Are you assessing your brand right how? Recently I was invited to sit in on a brainstorming meeting about marketing and growth. Here I was able to pick up some powerful marketing tools needed for growth. These tools may be applied both for personal and business growth.

Assessing Your Brand: Assets

In growth, we learn powerful information. So look at and determine your growth, and the path you took to get there. Assess the road your brand has taken – whether it’s a personal or business brand. Revisit where you have been and decide where you’re headed. Assess your brand’s strengths and weaknesses by asking yourself these questions.

• Present your strengths and weakness so that you stand out, sell your brand.
• What is new with you? Determine what you have learned and how it matters.
• Why does your business exist?
• Who are previous clients and why did they hire you?
• Evaluate your goals: where do you see yourself long/short term?

Target Audience Evaluation

Your target audience are the people you want to work with, your customers and potential customers. The internet provides resources to reach your target via platforms such as blogs, newsletters, social media, and alumni groups. Use these resources to be present for your customers, and assess your brand’s voice on these platforms.

• Who are you targeting? Who’s the decision maker that could benefit from your expertise?
• What are the hot topics? What’s trending in your brand’s space?
• Protip: Subscribe to platforms that your target audience subscribes to.
• Listen to your customers. Assess what they are talking about, and their relevance to your brand.
• Protip: Participate on sites that interest you, this is a great networking tool for finding like-minds.
• Become like your target, interact with their “friends” socially to really get to know them.

The Social Media Impact

Social media is more than a picture sharing platform, it is great for networking. Use social media platforms such as LinkedIn to learn about and follow clients to implement current trends.

• Use social media to introduce your brand to your potential customers, potential employers, and to your peers.
• Seek out and become a “friend” to past clients as well as their friends, and network with them, sharing your expertise.
• Your LinkedIn page should mirror the career for which you are aiming. Find websites dedicated to that career and subscribe to them. This will allow you to network and stay on top of any current or future possibilities. Brag about yourself on your profile, be proud and loud.

Plan and Grow Your Brand

Planning is the most important step one can do to get to the next level. So, plan, plan and keep planning. Brainstorm with colleagues and staff about ways to grow your personal brand and/or your business’ brand. Gather, analyze and leverage data, creating a message map of the recurring themes that you see. Really think about: what is your end game – a job, a career, an entrepreneurship? Evaluate and understand what you will need to get there by assessing your brand. Update your skills, explore what’s new and current. Investing in yourself is important to your brand’s growth.

What have I learned from my classes at school?

As my academic journey nears an end, I am reflecting on key learning from classes. I’ve gained valuable lessons that I’m taking with me. The most precious thing I’ve learned from this path is realizing my strengths. My strengths are communication, technology, research, accuracy, and consistency. And I will strive to apply these strengths in my future work life.

Being part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program

I am in my final semesters with good academic standing in school. Thus I was given the opportunity to participate in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program. The GS10K Small Business is a prestigious program which partners small business owners with students. It’s a win/win for both the student and business owners.

To start, this partnership gives some students their first job experience. Next, it gives small business owners the opportunity to give back to their community – as a mentor, colleague, client or partner. First, the staff of Front Porch Marketing have become my mentors. So they continue to guide and challenge me. Next, they are helping me realize my strengths. And finally, I get to use the tools I am learning in school on the job to become successful beyond my educational journey.

Biggest key learning from classes: communication

Front Porch Marketing is a digital marketing firm that operates 100% virtually. Communication is key to the success of our company. Formally addressing people in email and text messages is an important business process. Prompt and clear responses keep projects moving and clients happy.

Beyond communication, I am learning time management, organization, accuracy and consistency. Often, organization and time management are crucial to success in a virtual environment. First, as a full-time student and part-time intern, I have to organize my files and time efficiently. Then I am able to meet my deadlines. I use these skills daily at Front Porch.

Finally, we also alternate writing on the FPM website blog. So this is my first blog post written for Front Porch Marketing!

What have I learned?

Technology is leading future work. For marketing, you need a desktop, cell phone, internet, and online meeting forums like Zoom and Microsoft Collaborate. And I use various software for this job including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. In addition, Mailchimp, Pipedrive, Word Press and Adobe Illustrator have become part of my weekly duties.

• I researched YouTube to learn how to implement and launch Pipedrive CRM. Pipedrive is a customer relationship management tool. It is a cloud-based software program designed to manage and track sales prospects, progress, and win/loss revenue. 
• I used Microsoft Excel to transfer data from Pipedrive into a report for updating clients contact information. I also retrieve other client information such as email addresses and physical locations from the Excel spreadsheets I build.
• At Front Porch Marketing, I keep Mailchimp updated for clients, monitoring and updating contact lists. Mailchimp is an email marketing software program.
• I use Microsoft Word to create and duplicate client files, letters, and reports. Here real world work reinforces key learning from classes almost every day.
• I can connect with others on Zoom and Microsoft Collaborate, which are virtual meeting platforms. We share information in real time for better communication.

Nearing the end of my classes: the final dance

After suffering through all the reading writing and arithmetic, this semester’s courses seem hand-picked. Lessons learned apply to the marketing field, and to today’s trends and current events. I am currently studying cyber security and the importance of securing devices. I am also taking PC Help Desk Support classes. Listening and writing skills are required. First, we learn to develop problem-solving techniques. Then, we relay what we learned to a customer or co-workers.

And most relevant of all, I am in the middle of Introduction to Digital Media. Many fields including marketing, movies, newsletters, and web design include digital media. We have completed projects that involved setting up and learning Word Press, creating our own website and adding a weekly blog.

As my journey continues, I have been blessed to have the best people at Front Porch Marketing to guide me to the finish line. Therefore I want to thank you all – you rock!