Hey, mamas and boss ladies!

We know it’s not always easy showing up online, especially when you have 50 million other things on your plate. Not having enough time means that essential things in business may go undone. Sis, branding is a vital part of business and must be done! Being seen digitally, having a brand strategy, and creating awareness around your business is critical. So important that we are sharing five sure-fire tips to enhance your brand image and strategy.

1. Know your value statement.
It is essential to showcase the value of what you are offering. A clear and concise value statement builds a better connection with your consumers resulting in effective brand awareness, marketing, loyalty, and purpose. What’s a value statement, you may ask? Check out this template: I help ______ (insert target group) to _______ (insert effects) by _______ (insert your plan). Example: I help purpose-driven coaches be seen digitally and in the media by creating brand and PR strategies that will allow them to market their business effectively and gain brand awareness. Go ahead and take a try at crafting your value statement. You can make one by understanding the following:

• Who’s your target market?
• What results do you offer your clients?
• What method are you using to obtain these results?

2. Create a professional brand.
A professional brand expresses who you are and forms a positive first impression. When determining your brand image, there are some key things that you need to have in place.

• A professional headshot or brand imagery that tells a story.
• Clear pictures that aren’t outdated.
• Ways for people to find you outside of social media.
• A cohesive website or landing page.
• Brand colors that speak the personality and tone of your business. They should help convey emotions, experiences, and feelings.

At TGND, our brand colors are yellow/gold, black, and white. Black symbolizes power, dominance, and luxury. White symbols of goodness and freshness. Yellow/gold represents clarity, understanding, success, and authority. We choose these colors because they symbolize who we are as women in business. We are powerful! We create fresh and initiative strategies and campaigns for our clients.  We are authorities in our space and want to be seen as thought leaders in our respective industries.

3. Know the platforms you need to be SEEN on!
Sis, let’s pause for a sec and truly understand something. You DO NOT need to be seen on EVERY social media platform known to man. Make sure your presence is on platforms that make sense for your business. To understand which platforms work for you. Ask yourself, “Are my ideal clients or audiences on this platform?” Understanding where your audience lives is essential. And if you are not sure how to use each social media platform, here’s a quick briefing on some major platforms our lifestyle clients may use.

• Youtube is a video-sharing platform used to watch and make videos quickly. From ages as a baby to older adults, Youtube is created for entertainment and learning new information such as education, investments, or cooking.
• Instagram is an app targeted at millennials, and Gen Z. Instagram is an app for entertainment, tutorials like hair and makeup, marketing companies, and small businesses like clothing brands. You can use Instagram for videos, photos, and reels.
• Facebook is a platform for businesses, family, and friends to connect. Facebook is a platform to form and create support groups and sustain a reliable small business or company into a larger one for brand awareness. Facebook is for its marketplace, groups, videos, photos, and memes.
• LinkedIn is a platform for businesses, entrepreneurs, alumni, and young adults seeking employment or networking. LinkedIn is for gaining publicity for your business and creating a profile and resume. You can use LinkedIn for its newsletter publicity, job searching and posting, and connecting with friends and companies.
• TikTok is an app targeted at millennials and Gen Z. Similar to Instagram, TikTok is for videos and photos. As a new social media platform, TikTok is great for sharing entertainment purposes videos like dancing, singing, or skits on the app. It is also great to share your business with different audiences for brand awareness.

Based on your business offerings and services, which platform makes the most sense for your business?

4. Create social proof and borrow credibility!
Sis, how do people trust your offer will work for them? Do you have reviews or testimonials? Are they showcased digitally? Are you sharing your thought leadership via blogs, article contributions, or media features? Who can you borrow credibility from? We know it’s a lot to think about, but you must be clear on it. You can create social proof by presenting your milestones to your audience and showcasing your business accomplishments. We love strategizing with our clients’ ways to display consumer testimonials and reviews on their websites.

To borrow credibility, you must think of an individual or person that is well-known or a trusted source who has similar characteristics, habits, and values as you. You can even think of someone who is a respected figure in your industry. Once you have figured out who the people are that you want to highlight who are similar to you, jot those two to three people down and use their names to give people an insight into what they can expect from you. Here’s an example of borrowing credibility: I am a mix between Michelle Obama and Ava DuVernay. Michelle Obama teaches women that you don’t only have to be a “good wife” or “mother.” You can be whatever you put your mind to. You can speak up, act/implement and create. Ava Duvernay is a world-known director and fantastic storyteller. They both embody who I am as a person. We have similar qualities and traits. I can relate to them. Share who you borrow credibility from in the comments, and tell us how you create social proof online.

5. Be CONSISTENT!
Consistency in marketing looks like showing up and being seen regularly. Being consistent helps elevate and sustain brand awareness. According to Marketing Expert Andrew Davis, “Content builds relationships. Trust drives revenue.” You must provide consistency to your brand!

Check out our PR Architect ebook if our shared tips resonate with you. In this interactive eBook, we teach you how to be your own PR architect, craft and share a brand story that people can’t resist, create content that converts, and use TGND Consulting’s tried-and-true PR methods to get seen finally.