Before building a brand, become one.
As a female entrepreneur, building a brand goes beyond having a logo, a business name, or a CAC certificate. It consists of building an identity that reflects who you are, your goals, values, and aspirations. Having a personal brand helps you build yourself personally and professionally. Let’s explore the steps needed to become a brand, set yourself apart, and build a brand that resonates with you and also attracts your target audience.
Know your strengths and leverage them: knowing what you are good at, and how you can integrate it into your business and build on it. Define your driving force, ethics, and principles. Lean into your strengths and skills, and milk out your advantage if you have one.
Build a strong presence both online and locally: Use social media to connect with your audience, share tips, engage in conversations, and build relationships with other entrepreneurs both online and locally to stay informed and encourage collaborations while also establishing yourself in that community and carving out a niche for yourself.
Build a community: Building a community is one of the easiest ways to build a brand. People sell products, so create a face for your brand. It could be you, or you could use someone else to tell stories, relate to your community, and share your challenges, wins, and experiences to build a connection with your audience. You can start a newsletter or create short video clips to share and connect with your community. Also, contributing to initiatives that align with your brand helps to improve its identity and create a good reputation.
Professional Branding: Use tools to craft your identity, create polished images, and enhance your visual identity. Business owners use apps to edit videos, create logos, design fliers, and business cards, watermark pictures, and generate receipts to show the credibility and professionalism of your brand.
Adaption to changes: As an entrepreneur, economic and social changes are bound to affect you. Be open to change and sympathetic towards people’s struggles in the recent economic crisis, learn from challenges, and also offer products that are considerate for your target audience.
Do not forget that building your brand is an ongoing process, and consistency matters a lot. By combining these elements and also providing quality and consistent services, treating customers right, and embodying your brand’s values, you will create a strong brand that is authentic and unique.
