Take Your Time To Develop Your Brand

Editor's Note: The following is a guest Marketing Mulligans post written by Deborah Shane, an author, entrepreneur, radio host and expert, that first appeared in Small Business Trends. Shane is a well-respected author, entrepreneur, radio host, and marketing expert who writes for several national business, career, and marketing blogs and Websites. In this interesting commentary, Shane asserts that that the branding process...for any company...is a steady one which only gathers momentum and awareness over time. Find out why...
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Does your brand splash around and do cannonballs off the side of the pool, or do you dive straight in and swim with a smooth, steady stroke? Rome wasn’t built in a day and your personal brand, reputation or business brand can’t be, either.

Trying to rush it, bombard people with it and be too much in people’s faces is not going to make them notice you faster or get them to buy more consistently. In fact, think about all the emails and newsletters that you now block, delete and unsubscribe to. People tell me all the time they are only following and getting emails from people and companies that really connect with them and provide them with timely information they want and need.

There are some really great professionals and companies who I like and admire, but I just don’t want daily emails (and sometimes it’s two or three a day). Those relentless reminders, repeated offers, re-framed messages, reminders about offers ending, multiple articles just posted on their sites, and so forth really turn me off. Probably turn you off, too.

What’s the best practice here and does this help or hinder brand development and recognition?

Just when I think I’ve gotten through all of them, another slew of them downloads into my browser. I am really exhausted trying to keep up. Aren’t you?

More and more people I am speaking to are putting new boundaries on emails and email marketing. We know how important and effective email marketing, is but how often and for what reason do we need to be sending email marketing messages?

I am on my social platforms a few times per day; post two to three blog articles weekly; and write for several other business, career and marketing sites. I also try to send a dedicated, purposeful email out to my permission-based email list once per week; about every two months I send out a themed newsletter.

So, how much more do I need to do to be out there to grow my brand and authority?

I believe it’s the consistency of your activity, the length and content of your messages, and finding just the right frequency that develops a brand organically over time. Brands should meander with purpose to where they are being naturally led.

No need to rush it or bombard people with your brand. Let it unfold, be consistent and “go with the flow.”

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