Finding Your Freelance Brand

I’m not here.

Really, I’m not. I’m fishing north of the border and enjoying time away from electronics. But I wanted to leave you with some things to think about until I get back.

—

Cathy Miller does it simply.

In fact, she says so. It’s her brand, and it’s a smart one.

Her website, Simply Stated Business, makes a promise to her clients from URL to page content:

Keep it simple, clear and uniquely yours

That’s a business brand, right there.

Cathy makes hay with the idea that standing out in a crowded market requires simplicity, not an assault of buzz words and meaningless marketing ploys. It’s her brand, it’s her approach, and it’s her differentiator.

So what’s yours?

That’s a tough question to answer. We hear all sorts of talk about why we need a brand, a message, an approach. But building it? You’re pretty much on your own.

Except you’re not, really. Here are some things to consider that may help you find that focus. Remember that your message, your approach, is your promise to your clients. Cathy’s is simply stated results. Mine is simply great writing every time.

Let’s see if we can uncover what yours is.

What do you want your clients to say about you? If you were to overhear your clients talking about you, what do you hope they’ll say? She’s reliable? He’s easy to work with? She espouses the business enough to deliver on-target messaging? He knows the industry thoroughly? Think about what compliment they could pay you that might become your calling card. In fact, what do they say now? Maybe somewhere in your kudos is your business brand.

What’s your specialty? Joy Drohan specializes in environmental and agricultural writing. Her logo reflects that, as does her messaging. Maybe somewhere in your specialty is a play on words or a message that will resonate with your target audience.

What do you like to do? Eileen Coale bills herself as a Copywriter, and she names her specialty area secondary to her “copywriter” title. Sharon Hurley Hall is a blogger. Guess what jobs these ladies are targeting? If you love writing research-style white papers, maybe that’s your brand. Or if you enjoy writing solely for magazines, there you go.

What other messaging attracts you? We have favorite products, slogans, and advertising. Why are they attracting us? Why does that message resonate, and how can you incorporate a similar style into your own brand?

What speaks to your work? Nike’s Just Do It was a fabulous slogan because it denotes action, which is the brand’s bread and butter. How can you play with words and imply your brand without stating it directly? One company I used to work for — Intracorp — came out with a slogan that I thought was sheer genius: “Experience. Our Difference.” Two thoughts in one (remove the period).

Writers, what stands out to you when you think about what you have to offer clients?
Make that thought a slogan. Why does it fit? Where might it not fit?