Brandmerry Blog Archives
How to Identify Your Brand Story and 3 Things You Can’t Miss
Want to stand out on social media? Lean in cause I've got a secret for you...
...it's your story! Oh, you already knew that? Ok cool! But did you know that stories make your content 22x more memorable to your audience! Oh, now I have your attention. What if I told you there were 5 types of brand stories and the secret was identifying which one best showcases your unique story AND how to market that story in the online space in a way that has your audience needing more. YES, it can be that simple to get started. I have a fun quiz for you to take right now that will help you identify your brand story + give you the tools to market your story online.
how to Identify Your Brand Story and
3 Things You Can’t Miss
June 4, 2019
PREFER TO WATCH, INSTEAD OF READ? I’VE GOT YOU BOO. SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH A QUICK VIDEO!
Want to stand out on social media? Lean in cause I've got a secret for you...
...it's your story!
Oh, you already knew that? Ok cool! But did you know that stories make your content 22x more memorable to your audience!
Oh, now I have your attention. What if I told you there were 5 types of brand stories and the secret was identifying which one best showcases your unique story AND how to market that story in the online space in a way that has your audience needing more.
YES, it can be that simple to get started. I have a fun quiz for you to take right now that will help you identify your brand story + give you the tools to market your story online.
PLUS, I've included three of my top tips below if you want even more juicy information on YOUR BRAND STORY.
1. YOUR STORY MATTERS
The first thing we need to do is get in touch with YOUR personal story. It's super easy to think your brand story has to be centered around your business, but the key here is that YOU are your brand. If you don't know what makes you, well you then you're going to have a hard time creating a business around that.
Before I even begin to work with my clients on creating their brand, we focus on uncovering there own story and mapping out their past chapters. To start identify three transitions that have happened to you personally.
Think about what happened, how you were impacted, what changed for you and what lessons you learned. This is the first step in identifying the work you want to do in the world AND helps you reconnect with your personal story as a way to connect deeper with your audience.
2. YOUR BRAND IS NOTHING WITHOUT YOUR AUDIENCE
Ok, now I'm probably going to confuse you, but as much as your brand story is about YOU it's also nothing without your audience. If you think just sharing your story is going to lead to more clients and a bigger impact you're wrong. It relies heavily on your audience and their desire for more.
Aside from identifying your own story you must become clear on your audience as well. You need to do market research here, but to get you started here are some questions you need clarity on in order to effortlessly tie your story and the story of your audience together.
What is their struggle at the moment?
What do they desire (aka what are they working towards)?
What is standing in their way (i.e. obstacles)?
What needs to happen to get them from struggle to desire?
This will help you begin to identify what parts of your story you can share with your audience for the maximum impact.
3. ESTABLISH YOUR BRAND STORY ARC
Your brand story arc is what so many people do first to map out their brand story, but then miss so much important information. And most brands are doing this wrong.
It sounds a little something like this, "I did this and then this and my business was born!"
BORING - I don't want to read that story to do? There needs to be some powerful emotion, connection and storytelling that goes into your brand story and story arc.
I teach the entire concept of Story Arc in my signature course Roadmap to Freedom, but ultimately you want to write a clear Beginning, Middle and End. Take your audience on a journey that pulls them in and keeps them engaged.
Your Brand Story Arc is just ONE type of story you can share with your audience, but it's one of the most important.
Use your Brand Story Arc to share your story on your About Me Page, on Instagram Stories, in promotional materials, on masterclasses and more.
Remember story is necessary if you want a brand that stands out and deeply connects with your audience.
Take the quiz below to find out which part of your story you can share for maximum impact and conversions.
Please share your biggest takeaways from this blog post and how you’re going to implement this information in your own business!
P.S. Are we connected on Instagram? No? Well lady what’s happening here we’ve got to fix that. Come hang out with me on my favorite social media platform. Follow for inspiration and send me a DM to know we’re connected.
PART TWO: 6 Marketing Trends For Your Brand in 2019
PART TWO: 6 Marketing Trends For Your Brand in 2019
January 17, 2019
Welcome back lady for Part Two of 6 Marketing Trends For Your Brand in 2019. Today we are diving right into the final three marketing trends we are seeing for brands in 2019. If you missed Part One you can check it out here.
To recap we chatted about the importance of Story, Video and Consistency in marketing your brand online. The focus in 2019 us all about building trust and making that the main focus for your brand in the New Year.
Now, we’re going a step further with an emphasis on that exact community. How can you show up in 2019, market your business and build a mission-driven brand?
Check out the final three marketing trends below.
#4 Giving Back
This one is HUGE!! A movement has been happening over the past couple of years with online businesses and now entrepreneurs adding in a community-giving component. One of my predictions for 2019 is that this is going to only be heightened, as more and more brand collaborations become popular, your audience is going to want to see how you are giving back.
Again, it all comes back to building trust with your audience and they want to see more of what you’re doing with the success of your business and the impact you’re making. With a focus on mission-driven work and businesses, you’ll only be able to engage your audience on a deeper level. We’re continuing our partnership with CJ’s Journey to raise money for childhood-cancer research.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Start finding nonprofits you want to collaborate with and build a relationship with them. Invite your audience in and share why you’ve chosen this particular organization and movement. Aside from donating profits from your business at the end of the year, consider donating a portion of sales of a particular program to the mission as well.
TIP: Don’t be shy about talking about the work and impact you are doing. Remember this is a marketing trend, after all, if you don’t share that you do this kind of work then your audience won’t know.
#5 Community
I’m most excited about this because I’ve seen how powerful creating a community has been for my own profitable brand. The focus in 2019 is all about community and building not only a community of “right-now” buyers but also potential buyers. One of the best things brands can do this year is focusing on the bigger picture and mission of their brand and how they can use that to create a community.
This exact community, through trust, nurturing and consistency, is the community that will engage and buy from you. Building community is not just about the place in which you connect, but HOW you connect, which is why story and vulnerability are important.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Focus on building community through your social media profiles and lead generation. You should always have the next step for your audience on social media (think Instagram, Facebook and Youtube) for people who are interested in being part of your inner circle. Creating Facebook Groups, consistently emailing your list and opening your DM’s are just a few of my favorite ways.
TIP: Community is about YOU showing up, just as much as it is about the size. In fact, I’m going to argue that I’d rather you have an engaged community rather than a BIG community. Focus on showing up for the people you have and building trust there without obsessing over the vanity metrics.
#6 Collaborate
For too long online entrepreneurs have been living in their own little bubble, and I’m 100% guilty of this as anyone else. So often when we get started we are afraid of the “competition,” you know those women online that do what feels like EXACTLY what you do? Well, we’ve entered an exciting time where collaborations are going to move our business forward.
It’s not just about the community you create around your brand, but also the community you create with collaborators. Focusing more on supporting one another in 2019 is where it’s at and once again, you probably see a theme here, it’s all about building trust.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Start looking for friends! Seriously, stop living in your own little bubble and start reaching out to other entrepreneurs and brands you love and look for opportunities to collaborate. If someone you admire is launching a program, think of how you can come in as a guest expert. If someone you admire is amazing at an area of business you don’t feel 100% confident in or isn’t your niche, reach out to see if they will provide a guest training. The possibilities are endless here.
TIP: We’re going a step further at Brandmerry and just simply shouting out women we love. Every Friday I’m sharing women I truly admire on Insta Stories as a way to build deeper relationships and introduce my audience to some really cool women. Think of ways you can create collaborations and community without getting anything in return.
As you can see with Part One and Part Two, there’s a clear underlying theme around building trust online. Your brand is a beautiful way for you to do just that, but it has to be focused on the brand and mission and not just the business.
What do I mean by this? Focusing on the mission and message of your brand is different than the programs and services/products you offer. When you build a brand over just a business, you get to the heart of your audience and therefore build a deeper connection.
Did you love these tips? Head over to Instagram and let me know if you loved this post and which of these tips you’re most interested in integrating.
Find me on Instagram at @brandmerrycoaching.
PART ONE: 6 Marketing Trends For Your Brand in 2019
PART ONE: 6 Marketing Trends For Your Brand in 2019
January 10, 2019
I’m sorry where the heck did 2018 go?! Seriously, can’t believe we are already strong into 2019 with so many exciting things in store for the year ahead. I’m a big nerd and love staying on top of marketing trends and research and thought, what better way to kick of 2019 than with some marketing/ entrepreneur predictions.
I’ve been in business for almost three years now (2.5 of which where I was actually making money) and I’ve got to say I’m so excited for what’s on the horizon in 2019. We’re seeing a massive shift in terms of transparency, relationships and possibilities and it’s one of the coolest times to be an online entrepreneur, educator and course creator.
So to kick off blog #1 of 2019, I’m sharing Part One of 6 Marketing Trends For Your Brand in 2019 with three non-negotiables for brands this year.
#1 StORY
Well, we all know this one is hands down my favorite! Story has always been there, engrained at the core of so many successful brands, but now in 2019, it’s more important than ever. Audiences are looking for deeper audience connection and nothing does that better than personal story. Story builds trust and as Zig Ziglar said, “If people like you they’ll listen and if they trust you they’ll do business with you!”
We’re seeing this increase mostly on platforms like Instagram, where audiences are looking for more storytelling type posts in real time than too much pre-scheduled and generic content.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Start right now in getting clear on what parts of your story will engage your audience. Hint: You’ve really got to know your audience so it doesn’t feel like you’re just writing in your diary. Get clear on what parts of your story resonate most with your audience and start sharing them piece by piece and repeat. You can never share a story too many times, seriously, you should always be on a mission to attract new people and if someone hears it more than once it just drives the message home.
TIP: Include at least one sentence of story in each post, but do your best to work in 2 pieces of a long-form story every single week. An example is while this blog post isn’t focused heavily on story I do mention a few lines in the beginning, then I can use that to expand further on social media to connect with my audience and drive them to this post.
#2 Video
My absolute favorite way to share my message with my audience, hey that’s you, is through video. If you’re not already using video for your business NOW IS THE TIME! Seriously, brands not using video for their business are going to quickly get surpassed by those that are. The shift that we are seeing in 2019 is that it’s not as much about live video, although still super helpful to have in your marketing plan, but more about evergreen options like Youtube, pre-recorded video on Facebook and IGTV.
Audiences are looking for content they can consume on their own time and stuff that doesn’t require an hour to watch!
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Start working video into your content creation strategy with at least one video a month, more if you can. Some of my favorite ways to do it are through Insta Stories, especially if you are just starting out, as a way to invite your audience in and work your way up to a longer video. Utilize Instagram Highlights to keep you important messages there for your audience to rewatch after they expire.
TIP: Shorter videos are performing better, hint why Insta Stories are being watched by over 400 million people and growing. If recording content for Youtube and IGTV videos under 15 minutes tend to perform better.
#3 Consistency
If your goal in 2019 is to create a profitable brand then consistency needs to be your word! Remember that trust quote from above? Well, consistency is needed to stay at the front of mind for your audience and nothing breaks trust like freaking disappearing on your audience.
We’re seeing an increase in themes of the week and consistency in posting so your audience knows when your content will be live. We’ve always released blogs on Thursdays and podcast episodes on Tuesday, but we are taking it a step further in 2019 with Youtube videos, specific days of the week for Facebook content and even themed Insta Stories so my audience knows when to watch (hint it’s Monday and Thursday ;))
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Content calendars are a must in business, but there is no one size fits all approach for everyone. Some of my favorite ways to plan content are through Trello, Google Spreadsheets, and a physical planner. What you want to look for here is a clear schedule of when you will be posting your content (remember consistent days is important) and what you’ll be sharing so you can plan.
TIP: I like to plan my content on paper first and then move it to a digital planner to share with my team. I’m also trying something new this year where I have a specific journal for content ideas, since they're always coming to me, and I can go back and pull from that when needed.
See what I mean an exciting year ahead! Next week I’m sharing Part Two and the final three Marketing Trends For Your Brand in 2019 and trust me you don’t want to miss it. This is what I’m most excited about with the year ahead and can’t wait for you to start doing them too.
Head over to Instagram and let me know if you loved this post and which of the top three you’re most interested in integrating.
Find me on Instagram at @brandmerrycoaching.
The Importance of Consistency and My Top Tricks for Remaining Consistent in Sharing Your Message
The Importance of Consistency and My Top Tricks for Remaining Consistent in Sharing Your Message
10/4/18
Consistency is one of the most important parts of running a business. One of the things I’m super proud of about myself is my ability to be consistent. Since day one, I’ve always shown up, gave value and remained consistent. So I’m really excited to share 5 tips that will help you remain consistent in your own business and why it’s so important.
It takes 7 times for someone to take action on your offer, so if you are wanting to sell something in one week, how many times should you be showing up? Every FREAKING day. That’s why I can’t stress enough the importance of consistency.
I’ve outlined all 5 steps in this blog, but if you want to skip ahead and watch the in-depth training, just scroll down!
1. Stay Inspired
The key to motivation is constantly being excited about what you’re doing, and I think the same goes for inspiration - constantly being excited about what you’re working on. One of the ways I stay excited is because I’m taking the time to get inspired. I give myself time to write and reconnect with my inspiration. It’s so important to come from a place of inspiration rather than desperation.
2. Ask, ask, ask!
Ask your community. Ask the online space. Seriously, if you’re at a loss, just ask your audience what they want! If you are unsure what to talk about when you show up - look around you and see what your audience is asking for!
Post in a group and ask them “What do you need right now?” “What are you currently working on"?” And if you don’t currently have a community of your own, look in other communities. What are people talking about? What are they excited about?
I promise you if you take 10 minutes to look around social media, you will find tons of content ideas to use in your business.
3. Know Your Story Matters
One of the things I hear the most from my clients is that they don’t believe what they have to share matters. They don’t think people will care about their story or what they have to say. They don’t feel worthy.
So you have to know and truly believe that your story matters. You have to be so clear about who your ideal client is and how much value you’re going to give them because that’s who you’re talking to. That’s who matters. I want you to create consistent content that converts, and one of the things that is going to help you is feeling really worthy of your story. You are worthy of people receiving that content from you.
4. Plan, Baby Plan
Please start planning. If consistency is a struggle for you, it’s probably because you’re flying by the seat of your pants. Start getting in the habit of planning out your content and planning out your launches. Planning is so important and it’s going to help you show up consistently because you won’t have to rush at the last minute to get something up and ultimately end up not posting.
My favorite way to plan is with Trello. I encourage my clients to map out launches and content at least 30 days in advance to make sure they are always ahead of the game.
5. Pre-Schedule/Bulk
I’m favorite trick in improving consistency is to bulk schedule my content. Giving yourself a specific time to focus on content and be in your creative zone and a specific time to focus on client work will allow you to remain in an inspired state. On the days you are taking the time to create your content, I also encourage you to take it a step further and schedule your content to post later that week on your social media platforms.
You should not be waking up every day and then deciding what to post that day, that only leads to overwhelm. Creating content the day of should be in addition to the pieces you already have planned so they come from a place of inspiration, rather than a place of “Oh sh*t, I need to post something!”
I promise you, scheduling will change the game when it comes to consistency.
Want more details about my tips around consistency? Watch the video training below!
Head over to my Facebook Page and be sure to like and comment on the video while you are over there to help more people see this information ↠ https://www.facebook.com/brandmerrycoaching/videos/247553189277991/
And as always please share and comment on this blog post, I love connecting with you!
EPISODE 03 | The Power of Story and Public Relations
The Power of Story and Public Relations
Free to Be Podcast | Episode 03
In our first official interview on the Free To Be Podcast I’m excited to share the amazing capsule of knowledge that is Monica Woodhams. Monica is not only a friend, amazing female entrepreneur with years of experience but my own brand publicist.
Monica and I share a deep love for Public Relations (PR) and the power it has to connect people and catapult your message into the spotlight. In today’s episode, we are diving deep into the differences between PR and social media, how to get started sharing your story and what Monica’s journey into entrepreneurship looked like.
She’s ending the episode with a Golden Nugget of inspiration for you and a personal challenge. Trust me this advice will save you years of wondering, living in fear and completely change the way you go after your dreams.
I’m sharing a little life update on my trip to Paris and Iceland and some exciting news on how we can work together to create your life of freedom.
Things we talk about in this episode:
The difference between PR and social media.
The importance of story when it comes to connecting with your audience and getting featured.
What to pitch, even if you're just starting out and have no idea.
The importance of a great pitch and Monica's tips for making it your own.
Monica Woodhams
Monica Woodhams is a publicist and founder of Confessions Media, an agency specializing in strategic lifestyle public relations and podcast management. She's also the host of the Influencer Girl Lifestyle Podcast where she interviews influencers, celebrities and 7-figure business owners with global brands.
As a publicist for entrepreneurs and influencers, her clients are able to increase their visibility so that they are known as the leading experts in their industry.
Monica believes that when lifestyle and branding come together, the stories that her clients tell through podcasting, social media, and publications resonate deeper with their audiences.
CONNECT WITH MONICA
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/therootedbizbabe/
Insta:http://instagram.com/monicawoodhams
Important Links Mentioned in This Episode
Join Your Brand New Adventure in September to Save 70% off + $100 of every purchase benefits The CJ’s Journey Foundation
My must-have skin care when traveling: Lola Jane Naturals
CONNECT WITH ME
Web: brandmerry.com
Instagram: @brandmerrycoaching
Facebook: @brandmerrycoaching
Biz Group: Authentic Brand Builders
LOVE THE FREE TO BE PODCAST?
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