Hey Steemians!

as I was reading through your comments, I noticed one question many new members are curious about.

"How do I become successful on Steemit?" and so I thought, why not take the opportunity to address this topic, not just in the case of Steemit, but on any other social media platform, whether you a building an online business that evolves around a brand as a product / company, or a personal brand that evolves around you growing a following.

The key ingredient remains the same: Learning how to build a brand!

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Let's first of all define what a brand is:

A brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that distinguishes an organization or product from its rivals in the eyes of the customer...

Initially, livestock branding was adopted to differentiate one person’s cattle from another's by means of a distinctive symbol burned into the animal’s skin with a hot branding iron. If a person would steal the animals, anyone could detect the symbol and deduce the actual owner. However, the term has been extended to mean a strategic personality for a product or company, so that ‘brand’ now suggests the values and promises that a consumer may perceive and buy into. Branding is a set of marketing and communication methods that help to distinguish a company or products from competitors, aiming to create a lasting impression in the minds of customers. The key components that form a brand's toolbox include a brand’s identity, brand communication (such as by logos and trademarks), brand awareness, brand loyalty and various branding (brand management) strategies.

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In other words: WHY should somebody follow you? / buy from you? / be interested in you? / be interested in your brand?

1. Traditional Brand Identity

For decades certain companies have been able to withstand the ups and downs, the rollercoaster of the market. Especially right now, during a time of constant changes, technology evolving at a rapid pace like never before and several shifts taking place, few businesses have managed to remain stable, because their numbers don't depend on seasons. What I mean by that is that these companies have established a TRUE BRAND. This is the main goal of any business owner, to achieve a customer base of people who will always come back to them (just like going to your dentist or hairdresser) despite trends and shifts, because what they sell is not a product, they sell a brand.

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2. Building a Brand - Online

When you're in business it's easy to get caught up in your perspective and that's where a lot of people fail at building a brand online. You might know exactly what you want to talk about and in what way you want to express it, but we need to keep in mind that it's not about you, it's about your audience. One of the things I have done from the start and will always do is ask for feedback! Read the comments carefully and listen to what people like about your content, but much more important - listen to what they criticize! One of the biggest mistake one can make when trying to get ahead is to ignore the people commenting on your work, especially the "haters" (not the trolls) - those who will tell you what you're not so good it and help you improve.

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I am fascinated by those who think they deserve to get something without offering anything of value upfront. In the real world, you ALWAYS have to deliver something first if you want to get something in return AND what you give (input) is almost always what you get in return (output). Instead of

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Don’t be so concerned with your transactions, conversions and ROI today.

There’s a difference between sales and transactions and branding and marketing. Don’t take the easy route. Build your brand instead. The world will evolve. Don’t get stuck in a math game. There is too much social innovation going on right now. Staying in one place and one social media platform that might be working OK for you right now is a bad place to be. You will be able to survive every shift in technology if you build a brand not a transaction. Math is commoditized, brand is not. Build a brand, not a transaction.

- Gary V

LEGACY IS GREATER THAN CURRENCY

As I was watching a keynote of the guy you see above, one particular thing he said stuck with me. He said that the best book probably will never be published, for the simple reason that the author didn't know how to communicate the value. And the lesson behind this is, that no matter how great your product/service/company is or you as a personal brand are, you need to know how to get your message across, communicate your value to your audience. The most successful brands in the world are in that spot not necessarily because they are the best.. or do you think Starbucks has makes best coffee in the world? They simply are one of the best to articulate values, storytell and build a relationship with their customers. The only way companies are able to trick the whole world into buying their products is by selling a brand aka. a feeling (trust / belongingness / coolness / modernity etc.)!

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And if you're not particularly talented at something, or at least you think you don't have something special that sets you apart from others in your field, you can still build a brand that is focused around: DEDICATION + CONSISTENCY!

Everybody can pump out content once in a while, a few days a week or many days– but only few would be willing to put in the time and creative effort to produce something every single day. That's the secret success ingredient of many YouTubers I know. Now if you have both, something you're really good at (in case of a personal brand) or an amazing product AND you combine it with effort, care, creativity and time of putting out valuable content and delivering upfront... you make a commitment to try this method for one year straight.. I can guarantee you success in form of growth to a degree with no limits.

I hope you enjoyed my advice on "How to: Build a Brand". There is so much more on this topic and obviously this is just a tiny glimpse into the world of branding. If you like I'll continue to share more about what I've learned so far. Let me know in the comments!

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Question OTD: Instead of the question, I'll give you a task. Create your own brand identity prism, for your business (if you have one), or simply for your Steemit blog. What is it you want to communicate and how?

Much love,

- Mrs.Steemit