You Are The Face of Your Brand — Own It!
We’re living in the digital age now more than ever, with the whole not-going-anywhere and many of us working-from-home thing going on!
That means people need connection — your personality, your views, your valuable offers, your humour, your vibe, YOUR FACE — more than ever.
That also means that you are the face of your brand, whether you like it or not.
I also knew I needed to do a bit of internal work before I could move forward.
I needed to get comfortable in my own skin because I was 100% the face of my brand.
~ Karen Pattock, International Business Coach
That’s ok though… we got this Coach! I offered a bunch of tips in this blog post for how to get instantly more comfortable putting yourself “out there” and jumping head(shot) first into the spotlight.
My fave “face of brand” tip is the following though…
” ‘I have to’ comes from a place of resistance and fear, while ‘get to’ shifts your mind to a place of gratitude and opportunity. When you open up your mind to all the positive possibilities that can come from giving a talk, your fear will start to be overshadowed by excitement.
Try saying: ‘I get to speak to this group of people about their health today’.
Speaking about your passion for health and wellness is exciting!”
~ Amy Lippmann of Marketing for Health Coaches
5 Ways That You Can Be The Face of Your Brand – and how to own it!
Before we dive into exactly WHAT you need to do (or not do!) to start being the “face” of your brand, let’s get these scary hurdles out of the way:
- You DON’T have to be a celebrity (or look like one) to have a juicy brand
- You DON’T have to be a professional motivational speaker in order to captivate your audience
- You DON’T need to be “everywhere” all the time… you just have to appear that way 😉
However, if you want your Health & Wellness business to grow, it’s important to get out of your comfort zone and do things you may not have ever thought you would.
You’ve got to be highly visible – like really put yourself out there, in order to make a memorable impression in the online wellness business space and be successful in it.
So, you do want an irresistible, magnetic wellness brand?! Here are some “face forward” things to consider:
And just an FYI before we dive into this list… your brand is not just your name, logo, and that ONE headshot you’ve been using for the past decade! (Wait, what?)
It’s the VISUAL + VERBAL elements that have to come together as a whole to create a solid, stand-out wellness brand 🙂
1 | IMAGES/PHOTOS/GRAPHICS
Nobody, and I mean nobody likes boring, bland, or tired visuals – and the look or visual vibe of your brand can make or break your business.
Cheap-looking websites & images that aren’t aligned with your brand and badly designed graphics reflect poorly on you — no matter how good you are at health coaching or running a wellness business!
If it’s in the budget (find it!), pony up the cash for a good designer who just “gets” you and your brand, and buy yourself some delicious stock photos like the fresh ones I’ve been sprinkling all over my website and socials from Inspired Stock Shop.
However, if you’re really strapped for cash (especially when you’re just starting out!), try FREE STOCK PHOTO sites like:
- Pexels
- Pixabay
- Unsplash
- Deposit Photos
- StockSnap.io
- Canva – yep, the graphic design app has tons of free images you can use in your designs!
Many of those sites now offer stock video footage/clips to use commercially too.
Even better, learn how to take your own photos! (umm, that’s simply not me, and never will be, so I’ve always relied on the above options)
Then, there are the oh-so-necessary professional-looking photos of you. Yep, this is where the YOU are your brand part comes in 😉
These are a must and even just a few good ones can go a long way – used for such purposes as your Homepage, About page, author bio on your blog or for guest blogging, and for other contributions in the media — which I sincerely hope that you’re also pursuing these to help build your brand AND your credibility in the industry!)
Need new headshots? *waves hand* Make a date with a photographer, or at least someone who’s handy with an iPhone, and get ’em done!
Kristen of StoryCatcher Photography says,
“A great image of you looking right at the camera while smiling. When you look directly into the camera this is going to show confidence. Your smile is going to let them know that you’re friendly and easy to approach.
You want this image to look like you’re having a conversation with a friend. You can make it casual by sitting on a couch, at a coffee shop, or whatever setting casual is to you.”
2 | LIVE VIDEO (& AUDIO)
Channel your inner broadcaster and start livestreaming… like right now!
Live streaming on Facebook and Youtube are the hot trends in self-promotion, and it’s easy to see why. Everyone wants to make connections, and live video feels more personal and direct than pre-recorded content, and certainly more than just web copy.
When you’re building an audience, it’s a cool way to engage with your clients (and future clients!) and boost your brand awareness through social media.
Here’s an FB livestream I did about “brand essence” while I was walking to get my daughter at the bus stop #BusStopChat
(I guess I just suddenly felt like sharing my thoughts on this topic while walking in -20 degrees weather! Lol.)
It ended up getting great engagement and I had several people message me about it afterward sharing their brand vibe or, what I like to call “zest words”, with me.
Want the list of 400+ BRAND ZEST WORDS that I’ve compiled for you?
It’s included in The Well… ’cause you deserve another great resource 😉
3 | ABOUT ME (or Start Here) PAGE
You aren’t boring, so your ABOUT ME page shouldn’t be either. When you write it, make sure to get inside your readers’ heads – write as if you were your own client!
“Always enter the conversation already taking place in the customer’s mind.”
~ Robert Collier
The way you speak reflects who you are. So does the way you write! Find your voice and stick to it – if you’re sassy, be sassy!
You want everything you write to be part of your bigger picture brand. Think of your written and spoken words to be a verbal representation of your visual self and your brand.
Be upbeat and sell your prospects on your ability and personality. Don’t skimp on credentials, either – your potential clients want to know that they can trust you and your services or programs. On the other hand, your About page isn’t your resume!
Also, be sure to include a recent and professional-looking photo of yourself – and bonus points if you include a video 😉
Read why the ‘START HERE’ page is…
4 | SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Social media is a huge asset for health business owners and wellness entrepreneurs. Leverage it!
Chances are, 99% of your customers are on Instagram, Facebook, and/or Pinterest – those are the top 3 to consider using for biz and branding purposes.
But, I would just Start with the ONE (or two) platforms that you know your target audience uses, then find the groups and forums where they’re hanging out. Do your research!
In order for people in your space to get to know you, you need to start & join conversations happening online — use your social media platforms to create connections.
Be sure to post high-quality, relevant stuff on your chosen platforms often. It’s ok to get personal too, including tasteful images of yourself. Hellooo IG – I’m lookin’ at you!
(Butt flossing pics, I am NOT looking at you. Like, seriously ladies? You’re better than that, and no one is going to see you as a health professional that they want to come to for advice… even if they’re trying to get a better butt.)
People do, however, want to see your authentic and human side (not your backside), as there’s really no more boundary between “church & state”, as they say.
If you have a #wellnessbusiness that's even partly online, then YOU are your business & your business is YOU. Click To Tweet
You can use social media to help your clients feel like they’re personally connected to you but also that they’re part of a community, and you can assure them that you’re always in reach – at least digitally!
Here’s what Social Wellness Co. has to say about the 5 most popular social platforms: Is There a ‘Best’ Social Platform For Business?
5 | TELLING STORIES
More on getting personal…
Ok, I think you’re understanding by now that your main priority in growing your wellness business is to build a magnetizing brand that tells stories (yours being chief among them), and creates a culture that you are the face of.
So, then the main goal of a BRAND STORY is to create a deeper connection with your ideal client.
Your people have to feel like they understand where you’re coming from and be convinced that you get where they’re coming from too. This means you must be engaging and trustworthy. They have to feel like they know you — the REAL you.
Storytelling holds that power.
Ok, those are the top 5 considerations to make when you’re trying to increase the overall “face value” of your brand.
But, here’s the real deal with you and that beautiful brand of yours…
Brands need to be cultivated, nurtured – just like your audience. Your brand is actually an extension of you, so think of it like self-care!
Put in the time, seek expert guidance if necessary (*waves hand*), and you will see the rewards by having a wellness brand that you’re truly proud of and want to show off – with you as “the face”.