Success Advice
8 Steps to Go From a Wannabe to a Powerhouse Brand That People Will Love
In today’s digital world, consumers are navigating up to ten thousand ads every day. Brands are how consumers decide where to pay attention – they help us make decisions about what products we buy, the restaurants we eat at and where we go on vacation. For this reason, developing a brand is essential for the health of your business. Building a brand won’t happen overnight, but by pursuing the following eight steps, you can create brand values that will help your business stand out and put you on the right path to sharing your story with the world.
1. Answer 3 Questions
Creating a brand should begin by asking yourself three questions about your business:
- Who are we?
- What do we do?
- What do we believe?
These questions provide clarity and help you to focus on what it is you want to talk about. Once you’ve determined your answers to these three questions, you’re ready to take the branding process a step further.
2. Personify Your Company
A fun way to create your brand is to personify your company. There are two approaches you can take. The first is to pick a celebrity. Are you hip and current? Maybe your brand is Bruno Mars. Or, if you’re in a rural part of the country, maybe your brand is Miranda Lambert. The second approach is to answer a series of questions about the type of person your business would be, such as: What’s your age? What car do you drive? What’s your house look like? In doing this, you’ll create a person who represents your business.
3. Ask for Input
Getting an outside perspective on how your employees or customers see your business is a great way to refine your brand identity. At this stage, asking for input also enables you to make sure that your notions of the business align with how others perceive you. You’ll know right away if any branding you’ve done thus far has resonated or if you have a lot of work to do in better communicating your message.
4. Consider Mission, Vision & Values
If you have mission, vision, and values, jot them down. Never been through this process? Start with a blank piece of paper. An example of a mission statement is: Our mission is to provide comfort to all through the products we sell and by serving people in our community. As for vision, this relates to where you see your company going. For example: In five years, we will be the number one seller of mattresses in our market. Lastly, values are what you stand for. Examples: Integrity. Honesty. Creativity. Service.
5. Define Culture
Evaluating your culture is critical to defining your brand. To identify your culture, talk to management, employees, and customers to understand how they view the business and the current state of your culture. Another option is to conduct surveys among your employees and customers. Gathering anonymous feedback online can make respondents feel safer, making it more likely they’ll be candid. An important thing to remember while collecting feedback is to listen. Fight any urge to become defensive or disagree. Hearing the views of others is essential to defining your culture in an authentic and honest way.
6. Identity Your Position
A strong brand position is the first step to differentiating your business. Begin by asking yourself, in what category can you be first or best? Answering this question will require that you evaluate the competitive landscape. You’ll need to consider where your strengths and shortcomings are compared to your competitors. What can you offer that others can’t? Is there an opportunity for you to create the first of something new or to be the best at something that already exists?
7. Create Brand Pillars
Once you’ve identified your position, you’re ready to create your brand pillars. Think of your brand pillars as the fundamentals of how you want to conduct your business or how you wish to make decisions. Defining your pillars allows you to align your team around ideals that tell you where to go and sometimes what to do. You won’t have to fight to figure out if a merchandising decision or advertising piece fits. Filter those ideas through your brand pillars and you’ll often get easy answers to questions causing you to stall out.
8. Bring It to Life
Once you’ve completed the previous steps, you’re ready for the final stage: bringing the brand forward. All the deep work you just did is designed to bring your brand to life in its messaging and visuals. This process will enable you to create cohesive brand messaging and imagery. Your store and your website will hold hands. Your marketing materials will look like they belong with your website, and your social channels will have a voice that fits your culture. Done properly, these things all work together to form an identity that deepens your connection to consumers.
This article was adapted from the book, “Come Back to bed,” written by Mark Quinn and Mark Kinsley.
Success Advice
19 Common Characteristics All Visionary Leaders Have
When you look at business leaders like Bill Gates, Sam Walton, Sir Richard Branson, and philosophers like Bertrand Russell, Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, David Bohm, C. S. Peirce and inventors like Nikola Tesla, Paolo Soleri, Harvey W. Bailey, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Wright brothers and political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Aung San Suu Kyi, it becomes very clear that they are all connected through one leadership—visionary leadership. (more…)
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Success Advice
How to Choose the Best Affiliate Programs for Your Blog
If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers
Picking the right affiliate programs for your blog is really important. It can make a big difference in how much money you can make and how much your readers get out of your blog. With so many choices out there, deciding which ones to go with can be tricky.
This guide is here to make it easier for you. It will give you clear steps and helpful tips to choose affiliate programs that fit well with what your blog is about, what your readers like, and what you stand for.
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Understanding Affiliate Marketing
Before you start picking affiliate programs, it’s important to really understand what affiliate marketing is and how it works.
Basically, affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service on your blog, and then you get paid a little bit every time someone buys something or does something because you recommended it.
It’s great for both the person selling the product and the blogger, because the seller gets more sales with low risk, and the blogger can make money from their blog.
How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Blog
1. Assess Your Niche and Audience
The key to doing well in affiliate marketing starts with really knowing what your blog is about and who reads it. Consider the following:
- Your blog’s content: What topics do you cover? Ensure the products or services you promote are relevant.
- Your audience’s interests and needs: What solutions are they seeking? Choose affiliate programs that offer products or services that solve their problems or enhance their lives.
2. Research Potential Affiliate Programs
Once you know what your blog is about and what your readers want, start looking for affiliate programs. Choose ones that are well-known for good products, great customer service, and helpful support for affiliates. Resources to find these programs include:
- Affiliate networks like ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.
- Direct searches for “[Your Niche] affiliate programs” in search engines.
- Recommendations from other bloggers in your niche.
3. Evaluate the Commission Structure
The commission structure is a critical factor to consider. Look for programs that offer competitive rates that make your efforts worthwhile. Consider:
- The percentage of commission per sale.
- Whether the program offers a flat rate per action (e.g., per sign-up).
- The cookie duration, which affects how long after a click you can earn commissions on sales.
4. Consider the Program’s Reputation and Sureness
Join affiliate programs with a solid reputation for quality and sureness. This not only ensures that you’re promoting good products but also that you’ll be paid on time. You can:
- Read reviews from other affiliates.
- Check the program’s history and background.
- Look for any complaints or issues reported online.
5. Analyze the Support and Resources Offered
A good affiliate program gives you things like ads to use, training on their products, and helpful managers. Having access to these resources can really help you do a better job at promoting their products.
6. Understand the Terms and Conditions
Before signing up, thoroughly review the program’s terms and conditions. Pay close attention to:
- Payment thresholds and methods.
- Any restrictions on how you can promote their products.
- The program’s policy on affiliate marketing on social media platforms.
7. Test the Product or Service
If possible, test the product or service before promoting it. This firsthand experience allows you to offer genuine charge and build trust with your audience.
8. Look for Recurring Commission Opportunities
Some affiliate programs pay you again and again for subscriptions or services that charge fees regularly. These can provide a more stable income compared to one-time sales commissions.
Implementing Your Choice
After choosing the best affiliate programs, the next step is to smoothly include your affiliate marketing in your content plan. This includes:
- Creating valuable content that naturally incorporates affiliate links.
- Disclosing your affiliate affairs transparently to maintain trust with your audience.
- Tracking your results to understand what works best for your audience and adjusting your strategy accordingly.
Picking the best affiliate programs for your blog involves careful planning, research, and making sure they match what your audience likes and needs.
If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers.
The real key to doing well with affiliate marketing isn’t just about the products you talk about, but also how much your audience trusts and values your advice.
With enough time, patience, and hard work, your blog can grow into a successful space that earns a good amount of affiliate money and helps your readers choose the right products.
Success Advice
The Power of Ethical Leadership: How Integrity Drives Success
By leading with integrity and ethics, leaders create an environment where employees feel excited to come to work
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