You are communicating ALL THE TIME, whether you realize it or not.
And if you aren’t clear what you are communicating, you are letting the world around you guess and decide what you and your business are all about. Your brand is the foundation of your business. It’s how you show up, interact, communicate and connect. It tells your target audience who you are, what you stand for and why it’s relevant to them. It differentiates your voice in the midst of all the messaging noise that bombards us every day so your audience can easily and confidently CHOOSE YOU. And choice is power, right? These are the top 6 traits of a successful brand. How does YOURS stack up?
1. It’s Authentic
What does it take for a brand to be truly authentic? It requires that you know what’s most important to you. Authenticity is experiential. It is the basis of what makes things meaningful. It comes from what is so meaningful to YOU, it drives your passion and dedication with a singular focus. When it matters to YOU, it most certainly matter to others with similar experiences. Your brand is your purpose, your cause and your rallying cry asking others to join you in the revolution! You need to believe it first before anyone else will.
2. It’s Succinct
In today’s busy world, the most powerful messages are sound bites. Remember, you are competing for people’s attention. So, your brand message needs to be just that. A bite. One succinct bite to taste and decide right away if you want more. Anything larger feels like commitment and will turn people away from exploring any further. It’s a creative challenge to condense what is most important to you, but it is well worth it to offer your target audience a message that is immediately clear. So, make that small bite as tasty as possible!
3. It’s Relevant
There are two ways to think about relevance. The first is that your brand message is meaningful to your target audience because they are experiencing what you describe. They “get it” because they are in the midst of it. And when you describe their experience back to them (because you know it so well), they will see you as the expert. The second part of relevance is that your brand message is current and timely. It needs to speak to what your audience is experiencing RIGHT NOW. When crafting your brand, look at it through the eyes of your audience. What do you want them to think, know and believe about you and your business? What makes it important and meaningful to THEM?
4. It’s Resonant
Your brand message is a radar ping that you send out into the world. Resonance is when that ping comes back to you. It’s a recognition of being in tune and on the same frequency with your target audience. It is validation that your message was understood and worthy of response. Resonance is created from your passion and purpose and is mirrored in how your target audience FEELS. Your brand message is a vehicle for creating resonance in a way that inspires immediate action. So, what do you feel about your authentic purpose? What do you want your audience to feel? They are the same.
5. It’s Differentiated
Your experience, your perspective, your voice is unique. And you need to make sure that your brand message reflects it with unique differentiation. Look at everyone else in your space. What are they saying? How are they saying it? What makes YOUR message stand out? What can you do to bring your personality into your message in a way that allows others to know you? Tapping into what is unique about you and using it in your brand message is the key to differentiation. It’s already yours, so own it. Let yourself stand out from the crowd!
6. It’s Referable
Authentic. Succinct. Relevant. Resonant. Differentiated. When you get these 5 traits right, they automatically add up to equal the sixth. Referable. Your target audience will be so excited about what you offer, they will tell everyone else about it. And because your brand message is clear and succinct, it’s easy to remember and pass on to others. Referrals come before revenue and they are the first key measure of a successful brand. Craft the message. Let your audience communicate it. Expand your reach.