Want to BRAID Your Brand
Just as a single thread of rope and an individual piece of hair are independently weak, one single type of marketing is as well. BRAID is defined as the interweaving of more than three strands and like a rope, the more strands, the stronger the rope. The more types of marketing you take advantage of, the stronger your Brand can become too. When it comes to creating, promoting and maintaining your Brand, it’s even more important as to how that promotion is implemented. This is the basis for digging into the best way to B.R.A.I.D. Your Brand because if done right you will surely be at peace.
I’ve gained a great deal of valuable information through education, collaboration with others, observations, and personal experience over the past 20 years. I have taken everything I’ve learned and narrowed them down to the 5 Steps Simple Steps to maximize what you are looking to accomplish. How well you understand and follow these steps will determine your success when you decide to ”B.R.A.I.D. Your Brand!”
Whether Internet Marketing, Television, Print Advertisement, E-mail Campaigns, Word of Mouth Referrals, Radio or any type of Social or Viral Networking, understanding that utilizing multiple marketing types is very important. In fact, in today’s society, Social Media Marketing or Viral Marketing happens to be one of the strongest forces with the largest reach and, when managed properly, it is potentially the most impactful. Not only beneficial for branding but as it has become the number one way to converse with your friends, customers, vendors, staff, or anyone else you may want to share information with. It is has also become a great way to improve Customer Relations, Employee Relationships and Vendor interaction, even with those you have not personally met. Yet remember, it is not just what or how much you do, it is about how you do it. That is why it imperative that you properly learn how to B.R.A.I.D. Your Brand!
B.R.A.I.D. = Brand, Respect, Authentic, Inform, & Discipline
BRAND - It is important to create a Brand Identity that you want others to think of when they see or think of; you, your product or your service. That is why Brand development is crucial: it is trying to come up with something that keeps you in the mind of the people you intend to reach. So take time to create your service and product branding, company branding or self branding in order for it to stick in the mind of your follower’s. Like Kleenex® brand tissue, BAND-AID® brand bandages or 
brand shipping, they started out with an idea just like you, so think hard because it is all about how you make yourself identifiable to others both short and long term. You don’t want to create it more than once if you can help it.
RESPECT – The people you are intending to reach expect one thing from you, the Respect to fully disclose what you are doing, why you are doing it and who you are. There is nothing more damaging and no better way to lose respect and followers than to have them find out your not who you say you are.
Authentic – Be true to yourself and more importantly be true to the people you are trying to reach and you do this by being yourself. If you’re genuine and original, people who become your clients or follow what you do is because they like who you are. If they like who you are, they will gravitate to you and want to tell others to do the same thing.
Inform – Whether it’s the product or service you are promoting, or even information on you or your organization, make sure you offer followers information and make that information valuable to them. A sure way to have a follower continue to engage with you is by providing them what they want and as the old adage states, “Timing is Everything” so make sure you give it to them when they want it.
Discipline – Consistency is by far the most important of the 5 Steps to BRAID Your Brand. Not only is the method by which you deliver your message important, but you must have the DISCIPLINE to do so on a regular basis. People will appreciate what you offer and if it’s valuable they will look forward to what you have to say. The last thing you want to do is be inconsistent, because leaving too much time between what you do will risk losing them to someone who will give them what they want and when they want it.
Mastering these 5 steps, will help put you well on your way to maximizing what you are intending to do. Now, do you have the stick-to-itiveness do what it takes to succeed?
Would you like more information on ways to maximize your brand? If so, let me know what it is, I’d like to help!
