Brandmerry Blog Archives
How to Create a Stand Out Brand on Social Media (what you need)
Creating content can be a lot of work, so it’s important that the brand content you are creating not only gets seen but also gets engagement. If you’re ready to start standing out on social media so you can attract a consistent list of paying clients, then today’s blog is for you!
How to Create a Stand Out Brand on Social Media (what you need)
August 7, 2019
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SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH A QUICK VIDEO!
If you've ever wondered how to stand out on social media I've got you covered lady.
I know you want to create a brand that grabs the attention of your audience.
I know you want to create a brand that attracts the right people.
I know you want to create a brand that gets actual engagement.
That’s why in today’s blog I’m sharing what you need to have in place in order to stand out to the right people online. Because, the reality is if you aren’t visible how do you ever expect people to be able to discover you online?
And furthermore if you’re just in it for the likes (more on this in a minute) the odds of you actually attracting paying clients is going to be super slim.
I’ve got 4 tips for your today, but if you want to get 2 more be sure to watch the video below (or if you’re like me and prefer to watch instead of read then scroll down now)!
1. GET OVER YOUR DESIRE TO GO VIRAL
Standing out on social media isn't about just getting likes, it's about quality engagement and sales. You're in the market to build a business, am I right? Then you better focus on the people who are going to buy from you. Drop your desire to achieve vanity metrics and watch how social media becomes more enjoyable!
2. IDENTIFY WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO (I.E. YOUR IDEAL CLIENT)
Your clarity on who your content is for needs to be clear to you in order to be clear to them. If you're trying to appeal to everyone it's hurting your chances of standing out online and therefore attracting your tribe. Get super specific on who you want to attract so you can create content they want to consume.
3. IDENTIFY YOUR BRAND CONTAINERS
Brand Containers are a staple in my coaching and branding strategy. They essentially are 5-7 topics you can talk about in rotation. They touch on different elements of your business, things you enjoy sharing, as well as your values. Using the Brand Containers method allows you to create content your audience is more likely to engage with. What are those 5-7 topics you can talk about in rotation?
If you want more training on Brand Containers you can grab my free guide here: brandmerry.com/contentcalendar
4. WHAT’S YOUR IDEAL CLIENT’S JOURNEY?
Knowing your ideal client’s journey and where you fit in is crucial. You are meant to be the guide for your audience if you ever want them to pay you. At the end of the day, no matter what you sell, you are providing a transformation and the way that you're going to stand out to your audience and become someone that they want to check in on and make sure they don't miss a single thing is by positioning yourself as their guide.
After you've identified your ideal client and you've picked out five to seven brand containers that you can use to rotate content on social media then I want you to get really clear on what stage of the journey your ideal client is in.
Look, we're all working with different people at different stages of their life but one of the things that's really going to allow you to stand out to your audience is positioning yourself as the guide for the specific season that they are currently going through.
I'll give you an example; when I started my business I wanted to work with aspiring female entrepreneurs, more specifically I wanted to work with entrepreneurs who wanted to leave their 9-5. I had just left my 9-5 so I was at a really important part of their own journey where I could talk about building my business while working a 9-5, finally saying goodbye to my 9-5 and the transition into full-time entrepreneur. The more specific you can be on where you fit in to your ideal clients journey the better your engagement will be overall.
I’m sharing Tip #5 and Tip #6 in the video below. Just skip to minute 4:00 in the video below!
Don’t forget to get your hands on my Content Calendar and free training on Brand Containers at brandmerry.com/contentcalendar
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.
5 Tips to Improve Your Website Conversions
Looking to improve your website conversions? Then this blog post is for you! It’s not enough to just attract people to your website we want to keep them engaged. Learn my top tips for improving website conversions and exactly what you need to make sure you don’t lose warm, engaged leads.
5 Tips to Improve Your Website Conversions
July 16, 2019
Want to watch the full video where I shared the 5 tips and so much more? Scroll down to watch instead of read.
Your website can either work for you or against you.
And, I go against the grain a bit in the industry by saying you absolutely do need a website, I mean why wouldn’t you have one? It can work for you in your sleep!
We often talk about funnels working for us on automate, but what about your website.
Today, we are getting the majority of our website traffic from Google, which means free, and therefore are growing my list for free as well.
However, not everyone is focused on this, so today I want to share 5 quick fixes you can use to improve conversions on your website.
1. GRAB ATTENTION RIGHT AWAY
You have 15 seconds to keep someone’s attention on your website. The majority of the people who land on your website will be cold audiences, meaning they don’t know you, so why should they stick around? You’ve got to capture their attention with bold visuals and strong copy right away. Choose photos or videos that speak to how your audience wants to feel and showcases your service, lifestyle or product easily.
2. CLEAR BRAND STATEMENT
This needs to be the first thing people see on your homepage. I like to refer to this as finding your Superpower, and is something I teach in my course You! Branded. What do you want to be known for in your industry and what does it provide your ideal client? For instance, when you land on my home page you see a header that says, “Create a Profitable Brand Through the Power of Story.” My superpower is Story and the benefit is a Profitable Brand.
3. CRYSTAL CLEAR NEXT STEP (WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO?)
This one can evolve based on what you’re promoting or the action you want your audience to take, but you’ve got to give them a next step. Aside from grabbing attention, we also need to chat about keeping it. If you have a clear next step for your audience, they are more likely to take it. This could be a free offer, a link to your blog, a product or service. If people stay on your website longer, it tells Google people like it and increases your odds of converting them into a warm lead.
4. STORY, STORY, STORY
Since this is my Superpower, I couldn’t write a post without including it, could I? The trust is story makes your content 22x more memorable and builds trust quicker that if you don’t include it. Therefore, story elements need to be present in every part of your website. In addition, your ‘About Me’ Page is the second most viewed page on your website. And despite what many people teach I believe this is your opportunity to talk about you. I don’t go to someone’s ‘About Me’ Page to learn about me, I want to hear their story!
One of the most important pieces of writing a strong story is understanding your personal story and how it ties into your brand story. I teach this inside You! Branded. Click to learn more.
5. COHESIVE BRAND MESSAGING
When you start to create your website you’re probably listing out all the pages and then writing each one individually, but this can lead to a break in consistency and therefore a break in trust. We want to create clear brand messaging for your brand as a whole to make sure no matter where people land on your website it matches your brand. I call this Core Brand Messages and it’s one of the modules inside You! Branded.
When you create messaging for your brand as a whole, it allows you to string together your website pages, leading to higher percentage of people staying on your website longer. It’s almost like a journey you’re taking your ideal client on. Think homepage, to story, to blog, to work with me. Having consistent messaging is key.
If you’re ready to take your brand to the next level and create a bold, captivating and money-making brand, I’d love to support you inside You! Branded. When you join by midnight on Thursday, July 18, you’ll receive a fast-action bonus to help you carry your brand into your web design.
You’ll get Websites Made Simple: 4-Page Website Cheatsheet completely free. This bonus includes a website checklist, what pages to include and what you need on each one to increase conversions, plus my Sales Page template.
Join You! Branded now to claim this special bonus.
Want more details about the information above? Watch the video below.
Don’t forget to join us in You! Branded to receive your special limited-time bonus! Learn more and get signed up at youbrandedcourse.com
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.
Where and When to Share Your Brand Story
How often should you share your Brand Story? This is one of the top questions I receive as a Branding Mentor, followed by, “but won’t my audience get annoyed?” In today’s blog, I’m excited to bust this myth + provide you with a bonus audio recording where I’m addressing the underlying issue and fear of annoying your audience.
Where and When to Share Your Brand Story
June 27, 2019
How often should you share your Brand Story?
This is one of the top questions I receive as a Branding Mentor, followed by, “but won’t my audience get annoyed?”
In today’s blog, I’m excited to bust this myth + provide you with a bonus audio recording where I’m addressing the underlying issue and fear of annoying your audience.
Before we dive into today’s post it’s important that you’ve done some work around your Brand Story. You can take my free quiz below where you’ll identify your brand story + how to market it to attract your tribe.
You can also check out this post on How to Identify Your Brand Story and 3 Things You Can’t Miss.
AND, just because I love giving away free gifts - I also have a must-see masterclass where I’m sharing my 3 Steps to Build a Better Brand.
Alright, let’s get into it, starting with some stats!
Did you know that it takes your audience 7 touch points before they are ready to invest in your product or service?
It’s called the Rule of 7 in marketing and it’s one of the most important “rules” you need as an online entrepreneur.
What does this tell us? Just talking about a product or sharing a story one time isn’t enough.
The good news? With the power of social media and the freaking explosion in online marketing, we have like a million avenues to share these stories so they don’t become boring.
And while I could close this blog post right here, because I’m hoping you’re sold on the effectiveness in repetition in marketing, I made a brand new recording just for you so you can finally overcome this fear.
After listening to the audio, be sure to scroll down for a break down on exactly where I would share my Brand Story to get started (hint: it includes 10 different placements)!
The recording you’re about to listen to is part of my brand new show, The Authentic Brand Builders Show. It’s an exclusive weekly show for my private community Authentic Female Entrepreneurs.
EP 01: Getting Over the Fear of Repetitive Storytelling will give you a more thorough explanation of the Rule of 7 and the mindset shifts necessary to show up for your community fully.
Be sure to join Authentic Female Entrepreneurs to catch all the weekly episodes!
10 WAYS TO SHARE YOUR BRAND STORY
Now, you’re ready! You know the power of sharing your story with the world, you’ve identified your story and now it’s time to share it.
Below, I’ve included 10 DIFFERENT places to share your Brand Story as a way to build brand awareness and community. I’ve marked the ones that can be repeated ever 30 days with an *.
On the homepage of your blog (include a small excerpt similar to a social post)
On your About Me/ My Story page (want my tips on this? Click here)
The sidebar or footer of your blog
Social Media post (includes Facebook and Instagram) *
IGTV video
Insta Stories *
As a highlight on your Instagram
Introduction in a Facebook Group *
Youtube video (tied in with your favorite tip within your niche)
Live video (Facebook) *
That’s one freaking story, imagine what you could do if you repeated this over and over again for your most important stories - the ones that share your expertise, relate to your audience and build trust.
Pretty cool stuff, right?
Go forth and share your story and don’t forget to my new masterclass where I’m sharing How to Build a Better Brand!
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.
How to Build an Online Community through Emotional Branding
Social media is fierce! Everyone is basically fighting for attention, so how do you the entrepreneur authentically show up and stand out online? If you want to know the secret to a bold, captivating and money-making brand - one that has you audience wanting more and eager to invest in what you are offering then you need to know all about Emotional Branding and how to use it to build an online community and sign dream clients.
How to Build an Online Community through Emotional Branding
June 19, 2019
PREFER TO WATCH, INSTEAD OF READ? I’VE GOT YOU BOO.
SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH A QUICK VIDEO!
Want to know the secret to a bold, captivating and money-making brand?
One that makes it easier to build an online community of fans who are invested in your brand and has your audience wanting more and eager to invest in what you are offering?
It’s all about Emotional Branding and it’s my secret weapon that has allowed me to create a community of thousands and a 6-figure cash business completely online.
Today I’m sharing:
What emotional branding is and why it’s so powerful
What you need to know in order for it to work effectively online
What the emotions of your brand impact (hint: it’s centered around your marketing and ability to stand out online).
How to go even deeper with my favorite tool and resource that you ALREADY possess.
THE POWER OF EMOTIONAL BRANDING
People buy based on emotion. In fact, a Harvard study reported that, “Emotion is what really drives the purchasing behaviors, and also, decision making in general.”
Emotion is the #1 decision-maker when it comes to making a purchase decision, so if you’re solely focused on the logistics of your offer and aren’t going a level deeper to connect with your audience you’ll miss out every single time.
If your social media posts are falling flat, look at emotion.
If your offers aren’t selling, look at emotion.
If your sales calls aren’t ending in a sale, look at emotion.
It plays a role in everything you create so the first thing you need to do is identify which emotions you want to portray through your brand.
Because by having a strong emotional component to your marketing and selling efforts (i.e. your brand overall) you’ll be able to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones - leading to better conversions and brand loyalty overall.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR IT TO WORK
It might seem easy to just pick 5 words that you want your audience to feel, but there is actually more to it. It’s not just about how YOU want your audience to feel, but also what your audience WANTS to feel.
This is where knowing your audience comes into play. You can do market research around this, in fact I always suggest it, but even just having simple conversations with your ideal client will give you a glimpse into what they desire.
It comes down to desire here - making your audience feel something they WANT. We call this aspirational branding in the industry and it’s the key to branding that attracts and converts your audience into life-long fans.
Think of how your audience wants to feel and then bottle that up into 5 key words. By identifying and connecting to where your audience wants to be, you provide hope for what’s to come, making your brand more magnetic.
This will inspire your next steps - the aesthetics.
WHAT THE EMOTIONS IMPACT
So many entrepreneurs make the mistake in the beginning by focusing on the aesthetics BEFORE they’ve done the story work and identified their brand emotions, but not you right?
But, if you did do it early on and are feeling disconnected from your brand it’s not too late to tie in these tips. Take your emotions and start to select visuals that showcase these feelings. Think the colors, fonts, elements and photos to start.
I have a lot of designer friends and each one of them will tell you that if you come to them with a clear idea of who you are, who your audience is, your key messaging AND how you want your audience to feel, then will be able to deliver a better product in the end.
Aesthetics are just the tip of the iceberg here and will get you comfortable with playing with the deeper level of emotional branding, but we don’t have to stop there.
From the aesthetics we can more into the messaging and content creation of your brand - yep all centered around emotion AND your sales pages (now that’s the fun part)!
When you go the extra step your brand will expand! You’ll stand out on social media, separate yourself from others in your industry and create a community of true fans.
HOW TO GO DEEPER
Another layer of Emotional Branding is the use of story in every single piece of your business. From your brand mission to brand aesthetics to the content you create and the programs you offer, story is the key.
Story allows you to continuously connect with your audience, making them feel seen, heard and understood - which is so important.
And to top it all off, posts with story are 22x more memorable than ones without.
If you want to learn more about identifying your brand story head to this blog here.
JOIN ME for a FREE MASTERCLASS.
The Build a Better Brand Masterclass is for female entrepreneurs ready to stand out on social media, create high-value content and build a community that leads to a revenue-generating business.
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.
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.