As business owners we are busy. Heck – we hustle away every day, every hour and every minute we can. So how can we afford to spend time building our own brand? The question should be, how can you afford not to build it!
People Buy People
It is important to remember this all along the way. When it comes to all of the world deals. Even the biggest ones – they all come down to one single handshake. Behind every business there are people who run it. In today’s world we can’t afford to hide behind our brands. We are obligated to show who we are and show our potential customers that our business is personable, authentic and has a strong leader (or leaders). This is our responsibility and it doesn’t have to be hard! Ideally you do what you love to do. As otherwise all of my recommendations will not work.
Personal Growth Ideas
Personal growth can equal your business growth if you work smart. With the right tactics you can grow your business with hardly any effort AND build your own personal brand also.
Write Articles
If you do what you love you will have plethora of knowledge to share. Don’t make this complicated. You don’t have to write 10 page articles. They can be small nuggets of information related to your niche. 500 words is plenty and can be easy if you speak with passion behind your words. You can then share those articles on your own platform or submit them to publications that often cover your niche. Aim for one article a month if your time is tight. That’s potentially 12 articles a year more than you currently do!
Give Interviews
Don’t be afraid to be a spokesperson for your business or niche. The more you talk to people the easiest it will become. Podcasting is experiencing massive growth both in Europe and the US. Why not to look at the podcasting directory right now and look for podcasts that cover your area of expertise? Drop the hosts a note to say that you have unexpected availability in your calendar and would love to share your knowledge with their audience. They will be thankful for it. Just a note – never use podcast interviews to advertise your company. Always use them to genuinely share the knowledge you have. That is the best advert for your company!
Become a Speaker
Once you become comfortable speaking on podcasts and short interviews consider putting yourself forward as a speaker at the events in your niche. Offer your time for free and don’t expect payment for accommodation or travel to start with. This is your investment in meeting people in your niche who can be your potential customers, affiliates, advocates or influencers willing to work with you. As a little bonus you will get to travel. Take your partner with you (organisers will usually be willing to provide a conference pass for free) and use some of the extra time to spend time with them. Nothing better than mutual appreciation for the work we do 🙂
Start Your Own Blog or Podcast
Once you get into the groove of the content creation and public speaking, consider starting your own blog or a podcast. Those two mediums will be a fantastic long term marketing investment in what you do!
