Branding for the People

MakingBank- S3Ep24 with Re Perez

You have an idea. You made a product. You created a service. You might even be making money with it, but who are you? Why are you doing what you’re doing and what problem are you solving in the marketplace? What is your brand?

Taking an idea to fruition is an incredibly difficult task. Making people understand your idea, digest your idea, and want to be a part of it is even harder. At the same time, there are people in the world making A LOT of money hocking inferior products at higher rates. So what’s the deal?

It seems obvious when you view it on a macro scale. There is a reason Apple has been dominating Microsoft in personal tech, and why Nike cornered the market for so long in endorsement deals. Their products aren’t necessarily better, but their brands are symbolic. They have come to represent status and a lifestyle people want to be associated with. So, once again, what is your brand?

You may have the idea, the product, the service, maybe even the marketing and the profits, but to maximize that growth trajectory you need to capitalize on your brand…or build it in the first place. The good news is, no matter where you’re at with your business, it’s not too late!

“Branding is a nonlinear process, and you can absolutely reverse engineer it—no one cares about what you sell, what you make, and what you do. They care about the value you’re bringing to their lives.” So start there—what value are you bringing to peoples lives?

Re Perez gave us three tactics to increase brand value:

 Be Unique. Be Relevant. Be Authentic.

“When you dial in your branding, you don’t have to spend as much, because the brand is doing the work for you.”

Be Unique: This point echoes our “Youtube Marketing Zig Zag” interview with Billy Gene a couple of weeks ago. When the market zigs, you need to zag. See where everyone is going and go the opposite way. Re recommends looking outside of your industry or particular service space for inspiration.

Be Relevant: Solve people’s problems! Impact people’s lives by creating a solution to a problem they face. By answering their questions, recognizing their struggle, and offering a solution, you become a trusted industry source they will go to for results. You are relevant to their experience.

Be Authentic: This one we’ve hit on before, and we will continue to hit on it forever. Tell the truth. People engage with products and services from companies with a reputation for being the “real deal.” This is especially important for entrepreneurs who are carving out their own industry. You need to be the expert trusted source!

By following these three simple tactics you will be well on your way to building a trusted brand, helping more people and increasing your conversions.

Re has tons more of insightful (and free) advice to give. Dig even deeper with Re and brand creation by heading over to www.BrandingForThePeople.com and check out his Resources Page for complimentary ebooks, videos, and to sign up for the newsletter.