When we hear the word "branding" it can be tempting to reduce it down to things like logos and colours but it's much more than that, sis.
Your logo and colours on pretty graphics etc are the superficial things that might initially attract people to your brand but your content is what will make people stick around and, ultimately, want to work with you. This is why brand clarity is so important- it ensures that you not only attract leads but can retain them and convert them to customers.
This is also why it's super important to make sure that you don't make these 2 brand clarity mistakes:
#1 Having more than one area of expertise on your website
Am I saying that you can't talk about more than one thing? Absolutely not! Your brand is an extension of you. As such, it should reflect you. Since we're not one dimensional as people, your brand won't be. However, if you send an editor a pitch claiming to be an expert in one thing and, doing their due diligence, they see no evidence of that expertise on your website or very little of it (because you talk about so many other things)- they are not very likely to accept your pitch.
Likewise if a potential client sees or hears about you on a particular media platform and decides to check you out, they will be very confused and/or put off if you don't talk about their topic of interest as much as they would have liked or thought you would.
When it's not clear what your expertise is and what problem you solve because one day you're talking about entrepreneurship and the next you're talking about dog grooming, for example, it dilutes your brand. To counter this, pick a niche and stick with it, only using your other interests/areas of expertise to underpin that particular topic. You could also consider separating your businesses, if you have more than one brand, rather than housing them all on one platform for the sake of clarity.
If you've been rocking with me for a while, you see me do this all the time. My special and overarching interest is in PR; so I draw from everyday examples in my life to teach PR principles. However, because my mission is also to empower others to speak up, step out and shine as the women that God created them to be, I will more often than not draw from the events of the women of the Bible's lives to do this- just as I did last week when I talked about the fact that The Queen of Sheba is a good example of how editors and potential clients do due diligence.
#2 Not catering to a particular demographic
Having a niche doesn't just mean having an expert topic, it also means catering to a particular demographic.
Unfortunately another common mistake that entrepreneurs make when it comes to brand clarity is not niching down to a specific demographic because they are afraid of alienating people. They think that if they cater to everybody, they can help more people. What they fail to understand is that speaking to everyone is really speaking to no-one, especially when it comes to PR. This is because:
A) Serving a certain demographic makes it easier to maximise your PR efforts
As stated a few posts back, "PR (when done correctly) should serve a dual purpose: making you more visible [and] attracting your ideal clients and brands". This is why it's important to make sure that the platforms that you pitch to are relevant in terms of topics covered and demographics served. In other words, there should be commonality in both areas.
B) Editors and influencers typically work for a platform that serves a certain demographic
That being the case, not only do they want to know that you are an expert in your field, they want to know that your expertise will actually suit the demographic(s) that they cater to and/or represent. Although you may not serve the exact same demographic it should be clear, from looking on your website, where your brands cross over- making accepting your pitch a no-brainer.
c) As stated earlier, your content is what will make people stick around and, ultimately, want to work with you
In 1st Kings 10, the rumours of Solomon's wisdom and wealth attracted The Queen of Sheba but the actual demonstration of it transformed her into an ally. Likewise, having brand clarity will create consistency in your messaging- helping you attract leads through PR and convert them to paying customers once they check out your personal platform and also see it demonstrated there.
So now you may be saying to yourself "I want to be sure that I have the kind of brand clarity that's described in this post. How can I do that?"
Well, sis, I've given you everything that you need to do just that with The Media Attraction Audit- the checklist that helps you to make sure that your website proves your expertise, credibility and authority so that you can get more visible, attract your dream clients and get paid what you want. Click here for access and scroll down!