4 Questions to Answer when Defining your Brand

I spent all of last year capitalizing off of the opportunity to build a brand solely using technology. Connecting through a domain and social media sites allowed me to give everyone who inquired a better idea of who I am, what I do and what I believe in. I grew my views by thousands and my following by 10K+, which is pretty damn good for a part time job. It’s allowed me opportunities to work with people I admire and be apart of things I was imagining only a year earlier.

Whether you own a bakery, a blog, or work a 9 to 5, you’re building either a business or personal brand. If you’re not, then you should be. Messaging, both verbal and nonverbal are imperative to your brand. Because I work in Public Relations, I’m not only constantly strategically working on the public’s perception of my company, I’m also constantly learning ways to incorporate the things that I do for a major corporation, for myself. In turn I then get to share what works with you all.

Before you get into the details of your logo, colors and advertising avenues you’ll want to narrow down what the definition of your brand is. Doing so will make the path that you want to take more clear as well as tell your audience what they can expect from your products and services, and what differentiates what you have to offer. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.

brand / noun; what people say about you when you’re not around to hear it

• Vision – where are we going?
  • What are you aiming for? If I decide to follow you or stick with your products, what does your promise land look like? Better skin? A flourishing business? Self confidence? Know your direction.
• Value – what benefit do you offer?
  • If you have a blog, what are people learning from you and leaving your site with? If you offer a product, how does it bring satisfaction, enjoyment or convenience into someones life? People cling to the things that they find value in. Think about all of the girls you don’t know, but follow on Instagram because seeing their photos inspire you. Even if you’re not purchasing anything from them, you find value in their posts.
• Identity – what will we look like when we get to where we imagine?
  • On a grand scale, think of your perfect company, the perfect event, the perfect office that you work out of. Those are your identity goals and who you truly are. Even if you’re not there yet, everything you do should be aimed around that vision.
• Position – what do we want people to think and believe about us?
  • Put yourself in a position where you are exemplifying what you want people to believe to be true about you. This is like “dressing the part”. Would people buy your workout plan by looking at your physique? You must be a reflection of what you’re trying to sell. Unfortunately, our perceptions of ourselves isn’t always what our audience sees. Try viewing your brand from the outside looking in.

Outline your brand standards by answering the questions above. My next posts on branding will help you define your “why”, your voice and the importance of delivering the right messages at the right time. Don’t hesitate to email me with any questions you may have!