A huge piece of branding design, for me, is getting to know the client I’m working with. I don’t just mean getting to know their business, either–I mean getting to know them personally. Small businesses and solopreneurs are becoming more and more prominent, and those extra personal touches can be a huge advantage for smaller businesses. It’s another way to help you gain loyal clients who not only love your work, but love working WITH you!
You might feel a little hesitation about showing more of your personal self in your business brand, at first, but don’t worry–nobody’s asking for your medical history, your bad mood days, or your deepest, darkest secrets! A dash of your personality here and there can make the difference between a boring brand and a booming business.
Build trust by letting clients get to know you.
People want to trust those they do business with, now more than ever. If you’re hiding behind stuffy copy or too-generic branding, you may be losing the very clients you want to connect with. Choosing brand styles that appeal to you, blogging or Facebooking about a cause that’s important to you, or even mentioning a visit to your favorite restaurant on Twitter can give a sense of who you are. When you share a little of yourself, you give potential clients something they can relate to.
Show why you’re passionate about your work.
If you’ve started your own business, chances are you’re pretty excited about it! Whether you’re giving massage treatments, designing jewelry, or selling insurance, there’s a reason why you chose to do this work. Maybe you love healing people and making them feel better. Maybe you love finding inspiration in the world, and turning it into your own unique expression. A financial planner I work with, for example, has a personal story that fuels her, and makes her passionate about helping people prepare for a secure future.
No matter what drives you in your work, letting it out there will (again) make it easier for clients to relate to you and trust you. But, more importantly, it shows that you’re excited about what you do! Clients will see that, and know that you can put that positive energy to work for them.
Being your unique self makes you stand out AND attract the right people.
As a former martial artist, I’m a HUGE sucker for Bruce Lee quotations, but this one really resonates with me: “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”
It applies to your life and your work–when you started your business, you set out to do this work in your own, special way. Your business journey won’t be the same as anyone else’s, and your unique spin on things can make you stand out in the crowd. It’ll help your audience connect with you, and it’ll help attract the kind of people YOU enjoy knowing and working with. You’ll waste less time on prospects who aren’t a good fit for you, and have more time to spend on clients who inspire you.
If you haven’t injected a little of yourself into your business brand, you can start right away–try sharing an interest of yours on your social networking or blog, and see who engages with you! I believe that authentic branding is true to you, and when you do it right, it can help you find the kind of clients you love most.
The News Feed is about to get a lot more real estate! The left-hand column is going away, which leaves more space for your content when it shows up in the News Feed. That means less focus on links and adds, and more focus on your content! That also means your Sponsored Stories, Promoted Posts, and photos will be bigger and more attention-grabbing than before!
You know your business brand is important, but for today’s entrepreneurs, YOU are an important part of your brand–for some entrepreneurs, you ARE the brand! No matter which camp you’re in, finding your most authentic self, and making it work with your brand, is a vital part of your success as a business owner. 
