You cannot charge luxury prices in Charlotte, NC if you haven’t been building brand authority in your niche. Branding is a long term investment. It’s like training for a marathon. The results come from consistent implementation over time, aligned to an overall brand strategy. Building brand authority in a specific area of expertise is a key component to a great marketing strategy. And, it helps you consistently book the kinds of client you love working with most!
Share your authority where your clients are listening
Everything you do in your business and marketing comes back around to understanding your clients. You have to understand who you want to market to, what they need to know about you, and where they’re spending their time online. Or, maybe it’s not online! Maybe your marketing strategy is more direct, referral based, or meeting people in the physical spaces they frequent. Whatever your niche, you need to have a strong grasp on you client persona to understand how to get your messaging in front of them. You could have the best Facebook marketing strategy out there. But, if your clients aren’t spending their time on Facebook, then it won’t do you any good. Understand the client first, and meet them where they are listening.
Provide value with your free content, that leaves them needing your paid content!
Convincing people to trust your authority without giving them your secrets for free is a delicate balance. You need to consistently give people a reason to keep reading and watching your content. If you’re not providing fresh value regularly, they’re going to tune you out. Your free content should tease the true value you offer for your paying clients. Free content can communicate WHY someone needs your services, or WHAT they need help with. But, leave the HOW for your paying clients. This valuable education should get your clients thinking about what they need next. You’re setting yourself up to be the trusted expert to solve their questions around HOW!
Plan to grow and succeed
Start marketing with the confidence and intention of offering a better product. Some call this “fake it till you make it” but I don’t see it that way! The truth is, you know you’re dedicated to your customers. You are continuously learning, growing, improving your craft. When clients find you and book you today, the service you end up delivering to them in a few weeks, months, etc is so much more valuable than it was at the moment you sold them on going with you. Effectively, your clients are all getting more than they bargained for! Don’t be afraid to bet on yourself and start communicating your value with confidence.
Consistency, consistency, consistency!
Keep showing up even when you think no one is listening. If you are steadily working on a marketing strategy backed with a cohesive brand and an understanding of your ideal client, then you WILL make progress. When you do, the long history of consistency and content for your client to binge will pay off! You can’t charge luxury prices when it looks like you just started your business last month; or, when it looks like your business is off-again, on-again. Consistency pays off more than anything else. Don’t let low views or lack of engagement shake your confidence. Everyone starts somewhere! And ten, highly-engaged followers who see your value is far more powerful than hundreds who scroll on by.
Build brand authority in a specific niche.
You are more than just your title. Who do you serve?! You probably have specific expertise working with a niche client group. Think back on your past clientele. There are people who you’ve enjoyed serving more than others, or where the process has been more smooth or effective. That’s your niche! Find your corner of the market, and be the authority there. In order to be recognized as the go to person for this expertise, you’re going to need to establish strong brand messaging and repeat yourself. Constantly! There are new people tuning in online all the time, so it’s totally okay to introduce your business and services on a regular basis. You may think you’re being annoying, but even your biggest fans don’t see and consume ALL your content. The internet moves fast, and I promise you’re not as repetitive as it seems.
Building your brand is a long game
Focus on these areas to start building brand authority in your niche. I promise you will see improvement over time! Remember, building your brand is a marathon, not a race. You can’t implement a brand strategy and see sales skyrocket overnight. In your marketing today, you’re attracting clients for next month, next season, next year. You need to be projecting the expert and authority in your industry that you will BECOME in 6 months, communicating the ever-growing value that you bring to the table that no one else does. Here are some things to think about when it comes to establishing your authority with your brand.
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