The 3 Keys to Successful Branding

Guest post by Mary Eileen Williams

 

Branding is the most fundamental—yet often most difficult—aspect of building a business. The same is true for creating an online presence or conducting a job search. In each of these instances, the rules are basically the same. You have to precisely and powerfully describe (1) who you are (your core message, experience level, specialized training, etc.), (2) the skills and expertise you offer and (3) the ways you will outperform the competition.

These three elements comprise the foundation of your branding campaign. They also form the critical components of how you need to describe yourself to potential clients, customers or employers. Whether you are presenting yourself online, on paper or in person, clarity and consistency are essential to both your brand and to your ultimate impact on the marketplace.

Here are three important areas for you to consider as you formulate your own unique and compelling brand.

#1 In order to highlight your skills, accomplishments and distinguishing attributes to your best advantage, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my core message? What do I want people to take away from meeting me?
• In which ways will I outperform the competition?
• What qualifications do I bring that will add real value to a customer, client or an organization?
• Which talents/experiences/accomplishments make me unique?
• Which of my skills will most attract clients or job recruiters for my line of work?
• Am I making sure to highlight the results I have achieved for customers/former employer(s)?
• Am I quantifying the results I have accomplished so that they form a compelling representation of the outcomes I am capable of achieving?
• Am I highlighting the 5 areas that will attract future clients/employers with bottom-line results: saved money, saved time, increased revenue, made operations more efficient and/or enlarged customer base?
• Am I presenting myself in contemporary terms that represent today's in-demand skills and industry buzzwords? (You can find these keywords by reviewing your competitors’ advertisements and/or perusing the job listings for your line of work.)

#2 Ensure you are presenting a unified brand that remains consistent across the various ways you are marketing yourself. Be certain to consider:

• Your elevator pitch/brief introduction
• Your professional profile (top third of your website, sales brochure or resume)
• The background/summary statement on your LinkedIn profile
• The way you introduce yourself in E-mail messages, outreach correspondence or cover letters, etc.

#3 Guarantee that both you and your branding materials have visual appeal, by asking yourself:

• Am I exuding a combination of professionalism and personal warmth in my dress and manner?
• Does my body language—posture, eye contact, handshake, and facial expressions—support my brand and what I am claiming about myself?   
• Are my marketing materials—all online profiles, brochures, cover letters and business cards—pleasing to the eye and easy to read?
• Am I incorporating the liberal use of white space and bullets so that my key qualifications and accomplishments are readily spotted within a 30-second scan?
• Am I presenting my skills in order of importance in each of my documents? (You want to make certain that your most critical and in-demand skills appear at the top and to the left, thereby making them easily accessible at a glance.)

By addressing each of these three areas as you create or update your branding campaign, you will be sending a persuasive and consistent message. Moreover, knowing that you exude a powerful presence (both in-person and online) will give you the confidence and the energy that is certain to move you forward. A compelling brand, a little luck and the right attitude should go a long way to make you a sought-after, highly attractive business owner or job applicant. In every way, successful branding is your ultimate key to success!

Mary Eileen Williams has over twenty years’ of combined experience as a career and life transition counselor, job search specialist, university instructor and author. As a Nationally Board Certified Counselor with a Master's Degree in Career Development, she specializes in working with jobseekers in midlife, showing them the latest techniques for landing a job in the 21st Century.

Her recently updated book, Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50, is packed with insider tips to teach baby boomers how to navigate today’s competitive job market. She has been quoted in Money Magazine, Market Watch, Kiplinger and additional international publications. Eileen also writes a job search column for the Huffington Post at Huff/Post 50..

Additionally, Eileen hosts a popular blog and radio show called “Feisty Side of Fifty."

History In The Making

If you can use a keyboard, you too can design a beautiful blog in 10 minutes.

LIVE DEMO: Look over our shoulder & be dazzled as we create & design a blog from scratch right before your eyes!

BONUS: Ray Higdon reveals LIVE his Top 10 crazy simple ways to create content for your blog.
...

If you feel you can’t “design” a blog because you’re not “tech-savvy,” or that you need to pay thousands of dollars to outsource your blog set-up & design, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG.

Let us prove it to you this Wednesday.

Trust me, you have never seen anything like what we’re about to do LIVE for you this Wednesday. History is in the making my friend… Watch it LIVE.

Are You Coachable?

If you are coachable... meaning, if I'm willing to leave my ego at the door and if I stop insisting I "know" the best way... and if I just trust the process and follow the damn instructions....

Man! That's asking for a LOT, right?
...

Especially if you ARE already having some measure of success and you ARE already producing a result.

In fact... and I'm just being honest here... I hate the idea of "being coachable".

But BEING COACHABLE is the only reason we are producing results today and even though I have been personally blogging since 2007... and have made lots of money blogging... I picked up Ray Higdon's new 7-FIGURE blogging course the other day...

Why?

* Because Ray did it FASTER.
* Ray did it without a track record.
* Ray invested a fortune to learn the BEST way.
So for me... it's all about being coachable now. (deep sigh).
..
Want to join me? Want to draw a line in the sand... and make 2016 THE pivotal year that changes everything?

Watch this FREE WEBINAR REPLAY and let's make it happen. ..

Happy Blogging!

‪‬

Build Your Network Marketing Business - Learn Your Products

The only thing less inspiring than a ho-hum salesperson is one who doesn’t know the first thing about their products. If you want your customers to exchange their money for the products you sell, then you had better know everything there is to know about what you’re selling.  Customers have individual concerns, and if you are touting yourself as their personal “consultant,” you’d better know what you’re talking about!

-Is it allergen-free?

-Will it rust?

-Will it work with X product that you sell?

-How does it compare to (Insert leading brand here)?

You need to know the answers to these questions and more. Why? Because the more you know, the more you can tailor your responses to the customer’s needs, and the better you’re able to recommend something that will actually work for that customer.

Here’s how to begin your product education:

• Ask your upline or trainer what the most common questions are. Then research answers and practice them.


• Keep track of the questions you get. Keep a running list of the questions your customers ask, and write out questions. Not only is this a great cheat sheet, it’s also wonderful training information for your downline.


• Read everything the company gives you. Then read it again. And again. It takes a while for information to sink in, and you will pick up on nuances as you re-read and your bottom-line knowledge level grows.


• Say “I’ll find out for you” instead of “I don’t know.” Then follow through!


• Educate others. Sometimes the best way to cement information in your mind is through teaching others. When you learn a new fact, use it.


• Never stop learning. Product ingredients and formulations change, and new products are released. You never “know it all,” so keep learning.


• Put your knowledge to work. Explain why you’re recommending a particular product to a particular customer. For example, “I recommend you opt for the medical plastic model rather than the stainless steel. You said this would be used by your children, and if they are going to use it, the plastic allows them to squeeze the bottle, making it easier to drink.” Your customers will appreciate how you make the link between the product information and their situation.

Knowing your products inside and out doesn’t mean boring customers with tons of facts and details in your presentation. It does mean pulling out the knowledge you need, when you need it – and that’s usually to make your customer’s life better in some way.

 

Success Stories - Meet Steve Abshier!

I just love how the internet brings people together.  I met today's Success Story through an introduction from Sue Blumenfeld, another Success Story subject.  I first met Sue on Twitter.  Since then, Steve and I have become quite the Twitter peeps!  What is amazing is that both of these wonderful folks live right here in my neighborhood and yet I would probably never have met either of them if not for being an active Tweeter!  Now I get to share him with you.  Meet Steve Abshier!.

1.  Steve, tell us about yourself.

I am a native of NWA, born in Springdale and went to high school in Rogers. After working in security for a while I worked at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office as a jailer then I moved to Gentry, AR and became a police officer. Then, in 1985 I went to work for my father building custom homes in the Rocky Branch area of Benton County.

2. Tell us about Abshier Construction

Abshier Construction is a third generation business. We have been in business for over 50 years and are very proud that we are still able to serve Northwest Arkansas. We only do custom work, building custom homes, custom remodeling and additions. We also build decks and do renovations as requested by homeowners.

3. Why did you start your own business?

I took over the business when my dad retired and was given the task of continuing the same  quality, honesty and professional standards that my grandfather and father had established since the early 60s.

4. Why did you decide to go into construction?  Isn’t that somewhat seasonal?

When I first got out of school, construction was not in my plans. But as it turned out, I think that is where I was meant to be. I enjoy the people I meet, the projects we work on and the outcome of a project we can all be proud of.  There are times when the work is slow due to weather, but normally we are not slowed down too much.

5. What do you like most and least about being your own boss?

I read somewhere that being you own boss meant you only had to work a half day, you just have to decide what part of the day you want to put in your 12 hours. I do like some of the flexibility of scheduling and the opportunity’s that arise. Being the one to work with the customers and help them realize their dream on a new project or the changes made on a remodel is very rewarding.

6. What personality traits and skills are needed to run a business?

In this business it is important to be able to listen to your customer and make sure you both have the same understanding of what is to be done. I also think being able to react to a situation in a calm and thoughtful way can make all the difference in the relationship between you, your customer, employees, and sub-contractors. Things will go wrong at times and as business owner it is up to you to get things worked out to everyone’s satisfaction.

7. What has been the most difficult part of being an entrepreneur?

When I first took over the business, my father and grandfather had never done any type of advertisement. Word of mouth and our referrals from our customers had always been enough. When the economy crashed there was a lot less work to go around and I had to learn a lot real fast about getting our name and message out to the public. Since that time, things have improved greatly, with the help of the advertising and the continued referrals work has steadily increased.

8.  Do you have any resources that you have used to build your business that you would recommend?  

Some of my greatest resources are my employees and sub-contractors. We all work together to make sure our projects are completed properly. Most contractors are not licensed in all the fields and it is not feasible to keep up with all the changes. Everyone working together using their knowledge and experience to complete a project is what it takes to build your business and reputation.

I have found a lot of help through the Home Builders Association, local chambers, and from my peers.

9. Do you have any tips to share on promoting yourself?

When I was scrambling to get our name out I joined the Rogers and Bentonville Chambers and attended as many functions as I could. I also got more involved with the Northwest Arkansas Home Builders Association. We have always built custom homes and did custom remodels and additions. With the slowdown in the industry more people were doing remodels and addition. During this time I was a founding member and president for 3 years of the NWA Homebuilders remodeling council.

10. What other advice would like to share with someone starting their own business?
  

Join and be involved with groups that represent your industry. Always seek more education opportunities in your profession. In my case I have received certifications from the National Association of Home builders for: Certified Graduate Builder, Certified Graduate Remodeler, Certified Aging in Place Specialist (ADA) and Certified Green Professional. Do not forget the internet and social media platforms, they are cheap and a good way to get information about yourself and your company to people who are looking for your service.

11. How can we contact you to learn more about your products and services?  

Cell 479-640-0518

steve@abshierconstruction.com

www.abshierconstruction.com

www.houzz.com/pro/abshier-construction

www.facebook.com/abshierconstruction

The Instagram Engagement Formula



Guest post by network marketer and Instagram expert, Robin Smith

 

Instagram is HOT! There are over 400 million people from around the world on Instagram. 49% of users log in daily. 28% of users log in multiple times a day. And on average 70 million images are posted daily.

So if you think you’re ideal customer or client isn’t just waiting for your picture to show up on their feed, you are dead wrong!

Last year I started marketing on Instagram. And now it accounts for about 90% of my leads and sales for my business.


I have created what I call the 5-5-5 Instagram Engagement Formula. Here it is:

Grab yourself a timer…

Spend 5 minutes going through your followers and engaging on their pictures. Simply like 3 images and leave 1 relevant comment (and be sure to tag their username by using @username so they get a notification) for each follower. Just be random. Think of this step as a warm up. Plus the benefit is, if they haven’t checked out your profile recently, now they will.

Spend the next 5 minutes by doing a search for a hashtag your ideal client or customer would use in their post. Then quickly scroll down the results and click like for each image. You will be shocked how many images you can like in 5 minutes.

Finally, spend the last 5 minutes by doing a search for a different hashtag your ideal client or customer would use in their posts. Then like 3 of their images and leave 1 relevant comment (with their username acknowledged) on people you do not follow. They will see this, check our your profile, interact on your images and follow you.

Simple right?

If you have more time, you can always repeat.

If you do this daily, (it only takes 15 minutes) you’ll be amazed how quickly your following and engagement will go up on each post.

If you liked this tip, and want to know the secrets to Instagram Marketing success? Come join the #NovInstaParty for 14 days full of Instagram trainings. http://www.MarketYourBusinessBlog.com/NovInstaParty

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Hi, I’m Robin Smith. I started in Network Marketing back in 2007. I had absolutely no experience at marketing. My background was in biology. I tried everything, cold calling people who have never heard of me, buying leads thinking that they would all sign up, posting fliers about my local event, even spamming Facebook and Twitter with my opportunity. I found successes, but it just never felt right with me. That was until last year when I started marketing on Instagram. Suddenly my introverted and my creative sides felt in harmony. So now just a year later, 90% of my daily leads and sales come from Instagram. I can be found @RobinSmith2007 on Instagram, and my blog is MarketYourBusinessBlog.com.http://www.instagram.com

Take a Tip from the Grocery Store

Every week, thousands of grocery stores across the country send out their store flyers with some unbelievable deals. Toothpaste for $.99. Cleaning supplies for a fraction of their value. Tuna for pennies. When you see these unbelievable sales, you may be asking yourself, “How do they make money selling at these prices?”

The answer is, they don’t. These items are called “loss leaders.” The store actually loses money on the sale of these particular items. They sell them at these ridiculous prices as a lure to pull shoppers into the store, knowing that once they’re there, they won’t just buy four cans of tuna for $1; they’ll pick up mayonnaise, pickles, relish, and a dozen other items that will allow the store to more than make up for the deficit from the tuna. 

As mentioned earlier, the first “yes” is the toughest. Once someone’s going through the hassle of driving to the store, standing in line, and paying, they may as well pick up a few more things to make the trip worthwhile. The same is true for your business. If you can get a customer to open his or her wallet with an unbelievable deal, you have a good chance of expanding the order.

This is different from an add-on sale, because you’re using a really low price initially to get the customer into your “store.” So the related products you present don’t need to follow the same guidelines they would for an add-on sale. Instead, keep these hints in mind:

1. The initial “loss leader” needs to be jaw-droppingly great. 10% or even 25% off is not going to cut it, unless the total cost reduction is huge, or it’s on an item that NEVER goes on sale. Reductions of at least 50% are usually the strongest lure.
2. Choose an item that might be better used in conjunction with something else. For instance, reduce the price of a particular shade of foundation to 50%, and then encourage the purchase of a set of brushes or the compact to hold it in.
3. Use add-on sales for loss-leaders. The principles you learned in the previous section on add-on sales can be used for loss leaders, too! The hot dogs are half off, but of course you need buns to go with them…
4. Select a loss leader that ensures you repeat business. Refillable items are great because once the customer has invested in the original package, they’ve got it sitting their in their garage, bathroom, or kitchen counter, just begging to be refilled.
5. Don’t do it too often. A monthly special is great, as are seasonal items. But if you offer too many loss leaders, or put things on sale too often, people will just wait for it to go to half off before they buy.

Grocery stores spend millions on analyzing customer behavior. Piggy-back on their research and use some of their hard-won strategies for your own.