If  you have an email account, a social media profile or even a cell phone, I’m sure you’ve gotten those annoying spam messages asking you to “click on this link to see the nasty things this person is saying about you”? Hopefully, you didn’t learn the hard way that it IS actually spam and that by clicking on that link, would have actually crashed whatever system you were on!

When we were younger, our parents taught us to not care what others say or think about us, “They’re just jealous!” One of my favorite quotes is, “It doesn’t matter what people call you, what matters is what you answer to”. That’s very true EXCEPT when you’re in the business of serving others. !f you’re an entrepreneur or serve clients in any way, you WANT to know what people are saying about you!

What people say, think and feel about you and your business determines the value they put on your brand. Positive talk = a valuable, effective brand promise and more clients. Negative talk = well, let’s just say you have some work to do.

So how do you know what people (your target market in particular) are saying about you and your business? And, how do you fix the negative perception?

Here are a few suggestions:

1. ASK!

That’s right ask. The best way to get an answer is to ask a question. But ask the right question. Think about what you want your brand reputation to be.

• What is it that you offer your clients?
• What’s the outcome your clients can expect to receive by working with you?
• What’s the experience you intend to create for your client’s?

Once you have a very clear idea about what those answers are for you, you can survey your clients. Ask them about their experience working with you. Ask them if their desired objectives have been met. Ask them if they would refer your services. And, as painful as this may be for you to hear, ask them what could you do to improve. Hopefully, their answers are meeting your intended brand promise.

Be as objective as possible when positioning those questions and let your clients feel comfortable to freely express their opinions.

It also wouldn’t hurt to ask a trusted colleague. Either ask someone that represents where you want  to be in business or an impartial colleague that understands the premise of your business.

2. STOP MARKETING AND START BRANDING!

When you wrap your mind around the fact that marketing to many, means marketing to none. Define your brand first and then proceed to marketing (i.e. speaking) to your ONE ideal client. You’ll save time and aggravation by establishing your brand first,but more importantly, you’ll start to see more of that money wasted on fruitless marketing campaigns, go to your bottom-line.

3. FIND YOUR AUDIENCES’ SWEET SPOT

What is the BIGGEST problem your client is facing right now? In other words, what pain are they ready and willing to pay an expert, like you, to get rid of? Once you know what that is (in their own words), you can target your sales language to speak directly to their sweet spot (or in some cases, their sore spot! )

4. TELL YOUR STORY (OVER & OVER)!

Your story will reassure your clients that you know first-hand the problems they are facing. The fact that you have figured out a way to successfully solve that problem,and you an example of that, makes you an expert.

5. NICHE YOUR WAY TO PROFITS!

Choosing a niche shouldn’t be a scary proposition, but I can see why it would be. When I decided that I wanted to be my own boss, I thought, “I’ll be a marketing consultant for whoever needs it. If I don’t know the industry, I’ll figure it out!” I could not have been more off the mark, and my profits – or lack thereof – were a direct result of that!

Through many trials and tribulations, and then finally getting a coach to help me develop a system to monetize my skills, I am no longer afraid that I will be missing out on money. (Money that I wasn’t attracting anyway by being all over the place!)

Of course, none of the above will make any difference to your profitability if you are not listening to what your customers are saying. Listen and make the necessary adjustments using the guidelines above.

Kelly Green, is YOUR Personal Branding Strategy mentor! Empowering passion-driven, solo-service professionals how to break through the income plateau by building a masterful brand which will increase brand awareness, attract more clients and position you as THE go-to person in your market.

Learn up close and personal from a 15-year marketing veteran of the entertainment industry the Insider Branding Secrets to propel your Personal Brand to superstar status! In my brand-new, content-rich workshop, “Profitable Breakthrough Branding Secrets: 5 Steps to Creating & Monetizing Your Brand Brilliance!” For a limited time you can work with me live or virtually for only $47!! That’s a $247 value!  It’s not too late to still make this your most profitable year ever. Come away with an action plane to monetize your brand and turn your passions to profits! Click HERE to register to work with me live or in-person.

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