The Bare Minimum You Need For A Brand

When I say the word "brand" people often cringe. It's such an ambiguous word and can mean so many different things. Brands are also perceived to be very complex. After all, doesn't one major soft drink company spends millions per year on building their brand? How can a coach or solopreneur expect to build a brand on their shoe string budgets.

The answer is that, you don't need to spend money at all. One major soft drink company is spending millions per year on building brand recognition on an international scale. They are targeting everyone in America (and the world for that matter) that is thirsty and they want their products to be picked over all other choices and generate billions of dollars. That's a pretty hefty order.

On the other hand as a coach, you only need to reach a small number of the right people in order to have the business of your dreams. So while I totally encourage you to think big and play even bigger - I don't think you need to have a major soft drink company's mindset when it comes to branding.

So what is the bare minimum that YOU need to have a brand?

Surprisingly it's not a logo, a website, or even a tagline. All you need is a pulse. OK, a little more than that. You need a personality, which is something we're all born with.

You see, a brand is nothing more than a perception of a company. It's what they are recognized and known for. A good brand tells you what a company stands for and why you should hire them.

What is more representative of your business than you?

You are the backbone of your business, which means you are the best representation of your brand out there. Everything in your business revolves around your unique personality and who you are.

Here are some ways you can express your personality in your business:

1. Your message is a vital piece of why someone should choose you over another coach. Trust is a big part of the decision to hire someone and if a prospect resonates with your message and why you do what you do then why would they hire anyone else?

2. Your visual brand is a wonderful place to have fun and express yourself. From using colors that you love to putting your headshot up front and center (even if it makes you uncomfortable) it's the simple things that go a long way to helping someone experience your brand and get to know you. Not only will they trust you more - you'll also stand out as unique because no one else is quite like you.

3. Your marketing is all about personality and creating brand visibility. Your marketing is the part of your brand that people experience before they even see your website let alone talk with you. Whether it be an article you post on Linked In or a quote you put on Facebook you are expressing your unique point of view and people create perceptions about you. And as I said before, a brand is nothing more than a perception. You could be really terrible at what you do - and that would be your brand!

The bottom line is that branding isn't complicated when you're in business for yourself. You get to decide how you'd like to be perceived through the choices you make and what you put out there. And the more honest and self expressed you are, the more you will attract the right clients to you, and build trust quickly.