If there’s one thing that holds people back from really taking their brand to the next level, I would absolutely say that having a unique brand, true to them is often the culprit.
When you’re working online (either blogging or for your business) you’re always being exposed to things that may inspire you. From brands you love to design you want to adopt for your brand to even the way someone writes. If you don’t have a solid brand already, these things often find their way into what you’re doing, which often comes off as a copy of someone else and discourages those around you to trust what you’re saying or selling.
I know it’s tough to build a solid, unique brand. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to get to where I am now, and I still find myself accidentally creating something I’ve seen before.
However, building your unique isn’t impossible, and here are some tips on how to do just that:
Don’t fixate on one brand or person for inspiration
Finding inspiration around the web is great. When it starts hurting your brand is often when you find just one or a few people that you are really inspired by because often you start recreating what you’re seeing – subconsciously or not. To fend off being an accidental copy it’s important to keep your eyes open to lots that the internet has to offer. Look at several different bloggers or brands that inspire you and always be open to the new things that are being presented. You’ll never know when you find your new favorite blogger or get a spark of ideas from something you may have never noticed otherwise.
[clickToTweet tweet=”If you want a truly unique brand, here are three things you should do” quote=”If you want a truly unique brand, here are three things you should do”]
Get to know your brand
I’m sure I’ve said this before, but to create a strong brand, you have to know what you’re building. Crafting a unique brand isn’t difficult when you really know your brand. This includes really knowing what you like and why as well as what you can best offer for your readers or clients. This may send you into an identity crisis, but if you take your time and really consider all of the different aspects of your brand, like design style for example, and why you like them you can begin bringing together those different things into one brand that’s totally you.
Get to know your audience
If you’re recreating posts or products that you’re inspired by from your fellow creatives and you don’t have the same audience, chances are you’re going to find your work flopping. Crafting a unique brand means knowing your audience and understanding what they need and want from you. Although a lot of us bloggers follow the same people around the web, our audience is not necessarily the same, and that means my readers may not be looking for the same thing that someone else’s readers are looking for. That’s okay for me (and you), though, because it allows me to develop unique content that I’m knowledgable about, thus building the trust my readers have in me and keeping them coming back to my blog or me when they have questions.
Don’t forget to explore As I mentioned, it can take a while to really develop who your brand is and what it best offers for the world. It’s okay to try out different design styles or post topics. It’s fine to explore the photography style you share on Instagram and what you post on Twitter. That exploration stage is vital to helping you figure out what works best for you and your brand as well as getting you to that place having a strong, unique brand that you’re confident in.
If you’re setting out to make 2015 the year that you really take your brand to the next level, be patient but work hard. Building a unique brand will be the best thing you can do for your blog and business, so keep working at it!