I love summer because, like the holidays, many people stop thinking about business. And while they are off playing, this is the perfect opportunity to uplevel your brand.
Rolling in on my 25th birthday working with brands next month, there are a few common areas that most people let slip by yet create the greatest impact. And the funny thing is that these areas are super simple to execute; we just get overwhelmed, throw up our hands and say, “Forget about it.”
1.Uplevel your customer experience
Let’s get real. There is no brand out there that has the perfect customer experience. From before, during, or after the sale- there are ways to make the relationships with our audiences more on point.
Here are the most common areas people miss the details on:
Languaging. Be consistent with your tone and terms. If you are playful in person, write and post with playful wit. If you refer to your clients with a special term of endearment (I call my community my clan), use such language throughout.
High Touch Point. We live in the day and age that we are being sold automated over the interaction. The truth is no one wants the automated “canned” response. No one wants your 5 step system. Your audience wants you. They want a personal connection and interaction. So make that happen consistently throughout your process.
Don’t Be Obsessed With The Sale. Yes, you are a business which means you need to make money but don’t be solely focused on the transaction. And it is far too easy to drop any connection or interaction with a customer as soon as their money is in your hand. And you know from personal experience that no one likes to feel they are desired solely for their money. Your customers want the relationship, and honestly, you do too.
Create customer experiences that work for you and your audience. Think of the details of the relationships. And be cool.
2.Uplevel Your Visuals
Please hear me (and I mean hear me as if I am one of those Discover credit card actresses) “Visuals Matter, People!!!”
Your visuals, from your website to your Facebook lives to your social media posts to your business cards- your visuals matter.
Invest time into making them interesting and on brand. The brand does NOT mean the same colors, always with your logo on it or some other kitschy element. On-brand visuals are all about capturing the feeling and tone of your brand.
Here are a few ways to uplevel your brand visuals:
Stock Photos Matter. Free stock photos look like free stock photos, and the first ones you see are usually the most overused. Take time and build stock photo galleries filled with pics that reflect what you are about. Choose pictures in which the look, tone, and feel of the stock pictures are in alignment with your custom brand pictures.
Good Audio and Lighting Are Key. When it comes to pictures and videos for your website, social media, or for any reason, make sure to have your lighting and audio on point.
Be Expressive (aka don’t edit yourself). Far too often, we edit ourselves and don’t even know it. Though self-editing is crucial, editing your voice, sense of humor, or world perspective is detrimental to your brand’s success. So share your unique perspectives with your audience.
3.Uplevel Your Offer. You know it, and I know it, over time, what we offer eventually just feels flat. It either isn’t as in-depth and complete as it could be, or there is another problem that could be solved.
Think about it this way, could your offer be:
Expanded. After a while of offering one service or product, there is that next level that we begin to naturally offer our clients. For example, after many years of just offering branding services, the needs of my clients meant that I started to help them more and more find and execute marketing services. These “new” services that came about organically could be new known revenue streams for you.
Better Defined. Many times defining and sharing all the transformational and sometimes logistical details of what you and or your product provide get lost in translation along the way. You skip over keeping values because they are commonplace to you. Invite a fresh perspective to share the “what” and “why” that makes your brand great.
New Opportunity. Entrepreneurs go two ways: too many ideas or fear of all ideas. And though both can be negative, don’t let the fear and risk of a new opportunity stop you from expanding your reach.
While others get lost in the nostalgia of the summer months or the overwhelm of the kids being home- use this opportunity to uplevel your game and your brand’s ultimate success.
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