Note: This post is a bit different than my others. Coaches and personal services businesses may really benefit, and all are welcome to read on. I hope you gain some insight or at least validated your current branding strategy and efforts.
Rebranding! Wow, where to start? While branding one's business is complex enough, these days we now need to worry about all the web resources to fully engage our branding targets.
My company, for example, is business coaching and related services. After 3 years I just changed my logo and well, my entire branding strategy and methods. I realized that while I am the business and the business is me, I don't want that to continue infinitely. I am ready to consider growing and having a team of coaches working under the Envision Success brand. And yet, especially over the past year or so, MANY people have suggested that I brand the business as me, under my personal brand. In other words, they thought I should be similar to a realtor with headshot and name recognition, etc... I resisted this for quite a while. But a few months ago I received multiple questions merely upon viewing my business card about whether I bought a franchise. (NO, I did not, this biz is mine.)
Needless to say, that was a defining moment. I sought help from multiple marketing experts and had a logo professionally done (maybe you noticed the change to the blog design?) (thank you to Steve Van Buren, Firespring!) and I engaged myself into the world of social media and the fantastic opportunities on the web.
Just today, I claimed my name via Google; I created a personal profile, and then I even tweeted about it. :-)
Like many, I resisted this approach due to fears about how much time it will take (read: I may disappear into the black hole of web 2.0 for days on end, a worse fate than a weekend marathon of CSI Miami even if I love it!). Ah, but it's productive. OK, it can be. And since I am a business coach after all, I have to practice what I preach and utilize time management techniques to keep myself on track. So far, so good. I spend only a few hours a week thus far and although I have a lot more web presence to build, I am satisfied with the trade off at this stage.
Back to branding of the business. I learned that we service professionals that are also owners/entrepreneurs definitely need to consider whether people are buying the person as much as the business. In my case, they feel they are buying into me, the person but the professional company image is also necessary to lend credibility and helps when working with corporate clients particularly. I've realized I need the critical blend of both, and well frankly I am still learning. Feel free to check out my updated web presence and give me feedback; I appreciate it!
So -- Is it time for you to more intentionally brand yourself or your business? What about your personal brand? Are you sending messages that appeal to your target markets? If you're not sure, ask your clients. Look to your testimonials, and determine what traits appeal to your ideal market. Find ways to emphasize these (match the communication channels to your targets), and rock on!