A Way to Use Social Media to Create Your Brand

IIn the last post, I described the shift social media marketing has forced on business branding.  We have moved from the traditional 3rd person business branding to the 1st person social media branding.  In this post, I offer a way for you to create this 1st branding so you can make your social media branding more effective.

In the last post, I described the shift social media marketing has forced on business branding.  We have moved from the traditional 3rd person business branding to the 1st person social media branding.  In this post, I offer a way for you to create this 1st person branding so you can make your social media branding more effective.

The Starting point

1st person branding starts with the core set of beliefs and convictions you have about your business.  What drives you about your business?  What makes you get up in the morning to do your business?  What are your core set of beliefs and values?  What are the emotional themes that spark your business fire?  Let me use my own business as an example.

An Example

For me I love working with small business owners and entrepreneurs.  This passion expresses itself in a number of themes.  I believe that…

 Clarity is power.  Are you absolutely clear about your business offerings and the benefits they provide to customers?

 Successful small businesses are built with a service mentality.  Profits follow service.

 The future belongs not to the biggest or the strongest but to those who are willing to adapt.

 Existing customers are your gold mine for new sales.

 Confused customers never buy.  Keep your business simple and easy to understand.

 The power of stories to sell and market.

 In today’s digital world, establishing credibility is critical.

 Give people what they want, when they want it and how they want it.

 People buy from people they know, like and trust.

 Marketing to everyone is business suicide.

 Focus on that special something you bring to the table your competition cannot?

 Business is fun.

There are many ways I elaborate on these business beliefs.  This is my business DNA.  This is my personal brand.

Content of my social media Participation

When I am looking for content for my comments, my posts, my Tweets, my videos on social media sites, I share thoughts from myself or resources from other authors that touch on the one or another of these themes.  I may use different language but essentially I use the same 6-8 themes over and over again.

It is easy for me to use them over and over again in different formats because they are what I believe about my work with small business owners.  When I share them with others, the juices begin to flow.  I get excited because they are so near and dear to my heart.  I am sharing my brand with them.

Getting Rejected…

Will everyone accept this brand?  No.   That’s ok.  I cannot market myself to everyone.  Some will accept; others will reject.  All will feel the passion I bring to my business.

Conclusion

You will have your own set of beliefs about your products and services.  Identify your own emotional themes around your business and begin sharing them as part of your social media content.  People will feel your passion and your social media marketing will be more effective.

To be continued, your comments are welcomed…

Al Hanzal