the business owner.

If you ask me, pictures with rabbit ear filters, funny cat videos, or anything outside of the realm of entrepreneurship and your area of expertise, needs conscious consideration. Yes, show your personal life every now and then; it will soften your image. If your business values sustainability considerably, please share your vision on environmental issues. Just make sure it contributes to your overall message.

Strong brands build on consistency. Consistency ensures trust. Trust increases the tendency to buy. Be consistent in what you communicate, how you communicate, how often. Educate others (employees, interns, freelancers) how to radiate the same brand personality.

This way you can make sure people build the RIGHT PICTURE of your brand in their minds.

One last thought…

You will probably be the biggest saboteur in this process. Either by limiting yourself (“that’s not me!”) or by thinking you need to have it all figured out NOW (“I’m not ready!”). My dear entrepreneur, this is a constant process of finetuning. Everything I share in this post will require practice and time. It doesn’t have to be perfect :).

Good luck!

 

Michelle