Why a Brand Strategist, Coach or Agency Is Important and How Much They Cost…
It all boils down to this…if you want to build a sustainable, scalable and profitable brand and business…Aaaannndddd you are not capable of creating your own brand and getting all of those wonderful things that you want to do out of your head, then you need someone to assist you with that! PERIOD!!! You need to INVEST in YOU! If you are don’t want to hear the truth about where your mindset is, don’t continue to read this blog. Warning!!!
Everyone who knows me knows that all I can do is be ME and AUTHENTIC! And I have been in business for a long time and think I know a little something, something! But the truth of who I am is genuine and caring, not trying to beat anyone over the head about do business with me or investing in themselves. But I feel the need to share with you a few things about doing business and building a BrandNique™ Brand and Business, to educate you on a few things.
Your PERSONAL and BUSINESS BRAND is ESSENTIAL for YOUR SUCCESS!! This is regardless if you are an entrepreneur, business owner or a corporate professional. You need to have a BRAND BEFORE you BEGIN MARKETING ANYTHING! EVEN YOU! If you don’t know what are you marketing and selling and to whom, then you need help! People get this so confused and backward, which annoys me to no end. There is so much out there and people are saying all kinds of things just to get your money (some, not me). As a Brand Coachsultant, Strategist and Mentor, let me share a few jewels…
Branding is the buzz word of the century now, I believe because everyone is using it and not knowing what it all entails. Branding has various components and elements to it that are all needed in order to have a BrandNique™ Brand! Which the following components are essential:
Brand Aesthetics
You have visual aesthetics. Which is what attracts your clients to you and what they will remember. This includes your logo, typography, colors, and all of your marketing collateral, which includes your website and more. In regards to your personal brand, this is all about your outer appearance and confidence. So wear it and represent YOU well!
Brand Communication
Your messaging and content, along with your hook is what attracts and pulls at the heartstrings of your potential clients. You must speak their language and know how to say what you need in your communications, messaging and content, along with your hook is what’s going to pique your potential clients. You should know how to sell yourself, tell your story and most importantly, connect with them!
Brand Positioning
Knowing how your business and your brand are structured creates the platform for you to have a scalable brand and business. Depending on the number of the services, products, and or programs you must know the depth and width of your brand offerings and position them in such a way that is not confusing to your audience. All of this is referred to like your brand architecture. It is the structure of a brand within your company portfolio and has various sub-brands that support one brand.
Now please understand that there are many levels and opportunities for brand development and strategy, which various freelancers and agencies offer different services. With the services, you have different opportunities to work with multiple people or one specific agency, if they are able to do all that it is included. But it totally depends on where you are in your brand and business development. If you are not sure what to do, then first you want to start off with a consultation with someone who understands branding in general and who can point you in the right direction. (Here is my link for a Complimentary 20-Minute Session https://fb.com/book/BrandNiquelyYouInc/)
Brand Aesthetic and Visual Designers
There are so many freelancers, business owners and agencies who can do multiple things or either they specialize in one anything. For instants, you have graphic designers who are great in creating logos and that is their specialty. Which a logo can range from depending on who as freelancer $150-$5000. I know the CHEAP people are thinking fiverr.com But I am going to preference this…you get what you pay for! But anyhoo, these are your visual designers who can create the visual brand for you, but they don’t necessarily know how to create the content and position you. Their main thing is that the designers of your brand aesthetics make you look good and pop! Or at least I do (smile).
Content and Message Design
Your messaging and content are essential to creating the validity of your brand aesthetics. It is important to connect with the individual to know who you are, what you do, and why you do it. They need to know your personality and be able to bring that out in your tone and voice of your brand. Your messaging is the biggest piece of your branding along with your strategy.
If it does not speak to your audience and position you in the marketplace for what it is that you do, it can become confusing. But this also comes from having a clear and solid business model and strategy that they can use to design your communications. A freelancer and or a small branding agency can charge between $2,000 to $50,000 and up! if you know that you have someone who is good with copy and messaging and sees your vision, then expect to pay money… because this is imperative to have in your overall brand and business.
Brand Strategy and Marketing Communications
This person or agency is the one that should know everything about your brand and your business because they bring it all together and strategize on how and where to target to be most profitable. They help you find your focus, narrow down your niche, and look at multiple factors in terms of attracting your clients and retaining them. Your strategic Brand Partner should be one that is solid in messaging, design and is knowledgeable about various industries. They are looking at your overall profitability and scalability for your company. It would be advantageous for you to have a great relationship with them in order for them to understand where you want to go and how you want to position yourself in the long run. A brand agency can start at $20,000 and up depending on the magnitude of the project…not to mention your mindset and how BIG you want to play in the world!
Do you see why it is important you have the right brand strategist and consultant working with you because you’re profitability and bottom line depends on it? You cannot skim on building the brand and marketing strategies; otherwise, people will not remember who you are, nor will they connect with you. Keep in mind, how you show up in the world is not only the perception YOU have of yourself, but the perception of your Potential CLIENTS have of you, which determines how much they perceive your value and worth and if they want to pay it!
So investing in yourself, your brand, and your business, in the beginning, says a lot about how far you want to go in business and be successful. There are many options out there for the Lo-lo and trust me you will pay for what you get and not only that, you may or may not have an original, logo or BrandNique™ Brand that speaks to the core of who you are. I would hate for you to start all over again.
I hope this helps you to understand the importance of developing a solid brand and strategy.
Go Be BrandNiqely™ You! Have a great day! Smooches!!
Recent Comments