Are You Confused With What Your Brand Is As a Service-Based Professional?

Branding is an ultra-hot topic these days and has been for a long time, yet there is still a lot of confusion about what a brand really is. In a recent conversation about branding, I expressed that the easiest and most concise way that I can define it is to say, “A brand is a unique promise of value.”

Let's take a look at this definition, “A brand is a unique promise of value.”

'Value' is defined as the relative assigned worth or importance of something and this can relate to monetary or material worth. So, when we say that a brand is a unique promise of value, we are saying that a brand is a promise of quality; it has an assigned, perceived worth worth and importance. This is one reason why strong, well-known brands can charge a premium for their products and services—their perceived worth is higher than other products and services.

Branding goes back thousands of years. Ranchers branded their cattle and potters branded their pottery and porcelain. As the concept of branding evolved throughout history, people began to associate branded items with certain characteristics and levels of quality, value, security, and honesty.

Today, brands continue to play a fundamental role in expressing these same qualities and much more. And as a entrepreneur, you have a personal brand. You have your own unique promise of value that you provide to clients and contacts.

One reason why branding can be so confusing, especially for service-based professionals, is because you're not always branding tangible products, you're creating your brand around your unique promise of value through the services that you provide and the results your clients receive from those services, so essentially, you represent the product.

What you are doing when you express your personal brand, is you are communicating a particular message to the public so they develop a positive perception of you and your business. Your brand is what gives your business value and credibility in the eyes of the public.

So, what makes up your personal brand? There are many elements that contribute to how you're known as a brand. Below are some key contributors that help define you as a brand:

1. the characteristics, personality, and qualities you bring to your work
2. how you communicate the purpose and vision for your business
3. who you're known to serve through your work (your niche)
4. how you package and provide your services
5. the quality results you're known to provide through your work
6. the visual representation of your business, such as your logo and the colors that you use, so that when people see your logo, they instantly think of you and the quality of service you provide (graphic design)

Everything about you contributes to making up your personal brand and how you're known by and make a connection with your special tribe of clients. 

As a service-based professional, what is your unique promise of value? What do you promise your clients will get when they work with you?

Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

To learn more about branding your service-based business and start getting better results through your marketing, visit: http://www.brandbreakthroughsecrets.com 

If you would like to use this article on your blog or website, feel free as long as you include the following author information:

Known for her creativity, gentle disposition, enthusiasm, and passion, Lisa Hromada is a leading Personal Branding Strategist and Authentic Marketing Coach who specializes in empowering women entrepreneurs to find the clarity and focus they need to create a thriving brand while still having the time and energy to enjoy their other priorities. Find Lisa's FREE gifts and more at: http://www.lisahromada.com/bizsuccess

Get Better Results by Starting from Where You Are

Do you want...more?
The women who come to me are at a place in their life and business where they want more. They want more time with their family; they want more time for themselves (imagine that!); they want their business to bring in more income; they want to feel more fulfilled doing what they love, helping to transform the lives of their clients and make the difference they are meant to make.

They have tried marketing their business; they've tried going out and meeting people; they've tried social media; they've created a website and now want people to actually visit it and contact them... sound familiar?

It's overwhelming to think about all those things that you need to do in your business to get it to...well... FLOW.

So, where do you start?

The simplest answer is to... start where you are.

If you're like my clients...

• You've been in business for a number of years and you're exceptional at what you do, but no one knows it (meaning, an inconsistent flow of clients)
• You like doing things your way and on your own, but you're not getting the results you know are possible
• You want to increase your income and you know it's possible, but you're already working as hard as you possibly can and you're not willing to giving up the other things that you enjoy

So then, how do you close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be? 


Here is 1 essential tip as well as some key action steps to help you get better results by 'starting where you are'...

ESSENTIAL TIP: Know where you are! Yes, this sounds like a no-brainer, however, I know from my own experiences and from my highly creative coaches and colleagues that our natural tendency is to want to be three steps ahead.

Even for my clients who have been in business for 20+ years, they need to re-evaluate where their business is at. Knowing where you are has nothing to do with how much you know or how many years you've been in business; it has to do with what stage your business is at.

Even for women who have been in business for a number of years, they need to review what they are a stand for in their business, who their clients are, and what uniquely sets them apart, which are all parts of the core phase of branding their business, so they can get better results, faster from their marketing.

'Take Action Today' Step: Write a short list of the primary challenges you're currently having in your business. Be completely honest as you write this list. This is going to help you know where you are right now and help you with the next action step, which is determining what you need, to overcome these challenges and take your business to where you want it to be.

For example, if you write, “my primary challenge is telling potential clients clearly what I do and how I help them,” then your next step is to write down what resources you'll need, what steps you'll need to take, and/or who you'll need to contact to help you learn how to clearly express what you do, so you can start getting more clients and making the difference you're meant to make.

Bonus tip: Be specific. Don't write “my primary challenge is money;” Almost everyone I talk to has a challenge with money in one form or another; whether it relates to how to charge and price their services; whether they're currently making money or not; whether they fear investing in their business because of the 'what if' beliefs that surface... “what if I fail?” “what if I don't get clients?”...

Bonus, bonus tip: Once you have your list of your primary challenges and the resources or people you'll need to move you and your business forward, take action... research those resources and contact those people... explore what's possible for you, so you can take your business to where you want it to be.

When you know where you are and what steps and actions you need to take (and of course take those steps), you'll find you'll quickly get better results.

A big part of what I do is I empower entrepreneurs to unearth their excellence as the leader of their business and take courageous action toward their goals. Because when you know deep within yourself that there's more you're meant to do and more you're meant to help your clients to achieve, you know the only option is to take action.

Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

If you would like to use this article on your blog or website, feel free as long as you include the following author information:

Known for her creativity, gentle disposition, enthusiasm, and passion, Lisa Hromada is a Personal Branding Strategist and 'Authentic Marketing' Coach who specializes in empowering women entrepreneurs to manage their time and find the clarity and focus they need to create a thriving business while still having the time and energy to enjoy their life. Find Lisa's FREE gifts and more at: http://www.lisahromada.com

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5 Key Areas to Building Your Brand

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Are a passionate entrepreneur with a vision for your work and making a difference? If you are like the women entrepreneurs who I know, you are determined, driven, enthusiastic and ready to show your brilliance to those people who you serve, but perhaps don’t know where to begin, what to say, or what next steps to take.

The fear of not making the right decisions, investing your time and money into the right training and resources can be overwhelming and cause feelings of frustration, fatigue, and even despair.

The good news is that the success that you desire is possible and attainable no matter where you are in your business–whether you are just starting out or you are a seasoned business owner. Let me share with you a very basic branding process that I go through with companies, large and small, as well as entrepreneurs in all stages of their business, so that you have a better understanding of how it may help you where you currently are in your business.

1. Internal assessment: It is important to first explore what you are all about in your business. Because You are the key selling point of your business–you are the face of your business–you want to take an internal assessment and understand and be able to articulate what you are all about. Start with getting in touch with your vision and then the purpose for your work and who you want to reach out to and the difference that you want to make. 
   
   
2. External assessment: Although it is essential that you understand who you are and what you stand for, you also need to know how others view you. You may think that you are helpful when you give advice, but others may feel that you are too direct and cold.
   
   Large companies often spend thousands of dollars on this type of assessment, which we both know that as an entrepreneur you simply can't do; the good news is that you don’t have to! One of the tools I use to get feedback when helping to develop personal brands for clients is the 360 Reach Personal Branding Assessment. Using this type of assessment allows you to see how others view you. It is an anonymous survey that invites participants to be candid about their perceptions of you and although this sounds very corporate and restrictive, it's actually really fun and insightful. It also plays a significant role in helping you market your business.
   
   
3. Statement of influence: As a passionate and powerful leader of your business, you have a distinct statement of influence—even if you're not clear on what it is yet. A statement of influence is essentially how you describe and express yourself when networking and marketing. It concisely tells what you are all about in your business and how you are distinct from others in your market.
   
   
   
4. Marketing and Communications Plan: Your plan includes how and what you communicate online and in print, as well as how often. I always like to help my clients create a clear plan of action for how they will market and communicate, so that they always have a guide for the next step to take to continually building their credibility, so they attract more potential clients and contacts on a continuous basis.
   
   
   
5. Visual Expression: This includes your logo, color palette, typography, images and graphics that you carry throughout all of your communications. The graphic design elements of your brand have a significant impact on how your audience makes purchasing decisions. Upon looking at your logo, website, and other graphics, your audience makes assumptions about your professionalism, credibility, and more, so it is important that you either consult with a professional in graphic design or hire a graphic designer to work with you personally on designing the visual foundation of your brand.

Knowing where you are in your business is essential to getting the best results without feeling overwhelmed. The overwhelm comes when you find yourself working on an area that is three steps ahead of where you're actually currently at—you can't be successfully working on your marketing plan, when you don't yet have a crystal clear vision of yourself and your business. Start with getting in touch with your vision and purpose for your work and who you want to reach out to and make the difference that you want to make.

Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

If you would like to use this article on your blog or website, feel free as long as you include the following author information:

Known for her creativity, gentle disposition, enthusiasm, and passion, Lisa Hromada is a Personal Branding Strategist and Money, Marketing, & Soul Coach who specializes in empowering women entrepreneurs to manage their time and find the clarity and focus they need to create a thriving business while still having the time and energy to enjoy their life. Find Lisa's FREE gifts and more at: http://www.lisahromada.com

Power Up Your Brand: 4 Turbo-Charged Reasons to Brand Your Biz in 2010

Branding is a hot topic; When I attend networking events and introduce myself, I usually have at least a few people who come up to me at the end of the event to ask me what branding is all about, how it can benefit them, and what I do specifically as it relates to what they want to achieve professionally.

They often express that they want more people coming to their website, generate more sales, be able to express what they do without rambling on, and well...make more money. And those clients with whom I have worked in these networking groups to develop their brand have had tremendous positive feedback and noticed a significant difference in the success of their business.

So, how can branding yourself help you to achieve what you want?

First, a brief history of branding might help us get started on understanding why it is used. The term brand is defined as marking an object by burning into the surface indicating identity or ownership. Branding goes back thousands of years. Ranchers branded their cattle and potters branded their pottery and porcelain. As the concept of branding evolved throughout history, people began to associate branded items with certain characteristics and levels of quality, value, security, and honesty. Today, brands continue to play a fundamental role in expressing these same qualities and much more.

As a Personal Brand Strategist, I wholeheartedly believe that you need a strong brand to succeed in your business and stand out among all others offering seemingly similar products and services.


Here are four turbo-charged reasons to brand your biz to achieve more success in 2010:

1. Accelerate Your Market Valuation - The process of determining the value of a business's assets is not always dependent solely on the product (tangible asset), but the perceived value of the product through the emotional connection that is made with its brand (intangible asset). The market valuation of the majority of large corporations comes not from their tangible assets, but from the strength of their brand.

2. Attract and Preserve Quality Partners, Vendors, and Employees - Don't we all want to do business and be associated with strong brands? Think of the last time that you updated your resume to apply for a job or wrote up a proposal to bid for a large client project; we all want to list lavish experience with respected and well-known brands. It boosts our credibility and shines a light on our own professional brand. When you build a strong brand, others want to be a part of that.

3. Expand your product and services offerings - "The Global Superbrand" as he is called, Donald Trump exemplifies the meaning of a personal brand. From Trump real estate, television shows, hotels, and entertainment, to jewelry, books, vodka and even spring water, Trump's highly-recognized and well-established brand allows for easy access to successfully expand his product and service lines.

4. Charge more for the value of your brand - In a number of neuroscience marketing studies, it's been shown that people are willing to spend more for a branded product than a non-branded (generic) product. And don't we? Take Nike for instance: Ever think about why you'll pay more for a Nike or Adidas brand athletic gear, when there are multiple other comparable options at a portion of the price?

There is a strong sense of credibility, trust, and importance that accompanies a well-crafted brand, and it's not just for big corporations. Everything is branded; including you...you just may not know it yet.
_________


What's Lisa Up To In 2010?

Are you waiting to grow your business until the "right moment?"

That moment is here...and it's now.

The reason?
As a Personal Brand Strategist & Designer, I will be sharing my exclusive set of brand tips, secrets, and actions steps with you throughout 2010!

Who says branding yourself has to cost tens of thousands of dollars? Let the *big brands do that.

For years, I have been directly involved with an abundant array of marketing campaigns and brand development projects for corporations and now I am preparing to bring my techniques to you!

Consider the following high-yields programs, products, and celebrated services coming throughout 2010:

Services: Incomparable design packages you won't find with anyone else (including the majority of design agencies!)

Products: Take the guesswork out of brand marketing by immediately accessing resources, blueprints, guides and workbooks.

Programs: Expert advice, little-known techniques and a wealth of information await you in my 2010 programs. You may just achieve the remarkable and measurable results that you desire, beyond your expectations.

Workshops: Customized workshops created to build and enhance your company's image and find the balance and success that you desire.

All the tools you need to succeed and stand out!

My goal is to make 2010 purposeful and profitable for you as you create your power in the marketplace.

http://www.lisahromada.com for more information