Marketing is actively promoting a product or service. It’s a push tactic. It’s pushing out a message to get sales results: “Buy our service because you have a problem and we can fix it.” Although it might be oversimplifying, that’s it in a nutshell.
That is not branding.
Branding should come before AND is the first layer of any marketing effort. Branding is not push, it's pull. Branding is the expression of the value of an organization or service. It should communicate your values, and clarify what your particular service IS and what it IS NOT.
A brand will help encourage someone to buy a service, and it directly supports whatever sales or marketing activities are in play, but your brand does not say “buy me.” Instead, it says “This is what I am. This is why I exist. If you agree, if you like me, you can buy me and recommend me to your friends.” It’s your reputation.
Branding is strategic. Marketing is tactic!
I want to use the example of social media to speak into what is the best way to build your brand. And I’ll tell you why social media is about being present with your brand for the people with whom you do business, your clients and your prospects. It's about your relationships. Your brand is your reputation.
So, just using that as an example, your brand presence represents who you are. It is meant to support your company, reinforcing your reputation, the service you provide and your commitment to your clients. Build relationships in and around your social channels, showcasing your desire to serve them. These relationships are the foundation of your brand’s reputation, success and bottom-line. You are building trust and then seeing the return.
Nurture and cultivate your audience with real conversations and engagement, offering value and rich content. Don’t just ALSWYAS push your URLs and self-promote; get involved. Share. Ask questions.
People buy from people, and they want to get to know you. They already respect and admire you for your accomplishments, because you’re an attorney and have a license to practice law; with your brand you want to humanize your practice and be personable. The relationships that you build in social channels will lead to increased brand advocacy. Make the time!
Creating an online “experience” for your clients and referral sources though your brand is an opportunity to engage and interact on a more personal level than you can with more traditional forms of media. You are speaking WITH instead of AT them. These relationships can evolve into strong brand advocates to share your message, service and products. This word-of-mouth advertising and shouting from rooftops (social channels) is the greatest form of marketing your brand can hope for. Each consumer is connected and has a voice – they will share their testimonials and experiences with the world, so it is your job to make sure those are positive. Pay attention to them, understand their pain points and give them viable solutions.
So, do you have a brand?
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars or hundreds of hours to create your brand. You can outsource it to a marketing firm – or even create your own online, for free. Several members use their firm name with standout fonts that pop. Do not sit and do nothing because you don’t know what to do. It can take a year to really build your brand, so it’s not something you should wait to make perfect. It doesn’t matter what shade of blue you use, whether it’s teal or navy blue, light blue or periwinkle. But a separate logo, as a distinct way of writing your company or product name, is not an essential requirement for a brand. Many well-known firms exist without logos. Often they rely on their name, rather than a graphic, to create the necessary impact. However, if that's your approach, give some care and attention to the look of your name, but don’t let it stall you.
If you do have a brand, what are you doing with it?
When you have a brand, there are two things you need to do to build it. (1) Make sure it appears everywhere. Period. Social, stationary, pens, shirts for community outreach, workshop ads, flyers, anything with your firm or your name on it must have your brand! (2) Deliver on your promise. Make sure that your systems and process are working, because one weak link or broken promise can weaken your brand.
Roslyn Drotar – Coaching, Consulting & Implementation, Lawyers With Purpose
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