Entrepreneurs Share Their Best Branding Tips

I was recently quoted in an article titled 13 Clear Signs You Have a Strong Brand. I was one of thirteen entrepreneurs interviewed for the article and each of us shared our advice on personal branding. Here was my advice:

“The hallmark of any strong brand is authenticity. A brand that is not genuine in the eyes of consumers will fail to resonate. Even extremely strong brands that have been cultivated by people who may seem inauthentic are, in fact, authentic in that they ultimately accurately reflect the curator of the brand. When building your brand, understand who and what you are, and embrace it.”

I love speaking to audiences about leadership, management, entrepreneurship, sales and marketing. While branding is unsurprisingly a core component of marketing speeches, it is something I discuss in some form in most of my talks. The advice I shared provides a hint as to why, as in my view, understanding branding is essential.

Here are a few of the other pieces of advice shared by other entrepreneurs interviewed in the article:

Amber Anderson, host of the Tote + Pears podcast, shared, "Strong brands are designed around emotions. They capture our hearts and inspire our souls. The all-time greatest brands do this in a variety of ways, formats (visually, through storytelling, etc.) and spaces (online, in-person or somewhere in-between). People are moved by their emotions, and the brands that know how to connect with us personally are the ones we are the most loyal to.”

Jared Weitz of United Capital Source Inc. advised, "The hallmark of a particularly strong brand is always rooted in how it treats its customers and the value that the product itself offers. Any brand can come up with a catchy name, logo and other branding assets, but what separates the winners from the losers is the quality of the actual product/service they are selling, as well as how they treat and nurture their customers."

According to Andrew Schrage of Money Crashers Personal Finance, “the top traits of successful brands are that it’s competitive, distinct, involves passion and is consistent. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box. Make sure the brand is expressed across all marketing materials. Show some emotion and make sure that the brand continues to resonate with your loyal customers.” According to Shu Saito of Godai Soaps, “Human beings are natural storytellers. The act of storytelling cements social bonds, instills values and acts as a powerful way to bring your brand to life. A strong brand will know who its audience is and create a story that they most identify with. An effective brand story will show what you do and how you do it, and will make the audience want to be a part of your story, too.”

Brian Greenberg of True Blue Life Insurance noted, “The brands that stay relevant through the years are those that keep changing. Software companies come out with upgrades and new features. Brick-and-mortar businesses update their ordering systems, product offerings and the ambiance of their establishment. While the foundation and unique benefit of the business stays constant, the experience continues to evolve.”

The full article can be found at http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/13-clear-signs-strong-brand/