Brands and business owners today have to do more than ever before to stand out from the crowd. More than 4.5 million new businesses are started every year (according to the Census Bureau), and that number is constantly growing. While it’s great to see so many people, especially women, taking the leap of faith and starting a new business – that does mean that there’s a lot of “noise” in the online world, making it increasingly hard for brands to stand out from the rest. 

Most business owners know that we need to stand out in order to be successful, however there are still so many mistakes that I see coaches, healers, and online service-based business owners make all the time. Not only do these mistakes cause them to blend into the background, but it’s also costing them clients, money, impact, and the joy and fulfillment that comes from living aligned with your purpose. Below, I’m breaking down four of the biggest mistakes I constantly see. 

You’re Inconsistent

An Inconsistent brand doesn’t show up often enough to stay at the forefront of their ideal client’s minds. Maybe they send a newsletter every three months, or when they post to their blog or social media it always begins with “sorry I haven’t written in a while.” This type of inconsistency makes it almost impossible for people to remember who you are and what you do – not only that, but they haven’t had the opportunity to build a relationship or trust with you. 

Inconsistency isn’t just relevant to frequency and timing however, it’s also about the brand’s look and feel. Are the colors and fonts consistent? Is the tone of voice consistent across all platforms? Is the marketing message the same on the website, social media profiles, and when the business owner presents her business at a networking event?

If the brand’s look and feel is not consistent, potential clients won’t have anything tangible to grasp onto when trying to choose which service provider they want to hire – they won’t know you well enough, or accurately enough, to make that decision. If you don’t give them a reason to hire you above someone else who offers a similar service, they’ll choose someone who does.

You’re too Self-Promoting (in the wrong way)

Don’t get me wrong  – if you want to sell your services and fill your programs, you do need to promote your offers and your business. However, the type of self-promoting I’m referring to here is brands that do nothing other than carry on about how awesome their service or course is. 

To be memorable, it’s important to flip the script. Rather than talking about who you are and what you do, make it about your clients' challenges and desires.  Rather than talking about your services and programs as you see them, talk about them in relation to how they can solve your ideal clients’ specific challenges and desires. 

Have you ever had someone listen to you like you were the most fascinating person on the planet? It probably felt great and you left the interaction thinking about how wonderful that person was. That’s how interacting with your brand should feel for your ideal clients. People who make you feel good in their presence by listening are the ones you remember, and if you can ditch the self-promoting and become a masterful listener, your ideal clients will remember you too.

You’re Copying Others 

When you’re first starting your business, it can be easy to mimic other brands that look successful or that you admire for their (insert archetype characteristic here). But here's the thing, building your personal brand based on how someone else is doing it, defeats the entire purpose of your brand. You'll show up out of integrity and your tribe and ideal clients will notice the misalignment – or worse yet, you’ll attract clients that aren’t actually a good fit for working with you. 

Most of the time it's hard for us to uncover our own truths, unique style, and way of showing up from within our own limited perspective and view of ourselves. But this doesn't mean you should find your favorite brand out there and start copying them. Doing so will only lead to your brand contributing to the noise, rather than standing out from it. 

Great brands are aligned with the person behind them, they’re memorable for being unique in the way they show up, and they speak to their ideal clients – verbally, visually, and even on a deeper soul level. 

If you’re looking to build your own brand that’s authentically you – here are a few resources for getting started.

• Power Profile  – Every brand has one main Power Profile that encapsulates its visual branding, keywords, personality, impact on others, and so much more. These results are unique to you and will help you build an authentic, memorable brand that is truly one-of-a-kind.
• Brand Archetypes –  Out of the twelve archetypes, this assessment will tell you which three you and your brand resonate most with. This, in combination with your Power Profile, will set you down the right path to creating a brand that is uniquely yours. 

You’re Not Sharing From Your Heart

To stand out from the crowd, it’s important to share your experiences, truth, beliefs, values, and perspectives – nobody is going to be exactly the same as you, even if they have similar businesses, and that’s what makes you and your brand special to your ideal clients. If you're just sharing tips and educational content without sharing your views, experiences and stories behind it, your brand will be easily forgotten. People can find the information they need on Google, but they come to YOU because they want your unique take on whatever it is that you do.

Sharing from your heart and sharing your true self with your audience allows you to build trust, form a relationship, and foster a deeper sense of connection and community that will inspire them to take action and choose you as their guide. 

Overall, if you’re not giving your ideal clients a reason to want to choose you over everyone else out there, then you’re leaving clients, money, and fulfillment on the table. Having a brand that blends into the background can be absolutely detrimental, however it can also be fixed and done again the right way. 

If you’re ready to stop blending in and start standing out, showing your ideal clients the real you, and building the business of your dreams, then it’s time to join us in the Impact Tribe and get started today. There, you’ll get immediate access to tons of courses and resources on branding and making your business stand out from the noise. Not only that, but you’ll be invited to laser-focused coaching calls bi-weekly where you’ll get personalized coaching and feedback, have the chance to be featured on a special stage in front of the entire Daring Fempreneur community, and gain access to our community full of empowering fempreneurs just like yourself.