Brandmerry Blog Archives
Three Key Pieces to Sell Anything (yes, even a house)!
Three Key Pieces to Sell Anything
(yes, even a house)!
January 27, 2019
Using the Brand Foundations, just 3 key pieces, I believe you can sell anything. I’ve used this framework to scale my own business to six-figures selling services and helping my clients sell services and products.
I really put my Brand Foundations to the test when selling our home and watched as our home was sold in just 48 hours! Crazy, I know!
I wanted to walk you through the exact process I used, while selling our house, to further explain the Brand Foundations and how you can use it in your own business.
Watch the full video below ↡ ↡
IMPORTANT TIME STAMPS
2:12 - Life update and back story on me and my journey
5:41 - Brand Foundation #1
9:14 - "We knew this was for a specific market and we marketed it that way, by doing that we separated ourselves from every other house in the industry."
10:30 - Brand Foundation #2
15:02 - Brand Foundation #3
16:15 - "It's basically saying our house is like every house on the market, you should definitely make it a priority to check it out - How many times have you done that with your content?"
19:20 - Struggle with specific messaging? Watch this!
21:37 - Spots open for 1:1 support for 30 days
25:30 - Bonus!
I love sharing tips and tools on Facebook and Instagram Live to help you create your profitable brand. I don’t want you to miss a thing…sign up for notifications here ↠
And as always please share and comment on this blog post, I love connecting with you!
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.
3 Fundamentals of a Profitable and Successful Online Business
3 Fundamentals of a Profitable and Successful Online Business
9/20/18
I was recently in Paris for a week for a mastermind experience, so today I wanted to share some of my top takeaways from the experience. I want you all to be able to use these important pieces of information as well so you can scale your business and grow your influence.
I’ve made it super easy for you to consume these powerful three steps by either reading through them below or watching the live stream below (hint: I give away way more detail in the video #justsayin).
1. Importance of Forward-Thinking
It’s time to stop planning for just the day or week ahead and start focusing on the big picture. I know that sometimes it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the small steps or wonder if they are working. Trust me they are. Those small steps lead us to the big picture and it’s all part of the process.
To make the small steps easier, you need to make sure you’re really clear on what your big picture vision for your brand and business looks like. It’s important to test the waters and tweak what isn’t working, again focusing on the big picture.
With everyone doing the same thing, how can you think ahead?
How can you try something not many people are doing just yet and go outside the norm?
These are questions you need to be thinking about on a regular basis to keep moving your business forward and no longer playing small.
2. It’s About Creating More Than a Business
When coaches, mentors, consultants, etc… all sound the same it’s SO important to be different.
What is your IT factor?
What is your audience coming to you for advice on?
How are you going to stand out?
Decide if this is your end or your beginning? For many of you I hope this is your beginning, that you’re using this business to continue to grow into something BIGGER. If so, then start making strides forward and doing things that move you towards the end result; this includes having a strong personal brand to support the evolution and growth.
It’s important to create a brand around you, so it can grow and evolve as your business does, while also creating a complete experience for your audience. Your audience is human and so are you, it’s time to start focusing on all the layers that make up your brand, rather than just what you’re selling.
3. You Need Community
You can’t do it alone and you need other women to help you fill your cup. It’s important to be part of a group program or a mastermind if it’s available to you to inspire and collaborate together on ideas. I absolutely loved my mastermind group and all of the women completely inspired me to do bigger and better things this year.
My favorite thing about having a community of like-minded women is to candidly talk about life and business and be honest. Accountability is huge. You have it from a mentor yes, but having it from a colleague is HUGE.
And to top it off, having a community to lean on and going to events is just freaking FUN!!!! I had so much fun in Paris, but one thing it made me realize was how I always wanted to do this myself. I have always wanted to bring together a group of women to do this with, so that’s what I’m doing.
If having a community, accountability, FUN and mentorship from me sounds like something you would love, I encourage you to reach out.
If you’re not ready for a high level mastermind just yet, Roadmap to Freedom will be opening soon, and you can get on the waitlist now to be notified when that happens. Learn more >>
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/310512049504029/
And as always please share and comment on this blog post, I love connecting with you!
How to Easily Create Content that Sells for Your Brand
How to easily create content that sells for your brand
09/13/18
Creating content that leads to instant audience connection and more sales in your business can feel overwhelming, scary and hard. I get it lady. Before I implemented what I like to call “my secret weapon” for creating seamless content creation, I was also feeling completely burnt out when it came to creating content. Today I’m sharing with you 4 tips to ditching that overwhelm and creating content with ease.
1. Write when you feel inspired
I know for me, sudden bursts of inspiration come out of nowhere. When that happens, it’s so important you write it down or take a voice memo on your phone of the thoughts you are having. How many times have you had an idea, waited until you were ready to write a post and then completely forgot the amazingness that you came up with earlier? I don’t want that to happen to you, so when you feel inspired to write a post or have an idea for content, take a minute to get your thoughts out on paper or in a voice memo and then go back to what you’re doing. Then, each week have a time blocked out for creating content and go back through your notes and voice recordings so you can feel re-inspired and ready to write!
2. Create Brand Containers
I love brand containers! They have helped me tremendously when it comes to creating content for my brand. They’re basically a way to group and organize your content into the different facets of your brand.
If you want to identify and create your own brand containers with me, I’m hosting a free workshop where you’ll walk away with 5 brand containers you can start using right away to build momentum, reliability and buzz around your brand and business. I’ve hosted this virtual workshop before, and it’s always so fun to see everyone excited about creating content! Sign up here >>
3. Get Organized
Organize your content into an easy to use content calendar, so you know what your focus is depending on the week, month, quarter - even year. This allows you to plan your content around course launches, promotions, features and more!
4. Recycle, Repurpose and Reuse
You don’t have to take a one and done approach to content. Content can easily be recycled, repurposed and reused. This is super helpful because you don’t always have to be reinventing the wheel when it comes to your content. Plus, those pesky algorithms make it almost a requirement to recycle your content if you want the majority of your followers to actually see it!
Recycle
I love to use SmarterQueue* to recycle my blog posts, Youtube videos, Podcasts and more so that content is always going out and my Facebook Business Page basically runs on automate!
Repurpose
Go live on your Facebook page? Turn it into a blog post. Write a blog post? Break it down into smaller social media posts. There are so many ways you can repurpose content. One content piece can be showcased in different ways across multiple platforms to benefit as many people as possible.
Reuse
Look back at posts from awhile ago and reuse the posts that performed really well. No one is going to notice if you posted that same exact thing 8 months ago - and if they do, they must really like your stuff, so they won’t care to see it again!
Don’t forget to sign up for my free workshop
How to Create Seamless Content Creation That Leads to Instant Audience Connection and More Sales >>
And as always please share and comment on this blog post, I love connecting with you!
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