February 12, 2024 • 22 mins
Have you ever found yourself standing at the edge of a high dive, toes curled over the precipice, heart pounding? There's that moment, isn't there? The one where you take a deep breath, and with a blend of fear and excitement, you leap into the unknown.
That's entrepreneurship, isn't it?
A series of high dives. And, just like that pivotal jump, the thrill of what lies beneath is worth every heartbeat.
Today, I want to share that thrill with you, the kind of rush that only comes when you find the missing piece of the puzzle - the one element that can propel your business into the stratosphere.
Drumroll, please... It's the launch of Season 2 of the Brilliant Business Beautiful Life Podcast!
To open the season, we're kicking off with what some of the brightest minds in entrepreneurship say is the ONE THING every business owner needs to focus on to have success in 2024.
Imagine having clients lining up, eager to work with you, not just because of what you sell but because of the magnetic pull of your business.
Last year I travelled down to Sydney to learn directly from some amazing business people including Sir Richard Branson and the spirited Jane Lu (founder of Showpo and the Lazy CEO Podcast) what that ONE THING is.
BRANDING! If you’re thinking logo, colours and fonts – think again. It’s so much BIGGER than that!
So, listen in to Episode 31 ‘Brand Like Branson: Entrepreneur Secrets Revealed’ and learn the importance of leveraging the power of BRANDING to transform your business.
Don't leave your business to chance.
This could be the episode that is the catalyst for your next quantum leap.
I'd love to know what you enjoyed about today's episode! Leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram @16thavecreative
Don't forget to subscribe, and tap the bell so you’ll be notified every time a new episode drops. Plus, it would be amazing if you could rate the show and leave a positive review.
Here's a few ways we can help you:
- JOIN THE WAITING LIST FOR START-UP SUCCESS! Build Your Business in 60 Days!
- Ditch Your 9-5! Get Your 9-5 Exit Plan Here!
- Get the Brilliant Business Beautiful Life Playbook Straight to Your Inbox!
- Ultimate Website Content Checklist
- The Framework: Your Brand Voice
- Check out our Services : Squarespace website design, copywriting, & branding
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Samantha Bell (00:04):
Welcome to the Brilliant Business, Beautiful
Life podcast, where we sharesimple, actionable strategies
plus the mindset and wellnesspractices you need to build the
business and life you love.
Head to 16th Ave Creative.
com/ playbook and download yourfree guide to design the
business and life you deserve.
Today I'm your host, SamanthaBell, and this is the Brilliant
(00:27):
Business, Beautiful Life podcast.
Are you ready for the businessand life of your dreams?
Let's get started.
Hello and welcome back to theBrilliant Business, Beautiful
Life podcast.
This is the start of our secondseason, and I can't believe it.
Back in July 2023, I startedthe podcast, and we've got 30
(00:50):
episodes already, and this yearis gearing up to be even better
than last, and I am so excitedto share great new content with
you that is going to help youbuild your beautiful business.
So, if you've been with me fromepisode one, thank you.
I appreciate you so very muchand I'm honoured to be on your
(01:10):
business journey with you.
If you're new here, welcome.
I'm so glad to be spending timewith you and I hope you love
the show.
I'm Samantha Bell, your hostand the founder of 16th Ave
Creative Studio, where wetransform female-led service
businesses around the world intobrilliant brands that are the
(01:31):
only choice for their clients,with our one-stop website design
, copywriting and brand designstudio, and I talk about all
things entrepreneurship,building an online service
business and creating a lifethat you adore.
It's wonderful to have you here, and it would be fabulous, if
you like, and subscribe to thepodcast so that you never miss
(01:54):
an episode.
So are you ready to jump intoseason two?
Let's go.
What is the one thing that isgoing to move your business
forwards in 2024?
What's the overarching herothat will bring you more clients
and sales into your business,and what do you need to do right
now to transform your businessfrom struggling to get clients
(02:18):
from the never-ending famine orfeast income cycle to being
fully booked, having constantrevenue and people lining up to
work with you.
Well, in December 2023, Iheaded to Sydney to find out,
and it was at the business inthe new era, inspire and Succeed
(02:39):
event where I learned from thebest of the best Sir Richard
Branson, founder of the VirginGroup, entrepreneur Ty Lopez,
jane Lu, the founder of Shopoand host of the Lazy CEO podcast
, brittany Saunders, who's thefounder of Fate, the label, and
(02:59):
other hugely successfulentrepreneurs, and today I'm
sharing.
The one thing that they allagree is the key to your success
in 2024.
And it is building your brand.
Businesses that focus onbecoming a brand grow faster,
stronger, more profitable andmore successful than their
(03:23):
competitors.
So what makes up your brand?
I think it's time to ditch theold playbook.
Forget logos, fonts and coloursfor a moment and let's think
big.
Think vision, purpose, passion,personality, relationships,
messaging audience and sellingthe vision these are the
(03:46):
foundational elements that shapea brand that's not just seen
but is felt.
Now, to quote Sir Richard, hesays it is one of the best
advantages a business can have.
Customers relate to brands andthe values they stand for more
than the tangible aspects of aproduct.
(04:06):
Now I get so excited talkingabout branding because it's
where the personality of yourbusiness shines and it gives
people all the good feels thatthey need to want to work with
you.
Now I remember Sir RichardBranson sharing how the edgy,
controversial virgin brand wasvital to his empire's success,
(04:27):
and we can all agree he has apretty hefty empire.
Now it was the raw, edgy and,at that point in history name
that was very controversial,just the name.
He even had to get permissionfrom official channels in the UK
to use Virgin as the namebecause they thought it was
offensive.
(04:48):
It wasn't until he explainedthat for his brand, the word
virgin wasn't about someone whohasn't had the first sexual
encounter, but it was about newexperiences, experimenting and
essentially being completeamateurs.
Then they understood his visionand then they gave him
(05:08):
permission to use the name.
So can you see the power inthat name and the story behind
it?
It connects people.
It gives the message thatanyone can achieve anything.
That's branding, becausebranding is not the assets.
Branding is how you becomerelevant, relatable and
(05:29):
relentlessly sought after, andit's those three things that are
needed for people to feelcomfortable doing business with
you.
Nothing works without branding.
So to use branding to its fullpotential is really helpful if
you can start thinking ofyourself and your business as a
brand, not the business.
(05:50):
That's key.
But is the question peoplealways ask should you build a
personal brand or should youbuild a business brand, and what
is the difference?
So usually personal brands.
They have a far greater reachand higher follower numbers than
a business brand.
The focus of a personal brandis to develop your personal
(06:11):
authority, to develop personaltrust, to share your story, your
journey, how amazing yourexperiences are, and to share
your unique perspective on lifeand on business.
So Richard shared that when hestarted Virgin Atlantic, he
didn't have the financialresources he needed to compete
(06:32):
with those massive, establishedbusinesses with huge marketing
budgets of the big airlines.
So what he had to do was getout there and use himself and
his personal brand to promotethe business brand, and it
worked.
Now Virgin Atlantic is a strongbrand in itself, but it took
(06:54):
leveraging his strong personalbrand in the early days to
achieve that and he's now doingthe same thing with Virgin
Cruises in Australia and excusethe pun, but everyone's getting
on board.
On the other hand, businessbrands have lower reach, fewer
followers yeah, less numbersthan a personal brand and
(07:15):
they're actually harder to buildbecause you're creating the
identity compared to a personalbrand, where you are the
identity.
But business brands serve acritical purpose and this is
where you can share the resultsof the business, the happiness
and transformations of thecustomers in their experience
(07:35):
with you.
Business branding is more highlevel, it's less granular than
the personal branding, but itgives a feeling of safety and
professionalism that consumersneed to buy from businesses,
because they're not buying froma person, they're buying from an
establishment Now a big benefitof a business brand is that it
(07:56):
will outlive you, the founder.
It's bigger than you.
It's bigger than the individualBusiness brands have the power
to allow you, as the founder, tostep away from the business.
So, just for an example, imagineyou've achieved what you want
to do with the business andyou've decided it's time to bow
(08:17):
out.
Now you don't want to justclose it down.
You've got an asset that youwould like to sell.
Well, you can do that with abusiness brand, but you can't do
that with a personal brand.
And a business brand also givesyou the opportunity to expand
with sub brands and build yourempire in other directions, but
they're all linked up to themain brand.
(08:39):
So understanding thisdifference makes it much easier
for you to focus on those eightelements I mentioned earlier
Vision, purpose, passion,personality, relationships,
messaging your audience andselling the vision when
formulating your brand anddeciding which model is right
(08:59):
for you.
Now many businesses use bothside by side, just like Richard
Branson does, as the personalbrand props up the business
brand and helps it get moreattention and visibility,
especially in those early days.
A great starting point to decidewhether you should focus on
personal branding or businessbranding is your business name.
(09:23):
What have you called yourbusiness?
If you've got a business name,like, for example, mine is
called 16th Ab Creative Studio,it's a business name, so my
branding would start withbranding my business.
However, if you are using yourpersonal name, you would start
with.
Personal branding Makes sense,right, and you can always switch
(09:44):
gears or combine the twofurther down the track.
The important thing is to getstarted with your branding ASAP,
right now.
So, once you've selected whichtype of branding is the best for
you in your business and allthe presenters said the same
thing at the event it must beauthentic.
It must be linked strongly toyour why, to your personality
(10:08):
and to your vision.
These are the factors thatcreate amazing brands.
Branding is all about theexperience your clients and
customers have with you, and thebetter the perceived experience
, the more valuable the business, which means you can charge
higher prices and have theopportunity to work with higher
(10:29):
quality clients, because priceand quality they go hand in hand
, and strategic branding allowsyou that.
It affords you that opportunity, it gives people confidence in
you, in what you offer, and itgives the impression of people
being part of something biggerthan themselves, which is super
critical in times like these,where many people today are
(10:53):
feeling disconnected from theworld around them.
It creates an opportunity forconnection.
Another thing great brandingcan do is to help recession
proof your business.
Think about when differentcountries go into a recession.
Quite often it's the smallerstartup businesses, unknowns,
(11:13):
less expensive brands thatsuffer or go out of business,
while it's the well-established,well-loved or high quality
brands that tend to just sailthrough relatively unscathed.
So have a think about big globalbrands like Koch, nike, porsche
, chanel.
Have they folded in a recession?
(11:34):
No, some big brands do, butthey're much less likely to.
Why?
Because people and businesseswith money with a big brand,
they still trade, they stillspend money, even during
recessions, and quite often theyleverage the recession to grow
(11:55):
their business even further.
They might buy more smallerbusinesses that are going bust.
They might use that opportunityto get into markets where
smaller businesses have failedand unfortunately had to close
their doors.
So they have that opportunityto leverage the recession
because, as I said, people andbusinesses with money and great
(12:18):
branding, they still trade andspend, even during recessions.
Obviously, I've used those largeglobal brands as an example,
but have a think about thenational brands in your country.
It's the same story.
Quality brands can withstandthe external challenges they
face far more strongly thantheir smaller competitors.
(12:41):
Strong brands are resilient.
Weak brands fold and fail.
Now, on the day BrittanySaunders, the founder of FATE,
the label, she gave an awesomepresentation.
She was so enthusiastic andpassionate and that's what she
brings to her brand.
And she said your businessshould be a brand, not a product
(13:04):
.
And what stood out for mepersonally with both Brittany
and Jane Lu, the founder ofShopo, was that joy and the
passion they have for theirbusiness and I think they've
done a really excellent job ofincorporating that into their
brands.
And it comes back to thatrelatability piece.
When you are crystal clear onyour vision and your mission and
(13:27):
your why, everything needs tocome back to that deep why.
It makes translating theintangible intotangible.
It makes it easy to createdistinct brand elements that are
part of your brand in anauthentic process, especially
when your why is your drivingfocus.
(13:49):
You've also got to think longterm.
You've got to be consistent andbe genuinely yourself and be
fearless.
Give people something toconnect with that feels valuable
.
And if you're being fearlessly,genuinely you, who is true to
your vision and your why, that'swhat you're giving people.
(14:10):
You're giving someone somethingto connect with, something
that's going to speak to them ona personal level and that is
going to make them align withyour brand.
It's crucial.
So branding is creating thatvaluable identity of your
business, and it does includeyour branding assets, like your
(14:32):
tagline, your tone of voice, thevisual design elements like
your colors and your fonts andyour imagery and, of course,
your logo.
But that's not the wholepicture.
Your brand is your entirebusiness, every aspect, online
and offline.
So what does that mean?
It means your branding iseverything.
(14:56):
It's your conversations on thephone, it's your conversations
face to face at networkingevents.
It's your emails, it's yourwebsite, it's your content,
social media, print material,your blogs, podcasts, webinars,
services, products, packaging,everything.
It's all your brand.
(15:17):
So it's natural that they allmust be deeply connected.
They must be purposeful andaligned to your mission, your
vision and your why.
So if you think of your brandingin these terms, it becomes very
clear, crystal clear, that oneof the most important aspects of
(15:40):
your business is branding, andif you don't leverage that, you
could be missing out on workingwith some amazing clients and
increasing your profits.
If you don't give your brandingthe attention it deserves, and
you don't want to leave money onthe table, do you, I mean?
But that's exactly what you doif you create a business but
(16:05):
don't create a unique, strong,professional, holistic,
hellozust brand.
Now remember businesses thatfocus on becoming a brand.
They grow faster, stronger andmore profitable and more
successful than theircompetitors, and it's so
exciting for me when I see myclients embrace this light bulb
(16:28):
moment.
For female entrepreneurs inparticular, I feel that branding
allows them a freedom.
It gives them permission tostep outside of their
insecurities, that well-knownimposter syndrome we all
struggle with and doubts becauseof the shift in focus.
Instead of focusing on theirinsecurities and what will
(16:52):
people think because they'rethinking about themselves rather
, they start focusing on thebrand, which empowers them to
act like the CEO in theirbusiness and they make better
decisions, they take risks andthey get things done, rather
than procrastinating becausethey're bound by the shackles of
(17:12):
fear around their personalinsecurities.
It's a powerful mindset shift.
It's a tremendous shift inmindset.
Branding is potent empowermentand it's how you become
remembered, revered andrelentlessly sought after.
But how do you know if yourbranding is potent?
(17:33):
You need to do some things.
You need to have a good look atyour whole business and
identify areas where your brandcan shine brighter.
And is it being consistent?
Are you using it absolutelyeverywhere, even in your phone
conversations with clients orface-to-face in networking
events?
(17:53):
Are you using it everywhere?
Are you connecting with youraudience?
Does your brand reflect yourvision's value, your impact?
Is it unique?
Is it instantly recognizable,is it trustworthy and look
really professional, or does itlook DIY?
Did you do it yourself a fewyears ago and it's been serving
(18:14):
you okay, so you've just left itthere.
You really need to have a goodlook at those things.
And then you've got toincorporate branding strategies
into your business that enhanceyour online and offline
activities.
So how do you do that?
Well, I think the first step isa little bit of self-discovery
(18:35):
with a fun branding quiz.
It's a really quick way to seewhere you shine and where you
can use a little polish to spicethings up a little, and, who
knows, you might just find theinspiration you need to kick
things up a notch.
I have created a very specialfree quiz that's going to give
you the answer to how strongyour brand is and give you some
(18:58):
personalized feedback on whatyou can do to improve your
branding.
It takes two minutes, it'scompletely free and you get your
results instantly.
It's the supercharge yourbusiness with a magnetic online
presence quiz, and you can takethe quiz right now at my website
, 16thappcreativecom, or slashonline dash presence dash quiz,
(19:20):
and I'll pop the link below inthe show notes for you as well.
So it's a really great startingpoint to help you uncover your
branding strengths and learnyour weaknesses so that you can
build or improve a potent brand.
And if you do have a potentbrand already, congratulations.
But there's always more you cando to make it even more
(19:43):
impactful.
So take the quiz and check outhow potent your branding is.
Well, there you have it.
The one thing you need totransform your business in 2024
is brilliant branding.
It's what all the amazingentrepreneurs from business in
the new era couldn't stoptalking about, because, when
(20:05):
done right, branding injectsyour vision and personality into
every corner of your business.
It's what makes clients flockto you, not just for what you
sell, but for the uniqueexperience they will have with
you.
It's about Sir Richard Bransonturning a controversial name
(20:26):
into an emblem of innovation andexperience.
It's about entrepreneurs likeBrittany Saunders and Jane Lou,
who infuse their passion intotheir brand and makes them shine
.
Your brand is your promise toyour customer.
It's what makes youunmistakably you.
(20:49):
So as you gear up to make yourmark in 2024, remember that
branding is how you becomerelevant, relatable and
relentlessly sought after.
So you can have a business thatearns you premium pricing and
create a legacy that outlivesyou.
(21:10):
So dive into the brandingjourney.
Take the free quiz to gauge yourbrand's strength and if you
feel like chatting about it, I'mjust a Zoom call away.
You can always book a free callwith me.
So let's harness the power ofbranding and turn your business
into the success story that youknow it can be.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
(21:30):
Don't forget to subscribe andremember stay brilliant, stay
beautiful, and I'll see you nextweek.
Thanks so much for listening.
I'd love to know your biggesttakeaway from today's episode,
so leave me a comment below orsend a DM on Instagram.
(21:52):
If you enjoyed this episode,hit the subscribe button
wherever you listen to theBrilliant Business, Beautiful
Life podcast and feel free toshare it with someone else
who'll love it too.
I look forward to seeing youfor the next episode and
remember the time is now foryour Brilliant Business and the
beautiful life you adore.
Welcome to the Brilliant Business, Beautiful
Life podcast, where we sharesimple, actionable strategies
plus the mindset and wellnesspractices you need to build the
business and life you love.
Head to 16th Ave Creative.
com/ playbook and download yourfree guide to design the
business and life you deserve.
Today I'm your host, SamanthaBell, and this is the Brilliant
(00:27):
Business, Beautiful Life podcast.
Are you ready for the businessand life of your dreams?
Let's get started.
Hello and welcome back to theBrilliant Business, Beautiful
Life podcast.
This is the start of our secondseason, and I can't believe it.
Back in July 2023, I startedthe podcast, and we've got 30
(00:50):
episodes already, and this yearis gearing up to be even better
than last, and I am so excitedto share great new content with
you that is going to help youbuild your beautiful business.
So, if you've been with me fromepisode one, thank you.
I appreciate you so very muchand I'm honoured to be on your
(01:10):
business journey with you.
If you're new here, welcome.
I'm so glad to be spending timewith you and I hope you love
the show.
I'm Samantha Bell, your hostand the founder of 16th Ave
Creative Studio, where wetransform female-led service
businesses around the world intobrilliant brands that are the
(01:31):
only choice for their clients,with our one-stop website design
, copywriting and brand designstudio, and I talk about all
things entrepreneurship,building an online service
business and creating a lifethat you adore.
It's wonderful to have you here, and it would be fabulous, if
you like, and subscribe to thepodcast so that you never miss
(01:54):
an episode.
So are you ready to jump intoseason two?
Let's go.
What is the one thing that isgoing to move your business
forwards in 2024?
What's the overarching herothat will bring you more clients
and sales into your business,and what do you need to do right
now to transform your businessfrom struggling to get clients
(02:18):
from the never-ending famine orfeast income cycle to being
fully booked, having constantrevenue and people lining up to
work with you.
Well, in December 2023, Iheaded to Sydney to find out,
and it was at the business inthe new era, inspire and Succeed
(02:39):
event where I learned from thebest of the best Sir Richard
Branson, founder of the VirginGroup, entrepreneur Ty Lopez,
jane Lu, the founder of Shopoand host of the Lazy CEO podcast
, brittany Saunders, who's thefounder of Fate, the label, and
(02:59):
other hugely successfulentrepreneurs, and today I'm
sharing.
The one thing that they allagree is the key to your success
in 2024.
And it is building your brand.
Businesses that focus onbecoming a brand grow faster,
stronger, more profitable andmore successful than their
(03:23):
competitors.
So what makes up your brand?
I think it's time to ditch theold playbook.
Forget logos, fonts and coloursfor a moment and let's think
big.
Think vision, purpose, passion,personality, relationships,
messaging audience and sellingthe vision these are the
(03:46):
foundational elements that shapea brand that's not just seen
but is felt.
Now, to quote Sir Richard, hesays it is one of the best
advantages a business can have.
Customers relate to brands andthe values they stand for more
than the tangible aspects of aproduct.
(04:06):
Now I get so excited talkingabout branding because it's
where the personality of yourbusiness shines and it gives
people all the good feels thatthey need to want to work with
you.
Now I remember Sir RichardBranson sharing how the edgy,
controversial virgin brand wasvital to his empire's success,
(04:27):
and we can all agree he has apretty hefty empire.
Now it was the raw, edgy and,at that point in history name
that was very controversial,just the name.
He even had to get permissionfrom official channels in the UK
to use Virgin as the namebecause they thought it was
offensive.
(04:48):
It wasn't until he explainedthat for his brand, the word
virgin wasn't about someone whohasn't had the first sexual
encounter, but it was about newexperiences, experimenting and
essentially being completeamateurs.
Then they understood his visionand then they gave him
(05:08):
permission to use the name.
So can you see the power inthat name and the story behind
it?
It connects people.
It gives the message thatanyone can achieve anything.
That's branding, becausebranding is not the assets.
Branding is how you becomerelevant, relatable and
(05:29):
relentlessly sought after, andit's those three things that are
needed for people to feelcomfortable doing business with
you.
Nothing works without branding.
So to use branding to its fullpotential is really helpful if
you can start thinking ofyourself and your business as a
brand, not the business.
(05:50):
That's key.
But is the question peoplealways ask should you build a
personal brand or should youbuild a business brand, and what
is the difference?
So usually personal brands.
They have a far greater reachand higher follower numbers than
a business brand.
The focus of a personal brandis to develop your personal
(06:11):
authority, to develop personaltrust, to share your story, your
journey, how amazing yourexperiences are, and to share
your unique perspective on lifeand on business.
So Richard shared that when hestarted Virgin Atlantic, he
didn't have the financialresources he needed to compete
(06:32):
with those massive, establishedbusinesses with huge marketing
budgets of the big airlines.
So what he had to do was getout there and use himself and
his personal brand to promotethe business brand, and it
worked.
Now Virgin Atlantic is a strongbrand in itself, but it took
(06:54):
leveraging his strong personalbrand in the early days to
achieve that and he's now doingthe same thing with Virgin
Cruises in Australia and excusethe pun, but everyone's getting
on board.
On the other hand, businessbrands have lower reach, fewer
followers yeah, less numbersthan a personal brand and
(07:15):
they're actually harder to buildbecause you're creating the
identity compared to a personalbrand, where you are the
identity.
But business brands serve acritical purpose and this is
where you can share the resultsof the business, the happiness
and transformations of thecustomers in their experience
(07:35):
with you.
Business branding is more highlevel, it's less granular than
the personal branding, but itgives a feeling of safety and
professionalism that consumersneed to buy from businesses,
because they're not buying froma person, they're buying from an
establishment Now a big benefitof a business brand is that it
(07:56):
will outlive you, the founder.
It's bigger than you.
It's bigger than the individualBusiness brands have the power
to allow you, as the founder, tostep away from the business.
So, just for an example, imagineyou've achieved what you want
to do with the business andyou've decided it's time to bow
(08:17):
out.
Now you don't want to justclose it down.
You've got an asset that youwould like to sell.
Well, you can do that with abusiness brand, but you can't do
that with a personal brand.
And a business brand also givesyou the opportunity to expand
with sub brands and build yourempire in other directions, but
they're all linked up to themain brand.
(08:39):
So understanding thisdifference makes it much easier
for you to focus on those eightelements I mentioned earlier
Vision, purpose, passion,personality, relationships,
messaging your audience andselling the vision when
formulating your brand anddeciding which model is right
(08:59):
for you.
Now many businesses use bothside by side, just like Richard
Branson does, as the personalbrand props up the business
brand and helps it get moreattention and visibility,
especially in those early days.
A great starting point to decidewhether you should focus on
personal branding or businessbranding is your business name.
(09:23):
What have you called yourbusiness?
If you've got a business name,like, for example, mine is
called 16th Ab Creative Studio,it's a business name, so my
branding would start withbranding my business.
However, if you are using yourpersonal name, you would start
with.
Personal branding Makes sense,right, and you can always switch
(09:44):
gears or combine the twofurther down the track.
The important thing is to getstarted with your branding ASAP,
right now.
So, once you've selected whichtype of branding is the best for
you in your business and allthe presenters said the same
thing at the event it must beauthentic.
It must be linked strongly toyour why, to your personality
(10:08):
and to your vision.
These are the factors thatcreate amazing brands.
Branding is all about theexperience your clients and
customers have with you, and thebetter the perceived experience
, the more valuable the business, which means you can charge
higher prices and have theopportunity to work with higher
(10:29):
quality clients, because priceand quality they go hand in hand
, and strategic branding allowsyou that.
It affords you that opportunity, it gives people confidence in
you, in what you offer, and itgives the impression of people
being part of something biggerthan themselves, which is super
critical in times like these,where many people today are
(10:53):
feeling disconnected from theworld around them.
It creates an opportunity forconnection.
Another thing great brandingcan do is to help recession
proof your business.
Think about when differentcountries go into a recession.
Quite often it's the smallerstartup businesses, unknowns,
(11:13):
less expensive brands thatsuffer or go out of business,
while it's the well-established,well-loved or high quality
brands that tend to just sailthrough relatively unscathed.
So have a think about big globalbrands like Koch, nike, porsche
, chanel.
Have they folded in a recession?
(11:34):
No, some big brands do, butthey're much less likely to.
Why?
Because people and businesseswith money with a big brand,
they still trade, they stillspend money, even during
recessions, and quite often theyleverage the recession to grow
(11:55):
their business even further.
They might buy more smallerbusinesses that are going bust.
They might use that opportunityto get into markets where
smaller businesses have failedand unfortunately had to close
their doors.
So they have that opportunityto leverage the recession
because, as I said, people andbusinesses with money and great
(12:18):
branding, they still trade andspend, even during recessions.
Obviously, I've used those largeglobal brands as an example,
but have a think about thenational brands in your country.
It's the same story.
Quality brands can withstandthe external challenges they
face far more strongly thantheir smaller competitors.
(12:41):
Strong brands are resilient.
Weak brands fold and fail.
Now, on the day BrittanySaunders, the founder of FATE,
the label, she gave an awesomepresentation.
She was so enthusiastic andpassionate and that's what she
brings to her brand.
And she said your businessshould be a brand, not a product
(13:04):
.
And what stood out for mepersonally with both Brittany
and Jane Lu, the founder ofShopo, was that joy and the
passion they have for theirbusiness and I think they've
done a really excellent job ofincorporating that into their
brands.
And it comes back to thatrelatability piece.
When you are crystal clear onyour vision and your mission and
(13:27):
your why, everything needs tocome back to that deep why.
It makes translating theintangible intotangible.
It makes it easy to createdistinct brand elements that are
part of your brand in anauthentic process, especially
when your why is your drivingfocus.
(13:49):
You've also got to think longterm.
You've got to be consistent andbe genuinely yourself and be
fearless.
Give people something toconnect with that feels valuable
.
And if you're being fearlessly,genuinely you, who is true to
your vision and your why, that'swhat you're giving people.
(14:10):
You're giving someone somethingto connect with, something
that's going to speak to them ona personal level and that is
going to make them align withyour brand.
It's crucial.
So branding is creating thatvaluable identity of your
business, and it does includeyour branding assets, like your
(14:32):
tagline, your tone of voice, thevisual design elements like
your colors and your fonts andyour imagery and, of course,
your logo.
But that's not the wholepicture.
Your brand is your entirebusiness, every aspect, online
and offline.
So what does that mean?
It means your branding iseverything.
(14:56):
It's your conversations on thephone, it's your conversations
face to face at networkingevents.
It's your emails, it's yourwebsite, it's your content,
social media, print material,your blogs, podcasts, webinars,
services, products, packaging,everything.
It's all your brand.
(15:17):
So it's natural that they allmust be deeply connected.
They must be purposeful andaligned to your mission, your
vision and your why.
So if you think of your brandingin these terms, it becomes very
clear, crystal clear, that oneof the most important aspects of
(15:40):
your business is branding, andif you don't leverage that, you
could be missing out on workingwith some amazing clients and
increasing your profits.
If you don't give your brandingthe attention it deserves, and
you don't want to leave money onthe table, do you, I mean?
But that's exactly what you doif you create a business but
(16:05):
don't create a unique, strong,professional, holistic,
hellozust brand.
Now remember businesses thatfocus on becoming a brand.
They grow faster, stronger andmore profitable and more
successful than theircompetitors, and it's so
exciting for me when I see myclients embrace this light bulb
(16:28):
moment.
For female entrepreneurs inparticular, I feel that branding
allows them a freedom.
It gives them permission tostep outside of their
insecurities, that well-knownimposter syndrome we all
struggle with and doubts becauseof the shift in focus.
Instead of focusing on theirinsecurities and what will
(16:52):
people think because they'rethinking about themselves rather
, they start focusing on thebrand, which empowers them to
act like the CEO in theirbusiness and they make better
decisions, they take risks andthey get things done, rather
than procrastinating becausethey're bound by the shackles of
(17:12):
fear around their personalinsecurities.
It's a powerful mindset shift.
It's a tremendous shift inmindset.
Branding is potent empowermentand it's how you become
remembered, revered andrelentlessly sought after.
But how do you know if yourbranding is potent?
(17:33):
You need to do some things.
You need to have a good look atyour whole business and
identify areas where your brandcan shine brighter.
And is it being consistent?
Are you using it absolutelyeverywhere, even in your phone
conversations with clients orface-to-face in networking
events?
(17:53):
Are you using it everywhere?
Are you connecting with youraudience?
Does your brand reflect yourvision's value, your impact?
Is it unique?
Is it instantly recognizable,is it trustworthy and look
really professional, or does itlook DIY?
Did you do it yourself a fewyears ago and it's been serving
(18:14):
you okay, so you've just left itthere.
You really need to have a goodlook at those things.
And then you've got toincorporate branding strategies
into your business that enhanceyour online and offline
activities.
So how do you do that?
Well, I think the first step isa little bit of self-discovery
(18:35):
with a fun branding quiz.
It's a really quick way to seewhere you shine and where you
can use a little polish to spicethings up a little, and, who
knows, you might just find theinspiration you need to kick
things up a notch.
I have created a very specialfree quiz that's going to give
you the answer to how strongyour brand is and give you some
(18:58):
personalized feedback on whatyou can do to improve your
branding.
It takes two minutes, it'scompletely free and you get your
results instantly.
It's the supercharge yourbusiness with a magnetic online
presence quiz, and you can takethe quiz right now at my website
, 16thappcreativecom, or slashonline dash presence dash quiz,
(19:20):
and I'll pop the link below inthe show notes for you as well.
So it's a really great startingpoint to help you uncover your
branding strengths and learnyour weaknesses so that you can
build or improve a potent brand.
And if you do have a potentbrand already, congratulations.
But there's always more you cando to make it even more
(19:43):
impactful.
So take the quiz and check outhow potent your branding is.
Well, there you have it.
The one thing you need totransform your business in 2024
is brilliant branding.
It's what all the amazingentrepreneurs from business in
the new era couldn't stoptalking about, because, when
(20:05):
done right, branding injectsyour vision and personality into
every corner of your business.
It's what makes clients flockto you, not just for what you
sell, but for the uniqueexperience they will have with
you.
It's about Sir Richard Bransonturning a controversial name
(20:26):
into an emblem of innovation andexperience.
It's about entrepreneurs likeBrittany Saunders and Jane Lou,
who infuse their passion intotheir brand and makes them shine
.
Your brand is your promise toyour customer.
It's what makes youunmistakably you.
(20:49):
So as you gear up to make yourmark in 2024, remember that
branding is how you becomerelevant, relatable and
relentlessly sought after.
So you can have a business thatearns you premium pricing and
create a legacy that outlivesyou.
(21:10):
So dive into the brandingjourney.
Take the free quiz to gauge yourbrand's strength and if you
feel like chatting about it, I'mjust a Zoom call away.
You can always book a free callwith me.
So let's harness the power ofbranding and turn your business
into the success story that youknow it can be.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
(21:30):
Don't forget to subscribe andremember stay brilliant, stay
beautiful, and I'll see you nextweek.
Thanks so much for listening.
I'd love to know your biggesttakeaway from today's episode,
so leave me a comment below orsend a DM on Instagram.
(21:52):
If you enjoyed this episode,hit the subscribe button
wherever you listen to theBrilliant Business, Beautiful
Life podcast and feel free toshare it with someone else
who'll love it too.
I look forward to seeing youfor the next episode and
remember the time is now foryour Brilliant Business and the
beautiful life you adore.
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