Shaping your brand
Focusing on your personal story can establish a meaningful connection with your audience, playing a pivotal role in shaping your entire brand.
In the realms of branding and marketing, a lot of emphasis is put on identifying your ideal client. We all know that understanding your ideal client is crucial before embarking on any branding or marketing.
Failing to thoroughly get to know your ideal client will mean your messages may be lost in the void rather than resonating with your specific audience.
Get to know your own story
While acknowledging the importance of knowing your ideal client, I advise on initially getting to know yourself. Before diving into who you’d like to work with, understanding yourself lays the groundwork. Your ideal client often mirrors a version of yourself along your personal timeline. By first getting to know yourself, you can tailor your ideal client to align with you, avoiding the need to contort yourself to fit a version of your ideal client that doesn’t authentically connect with you.
Few invest the time to truly delve into themselves, yet the potential of your personal story is profound.
Establish “know, like and trust”
In marketing, the mantra is “know, like, and trust.” The progression from a stranger to a client or buyer involves discovery, getting acquainted, building trust, and finally making a purchase. Think about how often you’ve bought something from a person or business you don’t know, lack recommendations for, or haven’t read reviews about.
Establishing a connection is crucial because, as humans, we seek a sense of connection with the places where we invest our resources—whether it’s a preferred clothing store with ethically made clothes, a trusted brand of electronics, or a brand new product endorsed by someone you follow on Instagram. These instances embody the concept of “know, like, and trust.”
Building a tribe
Humans naturally gravitate toward tribes. While the threat of lions and saber-tooth tigers may not be looming, our primitive instincts still yearn for a sense of safety in belonging. Building a tribe of like-minded individuals is a common human desire. Social media connections and friendships often form around shared interests.
How do you find and connect with like-minded people most effectively? By sharing your story.
Your story communicates that you’ve navigated challenges similar to those your audience faces. It expresses empathy, indicating that you understand their struggles and, importantly, that there’s a way forward, a solution you are familiar with. Your story provides hope and facilitates others in achieving their aspirations. It allows individuals to decide whether they resonate with you, whether they belong to your tribe.
Crafting your story
Consider your journey—where you started, the various jobs you’ve undertaken, and the experiences that led you to your current business. Often, businesses originate from a desire to change a situation, a personal transformation that you’ve undergone. Perhaps your journey involved years of challenges, but now, equipped with knowledge, you can guide others through the process swiftly and seamlessly.
Your story may include setbacks or losses, but these experiences, though painful, can offer someone else the hope they need. That someone might just evolve into your most valued client and biggest advocate.
You needn’t disclose every detail of your story; there may be painful aspects irrelevant to your current pursuits. Yet, even those challenging moments might just offer someone the hope they seek, and that someone could become your most devoted client and enthusiastic ambassador.
Next Steps…
Ready to start crafting your story and watch your business thrive? Check out my Build a Thriving Brand on demand programme…and if you’re an artist or maker, my Connect With Your Audience programme is just for you.
If you’d like to work with me 1:1 or would just like to chat and see how I can help you to help your business thrive, then grab a virtual coffee with me.