How to get the most out of your brand in 2015

Already this year I have spoken with several potential clients/clients who all want to know how to get the most out of 2015, specifically with their business and personal brand. Many want to reinvent their brand, get more exposure for their brand or simply get started. Here’s a few tips to help you get the most out of this year and not waste any opportunity to increase your brand awareness AND your bottom line.

1. Get a PLAN!!!! – It is vitally important to have a PR/Marketing and social media plan in place if you want to successfully brand yourself this year. This plan will help you analyze where you are, determine where you want to go, and show you how to get there. Your plan should include goals, objectives and tactics. Be sure that your goals are measurable so that throughout the year you can review and tweak as needed. If you don’t know where you are and where you are going, and most importantly, how to get there, everything you do this year will be pointless.

2. Don’t imitate anyone else – Be your brand! – I say it all the time and it’s worth repeating, “YOU are your brand!” The persona you convey to those around you, either in business or personally, will reiterate to others who you are and what you’re about. If you appear to others as shady and unreliable, then they will perceive the same of your brand. On the other hand, if you are sincere, approachable and professional, others will perceive your brand as trustworthy. Don’t try to fool people by imitating someone else or by stealing someone else’s ideas; most people will see right through this. Use your intelligence and creativity to brand your own ideas and show that you possess the integrity and character that others will want to work with.

3. Define and fine-tune what sets you apart from everyone else – There are probably a ton of other professionals who do what you do! How will you set yourself a part when you speak to potential clients, customers or collaborators? It’s great to have an elevator pitch, but can you also distinguish yourself from others in your field? The follow-up to the elevator pitch is equally as important when others begin to ask for more details about your business and abilities. Make sure that you can articulate how valuable your services and/or products are above your competition.

4. Don’t be afraid to give something away – Yes, of course you want to be paid for your services, but don’t be afraid to give away tips and information that can help someone else. Potential clients can easily turn into paying clients when they see that you are open with information that can help them solve a problem. Share a valuable website resource, a must-have app that will make their lives easier or give them a business tip that could help their bottom line. Being open with information increases your credibility and sincerity and often leads to securing long-term business relationships and referrals.

5. Think outside the box – Take a second look at your products and/or services. How else can you expand your brand? How can you leverage or repackage what you do into other pieces and/or products and services? Can you turn your writing into e-books, webinars or products? Can your services be useful to other audiences that you had not previously considered? Think creatively and you might be surprised to see multiple streams of income born out of your efforts.

6. Be social – Increase your presence on social media. You don’t have to spend an enormous amount of time on social media to be successful or relevant. There are many tools that will help you pre-schedule posts like Hootsuite or Buffer. Buffer is also a great source to curate content. Whatever you do make sure that you are consistently posting good content that is valuable to your audience. Also consider using video and other engaging tools to promote what you do and keep your followers coming back for more.

7. Get out there and network – No one will know about you if you aren’t easily found. Scour your area for pertinent conferences, workshops and networking events. Don’t be a wallflower – meet as many people as possible and make business connections when appropriate. Don’t dismiss someone just because they aren’t a potential client; take the time to learn about their business and what they do. Sometimes you will meet people that you will be able to refer to someone else at a later date. This is also a great way to leave your imprint on others.

8. Get involved in your community – Getting involved in community non-profits and/or civic organizations is a great way to give back and to meet people. Showing that you are invested and concerned about your community could have tremendous positive effects on your professional life as well as the personal gratitude you will feel having become involved.

9. Build your contact list – Don’t just collect business cards! Make notes on the backs of the cards you get to highlight people you need to follow-up with. Find an app to scan your cards into so that you will always have them handy like Evernote. Also, if you are on LinkedIn (and you SHOULD BE), you can download your contact list into an Excel sheet to make contact with those you desire to do business with.

10. Be genuine – Finally, whatever you do, be genuine! Again, remember that your brand is only as attractive as the integrity and character you possess! Let the passion and heart you have for your business show in every interaction, every business deal, every product and service you provide!

Here’s to a prosperous and successful 2015!