Andrea Patrick Archives -

Brand Competitors? I left “My Competition” in the Dust

People Fear Brand Competitors

What Competition?

I’ve been in business for a long time. It’s taken a long time, probably longer than most, because I’ve been growing my business organically. I purposefully did NOT fall prey to paid advertising. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you about the time it takes to figure out THE RIGHT combination of efforts. In fact, to eliminate brand competitors your actions, communications, and offers should help you gain the trust and loyalty of THE RIGHT group of people.

Authenticity is the key!

It’s what sets you apart from your brand competitors and puts the spotlight on what makes you unique. Have you ever watched those crime shows where you have to figure out who did it? My husband and I are obsessed with them. Every time a new one comes out we will watch it. It could be on Netflix, Hulu, or Prime… we
love to solve the puzzle. It always boils down to proving the criminal was at the scene or touched the murder weapon. A fingerprint is almost always what gives the crook away…lol!!

There are three things your fingerprint proves:

It tells people the criminal was in a particular space .
They’ll know the criminal touched a particular thing and
It makes it impossible for the criminal to deny it was them

If you want to make sure your customers only think of you when they’re ready to pull the trigger, personal branding is how you’re going to make sure your fingerprint is all over the solution they’re after.

LET’S GET SOCIAL:

LET’S GET TO WORK:

Make your marketing efforts more Personal. I’ve got THREE very simple, very FREE options:

If you’re ready to GET TO WORK… you could GRAB one of my books. They are full of information, tools, worksheets, challenges and more. Use these books to tap into your personal brand and then leverage it EVERYWHERE! My membership group, The B-U Boss Squad, is perfect for accountability and support!

My C.E.O. MINDSET Challenge and Authentic Marketing Blueprint MINI COURSE are tools many use as a catalyst to create effective marketing strategies.

4 Reasons Influencer Marketing May Be For You

It’s 2021 (almost 2022) and influencer marketing has solidified it’s place as a major player in the world of advertising. Whether you grow your following with paid ads or use organic traffic, when you can influence others to make decisions, you’ve officially become and influencer. It didn’t take me long to start moving in the “Influencer” direction. I had a vision for my life and when I saw the freedom influencer marketing provided, I knew it was what I wanted for myself. If you’re considering it for yourself, here are a few takeaways I got from the lifestyle:

#1 You Need To Work Smarter Not Harder

When you’ve been in business for a while and feel like you’re just spinning your wheels, it’s easy to want to just throw in the towel.. I get it! The key is to start learning from those who’ve gone before you and paved the way. That’s exactly what I did. I read the book The 4 Hour Work Week, by Timothy Ferriss, and realized I could cut my work time down drastically by listening, automating, and delegating. Some of the most influential and wealthy people in the world aren’t slaves to their crafts/passions.. They’re letting their passions work for them.

#2 You Get Paid To Be You

When I turned 30 years old, I came to the realization that I was an ADULT! I could do what I wanted as long as I could deal with the consequences of my actions. It was so liberating! I didn’t have to walk on eggshells with my husband (totally my issue, by the way. NOT his), I could put a PERIOD behind the world “NO”, and it was okay to have my own opinions and style. When you roll all of that up, it spells AUTHENTICITY! I created the PERSONAL FRAMEWORK specifically so entrepreneurs, like you, could get be comfortable in their own skin and get paid. Visit my YouTube channel for more on how to create your own personal framework.

#3 You Offer Your Point of View

The personal framework I mentioned is about doing the personal development work and becoming confident in your value. I created MY personal framework and as a result, the journey to achieving my confidence alone made it easier for me to speak my truth. You’ll find it gets easier and easier to offer your point of view when you’ve done the hard work first. People take notice and listen to what you have to say. Your ability to influence their purchasing decisions becomes easier, for instance.

#4 You Make Money In Your Sleep

The thought of waking up to money in my bank account is exciting. I put a lot of heart into my services an strive to serve as many people as possible. That said, I’ve been changing my business model to digital education. I’ll make money in my sleep! The stress & overwhelm of an hourly business model will be a thing of the past.

What do you think? Could influencer marketing be for you? Are you already on that path? I recently did a video about how you can GROW AS AN INFLUENCER. I think there are definitely some pearls to help you on your journey.

PIN THIS BLOG!

Why Your Business Relationship Strategy May Be A Bust_BTBTV

I don’t know what it is, but I’ve never really had a hard time talking to people. Maybe, the problem is I talk TOO much to people. Anywho… In this episode of Be the Brand TV, I’m carrying on a fun conversation with Romy Chenet. Romy is a former fashion blogger (who found herself published on more than one occasion), she is a social media manager, and an event planner/the co-owner at Exquisitely Eventful.

For those of you who know anything about the New York culture, you know one hustle isn’t enough. Romy was the perfect person to talk to on the topic of the ever important “Business Relationship” (Our Podcast conversation touches on the “DO’s” of business relationships) because of the one the two of us have cultivated over the past, nearly, 10 years. Listen as she shares our definition of a business relationship and some mistakes we’ve seen often made while trying to forge ones that are of good quality AND authentic in nature.

3 Business Relationship Building “Must Do” Activities to Increase Your Brand’s Recognition

Okay… so….When does advocating for yourself and your idea of value, cross the line into negativity and criticism? REALLY… I’m asking.. For me… I believe in being authentic and a self-advocate but, is it naive to think doing so won’t step on toes? Sometimes, I’m learning, the dialogue between two people may be interpreted totally differently and misconstrued into something negative (no matter how innocent you may mean it to be). So… if I’ve been the cause of any hurt feelings because of this phenomenon… I sincerely apologize.

Why am I bringing this up? Well, the business relationship is a very important aspect to my business strategy and I believe, it should be to yours as well. Listen to this podcast and hear how my guest and I define BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP for a better understanding of my perspective and why I think it’s so important to brand growth. You’ll see it’s an effective tool you could be using to increase YOUR brand’s recognition.

What I want to do with this blog post is share my two cents on 3 BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BUILDING “MUST DO’s” to increase your Brand’s Recognition.

#1 – The Business Relationship Requires You to Be honest. I’m sure I sound like a broken record, but it’s because everything starts with YOU! You have to be honest with yourself about who you are, what you want, your expectations and your value. Of course you need to be honest with those you are doing business, but it’s only truly possible to be honest with others if you’re honest with yourself first. The way to do this is to know your strengths, your weaknesses, your pain points, your non-negotiables, and your (for lack of better terminology) love language. You have to be honest about what motivates you and what intimidates you. You have to be honest about your fears and from where those fears come. This is important because inevitably you’ll need to put it in check or keep it at bay because it will repeatedly rear it’s ugly head. Part of honesty means knowing the root of it and how to fight against it.

#2 – The Business Relationship Requires You to Be Prepared. In knowing what you want, you are in a better position to create, what I like to call, CIRCUMSTANCES FOR OPTIMAL SUCCESS. Preparation means doing your homework on the events you attend. If you’re interested in meeting new people for the sake of developing new business relationships, you should not only know the type of people with whom you’d like to meet, but also where you can find them, the types of events they attend, and what they need. Preparation means working on what you bring to the table so you’re confident in your value and can add it to the conversations going on around you. A lost opportunity to share my value and do this was recently brought to my attention, and when it was I realized I had devalued myself by not sharing and contributing my expertise to the conversation. Had I prepared for the event in advance, I would have recognized my opportunity instead of feeling like I couldn’t participate and that the content didn’t relate to me. When building authentic business relationships, it’s important to check yourself before you inadvertently offend someone because of you weren’t prepared to contribute to the content instead of leaving voicing your opinions.

#3 – The Business Relationship Requires You to Be Realistic. Listen, I don’t want you to get the idea that building authentic business relationships is going to be all flowers and gumdrops. The truth is, people disappoint and feelings get hurt (as unintentional as it may be). Just like any relationship you’re forming, it’s important to manage expectations. You should manage your expectations, what you expect of others, and what you expect to get from the relationship, in general. The reality is, when two people/companies come together, each is bringing their own baggage/hangups. Expecting someone to “just get you” is unrealistic. Expecting your opinion to be the only one that matters, also unrealistic and can be….scratch that… will be a source of contention in the relationship. Sacrifice and compromise ARE realistic, and should be used when building an authentic business relationship.

In the end, these 3 business relationship building “Must Do” activities increase your brand’s recognition because the relationships you forge with other business owners yields an amazing return by being the source of other, equally beneficial resources. They yield fruit by providing assistance in areas you lack knowledge, and in the actual development of friendships with people who are familiar with this journey called entrepreneurship.

Now I want to hear from you. How are you using your business relationships to increase your brand recognition?

Self-Doubt, from Childhood to Adulthood with Reea Rodney_BTBTV

I’ve been coaching about it for years and Reea comes along and makes a case for living your value, loving yourself enough to be yourself and leading with intention and purpose. Listen as she shares her experience with empowering children to find their confidence and overcome self-doubt.

The parallels between adult self-doubt and the self-doubt of children is uncanny when you look at them. I believe the tools Reea uses with children are definitely applicable to adults. Find answers you’ve been looking for – not only your kiddos, but yourself.

3 Thoughts that Help Me Overcome Self-Doubt

The KEY to overcoming self-doubt is to have faith in yourself and your value. The key to having faith in yourself and your value is to know yourself intimately and have confidence in what you know. In doing so, you create a foundation to which you can always return in times of self-doubt. Believe me when I tell you, I’ve had my share of self-doubt and I’m here to let you in on a little secret…. It doesn’t stop, you just learn how to overcome it when it creeps up in your spirit. I have plenty of experience with that so here are 3 very important thoughts I’ve found to help me overcome the doubt when it rears its ugly head:

THOUGHT #1: You’re Unique

In times of self-doubt, I remind myself that God made me special (thanks Veggie Tales!). I’m unlike anyone else on this planet so my weaknesses, strengths, and quirks are what make me who I am. I attract those I was intended to attract and it’s my responsibility to discover and fulfill my purpose. When I find myself having doubts about my path, I start

reflecting on the good I’ve done, the people I’ve helped, and how much more I’d like to do.

When you start feeling doubt creep up in your life, ask yourself this question:

How can I use my strengths to help someone else?

THOUGHT #2: You’re Prepared

Sometimes the only thing you know for sure is what you know for sure. When I work with my clients, I try to help them identify the things they know for sure. Your knowledge prepares you. Knowledge of yourself, knowledge of your area of expertise, your knowledge of the answers to frequently asked questions… it’s what prepares you for those times in your business when you doubt your abilities. I’m not easily intimidated and I don’t often fear speaking to groups, but there have been times (especially when it’s a step up in my business) that I feel a little inferior to those I will be around. In times like these, I remind myself of MY unique perspective of the topic I cover. I know my information comes from personal experience (unique to me), research (preparation), and passion (all mine). Taking a minute to remember these things calms me and allows me to overcome the self-doubt.

When you start feeling doubt in situations like this, ask yourself these questions:

What have I done to prepare for this moment?
How do I relate personally to the data I’m sharing?

THOUGHT #3: You’re Intentional

I hate it when wires get crossed and it’s hard to read the intentions of others. It happens a lot with emails and texts. It’s one reason I would much rather a phone or video chat opposed to either of the aforementioned. So much gets lost in translation when you aren’t sure of intentions, that’s why when I doubt a situation, I focus on my own intent and ask questions. Understanding my value, what I bring to the table, affords me the opportunity to determine my reactions. I realize I can only control me and my own intentions. When I have done my due diligence, I make better decisions and I’m more intentional in my dealings. Though it’s impossible to plan for EVERY scenario, it is possible to know myself well enough to manage my behavior regardless of the situation in which I find myself.

When you doubt the intentions of others, ask yourself these questions:

Why are you in this situation?
What were your intentions upon arriving?
How will you manage your reactions?

You see, self-doubt is just a part of life. You aren’t supposed to outrun it, avoid it, or ignore it… it’s a faith builder. It’s a YOU builder. When self-doubt comes your way, remember these three thoughts and ask yourself the questions I provided in this blog. You’ll be surprised by how fast you’re self-doubt triggers the confidence and faith inside.

Become a VIP Member and we’ll continue overcoming self-doubt together with even more amazing content. Use the form below this blog post to join. It’s totally free and I promise I don’t spam…

If anything in this blog posts resonates with you, leave a comment below. I’d love to hear how you’ve overcome your own bouts with self-doubt. Your sharing will help others overcome their own.

Brand Consistency Done S.M.A.R.T_BTBTV

When it comes to leading with intention and purpose, the shortest distance between wanting it and getting it is to be SMART. In this episode, I’m sharing my tips for how BRAND CONSISTENCY is done S.M.A.R.T. It’s short and sweet, but packs a big punch. Success yields brand consistency.

How to Create an Authentic Brand in 3 Steps_BTBTV

I used 3 steps during a recent Live client case study. In this video, I’m sharing the 3 steps to creating an authentic brand in a way that’s easy to understand.
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For the full P. B. & Style Podcast, use this link:
http://www.andreapatrick.com/podcast/pbstyle/prepping-authentic-re-brand/

BECOME A VIP MEMBER: http://www.andreapatrick.com/vip-list

As always, if you like this video, give it a big thumbs up , share it with those you know it will help and be sure to SUBSCRIBE!

3 Tips to Master Brand Preparation

We agonize over some of the simplest things in our business… why do you think that is? We have incredible fear of failure and if I may be so blunt…there is often EXTREME GUILT! To address some of these issues, I’m offering some of my tips to master brand preparation. “Victory is the the child of preparation and determination”; it’s a quote I found that really speaks to the importance of being prepared.

Think about it, when DO you find yourself most afraid? If you’re like me…it’s when a customer seems unhappy or a deal seems to be going south.

TIP #1 is MASTER THE ART OF CUSTOMER SERVICE: The idea here is to recognize CUSTOMER SERVICE is directly linked to the way your brand is perceived. The preparation required for a positive perception, is in the development of policies and procedures that reflect your brands culture. Customer want to know you have THEIR best interest at heart and are sincerely vested in solving their problems.

TIP #2 is MAINTAIN BRAND CONSISTENCY: Consistency MENTALLY creates trust, but it requires you to tap into your value in an honest way. The preparation required for this tip is in the work it takes to ensure your brand communication (both verbal and non-verbal) speaks AND relates to your customers issues. It’s important for your brand messaging to attract the “know, like, trust” relationships from those you’re targeting.

TIP #3 is MANAGE YOUR GOALS & ANALYTICS: If there’s one thing I know for sure… it’s that you must have goals, they must be quantifiable, and you must manage them through analytics. The preparation required to manage these areas is in creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals and testing, testing, testing. There is no magic bullet to getting the success formula right the first time. Doing business is called a “numbers game” for a reason. Determining the right Marketing Mix formula can only be done by testing different strategies and learning from the analytics gathered in the wake.

Your success is in your preparation and your preparation comes from knowing your value and having the confidence to make decisions based on it. The rapport you build with your customer is the result of being prepared with a brand identity that represents your values, a brand message to which your customers can relate, and the ability to share it authentically. This brings me back to the quote I mentioned at the beginning of this post, “Victory is the the child of preparation and determination”. Have your VICTORY! Be prepared!

I know it can be difficult to get it all done. This is especially difficult if, like me, you’re a one person show. That’s all the more reason to think about your preparation. If you liked this blog post please share your comments below and become a VIP Member.

As a VIP, you’ll have access to the materials created to go along with the content created in my blogs, podcasts (P. B. & Style), and Youtube Channel, Be the Brand TV. I don’t share those downloadable documents anywhere else, and they’re absolutely FREE to my VIP members. You’ll receive discounts on my services, workshops, and upcoming conferences and it only takes a second to join. Just complete the form below and you’re IN!!

How to Persevere and Build and Authentic Brand_BTBTV

In this episode of Be the Brand TV, today you’ll learn The P.E.A.R.L.S of Perseverance. There are lessons waiting for us in every experience. I know my own experiences make me uniquely qualified to share these P.E.A.R.L.S with you and I have the professional and personal results know they’ll help you persevere as you continue on your leadership journey.

Be sure to give it a thumbs up, leave a comment answering the question I ask at the end (I’d love to hear how you persevere in your business/life), and then… as always SHARE & SUBSCRIBE!

Brand Competitors? I left “My Competition” in the Dust

People Fear Brand Competitors

What Competition?

Authenticity is the key!