The Robyn Graham Show a Podcast for Christian Women - Become Calm, Confident, and Consistent

Learn How to Create Your Elevator Pitch and Hear an Example of a Personal Brand Strategy Session for a Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur

 

Brand strategy.   It is the cornerstone of building a brand and business whether you are a small company, corporation, product business, or entrepreneur.   Your story and how you use it to differentiate yourself is what ultimately, determines the depth of your connection with your ideal audience.

Sarah Braud shares a love for brand strategy with me.   Although we work in different ways with different client types, our end goal is to support our clients in building brands for success.

About Sarah

Sarah Braud is a writer, brand marketing consultant, and keynote speaker who loves talking about how entrepreneurs and leaders can use storytelling devices to connect with audiences.  Her writing has been published in a variety of online publications, including Art House America, Hippocampus, Numero Cinq, and Hungry Mountain.

Sarah is most proud of her scripts, many of which have been produced by Nadus Films.   She also taught at the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University in their English Language learning Program.   From there, she went back to school to get a master's in creative writing.   When money wasn’t readily available as a creative writer, Sarah went into social media marketing.  Instead of focusing on analytics, she wanted to focus on branding and storytelling so she sold her business and started another to focus on brand marketing strategy.

Collaboration over Competition

There is no benefit to getting caught up in the competition between two businesses.  Instead, when people work together to collaborate, they can take their efforts to the next level and help more people.  Likewise, the phrase community over competition applies to the conversation with Sarah. We are all better off when supporting each other versus comparing and competing.

The Story Brand

Sarah is a firm believer in Don Miller’s “The Story Brand”.   She believes in the concept that your client is the hero and you are not.   Likewise, storytelling helps clients' brains rest and focus on what problem you will solve for them and helps them find clarity.

When applying brand strategy, it really isn’t your story you are telling, it’s your customer’s story.  You are coming alongside your client to help them and solve their problem.  Similarly, our brands are not about us they are about what others think of us.   Above all, brands are about differentiation and that is where stories come in to help us connect and build relationships.

Authenticity is Key for a Good Brand Strategy

People can tell when others are telling their stories to bolster themselves or whether they are telling their own stories to serve others.  Your brand story can include your own personal story, but if your motivation is to serve your client by telling your story, people will be drawn to you.   You want to use your story to connect with others and serve customers.  The key is to serve others.

Using Brand Strategy and Storytelling to Create a Tagline

The tagline is your one-liner.   It is an inspiring way to express your aspirational identity.  Telling what it is that your customer will feel or the transformational story your client will feel.  Think of Nike and “Just Do It”.  It is about connecting with the clients’ inner self.  Above all, a tagline is a way to connect emotionally with your ideal audience.

Using Brand Strategy and Storytelling to Create an Elevator Pitch

Your elevator pitch is a micro-story.  The idea behind it is that if you get on an elevator, you only have 30 seconds, the time between floors 1 and 3 to tell your story.  It is condensing your story to the most important elements.

There are three parts to your elevator pitch or any story:

1. The problem – tell the problem you are solving.
2. How you will solve the problem.
3. What happens once the problem is solved.

Problem, Solution, Results!

This template can be used for doing case studies, product descriptions, and almost anything you do in copywriting.

Writing Scripts for Films

Nadus Films makes films to help people make a difference, primarily working with non-profit organizations.  Sarah has helped with writing scripts and creating the narratives for the films.  She also helps build storyboards for projects.

Using and Creating Story Boards To Build Your Brand Strategy

Take parts of a story using Don Miller’s 7-part story building framework.

Create a document that pieces out the different parts of the story.  Through using this process, Sarah has created her own framework called the non-profit narrative.  Visually block out the parts of the story you want to show.

Example of the film on Sarah’s website for Scarlet Hope in Louisville, Kentucky.

N – Name

Name your target audience, their age, background, goals, and dreams

A – Adversity

The problem they are experiencing.  Show how the problem is being amplified so show the statistics, political climate, context, and added complications that make adversity even harder.

R- Reason

What is your philosophy and mission statement – your “why”

A – Achievement

Demonstrate you are a trustworthy partner. Success stories, partners, etc.

T – Tactic

What is the plan, how will you serve this population to create change?

I – Invitation or call to action

How can your audience help? What can they do, what is the next step they can take; become an ambassador, donate, or volunteer?

V – Vision

What does transformation look like?  What does the other side of the journey look for?

E – Extended metaphor

Clues to details for the story. Symbols, objects, animals, etc. that demonstrate your

work.

Mini Personal Brand Strategy Coaching Session

How do you create a personal brand when you are a multi-passionate entrepreneur?

Sarah has her brand marketing clients, an online course that teaches her NARATIVE Framework, and how non-profits can tell their stories using film, and she has her own creative writing.

The question is: How can Sarah create a brand strategy for all of these things with one message?

It is very hard to narrow focus as a multi-passionate person.

Think of your personal brand as an hourglass.  All of our ideas and goals and dreams are at the top of the hourglass.  Where the hourglass narrows, that is where we begin to focus.

At this point, we want to look at our values, visions, and passions.  Ask yourself what really fuels you and what your visions are.

Make a list of your values, visions, and passions.   What items in the three columns mirror each other or feel like a marriage?  What is the common thread?

Now the hourglass begins to open back up.

Think of it as a flow-chart.

Sarah, the personal brand is at the top.

The buckets of her business fall underneath Sarah as the overarching brand.  But the common thread is storytelling.   Now Sarah shares with her audience on all of her platforms that she uses storytelling to help her clients find clarity, spark interest, and attract more clients.

Sarah will now begin to describe herself as a storyteller.  No matter which bucket of work Sarah is doing, she is using creative writing and storytelling to serve others.

Now that Sarah has identified that her personal brand is herself and her gift of being a storyteller, she can create consistent and cohesive content to tell her audience what she does.

Sarah can now begin to share content across all of her platforms from her website to her social media pages and all of the content will refer to her as a creative storyteller and using stories to solve problems for her clients.

Sarah’s favorite phrase:

You can’t read the label from inside the bottle.  She is referring to the fact that we all need outside help once in a while to achieve clarity and further our business.

Keep a Breast

In February of 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit the United States.  Sarah is very fortunate that she was diagnosed with stage 1A cancer and even though it was an aggressive form of breast cancer, it was diagnosed early and Sarah didn’t have to go through chemotherapy and radiation.  She had a double mastectomy in March and reconstruction surgery in June.

Sarah’s advice is that early detection can save your life.   She is now working with a non-profit organization, Keep a Breast, that promotes early detection.   Keep a Breast has an app that reminds young women to do monthly breast exams.

Sarah offers a free clarity and connection website audit that you can access here:   https://mailchi.mp/5f5882378c44/cc

 

Learn more about Sarah and connect with her:

Website: https://www.braudcreative.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/braudknows

Facebook: www.facebook.com/braudcreative

Instagram: instagram.com/braudcreative

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sarah-braud

Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.

To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.

Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE.

Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE.

Ask Me Anything HERE.

Connect with me, Robyn Graham:

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

 

Learn How to Create Your Elevator Pitch and Hear an Example of a Personal Brand Strategy Session for a Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur Brand strategy. It is the cornerstone of building a brand and business whether you are a small company, corporation, product business, or entrepreneur. Your story and how you use it to differentiate yourself is what ultimately, determines the depth of your connection with your ideal audience. Sarah Braud shares a love for brand strategy with me. Although we work in different ways with different client types, our end goal is to support our clients in building brands for success. About Sarah Sarah Braud is a writer, brand marketing consultant, and keynote speaker who loves talking about how entrepreneurs and leaders can use storytelling devices to connect with audiences. Her writing has been published in a variety of online publications, including Art House America, Hippocampus, Numero Cinq, and Hungry Mountain. Sarah is most proud of her scripts, many of which have been produced by Nadus Films. She also taught at the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University in their English Language learning Program. From there, she went back to school to get a master's in creative writing. When money wasn't readily available as a creative writer, Sarah went into social media marketing. Instead of focusing on analytics, she wanted to focus on branding and storytelling so she sold her business and started another to focus on brand marketing strategy. Collaboration over Competition There is no benefit to getting caught up in the competition between two businesses. Instead, when people work together to collaborate, they can take their efforts to the next level and help more people. Likewise, the phrase community over competition applies to the conversation with Sarah. We are all better off when supporting each other versus comparing and competing. The Story Brand Sarah is a firm believer in Don Miller's "The Story Brand". She believes in the concept that your client is the hero and you are not. Likewise, storytelling helps clients' brains rest and focus on what problem you will solve for them and helps them find clarity. When applying brand strategy, it really isn't your story you are telling, it's your customer's story. You are coming alongside your client to help them and solve their problem. Similarly, our brands are not about us they are about what others think of us. Above all, brands are about differentiation and that is where stories come in to help us connect and build relationships. Authenticity is Key for a Good Brand Strategy People can tell when others are telling their stories to bolster themselves or whether they are telling their own stories to serve others. Your brand story can include your own personal story, but if your motivation is to serve your client by telling your story, people will be drawn to you. You want to use your story to connect with others and serve customers. The key is to serve others. Using Brand Strategy and Storytelling to Create a Tagline The tagline is your one-liner. It is an inspiring way to express your aspirational identity. Telling what it is that your customer will feel or the transformational story your client will feel. Think of Nike and "Just Do It". It is about connecting with the clients' inner self. Above all, a tagline is a way to connect emotionally with your ideal audience. Using Brand Strategy and Storytelling to Create an Elevator Pitch Your elevator pitch is a micro-story. The idea behind it is that if you get on an elevator, you only have 30 seconds, the time between floors 1 and 3 to tell your story. It is condensing your story to the most important elements. There are three parts to your elevator pitch or any story: The problem – tell the problem you are solving. How you will solve the problem. What happens once the problem is solved. Problem, Solution, Results! This template can be used for doing case studies, product descriptions, and almost anything you do in copywriting. Writing Scripts for Films Nadus Films makes films to help people make a difference, primarily working with non-profit organizations. Sarah has helped with writing scripts and creating the narratives for the films. She also helps build storyboards for projects. Using and Creating Story Boards To Build Your Brand Strategy Take parts of a story using Don Miller's 7-part story building framework. Create a document that pieces out the different parts of the story. Through using this process, Sarah has created her own framework called the non-profit narrative. Visually block out the parts of the story you want to show. Example of the film on Sarah's website for Scarlet Hope in Louisville, Kentucky. N – Name Name your target audience, their age, background, goals, and dreams A – Adversity The problem they are experiencing. Show how the problem is being amplified so show the statistics, political climate, context, and added complications that make adversity even harder. R- Reason What is your philosophy and mission statement – your "why" A – Achievement Demonstrate you are a trustworthy partner. Success stories, partners, etc. T – Tactic What is the plan, how will you serve this population to create change? I – Invitation or call to action How can your audience help? What can they do, what is the next step they can take; become an ambassador, donate, or volunteer? V – Vision What does transformation look like? What does the other side of the journey look for? E – Extended metaphor Clues to details for the story. Symbols, objects, animals, etc. that demonstrate your work. Mini Personal Brand Strategy Coaching Session How do you create a personal brand when you are a multi-passionate entrepreneur? Sarah has her brand marketing clients, an online course that teaches her NARATIVE Framework, and how non-profits can tell their stories using film, and she has her own creative writing. The question is: How can Sarah create a brand strategy for all of these things with one message? It is very hard to narrow focus as a multi-passionate person. Think of your personal brand as an hourglass. All of our ideas and goals and dreams are at the top of the hourglass. Where the hourglass narrows, that is where we begin to focus. At this point, we want to look at our values, visions, and passions. Ask yourself what really fuels you and what your visions are. Make a list of your values, visions, and passions. What items in the three columns mirror each other or feel like a marriage? What is the common thread? Now the hourglass begins to open back up. Think of it as a flow-chart. Sarah, the personal brand is at the top. The buckets of her business fall underneath Sarah as the overarching brand. But the common thread is storytelling. Now Sarah shares with her audience on all of her platforms that she uses storytelling to help her clients find clarity, spark interest, and attract more clients. Sarah will now begin to describe herself as a storyteller. No matter which bucket of work Sarah is doing, she is using creative writing and storytelling to serve others. Now that Sarah has identified that her personal brand is herself and her gift of being a storyteller, she can create consistent and cohesive content to tell her audience what she does. Sarah can now begin to share content across all of her platforms from her website to her social media pages and all of the content will refer to her as a creative storyteller and using stories to solve problems for her clients. Sarah's favorite phrase: You can't read the label from inside the bottle. She is referring to the fact that we all need outside help once in a while to achieve clarity and further our business. Keep a Breast In February of 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit the United States. Sarah is very fortunate that she was diagnosed with stage 1A cancer and even though it was an aggressive form of breast cancer, it was diagnosed early and Sarah didn't have to go through chemotherapy and radiation. She had a double mastectomy in March and reconstruction surgery in June. Sarah's advice is that early detection can save your life. She is now working with a non-profit organization, Keep a Breast, that promotes early detection. Keep a Breast has an app that reminds young women to do monthly breast exams. Sarah offers a free clarity and connection website audit that you can access here: https://mailchi.mp/5f5882378c44/cc Learn more about Sarah and connect with her: Website: https://www.braudcreative.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/braudknows Facebook: www.facebook.com/braudcreative Instagram: instagram.com/braudcreative LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sarah-braud Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

One, or the other, or both?   In this case, the one and the other are strategy and mindset.  Both are needed to build a successful business.  You can't change your mindset overnight or without some work, but if you follow this method, you'll be able to leverage journaling for strategy and mindset.

When we talk about creating a personal brand or building a business, we often go straight to strategy.  But, when we focus solely on strategy, it can take quite a while to get clients and reach the monetary goals as quickly as we’d like.

Why?  Because if we don’t have the right mindset or are wondering if we made the right decision or are worrying about the what-ifs, we aren’t going to be successful.

About Kim

Kim Trathen is a former strategist and marketing executive.  She had quite the journey to discovering the value of mindset and how impactful it is on producing positive results in life and business.

Kim is an international business and marketing coach that helps female entrepreneurs grow profitable businesses they love. She launched her own business while working in corporate and raising her 3 crazy boys and 2 huskies alongside one amazing husband.

Kim loves helping other women scale their businesses using strategy and mindset. She believes that getting clients online doesn't have to be difficult and loves sharing the strategies that help women make a consistent income.

The Power of Mindset

When Kim launched her business, she was worried about money and bad things happening that she wouldn’t be able to make enough money to support herself and her family.   All of these negative concerns and worries started to come to fruition.

It was after a serious illness, that Kim realized she had to change her mindset.

Mindset carries power for reaching your goals.

Spending energy on fears and what-ifs and worrying causes bad things to happen.   Worrying is like praying for the bad things to happen.   Our thoughts are incredibly powerful.  They are there to either propel us forward or hold us back.

Manifestation

Manifesting is putting your mind to something, and because you put your mind to it, you took the actions to make it happen.

To have a successful business, you need equal parts strategy and mindset.

Without a positive mindset, you can do all the strategic actions, but not see positive results, and vice versa.  You can have a positive mindset, but without action, nothing will happen.

Clear intentions are key. You can document your intentions through journaling for strategy and mindset to work collectively for the success of your business or life.

A Process that Emphasizes Journaling for Strategy and Mindset

C – Circumstance

T – Thoughts

F – Feeling

A – Actions

R – Results

Circumstance

The circumstance is what is truly going on around you.  It can be proven in a court of law.

Thoughts

Thoughts create a feeling.

Feelings

Feelings are what drive your actions.

Actions

Actions give you the results you have.

Results

Results are the outcome of actions.

It is important to distinguish between a circumstance and a thought.   A circumstance is provable in a court of law.

Think of this example.  A friend says, “I am fat!”   That is not provable in a court of law.  The number on the scale is a fact, but saying you are fat is not.   The circumstance is the number on the scale.

Action can be action, reaction, or inaction.

When we don’t approach situations looking at circumstances, we will feel stuck and out of control.  How do we change this?  We have to get rid of the unintentional thoughts that hold us back.

Create a new intentional thought to replace the negative, unintentional thoughts.

Consciously doing the work daily and taking the actions.  Brain dump in your journal.  Then, go through everything and highlight the circumstance and the thought and then pick three and model them in the C.T.F.A.R. model.   This action will help create new intentional thoughts.

This method of journaling for strategy and mindset produces positive results fast.

An example is:

I can’t afford this and shifting that to how can I afford this?  This gets the mind thinking of a more creative and resourceful way.  Another way to change the thought is, I’m open to finding ways to invest in my business.  This is a more productive thought.  This equates to determination and resourcefulness.   But you have to have belief in the thought.

Where there is a will, there is a way.  It isn’t one size fits all, but if you change your thoughts and believe in them, you can accomplish whatever you desire.

Consciously Do the Work to Experience the Power of Journaling to Change Mindset

Consciously doing the work daily and taking the actions.  Brain dump in your journal.  Then, go through everything and highlight the circumstance and the thought and then pick three of the goals and model them in the CTFAR model.   This action will help create new intentional thoughts.

If you start slipping back into the negative unintentional thoughts, you come back to the new intentional thoughts and physically force yourself to focus on the new thoughts.

Doing this daily practice is like cleaning out your brain in the morning and now you have a strategy for reaching your goals.   It is like exercise for your brain the way you exercise your body.

Journaling doesn’t do as much good when you are journaling out of reaction and anxiety, depression, and other emotions that have already built up.   Small incremental action will make a difference.   Be intentional.  Make a conscious effort.  And you will become laser focus on reaching the goals.

Goals often feel like dreams because we don’t know how to make them become a reality.   This journaling practice will help.

Take the action you need to get the results you want!

Your history is a circumstance.   You can’t change that.   What is in the past is in the past, but you do get to choose your thoughts about the future.

Kim’s Three Steps to Get Client’s Online

Learn more about Kim and connect with her:

Website: https://kimthebusinesscoach.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBusinessCoach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimthebusinesscoach/

Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.

To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.

Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE.

Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE.

Ask Me Anything HERE.

Connect with me, Robyn Graham:

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

One, or the other, or both? In this case, the one and the other are strategy and mindset. Both are needed to build a successful business. You can't change your mindset overnight or without some work, but if you follow this method, you'll be able to leverage journaling for strategy and mindset. When we talk about creating a personal brand or building a business, we often go straight to strategy. But, when we focus solely on strategy, it can take quite a while to get clients and reach the monetary goals as quickly as we'd like. Why? Because if we don't have the right mindset or are wondering if we made the right decision or are worrying about the what-ifs, we aren't going to be successful. About Kim Kim Trathen is a former strategist and marketing executive. She had quite the journey to discovering the value of mindset and how impactful it is on producing positive results in life and business. Kim is an international business and marketing coach that helps female entrepreneurs grow profitable businesses they love. She launched her own business while working in corporate and raising her 3 crazy boys and 2 huskies alongside one amazing husband. Kim loves helping other women scale their businesses using strategy and mindset. She believes that getting clients online doesn't have to be difficult and loves sharing the strategies that help women make a consistent income. The Power of Mindset When Kim launched her business, she was worried about money and bad things happening that she wouldn't be able to make enough money to support herself and her family. All of these negative concerns and worries started to come to fruition. It was after a serious illness, that Kim realized she had to change her mindset. Mindset carries power for reaching your goals. Spending energy on fears and what-ifs and worrying causes bad things to happen. Worrying is like praying for the bad things to happen. Our thoughts are incredibly powerful. They are there to either propel us forward or hold us back. Manifestation Manifesting is putting your mind to something, and because you put your mind to it, you took the actions to make it happen. To have a successful business, you need equal parts strategy and mindset. Without a positive mindset, you can do all the strategic actions, but not see positive results, and vice versa. You can have a positive mindset, but without action, nothing will happen. Clear intentions are key. You can document your intentions through journaling for strategy and mindset to work collectively for the success of your business or life. A Process that Emphasizes Journaling for Strategy and Mindset C – Circumstance T – Thoughts F – Feeling A – Actions R – Results Circumstance The circumstance is what is truly going on around you. It can be proven in a court of law. Thoughts Thoughts create a feeling. Feelings Feelings are what drive your actions. Actions Actions give you the results you have. Results Results are the outcome of actions. It is important to distinguish between a circumstance and a thought. A circumstance is provable in a court of law. Think of this example. A friend says, "I am fat!" That is not provable in a court of law. The number on the scale is a fact, but saying you are fat is not. The circumstance is the number on the scale. Action can be action, reaction, or inaction. When we don't approach situations looking at circumstances, we will feel stuck and out of control. How do we change this? We have to get rid of the unintentional thoughts that hold us back. Create a new intentional thought to replace the negative, unintentional thoughts. Consciously doing the work daily and taking the actions. Brain dump in your journal. Then, go through everything and highlight the circumstance and the thought and then pick three and model them in the C.T.F.A.R. model. This action will help create new intentional thoughts. This method of journaling for strategy and mindset produces positive results fast. An example is: I can't afford this and shifting that to how can I afford this? This gets the mind thinking of a more creative and resourceful way. Another way to change the thought is, I'm open to finding ways to invest in my business. This is a more productive thought. This equates to determination and resourcefulness. But you have to have belief in the thought. Where there is a will, there is a way. It isn't one size fits all, but if you change your thoughts and believe in them, you can accomplish whatever you desire. Consciously Do the Work to Experience the Power of Journaling to Change Mindset Consciously doing the work daily and taking the actions. Brain dump in your journal. Then, go through everything and highlight the circumstance and the thought and then pick three of the goals and model them in the CTFAR model. This action will help create new intentional thoughts. If you start slipping back into the negative unintentional thoughts, you come back to the new intentional thoughts and physically force yourself to focus on the new thoughts. Doing this daily practice is like cleaning out your brain in the morning and now you have a strategy for reaching your goals. It is like exercise for your brain the way you exercise your body. Journaling doesn't do as much good when you are journaling out of reaction and anxiety, depression, and other emotions that have already built up. Small incremental action will make a difference. Be intentional. Make a conscious effort. And you will become laser focus on reaching the goals. Goals often feel like dreams because we don't know how to make them become a reality. This journaling practice will help. Take the action you need to get the results you want! Your history is a circumstance. You can't change that. What is in the past is in the past, but you do get to choose your thoughts about the future. Kim's Three Steps to Get Client's Online Learn more about Kim and connect with her: Website: https://kimthebusinesscoach.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBusinessCoach Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimthebusinesscoach/ Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

From Homeless to Entrepreneur

Karen Peterson is a multi-passionate woman who went from homeless to entrepreneur and created a personal brand on the foundation of service.

She is the founder and Executive Director of Women of Harmony, Inc. (W.O.H.), established in June of 2014 as a non-profit organization operating under section 501 (C)(3).   Karen has over 30 years of experience working with women and children, as a foster parent, personal care assistant, case manager, consultant, mentor, teacher, parent educator, and Doula.  Among Karen’s credentials are certified lactation counselor, full-spectrum doula, and the owner of KMP Doula Service which offers private practice birth and postpartum doula and mentors doulas and trains doulas for CAPPA, Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association.

Women of Harmony, Inc.

Women of Harmony provides services to local shelters in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.   W.O.H. was established for the purpose of mentoring, empowering, and engaging all women to pursue their dreams beyond their circumstances.   It is designed to encourage women to be educated and self-sufficient, to maintain healthy lifestyles for themselves and their children to connect women to other women and resources that assist them in attaining their goals while limiting their barriers.

Through faith and hope, anything is possible, Including going from Homeless to Entrepreneur

Karen started Women of Harmony, Inc (W.O.H.) because she was homeless about twenty years ago with a one-month-old baby.   But before this time period, at the age of 25, she had three young children of her own and became a foster parent to young girls and their babies.  At any given time, she would have six children under her care.

This experience was the seed that was planted and later grew to be Women of Harmony, Inc.    During the six years as a foster parent, she began to see herself as someone who would work with women and children in the community. Her entrepreneurship journey in the making.

In 1999, hurricane Floyd hit, and Karen’s apartment was destroyed.   She went from house to house and stayed with relatives but wasn’t able to find any stability.  During this time frame, Karen became pregnant.

While pregnant, Karen’s lung collapsed, and she delivered her baby a month early.   Karen left the hospital and within a month she lived in a shelter with her three young children.

The rules for living in the shelter:

You had to work.

Children had to go to school or the daycare on site.

You had to save part of your earnings.

Weekly case management meetings.

Every morning at 5 am Karen took her children to a family member who would get them to school and she would go to work.   Her days were long and exhausting as she was also responsible for chores at the shelter and her baby was born with an underdeveloped stomach which caused her to cry for an hour every evening.

This was a very trying time for Karen.  She was not only exhausted from the long days, but she was still healing from the surgery she had on her lung after her daughter was born.

During this time, Karen built relationships with the people at the shelter.   She had fortitude that she would survive and thrive again.

Upon leaving the shelter, she developed an 11-week educational program to help other women do what she had done.   The women all came from different backgrounds, but they had homelessness and hardship in common.  This program was the beginning of Karen moving from homeless to entrepreneur.

Homelessness was not part of hers or their plan, but they ended up homeless one way or another.

Karen’s goal was not only to pull herself up but to pull someone else up with her.  The 11-week program was the answer. The program was another bloom or blossom for starting a non-profit, and this is how Women of Harmony, Inc.

Women of Harmony, Inc. was started in 2014.  The goal of Women of Harmony, Inc. is to help women who live in shelters.  Today the organization helps women in three shelters.

The three shelters are:

The Westley House – West Chester, PA

The Pathway Center for Families – Media, PA

Mother’s Home – a Maternity Shelter

Women of Harmony helps women build relationships with other women.  They offer scholarships to women who have secured affordable housing, but perhaps they have a barrier that would keep them from maintaining it, like a former line of credit.  W.H.O. also has a focus on helping children.

When the mothers are young, there are times they end up having to raise their children in a shelter.   W.H.O. does activities to give the children a sense of fun, hope, and excitement.  Things to look forward to.

They also partner with other organizations to provide funding for women to go to school or find work or housing.

WOHI also provides holiday joy through gifting women and children in shelters and making them feel special.

Because Karen experienced homelessness herself, she can genuinely connect with the young women and learn their story and give them hope.

Mentorship

Karen is ultimately mentoring young women and giving them guidance and hope.   You can also listen to Episode 57 in which Betty LaMarr shared her personal journey with entrepreneurship, and how she mentors young girls in L. A.

Homelessness

It is not necessarily the result of an act by an individual.   There can be catastrophic circumstances, like in Karen’s instance, or mental illness, or domestic violence, or simply a lack of familial support and resources.

Karen gives women the tools and skills they need to move forward and transform their lives so that they don’t have to stay stuck in residual homelessness and helplessness.

Harmony

The word harmony comes from alignment and rhythm.   Karen believes everyone has a gift or talent.  No one says they can’t wait to be homeless, no one plans on that.   But everyone comes across roadblocks for that harmony in our lives.

The key is to give these women the tools, support, and hope they need to get back into alignment with the harmony they have set out to achieve for their own lives and their children.  And, to give support in a way that the women do not have to feel shame but can take the support to build independence and confidence.

Mental Health

There are generations of families who cycle through homelessness and living in shelters because of mental illness.   They lack good medical benefits and can’t get the care they need.   Shelter employees are not trained in mental health treatment thus mental health doesn’t improve.   There is much to unpack related to homelessness and mental illness.

There are homeless children in every school district, you just don’t know about them.   At any given time in Delaware, County there are at least 600 families who are homeless, documented homeless, not people going from house to house or living with relatives.  Sixty percent of these people are women and children.

A Multi-passionate Woman, from Homeless to Entrepreneur

The common thread throughout Karen’s work is family.   Karen’s goal is to get the fathers involved.  Whether the father is involved with the mother of the baby or not, they need to be involved with the baby/child.

Often times the fathers only hear is “you have to provide”.   But the reality is so much celebration happens for women, but fathers are often left out.   Fathers experience postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder after traumatic births.

As a doula, Karen works with fathers to teach them what to expect and to help prepare them for birth, nutrition, and more.  Karen’s mission is to ensure the dads know as much as the moms.

What mothers bring to the table is undeniable.  Women have a unique power to bring children to life.

Self-esteem

We aren’t born with self-esteem we learn self-esteem through experiences.   Childhood trauma, which is in the eye of the beholder, greatly impacts self-esteem.

The key is to be present and help young women, but never to judge them.   If girls have a good mentor, their lives can be much different than if they have no one.

Karen’s philosophy is to do things with heart and a smile.  When coming from a place of surface, not a place of making money.  This philosophy led her to her work as a Doula.

The Doula

A doula is a person who helps others emotionally and physically through the pregnancy and birthing experience.   Karen not only educates pregnant women and the fathers of their babies, but she empowers them.  She also mentors other doulas and educates them to do the work she so dearly loves.   Through her work, she gives others hope and peace.

Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.

To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.

Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE.

Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE.

Ask Me Anything HERE.

Connect with me, Robyn Graham:

Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Learn more about Karen and her work at Women of Harmony, Inc.: www.womenofharmonyinc.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenofharmonyinc

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/wohinc/

Email:  [email protected]

Pettaway Pursuit Foundation: https://www.pettawaypursuitfoundation.org

From Homeless to Entrepreneur Karen Peterson is a multi-passionate woman who went from homeless to entrepreneur and created a personal brand on the foundation of service. She is the founder and Executive Director of Women of Harmony, Inc. (W.O.H.), established in June of 2014 as a non-profit organization operating under section 501 (C)(3). Karen has over 30 years of experience working with women and children, as a foster parent, personal care assistant, case manager, consultant, mentor, teacher, parent educator, and Doula. Among Karen's credentials are certified lactation counselor, full-spectrum doula, and the owner of KMP Doula Service which offers private practice birth and postpartum doula and mentors doulas and trains doulas for CAPPA, Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association. Women of Harmony, Inc. Women of Harmony provides services to local shelters in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. W.O.H. was established for the purpose of mentoring, empowering, and engaging all women to pursue their dreams beyond their circumstances. It is designed to encourage women to be educated and self-sufficient, to maintain healthy lifestyles for themselves and their children to connect women to other women and resources that assist them in attaining their goals while limiting their barriers. Through faith and hope, anything is possible, Including going from Homeless to Entrepreneur Karen started Women of Harmony, Inc (W.O.H.) because she was homeless about twenty years ago with a one-month-old baby. But before this time period, at the age of 25, she had three young children of her own and became a foster parent to young girls and their babies. At any given time, she would have six children under her care. This experience was the seed that was planted and later grew to be Women of Harmony, Inc. During the six years as a foster parent, she began to see herself as someone who would work with women and children in the community. Her entrepreneurship journey in the making. In 1999, hurricane Floyd hit, and Karen's apartment was destroyed. She went from house to house and stayed with relatives but wasn't able to find any stability. During this time frame, Karen became pregnant. While pregnant, Karen's lung collapsed, and she delivered her baby a month early. Karen left the hospital and within a month she lived in a shelter with her three young children. The rules for living in the shelter: You had to work. Children had to go to school or the daycare on site. You had to save part of your earnings. Weekly case management meetings. Every morning at 5 am Karen took her children to a family member who would get them to school and she would go to work. Her days were long and exhausting as she was also responsible for chores at the shelter and her baby was born with an underdeveloped stomach which caused her to cry for an hour every evening. This was a very trying time for Karen. She was not only exhausted from the long days, but she was still healing from the surgery she had on her lung after her daughter was born. During this time, Karen built relationships with the people at the shelter. She had fortitude that she would survive and thrive again. Upon leaving the shelter, she developed an 11-week educational program to help other women do what she had done. The women all came from different backgrounds, but they had homelessness and hardship in common. This program was the beginning of Karen moving from homeless to entrepreneur. Homelessness was not part of hers or their plan, but they ended up homeless one way or another. Karen's goal was not only to pull herself up but to pull someone else up with her. The 11-week program was the answer. The program was another bloom or blossom for starting a non-profit, and this is how Women of Harmony, Inc. Women of Harmony, Inc. was started in 2014. The goal of Women of Harmony, Inc. is to help women who live in shelters. Today the organization helps women in three shelters. The three shelters are: The Westley House – West Chester, PA The Pathway Center for Families – Media, PA Mother's Home – a Maternity Shelter Women of Harmony helps women build relationships with other women. They offer scholarships to women who have secured affordable housing, but perhaps they have a barrier that would keep them from maintaining it, like a former line of credit. W.H.O. also has a focus on helping children. When the mothers are young, there are times they end up having to raise their children in a shelter. W.H.O. does activities to give the children a sense of fun, hope, and excitement. Things to look forward to. They also partner with other organizations to provide funding for women to go to school or find work or housing. WOHI also provides holiday joy through gifting women and children in shelters and making them feel special. Because Karen experienced homelessness herself, she can genuinely connect with the young women and learn their story and give them hope. Mentorship Karen is ultimately mentoring young women and giving them guidance and hope. You can also listen to Episode 57 in which Betty LaMarr shared her personal journey with entrepreneurship, and how she mentors young girls in L. A. Homelessness It is not necessarily the result of an act by an individual. There can be catastrophic circumstances, like in Karen's instance, or mental illness, or domestic violence, or simply a lack of familial support and resources. Karen gives women the tools and skills they need to move forward and transform their lives so that they don't have to stay stuck in residual homelessness and helplessness. Harmony The word harmony comes from alignment and rhythm. Karen believes everyone has a gift or talent. No one says they can't wait to be homeless, no one plans on that. But everyone comes across roadblocks for that harmony in our lives. The key is to give these women the tools, support, and hope they need to get back into alignment with the harmony they have set out to achieve for their own lives and their children. And, to give support in a way that the women do not have to feel shame but can take the support to build independence and confidence. Mental Health There are generations of families who cycle through homelessness and living in shelters because of mental illness. They lack good medical benefits and can't get the care they need. Shelter employees are not trained in mental health treatment thus mental health doesn't improve. There is much to unpack related to homelessness and mental illness. There are homeless children in every school district, you just don't know about them. At any given time in Delaware, County there are at least 600 families who are homeless, documented homeless, not people going from house to house or living with relatives. Sixty percent of these people are women and children. A Multi-passionate Woman, from Homeless to Entrepreneur The common thread throughout Karen's work is family. Karen's goal is to get the fathers involved. Whether the father is involved with the mother of the baby or not, they need to be involved with the baby/child. Often times the fathers only hear is "you have to provide". But the reality is so much celebration happens for women, but fathers are often left out. Fathers experience postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder after traumatic births. As a doula, Karen works with fathers to teach them what to expect and to help prepare them for birth, nutrition, and more. Karen's mission is to ensure the dads know as much as the moms. What mothers bring to the table is undeniable. Women have a unique power to bring children to life. Self-esteem We aren't born with self-esteem we learn self-esteem through experiences. Childhood trauma, which is in the eye of the beholder, greatly impacts self-esteem. The key is to be present and help young women, but never to judge them. If girls have a good mentor, their lives can be much different than if they have no one. Karen's philosophy is to do things with heart and a smile. When coming from a place of surface, not a place of making money. This philosophy led her to her work as a Doula. The Doula A doula is a person who helps others emotionally and physically through the pregnancy and birthing experience. Karen not only educates pregnant women and the fathers of their babies, but she empowers them. She also mentors other doulas and educates them to do the work she so dearly loves. Through her work, she gives others hope and peace. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Karen and her work at Women of Harmony, Inc.: www.womenofharmonyinc.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenofharmonyinc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wohinc/ Email: [email protected] Pettaway Pursuit Foundation: https://www.pettawaypursuitfoundation.org

A Personal Brand is Your Unique Story

If you’re like me, there are parts of the journey that have been more challenging than others and there are some things I really don’t want to share.  These things are what will help you create a successful personal brand.

However, there are a lot of things that, good or bad, have made me who I am and are the parts of my journey that have rooted me in the work I do today.

If I hadn’t experienced a need to transition from corporate to creating my own business, I might never have found the work I do now.   My story has differentiated me from all others in my industry and given me the gifts of both strategic thinking and creativity with which my business is built on.

Everyone has a story and journey that leads to unique gifts that differentiate you from others in your area of expertise.  But how do you identify those hidden gems that differentiate you and compel others to purchase from you or hire you?

What is a Personal Brand?

You all know that I talk about personal branding…all the time.   As an expert in personal branding, I’m often asked what a personal brand is.

My answer always includes differentiating yourself from others in your space.

Your brand is not what you think it is, it is what others think it is.

Therefore, there is power in differentiating yourself and differentiation is key to creating a successful personal brand.

Your Personal Brand is Someone's Perception 

If your brand is the perception someone else has of you, where is that perception coming from? 

You must help them create that perception.  You do this through your brand messaging, the content you have on your website, in your blog posts, in your email newsletters, and on your social media platforms.

The next question is how can you differentiate yourself so that you not only stand out in the sea of online noise but also leave a great impression so that others have a good perception of you?

Your Personal Brand Must Be Compelling

Be compelling.   The more compelling you are, the more different you will be in your area of expertise.

How can you be compelling when there are so many others in your niche?   Especially if you are a coach or a photographer.   There is one of each on every corner of almost every town, at least in America.   It’s wonderful, and there is certainly enough work to go around for all, but the competition is tough!

Compelling means: to evoke interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way. The more compelling you are through your personal brand messaging, the more you will differentiate yourself in your area of expertise.

If you are sitting there thinking that there is nothing compelling about you, think again!

An Example of  Differentiating

We all have a compelling story or at least compelling parts in our journeys.   Our stories of who we are, what we do, why we do it, and how we got here differentiate us and compel others to connect with us, like us and trust us.

Every unique thing about you is part of your compelling story.   If you are a business coach, you might focus on mindset.   That’s fantastic, everyone needs help with mindset.   But why do YOU focus on mindset?

What things in your journey led you to focus on the importance of mindset?

Within the answer to that question is the thing that will compel someone to connect with you and eventually purchase from you.

Differentiation is Zigging When Everyone Else is Zagging

Differentiating also goes beyond being different within your niche.   It’s about disrupting your industry by zigging when everyone else is zagging.

Thinking outside of the box becomes critical.  If 10 people are mindset coaches and you are one of them, how can you differentiate yourself in that space?  It’s a must-do exercise if you want to stand out from others in the professional space you are in.

Here’s a simple exercise for you.  Make a list of ways that your work is different or unique.  Sticking with the mindset coach as an example, perhaps you’ve created a reverse thinking model.

Or maybe you’ve developed a strategy for transforming negative thoughts into positive action.

Could it be that your approach is so unique that your clients are experiencing more positive results than you’ve ever seen or read about before?  If yes, then you are doing something unique that differentiates you in the area of mindset coaching.

Another Example

In a recent interview for the show, a guest who is a business coach who uses mindset within her coaching structure.  But she doesn’t focus solely on mindset because she believes that mindset alone won’t propel you forward.  You need strategic thinking too.   Therefore, her method is combining both strategy and mindset to produce results.

When it comes to differentiating, you want to remain focused on your gifts and abilities.  If you are good at mindset coaching and have a nice book of clients, don’t try to add on another type of coaching to get more clients.   The more focused you stay, the more long-term success you will have.

Instead of thinking about new ways to branch out and risk losing focus, think about more ways to differentiate yourself.

How to Differentiate

Here is a list of ideas for differentiating yourself and your personal brand:

1. Services
   1. The services you offer are unique in the niche you are in. You may be doing the same thing, but you are serving your clients in a unique way.   Think about the mindset coach who also combines strategy.
2. Customers
   1. Your ideal audience should be unique to you. Define the people you want to work with and look around to see who thinks you’re great. You have gifts that are meant to serve a certain group of people.   Likewise, you only want to work with certain people.   Who are they?  Create your content for those people specifically and this will differentiate you as the person who works for/with those select people.  The strategy and mindset coach works only with female entrepreneurs in service industries.
3. Location
   1. Do you work only in your geographical area or do you work with clients across the continental United States or even internationally? Is there direct competition?  Branch out with your location to limit the competition.
4. Speed and Ease
   1. Is it easy to work with you? How fast do you provide results?  Can people get on your calendar or do you have a waitlist?   There is no right or wrong answer.  Both can be right depending on who your ideal avatar is.  In fact, sometimes when people have to wait to work with you, the demand actually increases.
5. Pricing
   1. Higher prices – if your prices are higher, you won’t be for everyone. You can differentiate yourself as best in class by having higher prices and great testimonials and referrals.
   2. Lower prices – warning! Don’t be undersold.  If you have lower prices you will attract a different clientele than if your prices are highest in the industry.  Don’t undercut your prices so much that you start hating your work and become resentful of the people only willing to pay the low price you set.  You have to know your value and stick to it, but if you believe your prices should be the lowest in category, be sure you are still providing quality so that the perception of you is great value for the price, not only the lowest price.
6. Quality
   1. This refers back to results. How impactful are the results you are achieving for your clients?  How quickly are your clients achieving the results they came to you for?   The mindset and strategy coach has clients that are achieving $10K months within the first month of working together, while the mindset only coach has clients achieving $2K months within the first month of working together.
   2. Differentiate yourself by the results you are achieving for yourself and your clients.

Disrupt Your Niche

Here’s something I learned in my brand specialist certification training.  The more you make assumptions for your industry and disrupt them, the more you will differentiate yourself.

Keep in mind that your goal is to differentiate yourself in a way that provides a positive perception for those who are in your ideal audience.   You want to differentiate yourself in a way that converts your ideal audience to raving fans, clients, and referral sources.

Your personal brand is not what you think you are, it is what others think about you.   It is the perception that others have of you.   You have the power to control that perception and differentiation is the key to driving the focus onto your brand and business.

Struggling to Create Your Personal Brand?

If you are struggling to find clarity with your personal brand, struggling to differentiate yourself from others in your niche, or finding it hard to stand out in the sea of online noise connect with me.

There are different ways we can work together to help you find absolute clarity with your personal brand and to differentiate within your niche so that you can improve your brand messaging and attract more clients.

You learn more about personal branding HERE.

Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.

To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.

Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE.

Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE.

Ask Me Anything HERE.

Connect with me, Robyn Graham:

Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

A Personal Brand is Your Unique Story If you're like me, there are parts of the journey that have been more challenging than others and there are some things I really don't want to share. These things are what will help you create a successful personal brand. However, there are a lot of things that, good or bad, have made me who I am and are the parts of my journey that have rooted me in the work I do today. If I hadn't experienced a need to transition from corporate to creating my own business, I might never have found the work I do now. My story has differentiated me from all others in my industry and given me the gifts of both strategic thinking and creativity with which my business is built on. Everyone has a story and journey that leads to unique gifts that differentiate you from others in your area of expertise. But how do you identify those hidden gems that differentiate you and compel others to purchase from you or hire you? What is a Personal Brand? You all know that I talk about personal branding…all the time. As an expert in personal branding, I'm often asked what a personal brand is. My answer always includes differentiating yourself from others in your space. Your brand is not what you think it is, it is what others think it is. Therefore, there is power in differentiating yourself and differentiation is key to creating a successful personal brand. Your Personal Brand is Someone's Perception If your brand is the perception someone else has of you, where is that perception coming from? You must help them create that perception. You do this through your brand messaging, the content you have on your website, in your blog posts, in your email newsletters, and on your social media platforms. The next question is how can you differentiate yourself so that you not only stand out in the sea of online noise but also leave a great impression so that others have a good perception of you? Your Personal Brand Must Be Compelling Be compelling. The more compelling you are, the more different you will be in your area of expertise. How can you be compelling when there are so many others in your niche? Especially if you are a coach or a photographer. There is one of each on every corner of almost every town, at least in America. It's wonderful, and there is certainly enough work to go around for all, but the competition is tough! Compelling means: to evoke interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way. The more compelling you are through your personal brand messaging, the more you will differentiate yourself in your area of expertise. If you are sitting there thinking that there is nothing compelling about you, think again! An Example of Differentiating We all have a compelling story or at least compelling parts in our journeys. Our stories of who we are, what we do, why we do it, and how we got here differentiate us and compel others to connect with us, like us and trust us. Every unique thing about you is part of your compelling story. If you are a business coach, you might focus on mindset. That's fantastic, everyone needs help with mindset. But why do YOU focus on mindset? What things in your journey led you to focus on the importance of mindset? Within the answer to that question is the thing that will compel someone to connect with you and eventually purchase from you. Differentiation is Zigging When Everyone Else is Zagging Differentiating also goes beyond being different within your niche. It's about disrupting your industry by zigging when everyone else is zagging. Thinking outside of the box becomes critical. If 10 people are mindset coaches and you are one of them, how can you differentiate yourself in that space? It's a must-do exercise if you want to stand out from others in the professional space you are in. Here's a simple exercise for you. Make a list of ways that your work is different or unique. Sticking with the mindset coach as an example, perhaps you've created a reverse thinking model. Or maybe you've developed a strategy for transforming negative thoughts into positive action. Could it be that your approach is so unique that your clients are experiencing more positive results than you've ever seen or read about before? If yes, then you are doing something unique that differentiates you in the area of mindset coaching. Another Example In a recent interview for the show, a guest who is a business coach who uses mindset within her coaching structure. But she doesn't focus solely on mindset because she believes that mindset alone won't propel you forward. You need strategic thinking too. Therefore, her method is combining both strategy and mindset to produce results. When it comes to differentiating, you want to remain focused on your gifts and abilities. If you are good at mindset coaching and have a nice book of clients, don't try to add on another type of coaching to get more clients. The more focused you stay, the more long-term success you will have. Instead of thinking about new ways to branch out and risk losing focus, think about more ways to differentiate yourself. How to Differentiate Here is a list of ideas for differentiating yourself and your personal brand: Services The services you offer are unique in the niche you are in. You may be doing the same thing, but you are serving your clients in a unique way. Think about the mindset coach who also combines strategy. Customers Your ideal audience should be unique to you. Define the people you want to work with and look around to see who thinks you're great. You have gifts that are meant to serve a certain group of people. Likewise, you only want to work with certain people. Who are they? Create your content for those people specifically and this will differentiate you as the person who works for/with those select people. The strategy and mindset coach works only with female entrepreneurs in service industries. Location Do you work only in your geographical area or do you work with clients across the continental United States or even internationally? Is there direct competition? Branch out with your location to limit the competition. Speed and Ease Is it easy to work with you? How fast do you provide results? Can people get on your calendar or do you have a waitlist? There is no right or wrong answer. Both can be right depending on who your ideal avatar is. In fact, sometimes when people have to wait to work with you, the demand actually increases. Pricing Higher prices – if your prices are higher, you won't be for everyone. You can differentiate yourself as best in class by having higher prices and great testimonials and referrals. Lower prices – warning! Don't be undersold. If you have lower prices you will attract a different clientele than if your prices are highest in the industry. Don't undercut your prices so much that you start hating your work and become resentful of the people only willing to pay the low price you set. You have to know your value and stick to it, but if you believe your prices should be the lowest in category, be sure you are still providing quality so that the perception of you is great value for the price, not only the lowest price. Quality This refers back to results. How impactful are the results you are achieving for your clients? How quickly are your clients achieving the results they came to you for? The mindset and strategy coach has clients that are achieving $10K months within the first month of working together, while the mindset only coach has clients achieving $2K months within the first month of working together. Differentiate yourself by the results you are achieving for yourself and your clients. Disrupt Your Niche Here's something I learned in my brand specialist certification training. The more you make assumptions for your industry and disrupt them, the more you will differentiate yourself. Keep in mind that your goal is to differentiate yourself in a way that provides a positive perception for those who are in your ideal audience. You want to differentiate yourself in a way that converts your ideal audience to raving fans, clients, and referral sources. Your personal brand is not what you think you are, it is what others think about you. It is the perception that others have of you. You have the power to control that perception and differentiation is the key to driving the focus onto your brand and business. Struggling to Create Your Personal Brand? If you are struggling to find clarity with your personal brand, struggling to differentiate yourself from others in your niche, or finding it hard to stand out in the sea of online noise connect with me. There are different ways we can work together to help you find absolute clarity with your personal brand and to differentiate within your niche so that you can improve your brand messaging and attract more clients. You learn more about personal branding HERE. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Let’s Talk About Becoming an Influencer

Did you know that you are an influencer?

You are!

Being an influencer isn’t about the followers, likes, and shares on Instagram.  It’s about solving a problem for the community that knows, likes, and trusts you.

In other words, if you are building an audience that engages with you, you are an influencer.

Jenny Melrose, author of Influencer Entrepreneurs is here to give us all the details on being an influencer; the framework, how to pitch sponsors, blog, and grow an audience to make more money online.

About Jenny

Jenny is a former reading specialist turned influencer blogger, turned author, and business coach.   Through hard work and dedication, her lifestyle blog, The Melrose Family, became regularly sought out by nationally recognized brands.   Combining her passion for teaching and her experience creating content, she is now an author, podcast host, and content strategist that helps entrepreneurs better understand their messaging and unique position in the online space.

Influencer Bloggers

The first step is to build an audience that engages with you.  If you don’t have an audience that engages with you, you will not be able to attract sponsors and affiliates.

Understand your position is in the marketplace.  Know what your audience is looking for.  Sponsors want to understand your audience, so you have to know them well.

When you pitch sponsors, you must include the goods they will receive, i.e. blog posts, social media posts, etc.  The posts should show how you authentically use the products to build the know like and trust factor.

Pitching Sponsorships as an Influencer

Understand the marketing place and know your audience.

Make a list of products that you know, use, and love, that you have in your pantry or makeup cabinet.  Show the brand how your audience is the right fit for them.

Know how many followers you have on social media, how many readers you have, etc.

Building an Audience

Know who you want to attract.  Know your personal avatar and understand what she doesn’t, where does she shop, what is she looking for. Your avatar is often you three years earlier combined with your best friend.   The best friend piece is there because she’s the one that is going to call you out and tell you if you wouldn’t really say what you are saying.

Then, create your content and talk to your audience that you are looking for.

The Difference Between and Audience and Followers

Followers are just that.  You can buy followers.  You can do the follow/unfollow game on Instagram.  But an audience is the number of people with the engagement included.  You are actually having conversations with them and they are engaging with you.

Build a connection so that they are more likely to take action.

Blogging

It’s content that we own, it is evergreen, it can be repurposed, and can drive traffic to your website.

How do you build an audience by blogging?  When you create content and use keywords, people can find you when they search for something.

Title your posts and use keywords and phrases that people are searching for.   What is your audience going to type in the search bar?  That keyword/keyphrase should be in the title and throughout the blog.

Tools to Identify Search Terms and Key Words/Phrases You Should Use

Uber Suggest

SEM Rush

Ask the Public

Use keywords that are more specific to get a range of searches from 500 to 5000.  Not, 25,000 because then you won’t rank for those.

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and use keywords they will use.

Instafamous

Being an influencer is not about being instafamous.   It is about influencing someone to take action, which starts with creating connections so that they will take that action.  Influencing is not about a hard sale.   When influencing, you are building a connection and listening to what your audience needs and then giving them the opportunity to take action.

Pitch Perfect Pro

Jenny’s signature online course.

The Influencer Entrepreneurs: The 4-Step Framework to Building Your Audience, Growing Your Business and Making More Money Online.  Jenny’s 4 Step Framework - PACK Positioning

Understand the problem you solve and know your audience.

Authenticity

Do you truly believe in the product you are talking about?  When you are authentic, you build connections. Your audience wants to see the reality of your life and the products you use. This is how people get to know like and trust you.

Confidence

We assume that women are born with confidence, but they are not.   This isn’t true.  Confidence is a skill, something you have to build on.  You may have to fake it until you make it.

Kindness

Even businesspeople should be kind to each other.   Collaborate and build each other up instead of competing against other women.  Don’t think of scarcity and competition.   Understand that you fill the marketplace a certain way based on your positioning.   Raise other women up.

The Number of Followers

The industry standard for the number of followers you need to become an influencer depends on your niche.

If you have a really specific narrow niche, you will have fewer followers.

The rate that you can charge for sponsorships based on Instagram follower numbers is:

For every 10,000 followers, you can charge $100 per post, per story, and maybe a little more for a reel because they take longer.

If you have 5,000 followers you can charge $50 per post, per story, and again, maybe a little more for a reel.

For a 30-day time period, your blog and other social media platforms will also come into play.

For 2,500 followers you can charge $25 per post, per story, and again, maybe a little more for a real.

Give sponsors a package price.  For example, one package price for a blog post, 3 social shares, a Pinterest Pin, and a story on Instagram.

If sponsors come back and say they don’t have a budget, which they’ll say every single time, and if they don’t say that, you aren’t charging enough.  If they come back and negotiate that means you are in a good price range.  And if they come back and say we have to go down $100, then you take something out of the package so that it is still valuable for you and your time.

 The Hate Rate

Jenny suggests, to be aware of the hate rate.   The hate rate is the rate at which you will hate yourself and the content you create because you’ve gone too low on your price.  You need to know your hate rate so that you are getting paid for your time and you don’t start resenting creating content for sponsorships.  This is very specific to individuals.

Micro-Influencer

Sponsors still find value in influencers with a smaller following.  Jenny never had more than 10K followers on Instagram when she had her blog and she was still making $1500 per post and $10K per month just in sponsorships because she created long-term contracts with sponsors.

The key is to be able to show sponsors your numbers across all of your platforms.

Having a strong personal brand tied to your business are the influencers who do the best.

Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.

To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.

Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE.

Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE.

Ask Me Anything HERE.

Connect with me, Robyn Graham:

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Learn more and connect with Jenny:

Website: https://jennymelrose.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennymelrose1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenny_melrose

Podcast: Influencer Entrepreneurs with Jenny Melrose

Let's Talk About Becoming an Influencer Did you know that you are an influencer? You are! Being an influencer isn't about the followers, likes, and shares on Instagram. It's about solving a problem for the community that knows, likes, and trusts you. In other words, if you are building an audience that engages with you, you are an influencer. Jenny Melrose, author of Influencer Entrepreneurs is here to give us all the details on being an influencer; the framework, how to pitch sponsors, blog, and grow an audience to make more money online. About Jenny Jenny is a former reading specialist turned influencer blogger, turned author, and business coach. Through hard work and dedication, her lifestyle blog, The Melrose Family, became regularly sought out by nationally recognized brands. Combining her passion for teaching and her experience creating content, she is now an author, podcast host, and content strategist that helps entrepreneurs better understand their messaging and unique position in the online space. Influencer Bloggers The first step is to build an audience that engages with you. If you don't have an audience that engages with you, you will not be able to attract sponsors and affiliates. Understand your position is in the marketplace. Know what your audience is looking for. Sponsors want to understand your audience, so you have to know them well. When you pitch sponsors, you must include the goods they will receive, i.e. blog posts, social media posts, etc. The posts should show how you authentically use the products to build the know like and trust factor. Pitching Sponsorships as an Influencer Understand the marketing place and know your audience. Make a list of products that you know, use, and love, that you have in your pantry or makeup cabinet. Show the brand how your audience is the right fit for them. Know how many followers you have on social media, how many readers you have, etc. Building an Audience Know who you want to attract. Know your personal avatar and understand what she doesn't, where does she shop, what is she looking for. Your avatar is often you three years earlier combined with your best friend. The best friend piece is there because she's the one that is going to call you out and tell you if you wouldn't really say what you are saying. Then, create your content and talk to your audience that you are looking for. The Difference Between and Audience and Followers Followers are just that. You can buy followers. You can do the follow/unfollow game on Instagram. But an audience is the number of people with the engagement included. You are actually having conversations with them and they are engaging with you. Build a connection so that they are more likely to take action. Blogging It's content that we own, it is evergreen, it can be repurposed, and can drive traffic to your website. How do you build an audience by blogging? When you create content and use keywords, people can find you when they search for something. Title your posts and use keywords and phrases that people are searching for. What is your audience going to type in the search bar? That keyword/keyphrase should be in the title and throughout the blog. Tools to Identify Search Terms and Key Words/Phrases You Should Use Uber Suggest SEM Rush Ask the Public Use keywords that are more specific to get a range of searches from 500 to 5000. Not, 25,000 because then you won't rank for those. Put yourself in your audience's shoes and use keywords they will use. Instafamous Being an influencer is not about being instafamous. It is about influencing someone to take action, which starts with creating connections so that they will take that action. Influencing is not about a hard sale. When influencing, you are building a connection and listening to what your audience needs and then giving them the opportunity to take action. Pitch Perfect Pro Jenny's signature online course. The Influencer Entrepreneurs: The 4-Step Framework to Building Your Audience, Growing Your Business and Making More Money Online. Jenny's 4 Step Framework - PACK Positioning Understand the problem you solve and know your audience. Authenticity Do you truly believe in the product you are talking about? When you are authentic, you build connections. Your audience wants to see the reality of your life and the products you use. This is how people get to know like and trust you. Confidence We assume that women are born with confidence, but they are not. This isn't true. Confidence is a skill, something you have to build on. You may have to fake it until you make it. Kindness Even businesspeople should be kind to each other. Collaborate and build each other up instead of competing against other women. Don't think of scarcity and competition. Understand that you fill the marketplace a certain way based on your positioning. Raise other women up. The Number of Followers The industry standard for the number of followers you need to become an influencer depends on your niche. If you have a really specific narrow niche, you will have fewer followers. The rate that you can charge for sponsorships based on Instagram follower numbers is: For every 10,000 followers, you can charge $100 per post, per story, and maybe a little more for a reel because they take longer. If you have 5,000 followers you can charge $50 per post, per story, and again, maybe a little more for a reel. For a 30-day time period, your blog and other social media platforms will also come into play. For 2,500 followers you can charge $25 per post, per story, and again, maybe a little more for a real. Give sponsors a package price. For example, one package price for a blog post, 3 social shares, a Pinterest Pin, and a story on Instagram. If sponsors come back and say they don't have a budget, which they'll say every single time, and if they don't say that, you aren't charging enough. If they come back and negotiate that means you are in a good price range. And if they come back and say we have to go down $100, then you take something out of the package so that it is still valuable for you and your time. The Hate Rate Jenny suggests, to be aware of the hate rate. The hate rate is the rate at which you will hate yourself and the content you create because you've gone too low on your price. You need to know your hate rate so that you are getting paid for your time and you don't start resenting creating content for sponsorships. This is very specific to individuals. Micro-Influencer Sponsors still find value in influencers with a smaller following. Jenny never had more than 10K followers on Instagram when she had her blog and she was still making $1500 per post and $10K per month just in sponsorships because she created long-term contracts with sponsors. The key is to be able to show sponsors your numbers across all of your platforms. Having a strong personal brand tied to your business are the influencers who do the best. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more and connect with Jenny: Website: https://jennymelrose.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennymelrose1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenny_melrose Podcast: Influencer Entrepreneurs with Jenny Melrose