Brand Dynamic Part 1
Real Title: Ummm…I don’t know what that means and have no clue how to start
Whenever you see “Blueprint Lite ~ Action Item” that means this is something for you to do.
This will be a multi-part series that will give you food for thought and sometimes actionable steps about creating your Brand Dynamic.
There are many parts to what I call Brand Dynamic that I use for myself so be patient see it through.
When you think of brand the first thing most people think of is the visual aspect of a brand. They push this part so hard the other parts gets lost.
Think of Brand as a body. One part cannot function without the others. So you need to build all parts so they can work for you.
Yes Visual is what people think of when they think of brand but do you know that isn’t the most important part of a Brand. When I think of Brand Dynamic the most important part is one that people often overlook.
Brand isn’t just about the visual aspect. One of the most important elements of brand is you. Yes you. Think about it as a reader. As a reader why do you go back to an authors social media accounts or website and so on. Yes it is pretty but pretty isn’t what makes you stay.
Don’t depend on the visual for your brand. Yes, it will bring people in but what will make them stay, explore and want to know more then potentially buy is you. Make your brand you. The strongest tool in your brand toolkit is you.
Being able to effectively create a brand is a foundation to the development of your author platform. Here are some questions to ask yourself when building your brand:
What are some things you love? (this doesn’t need to be book related or have anything to do with your writing. Think what are your favorite things)
What is your motivation for writing?
Why do you write what you write? (ie. preferences, attitude, life experiences and etc.)
What theme or themes connect or appear in your stories?
When a reader reads you book what do you want them to take away from it?
If someone was to describe you what would be the 5 words they would use.
Do you see what my questions are? They are about what makes you you. What makes you write the kind of books you do.
Brand isn’t about putting on a persona you think someone wants to see. And let’s be honest if you did it will show you are being false. Think of it this way. Ever had a conversation with someone and they are saying one thing but you keep getting a feeling they mean something else? I bet you can think of times like that. When this happened what was your reaction? You found that person to be false and according to the situation, it changed your perception of them. If it was a stranger you didn’t know well then you have no basis to go on and that false feeling and you had will taint what you think. Maybe you didn’t consciously realize it but it did. Think back on that interaction and what you took away from it. Now think of that in the circumstance of a reader who has found and author they enjoyed reading and you came looking to find out more. Do you want to leave that reader with a false impression?
Being you is one of the most engaging and easy things there is. And readers will react to that. That is one powerful tool of branding. Being you. Being human. Not being an jerk. No I’m not talking about if you are snarky, not always a ray of sunshine or have a bad day and complain. We all have those. I’m talking about being an jerk full stop and no coming back from that. You know what I mean. I’m sure there are people you don’t associate with because of how they act. Yeah I can see you thinking. Hold onto that and be you. Ummm…well if you is being a jerk then be that too. There are ways to be a loveable jerk instead of a block you since I don’t like you jerk. Just as there are people who are assholes but people still like them and then some who are and people avoid them.
Brand isn’t about creating an illusion to get people to buy into. It’s about being you, warts and all. No you don’t need to share every aspect of your life. But share the ones you are comfortable with.
For instance, my brand what people perceive me, as well you know….come on you so know. I’m blunt, weird, clumsy and I can be really naughty at one moment then deep the other. I’m a gadget crazy person who has an obsession for Uno (Uno Queen Diva that is me) and believes strongly in family by blood and by choice. I love to cook, read, movies, music and all sort of things. I prefer caramel to chocolate. I drink tea and not coffee and so on. I’m quirky and eccentric. Hell I’m just me. Glorious me. LOL. Do you see what all that is? It ‘s a person and not illusion. That is what branding is. Being relatable. And you don’t even have to try to brand because it is innately in you. It’s like breathing. Find something you a passionate about and share it.
The theme in my books that are part of me is the family by blood and by choice. You will find that is some form or other in my books no matter the genre. You’ll also find quirky characters, klutzy ones. And there is bound to be some food in my books. Tea drinkers and caramel lovers. Again see what this is. It’s parts of what is me. I don’t need to think about it to create some wonderful fantastical picture that I want someone to see. It’s just me. I am my brand and in my opinion that is the most powerful thing. More powerful than any persona anyone can put on.
I like to think of this as a Core Part of my brand. The easiest part of it since being me is natural as breathing. So in this first part of Branding get to what is your core. What parts that are you you are comfortable with the readers seeing. And work on showing them that. Be you.
So first part of Brand is your core:
Brand Core – Being You
Simple yet so complicated. Yeah I hear you. What if being me is too much for the readers? What if being me doesn’t translate well? What if (add any of your concerns)
Ask yourself this. Is everyone going to like you? Is everyone going to want to be your friend? Is it necessary for everyone to like you or be your friend?
Hint all of those will be no. No one in this world has everyone who likes them or be their friend. And it definitely is not necessary. Understand that and stop sweating it. Be you. Make the core of your brand you.
With that you can position yourself in a way that is real and genuine. People react to that. They shy away from the false and overdoing it. When you brand with you as the core your branding is solid. It invokes an emotional response.
Once you have that then you can go onto the rest. The visual and so on in which you’ll be consistent with your branding. From your book covers, websites, book descriptions, ads, social media posts, newsletter, and so on. The combination of your core part of your brand and the rest will improve recognition.
Now you know it’s coming. Here it is.
Blueprint Lite ~ Action Item:
Take the questions above about brand. Answer them. Once you do create a Blueprint ~ Core Brand Board (yes this is the being you). It can be digital or you can do a physical one. Put it together.
Now take a few of those things and start posting, sharing about it.
Example: I love taking photos so I share photos I have taken on my blog and in newsletter and asks other to share.
I love journals so I share about that and but them. I give away a journal in my newsletter and I sign it.
I love to cook so I share that and what I am making.
I’m an avid movie, tv show watcher. Also love music. So I talk about that.
So that’s the idea.
Create that Blueprint ~ Core Brand Board. Then start using it to start tightening your brand.
And that’s your Blueprint Lite ~ Action Item. See not so bad.
Now go out there and kick butt getting stuff done.
Copyright © Scribes Unleashed, 2021.
All Rights Reserved.
Note: This is or will be cross-posted in various places.
Happy Writing!
Scribes Unleashed
(Taige, McKenna and Talia)
Learning , adventure and sharing
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