Building Your Brand Online for Network Marketing

Your Listening to the Street Smart Wealth Podcast, show 120

 

Developing Your Online Business Brand

 

In my inner circle coaching program, we go through a pretty extensive exercise on identifying your exact target audience and avatar for your business. It’s not - Just everyone - like we tend to think offline.

 

Yes, it’s true that anyone MIGHT be right, the more you can niche it down and get clear, the better results you will have.

 

Part of this process involves your brand, and while this can be a bit over done these days, it is important.

 

On today’s show, lets talk more about your brand and how to develop it.

 

Welcome to the show. I am just traveling home today from a fabulous trip to New York City with my daughter for the Radio City Rockets Christmas Spectacular show, theater, shopping, a visit to the newly opened World Trade Center and museum and great food and fun!

 

So, as we discuss branding, I just want to note that part of my brand and mission is building a lifestyle business, from anywhere, as a mom.

 

I love that my business has given me the freedom, flexibility and income to take great trips and share these with my family.

 

 If you have comments or questions, tweet them to me @jackieulmer and let’s connect!

 

We cover all of this in depth in my inner circle coaching program, so if you are ready to stop talking about it, and start taking action on it, go to -  

 

JackieUlmer.com/coach

 

I also have a blog guide that walks you through getting your blog set up and how to create ongoing content and the whole philosophy behind the blogging process.

 

http://JackieUlmer.com/blogguide

 

Listen for a question Satinder asks, about blogging on the podcast -

 

 

Developing Your Online Business Brand

 

 

We are going to cover a very important piece of the whole online marketing puzzle and that is Building Your Brand, Defining Your Niche and knowing how to provide solutions based on this. 

 

And, how to handle it when you feel like you aren’t quite an expert and who will listen to you!

 

Now, I know that branding and niche have become slightly over used buzz words online, but that doesn’t make them less relevant.  In today's online market, you must establish this first so you know the direction you are going to go with everything else. 

 

Direct Sales online involves a strategic approach since we are attracting prospects to us, instead of approaching the whole world. Because people are going to be coming to us, you want to make sure you are "out there" where people can and will find you.

 

And, here is the bottom line - you have to set yourself apart from all the other people out there who are trying to find and attract prospects for their business.

 

We all have a brand already  - who you are; your image; your impression; what others say about you; describe you; what is the image people conjure up when they think of you? You are “packaged” in a particular way, and it can be tweaked. You may be known in your “offline space” around a specific profession, and you want to convey a different message around your business passion; what you are building.

 

It’s how you dress; your values; what you share on social media; your character and ethics; belief systems and such.

 

This goes a long way toward getting people to “Know, Like and Trust” you.

 

Is your perception in the marketplace what you want it to be? Does it attract the audience you want to attract?

 

Question - I have a hard time defining my brand?

 

Let’s break it down and demystify it!

 

 

 

Steps to determining your personal brand

 

 

Step 1: Take personal inventory - become self aware - what do I want to be known for? What do I bring to the table? How do I want to serve people? How do I want people to think of me and describe me?

 

 

Step 2: What is it that makes you memorable and makes you stand out - if you get bogged down here, ask some people close to you and some who are in business with. What are those things you want to be known for? Me - WAHM, family first; travel; social media coach.

 

Step 3: Think of other personal brands that you relate to - Rachael Ray - not professionally trained; Street Smart; launched a lot of different projects based on her cooking background - Food Network; Cook Books; talk show; empowering women - that’s me, moving beyond network marketing team builder.

 

 

Step 4: Asking yourself what your IMAGE says about you - what group do you identify with? Who do you want to help? Who do you seek to serve? Does your image convey this? Do your status updates share this? Does your image share this? Your photos

 

 

Step 5: Be able to identify with a particular group - who do you fit with? Align with? Feel like they are soul mates, almost - sharing your values and ideals. 

 

 

Step 6: Write out how YOU would describe your personal brand - write it out exactly how you want it to be, and then work to live up to any parts that don’t quite fit yet. It’s not about fake it til you make it, but more about fine tuning who you want to BE! Nothing wrong with that. Use adjectives - cutting edge; entrepreneur; down to earth; always fun and up for a good time; patient; 

 

 

In the inner circle coaching program, we have several modules on this process to help you identify your audience very clearly, as well as where they are online, so you can reach them with your message and solutions and how to incorporate this into the SEO of your blog, and the content you create.

 

http://JackieUlmer.com/coach

 

Another part of identifying your brand is answering the question - “what is it you are actually promoting?”

 

 

If you answered with something regarding your product, you are only partially right, and you may want to think again. At least, in your online efforts.

 

 

Building online is a little different from building offline.

 

 

I am very clear and laser focused on the fact that I promote two things -

 

 

Freedom and the system to achieve it!

 

 

Freedom encompasses a lot.  It offers time, money, less stress, potential for better health, potential for higher quality relationships, personal satisfaction of achievement and knowing that others are being helped in the process.  

 

 

It's a total win-win!

 

 

My particular product line and company, combined with Network Marketing and the Internet is the "fleet" of vehicles I use to work from home and earn an income.

 

 

Once you identify your target markets, you'll have an easier time online with where to go and what to do.

 

 

These are a few of my target markets and how I have approached them.  Come up with some of your own.

 

 

I am a mother of (not so small anymore) children.  This offers me a big, general market.  So, it has to be narrowed from there.  When I first joined Network Marketing, I thought young mothers at home would be a natural market.  I quickly learned that many of them have no desire to have a business of their own.  So, I am looking for mothers of young children who DO want to work from home.

 

 

So, I began looking for sites online that were geared toward this market.

 

 

I found and established a presence at a specific work-at-home-mom site.  

 

 

When I first found this site, they had a handful of message boards and chats for work at home moms in all different areas.  But, there was nothing specifically devoted to Network Marketing.  

 

 

So, I wrote the site owner, suggesting a board and a chat and I volunteered to host both.  

 

 

This, as it turns out, has been one of the smartest moves I made initially online.  I didn't know where it would go, but I knew that anytime you "lead" something, you establish yourself as an expert in the eyes of many.

 

 

This led to the publishing of my first e-book, and launched me into the e-book publishing world. This provides its own source of leads for my business!

 

 

 

Another target market of mine is frustrated Network Marketers.  People that understand and love the concept, but are looking for more than what they are currently getting.

 

 

Maybe it's the wrong company, wrong upline or wrong system, but if they are committed to the concept and being coachable, I want to talk to them.

 

 

So, I frequent several sites/message forums devoted to MLM.

 

 

I don't set out to recruit others. I just offer advice, answer questions and generate discussions.  I publish articles at these sites and I am always subtly promoting my business and system through a link to my website. And, this is allowed by the forums, as part of your signature line.

 

 

I don't ever advertise on these forums; I just answers questions and provide training and business building ideas. This begins to develop my brand as an "expert."

 

 

And, another passion of mine is cooking. So, I find communities online devoted to this topic and get involved. My profile and signature files always contain a link to my personal site.

 

 

Movie reviews are another great place to meet people online. Do you love music? Most of the social networking sites (more on this later) out there today have large areas devoted to music reviews and bands. Get involved and meet people.

 

 

After all, the Internet is all about creating warm market in a different way. I have made some great friends through the Internet. Some are now business partners and some are just good friends. And many of them, I have never met. 

 

 

Think about your target markets.  Write them down and get out in the search engines and online looking for a few.

 

 

I’m not an expert -

 

First, don’t say you are. Share that you are on a journey! An expert only knows just slightly more.

Share your journey; share the good, bad and ugly.

Share your hopes, dreams, and goals.

Be an inspirer instead of an expert.

What makes the person YOU follow an expert?

 

ACTION STEPS

 

What words do people use to describe you? What do they say about you when talking to another?

 

Does this fit the persona you have presented online? Your blog and theme behind it - do they fit?

 

Does your social media actions clearly deliver the message of your brand?

 

What steps can you take to make everything align?

 

 

iTunes reviews shout out!

 

Mark J Nelson  - I have been all over the internet trying to learn how to build my business and market online. I keep coming back to Jackie. Her common sense teaching just resonates with me and makes the most sense. Thank you.

 

Go to JackieUlmer.com/itunes to leave your review and be entered into a drawing for a free month of coaching

 

 

Show notes http://JackieUlmer.com/120

 

 

 

I really do want to hear from you. This world and business needs more connection! Do you have a question or comment for me? Feedback for the show?

 

Tweet me - @jackieulmer let me know what's on your mind. I'll respond!

 

and if you have a question for the show, add the hashtag #JackieUlmer

 

or, ask them at JackieUlmer.com/question and include a link to your blog for a link back!

 

Has this been helpful? I would REALLY appreciate it if you would rate the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher, or wherever you listen.

 

Just go to  JackieUlmer.com/iTunes - click to view in iTunes and you’ll see the link to reviews

 

And, share the link with friends and team partners!

 

On Stitcher -

 

JackieUlmer.com/stitcher

 

 

Until next time - remember this - Hesitation Never Cashed a Check!

 

 

Good luck in your business!