Three foundational key points for branding your business on Instagram
Social media, especially Instagram, is the perfect place to connect with your audience without time or location boundaries. You can reach people easier and tell your story without being in the middle of the noise. That’s a reason enough to start branding your business on Instagram, am I right? If you’re an introvert, like I am, you know what I’m talking about. Currently, Instagram is offering so many opportunities for us, online entrepreneurs, to show up, spread our message, hang out with our people, and build a connection with them. And this, without paying for ads. (Check out the 3 steps for creating a great first impression when someone lands on your profile for the first time.
A short story before we dive in
When she said to me: “Well, it’s gorgeous! However, why should I care in the first place? “
That I was speechless, is an understatement.
It happened a few years ago when I presented my newly created website for my business to a friend and asked her for feedback. I blanched after I got her honest option. That was all I could do in return. My first thought was “How dare she? “, but then I felt embarrassed, forlorn, not good enough. And I put so much energy and work into creating the beautiful logo, picked the gorgeous colors, and spent a lot of time writing how great I am at what I do.
Even as a professional brand stylist, who was doing this successfully for clients for years, it appeared that I couldn’t do this for myself right. Much worse, I thought I knew what I was doing! It turned out I was building a business with a beautiful style around it, NOT a sustainable, valuable BRAND. It was all about me, and I wasn’t seeing the big picture.
„Our purpose is not to make the best planes with the perfect wings; it’s to make things that enable people to be a better version of themselves – and to show them their wings.“ –Bernadette Jiwa
I’d ask you to trust me on this, but I’m sure you’ve made an experience with that already (at least once). I see it all the time, and I know just how stressful the process of building a brand on Instagram can be. Even more, as an introvert myself, I know how daunting it is to put yourself out there in the marketplace, talk about what you do, and sell.
The biggest mistake entrepreneurs are making
Most entrepreneurs think that once you have
- a logo and a website,
- created a product or a service pack and jumped straight onto the marketing,
- created an Instagram account where you post now and then what you’ve eaten and where you’ve been on vacation next to „that’s my incredible product/service – buy it“,
you have a brand and are ready to crush it. I beg to differ… And here’s why.
Building a valuable, purposeful brand on Instagram is a long-term process. And it starts even before you create something to sell.
The one thing you need is where to start, right? And when you know where to focus, nothing can prevent you from achieving your big dreams.
Now that we’re on the same page, I’m gonna reveal to you my three foundational key points for branding your business on Instagram.
#1 Define Your WHY
I don’t know how often you’ve heard this before, but if you have no idea why you are doing what are you doing, how could it be possible for someone else to get you?!
Because it is your WHY that gets you up at night to go and create, your WHY that inspires you and others to keep going and be the person you’re proud of.
Defining your WHY, (aka your purpose), helps you narrow your focus. It’s like an A-HA MOMENT when you can suddenly see clearly. And when you know why are you doing what you’re doing, you easily talk about it, and your audience can understand it and relate to it. This knowledge helps you find your people and build a genuine connection with them.
#2 Identify Your Audience (Your Ideal Client)
I know, you’ve heard that all too often too, but hear me out anyway: When you speak to everyone you speak to no one. No one feels addressed, so they gonna merely ignore you. And the same goes for serving everyone. You just can’t! You are one human being, and there are billions out there, so it’s not gonna work. Besides, it’s overwhelming.
Get crystal clear whom you want to serve and work with. Start listening to them and identify their needs, pressure points, and desires so you can hand over your brilliance and serve them better.
Knowing your audience helps you clear your message and speak directly to them so they can relate to your story, your products, and your services. Thus to love and trust you, to work with you, or buy from you.
#3 Create Your Brand Story
Telling your stories is the easiest, honest, and fastest way to allow someone to relate to you and what you’re offering. Stories create connections, inspire, and encourage others to be their better self. As human beings, we live and breathe stories since we exist. Stories stick. Even the paleo man has scratched his story on the cavern walls.
A brand story is a perfect way to tell what make us unique and valuable to our audience. Be it talking about the journey you went through to become who you are or the reason you started this business, the process of creating your product, or how a service you offer impacted the life of a client, your failures as you were launching and what you’ve learned along the way … All these are stories that are inspiring and relatable.
And dear friend, don’t stress out to invent stories. You already have all those stories inside of you for you live(d) and experience(d) them. You just need to uncover them.
When you write and tell your stories, choose topics that are relevant, helpful, inspirational, or educational, and own them. Whenever you write a caption for social media, ask yourself if this may help, inspire, or educate your ideal client in some way, so she/he is gonna take action. Even when you’re talking about your products or services, allow your audience to relate to these. Show them the benefits and give them value. Don’t manipulate them to buy, don’t push them to choose you over a competitor. Let your audience experience the value of your offer and get to know you. They will love and trust you for that. If you care, they’re gonna care as well!
Imagine the difference
… you are gonna make if you create something that matters for people who care and the values of you both are aligned, and you make someone’s life better and easier …