Branding IS Who We Are
It’s enough to say that a person’s perception is that person’s reality. What a person believes is what that person knows. Most folks don’t think about a difference between the two. Why should they? That’s philosophy. Life works out just fine without having to stop to think about such things, doesn’t it?
What did I just say?
In my own way, I said that customers decide who we are by what they perceive. They are the folks who define a brand. So the best plan is to make sure their perception matches what we want our brand to be, because in their eyes our brand is who we are.
6 Steps to a Branded Business Blog
Whether you’re adding to a website, launching a start-up, or building a home business, a blog can give your brand credibility and depth in record time. Here are the 6 Steps to building a branded business blog.
- Pick a URL, a name, and a tagline that plainly say what you do. The best development words I know are “Call it what is.” Avoid a name only means something to you or worse one that confuses folks who might want to come to see you.
- Presebt a clear, focused message that goes deep and be sure that customers are part of that message. Blog technology is easy enough. Tailor the message to showcase your expertise and how your expertise serves the people of your industry. Give readers the perception you want them to have.
- Launch your blog with a foundation of posts that define your brand. Choose your topics across the areas you want to be known for. Include plenty about the people who work in the industry. Write and polish them until they sing and communicate effortlessly. Read them aloud to be sure.
- Make sure that your design or template matches your content. Avoid edgy or frivolous if your topic is money and jobs. On the other hand, dump subdued and serious, if you’re talking gaming.
- Use a writing voice that matches the conversation used by the folks in the industry you want to reach. Writing voice works the same as design.
- Offer a compelling difference. Know that your industry doesn’t need you, unless you have something that no one else has. Something that everyone wants. What is the BIG IDEA of your brand? Let that guide every decision about your blog.
- Plus one: Hold up every future decision to your name and your tagline. If decision doesn’t support your readers understanding your tagline more fully, reconsider. Think of Billy Joel as customer. He loves you just the way you are.
Business Blogs can help build a brand in record time because search engines love a well-written blog, with relevant content. Readers do too. So as your blog builds your brand, your brand builds your business, and readers are drawn into your business to help both your blog and your business grow even faster. A great brand is its own promotion because customers seek it out on their own.
When was the last time that asked customers how they see your brand?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Related articles
6+1: Writing Voice the Sound of Your Brand
Knowing How People Think ââ¬â As a Business Tool
The Brand YOU and Customer Think series on the SUCCESSFUL SERIES PAGE
I may start to disagree on the opening statement.
With regards to what’s perception, what’s belief, there is also a way as to what’s behaviour.
A person may do these things differently but still be someone no one knows, some people including the closest known people including family and friends may never really know the person closest for lifetime.
On these terms, a person may be someone else to people, but someone else to themselves.
I still believe that quantitaive research on human beings do not bring about a realistic approach to individuals as you never know what the person next to you is unless its you yourself.
I agree with what you’re saying about who you really are, Keith. But what I’m saying here is that who you REALLY are doesn’t matter with respect to branding. What matters is only who customers decide you are.
I can be the most lovely, sweet, nice lady, but if customers see me as mean and difficult. Then who I really am, doesn’t matter. They’re not going to do business with me, because they think I am mean. Mean is my brand value to them whether I want it to be, whether it’s actually true, or not.
Yes as I said i only disagreed with the opening statement.
A brand is what you build over a period of time, and I totally agree the 6 steps are a ladder built with an escalator to take you up.
How can you disagree that your perception is your reality. What else could your reality be?
Percpetions according to me are insights people may have which may not always hold true.
Some times we percieve more than what can actually be attained which leads to overburdening, so what i do believe in is do what you can do rather than have a hindsight.
Nevertheless It is only an opinion I hold and not a general perception.
Even though it’s not true, your perception is still what you believe until you find out it’s not true.
Yea quite true, that’s what i wanted to say perceptions are not always true :).
I think we can totally agree on that!
We agreed all along. We just like debating. 🙂
I always like conversing with you, its always such a learning experience.
Maybe I’ll get witty on this and write a blog post on this conversation, I like letting people on interesting conversations.
Maybe people may have a whole different perception about the perception thing :).
I came to you’re blog from LinkedInBloggers. I’m a newbie and are just experiementing with my personal blog about Norway and the Nordic to get a more hans on feeling about this powerful tools in communication.
I can see from your blog that I have a lot to learn – thanks for sharing!
Maybe people may have a whole different perception about the perception thing.
What percetive thing for you to say. 😉
I always enjoy speaking with you also. You brighen my day.
Hi Renny,
Welcome. Everyone has a lot learn. Very few bloggers have been doing it very long. We’re all experimenting at something in some way. Have a look around for as long as you like. Make sure you check out the NEW BLOGGER PAGE.
There are snacks and beverages in the sidebar and chairs all around. So relax and enjoy.
You’re not a stranger anymore. You’re a friend now.
Liz
Today Chartreuse discussed a Canadian blogger who initiated a firestorm when she criticized a wine cooler ad in a magazine.
http://chartreuse.wordpress.com/2006/06/21/the-better-than-beer-morning-remix/
This blogger usually stuck to progressive political debates between literary adults, but that post stuck her in the middle of a debate with everybody from rabid right-wing bloggers to angry college kids. It was not a civilized debate anymore, just a room full of angry people
The whole debate degenerated pretty quickly, and the blogger said she never expected that result. She should have listened to Liz’s advice about her brand–she posted out of usual character and opened a can of nasty worms.
Sorry I missed the open mic last night Liz, it looked fun…
Great comment Jason.
I’ll have to go checkout Char’s post to see what’s happening over at his house.
Real people can misbehave in ways that politicos cannot believe, I guess.
Thanks for adding this to the discussion.
Liz
Thanks Bloggers Buzz!
I’ve been reading your blog(s) for a bit when this post is a perfect way to say “hi” because my personal and professional motto has been “perception is everything” because just as you say – it doesn’t matter what is fact to other people, they stand on their perception of life. I could be the most stand up person but with a slip in front of someone else – I’ve altered their perception of me. It works in life and especially in business.
Tammy
Hi Tammy,
Nice to meet you!
Boy do I know what you’re saying is true. In one job that I had I might have been playing and being funny 10% of the time, but it seems that every time I was, the President of the company would come around the corner to witness it. I’m sure in his mind I was a 90% goof off for a very long time. It took me months to change his perception to one that I had a solid brain and a midwest work ethic. 🙂
Now that you’ve said helo, remember you’re no longer a stranger. You’re a friend. I hope you’ll stop in and say lots more about what you think.
Thank you very much
I think this is a very good post
This post gives me perspective on how to introduce the client’s business blog in the right way. Although there are many pros and cons