Social media tools have made brand building more affordable than ever. And during recessionary times, it’s been argued that the small business owner really can’t afford not to continuously work their brand. But do you really get what branding is and how it can improve your bottom line?
I admit, I struggled to define this one in 25 words or less which really bugs me given I’m supposed to be a marketing guru to the WAHM set and a writer to boot. So I’ll start with the dictionary definition of “brand” and go from there. According to Merriam Webster,
Main Entry:
Pronunciation: ˈbrand
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, torch, sword, from Old English; akin to Old English bærnan to burn
Date: before 12th century
1 a: a charred piece of wood b: firebrand 1 c: something (as lightning) that resembles a firebrand
2: sword
3 a (1): a mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership (2): a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark b (1): a mark put on criminals with a hot iron (2): a mark of disgrace : stigma
4 a: a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer : make b: a characteristic or distinctive kind c: brand name
5: a tool used to produce a brand
Let’s look more closely at definition 3a(1):
mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership.
That’s food for marketing thought, now, isn’t it? And perhaps we now understanding the real origin of the term in its current marketing contexts.
In creating a brand for your WAHM business then, you give people enduring mental imagery by which to remember you. However, a successful brand attaches strong feelings to that mental imagery, feelings that connect your audience to both value and values. This is a potent combination because people are visually stimulated but motivated by emotion when making a decision to buy.
So while you’re not hot ironing your logo to their forehead (although that would be cool if you could), you’re aim with branding is to imprint a well defined message onto your audience’s psyche every time they experience a “touch point” with your company. This imprint must be replicable and consistent. If not, trust deteriorates rapidly.
If you have a successfully branded your company, every time your audience hears your name (or your company’s name), every time they visit your website or receive a piece of communication from you (on twitter, in an email, etc), they recall your brand and the value it represents.
A good brand engages the senses and provokes the mind. It surprises the broca and makes people take pause in their busy day. More than this though, a good brand compels an audience to return for additional engagement.
Because they can’t get enough. They can’t erase the mark you left on them. Nor do they want to. The hot iron maybe even hurt a little when it touched their skin, but in a good way. In a way that lit up their deepest desire for something.
If that doesn’t convince you to reconsider the importance of branding, then nothing will. Go forth confidently with a strong brand and others will follow just as confidently. Make your mark. Stick the hot iron to them and see what happens.
There is something compelling personality tests, isn’t there? We can’t resist them. Perhaps it’s their ability to help us look at ourselves through the lense of science or, depending on the quiz you take, pop culture. We all harbor the narcissistic need for a label, a persona, a type. It both makes us feel like we belong and like we’re special. But there are some very good business reasons for getting to know yourself a little better, even if it’s with the help of a personality test (or therapist):
- Prepare for difficult situations. When you can anticipate, for example, a social setting that will cause you to bite your nails to the quick or natter incessantly about how much you love your parakeet, you can plan your attack. You can decide in advance what you will do with your hands or what subjects might make for a conversation others might actually want to partake in. That’s Business Networking 101 and you need to do it well.
- Play to your strengths. In business this is really all you’ve got, but especially during tough economic times. For example, customer loyalty is created through relationship building and the ability to turn negatives into positives. Maybe you can make people laugh when all they want to do is cry. Or maybe you’re an empath. (Who doesn’t need to cry now and then?) Whatever your strengths, know what they are so you can not only have them at the ready but leverage them for profit.
- Outsource your weaknesses. This one can be tough to do when cash is tight, but if you look at outsourcing as a strategy for enabling you to work more productively on that which you are fabulous at, it makes good business sense. However, you first must figure out and then be honest about what you, uh, suck at. The rest is easy.
- Communicate more effectively. This one took me a long time to learn. It wasn’t until I took the Myers Briggs personality test–and learned I was an INTJ–that I realized I tend to come across as aloof and uncaring in various social situations. I quite ignorantly assumed my peers had inferiority complexes. In fact, they thought I didn’t give a rat’s patootie about what they thought or how they felt. Needless to say, I’ve adjusted my communication style accordingly.
- Build a better brand. If you have a handle on the good, the bad and the ugly of your personality, you’ve got great fodder for building a formidable brand. Maybe you have a quirky sense of humor, maybe you’re good with numbers but suck at writing, or maybe you’re so introverted you’re sprouting bat wings. Whatever it is that makes you you is probably brand worthy in the sea of mediocrity that is today’s online marketplace.
If you want a really interesting and fun personality test that actually has some science behind it, take Dr. Helen Fisher’s free online personlity test at Chemistry.com. While the test is meant to help you determine how you behave in the context of romantic relationships, the resulting profiles provide a ton of insight into what kind of business woman (and Alpha WAHM) you might be as well.
Because business building today is all about relationship building. And to know thyself is the ultimate business building advantage.
Running a 10K (6 miles) was never on my most “desirable things in the world to do list,” however, the opportunity to join The Sole Sisters running troupe was just too enticing to give up. Did I mention that I dislike – no hate running – so making it through the 14 weeks of training were some of the hardest weeks I had ever endured. I liken it to starting a WAHM business – it takes perseverance, commitment and a whole lot of endurance.
Persevere Even When You Want to Quit: Running my own WAHM business has been the most “up and down” experience of my working career…way harder than having a job. During our running clinic we’d build up to the hill climbs – “run and up and down this hill 6 times ladies” came the bellow from the fit blonde at the head of the pack. Not another hill or should I call it a challenge. There have been times where I have just wanted to turn around and crawl back to the old 9-5 experience… wouldn’t that be easier than being a WAHM. But it takes looking back to see just how far I have come that keeps me persevering. What about you?
Commitment is the Key to Success: It if wasn’t for the other 100+ women that expected me to be at the running clinic, I’m not sure I would have backed-out of the clinic let along run the 10K. Staying accountable to others and myself forced me to commit the time and energy to succeeding. Success can come in many forms so commit to making your WAHM endeavor what you envisioned from start to finish.
Endurance Makes You Stronger: It’s a cliché line isn’t it – “stay the course and you will get stronger” but, fortunately, it’s true. After 14 weeks of running, my knees still hurt but the fact it; I can now run a lot further than 3 months ago. I’ve seen many WAHM’s jump out of the entrepreneur world when the pain set in. When you see a lone woman at the 9K mark of a 10K holding a sign saying “YOU CAN DO IT”, you somehow find that extra oomph to stay the course.
In short, I’m not really talking about running a 10K, I’m talking about having the perseverance, commitment and endurance needed to create a WAHM business that is all you. Yes, there will be hills to climb, yes you will feel pain but in the long run, you can look back and be proud of the distance you have travelled.
Do you have an X Box in your toolkit as an Alpha WAHM? You should, and here is why. An X box can give you a window of uninterrupted time that is independent of what is on television, whether you have stocked up on books at the library recently, when the children’s other parent will be available, or if you can find a sitter. It requires no electricity, no supervision, no clean up, and just a bit of creativity and pre-planning on your part.
First, to be clear, I’m not talking about the popular gaming device. Instead, I’m referring to a box (or bag) of games, toys, books, and activities that is hidden away until X happens. If your offspring have access to a computer other than your work computer, you can also create an X file of computer games and activities.
Depending on your circumstances, X may be a client phone call when you need absolute silence from your children (plopping them down in front of the TV just won’t work). X may be an emergency trip, being confined to bed because of illness or injury, or a pressing deadline you are facing.
Pull out your secret stash of goodies. Let your children enjoy these novelty items until the crisis has passed then pack them away again. If this idea works for you, consider stocking multiple X boxes—a sick day box, a travel box, and seasonal activity boxes—to keep things fresh and new.
What to include in your X box is entirely up to you, the person who knows your children and their interests best. You also know what activities would keep them occupied for about three nanoseconds, so choose accordingly. Some good choices might be
A deck of cards along with a book of card games
Play Doh
Matchbox cars
Books to read or make into Matchbox car ramps
Puzzles and a puzzle mat
A stacking block game like Jenga
A memory match game
A solitary game like Set
Favorites in our family were Talking Puzzles, where the conversation bubbles on the puzzle pieces actually led to their placement, and a magnetic globe with pieces for each country in the entire world. Kitchen science items were also a hit.
Restock your X box as your children grow and their interests change. Pick up interesting items at book sales, school fairs, novelty shops, and yard sales. Do a short-term swap or a trade with friends who have children close to the same ages as yours. Use a service like FreeCyle.org. Ask family members to be on the lookout for unique finds.
Begin creating your X box now and look forward to uninterrupted time later. You’ll be glad you did.
