Latest / Values-First Marketing / Mastering Authentic Brand Messaging For Coaches [Part 1 of 3]

Transcript

Mastering Authentic Brand Messaging For Coaches [Part 1 of 3] · Values-First Marketing

• 0:00
  Unknown: Welcome to the copywriting for coaches podcast.
• 0:02
  Unknown: My name is Megan khachigian, and I am obsessed with having your brand actually sound like you on the internet. We help you write all the things that you've been trying to articulate about your business but have never been able to put into copy. We're going to go deeper to uplevel your business without adding more to your already full plate.
• 0:18
  Unknown: We'll keep it simple and sustainable. Sound like a breath of relief? Let's dive in.
• 0:26
  Unknown: Copywriting becomes so much easier once you have done this one thing. And that is foundational brand strategy and brand identity work to confidently know who you are, what you stand for, and what you are here to do. Understanding the importance of brand strategy is a natural prerequisite to copywriting. That is why I interviewed 11 different brand strategists and you can connect with them all on the show notes.
• 0:54
  Unknown: For this three part series together a well rounded perspective on how to amplify your brand message. Each of these strategists while sharing a common goal, brought such a unique and distinct approach and perspective from their work, which made for such a rich conversation with depth and diversity that I cannot wait to share with you today. This episode uncovers how you can show up online authentically and the strategy behind it all. We are getting the brand strategist take on how they integrate this and help their clients show up true to themselves. So you're getting both the copywriter and the brand strategist perspective. I wanted to have this conversation because positioning and messaging are where brand strategists and good copywriters converge. That is where we overlap. And today we will explore how to refine and master your authentic brand message as well as the top 10 mistakes to avoid. So this is part one in a three part series.
• 1:53
  Unknown: In part two, coming next week, we will talk about ways to develop your authentic brand voice that resonates. And part three, was actually super fun.
• 2:00
  Unknown: Part of the interviews was we talked about real world examples of effective brand copywriting their favorite tools that they use, and future trends where they see future trends in branding. So definitely, we'll have to you'll have to tune in to that one in two weeks. So let's go back to today we are talking about math mastering your authentic brand message in brand authenticity at every stage of business and how it evolves as your business continues to grow. So your brand is the foundation of everything in your business. If it is not authentic, you will be on the fast track to burnout. It is more than just colors and fonts.
• 2:46
  Unknown: Those are the final touches in the branding process. And without a streamlined and clear brand that you're confident in your lack of coherence will reflect in everything that you do. So to build an authentic brand, you need to start with a solid foundation that includes your vision, values, voice and offers. These elements lie beneath the surface much like the bulk of an iceberg. And they form the core of your brand's authenticity. And that is much of our conversation today. What is beneath the surface, what is that 90% of the iceberg that we don't see, but holds the power to sink the Titanic. Without this clarity, your brand may fail to represent you accurately or attract the right audience.
• 3:27
  Unknown: Many businesses find themselves rebranding because their current brand no longer aligns with their values, or just fails to represent them properly. This is common among established businesses developing legacy brands, such as for example, one of my one of the people that I interviewed has a client who was an author. And after writing her New York Times bestseller, felt the need to elevate her brand to be seen as a thought leader that she truly is. And with that said, your brand is a living breathing entity that grows and changes because you are constantly growing and changing too. That's a good thing. So your business, as your business evolves, you evolve and so does your target market, which is a positive sign of growth. But it also means that we need to be intentional about continually up leveling. And knowing who our target market is just because you did that with your first business coach or when you first started your business doesn't mean that that target market is the same person anymore. Or maybe they are the same person but you know them so much more deeply now. And coming back to this foundation. Again, I know it sounds so Elementary and we want to roll our eyes at it. But truly instead of shiny chasing shiny objects like paying attention to who your target market is and knowing them like the back of your hand is going to make you so much more profitable. Okay, so I love this quick check from Hey, Jasmine Hey Lonnie of high fire powerhouse. She's so good you guys. So if you want to check your brand's effectiveness, use the cold leads first approach.
• 5:07
  Unknown: So we know that an authentic brand helps you stand out and convert cold leads effectively, this is such a great approach because you don't get to cheat, quote unquote, with people who know you and love you already.
• 5:22
  Unknown: You know, your brand is working for you, when people who have never heard of you before come to know like and trust the real you and do so quickly. Your Brand shapes everything you do and is the driving force behind your decisions. It is about the impression you make the emotional reaction that you evoke, and the invitation you extend to your audience. If others align with your brand, they will stand with you.
• 5:50
  Unknown: Authenticity can be polarizing.
• 5:50
  Unknown: And I feel like that's a common connotation that comes up when we say poor eyes. It's a great copywriting tactic or strategy, doesn't it? Ah, but it doesn't have to be aggressive. It's just taking a stamp for your value for who you are, for what you believe in. And then I think that there's a danger on the other side of that coin too is many people run a business without realizing that they have a brand is not paying attention to it at all. So a significant part of your brand is the trust between your company and your clients regardless of your visual identity. Okay, so your brand is about how people are going to perceive your identity.
• 6:38
  Unknown: So it's not just what you put out there. But it's how people are receiving that. It depends on the feeling that your brand evokes the set messaging and the overall idea around your business. If you are uncertain of who you are, especially as a personal brand, that is going to come across in your messaging and your branding. And that is why we as business owners have to constantly be doing the inner work and the personal development. That is why it is essential to build a brand that looks feels and communicates intentionally. And when you have clarity on these foundational elements, creating assets such as your website, social media presence, and logos becomes so much easier. And without this clarity, your brand may fail to represent you accurately or attract the right audience. This is the deep work that you begin with a brand strategist and continue to do with a great copywriter. So notice I said great copywriter here, any old copywriter or even just a good copywriter may not hold the capacity, the skill set the experience necessary to be able to carry on the depth of what is needed at a higher level of business actually did a whole episode and blog posts on what differentiates a good versus a great copywriter. And I will link that in the show notes for your reference. So if you are sounding like every other coach out there frustrated with your copywriting because it just sounds like everyone else, then your brand authenticity matters the most. And effective brand messaging is about doing the work that many avoid what we procrastinate on, businesses often rush for the quick wins and use shiny objects and tactics without slowing down to get their branding, right. The branding process is deep. And when you are wading through deep waters, it's slow imagining running through the ocean and your or even a lake even a pool run through the deep end, right if you run in four feet of water versus three feet of water, which one is easier, right? The deeper you go, the slower it is to run through the water. So that that is just part of the process and part of doing it the right way where you're really going to see the best results.
• 8:58
  Unknown: So I love how Tiffany Newman from your legacy brand described her her branding process. It's deep, often spiritual, and that her clients often have an identity crisis when going through the process because it's identity shifting. And when done right the results are astounding. That is the level of depth that we are talking about here. And authenticity is key to it all, especially in this digital world that feels so noisy. Walking your talk sets you apart. The first step is knowing who you are talking to you cannot address everyone. The purpose is to speak directly to someone. And this fear of authenticity often stems from the worry of weeding out potential clients, but specificity actually makes them feel truly seen and no more so than general language ever could.
• 9:58
  Unknown: The second step is knowing What to say. And ensuring your offer aligns with your audience's needs in a way that is clear, specific and concise. Effective brand messaging follows the ROI principle ROI standing for relevance, originality, and impact. So one of my brand strategists shared this with me, I actually Googled it to see where it originally came from who originally said it. And it's kind of all over the place and a feud in a few different forms.
• 10:26
  Unknown: So I'm not sure who to, to credit this to originally. But the general idea behind it is ROI. Among return on investment, I think can also stand for in this context, relevance, originality and impact. And by that we mean relevance, speaking to what your clients need to hear, and not just what you want to say, originality, or highlighting what makes you different and how you disrupt the norm, and impact or showcasing the consistent results you achieve with your clients and the specific niche that you dominate Fabbi Pelini makes an excellent distinction between two categories within your audience, thinkers and doers. She says that thinkers are ruminate on the problems without taking action while doers prioritize solutions and act. Effective messaging speaks to the doors, those who prioritize your offering, and they figure out a way to make it work because that is a priority right now. Effective messaging intersects it's like this ecology of effective brand messaging, it intersects what excites you, what makes you different, and what your audience wants. It's all of those things. And there's often a disconnect between what brands say and what their audience actually seeks. So bridging this gap involves aligning your communication style, the visuals, the copy, tone of voice, all those with your target markets preference. And your uniqueness lies in how you speak and deliver your message.
• 11:52
  Unknown: reflecting your strengths, beliefs, and mission. People prefer doing business with brands that share their values.
• 11:59
  Unknown: And this is especially true for me as a copywriter, I in my integrity will not work with brands who I don't share their values with because as a copywriter, I am amplifying your message. So I need to be in line with it. And that is something that I want to shout from the rooftops because that's essentially what I might what I'm doing by amplifying your message across email, blog, ads, your sales page, all of the things. And that is important for me to be in the right energy behind that and aligned with you and it just makes our work together. So much more fun as well. Okay, so we talked about how to be authentic in your brand messaging. But I also want to talk about the flip side of that coin, which is the common brand messaging mistakes to avoid. So when I was interviewing these 11 brand strategists, I asked, what is the number one thing that like the number one brand mistake that you see brands making?
• 13:05
  Unknown: Before they come to you or as they come to work with you? What are the key mistakes that we need to avoid? So I have composed here a quick 10 part checklist that I want you to just run through in your mind right now. And maybe again, this is stuff that you theoretically already know. But think about your brand. And like is this still true of you now in this stage of business as you have grown? Right? Because maybe when you first worked with a brand strategist or first started your business, this was true. But is this still true now at this current point. So let's dive in mistake number one is lack of clarity. A common issue is not having a clear understanding of your brand from the inside. It's like trying to read the label from inside the bottle or inside the jar. We've heard that expression before. Many businesses get frustrated because they can't articulate what they do. Naturally, you're just like so close to a pen, you can't see it. And this clarity is crucial as it helps in communicating effectively with your audience. It's important to draw out these details and articulate them clearly. And this, again, is one benefit of hiring a copywriter because hiring a copywriter is not even necessarily always about having the writing done for you. Though that isn't a nice time saver.
• 14:21
  Unknown: It's often the clarity that comes with a sounding board from someone who gets it from someone who is experienced in your niche and what you do and what everyone else is saying and can extract actually what you are trying to say and help you get clarity so that you actually speak more authentically, because you are more clear on what you're authentically trying to say. Okay, mistake number two is ignoring mindset issues again, as we grow in business.
• 14:55
  Unknown: This you're no stranger to this mindset plays a significant role in branding you even seasoned business owners can experience identity crises as we heard before, or even just fear when it imposter syndrome when launching new ideas. Integrating mindset work into the branding process helps address these fears and ensures that the brand's identity aligns with its owners aspirations and strengths. Mistake number three is not being transparent about your process and what makes you different. Speak to the right audience, those that can afford your services and value that you offer. Avoid attracting clients who are not a good fit by being clear about your brand's positioning and pricing. So yes, you want to speak to attract the right clients. And you also want to speak to repel the clients that you don't actually want to work with. And that will help the right fit clients know that like, Oh, this is a heck yes, this is for me. Mistake number four is fear specificity we talked about a little bit before. But worrying about losing your approachability or connection by claiming a new identity can hold you back. So embrace who you are and show what is possible. Build a strong, clear brand that resonates deeply with your target audience. Avoid the temptation to be everything to everyone. We are not people pleasers anymore. This helps in attracting clients who value your unique skills and are willing to pay for them. Mistake number five is over emphasis on aesthetics. Everyone loves a beautiful brand. But without a strategic foundation it is ineffective. It brand must serve its purpose, not just look good.
• 16:32
  Unknown: Ensure your brand is built on a solid strategy that aligns your business goals and audience needs. Mistake number six too many offers, which can confuse your audience. And as we know, a confused mind never buys as same goes. So simplify your offerings and focus on those that provide the most value. Mistake number seven is personal brands not reflecting your true identity.
• 16:55
  Unknown: And that evolves which makes this tricky. So your brand should represent who you truly are. And many experienced professionals struggle with this. Especially if their brand doesn't reflect their behind the scenes brilliance, it is crucial to align your branding with your unique strengths and your special sauce, as they call it.
• 17:10
  Unknown: Mistake number eight is misaligned messaging. So your messaging should resonate with your target audience. dive deep into understanding your audience and ensure your communication styles aligned with their preferences, not just yours. So for example, creating a website for ADHD parents, that website it should be ADHD friendly, right? not overwhelming. So that is just one example of of how to make this alignment and communication style. Mistake number nine is inconsistent communication. I see this all the time with people falling short of sending regular emails to their email list. And consistency is a major challenge for so many brands. But we all know the value of regular consistent communication, it builds trust, and helps capture the essence of your brand. It helps you develop your brand voice and continue to hone it over time, which is really the secret sauce here. There's no magic pill, it's just a matter of of doing it of doing the thing. So, whether your clients are fellow marketers are not ensuring clarity, confidence and consistency in your messaging is key. Then Mistake number 10 is pain focused marketing. So we want to avoid overusing pain points in your marketing, speaking to the consequence or exaggerating problems. So we know pain agitate solution is cooperating formula, right? But exaggerating the problems can attract the wrong audience. So instead, we want to focus on how the doer not the thinker. He's the problem. This shift in perspective can attract clients who are ready to take action and invest in your solutions. I actually also have a whole blog post about pain point marketing, how to flip it and still use that powerful psychology but do so in a positive way. So it's we're doing it differently but it's still effective. And I will link that pain point marketing blog post in the show notes as well. So by avoiding these 10 common mistakes, you can create a brand that is clear, specific, authentic and deeply resonant with your target audience. It ensures that your brand stands out and attracts the right clients who value your unique offerings.
• 19:33
  Unknown: So to wrap it up, I want to give a shout out to the contributing contributors for this episode and following of this three part series as well. So here they are Ariana are Cleese fabby polini Ashley saying Mallory musante Emily hunt Kate Hyde Turkish Crozier. Malika Malhotra Alexis Underwood, Jasmine Hey Lonnie of Hi, Flora powerhouse and Tiffany Newman. Have your legacy brand, connect with them in the show notes and be sure to tune in to parts two and three of this series on elevating your brand messaging brand voice and brand strategy. Thank you for tuning in to the copywriting for coaches podcast. If you've been enjoying these episodes, let me know that you're listening and what you love about it by clicking on the copywriting for coaches show in Apple podcasts and leaving me a review. Be sure to subscribe while you're there, so it's easy to catch new episodes every week. If you want digital resources to finish that copy project you've been working on the links are all waiting for you at copywriting for coaches podcast.com