Have you crafted your brand story?

 

Let’s play a game. I’ll say a word, and you blurt out the first thing that pops into your head. 

Ready? 

 

First word: Tissue

 

What did you think of?

 

Ok, let’s try the second word: Lover

 

What word came to mind?

 

If the first words you thought of were, 1. Kleenex and 2. Taylor Swift, then congratulations, you understand the power of a strong brand! (And if those weren’t your answers, please send me your responses because I’m super curious!)

 

Your brand is all about association. 

 

Developing a brand comes down to one important question… What do you want people to associate you with, and how will you get that message across?

 

And before you count yourself out because you think your account is too new or too small to need a brand identity, let me just say that it is never too soon to start setting yourself apart from the crowd. 

 

Maybe you’ve been in this game for a while, and your account is a good size, but your growth has slowed. You want to take it to the next level, but you’re worried that narrowing down your focus and your brand identity will cause people to unfollow you.

 

I’m not going to tell you that’s not a real possibility, but if people do leave your community after you solidify your brand, it’s because they aren’t your ideal followers. And having a community filled with your target audience means having actively engaged followers who buy your books, share your content, support your business, and sing your praises to all of their friends. (totally worth losing a few inactive followers.)

 

The risk of failing to refine your personal brand is simply blending in with thousands (and thousands… and maybe a few more thousand) of other similar bookstagram, author, or book business accounts on Instagram. 

 

But you know what? You are way too unique and amazing to blend in with the crowd. You have something to offer the bookish community that no one else can because you are you, and they are not. (Feeling empowered yet? I sure hope so because I 100% believe that.)

 

This is why it’s so important that you know exactly what it is you want to offer, how you want to offer it, and who you are offering it to. 

 

Four Questions To Ask Yourself When Developing Your Brand Identity:

 

• What type of value do you bring to the bookish community?

 

This is where you get to focus on all the amazing things you have to offer the bookish community at large. Tap into your talents, experience, and passions as you think this over. (No false humility here. Own your crown and let it shine bright!)

 

Do you have published books in a specific sub-genre with your own twist? Did you read over 100 books last year and categorize them by trope/plot points? Do you offer editing services?

 

I know it can be easy to sell yourself short when it comes to owning what you have to offer, so I challenge you to get a little uncomfy in owning your value. Remember: If you care about it, someone else will too. (Trust me on this! No more listening to that pesky imposter syndrome.)

 

• What do you want your brand to look, feel, and sound like?

 

Branding refers to your brand’s visuals and copy. In other words, what colors, fonts, and images tell your brand story, and what type of language do you consistently use to communicate who you are? (This is where you get to have some fun… just think of it as a makeover or interior design session for your brand.)

 

Colors, patterns, images, and fonts can say a lot about a brand’s identity and focus. 

 

Are you a bookstagrammer focused on dark romantasy? You may want to consider darker colors and slightly more gothic fonts. Are you an author who writes contemporary romance? You might lean more toward bright colors and airy images. Of course, going completely against those more common looks just might set you apart. The important thing is to make sure that what you offer is clear (don’t make your audience work to understand what you are all about).

 

Copy is just as important as visual branding but often goes overlooked. What you say is important, but how you say it tells us more about who you are. Use words that convey your personality and the overall vibe you want your brand to have. 

 

If you are a book business owner, you might consider brushing up on descriptive language and learning to combine powerful sales copy with your unique personality.

 

• Who is your ideal follower or reader?

 

You know I talk about this a lot (in fact, I already had a bit of a target audience bunny trail earlier in this blog), but that’s because it is SO IMPORTANT to know who you are trying to reach (and who you are NOT trying to reach). Read this blog for more on identifying and reaching your target audience.

 

The answer to this question will help inform your brand as well as the content you post, when you post it, and how you post it (reels, carousels, stories, lives…). Knowing your target audience is key.

 

• What 4-5 words describe your brand best?

 

If you are an author, you already know the importance of a good pitch. You’ve likely had to reduce your 60K – 100K+ word book down to a single sentence or two. 

 

I know from my author clients that this is not an easy task, so don’t feel discouraged if it takes you a bit of thought to condense your brand down to the essentials. 

 

These are your building blocks to get you off to a good start as you set out to build and strengthen your brand.

 

Stand out in a saturated market

 

If you want to dive even deeper, Bookstagram 101 digs into the elements that make up a stand out brand: vision, crafting your brand story, how to create a stellar author tagline- all the good stuff.

 

Creating a personal brand is the first step to standing out in a saturated market. This takes knowing who you are, what you have to offer, how you want to offer it, and exactly who you want to reach. Take some intentional time with your brand and create something you are proud of. 

 

Ok, my friend, it’s time for you to start building a brand that shows the bookish world exactly who you are! 

 

Feel free to email me with questions! I’m always happy to chat.