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branding

Feel Like Your Branding Sucks? 5 Ways to Cure That Now!

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By Sharon Vornholt

Have you ever felt invisible in your marketplace?  If you can honestly answer yes to that question, I’m 100% sure it’s because your branding sucks. 

Does this sound like you?

  • You feel like the best kept secret in town
  • Maybe you have a good reputation, but you’re not well known (we’re not counting your friends and family.
  • You’ve been at it a while and the customers you have are happy, but you just don’t have enough of them
  • You’re doing okay, but you know that’s just not good enough
  • You’re losing out to competitors because their marketing is better or they’re well known
  • You know something needs to change, but you have no idea where to start when it comes to branding

When someone has a strong brand it’s because they were in charge of building their brand.

What Are the Major Components For Up-leveling Your Brand?

There are a lot of components to a brand, but when you think about up-leveling your brand, there are 5 things to focus on first.

Remember that your brand is how people feel about you.

Here are My Top 5

#1.Your Compelling Story

People might not remember much about you, but at the end of the day, they will always remember a great story.  Crafting your compelling story is critical.  You want to put together your story in a way that compels people to want to work with you rather than your competitor. 

Before you even say it….everyone has a story. 

Maybe you didn’t live on the streets or have a near fatal illness, but YOU have a story. 

#2.Your Customer Avatar

What exactly is this?

Your customer avatar represents the person that is your ideal customer or your dream customer. When you get clear on exactly who your ideal customer is, you stop trying to attract “everyone”.  Everyone is NOT your ideal customer.  When you are just marketing to the masses, what happens is you end up attracting the wrong customers.  You know – the ones you hate working with.

#3. A Great “About Me” Video on Your Website

You probably know that you need a great about me page on your website.  This page should also have your compelling story on it.  But did you know, that having a professionally produced “about me” video on your page can dramatically increase your credibility?

Now I’m not talking about a quick iPhone video. I’m talking about a quality professional video. (These can be quite pricey at times, but in this series you’ll find out how to get one.)

#4. Professional Photos

Don’t we all hate this one?

Most of us would rather have a root canal than have a professional photoshoot, however this is essential.  If you check around you can find someone to do this for you pretty reasonably when you consider the huge impact it will have on your brand.

#5.Your Authority Book

So, you think you don’t have enough expertise to write an authority book?

I want to tell you that just simply isn’t true.  If you have been in business for any length of time, you have a book in you.  Writing an authority book is the ultimate credibility piece. 

Take a look at your competitors for just a minute.  Who in your immediate area has written an authority book?  I’m pretty sure that answer “almost no one” no matter where you’re located.

 

Sharon Vornholt

Sharon Vornholt is the owner of Innovative Property Solutions, LLC in Louisville, KY. 

Sharon owned and operated a successful home inspection company for 17 years. She began investing in real estate in 1998 and became a full time real estate investor in January of 2008.

Sharon specializes in wholesaling, and is also an experienced landlord and rehabber.

In addition, Sharon is an internet marketer and also writes articles for several national real estate sites. Sharon is the author of a popular real estate blog called the “Louisville Gals Real Estate Blog”. For your FREE REPORT “Probates and Absentee Owners: Your Fast Track to Real Estate Riches”, stop by her blog at: http://LouisvilleGalsRealEstateBlog.com.

 

Say Cheese! One Reason Your Brand Isn’t a Thing (Yet)

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By Sharon Vornholt

A lot of people would rather have a root canal than actually have a professional photoshoot, but it is one of the top reasons your brand isn’t a thing (yet).  It’s time to schedule that professional photoshoot.

Remember that your brand is the way people feel about you. Pictures tell a story.

Good or bad, they tell a story.  Pictures are one of the most powerful things of all when it comes to telling your story and building your brand. People get to experience how it would feel to work with you through those images.

Before someone makes the decision to work with you, they first want to get to know you.  Great photos on your website and other marketing materials give these folks some insight into who you are. They also help set you apart from your competition. 

Quality branding photos are essential for building your brand and the market perception that you are the authority in your marketplace. Perception is almost 100% responsible for how people view you, and it’s up to you to create your brand and that perception.

Remember that your brand is the way people feel about you.

Be Authentic When Creating your Brand

Pictures should always be authentic and show the real you when it comes your brand.  You’ve heard the saying, “You need to be yourself; everyone else is already taken”.

Here’s an example.

Let’s imagine for just a minute you are a laid back, jeans and boots type of guy (or gal).  You might put a jacket on for a meeting or event, but your “MO” is casual 100% of the time. You might put your “dress boots” on for the Christmas party, but that’s about as dressed up as you’re going to get.  Let’s call this person Jordan. 

Jordan always shows up as this laid back, casual, very approachable person.  Imagine if Jordan suddenly shows with branding photographs in a suit and tie (or suit and heels). Can you imagine the reaction of everyone that sees those photographs? 

They would be saying, “Who the heck is that”?

So just be yourself in all of your branding efforts.

Why Hire a Pro?

This one is easy.  Because you’ll look so much better than if you try to do it yourself. 

You’re not just hiring someone with a better camera, but you’re hiring someone that can make you look awesome.  A good branding photographer also has the ability to take your version of you and mold it into something that speaks to your brand.  They will edit and retouch your photos and in most cases, they will be able to shoot you so your flaws are less obvious.  (We all worry about our flaws don’t we?)

Your New Look

Once you have your new photos, it time for a “makeover” of all your sites.  Add your new photos to your website and your social media sites as well as any marketing materials. When done properly, these new branding photo’s will help show people what it feels like to work with you.

Great branding photos will help you be seen.  

Here are Some Tips for the Photoshoot

Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. This is really important.  You just can’t be relaxed for your photoshoot if you’re wearing something that doesn’t feel good.

Wear solid colors.  Black works well on the bottom. They style of your clothes should your brand personality.

You might want to use an interesting backdrop.  I love brick walls. (Go figure)

This one is for the gals.  Always show up in “daytime” hair and make-up.   (Think back to those old glamour shots). Yuck! No one really looks like that.

Do you have a prop that would make people say “Yes, that’s him or her”? 

Think coffee cup, wine glass, golf club, or maybe your signature book.

What about your dog you talk about all the time on social media and always take with you?  Grab a shot with your pooch.

You get the idea.  Props are great for building a solid brand when they are part of who you are.  The most important thing is just to get it done.

 

 

Feeling a Little Lost? How to Get Your Groove Back

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By Sharon Vornholt

Do you ever feel a little lost? Like you just can’t get your groove back?

That’s not too surprising. The world is full of amazing opportunities. There are so many ways to make money in real estate investing, it’s easy for us to jump from one thing to another. Generally speaking, shiny object syndrome is not your friend when it comes to business.

However, know that you’re not expected to have it all figured out right out of the gate. 

If you’re like most people, you will go down a lot of different paths before you figure out your investing strategy, and how to be your best and most authentic “you” and that’s OK. It’s all part of the process. When you’re finally in the place where you belong; the place that’s right for you, you will know it. That’s when you get your groove back, and you’re ready to rock and roll.

How to Get Your Groove Back

So how do you find the right balance between jumping from one thing to another while you’re finding your way, and staying on your predetermined path? (The path you decided was right for you.)

You slow down a look at the big picture as you begin the adventure of building a business.  This is a little like following a map to get from place A to B.   When we take a trip, we almost always take little side trips along the way.  When we look back when the trip is finished, there’s rarely any regret over these detours and unplanned stops.  It’s all part of the process in travel and in business, and it makes for a much more interesting trip when it’s all said and done.

Building a Business and a Brand that Stands Out

You’re probably wondering, “What does this have to do with building your business and your brand”? 

A lot more than you think. 

It’s important for your potential customers AKA motivated sellers, to see authenticity in your brand.  All of these little detours and side trips you make along the way while you’re growing your business, influence who you ultimately become. That person you become will be the face of your business going forward.    

This is the time that the collection of experiences you had along the way begin to pay off. It’s also one of the ways you become different from your competition.

Be Bold

My advice to you is to be bold when it comes to chasing your dreams.  Take risks along the way.  Dare to be different.  Go out on a limb when you need to take a stand. 

Remember the movie, “How Stella Got Her Groove Back”? Let’s just say Stella had to really go out on a limb to find it.  She had to get way out of her comfort zone.

What will happen when you do this, is you will start to build your tribe. People will be attracted to your authentic self. These are the people that will follow you along on your journey. They will be your best cheerleaders, and they will refer people to your business.

Remember, you won’t be a fit for everybody.

This confidence you’ve gained will shine through when you talk to motivated sellers, and people will trust you to help them get where they need to be. They will feel confident that you are the one to help them with their problem.  When you can’t seem get your groove back, it’s almost always because you aren’t being your authentic self. 

I love this line from the book Fascinate by Sally Hogshead.

“Different is better than better”.

– Sally Hogshead.

Dare to be different.

How Will You Be Remembered?

According to Brendan Burchard, there are only 3 things anyone will ultimately be remembered for:

Character, relationships and contribution, so let’s talk about these a little bit.

Character

There is little to say about character that hasn’t already been sad a million times.  Your character will determine your long term failure or success in this business. You will be quickly found out if you’re not an ethical business person. You will become invisible to people that should be part of your tribe.

Relationships

Real estate is a relationship business. Whether we are taking about other investors, contractors or motivated sellers, this business is all about relationships. It’s about having conversations that build rapport with people you do business with.

If you’re one of those folks that struggle with this particular thing, contrary to what you may believe, this is something that you can get better at with practice.  Full disclosure here: you’re going to need to be prepared to spend a lot of time outside your comfort zone in the beginning. 

Contribution

When I think about contribution I immediately think about giving back. How can we make the world a better place? There are so many ways.

  • We can do volunteer work for someone like Habitat for Humanity or other charity
  • I know an investor that wrote a book and donated the proceeds to charity
  • If you are a rehabber, maybe your mission is to revitalize neighborhoods
  • How about sharing your expertise with others?

Contribution isn’t just about money.  It’s finding a way to leave the world a better place when you’re gone.  It’s how you will be remembered, and it’s up to you to decide how you will be remembered.

Giving back could be as simple as mentoring folks just getting started in this business. Be bold, get involved, take a stand and get your groove back in the process!

Why Hiring a Coach Can Help You Build a Rock Solid Brand Fast

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By Sharon Vornholt

Does this sound like you?

You’re always looking for something or someone to help you get over the next hurdle; to help you get to the next level. You know you need a coach, but you might be confused about choosing the right coach for you and how they can actually help you grow your business. You’re wondering if you will you be wasting your hard earned money.

Or maybe you are heading off in a new direction in your business, and you’re not sure how to put all the pieces together when it comes to branding and marketing. You know there is someone out there that can help you streamline the whole process.

If this sounds like you, I can tell you that you are not alone.

Each and every one of us wants to be better at what we do. We are all searching for the next thing we need to do or learn to grow our business. It has been my experience that choosing the right coach to help us master that next “thing” is almost always a game changer for us both personally and professionally.

I can tell you this for sure: you will almost always make more money faster when you hire a coach that can shave years off your learning curve.

Why is that?

The reason is, when we have the right coach to help us take those next steps, suddenly everything becomes easier. The path automatically becomes clearer. The obstacles begin to disappear. And during that process, we generally take a big leap forward in growing our business.

It seems to happen almost magically. That’s because choosing the right coach really can shave years off your learning curve.

What Is the Biggest Thing Holding Most Entrepreneurs Back?

The lack of a rock solid brand, and this is one area where a coach can really help you. Most people either have a weak brand, or they have no brand. What this means is that in most cases you are simply invisible. Who wants to be invisible?

If you look around your field or industry, you probably know someone that is great at what they do, but they are the best kept secret in their industry. No one knows about them.

Or, maybe this sounds like you:

You’ve built a business, and it might even be a great business. However the problem is that people don’t know about it. They don’t know that you are the expert in your field, and that my friend is poor branding.

Let’s Talk about your Brand

People think of colors and logos when they think about branding, and those are the visual components of your brand. What your brand really is though is how people feel about you. It’s also what they say about you when you leave the room. Yikes! What do you suppose they say? Chances are they say “Ben is a nice guy” or “Katie is a great gal”.

But let me ask you this; is this all you want people to say about you? What about your expertise? Where does that shine through? If you haven’t consciously built your brand, it’s probably non-existent. No brand = no shine.

You Need to Change the Conversation

What they should be saying is “Ben is the go to person in ___ (you fill in your field). If you want someone to do that for you, Ben is the expert. He is the person to call.

Or… “Katie is the most knowledgeable real estate person I know. No matter what your needs are, she can make it happen. There is really nothing she doesn’t know about real estate”.

That is what would happen if you had a brand built around your expertise. You have a wide circle of brand awareness and recognition.

Make no mistake about it; building a rock solid brand that shows the world who you are, what you stand for and exactly how you can help your ideal client shows up directly in your checking account.

It’s money in the bank.

Your brand and how it shows up to the world is much more of a determining factor in how much money you make than your actual skills and expertise. Now I want you to think about that for a minute.

I’m not suggesting that you don’t need to good at what you do, because you do. I am merely telling you that in your ideal customer’s mind, it’s all about perception. How you are perceived in the market place directly impacts how much money you make.

Marrying Marketing and Branding – Dollars in Your Bank Account

When you are able to successfully marry your marketing and your branding that’s where the real magic happens.

Remember that marketing is what you do to get leads in the door, and branding is what makes you stand out from the pack so that your ideal client chooses you (rather than your competition). When your marketing is on track and you’ve build a rock solid brand, you will be the obvious choice.