Branding You Inc For Your Niche

By Empowered Woman On March 7, 2010 Under Branding You Inc, Newsletter

Never before has the concept of branding “You, Inc.” for women business owners, been more important or critical – especially today as women turn to the Internet to grow their businesses.

Because people still want to do business with people they know and trust, part of your success as a woman business owner will come as a direct result of your online likeability, believability, and credibility.

Forming relationships on the internet takes the same amount of effort, interest, and “give and take” as any traditional relationship does. The difference is that your prospects are not interacting face to face, but rather gaining confidence and trust through your online correspondence and presence. It’s important for women business owners to become known on the internet regardless of whether they own a brick and mortar business or work from home.

The purpose of branding “You, Inc” is so that you become the go-to person in your profession or industry. Your goal is to brand yourself as the expert in your field.

The first step in branding “You, Inc” is to create a headshot photo that can be used on your website or blog, business cards, and other correspondence. This professional image can be uploaded for free at Gravatar.com – a service that will link your photo anytime you comment on an article, a blog, or other online media. As people get familiar with your face, they also get familiar with you, and the walls of distrust will begin to break down.

Next, create a professional profile on LinkedIn.com. This is also a free tool that will allow you to position yourself as the expert in your field. Be sure to fill out the complete profile including your picture. Google loves LinkedIn, and this is one easy way you can begin to increase your online presence.

When branding “You, Inc.”, remember that your product or service becomes secondary in the importance of promoting you. Successful online marketers will secure a personal domain name and create a web presence such as www.JaneDoeInc.com. This will allow you to truly brand yourself as an expert in your field, and will also provide you with a personalized email address. Of course, all links from your personal site will direct a prospect or customer back to your central page where you can provide further content from your profession.

An additional way for women business owners to brand themselves is to use a business card with their professional image included. Real estate agents have been using this marketing strategy for years which allows prospects to connect with the agent even before there is any verbal or email communication. Putting your picture on your marketing correspondence is a great way to personalize your business, and show your customers that you are the person responsible for their experience with you, or your firm.

Lastly, don’t forget to connect in a personal way. Take the time to respond to email and phone messages in a personal way. Prospects will begin to feel appreciated by your quick response and feel connected with you. You can even use autoresponders to respond for you; just make sure your message is clear and authentic.

As you go forward, we are here to help. We are women business owners for women business owners – let us know how we can help you succeed and grow your business.