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.
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3 Irrefutable Benefits of Developing Brand Consistency
“Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” That is a quote from leadership expert, John Maxwell.
As I work with clients, engage while networking and read comments on social media, it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore the need for a conversation about brand consistency. I’m taking it upon myself to get it started. I believe 2018 is the year to really make strides in our businesses, so here are 3 reasons to research, develop, and maintain a plan for brand consistency.
I’ve never considered myself a type “A” personality, in fact, I’m pretty sure I identify much more with any of the “creative” personality types. That said, over the past 6 years of working a variety of businesses, I realized I have to have systems. I need to develop a standard for doing my business and working with clients. This brings me to my first benefit of developing brand consistency…
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TEMPLATES: I don’t know if I’d say these are a benefit of brand consistency or rather, your brands consistency benefits from them. You can ask anyone who knows me… I love ASANA. When I crack the code on ANY aspect of my business (whether it’s a great system for social media calendar or a checklist for doing the perfect event), I’ve found ASANA to be the best place to capture the template that ensures I can duplicate that awesomeness again and again…
There are a ton of websites that offer TEMPLATES for forms, websites, and more…proof that the creation of templates for your business systems and strategies make life easier.
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MANAGED EXPECTATIONS: Next up on this list of irrefutable benefits to developing brand consistency, is the ability to manage your expectations. How often have you worried about the outcome of an activity? I know for me, calculated risks are best. I want to plan as much as possible to set myself up for optimal success. When I do this, I am prepared for most anything and handle those unexpected outcomes with less anxiety. You’re expectations are not ONLY expectations you’ll be managing … If you produce content, your readers will have their expectations managed as well. Through your brand’s consistency, you’ll be teaching your readers what to expect from you. The brand consistency you develop is a way to give your followers confidence in you and what you have to offer.
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POSITIVE COMPANY CULTURE: As you grow and have the need to bring on employees, you’ll find the development of templates, policies and procedures will help you on-board much quicker. It will also serve as a guide for how they represent your company when you’re not around. Just like in life (we teach people how to treat us), we teach people how to see our brand. Developing templates, managing expectations, and teaching people how to see your brand all come from developing brand consistency.