Success On .Social

Tag: business development

  • Branding Workbook: 9 Brand Components

    Branding Workbook: 9 Brand Components

    Creating Your Brand Is Not Easy

    Are you in the process of brand building? It is overwhelming, isn’t it? There are so many things that you want to say. So many services that you offer and they are all to solve problems that are loosely related. Or you are offering an alternative to the status quo. It doesn’t matter it feels like it is going to be impossible to get all of this into 10-15 words that speak clearly about your brand! It is not impossible, many have done it and you can as well. We created the “9 Components of Brand: Branding Workbook” to help you get organized and break you “brand” into pieces that you can manage and help you work up to the big picture.

    For more information on Brand, click here

    What Exactly Is Brand

    Remember that a BRAND is not your logo. It is not your identity and your BRAND is not something that can be sold. Brand is moments, memories, sights, sounds, tastes and smells. It is a gut feeling that a person has about your business. A BRAND is emotional because humans are emotional and they make decisions based on feelings. Therefore, your brand is not what you say it is… it is what your audience feels it is. You have to make your audience feel something. What are you going to make them feel?

    For more information on Brand Storytelling, click here

    Getting the Most Out of the Branding Workbook

    In order to get the most out of the Branding Workbook, you should set aside time to work on each of the activities, time that you can focus on just the topic at hand. Be completely honest with your answers. Make sure that you are realistic with your strengths and weaknesses so that you aren’t building your brand on false pretenses. As you proceed through each component in the workbook, take a look back at the previous components and see if they align with one another. If they don’t think about why that is the case and how you may reconcile those differences as you continue to develop your brand and brand story.

    Most importantly, be open and honest with yourself about why you decided to do what you do and why it matters to your audience. Your “why” is the foundation for all the other components, if you aren’t honest with this then your brand will forever fail to be authentic. Branding is an iterative process, you won’t complete this workbook and have the perfect brand statement immediately, but you will get there. What you will have is a better understanding of all the components you should take into consideration when working on branding your business.

    What Are the 9 Components?

    1. You
    2. Your Competition
    3. Your Differentiators
    4. The Audience
    5. Your Business Personality
    6. Your Story
    7. How you React In Crisis Situations
    8. Your Vision (Goals, Plans and How You Communicate them)
    9. Perceived Authenticity

    You Are the Number One Component

    The first component of your brand is you. It is your business, after all, so it makes sense that you are the number one component of your brand. Component one is where you are going to look at your passions, your values, the things you want your business to be known for, and most importantly, you examine your “why.” Take your time with this section; honestly think about your answers to the questions.

    Don’t stretch the truth; don’t overstate the facts, and think about how your answers will be received by the audience. You are building all the other components of Brand off of this foundation, make sure it is stable. If you nail this component, you are well on your way to creating a viable brand.  Your chances of being seen as authentic by an audience are not good if you lie, stretch the truth or “fudge it.”  Be honest, real, and emotional in your answers.

    The Next Component Involves Examining Your Competition

    Presumably, you are entering the marketplace with a product or service that was not available before, or you have an improvement to an already existing item. To know this, you examined the marketplace and what other vendors and businesses had available. What were the voids in the market before your product? How does your product fill those voids? How does your product/service change the lives of users? This is a basic before and after arc in a brand or product story, and the only way to tell it is to examine your competition. Honestly and objectively look at how you compare. They will naturally do some things better than you, and you will do other things better than they do.

    Component Number 3 is Defining The Differentiators

    You have determined what you do well, you have looked at and compared what others in the market do well, and you know how you, your business, and your products compare, So now, what are some of the critical aspects of your business that makes you different. At the core level, not superficial things but a differentiator that will make someone choose you over your competition.

    Differentiators should be marketable things AND something that your customers/clients will value? Remember you can’t be everything to everybody, so if your differentiators narrow your audience down a bit but open the opportunity to have more engaged followers who share your values and believe in your business, then that trade-off is undoubtedly worth it.

    Without Component 4 Your Brand Does Not Exist

    Your audience holds a great deal of power in this process and it is imperative that you examine the likes, dislikes, habits, and expectations of your ideal clients and make sure that your brand is offering them what they are looking for. Your audience is your potential customer base and they are the reason you are in business. Without your audience, you have no customers. No customers mean no business. Oh, and if you don’t have an audience then you don’t have a brand, remember your brand is based on the emotional response to your business. So take the time here to do some research and develop a few personas that accurately represent your customer.

    What Emotion Directly Proceeds the Purchase

    You felt overwhelmed, so you bought a planner to help you keep organized. You felt old, so you bought a bright red sports car. You felt betrayed by corporate America, so you get your coffee at the local coffee house. An emotion directly proceeded these decisions to purchase and emotions are powerful motivators. Marketers know this and that’s why they capitalize on them to sell products, yes even the local coffee house does, and it’s not betrayal it is a smart business strategy. So what emotion are your customers feeling right before they come in to make a purchase with you? Pinpoint that, and your business changes. Emotions are universal, sell the emotion everybody will get it.

    Your Business Personality

    Businesses have personalities just like the people who run them. After all, you would not expect Oprah and Gary Vaynerchuk to run a business the same way. Oprah’s company has a different character, then Gary V’s who curses all the time provides blunt, real advice, and he most certainly will not be wearing a gown to a gala anytime soon. The idea here is if you are representing the company, the personality of the company should match your personality.

    If you are the chief behind the scenes guy, then the personality should match your chief front of house officer. Neither is right or wrong, but it may feel incongruous and impact the perceived authenticity if the eccentric scientist at the head of your company was forced to waddle out on stage for company presentations in a tuxedo he only wore for those occasions, and shoes he always fell in. Let the man wear his Birkenstocks and lab coat for goodness sake.

    Your Brand In A Crisis

    We don’t like to think about things like a crisis, but you are better off preparing for a disaster that will never happen then assuming it will never happen and having to scramble to make difficult decisions in unfriendly conditions. Have plans in place, communicate plans clearly, and if the worst happens, you activate those plans. The essential thing to keep in mind here is how you will respond to the crisis without undermining your values. In a crisis, you must make decisions based on your company values do not abandon them for the business as you are merely prolonging the demise. A business shaken by a crisis can recover, a business that leaves its values to save face is doomed to fail.

    Component Number 7: Your Vision

    The goals and plans for the company and how those are communicated to employees (if one of your goals is to grow).

    A vision statement is a form of internal branding that reflects the values of the company and plan for where the company wants to be in the future. Every member of your business should be able to identify with the vision statement .it should make them all feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Think big and stretch the concept of your business with your vision statement. Your own little business may surprise you and show what it is really capable of.

    Bringing It All Together With Your Story

    Component 8 is where we start to pull it all together. You are looking to engage your followers with an authentic story that answers important questions like the following:

    • What do you do?
    • Why do you do it?
    • What problems do you solve?
    • Who is your ideal customer?
    • Who else do you serve?
    • How are you different from your competitors?
    • What does the company believe in?
    • Why should the audience care?

    Man, that is a mouthful… and I even forgot something, you need to be able to boil your story down to 10-12 words at times! As you begin the process of building out your story you may feel a need to go back to a previous component and revise it because it does not quite ring true to you. That is okay, it is why we call it a workbook. You are working to develop your brand and you should do everything possible to make sure it feels right for you. If it doesn’t feel right for you it won’t feel right for others. Go back tweak it,  make it feel good.  Be honest, and be real. Include your struggles and don’t forget your journey.

    Once you have your brand story you can use it to create your key messages, brand talking points, and other marketing materials, Brand story first so that your brand identity is reflective of the values and story.

    What is Number 9?

    Branding Tip Make decisions based on values and build relationshipsThat last component of a brand is an essential one, and that is authenticity. You have not arrived at your finalized brand, brand story, and visual components to support it until you can say, “yes, I feel good about all of that and I have no problems defending that statement for as long as this company is in existence.”

    Ask yourself if you are being real. If you can answer a truthful yes to all these questions you might be ready to go.

    • Does your brand story sound like something a human would say?
    • I can not identify a single place I embellished the story, used hyperbole, or misrepresented my experiences.
    • I made sure the emotions portrayed are real and will connect with others.
    • I talk about the struggles and hard times for myself and the company.
    • I let my passion show?
    • I highlight the unique qualities of the company in a way that will appeal to our audience.

    You know your business better than anyone else. You know what is true and what is a lie and so will your audience. Branding is a long term strategy when it is layered together with storytelling, and engaging your followers regularly on social media it helps you build an audience that likes, knows, and trusts you. An audience that will call you first when they need your services, or know somebody who does. Don’t rush it. Sit with it for a couple days, allow it simmer in your brain and if it feels good in a couple days then try it out on somebody. Edit based on the input you recieve, let it sit, repeat.

    9 Components of Brand LogoDownload Your Copy of the 9 Components of Brand: Your Branding Workbook Today

    This workbook is created as a tool to help you focus on your brand and what items should be taken into consideration when brand building. We believe in the power of stories, We recommend you develop your story first and then focus on the brand.

  • What is Social Media Management?

    What is Social Media Management?

    What is Social Media Management?

    Social Media Management is a foreign concept to many people. The list of questions I am tired of answering probably goes on for days but here are a few #epic ones.

    • What does a Social Media Manager even do?
    • Does Social Media really need to be managed?
    • You just sit on Instagram all day and take selfies, right?
    • And, my favorite… Do you know Kim Kardashian?

    There is a deep misunderstanding behind what social media managers actually do, especially in the business realm. No, it does not take me an entire 8-hour shift to create an Instagram post that says, It’s Friyaaaay where is the Partaaaayyy! First of all. I own my own business. I wish I worked shifts, especially one as short as 8 hours. Secondly, this is not what you hire a social media manager to do. A social media manager is charged with creating and posting engaging content that advances the goals of the business.

    So, now that we have gone over some of the things that we do not do; we can review why your business will benefit from having a dedicated social media manager.

    The Role of A Social Media Manager

    Each business decides what the role of the social media manager will be in an organization. However, these following tasks generally fall under the roles and responsibilities of a social media manager. We also provide some needed skills for each task. As social media becomes more ingrained in all we do the tasks will continue to become larger and more complex.

    • Represents your brand online
    • Manage all of your social profiles
    • Create custom content for your business
    • Engage followers and build up a new following
    • Balances informative content with promotional content
    • Monitors and responds to comments and questions
    • Tracks and analyzes the results of social media campaigns
    • Ensures that the voice used to post is consistent

    Social Media Managers Roles and Responsibilities

    Jonathan Howard, lead content creator and business consultant at JRH Graphics defines the role of a social media manager and discusses what makes JRH Graphics unique.

    Manage Your Brand & Maintain Your Brand Identity

    Your brand and your story are essential ways you connect with followers. Your social media manager is the promoter and protector of your brand. They ensure profile images are all recognizable and follow branding guidelines. Create posts that are branded and use the brand story appropriately. They are the first contact point with new customers and customers looking for support and service via Twitter. Some are even tasked with maintaining your shop presence on Facebook and Instagram and promoting new items via product posts.

    Communication, Attention to Detail and Organizational Skills Are Required

    A social media manager controls the conversation on your social media platforms. They accomplish this with a well-planned content calendar complete with key promotions, events, and new product releases. As well and educational and behind the scenes content that is EDUTAINING – Educational -Useful- Entertaining. Your brand and story are powerful connections. With social media becoming integrated into so many facets of your business, your social media manager has the power to shape your story and brand in all that they do. They must possess strong communication skills and be well organized to manage this aspect of the job.

    Create Customized and Engaging Content

    A social media manager brainstorms, researches, creates copy and visual for all your social media posts. In many cases even today, a social media manager is the sole creative for social media posts. They are also the one who actually does the posting. A social media manager is charged with creating engaging content for followers to consume from start to finish. They must be aware of trends and know what types of content is engaging followers. A plan to eliminate the content that is no longer essential is key. They function as brand ambassadors, storytellers and must be able to create an emotional connection between customers/followers and the brand.

    A Social Media Manager Must Be Creative and Flexible

    Flexibility and creativity are essential. The demands of the users and the lightning-fast pace of technology is changing every platform at a record pace. It is certainly feasible for you to develop content at the start of a month only to find that the platform you were going to post it on has changed the format or size. Or in the case of Google+, it is gone! They should be early adopters of new technology but still, be willing to work to get results on existing technology and platforms. Create Great Content Often, Adjust for Algorithm, Repeat should be their motto.

    Manages Your Profiles & Engage Followers

    Your social media manager is the sole person responsible for managing the day to day of your social profiles. Is the person running your social media the first person that you want your customers to see when they enter your business? Your social media manager needs to be able to communicate and personify all your business stands for. Charged with engaging existing and new followers every day on your platforms, the social media manager holds a great deal of power. They define the message that helps define your audience. They are building your future customer base.

    Must Be A People Person and Problem Solver

    Responsive, tactful and eloquent. Three keywords to look for when hiring a social media manager. In addition to the story and branding, a social media manager must also be intimately aware of all company policies and procedures so they can provide the right information to customers when asked questions. A social media manager must be a problem solver. They are going to be asked to solve problems that your customers and followers are facing each day.

    Track the results of campaigns and Adjust Accordingly

    Your social media manager not only puts the content into play but they also have to measure for the ROI (Return on Investment). Using the many different measures of engagement, social listening and much more they need to rank the success or failure of posts (and aspects of posts). This allows them to see which pieces of content measure up to expectations and which fell short. They also need to react to the results quickly. If it failed once it will fail again. They need to know not to put content that will certainly fail into play when they could replace it will other content that a higher chance of success. Finally, they must also measure what types of content are engaging at what levels and if they need to restructure the content calendar to accommodate for the changes.

    A Social Media Manager Must be Analytical and Proactive

    Social media is bound to change. A social media manager needs to adapt. They need to analyze the results of their campaigns. They must double down on successes and eliminate content that fails. New ways to engage will always be emerging and some trends may be the perfect opportunity for your business to stand out. However, without an adaptable member running your social media team you may end up always arriving late to the party. Especially, if they aren’t even measuring the success of the posts they are posting.

    Keeping the Brand and Voice Consistent

    Want to confuse your followers? Have a different aspect of your brand identity as part of your profile photo on every platform. Change the order of the words in your tagline. Select a different color for your logo. Inconsistency confuses customers. And once a customer is confused they leave. What is worse they are not likely to come back. Equally confusing is when your brand changes the voice it speaks in on social media from post to post, I am guilty of this on my own brand and it is confusing to followers. Define the voice as part of your brand identity and stick to it.

    Your employees can speak directly to followers but as brand ambassadors and that voice can be unique to that post once it is defined. I encourage you to use that type of post wherever possible as well as social proof posts (reviews from clients) as a happy employee and a happy customer both send a powerful and emotion-filled message.

    A Deep Knowledge of Branding and Emotional Storytelling

    A social media manager needs to understand branding and emotional storytelling and connect those skills to the product or service they are selling. They need to be aware of what the differentiators are that strengthen the brand as well as how the company is positioning itself in the marketplace. Finally, they also need to be aware of the known competition and stay ahead of any new competition. Many times the first place you can identify some new players in the game is on social media.

    Does a Social Media Manager Just Take Selfies for Instagram?

    I hope at this point, we all know that this is not the case. A social media manager holds an ever-increasing role in your business. They are an integral part of marketing and branding strategies. They are content creators that must create engaging content that will grow an audience and create followers for life. A social media manager must create and deliver a great deal of content each week as well as to measure the impact of that content. And if that is not enough, the entire job can change at the drop of a hat. Once again, a great motto for any social media manager should be…

    Create Great Content Often, Adjust for Algorithm, Repeat!

    Oh, you guys did get one question right… Of course, I know Kim Kardashian, totally bestiesWhat Does JRH Graphics Provide that is Unique?

    Social Media Managers are a dime a dozen. There are many solutions available to create content for social media. Hundreds of people create logos and more people are entering the brand storytelling arena. Many of these people have little to no business experience. They went to school and studied advertising or social media marketing and know how to do that.

    That is not JRH Graphics. We understand the day to day of business because before we started our own we spent 20 years in business. We learned the ins and outs of social media before it was commonplace among businesses because we worked on college campuses and “grew up” on the cutting edge of it. We have faced hundreds of challenges and created hundreds of solutions. With each new company we work with we have added to our toolbelt and made these tools available to other small businesses because when one of us succeeds we all succeed. A listing of the available tools can be seen here.

    We Know Business

    Running a business and promoting a business are two full-time jobs, each with different skill sets. The more time you take to promote your business the less time you have to run it and the time you take running your business impacts your ability to expand your network of followers, nurture leads and discover new revenue feeds. Having a social media manager with 20 years of business experience allows you to grow your business while not losing sight of the day to day because the team at JRH Graphics identifies opportunities to grow and nurtures those opportunities in conjunction with your team.

    JRH Graphics helps you build your business via social media. We help you define a story that will engage by highlighting this story and your differentiators on social media. This establishes you and your business as a leader in your field. This works to activate your social media networks and local business networks. Once your network has been activated you begin establishing a collaborative relationship with them, allowing you to both grow your businesses and networks.

    Our Clients are Proof

    Jonathan has been a huge support for our small business. When we brought him on as our PR guy we also got a business consultant that truly cares about the success of our business. He is smart, savvy, innovative, and a risk taker that we trust completely. He has helped grow our business and introduced us to new revenue streams that have proved lucrative.

    -Cody Alexander, Urban Jungle DC

    JRH Graphics will help you become the smart, savvy, innovative business that takes the right risks and see the benefits.

    Jonathan is fantastic support for my small business – he’s helped me scale quickly and helped me achieve so much through social media and engaging with a broader audience.

    -Lea Berry, Berry Coaching and Consulting 

    We will help you scale quickly and reach your goals via the power of social media.

    Choose JRH Graphics and grow your business.

    Social Media Management Plus with JRH Graphics

    With JRH Graphics you get a social media manager and much more. The knowledge and experience. The drive to push to be better. A stubborn man who refuses to take no for an answer. Creative line pusher. Dedicated partner. JRH Graphics is part of your team!

  • Brand Storytelling Matters: Tips for A Powerful Story

    Brand Storytelling Creates Connections

    Stories create connections, which an essential part of doing business today. Businesses can no longer remain faceless entities and be successful. In order to survive a business needs to find a way to connect with its audience, in order to thrive they need to pull on heartstrings and engage at a much deeper level than ever before. If a business isn’t making an emotional connection between its brand and its audience then they risk failure.

    This is where your brand story comes in. It gives your business a human touch. Your brand story should weave together facts and feelings. It should include your why. Why you do what you do and why you believe it matters. It should also tell your audience why they should care about what you do.

    Selling the Universal Emotion Not the Product

    I remember when I first started doing marketing work a mentor saying to me, you aren’t selling a mattress you are selling a good night’s sleep. I was very confused as he dropped this piece of wisdom on my head and walked away because I wasn’t selling mattresses I was selling books. But the more I did social media and marketing the more I understood you are not selling products you are selling the emotional connections and the universal feelings. Nobody knows how your mattress feels, but everyone knows the amazing feeling of waking up feeling revived after a good nights sleep.

    Be Heard in the Crowded Marketplace

    Great brand storytelling allows you to be heard in a crowded marketplace. Now more than ever there are more people making things, and offering services. The marketplace is overcrowded. Some products and services are even great. So what makes you different? Why do I choose you and not your competition? How do you stand out? Your brand story is how you stand out.

    Brand Storytelling is Powerful

    When crafting your brand story think about what you want your business to be known for. When everything else is said and done what do you want people to say when they think about your business? What is the single most important message you want to deliver? Once you have that message in mind figure out a way to wrap that message into a story that your audience will connect with and you are now on the road to having a brand story that will connect.

    Your story is the most powerful and flexible tool in your toolbelt. It should act as a compass that guides your business in all that you do.

    Aspects of a Powerful Brand Story

    So what are some things necessary to have a powerful brand story? That’s the thing with storytelling, it is not an exact science and there is not an exact formula. But we all know a good story when we hear a good story. So in my effort to figure out some things needed for a good story, I watched a lot of Ted Talks and searched around the internet for great sites on storytelling like echostories.com. I discovered great nuggets of wisdom, things that many of us already believe to be true. Unfortunately, I did not discover the silver bullet… the surefire way to have a story that connects with your audience. So since I can’t give you that yet here are a few tips.

    Get Emotional

    Inject emotion into your presentation with stories. The objective of a story is to make your audience feel something. Happy, Sad, distraught, hopeful. It doesn’t matter what emotion the story brings about per se as the emotion creates a connection. Tell the story of how your product saved a life, the story of how your business gave you a purpose, that great story about how you helped a mother connect with an estranged child. Take this commercial for example…

    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

    Did You Feel Something?

    No matter how you feel on the issue, I guarantee that ad for Verizon (btw) made you feel something. It injected emotion into its advertisement and that emotion made for a powerful commercial and made you feel some kind of way. Verizon is saying in this commercial that part of its brand story is the power of communication to bring people together. That love can always call back using Verizon phone service. The beauty of this for Verizon, is they didn’t even have to spell out the connection. By simply having the Verizon logo at the end of that spot creates the connection the emotions you felt there are tied to Verizon, and you want to go connect or reconnect with somebody using a Verizon phone! Yes, it just as easily could have been Sprint or Metro PCS but it wasn’t.

    Make A Connection with Your Audience

    The other thing that made the Verizon advertisement so powerful is the connection that they made with the audience. The story they are telling is aimed at those celebrating Pride in the month of June. It was created in partnership with PFLAG, a National organization that unities families and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. They knew their audience. They knew that many people who identify as LGBTQ have struggled with coming out in their lives. This struggle is universal in the community so they were able to connect with the audience by being aware of, and sensitive to this universal truth. As a business, be aware of your audience and your followers. Is your brand story or aspect of a brand story something that they will connect with? If it is not, should it be part of your story?

    At First This Then That

    Change is a fundamental portion of a story including your brand story. At first, this was the truth, that is why our founder created (brand name) and now this is the truth. Apple is famous for using this in its story and in presentations. This is computing now, but with this brand new Mac we have challenged the status quo and this is what computing will look like! And those of you who are like me and want things to be easier, newer, better, and not the status quo eat it up. This then that creates suspense and excitement, both emotions and emotions create connections. And if you watch a lot of Apple product reveals you notice that they draw out the suspense to the point where your body is physically reacting to it. Ah the beauty of storytelling… when listening to a good story your body reacts like it is there and it releases hormones and endorphins. You are literally feeling the emotions and it does not matter that it is a new computer that has nothing to do with it, the feeling is what matters.

    Don’t Forget Your Why

    A key aspect of your brand story is your why. Why is it that you do what you do and why should your audience care? You need to wrap these into that emotional story to create the connection between the product/service, the emotions, and your overall brand. The why is not to make a profit, as Simon Sinek says that is just a result. The why is… why do you get out of the bed in the morning? What is it about your business or work that gets you excited? Why is your business special? That is what will connect with people and make your brand story special. I can’t tell you what your why is… you need to dig deep for that. Just remember that your story is the most amazing thing about you and your business so don’t be afraid to say what you believe. Highlight your values. And create a brand story that is awesome and will connect with your audience and beyond.[

    Simon Sinek Start With The Why

    JTNDZGl2JTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJtYXgtd2lkdGglM0E4NTRweCUyMiUzRSUzQ2RpdiUyMHN0eWxlJTNEJTIycG9zaXRpb24lM0FyZWxhdGl2ZSUzQmhlaWdodCUzQTAlM0JwYWRkaW5nLWJvdHRvbSUzQTU2LjI1JTI1JTIyJTNFJTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZlbWJlZC50ZWQuY29tJTJGdGFsa3MlMkZzaW1vbl9zaW5la19ob3dfZ3JlYXRfbGVhZGVyc19pbnNwaXJlX2FjdGlvbiUyMiUyMHdpZHRoJTNEJTIyODU0JTIyJTIwaGVpZ2h0JTNEJTIyNDgwJTIyJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJwb3NpdGlvbiUzQWFic29sdXRlJTNCbGVmdCUzQTAlM0J0b3AlM0EwJTNCd2lkdGglM0ExMDAlMjUlM0JoZWlnaHQlM0ExMDAlMjUlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBzY3JvbGxpbmclM0QlMjJubyUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==I hope these tips help as you begin to work on your story and make brand storytelling a hard skill in your business. If you need help with any of this check out some of our other resources or contact Jonathan at jhoward@jrhgraphics.com.

    May we also recommend taking a look at this blog post.

  • Your Weird: 3 Steps to Help You Win With A Unique Brand

    Your Weird: 3 Steps to Help You Win With A Unique Brand

    If You Are Not Weird You Fail

    Did you know that 50% of businesses started do not make it to celebrate the fifth year in business? One of the largest contributing factors of failure for these businesses is an inability to differentiate from the pack.

    Many businesses feel that in order to be successful you need to be everything to everybody. However, the exact opposite is true. To see success in today’s business environment you need to tell people why you are different and align yourself with those that appreciate those differences. Or as I like to say, “what is your weird?” If you embrace your weird and showcase your weird, you will be able to win with your weird. It is really just remembering a few of the basics or branding and marketing.

    Believe me, I am weird I should know

    Embracing Your Weird

    The first step of differentiation is figuring out what makes you different than all the other companies out in the marketplace and embracing those differences. Did you create this business to fill a void? Do you serve a specific section of the marketplace? The answers to questions like this are all essential parts of your company story and can be a differentiator. A differentiator can be anything that you think is important to your company, that other companies in your realm do not offer or deliver. A differentiator is what will make someone choose you over another company, it is what makes you stand out. I call this part of the process, “embracing your weird!”

    Some Ways Businesses are Weird

    Below is a list of some differentiators, do one or more of them apply to your business? This list is not complete, a differentiator is whatever you honestly believe you do differently that impacts your customers or clients.

    1. Deliver exceptional customer service, every single day by exceeding customer expectations
    2. Make solving customer problems a keystone of your business
    3. Focus on a very narrow part of the customer base
    4. Do business differently i.e. always accept returns or charge a flat rate for services
    5. Offer something up for free or a low price that makes a huge difference
    6. Focus on your culture and what makes it different i.e. at JRH Graphics we like it if you are a bit weird but love it when you are completely off-the-wall weird
    7. Focus on social media and make it so good people can’t forget you (think Warby Parker)
    8. Surprise and delight your customers
    9. Be Weird. Be So Weird People Notice You. Don’t Be Too Weird that they only remember the weirdness

    Don’t Hide Your Weird

    Whatever it is that makes you unique is your weird. Don’t shy away from your weirdness or try to hide it because you are afraid that these differences are weaknesses. These differences are the key to making connections with potential customers, they are essential for standing out in a crowded marketplace, and they could be a reason you make it to year six in business when half of your fellow business owners will not.

    So you have embraced a few things that are weird and you have integrated them into your company story. You even discuss them as part of the unique culture of your company… now what?

    Showcasing Your Weird

    The next step is to showcase your weirdness. This is probably the trickiest of the steps when you begin because it is easy to confuse people if you are not sending a consistent message or bouncing around in how you are telling your story. The best way to properly showcase your weird is to tie your differentiators into what you are doing every day and what you are posting every day. And the best way to do this is by planning what you will be doing and posting well in advance. Make sure that what you are doing and posting ties into your goals and brand story.

    Tips for Showcasing Your Weird

    1. Make sure every single person that represents your business inside and outside the company understands and represents the company story and company culture.
    2. Tell the same story but don’t use the same examples. People will get tired of them and it shows that maybe what you are doing every day does not align with the story you are telling. If it did new examples would be easy to find.
    3. Make sure that you are showing your brand in a similar and recognizable way across all of your social media profiles for your business. If I stumble upon your social media presence on Twitter and want to find you on Facebook I should be able to tell instantly what profile is yours when I search.
    4. A key to showcasing your weird is making sure that people know who you are and are engaging with you. In order to accomplish this on social media, you need to be creating engaging content and posting regularly. If you need help deciding on some things to post please check out my 9 Types of Posts Every Business Should Try blog post.
    5. Make sure that who you are online matches who you are/what your business is in real life.
    6. Begin looking for and working with other businesses that share your weird. Collaboration is Key afterall!

    Sharing the Weird

    So number 6 above is kind of a “pro tip” but here is an example of how it would work.

    Say you are a career specialist who helps people discover what the next step in their career should be. You believe that having a complete online profile such as LinkedIn with a fresh headshot that captures their true essence and a winning story that showcases accomplishments helps them stand out in the crowded job market. In order to help your clients accomplish this, you begin working with a headshot photographer who is amazing at letting a person’s personality shine through the photo. You later discover a social media specialist who helps your clients craft winning stories to include on LinkedIn. As you continue to work together the three of you are all showcasing your business strengths to multiple clients and your ability to work closely with other businesses in your field becomes another one of your differentiators.

    Winning With Your Weird

    You have embraced your weird. You are showcasing your weird. So how do you know when you are winning with your weird? Don’t we all wish that there was a clear and concise answer to this! I can’t provide one but I can say that when you start to embrace your weird and showcase your weird and it is connecting with others you will notice some things like more meaningful comments on your social media. More people writing reviews of your business because your business fills a specific need in the marketplace. You will see additional referrals from other businesses you have worked with in the past. More of your ideal clients and customers will be seeking you out. Overall, you should see an increase in your sales and a decrease in the money that you need to put in to close each sale.

    Signs that A Company is Winning With Their Weird

    1. They have a powerful and defined identity. They boldly proclaim what they believe and they stand by those beliefs even when tested.
    2. Winning companies have identified an audience or audiences that will engage with their weird. They are targeting this specific audience where they live, with content that has proven to engage them. 
    3. Winning companies are passionate about what they do and they let it show in everything.
    4. Honest with what they can and can not deliver for a client. They know their limits and are not afraid of losing some business because a client wants something that is outside of their wheelhouse. 
    5. Backs up claims with tangible actions and results.
    6. Put their clients/customers interest ahead of revenue.
    7. Accessible and real. They demonstrate the true meaning of authenticity.
    8. Understand the value of consistency. Always live up to clear expectations.
    9. Collaborate with other brands that share their values, potentially multiplying the customer base they have access to with the collaboration

    A Weird Conclusion

    Keep in mind that a winning brand has a proven track record and is a trusted member of the marketplace. They embrace the winning characteristics listed above in all that they do and they showcase them throughout their company. A new company cannot be winning until they have proven itself. However, it is important for a new company to make sure that they are embracing their weird and showcasing their weirdness right out of the gate. They should include the key aspects of their weird in their brand story to put them on the fast track to winning with their weird!

  • Defining a Roadmap for Your Business: Creating a Plan That Works for You

    Defining a Roadmap for Your Business: Creating a Plan That Works for You

    Defining a Roadmap for Your Business

    Are you in the process of defining a Roadmap for your business. Are you hoping to create a plan that works for you? First things first… Quick, name a benefit of owning your own business…

    1. Getting to be your own boss
    2. Working from home on your schedule
    3. You pick the projects you want to work on
    4. Deciding who you want to work with

    Are these at the top of your list? They are at the top of mine and many other entrepreneurs. It is why we have decided to go into business for ourselves. The independence is wonderful, we get to decide on the path we take and we can define the values of our company.

    Creating A Plan that Works for You

    However, when I talk with other business owners or some of my clients that are starting out they are always (many times inadvertently) trying to force their business to fit into the plans of another business. Or trying to follow the roadmap that their friend followed when starting their successful business. Why?

    Create a plan that works for you! Decide on what is most important to you, what you want to be known for. Imagine what your ideal day would look like and build a plan that takes these things into account. Map out a plan that accounts for your passions. The plan should highlight your strengths and minimize the impact of your weaknesses. When I am working with clients to begin creating a roadmap for their business I have a series of questions I ask them, like the ones below. They are aimed at helping the client figure out what the right direction is for them as they begin their business endeavor. If you are at this stage or even revisiting your roadmap take a look at some of the questions below and answer them honestly.

    Defining The Mission of Your Business

    For what do you want to be known?

    What types of projects do you wish to work on?

    Which aspect of your business inspires you the most?

    What is your bread and butter service/item?

    How will you bring clients and customers in the door?

    Once you get them in the door how do you plan on selling them the bread and butter item/service?

    Defining Your Clients

    Who is your ideal client?

    What makes them your ideal client?

    Do you know where your ideal client works?

    This ideal client currently purchases goods and services from what business?

    Where are you likely to meet your ideal client/customer?

    Setting Priorities and Defining Goals

    What is your number one priority?

    What do you wish to accomplish in 3 months? 6 months? 9 months?

    Define your key differentiators… What sets you apart from others in your field?

    Define a win in your own words. What does a win look like for you ?

    How much time do you think it will take to reach your goals?

    Can you dedicate an appropriate amount of time to reaching your goals every week?

    What limits do you have on your time?

    Do you think you are working on things now that are not helping you reach your goals? Can these be eliminated?

    Past Experiences and Lessons Learned

    What are some of the experiences you have had in the past that you can draw on to build your success?

    What mistakes have you made in the past?

    Think about the lessons you have you learned from these mistakes?

    What is something you have told to past employees/coworkers that you can use yourself now?

    Think back to the interview question…

    Talk about a time when you had to overcome diversity in the workplace, what was the situation and what did you learn in the end? Answer this honestly.

    What is one of the hardest lessons you have had to learn in business?

    Strengths and Weaknesses

    Describe your strengths?

    What are your weaknesses?

    The thing that excites you about your business most?

    What terrifies you?

    The tasks in your business play to your strengths?

    Do you have a plan to minimize the impact of your weaknesses?

    Obstacles

    The obstacles do you foresee?

    What plans can you make now to help you overcome these obstacles?

    When obstacles present themselves how will you react?

    How will you prevent obstacles from throwing you off course?

    Can you take these obstacles into account as you build your roadmap?

    Building and Activating your Network

    Who in your area would you most like to work?

    What do they bring to your business?

    Who do you already know that could help you build a successful business?

    How often do you talk with those already in your network?

    How are you planning to expand your network?

    What connections do you hope to make?

    Name some ideal jobs the people you want to meet will hold?

    Are you willing to network with others who do not possess these job titles?

    What activities will you engage in to maintain your network?

    Are networking events part of your strategy?

    After you have reviewed these questions and answered them honestly you will have a better idea of the specific needs you have for your business. Then you can begin to plan what your specific roadmap looks like. If you still need help putting it together, please reach out to us here at JRH Graphics.

    If you would like this blog in the form of a worksheet to work on, grab your free copy of it in the store under social media tools.