I love fashion and interior decor. I remember as a child watching ‘style with Elsa Klensch‘ on CNN. I am not the only one who was a fan. I follow influencers who live and breathe all things fashion in my personal Instagram account.
I am always learning new things because I have a growth mindset. You will be surprised by the quality advice you can get on how to dress for your age, the best way to combine your clothes so that you look glamorous, professional or just elegant for effortless everyday dressing.
I think it’s clear that fashion is a thing for me. I follow the most prominent fashion houses and a few up-and-coming ones. I once had a vogue subscription. Presently I only buy their perfumes.
Now, I love well organised and minimalistic spaces for interior decoration. My theme in interior decoration is to bring the outside inside. My home has varying shades of greens and browns. As the kids have grown older and they are no longer using the sofas as trampolines. I find that my interest in having an aesthetically organised home is growing.
I have to be honest; the paragraph above is about all the creativity I am willing to add to decorating my home. I would like to hire someone to make this dream come true. I find interior decorating to be overwhelming. According to Dr Benjamin Hardy in his book “Who Not How,” you should look for experts in a given field to assist you in accomplishing your goals faster.
I have written in previous blogs about brands that I simply love. I always purchase ‘stuff’ when it is on sale because I think of myself as a savvy shopper.
Already you can tell a lot about me from the things I like and do not like. I love a beautifully decorated and put together house, but I’m not willing to invest the time. I have an affinity and relationship with specific brands. This is what is termed as consumer insight in marketing 101.
Brands have the power to draw us to specific businesses.
Brands have the power to draw us to specific businesses. Think about it, why do you buy a particular brand of toothpaste? Teenagers may opt for fresh breath toothpaste, and pregnant women may be advised to consider gum protection in their choice of toothpaste. The coffee-drinking lot, like me, needs toothpaste that can remove stains and simultaneously protect the enamel.
The power of brands is the ability to take an idea, desire or need and make it into something tangible – a solution. All the three groups mentioned above clean their teeth with different brands and for distinctive reasons.
The power of brands is the ability to take an idea, desire or need and make it into something tangible
Brands have the power to attract the right customer to your business. If you are an entrepreneurial parent with a small online business creating a brand can be the tipping point to galvanise your company. You can benefit and scale by building a business brand.
If you have ever wondered about the role branding can play in your online business and how you too can build a business brand that reflects your mission, personality, identity and values. Then my friend, get ready to stand out from others in your industry by developing your brand. This article is just what you need.
Build a Strong Brand # 1:Take the Bold Step to Be Unreasonable Yes! Be Unreasonable.
I am taking this quotation from George Bernard Shaw. Responsible people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people persist in trying to adjust the world to themselves. Progress and innovation thrive when we are unreasonable!
…Unreasonable people persist in trying to adjust the world to themselves…
Your business will succeed when the foundation is built to solve the problems that your paying customers face. I am very intentional about the words’ paying customers,’ your brand must be compelling enough for your dream audience to reach into their pockets and support your business.
The difference between water from a tap and mineral water in a bottle is not much. It is still just two molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of water. The tangible difference is branding. Branding the mineral water assures the customer that you can expect clean water, free of germs and full of healthy minerals. On the other hand, Water from any old tap may have loads of unharmful microorganisms, but this depends on your location.
Be unreasonable in building your business strategy.
Be unreasonable in building your business strategy. Follow the path that is right for you. Let’s take a moment and be honest. As an entrepreneurial parent, you do not have the luxury to record content the whole day. You also have other responsibilities that need your time and attention. You want to be present and savour those moments with your family. Do something that feels right for you and your customers.
Build a Strong Brand # 2: Same Story Different Perspectives, Own It with Your Unique Voice
Not only should you be unreasonable, but you also have to own your unique voice. Successful entrepreneurs stand out because they are exceptional. I still love the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, the one with Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennet) and Colin Firth (Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy). You may prefer a different version of the movie, which is fine. I am trying to put across the point that the same story, when said by different people, takes on a life of its own and appeals to specific people.
Not only should you be unreasonable, but you also have to own your unique voice.
The same is true for you as an entrepreneurial parent; if your business mirrors your values and perspective, your online business will be distinct from the rest in the same industry.
You have to go back to the all-important question, what is the goal and purpose of your online business? How will your business stand out from the crowd and tell a different story? Here is a FREE guide to help you narrow down your purpose.
Goals allow you to control how you use your resources to get to your destination. They keep you focused like a gimlet.
Build habits that support your goal. For example, if I want to run half a marathon by the spring of this year (goal), I will achieve it by running five times a week (habit), doing strength exercises (habit), checking my diet(habit). More importantly, I’d have to sign up for a race because that will keep me centred on my goal (not a habit but an action).
Goals allow you to control how you use your resources to get to your destination.
Finding your entrepreneurial voice will free your creativity and ingenuity. Your story (keeping with the metaphor) will be unique. Take some time to dig deep and create a brand to help your business scale. The basics of branding have been covered in detail in a previous blog.
Build a Strong Brand # 3: Consistency in Everything: Your Parenting and Your Online Business.
Now that you have set your business goals and have decided on the habits you will build to support them. It is time to move closer to your brand as a parent and entrepreneur. Do you need to be consistent in both areas of your life? Are you consistent in both?
Your Consistency acts as a comfort blanket for your Dream Customers
In a previous blog, I discussed nine distinctive characteristics of successful online entrepreneurs. They are all religious on their content schedule. Most online entrepreneurs treat their businesses as media houses ( and you should too ). All my baddest online Gurus’ deliver content on a schedule, Amy Porterfield, Racheal Miller, Joan Thuo, Charlene Johnson, Keenya Kelly, Natasha, Bola Sokunbi. Just to mention a few.
We all crave dependability in an ever-changing world. Consistency helps us to build an affinity with our dream audience. If you have a podcast that airs on a Tuesday, your audience expects to listen to a new episode on a Tuesday, and if you consistently deliver that show every Tuesday, you will win their trust and loyalty. Entrepreneurial parent! You are building and cementing your business brand credentials.
We all crave dependability in an ever-changing world. Consistency helps us to build an affinity with our dream audience.
In the mind of your customers, you are dependable. Your business is reliable and therefore worthy of their investment and commitment.
Rain or sunshine, establish a content schedule and stick to it. Set it in stone.
Consistency In Your Parenting Skills Also Gives Comfort to Your Children
As an entrepreneurial parent, you know that you have to be consistent when guiding your children. We do not watch TV or play video games during the school week in my house. Previously I allowed a few ifs and buts. If you are home and sick, then you can watch TV. If you have finished all your homework, you can play for 20 minutes on your switch. The road became very slippery very quickly, and soon TV and Video games were allowed during the school week.
Learn from me, be consistent. If the guidelines state that TV watching is not an option, it is not. Please do not follow the house rules I inherited from my Mum. Make yours for your family, and be consistent in implementing your family guidelines. The good news is these guidelines can change.
Learn from me, be consistent. If the guidelines state that TV watching is not an option, it is not
Am I tempted to put on the TV when I’m pressed for time when I need to publish content on a given day consistently? Yes! Do I yield to that convenience?
The triumph of your family and your company will depend on your ability to be consistent.
Increasing Your Productivity and Creativity in Your Content Generation
It goes without saying that you need to increase your productivity and creativity to generate content. I recently attended a workshop on creating Business Content In Batches.’ Batching your content creation will assist you to focus on the strategic goal your content plays in your company. Much to your delight, you will discover that the quality of the content will substantially improve.
Build a Strong Brand # 4:Be Generous and Serve Your Audience with The Abundance of Your Wealth.
Online Businesses are very different from most traditional brick and mortar companies. I find that, for the most part, online entrepreneurs help one another. They build each other up.
They are also very generous with their knowledge. I will be honest; there is so much data on the web that you can build and grow your business for free.
In your online hustle, endeavour to add to the wealth of knowledge and advice already there, making the web a better place. I am here because of the content I got for free from podcasts, YouTube videos, blogs, Email newsletters, courses. So I am giving back what I have received and then some.
My recommendation for you is that you can also create content that adds massive value to your customer
My recommendation for you is that you can also create content that adds massive value to your customer. I want them to be gobsmacked with your FREE valuable content quality. I will not be surprised if they will ask themselves, “If the FREE stuff is this good, the paid stuff must be phenomenal!“
If they think that the paid stuff is out of this world, you will be successful because they will buy your products.
Build a Strong Brand # 5:Move Them from Pain and towards Pleasure by Offering Solutions
Entrepreneurial parent, remember your dual role. You are a guide to your family and your target audience.
You’re a bridge. Your job is to be the energy force that moves your dream customer from a place of pain to a place of pleasure.
Final Thoughts on How to Build a Strong Business Brand An Entrepreneurial Parent
And lastly, this is for us as entrepreneurial parents. Building a solid brand for your online business has more to do with your character than with textbook execution of marketing frameworks.
Your Business must reflect the values you hold dear to your heart, that is, your brand identity. Tell the world what you believe in and stand up for your convictions.
Your Business must reflect the values you hold dear to your heart
Be kind to yourself. Give yourself some grace: build-up, people. Anyone who comes across your content should have a positive feeling after interacting with your business.
These are simple but powerful things you can do to build your brand. Speak your truth. And that’s how you create a solid and successful brand as an entrepreneurial parent, knowing that you’re leaving a legacy for generations to come.
If you want to continue to learn more about what it takes to be a parent in business and build a legacy for generations to come, then join our Hippos to Horses Marketing Newsletter.