Unlock Business Growth: The Power of Building Your Brand
When you’re just starting out, building your brand can feel overwhelming. But it can be easy - when you have a plan.
If you put a plan in place before you start, you will be much more strategic about how you spend your time and money.
My CATCH Branding system is a framework to help you get started and make it easier to get your branding done FAST - and right the first time.
Your mission? Everything that you do, and every piece of content you create should be CATCH-tested so you can focus on getting your message - and being memorable, to your perfect client.
The CATCH System
C – Consistent Look
Create a look and feel that people can recognize as you.
Here is all you need to get started:
- Create a simple text logo with your name. Put your logo on all the content you create.
- Write a simple tagline that sums up what you do. 10-12 words max – less is better. Use the tagline in your email signature, your social profiles, your business cards, and your website.
- Start your “style bible” in a simple Word document. It should list the two (not six) colors that you use for everything (list the hex color number which will look something like this #ABEBC6), the fonts you use for headlines, and the font you use for the body of your documents.
- Pro tip: Add links to your style bible so you can easily find colors, pictures, and logos.
Please (please, please) don’t spend weeks or months agonizing over a logo.
A simple word logo built in Canva will get you started. Use it everywhere: website, social, email, ads. Start to build name and image recognition. Don’t get bogged down.
I have had to do “interventions” with clients who spent months and multiple rounds of edits rather than getting their business going.
Procrastination is just fear dressed up as being thorough.
Pick something that you can grow with and start using it consistently.
A – Authentic Voice
Be honest and open about your area of expertise. Tell people about your struggles – and how you overcame problems. Offer help without being condescending.
We are all on this journey, just on different parts of the path.
There is the school of “fake it till you make it” and frankly, I am ambivalent about this.
On the one hand, acting as if you have already achieved success can boost your mindset. There is real science that says it can also psychologically boost your performance.
But on the other hand, there is also fatigue from your audience.
There are w-a-a-a-a-y too many faux successful Internet hucksters who project an image of success.
But when you peek behind the curtain, you discover that the cars are rented, the house is not theirs, and the women are hired models.
Fake it till you make it might not be your best strategy.
Adopt a mindset of success and expertise – but don’t lie.
If it ain’t your Ferrari and you have less in the bank than the average fast food worker, don’t give the illusion that you are more successful than you really are. Being dishonest will not only come back to bite you (and it will), but, it will simply not read as genuine to your audience.
So sure, preach the gospel of success, but be honest and open.
T – Targeted Audience.
Know exactly who you are talking to.
Fitness expert? You are not selling to “everyone” you are selling to “people interested in fitness.” But unless you want to compete on race-to-the-bottom pricing, you should dig deeper to identify who you really serve.
Let’s go back to you as a fitness expert. Your specific audience might be:
- pregnant women looking to manage their health
- 18-30 year old males looking for washboard abs
- experienced marathon runners looking for faster recovery and nutrition guidance
All three audiences are interested in fitness. But they are very different audiences with completely different goals.
Know who you are talking to and then help that specific group achieve their goals.
This is probably the #1 mistake that new businesses make.
In their push to just sell something, business owners may throw a bunch of different messages and offers out.
This does not make you look like a versatile business. Instead, it dilutes your message and your brand.
Specialists make more than generalists – and typically have an easier time attracting the right clients.
If you have tax problems, you go to a tax attorney not an ace criminal attorney (unless your tax problems go to the criminal…whoops). The tax attorney is also not who you call when the FBI shows up at your door.
Micro-target your audience so that you become the obvious solution to their special problem.
Be the specialist who can get the job done rather than the generalist who is often stuck with commodity status, competing on price rather than value.
C – Creative Content.
Be creative when you are helping your audience.
The pregnancy fitness expert might make some videos about proper weight-lifting techniques for pregnant women, some easy-to-use fitness flash cards, and some downloadable nutrition guides,
The runner's fitness expert might do a five-day fitness jump-start challenge and consult about proper running techniques.
Your audience will consume different content in different ways.
It pays dividends to pick 1-2 social channels and create content.
Unless you are hiring a creative team, there simply are not enough hours in the day to run your business – which should be your #1 priority – and create endless content for 4-5 social channels.
Go deep on 1-2 channels and nurture your audience rather than scattershot on 4-5 where you will never get traction because your audience does not hear from you often enough.
Content creation can get out of control. It can feel like you’re on the content hamster wheel.
That’s why it’s critical to understand where your audience is so your content creation contributes to your marketing rather than wasting time, money, and focus.
The key to sane (and profitable) content creation is to spend the most time and money where your audience is.
Your fitness mommies are probably on Instagram and Facebook and may be active on mom boards, healthy family eating, or wellness groups.
Your washboard ab young males may also be interested in tech and cars.
But you can’t know that unless you talk to your audience and spend time getting to know them. Deeply.
Once you find your audience, listen. React. Comment.
Take notes about what comes up repeatedly. Answer questions (bonus points if your answer can refer back to your website).
Hear exactly how they phrase their problems, wishes, and desires – and tailor your message to their language.
This is not done to fool them but rather to demonstrate that you hear and understand.
Customers you can genuinely help will get to know you and your expertise. Only then will they put their faith in your ability to solve their problems.
Know your audience's location and preferred content consumption methods. Help them achieve their goals with shareable, interesting content.
H – Helping
Reach out to your audience and offer help and guidance. Be the person known for spot-on, kind advice.
Give your expertise willingly and often. Offer a helping hand without asking for anything in return. It does pay off in the long run.
Helping can be anything from instructional videos to eBooks to in-person clinics.
Your “helping goal” is two-fold:
- demonstrate your expertise and experience in solving problems
- become the most logical solution when it comes time to hire someone.
Final thoughts…
If you follow the CATCH system, you can laser-focus on delivering your message to the right audience with a consistent look and feel and building your reputation as a thought leader in your niche.
Spend some time on the front end using these strategies, it can make the process less confusing and get you launched right.
