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The fragrance notes and impression of a perfume’s scent begins from first application to the last lingering hint of the scent. 

Perfume is like the essence of your brand.

What is the impression your ideal clients have of your brand?  Is it fleeting and evaporating quickly, largely being unnoticed?  Or, is it rich, deep, unique, and lasting?

A Melody of Notes

A perfume’s fragrance is described as having three sets of notes which harmoniously unfold over time: the Top Notes, Middle Notes, and Base Notes.

The immediate impression is formed by the Top Notes, and is VERY important to be able to sell a perfume—and your brand.

Like perfume, your brand must form a positive and attractive first impression to your ideal clients.  If your brand seems like every other brand, it won’t garner the attention you and I both know it deserves.

The “Top Notes” of your brand must be unique and differentiated, and targeted to a specific audience—your ideal clients.  Your brand personality, position, and message must capture your audience’s attention, or no one will pay heed to what you’re “saying.”

The Middle and Base Notes form the “heart” of your brand.

Once the Top Notes have evaporated and you’ve captured your ideal clients’ attention, you then have to create connection and build relationship.  Doing this forms a rich, deep, powerful and memorable brand.

So, how do you create a brand your audience wants to buy?  Here are three quick tips to help you.

Tip #1. Create a Unique Brand Position

First, realize your clients want to understand how you’re unique and different, but find it confusing with brand positioning messages that seem copycat, just like everyone else’s.

Here’s an example…

When I was in Tucson, AZ last month at Kendall Summerhawk’s Leap Conference, I easily met twenty different ‘6-Figure coaches.’

Each of these coaches was positioning themselves exactly the same way, or so it appeared to my eyes and ears.  I knew each of them was unique.  Yet, it was impossible for me to tell what was different and special about each of them.  The result: none of them stood out in my mind.

Clearly, with more than one 6-Figure coach in the room, that was proof positive to me of what NOT having a unique brand position looks like!

Assess your brand to see if what you are offering is unique in terms of your market position.  If not, find a new position that you… and ONLY you … can own.

Tip #2: State What You Promise

Your brand promise is the expectation you presented to your clients.  It’s what you want to be remembered for, and how you differentiate your brand from others.  It also generates desire and favorable emotions.

There’s also an element of consistency and longevity associated with your brand promise, which over time, fosters loyal clients.  The brand promise is the essence of your brand delivered.

What’s your brand promise?  Your tag line is one place to look.  What are you saying?  Is it unique?  Is a benefit stated?  If everyone else is saying the “same thing,” create a new message.

Tip #3. Discover Your Brand’s Image and Perception

Image and perception are everything.  Rather than emulating others (which doesn’t make your brand unique), figure out what sets you apart.

Ask some trusted contacts to honestly tell you what they think your brand image and perception is.  What is special and stands out about you?  Do they know what are your special capabilities, experience, training, knowledge, etc?   If they can’t immediately tell you how you’re unique, you have some work to do!

To develop or shift your brand’s image and perception increase marketing activities.  Communicate to your audience frequently with purpose, clarity, and consistency.

By applying the three tips I gave you, you’ll be able to create a powerful and lasting impression of your brand that attracts plenty of loyal ideal clients!

How do you get potential clients to notice you exist?  You have only two seconds to capture your audience’s attention before they zone out, tune out, or flip the channel.

Here are 3 tips about how to get potential clients to “stop on your channel” and invest with you!

Tip #1: Hold a unique space in the minds of clients

To be noticed and remembered by your prospective clients, you’ve got to claim a unique position in their minds.

When our clients (us included) hear a particular company name, brand, or persona, we immediately want to “place” them in a unique drawer in our mind.

For example, Tony Robbins is in the “NLP” drawer in my mind.  BMW is the “Ultimate Driving Machine” (performance).  Harley Davidson means “freedom” and rebel, to me.

For your business, you want the same thing to happen!

Think about whom else sells similar programs and services as you do.  What “drawer” in your mind do they occupy?  Is your drawer different?  If not, come up with your own unique space. 

Tip#2: “First in mind” counts BIG

Being “first to market” holds an enormous advantage, because you can “claim” the drawer you want in the minds of your prospective clients.

Being “second one in” — even if BETTER than the first — you will have an extremely difficult time displacing the first business in clients’ minds.

Are you first to market, an Original.  Or, are you a “Me2,” trying to be “just like the leader?”  If you think you’re a “Me2,” find a new drawer!

Tip #3: What to do if you’re NOT first

As I mentioned, you’ve got to be first in your clients’ minds to get noticed and be ‘top of mind.”  If you’re not first, here are ideas how you can create your own space:

• Get creative and come up with a new, never-before-heard-about category (Me – $110K mentor)
• Relate yourself to the number one brand (Avis – “We’re number 2, but we try harder”)
• Be an alternative to the first brand (7-Up – the “Un-cola”)
• Name your programs and services with memorable names that conjures up images to help position product (Diehard – batteries; Head and Shoulders – dandruff shampoo)

The key point to remember is you’ve got to be unique to get noticed, and successfully get new clients.  Standing out makes you special, and an obvious choice WHY someone should choose to work with you!

Be sure to sign up for my FREE teleseminar, Are You a “Me2″ or an Original? 3 Tips How to Step into the Spotlight and *Sparkle* So You Get Noticed and Get Business!  Many women entrepreneurs struggle with the question, “How am I different from everyone else?”  The reality is in today’s world, it’s “Be Distinct or Be Extinct.’  Each of us is like a rough-cut diamond, ready to be cut, shaped, polished, and showcased on black velvet for our market to see.  In this program, I’ll share with you 3 tips how to “kick it up a notch” and turn the spotlight onto YOU, so you attract an audience, captivate a crowd better than anyone else in your industry… and get new business!  Watch my e-newsletter for details how to sign up!

Whatever you are marketing is a battle for the mind of your audience.   Getting noticed is everything.

When I mentor my clients, recurring themes I hear are —

“How do I get noticed?”

“How am I different from everyone else?”

“How do I get the word out about what I do?”

Many women entrepreneurs struggle with how to brand and present how they’re different, so they end up copying someone else who is successful…making them a “Me2.”

Me2s aren’t original or attractive. It’s like a tribute band. No matter how good they are, they still aren’t the “real thing.”

Here’s a perfect example of what I am talking about…

Over 4th of July holiday weekend, my husband Robert and I vacationed in Saugatuck, MI. Street side was a man selling CDs, and he had recorded Barry White songs. He sounded good. But, not as good as Barry White.

The thought occurred to me, if I wanted to hear Barry White songs, why wouldn’t I just buy a Barry White CD?

One of the things I’ve learned (partly by accident and mostly by experience) is the *magic* about how to capture the spotlight and get attention. And, I didn’t do it by being the LOUDEST person in the room. (Heavens no!).

What evidence do I have to know this? After I speak, people line up to talk with me (maybe you’ve witnessed this yourself). And, wherever I go people say, “I’ve heard about you.” And, I haven’t needed to market much at all to get new clients, because they seek me out to work with me.

In today’s world, it’s “Be Distinct or Be Extinct.” Each of us is like a rough-cut diamond, ready to be cut, shaped, polished, and showcased on black velvet for our market to see. You’ve got to know how to turn the spotlight onto YOU, on your brand, so you attract an audience and get new business! And, being a Me2 isn’t the way to do it.

So, how do you get noticed?

First, let me ease any worries you may have about not being the most visible superstar in your industry. You don’t need to be the industry leader to still be a star! There is plenty of room for memorable co-stars, and you can certainly be one of them.

But, you do have to be distinct in terms of:

1) what you offer

2) how you position yourself in the market

3) how you present yourself to your audience

Also, think about your brand. Do you “live your brand?” Are you communicating the essence of your brand to attract your ideal clients? Are you putting forth a sparkling and attractive personality? Are you dressing distinctive? (Or, are you dressing like you’re “supposed to?”) Do you have a clear message for your audience? Are you playing the part of an Original or a Me2?

What about your 30-second infomercial? Is it the typical corny and boring one most people blurt out? Is it too long…too full of facts and information…and boring? (people tune out boring)

Think also, about what it REALLY is that you are selling.

For example, Rolex doesn’t sell watches; they sell luxury. Campbell’s Soup doesn’t sell soup; they sell nostalgia. Volvo doesn’t “sell” cars; they sell safety. One thing all these products have in common is they create an emotional response in their targeted customers. And that, my friends, is what it is all about; drawing out an emotional response in your clients to help them make a decision to buy from you.

To help you blossom into the true Original you are, my coach’s request this week is for you to think about 1) what you are really selling, and 2) what type of emotional response your ideal clients to feel.

Be sure to sign up for my free teleseminar, Are You a “Me2″ or an Original? 3 Tips How to Step into the Spotlight and *Sparkle* So You Get Noticed and Get Business!   I’ll share with you how to “kick it up a notch” and turn the spotlight onto YOU, so you attract an audience, captivate a crowd, and get new business! Watch for details how to sign up in next week’s e-newsletter!

Defining a brand is one of those business topics that small business entrepreneurs needlessly struggle with. The truth is, by going through a systematic process, it can be quite easy to define a powerful brand for yourself, and your business. Yet, most entrepreneurs totally bypass the first step in the branding process: Positioning.

Your brand position is the essence of what makes you unique and memorable to your target market. Defining your brand position is the first thing you must do before you spend a lot of time and money creating a logo and website.

Your brand position is basically ‘what your are an expert at doing,’ and ‘what you want to be known for’ by your target market. If you don’t define a strong brand position, your target market won’t be able to identify you as “the person” to solve their problems, which is really what they care about most.

To start to define what you want to be known for, answer this simple question: “If someone is looking for your type of expertise, what do they type into Google to find you?” Whatever they type in…that’s what you want to be known for!

You can start to build your brand positioning around those words or phrase. Keep in mind that they should be obvious words, because that‘s the way people do search activities on search engines. You can also use this strategy to find someone you know of, but you can’t remember their name.

Once you know the word or phrase, leverage it in your marketing message. For example, words I use are branding, marketing, and business growth; Kendall Summerhawk uses Money, Marketing, and Soul™ (which she brilliantly trademarked), and Ali Brown is known as the “Ezine Queen.”

Doing this activity will help you begin to clarify your brand’s position, what makes you unique, and move you closer to communicating your expertise to your target market.

To learn more about how to create a unique, memorable, and powerful brand be sure to check out my “7-Step System.”