Mia Angela Espada

https://www.anthonygaenzle.com/launching-your-creative-business-3-essential-characteristics-o f-an-online-brand-that-attracts-success/ Launching Your Creative Business: 3 Essential Characteristics of An Online Brand That Attracts Success Branding is ​one of your best tickets to success​. It wins the hearts of customers, creates value for your products and crushes competition every time. But a memorable brand is certainly not built overnight. And if you don’t pay enough attention to it, you may lose opportunities or never even “take off” in the first place. The need for remarkable branding Are you pressured to embody a remarkable brand, but not sure how? Does it feel like all your competitors look, feel and sound better than you? If you’re ​transforming a hobby or passion​ into a full-pledged business, branding can certainly become a challenge, especially when hiring a team of brand strategists (which can cost thousands of dollars) doesn’t fit your marketing budget. The right process can help you in many ways. So let’s look at how you can conceptualize your very own brand — with minimal cost and effort. Let’s dive right in! It’s about what your prospects see, think, and feel Have you ever asked yourself, ​“​What is a brand?​” Before I got into marketing and design, I always thought branding was just a combo of a fancy name, logo and clever slogan. Businesses used branding to justify their high prices, since they would have to pay for marketing, advertising and repackaging. Little did I know that branding is not just about value creation. It is the lifeline of any successful business. It is what prospects see, think and feel when they encounter your business. Your brand is all about the “big promise” that you make to your customers. It’s how you make a difference. Without a brand, it’s impossible to make a mark in your industry. https://www.anthonygaenzle.com/launching-your-creative-business-3-essential-characteristics-o f-an-online-brand-that-attracts-success/ It might sound overwhelming, but it’s not! Let’s talk about the 3 essential characteristics of a memorable brand that you can achieve as a small, creative business. 1. Create good impressions and visual appeal Marketing is a lot like going to a social event and meeting new people. Let’s say you went to a party and saw a stranger from across the room. For this person to even catch your attention, do you agree that they must look good or pleasing to the eye in the first place? Think about it – would you approach someone who looks like they haven’t taken a bath in three days? I don’t think so. ● ● ● ● Clean and well-composed website layout Organized store/showcase with high-quality images Easy-to-read copy A coherent and ​remarkable visual concept Take a look at your website and see how well you follow the points mentioned above. You don’t necessarily need a $500-dollar logo and custom-coded website to get started. It’s a good idea to start with ​pre-made templates and adapt them according to your needs​ ​and preferences. If you can afford to ask for a bit of help, feel free to hire a freelance designer, or purchase courses on design. You can also check out places like ​Creative Market​ for inspiration. 2. Spark a conversation A well-formed brand gets people talking. There’s a narrative or story behind what people see, and it serves as a starting point of any relationship. Here are some narratives that can inspire your branding: ● ● ● ● How you got started, what’s your origin story A radical thought (or a personal belief) that you follow Your vision for your customers and users What’s your mission as a business https://www.anthonygaenzle.com/launching-your-creative-business-3-essential-characteristics-o f-an-online-brand-that-attracts-success/ ● A subjective definition of your craft and practice Choose one that’s most unique and distinctive to your business. Let’s say I’m a bakeshop in New York. I first learned how to bake cupcakes as a gift to my husband. I believe that bonding through food is the best way to bond with friends and family, and I also think that baking is an art that requires love and passion. With this narrative, we can shape a brand around romance and class. Our brand narrative can go something like, “The most romantic cakes of New York,” or, “Baked with love and a touch of class.” From there, you can match your imagery with your narrative and come up with a powerful brand message. You can also base all your marketing and content around this concept for consistency and memorability. 3. Touch the hearts and minds of your audience Let’s revisit our party scenario. At this point, you’ve met a good-looking person who can also carry a smart conversion. What else is missing before you fall head over heels for this stranger? You must feel a spark. In other words, they should get to woo you and capture your interest before you go out with them! Now the big question is: “How do you get people to like your brand?” It’s in the way you use language, gestures, and other communicative efforts that make an attempt at persuasion. ● ● ● ● Do you come across as confident – or are you arrogant? Do you show your prospects that you care about helping them – or are you all about making a profit? Do you ​write blogs that inspire, educate and uplift​? Are you showing willingness to make genuine connections? Take a look at your content and copy. https://www.anthonygaenzle.com/launching-your-creative-business-3-essential-characteristics-o f-an-online-brand-that-attracts-success/ How do you write your “About” and “Services” page? How do you address your readers in your landing page copy? Do you exert effort in sharing and crafting relevant content to entertain and educate your prospects? Words give away your personality, attitude and business goals. You have to choose them carefully. The right or wrong phrasing can make the difference between driving away leads and turning readers into customers. How you handle orders, answer emails, craft automated responses and so much more can impact your overall brand message. And that’s why you should develop awareness. ​The more you know about your customers​ and what works for your business, the easier it will be for you to craft tailored copy and content that fits your brand like a mold. Wrapping up: The Branded Content Formula Having the “best” products and services in town satisfies only half of the equation. If you can’t even get prospects to take a second look at what you’re offering, how can you expect to make a sale? Just imagine what it would be like if you could turn every visitor into a lead. If you could make people stay just a minute longer so they could take a deeper look at what you offer. If you’re geared up for online success, getting on point with your brand and content is key. Do you have visual appeal? Are you using the right words? Strike the perfect combination and you will win the hearts of your prospects – every single time. Mia Angela Dagsaan Freelance Copywriter at ​Mia Writes Mia Angela Dagsaan is a coffee-lover, content writer, and copywriter for hire. Through writing, she helps businesses showcase their competitive edge and optimize their marketing efforts. She’s a total nerd on subjects like digital marketing, design, content, and branding. When not working around words, she goes surfing and enjoys nature. Find out more about what she does at ​miawrites.co​.