Category: Marketing Tips

The Importance of Branding and Strategy for Christian Entrepreneurs

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In today’s competitive marketplace, understanding the significance of branding and strategy for Christian entrepreneurs is crucial. As Christian entrepreneurs, we are called to not only run successful businesses but also to embody our faith through our brands. Effective branding and strategy serve as the foundation for communicating our mission and values, allowing us to connect authentically with our audience.

Why Branding Matters for Christian Entrepreneurs

Branding is about more than just creating a logo or a catchy tagline; it’s about crafting an identity that resonates with your target audience. For Christian entrepreneurs, a strong brand reflects your beliefs and values, which can foster loyalty and trust among your customers. According to the Harvard Business Review, companies with strong brands can achieve higher customer loyalty, and this is particularly true for those whose branding aligns with the values of their audience.

As a purposeful branding mentor, I emphasize that the branding strategies for Christian entrepreneurs must authentically represent faith-based principles. This means incorporating Biblical messages and values into your marketing, which can create a deeper connection with your clients. When your branding embodies these elements, it becomes a powerful tool for outreach and engagement.

The Role of Strategy in Your Branding

While branding establishes who you are, having a solid strategy is essential to effectively convey that identity. Branding and strategy for Christian entrepreneurs go hand-in-hand to guide how you communicate your values and mission. A well-defined strategy helps you articulate your vision, target the right audience, and position your business effectively in the marketplace.

According to Forbes, having a strong business strategy can significantly enhance profitability and sustainability. For Christian entrepreneurs, integrating faith into your business strategy not only helps in navigating challenges but also aligns your business practices with your spiritual beliefs. From my experience, those who merge their faith with their strategic planning often find greater fulfillment and success in their entrepreneurial journey.

Bringing It All Together

Ultimately, the relationship between branding and strategy for Christian entrepreneurs is essential for creating a cohesive and impactful business presence. Your branding should reflect your professional aspirations and spiritual values, elevating your brand while serving your community.

If you’re ready to deepen your understanding of branding and strategy for Christian entrepreneurs, I invite you to join my Accelerated VIP Branding Workshop. This workshop is designed to equip you with the insights and tools needed to develop a compelling brand strategy that aligns with your Christian values and enhances your business presence.

To learn more, click here! The early bird price ends November 7. Get $40 off with coupon code MISSION.

 

Photo by Adobe Stock

Strategic Chess Game Pieces Against Stock Market Background

By slonme

 

A Classic Soap Story From the Great Depression…

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business during coronavirus

It seems to me with the coronavirus crisis we business owners find ourselves in, one of my favorite stories would be a good one to retell… so here goes…

 

During the Great Depression, there were two soap companies.

One stopped stocking products and pulled their advertising.

The other decided to use a new platform–radio. They combined radio with storytelling.

This soap company would produce radio theater plays that centered around a character named Ma Barker. It was all centered around the drama in her life.

And then the soap company would have commercials.

They invested in this new platform and they increased their advertising.

Which soap company survived the Great Depression?

The one that made the dramas of course!

And what was that soap company called?

Tide!

And they created what is now called Soap Operas!

So how can you learn from this time in history?

Don’t shut down in the midst of this economic hardship. Be strategic and find ways to combine storytelling and this incredible medium we have now called the Internet!

You can take any service you sell and turn it into a product online.

Are you a financial planner? Create a video course.

Are you a fitness coach? Create a customized workout program via Skype.

Are you a coach for local business owners? Create ebooks and video courses. Then you can mentor business owners not only in your own city but across the country and even the world!

Most of all, don’t let fear overtake you. Move forward in faith and get creative. Invest in your business and it WILL pay off!

Photo by Adobe Stock

Handmade soap bars and lavender on white background, top view

By New Africa

5 Golden Rules of Target Marketing

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target marketing

You want new customers. You NEED new customers as it’s the lifeblood of your business growth. And as you plan for 2020 and beyond, it’s going to be the number one difference maker in all that you do.

So how can you attain new clients, and even more importantly, how can you RETAIN current customers?
Here’s my 5 golden rules of customer attraction and retainment:

  1. Know thy audience.

  2. Listen to your audience.
  3. 
Know what their pain is.

  4. Know what they are afraid of losing

  5. Provide your audience solutions



Market research is key in being able to reach your chosen target market. How are you going to reach them if you don’t know what they like and what they don’t like? How will you find them if you don’t know where they are? How will you even know if they need what you offer unless you have thoroughly investigated their needs, wants, and desires?

This leads to listening to your audience. When you take the time to really understand where your target market is coming from, you will be able to serve them better. When you are dealing with a prospect or current customer, listening is key to increasing a trusted relationship. Really grasping what a customer wants takes putting ego aside and listening with your heart as well as with your mind.

When you listen to your audience, you can now begin to understand what their pain is. This is key in communicating to your prospects and customers. Your marketing will be vastly improved because you now can tailor your message to the pain your specific target market experiences. This will draw them in and attract them to you. 

Pain usually involves a fear of loss. As you listen to your audience and understand their pain, you will also learn what it is they fear losing.

Have you made a plan for 2020 yet?

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This is incredibly important when it comes to marketing your products or services to your target market. When you know what they fear losing, then you will understand what they are desperate for. This will aid you in your quest to serve more people in your target market because they will be coming to you!

But don’t leave it at that! What do they have to GAIN? Write or speak a vision for them: where are they now and where do they want to be?

The last golden rule is to provide your target market solutions to their pain and fear of loss. To provide a path for your target market to get to where they want to be. When you provide them these solutions, your marketing efforts will be much more effective.

This is truly attraction marketing. You know your audience, you have listened to them, you understand their pain and their fear of loss, and now you are providing a solution.

This means that your marketing message will bring more customers to you and that will improve your bottom line! Now that is truly seven golden rules to live by!

Analyzing this into a formal business and marketing plan is a crucial step for you!

To Create a Successful Brand Be Unique!

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It’s the night before Thanksgiving, and I’m sending my husband to the store for some last-minute items. Now thankfully he won’t need to purchase much. Only fresh ingredients for the salad I’m making tomorrow for the big feast.

But normally, if I send him with a long list, he gets lost. Every brand looks like another brand. They all melt together.

For a small business brand, that spells disaster. It’s kind of like going to cookie cutter houses. In these neighborhoods, it’s hard to distinguish one house from another. It’s easy to get lost! Why, I even know a story of a friend of mine (who is hosting Thanksgiving for us tomorrow, yay us!!!) who accidentally went to the wrong house for a bridal shower party a few months ago. Wow, she felt silly!

How does this relate to business? If your brand, specifically your brand image, is not unique, you will lose customers. Your customers will be confused. They won’t understand what you provide nor will they understand the value you offer to them. You will lose trust and credibility.

An effective brand is based on a professional logo that is uniquely tailored to your business. It communicates the essence of who you are as a business.

And an effective brand is AUTHENTIC. I think of a local talk show I was listening to this morning that our town’s mayor was being interviewed on. A lady called to share her opinion about an initiative here called “City for Champions,” a project meant to bring economic vitality back to our area.

She pointed out that as a long-time resident, she doesn’t want some identity super-imposed on our city. She didn’t want something fake.

She was looking for something real. And so are your customers. That’s why the more clarity you have about your vision, mission, values, target market and other key factors, the better your brand will be and the more you will attract your ideal client. And that means an improved bottom line!

Are you ready to get started improving your brand? Why not get started today by taking my free video course, Make Your Brand Sizzle. What do you have to lose? Click here now to get started.

 

Toy Houses © I-bag | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Investing in Yourself–You Are Worth It!

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“Because you’re worth It.” Remember that old L’Oreal commercial for hair color? If you’re over 40 like me, you might recall. It starred Meredith Baxter-Birney and in it she demonstrates vividly that choosing premium hair color is worth the extra cost.

You also are worth it. As a business owner, you are worth investing in. Without it, you will die. Your business will die. Investing in yourself causes growth. It is a process. It takes nourishing, waiting, sowing, and harrowing.

Like planting a vineyard. You need seed, good soil, fertilizer, pruning, water, sunlight…

Your business needs certain things to in order to grow. First you have to create a vision and mission for your business. Why do you exist? Whom are you serving? What is the purpose for being in business? These questions take time and thought to answer.

You need good soil. The right target market. If you attempt to reach the wrong market, you will experience frustration, lack of clients, and eventually your business will die if not corrected. Reaching your target market takes an investment.

For instance, for the first year my husband and I used Craigslist to promote his architectural company. But it is attracting cheap clients who want something for nothing. While we made some money using this free platform, we are realizing that if we want to reach the right clients–those who value quality over price–we need to pay for that advertising. We need to go where they are and they are probably not on Craigslist.

Your marketing materials are like fishing poles. If you are trying to catch fish (your clients) then you need the proper equipment (fishing pole, hook, bait). That requires investment in branding that expresses accurately the essence of who you are as a business. That requires marketing materials that communicate your message effectively to your prospects and gets them to buy from you or sign up with you. Cheap and free is not investing in yourself. It is the easy way out.

But ultimately, these free or ultra inexpensive options only lead to stagnation. You hurt your credibility. It’s like driving through a cookie cutter neighborhood. It’s easy to get lost. When you use cookie cutter logos and marketing materials, you are confusing your prospects. And they will not find you. You will lose business.

Do you believe you’re worth it? Do you believe that what you have to offer is worth it? After all, how much is one customer worth to you?

Stop using sub-par branding, cheap graphic design, and free marketing material templates. Invest in yourself and your business and you will grow.

And your brand will sizzle and your future dazzle!

Are you ready to invest in yourself? Check out the various packages I have to help you refine and define your brand. I can build an excellent one for you specifically tailored to your business and your vision and then I can create branded marketing materials that result in more clients and revenue. Click here now to find out more.

Bait © Colleen Braun | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Building a Strong Brand–What to Include in Your Brand to Make It Sizzle!

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calloutquote1Something all business owners need to know is what to include in their branding images. A strategic approach to this will result in more effective ones. And that will lead to more profits!

So what is an effective brand? How do you build a strong brand?

An effective brand reflects accurately who you are and what you do. It includes a well-constructed logo. This logo includes components that enhance the overall message you are trying to communicate with your brand. An effective logo is designed professionally with balance, composition, and most of all, appeal to the audience it attends to reach.

Can I show you an example of some of the components to include in your brand?

Here are some ideas to include in your branding:

  • Your identity (Business) name
  • Image/symbol
  • Slogan or tag line
  • Your personal photo
  • Your name (if you use a descriptive name for your company)

Now you might be surprised that included a photo of yourself and your name. Why do I suggest that?

Because including a photograph of yourself and your name is extremely important in this Internet age. Marketing these days is all about building relationships. Actually, marketing has ALWAYS been about building relationships. It’s even more important today!

Your prospects want to know that you are a real person. As the famous movie Wizard of Oz illustrates, you need to come out from behind the curtain and show that you are real!

How can you get started with building this strong brand?

The first thing you need to do is list each component you want in your brand in order of importance. Always think about what it is you want to communicate. What message are you trying to get across?

And then you need to be consistent across all mediums. Of course you can alter your brand in certain situations by leaving off your slogan, personal photo, and name as long as you maintain the integrity of your brand.

When you strategically decide what to include in your brand, you will be building a strong one. And that is going to make your brand sizzle and your future dazzle!

Want to learn more about branding and how to make your revenues skyrocket? Listen to my free audio! Sign up by clicking here!

Advertising Your Name As An Author–Why You Need a Brand!

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Are you an author or an aspiring one? What is the missing element that most new writers don’t even think about? How can you stand out above the slush pile? What if you want to self-publish? What do you need to do?

Find out answers to these questions in this video:

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Want to learn more? Download my FREE publishing guide by clicking here now. The sooner you read it, the sooner you can get started!

Successful Branding–The Importance of Brand Strategy

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Recently, I’ve run across many business owners who realize they need to update their Website, but they don’t understand the importance of having a brand strategy FIRST.

Here is a video to help you understand why it’s so important.

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Is this something you are struggling with? Would you like to learn more about how to create a wildly successful business that will last a lifetime? Please take my free mini course by clicking here.

Increase Business–3 Reasons Why Direct Sellers and Network Marketers Need a Brand

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Make money immediately imageYou want to increase business and you represent a company as a direct seller or network marketer. Your home office takes care of your branding. Your business cards come from them and they supply you with your marketing materials that you need to promote your business.

But what if you’re missing something? What if there’s a better way to increase business? An effective way you never thought about?

In this article, I am going to explain why you, as an associate of another company, need to have your own brand, beyond the brand that you are selling.

But first of all, what is a brand?

Even some well-seasoned business owners don’t understand what branding is. And no, it’s not just what cattle ranch owners do to their cattle!

But it is a mark that distinguishes you from above the competition. It signifies ownership. It builds name recognition. A brand is more than a logo. It is a relationship between you and your target market. And yes, it will increase business!

That’s what marketing is all about. It is getting the word out about what you do to your prospects so you will be top of mind when they want to make a purchasing decision.

So if you are representing a company, why do you need your own brand? Here are three very good reasons!

1) You will distinguish yourself above your competition.

As a rep, you are not the only resource available for your particular product. In fact, there is a danger that the market can be saturated. How can you distinguish yourself and increase business? By branding.

For instance, if you sell a certain type of wellness product, you can brand yourself as a wellness expert. You can provide value to your customer beyond the particular item that you are selling. If you provide them value as a wellness consultant, your prospect is more likely to look to you for advice. You will be building trust and a relationship. When they need or want your product, they will think of you.

Now of course, a wellness expert is just one example. Perhaps another way to brand yourself is a relationship expert. This would be an ideal branding strategy if you sell gift items.

2) If the company goes bankrupt, your business will still thrive.

The harsh reality is that businesses fail. Some go through a restructuring process and then you are left in the lurch while the company works out the details. I’ve heard of many cases where this has happened.

Don’t let this potential problem sink you! By creating your own independent brand, you can build a customer base that will follow you no matter what company you are representing. If the worst case scenario happens, you will be okay because you can adapt to the change and bring your customers along with you! And you will still increase business!

3) You can change passions over time or have flexibility to add more businesses.

As human beings, our interests change over time. Perhaps five years down the road you will realize that you don’t love selling that particular item anymore. Something else may come along that excites you more. Or you may find other products that work in tandem with what you are offering now.

In either case, by having your own separate brand you are able to grow and change with ease. You will have a customer base that grows with you. And you will increase business!

So creating an independent brand for yourself is well worth the time and effort. The return on the investment you will make is absolutely priceless! Because then you will have a sizzling brand and dazzling future!

Do you want to find out more about how you can create a successful business? Take my free mini-course and build a lasting legacy based on time-honored principles.

Create a Publicity Campaign to Gain Visibility in Your Market!

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angelcovernew
The cover of my book project.

Maybe you are going gangbusters with your marketing. But you may have forgotten a very important part of your strategy to getting the word out about what you do.

What is that? A publicity campaign.

Why should you do a publicity campaign? It is a very effective way to increase your visibility in the marketplace, especially in your own community.

How do you do a publicity campaign? Let me answer that question by describing the publicity campaign that I am involved in right now.

This fall I have been promoting a fundraising book to help Colorado survivors of recent floods and fires. The idea to create this book was born out of my desire to help my community. I wanted to contribute my giftings so those affected by the disasters would receive help and those who read the book would be inspired and uplifted in the midst of uncertain, troubled times.

After I shared my idea with key mentors in my life, I received tremendous encouragement to move forward with the project. Now, you have to know this about me: normally I am a person who likes to be in the background. When given a choice, I prefer to sit in a back seat, unnoticed and in the shadows. But this tendency would not work for this project. In order to help people, I recognized I needed to play a bigger game. I had to step out of my comfort zone.

So I invested in a local media list, did some research on writing press releases, and am about half way done sending them out. And I am beginning to see results!

Now what started as a desire to reach out the community will result in my company receiving publicity in my region. That to me is a side benefit. This in turn will benefit me because I will no longer be a company “in the shadows.” Plus, this gives me credibility with my national followers. I am getting brand visibility!

Furthermore, as I worked on this book project, I realized that I am only just starting in this endeavor. I have a vision of creating a whole series of fundraising books for many different groups of people who need help. This excites me. I had no idea when I started out with this project that I was creating a long-lasting product that would benefit so many people and add revenue to my company as well. Because while the first project all the profits will go to organizations that help survivors, I realize that with subsequent books I will be giving a portion of my profits instead. If I didn’t, I would not be in business for long!

So for me, building a publicity campaign and writing press releases has helped me tremendously in achieving brand visibility. And I know it will serve as a foundation for future projects to come.

How can you take advantage of this idea? Think of how you can be involved in the community. How can you offer your gifts and talents to help those in need? How can you make an impact in your region or industry? What are the needs in your area?

Or perhaps you have found an innovative way to solve a problem. How can you make this into a newsworthy event? In fact, what kind of event can you create that will be newsworthy? Is there a contest that you can enter? If you win, especially in your region, you will get a ton of publicity! That happened to me in 2007. I won a logo contest and my work was seen by thousands of people and the local paper did an article about me.

A publicity campaign that will help bring brand awareness is only limited by your imagination! Do this and your brand will sizzle and your future will dazzle!

Coming next week: information and resources on writing press releases.

Want to know more about the basics of building a business? Take my FREE mini course! Click here now to sign up!

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