Modesty Does Not Equal Invisibility

Make your Brand Known 

Give your powerful brand even more presence. Being modest doesn’t mean you have to be invisible.
It’s a blurry line between narcissism and the desire to drive your ideas and messages forward. The end goal, whether it’s building a new brand or refreshing an established one, is to connect the brand’s values to the role it plays in your clients’ lives.
 
Being humble and having a sense of self-awareness, as well as being true to yourself and understanding your role within society is certainly admirable. As an organization or an individual, you should look inward – at your strengths, at your assets, what you’re known to be, what you’re good at. Perhaps that used to be enough.
 
Alas, in this digital environment there is far too much noise, and you can easily blend into the crowded marketplace. Ask yourself, does your marketing and messaging communicate your real value?
 

It Isn’t Bragging, It’s Adding Value 

Your client relationships can’t begin until you find each other. There may be nothing more powerful than a great story. When your brand story is a journey that resonates with your message it will spread organically. When the messages you share impact and help others, people will take notice.
 

The Myths of Arrogance 

Let's debunk them:
• People understand what you do.
• The way things look is not important.
• Saying more is better.
• Tooting your own horn is not sophisticated.
• Being different from your competitors makes you look less trustworthy.
• Sharing your point of view with the public is risky because people might not like it.
• There are only certain colors that can be used to look professional.
• Once a system is established it can’t be changed.
• There are branding rules that shouldn’t be questioned.
 

Things to Keep in Mind When Approaching Successful Branding 

1. For people to determine if they want to work with you, they must understand what you do and why that is important to them.
2. Your brand is your distinctive point of view, and you must set yourself apart from the competition.
3. You should clarify what it is that you do that makes you special.
4. A large part of building a brand is establishing yourself as an expert in your specific industry.
5. An active social media presence provides a vital platform to communicate your brand values with a larger audience.
6. Don’t be shy. Purchasing decisions are emotional and occur when a personal connection is made. The likelihood of this occurring is multiplied with every consistent brand communication.
 
A faceless corporation does not build loyalty and trust. People want to know who you are. Today’s consumer does their research, but they have limited patience. Consider investing in creating a more resonant brand presence. Bring your ideas into the real world. If a client can't find you, you’ve lost.


By Janet Odgis
Read the LinkedIn article here