Your Identity - do you have one?

Part of creating a great brand is to determine your identity. An identity is what makes your business unique from all your competitors. It is what makes you stand out. It does not necessarily make you a better business, but it does make you unique and helps your prospect determine what your business is all about. Your identity is made up of your personality, your values and the statement you are trying to make in the world.

When you enter a certain niche in your field and target a certain market, you are choosing your business. Most businesses, especially service professionals, need to take their business one step further to make it unique. That is where your identity comes in.

When you choose your niche and target market, you are creating something that could be copied or that already exists that you are competing with. When you add your identity, along with the rest of your brand, you are creating something that cannot be copied by anyone else. Your personality is unique and only you can bring that into your business.

Have you ever heard of a large corporation that does extremely well with a certain CEO? Then that CEO decides to retire or move on and the company starts to fall apart without the personality of the past CEO to keep it together? Your personality is what is keeping your business unique.

Now that you know what an identity is, it's time to figure out what yours is. You may already have a strong identity that just needs to be written down, or you may feel your personality is all over the map and needs to be focused to one identity.

Some general examples could be:

1. You are a coach with a lot of energy. Your identity could be one of motivating your clients and keeping a certain energy flowing. You will want that energy to shine through each contact with your prospects and clients.
   
2. You are a coach who is very professional. Your identity could be one of providing knowledge and expertise to your clients with a set plan to move forward. You will want your professionalism to shine through with each marketing strategy you choose.

In both of these examples the coaches could be in the same field or niche, but the type of prospects they will attract will vary. Each client's needs will determine which coach they want to work with. Remember in business, you want to attract the right client for you. As a small business owner it is not your job to attract everyone, but to attract the right prospects for you.

Once you determine your identity, it's important to write that identity down. Every contact you make with a prospect or client should reflect your identity. The more detailed your identity, the more unique you become.

If you want to share your identity here, I will give you some advice on what you choose. You will also be giving yourself some exposure for your business. You get two wins by posting your identity here.