Identifying your Brand Personality with Erika Holmes
So many people have asked me when I’m going to have a copywriter on the podcast because copywriting is such an important part of the branding process. Today I’m (finally!) talking with Erika Holmes about brand personality and how to identify it.
Erika is a copywriting expert who helps entrepreneurs find the sweet spot between clarity and personality in their marketing message. Through her work with big and small brands alike, she’s seen firsthand that putting personality in your copy is the fastest, best way to attract dream clients. In addition to online entrepreneurs and personal brands, Erika’s list of clients includes eBay, StubHub and Levi’s and many more.
Erika says that we all have so many different sides to us. She suggests when starting to define your brand, lean in to the side that is going to attract your ideal clients and make you feel excited about showing up to do your best work.
Your website and brand don’t have to define who you are on a daily basis, but they do need to represent a part of you when you are at your best.
Ask yourself questions like:
What kind of clients do I want to attract?
How do I want my brand and my work to be known?
Erika says our brand personality is important because it can really set you apart and be a deciding factor for potential clients deciding to work with you. Identifying the little connection points in your brand helps.
If you think you there is nothing interesting or different about you, Erika suggests these exercises to help:
Think of the characters on Friends, and you can easily come up with 5 words or phrases to describe each person. Then do this for yourself and see what words or phrases come to mind that you can incorporate into your brand.
Consider what someone might tag you on with social media. How can you bring these things into your brand?
Erika says a mistake, or learning moment, you might be making in your copy is trying to sound like someone else you follow or admire. This tends to happen when you’re just getting started and it is totally normal! It actually helps you figure out what you DO want to say.
Another mistake, especially for people coming from the corporate world, is trying to sound super professional instead of conversational. She suggests reading what you wrote and making sure it sounds like something you’d say to a friend before you publish it.
It’s crazy how dependent copy and design are on each other! I’m so glad I had this conversation with Erika and I hope it helps you fine tune your brand personality.
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RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Learn more about Erika at www.erikaholmes.com
Follow Erika on Instagram @erikavholmes
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Follow Karima on Instagram @karima.creative
