Top 3 Mistakes New Entrepreneurs make with their Brand (and how you can avoid them)

www.rachelralston.com

Top 3 Mistakes New Entrepreneurs make with their Brand (and how you can avoid them!)

Top 3 Mistakes New Entrepreneurs make

with their Brand (and how you can avoid them!)

What to expect...

Presentation should be well within the hour time limit

Please put questions in the chat box. We’re going to save all questions until the end, but feel free to drop the questions into chat at any time. We’ll be collecting them.

There will be a recording available for a limited time after this so you can rewatch if you need to.





facebook.com/rachelralstondesignwww.rachelralston.com

Hi, I’m Rachel

DesignerEntrepreneurBrand Identity Strategist

The 3 biggest problems that new entrepreneurs make with their brand are:

1. Thinking it’s only a logo2. Ignoring it.3. Being inauthentic or fake.



But first...

What is a brand?The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a “name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.”



We define a brand as...

a collection of perceptions in the mind of the people who interact with your company.

Simplified further - Your brand is how people remember you.





- rebellious- cool- powerful- freedom- camaraderie/friendship



Branding...

is the act of intentionally curating experiences to create a certain set of memories.



Branding vs. Marketing

Branding and marketing are two sides of the same coin, but they aren’t the same thing.

Branding is internalMarketing is external



The first mistake of new entrepreneurs...

Thinking your brand is just your logo



Your brand includes

every touchpoint a customer could have- visual identity- customer service- marketing materials- the tone you use in writing- etc...







2nd Most Common Mistake

Ignoring your brand or pretending that it isn’t important

Branding is a cornerstone of your company



Once it’s clearly defined and articulated, your brand should be your guiding light.

It guides your strategy and big picture thinking: your marketing strategy, why and how you interact with employees, customers, and business connections, etc...

Your brand is the connective tissue of your company.



Core components of a brand (or how to create your own ‘guiding light’)

You want to clearly define and be aware of your: ● Identity - how you want to be perceived, the ideal you strive for● Image - how you’re actually seen and remembered, your current

reputation● Character - your company’s moral compass (trustworthiness,

integrity, honesty, etc)● Personality - human characteristics- fun, serious, warmth,

sentimentality○ this intersects with your ideal client profile

● Culture - Both internal and external● Essence or soul - The ineffable place where all of the above points

come together. This is your guiding light. It is a long term and strategic positioning that doesn’t change day to day, but evolves with your growth year to year.



Last but not least

One of the biggest mistakes a new entrepreneur can make in 2013 is

to be inauthentic or fake in their brand.



As a bonus for attending this workshop, I’m going to email out a questionnaire to get you started in your own branding process.



http://rachelralston.com/diybrandingadventure/



Thank you!

Education

Top 3 Mistakes New Entrepreneurs make with their Brand (and how you can avoid them)