SEO Terminology – 5 Terms You Should Know

SEO Terminology 5 Terms You Should Know

SEO Terminology – 5 Terms You Should Know – One of the reasons Search Engine Optimization seems so complex is that it there are so many foreign terms used. In this short article, I’ll list some of the most common terms and will try my best to give you “geek free” definitions.

 

  1. SEO

 

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” This is a set of techniques and processes used by a SEO Specialist to improve your website’s rankings in the search engines for a particular set of keywords, or keyword phrases.

 

Of course, the real goal is to increase targeted website traffic in hopes of generating new business. It’s just that this is achieved through better search engine rankings. Studies have proven that the top 1-4 listings get far more traffic than the others found on the page.

 

  1. SEM

 

SEM stands for “Search Engine Marketing.” Defining SEM is a bit tricky as many authorities have varying ideas as to what the term means.

 

However, as a general rule, SEM Specialists use three distinct practices to promote their clients’ websites:

 

  • Traditional SEO techniques including both on-page and off-page search engine optimization strategies.
  • Buying paid ads from the search engines that offer this type of service… primarily Google, Yahoo and Bing.
  • Buying paid “inclusions” from the search engines. This is paying a search engine company for a guarantee that the website will be included in the search.

 

  1. Serps

 

SERPs stands for “Search Engine Results Pages.” Basically, it’s the page that is returned to you whenever you use a search engine.

The goal of SEO is to improve your web page’s ranking amongst the other “organic” listings in the SERPs.

 

  1. Keyword Phrase

 

A keyword phrase is any set of words that is searched upon by internet “surfers.” It is the goal of the SEO Consultant to determine which keyword phrases are most relevant to your website/business and are likely to bring you targeted website traffic.

 

These keyword phrases are then used in the optimization process with the intent of getting your web page’s strong rankings for the chosen terms (aka keyword phrases).

 

  1. Backlinks

 

Defining backlinks is a challenge only because there are a variety of other terms that mean basically the same thing. You may also hear them referred to as text links, anchor text links, hypertext links, one-way links or contextual links.

 

A backlink occurs whenever another site links to yours. The link could come from an image or banner type graphic or it could be a linked piece of text.

 

For SEO purposes, the text links are of primary importance with the goal being to get links that include the keyword phrases you are optimizing for.

While there are hundreds of other SEO terms to learn, these will give you a good framework to build upon. Whether you are learning more so you can improve your own site or just want to be able to communicate better with your SEO Specialist, I encourage you to keep studying.

What Is Search Engine Optimization?

WHAT IS SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

Search Engine Optimization

 

  • A – The top three ads in the shaded area are paid ads. They have been created through Google’s Adwords program and are Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads.

 

  • B – As I conducted a “local search,” Google is showing me a Google Map relevant to my search. The red drops, lettered “A-G,” represent the businesses that have claimed their Google Places listings.

 

  • C – These ads are also paid ads created through Adwords.

 

  • D – This is an “organic” listing that can be manipulated through SEO. You can see that this business has created/claimed their Google Places listing as the “A” tear drop appears in their listing.

 

  • E – These two listings are standard “organic” listings… the kind most are familiar with)

 

 

Search engine optimization, aka SEO, is the term that refers to the things you can do to improve your website’s visibility in the search engines. Search engine optimization techniques focus on increasing  the organic, or natural, traffic that you receive based on your ranking within the search engines. 

 

The goal of search engine optimization is to ensure your website appeals to search engine crawlers, or bots. The search engines will take note of your site and its content, categorizing it in a way that will allow it to show up in the SERPs (search engine results pages) when certain keywords are typed. 

 

Search engine optimization is achieved through a wide variety of methods. Many webmasters or SEO professionals will focus on proper keyword research, clarity in the setup of your website’s headers, tags, file names and descriptions, external backlinking, internal cross linking, and quality content creation.

 

While each search engine uses its own algorithm for determining the ranking of every page that is indexed, it is possible to increase your rankings by making your site informative and visible via both on-page and off-page techniques. Sites that are designed with ease-of-use and quality information in mind tend to do better than those built sloppily and without a solid plan.

 

Search Engine Marketing

 

Search engine marketing, or SEM, is similar to search engine optimization but focuses less on natural rankings and more on the actual promotion of a website. SEM techniques generally include natural SEO but almost always branches out to include contextual or paid search advertising.

 

Paid search advertising models became more prominent in the late 1990’s, after the search engines themselves became more popular. SEM focuses more on business-oriented websites and their overall online marketing strategies. Because many of the paid advertisements appear at the top of the search engines, the FTC in 2002 responded to complaints by clarifying that paid advertisements and website listings must be clearly denoted so that consumers do not confuse them with websites that have obtained high rankings naturally.

 

It really doesn’t matter what type of website you have, whether it’s personal or geared towards your business. Incorporating search engine optimization techniques into the creation and ongoing upkeep of your site will ensure you receive higher levels of traffic and, ultimately, greater success.

The Importance Of Backlinks

seo importance building backlinks

You may have done everything but still you’re not satisfied with the direction your business is going. It’s true that your website has all the necessary attributes to make it to the big time, but still there’s something holding it back.  And maybe you’re suspecting that your backlinks are not working as they should. It’s time for you to get professional help. You can’t afford to stay where you are on the ranking page when your competitors are now ahead of you.

 

Your website’s relevance is tied to the search engine and your backlinks play a big role in the SEO rating.

Hitching your website on backlinks which are highly regarded will give your website added prestige.  Backlinks are equivalent to road signs going to your website. The more you have of them the more your website will be easier to find. That’s the main reason why backlinks are important for SEO. But too many backlinks may also make your website prone to spam.

 

What does your website need in order to increase your backlinks? Give the consumers the opportunity of knowing your products and services better by sharing them through social media. The interaction is more intimate and there is the personal rapport which later becomes friendlier in nature and you get more visits. And the proverbial excellent web content will further boost your stock among other websites.  All these and more such as participating in forums and giving time to attend seminars give you a sense of authority when it comes to your product lines.

 

Other websites would like to associate with winners, and you portray yourself as one by following those sure measures I just mentioned above. Are you up to it? Do you want to do it alone? Do you think you can take on your rivals without professional help? The answers to these questions are crucial to the survival of your online business.

 

Building your website will require money, time, and effort.  Don’t hold back on it. Those backlinks will be the deciding factor whether your business will continue to survive or will crash out from the online scene. Your product and service exposure will depend a lot on how well your backlinks relate to your website.

 

 

There are many ways of obtaining links, and if you’re not really familiar with it you may end up losing them because of the techniques you used.

One very big no-no is buying them.  It’s considered a black hat technique and the punishment is swift and harsh. Your website will get deleted. Excessive guest posting may also link you to web pages which are promoting spam. And you may find yourself linked to a website with nothing to do with your product.

Seeking professional help will not only ensure that you get the proper links, they will also help you avoid the pitfalls of improper link build up. You can concentrate with your business without any distractions. And as you continue doing it, you will start to feel the effects of your backlinks as more and more people visits your website and buy your products and services.

5 Ways to Instantly Build Brand Trust

woman on hot air balloon ride t20 knKv22

Of all the things that go into developing your brand, TRUST is the most important. If customers or clients don’t trust your brand, it isn’t going to last very long.

 

But if you can effectively build brand trust, your brand can keep growing and growing and growing … indefinitely.

 

Need proof? Think of the brands you are most loyal to: Brands like Apple, Ford, Starbucks, Coca-Cola.

 

What do all of these companies have in common? A raving fan base of intensely loyal customers who would never dream of going anywhere else.

 

That’s brand trust.

And that’s what you need to build for your business. Here are five ways to do it.

 

  1. Figure Out Your Superpower

 

Everybody does (at least) one thing really well. For your business, maybe it’s your customer service. Or perhaps it’s product quality. Or deliverability. Or

 

Whatever your superpower is, once you discover it then that unique quality of your business can become the focal point for your branding strategy.

 

The challenge for you is figuring out which of all your best qualities is the absolute greatest. Choose only one.

 

If you focus on too many at the same time, it’s going to be confusing for the campaign and confusing for your customers.

 

Remember: Simple is always better.

 

  1. Be Confident

 

Hey, guess what? If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will either.

 

The people you are pitching your brand to don’t know you. They don’t yet believe in you. They probably are annoyed you are taking up their time.

 

It’s your job to make it worthwhile. And if lack confidence in yourself, they are going to sense it instantly and click off, hang up, or shut the door in your face.

 

And you can’t build your brand if you can’t keep prospective customers engaged.

 

So that means …

 

  • You have to be confident.
  • You have to have something to say.
  • You need to make your brand unique
  • Your brand messaging needs to be instantly engaging

 

Remember: People DO judge a book by its cover.

 

So you have to look the look and play the part.

 

Also, you need to …

 

  1. Walk the Talk

 

The third way to build trust is to never, ever, EVER betray your customer’s trust. Starting from the very beginning.

 

This may seem like Management 101 but you would be amazed by how many business owners make this mistake – either intentionally or by accident.

 

Customers won’t give you a second chance if you make the mistake of misleading them, exaggerating, misrepresenting your products or business, or cheating them. And justifiably so.

 

Remember: There are dozens – if not hundreds – of competitors out there offering products or services similar or even better than yours.

 

In today’s highly competitive marketplace there are no such things as second chances.

 

Instead, you need to build credibility from Day One. If you aren’t sure you can deliver, don’t promise. And when you say something, stick by it. Even if it hurts you financially.

 

It’s often better to lose a little money to gain trust because TRUST pays more long-term dividends for your business.

 

  1. Get Others to Help You

 

The next way to build brand trust is to get other people (or documents) to say nice things about you and your business. This is known as third party credibility and includes (but isn’t limited to):

 

Testimonials – People listen to what other people have to say. So if existing clients, customers, or even just friends say something nice about your business, let people know.

 

Testimonials are one of the oldest and most reliable ways to build trust. And the bigger the credibility of the people making the testimonials, the more positively influential they will be. Look especially for testimonials from doctors, college or university professors, or experts in your business’s field.

 

One more thing: Never stop collecting (and promoting) testimonials. It’s a good idea to constantly actively seek them from satisfied customers in every type of format: Written, video, audio recordings, and even in-person.

 

Formal achievements – Do you have a university degree? An advanced degree? Awards or recognition from important trade organizations or clubs? Tell people. Don’t be shy.

 

You received these honorifics because you earned them. So it’s critical that you let other people know about them because they aren’t going to seek them out on their own. It’s up to YOU to promote YOU.

 

Leverage Influencers – Being a successful business owner is about constantly learning. Find a mentor who has already cracked the code in your industry and try to learn everything you can from them.

 

Building relationships with influencers in your industry also adds credibility to your brand.

 

So don’t be shy! Network! Make friends! Be open to continually learning new things!

 

Use Your Press Clippings – Has the local newspaper written a story about your business? Have you been featured in a TV spot? Better yet, has a national magazine or TV show mentioned your business? Have you been the featured speaker at a national conference?

 

All of these things can be leveraged to build trust in your brand. Spotlight media mentions of your business in your marketing materials. Again, it’s up to you to get customers to trust you. But you can build on every success that has come before.

 

Finally …

  1. Keep Coming Back

 

Woody Allen famously stated, “95 percent of life is just showing up.”

 

The thing about brand building is that it never ends. To be a successful business owner you need to constantly fight the good fight for your brand.

 

Keep coming up with new and interesting ways to tell people about your brand. Then keep drawing attention to your successes and getting media mentions, testimonials, and other third party credibility in front of people.

 

Remember: Success is a self-fulfilling prophesy.

 

If you believe in your business and you are sincere about being an evangelist for your brand, people will listen. Maybe not at first. Maybe not even right away. But eventually.

 

And once you achieve a little success, you can leverage that success into an even bigger success. And then keep coming back again and again to make it better and bigger.

 

Make it easy for people to choose your business, not hard.

 

If you are doing all these things and still aren’t getting traction, then Lytron  can help.

 

Call us today to set up your free consultation. Our expert brand builders can help you define, promote, and expand your brand so that you can achieve the success you deserve.

 

The 12 Brand Archetypes

The 12 Brand Archetypes

You may have heard the term “archetypes” before. Or maybe not. But they are critically important to the success of your business.

 

Why? Because archetypes define psychological mind states that customers have when looking for products, services, and businesses.

 

People make “buy or don’t buy decisions” based on emotions and feelings. Archetypes are simply ways of expressing a set of emotions that instantly attract a certain type of customer.

 

Tap into the one that best defines your brand and you can successfully attract more customers, better clients, and people who are ready to BUY RIGHT NOW.

 

Okay, this is a lot. But it will become clearer when I describe the 12 brand archetypes and the demand triggers they execute in the right customer:

 

The Amazing Magician

 

  • You can make the impossible possible
  • People connect on a spiritual level with your brand
  • Customers are attracted to your personal style and actions

The Magician/Alchemist/Healer archetype is appealing to people who want fast, dramatic change. A brand example would be Apple.

 

The Ordinary Everyman

 

  • You seem like the guy or girl next door
  • You offer people a connection to a community of like-thinking individuals
  • Customers feel like they understand and share your viewpoint

The Everyman appeals to customers who strive to be understood and appreciated. The perfect brand example would be Wal-Mart.

 

The Iconoclast

 

  • You aren’t afraid to tell it like it is
  • You don’t have a lot of patience for fools
  • You speak from a position of authority … and have the credentials to back it up!

The Rebel/Iconoclast appeals to people who aren’t satisfied with the way the world is and want to change it in their image. A great brand example would be Harley-Davidson.

 

The Wise Teacher

 

  • You freely share knowledge
  • You are passionate about keeping people informed
  • Customers admire your intellect and opinions

People who are attracted to the Sage/Mentor/Teacher value wisdom above all else. Brand examples would include The Wall Street Journal.

 

The Brave Explorer

 

  • You have the courage to boldly go where nobody else has gone before
  • You invite people think of themselves in a new and exciting way
  • Customers want to be like you

The Explorer/Guide/Seeker archetype appeals to people who are passionate about experience life first-hand. A brand example would be The North Face.

 

The Entertainer

 

  • You are skilled at making people laugh to forget their problems
  • You show people how to enjoy and appreciate the now rather than worrying about later
  • Customers love to be around you

The Entertainer/Performer/Comedian appeals to people who like to have fun. A brand example would be Old Spice.

 

The General

 

  • You get the job done on time, within budget, and above expectations
  • You cut through the static and get right to the point to deliver success
  • People feel willing to ignore distractions and trust in your proven abilities

The General offers customers seriousness and significance. A brand example would be BMW.

 

The Lover

 

  • Following the heart is more important than thinking too much
  • You forgive people for giving into temptations and desire
  • People feel a strong emotional connection to you

The Lover/Caring Friend appeals to customers who value passion over logic. A terrific brand example would be Haagen-Dazs.

 

The Loving Mother

 

  • You are reliable, caring, and emotionally available
  • You give without worrying about receiving anything back in return
  • People are impressed with your ability to serve

The Caregiver/Servant/Mother appeals to people who want to be cared for. A brand example would be the American Red Cross.

 

The Fierce Warrior

 

  • You can achieve amazing goals even when they seem insurmountable
  • You offer people toughness combined with keen intellect
  • Customers feel like you will inspire them to be responsible

The Hero/Warrior/Protector appeals to customers who want to achieve specific goals or outcomes. A great brand example would be Nike.

 

The Innocent

 

  • You remind people of when times were simpler
  • You exude optimism and hope
  • People are attracted to the purity of your beliefs

The Innocent appeals to customers who want to simplify their lives. A brand example would be Coca-Cola.

 

The Innovative Creator

 

  • You have the ability to show people something new and exciting that they never could have imagined on their own
  • You teach people a craft they can use to improve their own creativity
  • People want to be around you because they feel inspired by your vision

The Innovative Creator appeals to people who want to believe in something bigger than themselves. The best brand example would be LEGO.

 

So which archetype best describes you?

Lytron Design’s Step-by-Step Branding Process

Brand Workbook Mockup 3 1

Every brand is unique. But the approach Lytron  takes to helping clients discover and understand their specific brand follows a predictable pattern.

 

Here is the step-by-step branding process we use to create flourishing, successful brands for our clients. While there are many variables – after all, your brand is distinctly about you! – the strategy is proven to be successful.

 

 

Step 1 – Connecting with Our Clients

 

In order to understand your brand, the branding professionals at Lytron  have to understand you. What makes you tick? What do you want out of your business? What do YOU see as your road to success.

 

Getting to know our clients is the first and – arguably – most important step in the collaborative process of crafting your unique brand. Generally, we begin with a 15- to 20-minute phone call in which we get to know each other and gain an understanding of how we can help each other successful achieve your specific objectives.

 

 

Step 2 – Let’s Talk about Brand Design

 

After our discovery call, it’s time to start thinking visually. How do you envision your brand “looking” like?

 

We often encourage our clients to visually brainstorm in one of a number of ways:

 

  • Creating a vision board that builds a roadmap to what your specific version of success looks like
  • Building a Pinterest page with brand design you like
  • Filling out a questionnaire that includes answers that help us navigate your brand to where you genuinely want it to be
  • Participating in a 60- to 90-minute Skype chat to get “down and dirty” into branding strategies, ideas, and concepts.

By the end of all this prep work, the Lytron  team generally has everything it needs to get going on your unique and successful branding for your business.

 

 

Step 3 – Defining Brand Assets

 

The next step is identifying the special features of your brand that make it unique. These can include specific products or services but also things like your personality, your company culture, and even your aspirations and hopes for the future.

 

You define your business by focusing on what makes it unique and identifying the factors that will make prospective customers and clients choose it from among all the other competitors.

 

 

Step 4 – Brand Building

 

The next step is truly magical. Combining our expertise with your passion for your business, Lytron  collaboratively creates a unique and consistent branding strategy for your business.

 

This can take a variety of forms including everything from logo design, marketing strategies, blog and social media posts, and everything in between.

 

While the basic steps tend to be universal, where they take us together is always magical. And at Lytron , we can’t wait to get started on our journey together with your business!

 

7 Secrets to Cracking the Brand Psychology Code

7 Secrets To Cracking The Brand Psychology Code

Do you want to hear a secret? How about seven of them?

 

Today, I want to talk about brand psychology. Specifically, the seven most effective ways to use the way most people think to attract new, high-quality clients and customers to your brand.

As you already know, your brand is the most important thing to your business. More important than the products or services you offer. More important than where you are located or what industry you work in. It’s even more important than the size, scope, or profitability of your business.

 

That’s because your brand represents you: Your values, your passions, your strengths, and your potential.

 

So naturally, you want to attract people to your brand because it means they have genuine connections with you (and your business). And that leads to long-term rewards, long-term revenues and profits, and long-term SUCCESS!

So how about those secrets?

 

Secret Number 1 – People Are Motivated by Their Emotions

 

When most people choose a product, they measure its cost against competitors, conduct an analysis of its benefits vs drawbacks, and compile a spreadsheet on short-term vs long-term value, right? WRONG!

 

People almost always buy impulsively. And they make buying decisions based on EMOTIONS rather than LOGIC. They only use logic later to justify their decisions.

That’s the way people have been making decisions for thousands of years. It’s simply human nature. And this truism plays a critical role in the success or failure of your business and here’s why:

If you want to convince people to buy your products or services, you need to appeal to their emotion FIRST and their logic SECOND.

Another way to put it is like this: Win their heart and their head will follow.

 

Secret Number 2 – Humans Are Prone to the Mob Mentality

 

We all like to think of ourselves as individuals. We think for ourselves, make decisions based exclusively on our own thinking, and aren’t influenced at all by other people, right?

WRONG!

People are by nature social animals. So they are ALWAYS influenced by other people. In fact, we rarely do anything without first consulting … or at least thinking about … what other people would do in the same situation.

 

Consider the case of picking a restaurant. Imagine you are driving down the street looking for a place to eat because you are very hungry.

You see two restaurants: One has a line out the door and the other looks completely empty. Which one are you going to choose?

Will you pick the empty restaurant because you can get seated right away and satiate your hunger more quickly?

Nope! Most people are much more likely to get in line at the other restaurant. Why? Because there must be a reason why it’s so popular!

It’s human nature to pay attention to group think. We want to be part of the pack. We choose to benefit from the wisdom of the group rather than trying to figure out each little detail of life on our own.

And this plays into your business because …

 

Secret Number 3 – People Want to Be Part of Something Bigger than Themselves

 

When people make buy decisions, they usually aren’t just buying an individual product or service. Instead, they are buying into a BRAND.

 

That brand represents something about themselves: It proves that they are cool, they are smart, they are tuned in, they are successful, they are beautiful, they are loved, and so on.

 

Specific branding is tied to archetypes, which are proven mechanisms that provide buyers with a shortcut to specific values.

 

So if you want to connect with more customers, you need to create a brand that offers the same values that your prospective customers are actively searching for.

 

And you can use these archetypes as a sort of shorthand to make those connections.

 

Secret Number 4 – People Are Attracted to the Next New Shiny Thing

 

Okay, let’s just get one thing out of the way: People have short attention spans.

 

They are attracted to shiny things. New things. The next thing. The next new shiny thing.

 

And guess what? With the rise of the internet and online social connectivity, people’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter every day.

 

What does this have to do with your business? Plenty!

 

It means the window of opportunity you have to attract people’s attention to the products and services you offer is getting smaller and smaller by the minute.

 

So the way to short-circuit the problem of short attention spans is by selling your BRAND, not your PRODUCTS.

Remember: Brands are feelings. Products are solutions. So when you sell people based on their feelings … they become open to the possibility of using your products to solve their problems in the long-term.

 

 

Secret Number 5 – People See Patterns Everywhere

 

The way our brains work is to cut through tons and tons of stimuli and data by using patterns to get to the most important information.

 

The human mind is constantly working to identify patterns. It’s how we learn to understand the world around us. It’s what keeps us safe in dangerous situations. It helps us navigate everyday life. And it’s the way we can attract new customers to our brand.

 

How? By aligning your brand messaging with the kinds of patterns people are looking for.

 

When people see familiar patterns that coincide with specific emotions, they will instantly and permanently be connected to your brand.

 

 

Secret Number 6 – Familiarity Breeds … Attraction

 

There’s an old axiom that goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” In other words, the more time we spend with something, the more we learn to hate it.

 

But that’s not always the case. At least not when it comes to branding.

 

Marketers have known for years that the more exposure audiences have with a specific brand message, the more comfortable they become with it.

 

Think of that jingle that always gets caught in your head. You probably haven’t heard it just once. More likely, you’ve seen it on a TV commercial or heard it on the radio thousands of times. And now it’s part of you.

 

The same holds true with your brand messaging. Your brand needs to be constant as well as consistent.

Okay, finally …

 

 

Secret Number 7 – People Crave Excitement

 

This final secret has to do with the reward system that is built-in to everybody’s brain.

 

People live their lives in a state of continual reinforcement. They want to feel that the decisions they make are the right ones. And the best way to satisfy this need is by offering rewards.

 

What kind of rewards? The most effective ones are those that are attached to specific emotions: Love, sex, hunger, and fun.

 

All of these cause the body to naturally release a hormone known as dopamine into the bloodstream. Dopamine is what makes us feel good. It makes us feel safe. And it convinces us that we made the right choice, regardless of what that choice was.

 

7 Secrets to Cracking the Brand Psychology Code-  If your band can make a genuine emotional connection with your prospective customer to the point where it causes their minds to release dopamine, you’ve already won!

 

7 Secrets to Cracking the Brand Psychology Code – So there you have it: The seven biggest branding secrets based on psychology, physiology, and most importantly .. basic human nature!

 

7 Secrets to Cracking the Brand Psychology Code – But there’s more. Lots more. To get even more attuned to how you can use your brand to connect emotionally with customers to create raving fans for life … call the branding experts at Lytron  .

Emotional Branding Creates Uniqueness

Emotional Branding Creates Uniqueness

The other day, I was thinking about a specific nutritional supplement. Like most people these days, I immediately went to my phone and Googled it.

 

Not surprisingly, I instantly got connected with literally thousands of businesses wanting to sell me that specific product.

 

And that caused a lightbulb to go off in my head:

 

Consumers today have a practically unlimited number of choices.

 

And that got me thinking about how businesses can stand out from the crowd of competitors to get people to choose their products from among all the thousands of others.

 

The answer? Emotional Branding.

 

How People Choose

 

When people make buying decisions – either online or in real life – the use three basic criteria:

 

  • Personal Perspective
  • Psychological State
  • Emotion

The most important of these for the people offering products is emotion. If you can find a way to get people to create an emotional attachment to your product, your business, and your brand … then you already have succeeded in capturing the marketplace.

 

Think about the brands you use in your everyday life. Maybe you prefer Coke to Pepsi. Maybe you drive an Audi rather than a Kia. Or perhaps you like the Green Bay Packers over the Detroit Lions.

 

Now think about why. Without exception, it’s because you have a deep-seated emotional connection with that specific brand. After all, it’s only human.

 

Basic Human Emotions

 

Think back to the Psych 101 class you took in college. Science has identified eight basic human emotions:

 

  • Fear
  • Anger
  • Surprise
  • Joy
  • Sadness
  • Anticipation
  • Trust

If you can connect one of these emotions with your specific brand – preferably not fear, anger or sadness! – you can tap into your prospective customer’s primary human emotional need.

 

And then you can create a resounding message that creates a genuine connection with buyers.

 

Emotional Branding Creates Uniqueness – Creating good ties

 

So how can you create these emotion bonds to transform passive shoppers into customers who are fiercely loyal to your brand? There are a number of effective strategies:

 

  1. Reverse Engineering – Choose one of the “positive” emotions from the list above then work backwards to figure out how to get your brand content to invoke that emotion in buyers.

 

  1. Offer Solutions to Everyday Problems – People are going online to find solutions to universal problems. If you can figure out ways to offer up your brand as that solution, you’ve already won.

 

  1. A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words – Great images make it easier for people to connection emotionally with your brand than dense written content. Images that offer universal solutions — such as life contentment, professional success, happy relationships, and so on – can draw people into your brand and start building those valuable trust bonds.

 

  1. Build a Perfect World – People are naturally hopeful about the future. When you can show how your brand can help make people’s future better, most will be open to buying into that future – especially if you can paint a visual image that connects.

 

  1. Overcome Objections – Simultaneously, most people are naturally skeptical. Identify potential drawbacks to people choosing your brand then preemptively explain why they are invalid.

 

  1. Use Your Storytelling Skills – Finally, create emotional bonds by sharing personal stories about your brand, your company, even your personal life or your happy customers. Stories offer immediate connections with genuine emotion.

 

Whew! That’s a lot to get started. To learn more, get together with Lytron and start creating emotional branding for your business.

 

3 Simple Steps to Attracting the Best Clients

3 Simple Steps To Attracting The Best Clients

Most people can put their clients in one of two categories: Good clients and bad clients.

 

You probably already know who your bad clients are.

 

They’re the ones who require a lot of hand holding, push back against your best ideas, and demand maximum time and attention while providing minimal revenue.

 

But your good clients?

 

They appreciate your expertise.

 

They act on your best ideas.

 

And they just seem to CLICK with you. Happy face emoji!

 

Working with good clients is 1,000% easier than working with bad ones. It’s more rewarding, more fun, and most importantly … more profitable!

 

So here are three actionable things you can do right now to find GREAT clients for your business.

 

Step 1 – Go Where Your Ideal Clients Are

 

The famous bank robber Willie Sutton was once asked by an interviewer, “Willie, why do you rob banks?”

 

He replied, “Because that’s where the money is.”

 

You may not be a bank robber (at least I hope not), but we all could learn a lesson from Willie Sutton’s somewhat sarcastic answer.

 

If you want to find great clients who align with your values and interests all you need to do is go where your own values and interests take you.

 

Sound simple? That’s because it is!

 

Let’s say you promote fitness products. If so, you probably already are into things like working out, eating right, and working on your personal satisfaction. That means you are comfortable in places like gyms, yoga studios, nutrition centers, and other places where you would naturally gravitate.

 

Guess what? So are other people who share your interests and values! So that’s where you should begin your search for the ideal clients!

 

To be crystal clear: The first step to finding good clients is to go places where good clients would naturally hang out. Duh!

 

These don’t have to be physical places, either. If you are an online marketer, you probably want to spend time hanging out on sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, and so on. (In fact, you probably already do … which is exactly the point!)

 

If you work with hand-made crafts, try Etsy. And local arts and crafts shows.

 

If you promote tech, you probably want to spend some time in high-end electronics stores. And in digital chatrooms devoted to new technology.

 

The point is this: Whatever type of products or services your business offers, you need to start showing up at places where people need/enjoy/are passionate about these types of things hang out.

 

You may have heard the famous quote: “99 percent of success is just showing up.” For business owners, it’s showing up at places where the likelihood of finding like-minded prospective clients or customers is highest.

 

Okay, so on to Step 2 …

 

Step 2 – Share Your Passion

 

Okay, being in PROXIMITY to people who share your interests isn’t enough. You also have to engage them. And the best way to do that is to share your passionsPASSIONATELY!

 

Obviously, you want to talk about your products and services, eventually. But first about your personal values …

 

What makes you happiest …

 

What makes you angriest …

 

What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning …

 

And most importantly what makes you stand up and cheer!

 

At this stage, you aren’t going to make genuine connections with people by playing is safe. You can’t be afraid of offending or turning off people who don’t share your values, interests, or passions.

 

You probably aren’t going to win those people over anyway. And if you do, they likely will be the kind of bad clients who are going to demand too much of your time and return little value to your business.

 

Instead, be honest. Be sincere. Be you. And the people who are drawn to you are going to be the ones most open to hearing about your business.

 

Step 3 – Prove Yourself

 

Okay, you’ve put yourself in proximity of people who share your interests. You’ve openly and proudly expressed your passions to get their attention.

 

What now?

 

The next step is to demonstrate your ability to solve an actual problem they are experiencing. You need to answer this question for them: How can the products or services your business offers provide an actual solution that will make their lives better?

 

Answer that successfully and you’ve not only got a new client … you’ve got a customer for life!

 

A few final points:

 

  • Be as specific and immediate as possible. Avoid vague promises or long-term benefits.
  • Use real-world examples to prove yourself.
  • Focus on problem-solving, not benefits.

Okay, take a breath.

 

I get it.

 

I understand that finding great clients isn’t easy. If it were, everybody could do it and every business owner would be successful. But we both know that’s not the case.

 

There are winners and there are losers. And YOU are a winner!

 

You’re better than everybody else, aren’t you? That’s because you are willing to put in the work.

 

And the more work you put in finding great clients for life right now, the easier it will be later for your business to be successful.

 

Want to learn more? Lytron has plenty of ideas for making your business successful. Call us. Let’s talk!

Lytron Can Help You Discover Your Brand

Lytron Can Help You Discover Your Brand 2

If your business isn’t getting the acclaim it deserves from your customers, it could be because they don’t understand your brand.

 

The brand you present can make or break your business. It determines whether customers make genuine emotional connections with the products or services you offer. And it directly influences both your bottom line and the overall success (or failure) of your business.

 

If you don’t currently have a clearly defined brand message, it’s not too late. Lytron  specializes in helping businesses just like yours define and promote positive, effective branding that helps ensure your business’s success.

 

So how is your brand defined? It often comes down to your answers to a couple of key questions.

 

 

Lytron Can Help You Discover Your Brand –  What’s Your Personal History?

 

One way to connect make genuine emotional connections with customers is to incorporate your personal history into the story of your business. If people can relate to your personal history, they can develop positive feelings about your brand, your products or services, and your business.

 

How you started your business important, but so is the “Why”. Go back to the beginning and think about what motivated you to take this course in the first place. Often, there is a genuine, emotional experience that can be crafted into part of your branding.

 

 

Lytron Can Help You Discover Your Brand – What Makes You Unique?

 

Whatever type of business you are in, there are bound to be competitors. So what makes the products and services you offer unique from everybody else in your industry?

 

Identify the distinguishing positive characteristics about your business and it can open the door to effective, high-profit branding ideas for your enterprise.

 

We have lots more ways to develop your business’s own distinct brand. These are just a few of the initial steps we take to help you create genuine, emotional responses among your customers. Call Lytron   to learn more.