Successful entrepreneurs create their own opportunities for success. Why? Because they know that success is not accidental. You have to make it happen … and you have to actively look for opportunities to make it happen.
Posts Tagged ‘ed/c partners’
Put Yourself on the Path to Success
Stop Selling What You Have …
Stop selling what you have and start selling what they want. People buy benefits, not attributes … always. They buy the promise of a need or a want fulfilled; the anticipation of a wish come true. Sometimes that promise represents a tangible problem solved. Other times (often), it’s an intangible, but equally important desire for status, convenience, belonging or something similarly wishful.
Every branding strategy should start with a SWOT … an assessment of your offering’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths identify potential benefits. Opportunities identity potential needs. Opportunities in the marketplace that potentially match your offering’s Strengths have promise as competitive consumer benefits … but not quite yet.
Consider the Strengths that you have to work with and identify your target market. Who are the Ideal Prospects for your product or service? They should be people who have a need or a desire that is well-matched with your offering. Then think, carefully, and make sure that you can answer these questions before you proceed further:
• WHO are these prospects?
• WHAT is important to them?
• HOW do they obtain information to make buying decisions?
• WHICH types of media or other information sources do they use to get that information and, therefore,
• WHERE will you be able to find them and speak to them?
Then also ask: WHY is your offering the best one to fulfill their needs? And WHY is it more competitive that what your competitors are offering? There are no simple answers in marketing, but there are very clear, very basic questions that you can (and should) ask yourself before beginning any outreach effort. … Lori Martinek, Branding Expert & Author, http://edcgrow.com
Building A Strong Personal Brand
Personal branding is not about becoming who you think you should be. It’s not about creating a ‘brand new’ you. It’s about letting your true strengths, talents and values shine through. It is about using and ‘packaging’ the strengths that you already possess, and creating a brand promise that is based on your talents and values. It is about becoming the best possible, already-existing you … and then presenting that authentic — and now polished — brand to the world.
A strong brand makes a statement that positions its subject firmly in the target’s mind. It is based on a relevant brand Promise and a compelling Reason Why. That Promise and that Reason Why are what will set you apart in the marketplace, and allow you to claim a piece of marketspace in your prospect’s mind. This is called positioning and ‘top of mind awareness’ in your chosen category should always be your goal.
Position yourself for success with a strong personal brand that is based on your strengths. Let the real you shine through and you will genuinely succeed … Lori Martinek, Branding Expert & Author
Strong Brands Stand Out, Shine Brighter
A smart branding strategy will help you, your company or your organization Be Visible and Get Noticed by raising your visibility among potential clients, mentors and partners. Visibility leads to awareness and awareness is critical to being top of mind among key audiences.
Strong brands are clear, concise and confident and they communicate clearly, concisely and confidently — online and off. They convey a clear Promise and Benefit and they grow stronger with reinforcement. Visual identity standards ensure that your brand is used and promoted in a consistent way which reinforces its identity and builds visibility and recognition.
A strong brand will get attention and create interest in your offering. Interest creates desire, which leads to action. Action can be as simple as clicking through to your website for more information, sending an email or picking up the phone, or it could be making a purchase or becoming a new client.
Take action to make your brand stronger, by creating a brand strategy that begins with understanding. It is important to understand WHO your target audience is, WHAT is important to them and HOW what you have to offer fulfills THEIR wants and needs (not yours). Develop a brand that creates an expectation for success and satisfaction … and then ensure that the reality matches the promise by providing exceptional service, always. … Lori Martinek, Branding Expert and Author, Owner of ED/c Partners http://www.edcgrow.com