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Building a foundation for your business

Branding. It’s the foundation of your business. It’s the way your customers perceive your business and more importantly, how they perceive YOU. 

Everything from your website, logo, and the work you produce, to your personality, customer service, and mission, is a part of your brand. Without it, you have no direction – nothing to build off of. 

Why branding? 

Identity. It’s as simple as that. You have to know who you are, what you stand for, and what you will bring to the table if you expect to bring people in your doors (or to your website). Once you know, others will know and they will start to recognize it. 

Uniqueness. Set yourself apart from others! You are the only one who can do what you’re doing the way you do it. Whether you’re running a photography business (in the day and age where seemingly everyone seems to be doing it) and want people to know why they should choose you or you’re an underwater basket weaver (trust me you’re gonna need to be “branded” for that too!) the point is that you are YOUnique. Is that cheesy? Oh well, it’s true! So why not have a brand that represents that? 

Direction. A brand is truly a road map of sorts. Be intentional and set clear goals for who you are, what you stand for and how you plan to achieve that. Consistency is key and it helps you and/or your employees gain better insight to provide the best service and let your customers know what to expect. 

*Bonus points if you know what all three of these equal? Answer: Shared Values

That’s right, it all brings us back to those good ole things called values. It’s a part of your -wait for it – BRAND. 

Say it louder Leona! Our community partner Leona Morelock knows all about this. 

“You don’t just buy the product, you buy the person.” 

What does that mean? It’s about more than what you offer, it’s about what you stand for and what you’re representing. Make connections with your audience. Be that person that people choose time and time again. Be that business that is picked out of a lineup. 

 

Example

So let’s put this into perspective for ya: At Ment, you are not just buying office space. Yes – that’s what brought you through the doors, but you are also buying an experience, a community, peace of mind so to speak. You are entering a space where you are not just a customer but a member. Your coming into a place of collaboration and support. 

A place that gives you the freedom to choose the option best fit for you to work and give you the resources to succeed. I know, I know, it didn’t say all of that on your member sign-up form but to be honest, we probably wouldn’t be able to fit everything on there if we told you all about us.

Our story: Let’s just say we knew it was ‘Ment to be’ from the start. 

If you think you don’t have a brand, think again. Chances are you’ve already been asked (and answered the question) time and time again. When someone says “tell me about yourself” or “what is your business?” they might as well be saying “Describe your brand to me.” 

You already know who you are – now go show it to everyone else! 

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Big for Branding

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Whether it’s branding, designing, marketing or planning your next wedding, Leona Morelock is the guru behind it all! She is also our community partner for the month of April. 

Being a fresh, new company to Bowling Green just nearly two years ago, we quickly found out how important it is to have a name, image and plan down pat for our business. 

Too many people mistake a brand for an option rather than a necessity and that’s why we wanted to make sure we bring this amazing service that she provides to our members and community. Heck, if we could shout it from the rooftops we probably would. On second thought… social distancing doesn’t have any rules against that right? 

About Leona

Leona started with a love for social media and the urge to always be “in the know” on the latest and greatest. After working with friend’s social media pages, Morelock said the business started coming to her and it’s been only up from there. Today, she is a social media manager and brand strategist, maintaining her own blog and working with professionals in the wedding industry to style shoots and design weddings. 

Morelock has been in the field with her own business professionally for a year and is looking forward to the things she has planned in the future. She offers social media masterclasses to the public and is also planning her first ever personal branding retreat for those wanting to get an in-depth look at how to take their brand to the next level. Like many, with our current life situations, Morelock is making the best of it by maintaining contact with her clients and working on a webinar with the release date yet to be announced (stay tuned!). 

Why branding?

Without a brand, you simply cannot start a business. Read that again. Your brand is who you are; it represents what you stand for and how you plan to provide your products or service to others. 

When we sat down to talk with Leona, she spoke on the importance of being yourself in the business world. She says that as a customer, you are not just buying the product or service, you’re buying the person behind it. 

And. That. Is. Important. People want to know who you are, what you stand for and what your business looks like. 

“Your brand is what people say about you when you walk out of the room,” Morelock says. 

What’s the timeline?

There’s not one! Her advice: Know as much as you can know, learn as much as you can learn and do as much research as you can.

The good part: Then you just have to jump in and start doing it before you think you’re even ready.

I know I struggle with this one and you all probably do too. You will never be ready if you keep waiting for the right moment. When it comes to all things social media related, you simply must be social (hence the name) and up-to-date on the happenings. You also must be active. So get out there and make it happen! We will be here (remotely) but HERE working with Leona all month to bring you the best ideas and advice on all things branding. 

So make sure to get people talking, and even more importantly, make them want to get up and say, “I want to work with (insert your business name here).” Leona took the leap, Ment Cowork took the leap, and now it’s your turn! 

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