Now, more than ever, consumers are seeking authenticity. From products and services to every day blogs and even from the celebrities that we admire, the focus is on being real. People are seeking influencers they can relate to. To accomplish this, including your story as part of your brand is key. It is your story that attracts your community. Branding with emotions means engaging with your audience on a deeper level. By sharing your background, your beliefs, and your feelings, you create an atmosphere where change can occur.
People are looking to influencers and bloggers to provide information that in generations past, was only found on news channels and in the newspaper. Social media has become a place for activism. Authenticity and integrity are key components of your brand. Knowing where you’ve come from helps your audience understand what you stand for.
Branding with Emotions and Knowing Your Why
If you haven’t already begun leading with emotion and creating content around your story, it may take some time to figure out. Determining your ‘why’ is a crucial step toward branding with emotions. It all goes back to your reasons for putting yourself out there on social media on a regular basis. Most people use social media as a way to share what they’re up to, reconnect with friends and family members, and see what their peers are doing.
For the select few of us who are creating a social media presence online and looking to generate income doing so, there’s an added layer to social media. As an influencer, your goal is to share with your audience, things that are meaningful to you. You may wish to create a community of like-minded individuals and solidify yourself as a subject matter expert in your area of interest.
If this is the case, figuring out your reasons and what fuels you to create content day-in and day-out is key. Often, in the beginning, there’s very little to gain and it’s a long process to build the credibility and influence you seek. Having a clear sense of your goals and reasoning behind wanting to build a brand will help you move forward and begin to brand with your story in mind.
Branding with Emotions Starts With Your Story
It is your story that elicits emotions from your audience. They want to know who you are, what your goals are, what your background is, and why you’re doing what you do. People by nature, are nosy, that’s a plain and simple fact. Having access to you and the inner-workings of your life is appealing. It helps them connect with you and relate on a personal level. It also helps you attract exactly the right people to you. So, before you move forward with a branding strategy, it’s important to get crystal clear on your ‘why’.
Your story will appeal to the emotions of your audience so don’t shy away from sharing aspects of it that are comfortable and easy to share. Remember that you are in control of the persona you put out into the world. No one expects you to make yourself uncomfortable. By peeling back the layers of your life and letting people in, in a way that feels comfortable to you, you expand your reach exponentially.
Let People Get to Know Your Story
It can seem daunting to consider laying it all out on the line and letting people into your private life but know that you are in control. You don’t have to tell-all. Telling your story and sharing it with your audience can be done on your terms. By letting your audience into your life, your experiences, and your background, you solidify yourself as real in their eyes. It’s easy to consider the people we follow on social media as being on a different level, but the truth of the matter is that we relate most to those who are authentic and forthcoming.
Sharing your history and evoking emotions from your audience can be a double-edged sword. There may be days where you think you’re oversharing. You could have days where you feel as though no one really cares. These are normal emotions and valid feelings. The important thing to remember is that not everyone is vocal. Not everyone will comment and let you know how you’ve changed their lives.
What if I Lose Followers?
Whenever we take that step toward authenticity and sharing who we are at our core, our beliefs and our background, we run the risk of alienating segments of our audience. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. When you hone in on the ‘why’ of your brand and the story behind your brand you’ll begin to attract the right people to you. It may not happen overnight and it may be a long, arduous process but it will happen.
When you stand in your truth and start branding with your emotions an amazing thing happens. You become truly authentic and the right people flock to you. While you may initially lose followers, you gain a community of like-minded people.
It is this community that is more apt to buy into your product or service. They become consumers or customers. They’re also more likely to become supporters of your brand. Supporters will share what you do with others in their circle. This is the ideal type of follower to have. A follower like this ultimately becomes an ambassador for you, organically. They know your story, believe, and trust you and consider you an expert in your industry. As you begin to bring out the emotions in your branding, you’ll attract and inspire the right people.
Authenticity in Branding Equals Success
Branding with emotions and creating a platform that makes a difference in your community is a lofty goal. In a world where superficiality often prevails, being authentic by sharing your story and what shapes your reasons for putting yourself out there, is a welcomed breath of fresh air. Don’t be afraid to share your authentic self with the world, someone out there is waiting to hear what you have to say.
Written by Kita Bryant, Itsreallykita.com
