In running my own company for years and working with entrepreneurs of all types and backgrounds, I know the struggle of having limited funds and deciding what to do with it. Unfortunately, marketing and branding always seem to take a backseat to more immediate needs. But now is the time to invest in the foundation and backdown of your business…you!
Here are the top 5 reasons to invest in your personal brand (straight from Personal Branding UK and Tim Brown).
Take the time, energy and money to grow your brand. The transformation won’t happen overnight, but the financial returns will be great! I promise!
1. Expert Status
A strong brand helps you position yourself as an expert: When you have a well known brand, customers prefer you over others because they believe yours to be the better brand. When you have an established credibility, your business automatically grows as more and more people want to be associated with you. Showcasing your unique set of skills or your business’ strengths can help you establish yourself as an expert.
2. Higher Perceived Value
Higher profits because of higher perceived value: When people are familiar with your brand and you have established yourself as an expert, you are free to charge more for your products and services. People will be willing to pay more because they perceive you to be better than the others. On the other hand, if you have a weak brand, even low prices may not drive customers your way. So your profit margins will be lower and you will not be able to raise prices despite a lower turnover.
3. Attract the Best Clients
When you are building your brand, you have to perform a lot of blanket brand building exercises. When you have a strong brand, you no longer have to take up blanket marketing initiatives. You can deliver clear, concise and strong marketing messages to the ideal intended audience. Your targeting becomes much better and you are able to gain loyal customers who will always come to you for your products and services.
4. Become the Clear Choice
The markets have become extremely competitive today and it is becoming exceedingly difficult to turn a profit. However, when you have a strong brand, you can easily beat your competition and improve your chances of becoming the preferred brand in your niche. People want their choices to be easy and uncomplicated. When you invest in your brand, it becomes easier for people to choose your business over others repeatedly.
5. Improved Marketing Opportunities
Investing in your brand adds a lot of value to your marketing opportunities. When you have an easily recognizable identity – whether it is your brand name, your logo or your product, it adds a lot of power to your marketing channels. Your target audiences are able to connect with you instantly and it gives them a reason to buy from you. Once you have an established brand, you can easily decrease your marketing budget and still get great response.
Invest in your brand to become the market leader. This is not something you should be cutting corners on, as it is one of the most important things you can be doing to grow your business.