Five tips on how to reconnect and reinvent your brand
So you want to start your own business. Excellent. You can count on us to be in your corner, especially if you need assistance with your branding and story. It’s kind of our thing.
Tell us who else has your back. Who do you consult when you’ve got questions? Who’s your go-to when you fail or, better yet, succeed? Who have you referred, boosted as much as you can, and who are you excited to meet?
Networking Tips
All this is your networking reach. How far does yours stretch? Here are a few ways to network better this year:
- Find your people. And then meettheir people. The chain never ends if you’re networking correctly. So attend industry specific events with cards and keep an open mind about contacts you might not need today, but perhaps will someday.(A special note about business cards: Treat them like money.)
- Make sure your people areable to find you. This means current social media sites and proper contact information. Try not to change your email address. Consistency is key; if you and your information are constant, your branding and message will benefit.
- Work on your elevator pitch. The elevator part isn’t crucial, because when’s the last time you found yourself on an elevator with an individual who could possibly change the trajectory of your company’s success? The point is, you must craft a one-sentence statement to offer when asked “What do you do?” Answer: “I (insert service or product) for people who (insert description of dream client’s needs).”Even better than one sentence? A unique title. Now, maybe you’re lucky enough to hold a job that’s easily identified by your audience. Think surgeon, U.S. Senator, ghostwriter, and baker. But what if you’re a design blogger? A wellness professional? A creative consultant? A neon sign maker? Be prepared for the follow-up questions those titles elicit, and get specific. See elevator pitch, above.
- Think small. If you’re talking about your business with a potential influencer or partner, narrow your focus. You don’t need to tell everythingyou can do; this is the moment tosqueeze everything into that one thing. You may be an architectural designer who wants to focus only on the designer part of your career for a while. That’s fine. In networking environments, just be sure to highlight your design talents and projects, throwing in your architectural background when necessary.
- Quality, not quantity. At a certain point, the amount of connections and followers you enjoy will max out. Ever heard of Dunbar’s number? Robin Dunbar of Oxford University, posits that 150 is the most social connections we can manage all at once. But do we only want 150? Nope. We want hundreds of thousands, more, more, more.
No matter your ideal number of connections, focus on that tight group who can really help you get where you want to be. And make sure that you’re creating content that will resonate with them.
One final tip that always guarantees success, both personal and professional: Spread the love. If you know someone who’s great at something, tell others. Share their social media accounts. And then do it for the next peer who impresses you with their own additions to the world.
Goodwill begets more goodwill. And we can’t imagine a better networking outcome than that.
Need help with your message? We’ve got some good ideas for you. Just ask.