Here is the second part of my interview with branding and marketing expert Maria Ross. In part one, we discussed what branding is and how it differs from advertising and PR and social media. Today, we’re talking about how to get started in crafting your brand and how to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Some of my key takeaways are:
“If you’ve got…a really generic message that’s trying to appeal to everybody, you’re going to end up appealing to no one.”
“You’ve really got to give people the same message about 5 to 7 times before something really sticks with them, and if you keep changing the message…it’s like you’re starting over from zero.”
“What happens in a lookalike industry is you get people so muddled…a lot of times they’re going to end up deciding based on price. If you’re offering a brand that tells a story, and gives a viewpoint, and promises an experience that’s different, it’s scary to do that, but that’s what’s going to enable you to stand out.”
For more juicy branding and marketing info, check out the video below:
The video you’ve seen — parts one and two — represents only about half of our interview. If you’d like access to the full audio, which includes more details on implementing your brand, suggestions on choosing your portfolio images, and Maria’s personal experience hiring a wedding photographer, please enter your info below. You will receive the audio in my next monthly newsletter, as well as continued access to special offers and product announcements.
If you want to delve further into brand, I highly recommend Maria’s book. It’s quick and easy to read, and full of valuable information about authentic brand development, including 10 key questions to build your brand strategy. In full disclosure, the links on this page are affiliate links from Amazon — meaning I earn about 10 cents if you purchase the book — but I would never recommend anything that I haven’t read and benefited from personally.
I’d love to hear what you think about Maria’s interview and if you have any suggestions for future interview topics.
Cheers,
