10 Efficient Ways to Boost Your Brand Value

Branding is one of the most important activities your business can engage in. Building a strong, recognizable brand will help you connect with your existing customers, sell to new ones, and encourage loyalty and recognition.

But like any other business task, successful branding requires careful planning and a smart strategy. Sixteen members of Hula Global each share one way to accomplish this.

1. Do A 'Values Check'

Branding isn't about your logo; it's about your message - what you're broadcasting to the world. First, check in with your own values: Does the wording and look and feel on your website, social media profiles and materials match up with those values? Look to make all your messages and images congruent with your values and the world will notice.

2. Know Thyself And Align

The most fundamental part of branding is truly understanding who you are so that you can align all of your actions and your environment. The deeper your understanding of values, vision, and other brand attributes, the better able you are to align all parts of your life consistent with your brand. You are the most critical part of your branding strategy

3. Create High-Profile Events

I created an event series named after my book, From the CEO’s Perspective. I invite three high-profile CEOs to join me on stage, and I moderate a discussion on a pressing leadership topic in front of an intimate audience of 70. I’m in my third year, and every event has sold out. For my brand, it’s led to increased visibility and influence, and fantastic content for video and writing.

4. Use Great Photos

Most small businesses are "personal brands," meaning you are the face of your brand. The days of the boring head shot are done for most coaches, consultants and service providers. Use photos of you that reflect your personality and style to make your website and brand stand out from the crowd online. You'll attract your ideal clients and get your message across with less effort.

5. Be True To You

Be authentic to who you are, the values you have, and the skills you excel at. Authenticity is imperative to branding success. Avoid pressure to constantly reinvent yourself or overstate and inflate your message. A simple articulation of who you are and what you are good at – shared succinctly and clearly – will suffice to nail down your brand.

6.Become The Media

Social media, camera phones, podcasts, etc. have given us amazing opportunities to build and expand our brands. Whatever it is we want to be known for, we can get the message out faster, bigger and better by becoming the media. You can deliver quick video tips from your phone, share ideas on a podcast, and interview others via a blog or short video. If you become the resource, you own the brand.

7. Improve Your Culture 

The most visible brand you have is your company's culture. It's culture that defines your uniqueness and provides you with a competitive edge. It’s a social and psychological form of DNA that can become a catalytic mechanism. Your company culture is a key element relative to how people "see" your company. Since it's your company's soul, it's worth paying attention to.

8. Define Your Niche 

You can't be all things to all people. Narrow your target market by either offering a specialized product or service, or by serving a specific demographic (i.e. busy moms who want to find a healthy work-life balance vs. anyone who wants to find a healthy work-life balance). There's a reason brain surgeons get paid more than general practitioners!

9. Meet Your Audience Where They Are

If you want to be unique, get your branding right. Address your target market in the places they hang out with the message they expect to hear, using the distribution methods and mediums they like. It's a simple formula that many do not follow. Your brand is your identity, and once you have that set, you can get creative with the rest.

10. Start With Your Value Proposition 

Branding is an exercise in establishing an impression about yourself to others, but if you start with branding first, you have a very shallow brand. By contrast, an authentic and compelling brand starts with knowing your personal value proposition. What does your audience need and how do you fulfill those needs? If you can answer those questions, your branding will be a natural extension from there.