How To Build Your Brand

Amber Olson Rourke is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Neora — an award-winning skincare and wellness solutions company with headquarters in Addison, Texas. Amber is responsible for Neora’s branding, creative services, communications, public relations, events, digital marketing and social media.

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Branding Basics

Branding is a topic I’m personally very passionate about. I’ve been involved with branding for more than ten years, and as Co-Founder and CMO of Neora, I can assure you that branding is so much more than having a fancy logo and tagline. Branding is about telling YOUR story to the right people at the right time. Whether you’re a photographer, a realtor, or a Neora International Brand Partner, branding is super important and ultimately is what will set you apart from your competitors.

Without further delay, here are my top five tips for building a killer brand around yourself.

Tip 1: Establish a Brand Motto

Your first and most important step is to establish a brand motto. Try to keep your motto as simple as possible! In fact, the simpler the better. But, do put some thought, focus, and clarity into it. Let’s take a look at a company that has been a huge success since opening its doors in 1971: Starbucks. Today, Starbucks has more than 24,000 retail stores in 70 countries. The brand’s motto is something along the lines of “Building Community Around Coffee.” Starbucks has projected itself as a responsible company with a goal to strike a balance between profitability and social conscience with the common thread being coffee. That’s the message Starbucks consistently puts out there for the public to see.

What do you want people to think about you in terms of a business relationship? Write down about five words that you want to intentionally put out there for the world to see. That’s your motto. Once you have your short description, all your decisions should be made focused on those words.

Tip 2: Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe

Now that you’ve locked down your motto, you must decide who your audience is, i.e., who is the tribe you’re trying to attract. Here’s an example. Many Neora Brand Partners are moms looking for an extra and flexible way to earn an income. For a person like this, it would be in their best interest to look for other moms with a similar philosophy as a way to relate. When you share similar interests, you’ll be able to more easily attract like-minded individuals, and more importantly, you’ll be able to speak from a place of authenticity.

Tip 3: Be Consistent

The best brands out there are focused and consistent, e.g., Oprah Winfrey or Disney World. If you want to attract, e.g., millennials, your tone and message should be directed toward young entrepreneurs. The idea is not to exclude people who fall outside of the category, but more so to be consistent in sharing a specific message and story.

Tip 4: Tell a Story, Not a Sales Pitch

In today’s consumer-driven environment, people are hesitant to buy into a sales pitch. After you’ve completed steps one through three, create the story you want to tell and focus on how you’re going to tell it. Here’s an analogy to explain better. Your story and your brand represent a movie of your life with the service or product you offer is the commercial during that movie. Allow people to see who you are including your strengths and weaknesses. In between, you insert what you’re selling by solving their problem.

Tip 5: Connect with Others

This step is super important. Nurture the relationships you’ve already established. Engage and interact with existing customers and remember that most sales occur as a result of referrals. Take care of your existing tribe in order to attract a wider audience and bigger leads. Never neglect your tribe; instead, consistently engage and interact with your people.

I hope you found this month’s topics as fascinating as I have! Now, you’re ready to work on building your own killer brand. Which phrase will you be using as your brand motto? If you have any questions, feel free to submit them below.

Make it a fabulous day!