Great personal branding helps you do better business with the people you want to serve. But there are a lot of misperceptions and myths out there, and those can end up wasting your time, money, and energy. Here, we’ve laid out the five biggest branding myths you may have encountered and ways you can avoid them.
Myth #1: I’m Already Branded
Many business owners think they’re already branded because they have a logo, a tagline or slogan, and some professional photos. But those are just a few branding elements. They’re not a brand.
These elements are important and should be deliberately designed to create your story. Your story and the culmination of these elements, though, are what represent your brand.
“Great branding is not about being known for your profession. It’s about being known for being different in your profession.” – Tonya Eberhart & Michael Carr
Once you define what truly sets you apart, those things will help you grow exponentially.
Myth #2: A Slogan or Tagline Has To Say It All
Many businesses use a slogan or tagline to capture their customers’ interests and get them to remember the business. We refer to these as brand identifiers.
A great brand identifier showcases what you want to be known for at a glance. However, there is no way you can express everything about your brand in just two or three words. The rest of your branding elements are designed to support your brand identifier, coming together to provide the fullness of your brand.
In other words, a brand is like a puzzle. One or two pieces of the puzzle don’t make the whole picture. But if you put all the pieces together, the picture comes to life.
And your tagline or slogan is just a part of the overall picture.
Myth #3: Your Brand Shouldn’t Turn People Off
Businesses don’t want to turn away potential customers by offending them. But the smart way to do business is to focus on your ideal customers. Trying to do business with everyone is the same as doing business with no one.
Your brand, by extension, is designed to attract your ideal customers. And that means there will be people who won’t fit into your ultimate business goals.
And that’s perfectly okay.
It’s impossible to appeal to or attract everyone.
Your brand should turn some people off, but not in an offensive way. If you put yourself out there in the right kind of way, you’re going to attract people.
A great brand evokes one of three responses:
- “That’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
- “That’s interesting — let me learn more.”
- “That’s not for me at all.”
The third option is just as important as the other two.
Myth #4: It Takes a Long Time To Build a Brand
You may think it will take a long time to build a brand that your customers will recognize and remember. After all, you probably think that of many brands you recognize today.
What you need to know, though, is that time is not the success factor that influences the trajectory of your brand. Successful brands do continue to build over time, but the truth is:
Brands are built through impressions.
The more you put your message and image out there, the more your prospects are exposed to it.
So ask yourself how you’re making an impression:
- How often do you put yourself out there?
- How much content are you creating?
- How present are you on social media?
- How are you demonstrating your expertise inside the right circles?
And when it comes to impressions, it’s not only about quantity. It’s about reaching the right customers with your message.
See also: 5 Critical Elements Missing From 90% of Personal Brands
Myth #5: Only Your Customers Can Determine Your Brand
Your customers will decide how they want to view you and whether or not to do business with you. It’s inevitable. But don’t let your customers determine the story of your brand. It’s up to you to spell out what your brand stands for.
Ask yourself if your brand answers these five questions:
- Who do you serve?
- How do you serve them?
- What qualifies you to serve them?
- How does it make their life better?
- What makes you different?
If you don’t consciously approach the building of your brand to influence the result, then you leave the result completely in the hands of others.
BrandFace® is here to help you build your personal brand. Discuss your brand with us to take your business to the next level.
Remember, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is today.