Utilize your email lists to send Valentine’s Day nudge a couple of weeks before the big day. Change up the layout and copy to fit the holiday spirit. This email should include different gift ideas available on your site, removing friction and making gift buying as smooth as possible.

Valentine’s Day emails can be sent out again right before the holiday, urging last-minute shoppers to make their purchases before it is too late. Be sure to change up the format of each email according to how much time is left before the holiday.

On February 14th you can send a final email wishing your customers a happy holiday. A simple message will show customers that you value them and want them to feel special.

2. Test out enticing subject lines

Come up with a few different ideas for subject lines and A/B test them when sending out your Valentine’s Day emails. A good subject line will catch your customers’ eye and get them interested in what you have to offer.

If you are offering any special discounts, it is a good idea to put this information in the subject line. You shouldn’t feel the need to stick to the traditional hearts and roses, funny subject lines will set you apart. 

When sending your Valentine’s Day reminder emails, you should try different subject lines and see which one your customers are most responsive to. This way, when you send follow-up emails you will know which direction to go in.

3. Valentine’s Day emails with a twist

When sending out your Valentine’s Day emails, consider including something that will add a little extra oomph. Allowing your customers to go from passive readers to active participants adds a fun activity element to your emails. Customers are more likely to engage with content that asks them to engage!

One example is an email Frank Body sent out which included the option to send a love letter to anyone for free. Another idea could be sending a Valentine’s template that customers can print out and color in with their children.

Get experimental this Valentine’s Day

Not everyone loves Valentine’s Day, try something new to appeal to this audience.

1. Take the humorous route

Valentine’s Day advertisements can feel a little intense, especially if you’re not a hopeless romantic. While there is no harm in taking the traditional route, funny and sarcastic ads shake things up and set you apart from all the pink text and hearts. 

Here, Twitter implemented user-generated content for their Valentine’s Day ads. This is a wonderful use of user-generated content and is more effective than if they had posted lovey-dovey tweets. Remember that not everyone is lucky in love and sometimes customers need a good laugh to get in the holiday spirit.

Twitter not only uses online advertisements but physical ads as well. If you can afford to do so, advertising on and offline is something to consider.

2. Appeal to the pet lovers

Today, buying Valentine’s Day gifts for pets is a billion-dollar market. Some people have even reported buying VDay gifts for their pets and not their partners. There is no mistaking the fact that people love their pets so why not celebrate them on this day of love? 

You don’t need to sell dog treats to tap into this market. Collaborating with a pet-friendly brand like Ampersand Design Studio and The Foggy Dog did here is one way to cater to the canine crowd. Once again, collaborations can be an excellent opportunity for cross-exposure between brands.

If you’re not looking to collab, there are still ways you can reach pet lovers this Valentine’s Day. Adding a pet-friendly gift to purchases or simply recognizing pet-owner love as significant in your marketing emails is another way to appeal to this crowd.

3. Embrace the haters

If you’re single and especially newly single, the holiday of love may rub you the wrong way. Everyone knows that misery loves company and companies like Burger King were there to commiserate on VDay 2020. The lonely hearts deserve to celebrate Valentine’s Day too.

If your product has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day, this is a great angle to push. Social media is how Burger King chose to advertise, but you can encourage single people to celebrate themselves on this day in numerous ways. If you put together Valentine’s Day bundles for couples for the holiday, consider also making bundles for self-love or care packages for the broken-hearted. 

Spice up your merch for Valentine’s Day

Excite your customers this Valentine’s Day with exclusive holiday merchandise.

1. New Valentine’s Day collections

Creating a special Valentine’s Day-themed collection will grab the attention of your customers and attract new customers looking for themed holiday gifts. If the collection is offered for a limited time, customers will want to make purchases before they lose their chance. 

MeUndies designed matching underwear sets along with a significant discount. While underwear is a common VDay gift, many brands that are not typically considered romantic use this holiday to keep their customers interested by offering something new and unique. 

Valentine’s Day falls on a time of year after the lull of the winter holidays and the new year. People have had a chance to recover from the whirlwind of gift shopping and will be excited to see new products being put out. 

2. Try something new for VDay

While creating a themed collection with your existing products is one idea, adding something new to your repertoire this holiday season is another way to entice your customers. You don’t have to break the bank to make this happen either.

KFC was designed to scratch and sniff Valentine’s to promote their shared chicken meal. This is a cute and simple way to use the holiday as an opportunity to advertise their product, which does not have much to do with romance or love. No matter what you sell, you can share the love with customers by adding something holiday-related. It’s the little things that count.

3. Change up your packaging

If you already sell something Valentine’s Day-related or don’t want to release any new products, especially for the holiday, Valentine’s Day-themed packaging is an eye-catching way to make your customers feel the love. Many businesses change their packaging according to the holidays, which alone is an effective promotion tactic even without additional gifts or special collections.

 Smith & Sinclair’s Valentine’s Day boxes take their chocolates from lust to love.

Send love to those who need it most

Charitable contributions let your customers know that you care.

1. Send proceeds to charity

A Valentine’s Day promotion focused on those in need will motivate consumers to choose your product and feel good about their holiday purchases. People prefer to support businesses that are sustainable and socially aware. Instead of pushing products, Valentine’s Day can be a chance to show your customers that you care about taking care of those who are in need. 

A Valentine’s Day promotion in which your company donates part of the proceeds will mark your business as one with customers proud of the fact that they purchase from you. If you can afford to do so, this is a wonderful way to give back on this holiday of love and make a good impression on your customers

The post Successful Valentine’s Day marketing: 21 creative promotion examples appeared first on WiseStamp.

Find MLK quotes by category

• Quotes on hope
• Inspirational quote
• Quotes on life
• Quotes on racism
• Quotes about love
• Quotes on progress
• Quotes on non-violence
• Quotes on peaceful protest
• Quotes on freedom
• Quotes on leadership
• Hate quotes
• ‘I have a dream’ speech quotes
• Letter from Birmingham jail quotes
• Quotes on equality

Add Martin Luther King Jr. quotes and banner to you email signature

This is a big day, and you can let it show in all of your email communication, by adding an MLK Day banner to your email signature, and by ending your emails with a strong MLK quote. We’ve created a few options for you to choose from when using our email signature generator. Create your MLK email signature.

To

Subject

Make it yours

“I have a dream” speech quotes

Many of Dr. King’s most memorable quotes come from his profound “I have a dream” speech. Martin Luther King Jr. gave this speech in the summer of 1963 in Washington DC at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial in front of a large audience of civil rights protesters. This speech came to be most often connected to his character, vision, and deep caring for humanity, because of its clear humanistic, universalistic, and liberal message.

In his speech, Dr. King talks about the struggle to end discrimination against the black population in America, but he does so in the scope of his vision for a better future for all people and for America as a nation. His words connect the civil rights movement’s demands with the founding ideals of the USA of equality before the law. He also makes sure to denounce the use of violence for achieving political change. In his speech, MLK attempts to convince his listeners not to yield to hatred, knowing that the only way to maintain his vision of equality is by building on a foundation of love and brotherhood among all people.

We feel confident you will find the right quote within this well of wisdom and goodwill.

1. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

2. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘we hold these truths to be self-evident – that all men are created equal’.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

3. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

4. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

5. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

6. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

7. We will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

8. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.

Martin Luther King Jr. – “I have a dream” speech, 1963

The post 76 Martin Luther King quotes to inspire readers and listeners appeared first on WiseStamp.

However, things have changed dramatically in the marketing game since 1931—partly thanks to giants like Coca-Cola itself.

Nowadays, it can be hard to navigate this increasingly interconnected, digital domain without some help. That is why we at WiseStamp have put together this listicle, which we hope you can build on to lay out a top Christmas marketing strategy for your business.

“Christmasize” Your Service (or Products!)

When we say “Christmasize,” your mind probably goes to standard practices like turning all product packaging red. Or to add miniature Christmas trees into all of your social media graphics. That is only natural, and we don’t blame you. 

However, there are many ways to bring the holiday spirit into your business or products. As with any strategy, before making any radical changes, re-investigate your buyer persona(s). Which of their needs is most urgent around holiday time?

After figuring that out, adapt your service or products accordingly. Start with the image of your business. Go on social media, change your cover photo, and start posting! 

When designing visuals, keep your audience in mind. Are your clients (past, current, or potential) more likely to respond to traditional imagery or more contemporary graphics? Furthermore, make sure that the copy communicates efficiently. 

Here are some examples of traditional and contemporary Facebook cover designs for reference:

In terms of what campaigns you could run, spreading the holiday spirit is made easy by a giveaway or a contest! Everyone likes present around Christmas time, and this is also a good way for you to possibly increase engagement and generate leads on your social media accounts.  

Get your inspiration from your buyers’ personas, once again. What brands do they stay loyal to, other than yours? Moreover, don’t forget to research trending practices on each platform by finding popular accounts with your own follower base.

Speaking of your followers, keep in touch with them by sending warm wishes for the holidays. Place banners to greet them once they’re on your landing page, and don’t forget to personalize your wishes by sending electronic ‘Merry Christmas’ cards via email. 

Increase Christmas Sales with Generous Offerings  

Everyone is giving out gifts during the Holiday Season, and to get into the benevolent spirit, you should partake. Think up ways to market your products, especially your seasonal ones. 

Spoil your customers with a coupon or discount, or figure out alternative ways to sell your products—after all, promotions don’t have to be wholly benevolent.

For example, you could push your customers a little over their spending limit by applying whatever discount you’re offering to the minimum viable purchase amount that would bring you a profit over the course of the Holidays. 

End of the year discounts

In terms of discounts, you can start preparing for January by running end-of-the-year sales. If you own a multi-item store, focus on seasonal items: discounts on festive clothing items and sparkly home decor will guarantee an increase in sales. 

Otherwise, use this occasion to market your services accordingly. Do you own a cleaning company? Give your clients a discount on end-of-the-year cleaning packages. 

Offer Coupons

Another way to increase sales is through coupons. If you pick those of the BOGO type—that is, Buy One Get One (free)—go down the “spoil a loved one” marketing route. Once again, always keep the context in mind: it’s the Holiday Season, so everyone loves an opportunity to give a present to someone about whom they care. 

A unique strategy to use promotions for Christmas is through an advent calendar. What that implies is 24 single-day promotions leading up to Christmas Day.

If you can find 24 unique ways to market your products, this should be your go-to: it’s one of the most engaging campaign formats around this time of the year. 

Get emotional with your Christmas Ads

Christmas is all about giving to others, and people hate to be bombarded with advertisements around this time of the year.

That is why, if you want to be strategically efficient, you should shift the focus off the product itself and towards storytelling. How does your product help spread the Holiday joy?

Take, for example, by a German mail-order pharmacy, Doc Morris. When watching it start-to-finish, the storytelling is so immersive it’s almost impossible to hold back tears. 

But what does this ad say? Why would a pharmaceutics vendor emphasize the importance of exercising, you would ask?

Successful Christmas ads rely on subliminal messages. In this ad’s case, the purpose of this message is to emphasize the importance of being in good health for your loved ones. 

Notice how there are no words in the entire video, apart from the CTA at the end.

In this case, the storytelling, accompanied by the music and the montage, undermines copywriting. This goes to show how words aren’t always necessary for memorable marketing. 

Embrace email marketing

In contrast with social media, email marketing is much more personal, and “personal” is what Christmas is all about.

In this way, you can create a tight-knit community that will be connected by the interest in your business that its members share. 

First of all, of course, you should send out a newsletter with all the season’s unique offerings.

Keep your subscribers in the loop, but don’t market too aggressively. Always check in on the status of your KPIs and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. 

Always design your newsletters in the Holiday spirit. Add personalized Christmas greetings into your signature, and make sure the general feel your email gives off is in tune with what you yourself would like to receive in your inbox. 

Invest in paid advertisements

Running paid advertising campaigns is paramount around this time of the year. As everyone rushes to buy and buy, your business must be the one they should reach first. 

This is an excellent time to put your money into a good lead generation campaign, to start with the basics. Start thinking about, and eventually developing, a lead magnet ahead of time. Then, write a post on your blog about it and run a paid social media campaign to advertise it. 

Make your lead magnet relevant to the Holidays: for example, if you’re a graphic design company, you might give away some free Christmas-themed social media templates for your subscribers to draw inspiration from. 

Moreover, brand your lead magnet. This way, one could say you hit two birds with one stone: in addition to getting new leads, you also increase your brand awareness. 

When it comes to boosting sales, you could go down the easy route and promote your products, with seasonal at the top of your priority list. However, if you’re willing to embark on more logistically intricate campaigns, we have an idea for you.

Throughout this article, we’ve talked about creating and maintaining tight-knit communities. One idea to foster that is pretty straightforward: organize a Secret Santa campaign! Let us give you more details:

If you create a landing page specifically for this campaign, everything that the site visitors should do would be to sign up for an account on your website. This way, they can not only start shopping but also give you their data. 

They would be instructed to create a public wish-list where the products would be limited to a specific price tag. Then, all players will be divided into pairs and send each other gifts. However, they won’t have any information about each other unless desired after the present has reached its recipient. 

While more logistically challenging to organize, this method boosts sales and collects data from site visitors. Finally, it encourages them to contact each other no matter where they are in the world. 

How To Maximize The Christmas Season Sales Online

Christmas: it’s the most wonderful time of the year, and not just for the kids jingle-belling either. It’s a chance for brands to boost their sales with seasonal marketing that taps into the festive spirit. But increased sales aren’t just for Christmas. Here are some tips you can use to maximize your online sales for seasonal events throughout the year.

Appeal to your customers’ seasonal pain points

Our emotions are naturally heightened during seasonal events. Between planning the food, buying gifts, and dealing with that great-aunt who insists on kissing you on the lips when she sees you, seasonal events can be tough. For customers, it’s a difficult time. But as brands, you can play on that to maximize your online sales.

Identify in advance specific pain points that affect your customers during different events. For example, your customers might be concerned about spending too much at Christmas, so highlight your generous savings as a counter.

And at Thanksgiving, there’s a lot of pressure on the head chef of the family to cook the perfect turkey. Why not create a video showing your customers how (featuring your product, naturally)?

Useful content like this can help drive traffic to your blog, which in turn gets your products seen by a wider audience.

Take this further with countdown timers in your emails to create a sense of urgency as the big day approaches. Combine it with some FOMO-driven copy to needle your customers into shopping with you. Pain points are great for driving sales, so take advantage of them.

The early bird gets the worm

How many times have you promised yourself that you’d do your Christmas shopping early this year, only to find yourself panic-buying juicers on Amazon Prime a week before Christmas Day?

The truth is, the earlier you start the better. And it’s as true for your Christmas shopping as it is for your seasonal marketing.

Start your marketing campaigns early. I don’t mean sending out a Christmas discount email in the middle of June of course, but giving yourself at least a couple of months lets you build a slow-burning campaign that builds to a crescendo.

Don’t go too hard too early. Just a little reminder here and there to begin with to pique their attention, and then gradually build up to a solid seasonal campaign.

You can use this extra breathing space to create a seasonal loyalty scheme, starting a month or so before the event and ending in the month running up to it. Points earned during this period can be used during the final run-up to the event, keeping them locked in with your brand for a sustained period.

Increase your mailing list with a seasonal lead magnet

Email marketing is an important part of any seasonal marketing strategy, and this is especially true for seasonal events. And the bigger your mailing list, the wider your reach is. You’ll have more people you can push your products to, increasing your online sales in the run-up to the event.

While you’ve likely got a sizeable mailing list already, it’s worth adding to it as seasonal events roll around. And what better way to do that than with a lead magnet? Lead magnets are digital pieces of content that customers can download in return for their email address. They’re free for the consumer, free (or at least very affordable) for brands to make, and they’re great for building email subscriber lists.

While lead magnets can be used throughout the year at any time to build mailing lists, creating lead magnets that tap into the seasonal mood. For example, a gift guide blog post featuring product ideas for every member of the family is a standard for brands. But a downloadable gift guide ebook to inspire you on your commute to work? Even better.

Seasonal lead magnets work. Create a Halloween decoration guide using a good flipbook creator like Designrr, then create a dedicated landing page and direct customers to it using paid social ads.

A strong lead magnet that your prospective customers will genuinely want populates your mailing list with qualified leads in the run-up to seasonal events. This both boosts your sales in the short-term, and widens your reach in the long term.

Add a decorated holiday email signature

As we just mentioned above, email marketing is critical to your seasonal sales. And here’s another great way to make the most of it: Add a Christmas email signature to your outgoing email during the holiday. This will make sure you stand out and gain favor by bringing smiles to your readers.

A seasonal banner is a great way to promote your holiday sales, products and simply spread holiday cheer. See how the email signature example below uses a banner to promote a Black Friday sale. You can easily add a seasonal banner to your signature by using the WiseStamp email signature generator.

Create a pop-up shop to drive online sales

While pop-up shops might not immediately seem to maximize online sales, they’re actually great drivers of digital revenue. Create a pop-up shop a month or two in advance of the event in question (but not so far back that it’s irrelevant) and sell your products in a brick-and-mortar setting. These events are great for capitalizing on real-world footfall in malls and Main Street. You can also participate in local retail pop-ups and events.

But it’s not just about instant offline sales. It’s a chance for you to showcase your online products to an offline audience, raising awareness of your business with customers who might not have experienced it before.

Even if you don’t sell your products, simply hosting a pop-up shop with some samples is enough to get your brand at the forefront of shoppers’ minds in the run-up to seasonal events. If you do decide to sell offline, offer your customers a receipt via email. This is a chance for you to build up your mailing list as the event approaches, presenting you with more marketing opportunities further down the line.

Final thoughts & Season’s Greetings

When emailing for business, consider adapting your email signature and opening line. We recommend you change both the design and the wording so that your signature stands out.

At WiseStamp, we offer our clients icons that they can use to add a personal touch to their communications. Check out our offerings and guides, and we hope you’ve found this article and others on our blog helpful.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

The post 5 creative christmas marketing strategies to use this year appeared first on WiseStamp.

The main goal here with BJ Fogg’s behavior model, which we’ll start looking at closely in a moment, is to get people to act or behave in a certain way. Ideally, you want to inspire behavior that translates into higher conversion rates. 

You might think that there are tons of different ways to reach this goal, and you’re right, in a way. However, Fogg’s behavior model shows that there are fundamental ways in which humans behave that don’t really change that much.

Fogg’s behavior model demonstrates that there are very specific elements, three actually, of human behavior that need to be present in order for a decision to be made. So, exactly what are the three elements of BJ Fogg’s behavior model? Let’s take a closer look at each one.

The 3 Elements of B.J. Fogg’s Behavior Model?

Fogg’s behavior model is made up of three elements that predict behavior: motivation, ability, and triggers (also called prompts). We’ll get into each one of these in a lot more detail soon. However, it’s important to understand that, according to Fogg, all these 3 elements need to align in the right way in order to influence someone’s behavior. 

Fogg breaks his behavior chart into a simple formula:

Behavior = motivation x ability x prompts

To simplify this formula and the whole concept, if there is enough motivation for behavior and there is an equal ability to perform it, then the only thing left to trigger the behavior is prompt. 

To illustrate this model, have a look at the following video that uses the example of answering a ringing phone and puts motivation, ability, and prompts in context.

Seems simple enough, but it becomes a little more involved when you break down each element and all its factors. 

Fogg behavior model in 2 minutes and 30 seconds

Motivation

When he talks about motivation, Fogg is referring to the underlying drives that motivate you. He divides motivation into three separate drives: sensation, anticipation, and belonging. These drives can also be described as physical, emotional, and social.

1. Sensation

Sensation represents the physical level of motivation. It’s normal for people to want to participate in things that bring them pleasure and stay away from things that don’t. Games work really effectively here since there are usually built-in risk and reward systems. From a marketing perspective, if you offer consumers incentives to complete their desired behavior, then this increases their motivation.

2. Anticipation

This is the more emotional element of motivation and relies on feelings such as fear and hope. Hope is one of the strongest motivators since it helps provide a person with a sense of meaning.

If we think of this in an actionable way, then it would look something like a company offering a product or service that makes consumers feel hopeful that they can achieve their desire or goal by using what you’re offering. Take a 30-day fitness course, for example. By showing your audience they can hope to achieve their goal, suddenly their motivation to sign up increases.

3. Belonging

Belonging represents the social factor in motivation. People naturally want to feel like they belong. By having a community where no one is rejected, they’re more likely to feel motivated to continue engaging with your content. This is why social media marketing works so well.

Consumers find groups of like-minded individuals on social platforms and regularly engage with their content. So, if companies are in the same space, it works to motivate an audience to interact with that company since they both belong to a specific group of people.

Ability

If a person is unable to perform the desired behavior because of a lack of ability, then all other elements don’t matter. That’s why it’s important to understand the factors that stand in the way of a person’s ability.

When it comes to creating a website, campaign, or any sort of marketing content, you want to keep these ability blockers in mind so that you can avoid them. Not addressing these ability blockers can lead to lower conversion rates, so it’s important to ensure that users can still have the ability to perform the desired behavior. 

1. Time

These days, no one wants to spend a lot of time sifting through a website to find the information they’re looking for. Therefore, it’s so important to make sure that a task can be completed in a short amount of time. This might look like short lead capture forms, so instead of asking for all kinds of information like an address, phone number, or date of birth, simply ask for a name and email.

2. Money

If people aren’t willing to spend a lot of time, then they’re definitely not likely to spend a lot of money at the beginning of a process. Something that costs nothing is more likely to lead to the desired behavior than if the cost is prohibitive.

For example, you’re likely to get more users to sign up to a loyalty or rewards program if there are no initial start up costs rather than making someone pay upfront to join.

3. Physical Effort

When we talk about the physical effort in the realm of digital marketing, it refers mostly to the number of clicks a person has to make before getting to the desired location. Of course, the fewer clicks, the higher the chance the consumer will perform the goal behavior.

If your website has one-click checkout, as Amazon does, then you’re eliminating the effort needed to achieve the desired behavior, which for the consumer is completing a purchase and for you is increasing your conversion rate.

4. Mental Cycles

Though clicks aren’t quite physically exerting, what’s more, likely to lose motivated users is if you’re exhausting them. That’s why you should always write out directions succinctly and be clear about what people can expect from the outcome. There should be no guesswork involved

For example, if your goal is to have clients open an account, guide them through a brief step-by-step sign-up process and then provide them with a quick account tour once they’re signed up.

5. Social Deviance

This one is very simple. Don’t ask your audience to go against the norm or perform actions that are not socially acceptable. Sure, some people like it when brands play into individual differences or are unique, but you shouldn’t go too far in that you’re promoting actions that alienate or offend people.

6. Non-routine

People are comfortable with actions they’re already familiar with, so in order to get users to complete your intended behavior, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Look at what competitors are doing in terms of web design, campaigns, or products they offer, and ask yourself if your products are in-line with theirs. This doesn’t mean they should be the same, but there should be a basic degree of familiarity and routine.

For example, if you’re designing a website for your company, don’t design the menu and search bar in places where users wouldn’t expect them to be. This will make them frustrated and confused and might motivate them to give up.

Triggers

Fogg’s behavior model triggers can be compared to a call to action. Once users pass the motivation and ability stages, the final behavior needs to be triggered by an enticing prompt. The following three types of triggers, or calls to action, use a combination of both motivation and ability to result in a prompt that works best with each user.

1. Facilitator

You’ll need a facilitating prompt when there is a lot of motivation, but a lack of ability. You’ll need to sort of take the user by the hand and guide them through a process very carefully by using very clear prompts. These prompts can be clear instructions, flashing arrows, or pop-ups with vital information. 

2. Spark

On the flip side, some users lack a decent amount of motivation but they have the complete ability. In this case, a spark is meant to increase the motivation, often by playing into a person’s emotion by making them care. In this step, you’ll need to be able to show your value and then continue with clear and functional next steps.

Basically, it should focus on playing up the value and accessibility of a first step, and then later steps can help further a user’s motivation.

For example, getting a user to sign up for your newsletter by offering an incentive like a discount code will make them more motivated to give you their email address.

3. Signal

Some people have both the right amount of motivation and the right amount of ability, and this makes it easier for you. The only thing that they’re missing is a clear CTA, so make sure you’re providing a noticeable and effective CTA that aligns with their motivation and abilities.

How to Use Fogg’s Behavior Model in Practice

Now that you have a better understanding of Fogg’s behavior model and each element that it’s made up of, you’re probably already thinking of ways you can put this knowledge into practice. 

Once you’ve implemented Fogg’s behavior model in your next campaign or advertisement, you may think that your work is done. However, in order to ensure that your campaign runs smoothly and that you’ll achieve your desired behavior, such as a higher conversion rate, take some time to analyze your processes and think like a user. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Motivation: Have we done enough to motivate users to perform our desired behavior?
  
• Ability: Have we analyzed and eliminated any ability-blockers that would stop our users from achieving the desired behavior?
  
• Triggers: Are we using our prompts and CTAs effectively in a way that promotes users completing the final desired behavior?

If your answer is yes to all of these questions, then you’re ready to take the next step and put your plan into action. So, how can you use this behavior model to increase conversion? Let’s look at BJ Fogg’s behavior model example in the real world. 

Let’s say you’re running a Facebook ad for the purpose of increasing conversions for your website where you sell sneakers. Your ad was well-designed by your graphics and content teams, but it just doesn’t seem to be affecting the conversions in the way you hoped. Here are some steps you’d take according to the behavior model.

1. Using Fogg’s behavior model, you would first figure out what a user’s motivation would be to click on your ad while scrolling through their feed. One way to do this would be to instill a sense of community by displaying the ad to the “sneakerhead” community and tailoring your ad to their preferences. 
   
2. Once the motivation is clearer and users are more interested to click on your ad, make sure that your website doesn’t present any impediments to a user’s ability. Decrease the number of clicks someone would need to find the right pair of sneakers they’re looking for by adding product filters to your catalogue. 
   
3. Finally, when a user gets to the product page they want, add a motivating prompt, like an “add to cart” CTA, or even incentivize them with a discount on this purchase if they check out within the next X amount of time. 

This is just one example of how to implement Fogg’s behavior model, but there are many factors that can affect how you use it. Such as your audience, your goal, or even your products. Play around with different elements of Fogg’s behavior model until you find a formula that brings you success. 

Bottom Line

Behavior is a chain of events, and if at any point the chain is weaker due to a lack of motivation, a lack of ability, or ineffective triggers, then the chain will break. Each element of Fogg’s behavior model works together and depends on each other in order to reach the desired behavior. 

So, if you have a specific goal in mind, like increasing conversions, start by thinking of what a user’s behavior would need to look like in order to achieve this goal.

Once you start using this behavior model for one task, it’ll become more intuitive to implement it across your business in more ways than only your marketing strategy or in campaigns, but also in other ways, like business operations or even employee satisfaction. 

The post How to use Fogg’s behavior model to increase conversion appeared first on WiseStamp.

This article will show you how.

Signature vs autographs

Many people seem to get mixed up between autographs and signatures. An autograph is generally used by a celebrity or famous person in a public setting, such as on an image or in a book. Usually, a celebrity’s autograph is not the same. The reason is that if their signature was in the public sphere, it could become subject to fraud.

Unlike celebrities, the average person does not need more than one style of signature. When you choose how to sign your name and what your signature will look like, it should look the same regardless of the type of contract or document you’re signing. 

Of course, there’s no legal requirement for keeping your signature identical. Technically, you can sign your rental contract, car lease, and employment contract with entirely different signatures. Each one would be legal. However, you risk running into issues down the line if your signature ever gets called into question and needs to be compared with signatures on other legal documents.

How to create a hand signature?

Signatures have been used to prove the identity of someone, and have been used to certify important documents. Who can forget John Hancock’s infamously theatrical signature on the Declaration of Independence?

But besides the style, everyone will have their own preferences for how to write their name.

Examples of the name variations you can use as your signature:

• First and last name: Albus Dumbledore
• Full name, including middle names: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
• Initial of your first name and full last name: A. Dumbledore
• Initials of your first and middle names and full last name: A. P. W. B. Dumbledore
• Initials only: A.D.

There is some debate on whether initials should be a signature. It’s more acceptable to use any of the other variations. However, as it was mentioned earlier, as long as your signature is uniform across any document you sign. A signature consisting of just initials is completely fine.

The basic style properties of handwritten signatures

First, let’s look at what your signature says about your personality before looking at famous signatures. These will indicate how someone conducts themselves, along with showing how they want to be identified.

We’ll cover these properties and what they signify:

1. Angle
2. Size
3. Legibility
4. Completeness
5. Embellishments

Take a moment to write down your signature so we can break it down

Before getting started, grab a black piece of paper and sign it with your original signature. Put the paper aside and come back later to analyze it. You can do it on paper or use our free signature generator.

1. Angle

There are three different angles that a signature will be: ascending, descending, and straight. Each one will inform others a little bit about your personality.

• Ascending – Ambition, optimism, and creativity
• Descending – Pessimistic
• Straight – Balance, organized, and self-sufficient

2. Size

The size of your signature will provide further insights into how you carry yourself. A CFO study by Dr. Charles Ham looked at hundreds of signatures of CFOs and came to the following conclusions.

• Large Signature – Confident, while also more likely to be narcissistic and bend the truth.
• Small Signature – Need to claim more space and not place yourself in a small box.

3. Legibility

The legibility of your signature will say a little something about how your mind works.

• Illegible Signature – Reflects a quick mind that doesn’t get bogged down by details.
• Legible Signature – Displays openness and straightforwardness.

4. Completeness

Differences in completeness, when it comes to either signing your full name or using initials, will also make a difference.

• Initials or First Name – Independent, efficient, and private.
• Full Name – More open.

5. Embellishments

Embellishments are special touches added to your signature. These say something about your personality. The more embellishments, the more complicated the person, while a more simple signature suggests a more straightforward person.

• Long Lines – Determination, drive, and perseverance
• Hard Stop – Strong sense of self and seriousness

How to choose the best signature

There are many different types of signatures out there, but ultimately, the one you choose should reflect your own identity. A hand signature is by nature something personal and is used for this reason to indicate your personal authentication. While it can evolve slightly over a person’s lifetime, it generally stays the same. This allows a significant degree of confidence when authenticating your documents over time.

Top 15 famous handwritten signatures you can take inspiration from

It can certainly be a good idea to take inspiration from famous CEOs and founders of large businesses when recreating your hand signature. Signatures of famous personalities can manifest their social standing over time. You may be able to mimic those and their properties, so some of what it says about them will be attributed to you. So, let’s explore some famous signatures so you can become familiar with the little details.

Here are the top 15 famous handwritten signatures of entrepreneurs you are probably familiar with. You will see Some of the nuances we covered in the “basic properties of handwritten signatures” within these examples, so pay attention and think about how you can incorporate any of these in your own signature.

Steve Jobs

Co-founder of Apple, the late Steve Jobs went unconventional in his signature and wrote it in all lowercase script. He would write his name in an ascending angle, telling us that he had ambition and was forward-thinking.

Steve Wozniak

Another co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, signs his name by using his nickname, Woz. What this shows is his independent-mindedness, as well as high self-confidence. By making the ‘W’ in his name quite large and slanted, it demonstrates his high self-esteem.

Meg Whitman

Meg Whitman was the CEO of Hewlett-Packard for a long time. She demonstrates her drive and determination in the long line going straight out after the last letter in her signature. The fact that she signs her first name very legibly, while scribbling her last name, indicates she is proud of her accomplishments.

David Packard

One of the co-founders of Hewlett-Packard, David Packard, used to sign his signature upwards, which shows that he was an ambitious and optimistic person. He pronounces and emphasizes the first letter of both his first and last name, which shows his confidence. He also doesn’t leave a space between his first and last name, showing off his rich character. 

Satya Nadella

As the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella doesn’t spell out his last name besides his first initial. This shows off his easygoing nature. However, the period after that initial tells people that he is also a strong business leader.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos is the founder of the massive Amazon. He signs his first name legibly but makes it difficult to read his last name. This shows he is proud of his personal accomplishments. His last name ends with an ascending streak, showing us that he has an energetic character.

Michael Dell

The founder and CEO of Dell, Michael Dell, signs his name perfectly straight. He stays meticulous by precisely lining up the dot for the ‘i’ in his first name where it needs to go. This shows he pays great attention to detail and stays precise in all he does.

Brian Krzanich

As the former CEO of Intel, Brian Krzanich is someone who would scribble his signature. This showcases his sharp intelligence. It also shows that he is a busy person who has little time for things like signing his name. The only letters in his signature that are legible are the first letters of his first and last name. They are also much more substantial than all the other letters. Both of these features display the immense confidence this businessman has.

Larry Page

Larry Page is one of the co-founders of Google, who interestingly keeps the first ‘a’ in his name open at the top. This tells people he likes to share his thoughts with others. Again, as with others, the significantly larger first letters of his first and last names indicate he has high self-worth. Keeping his name straight throughout demonstrates he has a balanced approach when it comes to working.

Sergey Brin

Being the other co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin is a “big picture” guy. He lets others deal with the specifics and details of things. Also, he signs his first name more legibly than his last, suggesting he can be easily approachable. It also shows he speaks in a straightforward and direct way.

Kevin Systrom

Kevin Systrom is the co-founder of Instagram, who signs his signature by making the first letters in both first and last names huge. In fact, they are slightly outrageous, indicating he may be a bit arrogant. Nixing the dot for the ‘i’ in his first name demonstrates he is also a ‘big picture’ guy.

Reid Hoffman

Reid Hoffman is the co-founder of LinkedIn, who signs his name in a very ascended manner. This shows how ambitious of a person he is. Also, it indicates that he plans for the future. The dot over the ‘i’ in his first name is almost an afterthought, demonstrating that he is always on the move.

Jack Dorsey

As the co-founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey incorporates this into his signature. Instead of the traditional first and last name, he makes it @jack. This incorporates the method of identifying someone on Twitter, and shows he is open and straightforward with how he communicates. Also, by not adding his last name, he shows people that he is a relaxed and easygoing person.

Kevin J. Kennedy

Once the CEO of Avaya, Kevin J. Kennedy takes quite a journey with the line he draws stemming out of the ‘y’ in his last name. This suggests he sees himself as a very important person and wants to lead a commanding presence. Also, the fact that the line travels all the way to before his first name indicates he is someone who frequently looks to the past.

Mark Zuckerberg

As the CEO of Facebook, you would expect Mark Zuckerberg to be an open person. However, signing barely more than his initials tells us he is actually very private. Every letter is capitalized though, which indicates he has high confidence in himself, as well as high self-esteem.

How to use your hand signature to get ahead in life and in business

When comparing what the studies related to “signature science” have found to the famous people’s signatures we looked at, the science overall checks out.

Of course, these don’t take into account whether someone is ‘faking’ their signature to appear a certain way, or attempting to mask something like narcissism. However, it’s quite accurate overall. When you look at the signature of famous personalities, you can see that the studies done on signatures are relatively accurate.

Now it’s time to get to know how you can properly use your hand signature to get ahead in life and business

Types of signatures and their uses

The personal signature has gone through several transformations in its long history. Before arriving where we are today with electronic and digital versions. However, the signature’s meaning and purpose have largely remained. The same throughout the years: it’s a personal depiction of someone’s name that proves identity and is often affixed to documents to represent certification.

Digital signatures these days have become the norm for a lot of different scenarios, such as signing a contract. It’s become relatively commonplace to add your digital signature to documents, however, it wasn’t always such a simple affair.

Electronic signature vs digital signatures

It’s important to know that there’s a difference between an electronic signature and a digital signature.

An electronic signature or an e-signature is generally accepted as being an acknowledgment of an electronic message. According to the E-Sign Act of 2000, an electronic signature is defined as “an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record.”

A few examples of an electronic signature are:

• A name typed in a document in electronic form
• Adding a typed name at the end of an email
• In banking, your PIN (Personal Identification Number) is considered an electronic signature
• A digitally captured image of your handwritten signature, such as on a touch-screen device

Digital signatures, on the other hand, involve a lot more security features compared to an electronic signature and are generally considered to be a lot more secure. A digital signature will include a certificate of authenticity that ensures the signature on a document is valid.

When using a digital signature, all parties can see when a document was changed in a way that would render it invalid. The sign-off includes a private decryption key, which makes it a lot more secure and verifiable by anyone involved.

Wet Signatures

If someone asks you for a wet sign-off, don’t be too confused.

A wet signature is simply a handwritten signature that is done in person on an original copy of a contract or document. Today this type of signing can be encountered when opening a bank account or signing any legally binding documents.

The term “wet signature” evokes the idea of a done-in ink that takes time to dry. Of course, these days you won’t be signing any documents with a quill and parchment, so wet signatures mainly refer to a contract signed in person, not digitally or electronically.

Email Signatures

These days, most business and personal correspondence is done using email. This has virtually wiped out the use of the classic signature. However, you can get a media-rich signature added to your emails that can provide a wealth of information for others. Simply typing your name will be something you will never want to go back to again, once you start using Wisestamp’s signature features.

When it comes to picking a signature for your email, there are plenty of options here too. Aside from including your name. You also need to choose an appropriate email sign off. Any relevant links, and other contact information.

To

Subject

Make it yours

Made with WiseStamp

Generals tips and guidelines when making your email signature:

• Keep it simple: you don’t always need an elaborate signature. Make sure to include your name, job title, company, and phone number, and you’ll be good to go. No need to add all your phone numbers, fax numbers, addresses, or multiple emails if it’s not relevant.
  
• Include an image: it’s become more popular to add a small profile image aligned with the text of your signature. This adds a personal touch and can help new clients or partners get to know you better through an email.
  
• Add your logo: if you don’t want to add an image of yourself, you can add your company’s logo.
  
• Use social icons: it’s a good idea to add icons or links to your business’s social platforms. Your clients can easily find you online and so you drive traffic to your different channels.
  
• Share other business information: Aside from adding social icons or links. You can also use your signature to share a link to your business’s latest blog post. Your company’s recent awards, or even a CTA for newsletter sign-ups.
  
• Make sure it’s mobile-friendly: since most people nowadays check their emails on their phone. It’s important to ensure that your signature looks good on multiple devices.

Try using the WiseStamp free email signature maker to create a custom email signature where you can design the look exactly how you want it. It also has tons of different social media icons to choose from. So, you can add all your different channels to your email signature, as well as links to your blog posts, promotional banners, and even legal disclaimers.

Whether you are a freelancer, entrepreneur, or small business, Wisestamp can provide you with a signature solution that is simply unmatched anywhere else. We enable you to add a rich and professional signature to every email you send.

These unique signatures can promote your business with every correspondence, strengthening your brand, getting more leads, and engaging people with your social media accounts. Help your business grow and enjoy a more dynamic signature by going with Wisestamp.

Signature history & evolution: a brief timeline

The meaning of a signature has stayed the same over the years, but it has taken on many forms. Today, we may primarily think of a signature as a way to close an email. When you look back throughout history. A signature has meant so many different things.

In order to understand and appreciate the signature as we know it, we should learn about its origins. Read on to discover the signature’s history throughout different eras until its modern adaptations today.

Different time periods saw different versions of a signature. Its medium has changed over time, taking on different forms and contexts. 

The only constant is that man has been using a signature. In one form or another, for over a thousand years to denote a personal identification, confirmation, or witness.

Let’s take a brief look at the signature’s history and its evolution over time.

3000 BC: The Earliest Known Signature

Some of the first identifiable signatures date all the way back to 3000 BC. In ancient societies such as the Egyptians and Sumerians. These societies began etching pictographs, such as hieroglyphics, consisting of images that convey an event, story, or historical moment. 

A Sumerian tablet dating back to 3100 BC is thought to be the earliest example of a signature. This clay tablet has markings of a scribe, Gar Ama, and is considered an ancient example. Someone uses a combination of words and symbols to indicate their identity.

1200 BC – 1069 AD: Ancient Greeks and The Alphabet

Many things happened with the way language was conveyed and written over this long period of time. The ancient Greeks and Romans placed a great deal of importance on language. 

Around 1200 BC, the Greeks began using the Phoenician alphabet. Over the next few centuries. It evolved into the more modern Latin alphabet that we use today. 

It wasn’t until 1069 that we got the first documented use of a signature using the Latin alphabet from a well-known historical figure. El Cid, a Medieval military leader from Spain, left a signature of his name in a document demonstrating a donation he made to the Cathedral of Valencia. El Cid’s signature would become closer to what we know today as the modern.

13th Century: The Rise of Wax Seals

Though not a classic signature involving a name scribbled on a document, wax seals served a similar purpose as signatures.

The wax seal became more popularized in the Middle Ages. It was typically used by nobility or clergy members, such as monarchs, royal representatives, and bishops. A wax seal often provided a level of authentication to a document, such as a contract or an official letter.

Like signatures, each seal was completely unique to its owner. Though the Latin alphabet was already invented, a lot of people remained illiterate. The wax seal gained more popularity and became more frequently used. Among common people, it was a good alternative for those who didn’t know how to read or write.

One of the most famous documents signed with a wax seal is the Magna Carta. In 1215, the King of England stamped the document with his seal. The Magna Carta went on to be one of England’s most important documents.

1677 and 1776: The Modern Signature is Born

In 1677, the English Parliament passed The Statute of Frauds Act, which allowed signatures to become what they are today.

The act was instated to curb the rise of fraud. The law stated that contracts need to be signed and that a signature implies a binding contract.

John Hancock’s famous signature on the American Declaration. Independence in 1776 would go on to become one of the most recognizable signatures in history. More importantly, his signature denotes a binding contract.

The 1980s – 2000s: The Signature Gets an Update

Like everything else that got updated with the rise of technology, the signature was no exception.

In the 1980s when fax machines became more commonly used in business and daily life, contracts were often scanned electronically. Therefore, laws had to be changed in many countries in order to adapt to this new technology. In order to ensure the legality and authenticity of these electronically sent documents.

Indeed, they saw a huge shift with more advanced technologies, such as digital and electronic signatures.

The post Best signatures by famous businessmen (breakdown & tips) appeared first on WiseStamp.

But, contrary to this belief, increasing the number of tasks you perform won’t necessarily impact your business for the better, but rather, the opposite. Sometimes you just need to practice “business minimalism” to achieve your goals.

After all, with more and more tasks, it’s very easy to become overworked and see vital tasks slipping through the cracks. And, knowing where to place your time and efforts is key to succeeding and pursuing your goals. A whopping 97 percent of organizations believe project management is critical to business performance and organizational success.

So let’s look at what “business minimalism” means and how you can use it to achieve more by doing less…

Choose the essentials

These days entrepreneurs are finding themselves with jam-packed schedules, an abundance of tasks to accomplish, and very little time to spare. Not only are small businesses spending a lot of time and energy on trivial tasks but, these tasks may also be hindering their ability to focus on the most crucial elements for business growth.  That is where essentialism comes into play.

As defined by Greg McKeown in his book; Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and doing only what is essential.”

For your small business, every move you make is critical, making choosing what tasks to spend your time and efforts on a bit tricky. Not everything is of equal importance, therefore, as a business owner, you must set out your main company goals and prioritize tasks accordingly.

Keep in mind; that simplicity is key! You don’t want to overwhelm yourself and your employees by having too much to accomplish. Strip your business tasks down to what is essential and eliminate the small tasks that distract you from your goal.

With apps such as Swell, you can tackle a never-ending to-do list. Tasks are analyzed for the best well-thought suggestions and tips. Using an app such as this, or another similar platform is the perfect way to organize your tasks and stay on top of the essential elements of your business.

Make decisions that count

Every small business owner has a lot to juggle, from running the sales, accounting, product development, and so on, it’s hard to stay on top of even just the basics. So, taking even more on board by trying to do too many things at once actually prevents you from propelling the company forward. To guarantee you’re incorporating essentialism into your organization, it’s important to be constantly thinking, reading, and learning from your actions.

Don’t follow the crowd by making impulsive business decisions and responding to everything that comes your way. Be less reactive. Try making fewer decisions – ones that count – and taking a more patient approach. Don’t forget, slow and steady wins the race. A focused, well-thought-out approach to business is the perfect strategy to make it big.

Take a minimalist approach

The minimalist trend stresses the importance of “less is more.” Entrepreneurs who follow this trend strip their business down to the main essentials, thereby removing all time-consuming non-essential tasks and elements.

A common mistake many entrepreneurs make is making their business plans too complicated. By adopting a minimalist strategy, entrepreneurs are more equipped to achieve their goals as they are more focused on fewer tasks.

Also, take a look at retailers Frank and Oak. They have incorporated minimalism throughout their brand from the type of clothes that they sell to their website. They use monochromatic colors and simple fonts to broadcast their message, making it simple and easy for customers to understand what they are buying.

Minimalism allows your company to flourish as it doesn’t impose on your busy schedule. This trend guarantees you’re stripping the company back to its core principles and focusing only on essential tasks needed to grow – meaning you can accomplish more crucial tasks smoothly with less stress, distractions, and restrictions.

Minimalism in design

For example, take a look at the product design company Inked. One of their core strategies when faced with a new design, is to truly define a product and its need in the market. Only after this can they begin working and can focus on only the most crucial elements of the product design.

Wisestamp also had to address the issue of minimalist design, since our users showed interest in minimal email signatures. A signature block is such a small component, to begin with, so making it even more compact was not a small challenge for us. But it was well worth it since it increased our user base and broadened our offering.

Conclusion:

When developing your business, you may think that taking on more tasks will impact your business growth for the better, but, in reality, it can cost you your business. Juggling too many tasks, especially ones you may be weak in, means you won’t be able to focus on the business’s most essential tasks.

Having the ambition to try and excel is great, but learning to direct that ambition into your strengths is the key to success. Try to incorporate strategies such as essentialism and minimalism and remember to think before you act. You’ll find that you’re doing less, but accomplishing the right tasks that will efficiently grow your business.

Shachar is a Co-Founder at Ranky. He dreams about growth and startup marketing, wakes up to the Tweets of birds and he’s a Social person. He is also a football fan (but don’t ask him anything about FC Barcelona) and a gadgets addict. Stalk him on Twitter.

The post Business Minimalism: achieve more by doing less appeared first on WiseStamp.

Building your personal brand will open up the doors to more business opportunities, connections with peers in your industry, help you increase your influence online, and attract more customers to your business.

This is because once you have established a solid and recognizable personal brand, people will start to see you as an authoritative figure in your space.

What is a personal brand?

A personal brand is a broad set of traits, competencies, and values that are generally attributed to you by your target audience. Personal branding is mostly set in specific contexts, such as a specific industry, field of knowledge, sport, or social circle. A strong personal brand earns you trust, authority, and admiration. It will differentiate you from your peers and competitors and can be leveraged for promoting your personal and business goals.

Some examples of successful personal brands are, Opera Whinfrey in the self-help literature industry, Neil Patel in SEO, and Gordon Ramsey in cooking.

How to begin making a personal brand (day 1)

If you’re just starting out and you haven’t had time to establish your brand identity, it would be wise to start from there.

It’s helpful to think of your “brand identity” as a person. Every person has a name, personality, and physical characteristics that, combined together, make them distinct and recognizable from other people.

For example, there are lots of people named “Ben” with brown hair. But there the more features we’ll add to describe Ben, such as a “Ben” with brown hair who always wears band shirts, smells like menthol cigarettes, has an Australian accent, and snorts every time he laughs. It will be  easier to remember this specific “Ben.”

And so it should be easy to distinguish your brand identity from your competitors, even if you both own ice cream shops in Seattle, Washington. There is something that sets your ice cream shop apart, and you’ll use your brand identity to communicate those unique attributes.

Defining your brand story and values based on your USP

Take a moment to think again about the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of your business, which we first explored in the Research & Strategy article. Whether you’re a personal trainer, photographer, real estate agent, or lawyer, you bring your own unique experience, expertise, passion, perspective, and values to your work and business. No one can compete with you on that.

This is the reason that people will choose to do business with you and not your competitors. Your customers will relate your business’ story and values, which is something you must communicate as part of your identity

How to build your personal brand’s online presence

By now we’ve established how you can build an appealing personal brand. But a well-worked-out personal brand is just the first step. Now it’s time to push your brand into the world. But how do you breathe life into your brand? You do this by carefully building and managing your personal brand’s online presence.

Creating a solid online presence for your personal brand and business is super essential, especially since we are living in a digital age. Your online presence should consist of web properties you establish, such as your social media profiles, your website, your Youtube channel, and more.

1. Clean Up Your Digital Dirt

Everyone has a life, and for many of us, our lives are documented on social media. Most of it you didn’t even put up, but rather came from your friends and family. To tighten your personal brand you’ll need to clear away any old documentation that does not conform with the brand you are attempting to build.

Set forth, clean what you can on your own, and don’t hesitate to ask your friends and family to remove things on their end that simply got to go.

2. Participate in Professional Groups and Forums

Depending on the niche or field you intend to build your brand in, you may want to get active in relevant groups and forums. Making yourself known as a valuable contributor in online chat rooms and resources that are important to your target audience is a powerful way to build your personal brand from the ground up.

Get active, and invest time in helping your audience get what they need. Do this enough and they will start coming to you for advice. Do this well enough and long enough and you’ll garner a following. And that’s how brands pick up speed.

3. Use Online Graphic Design Tools to Create Professional, Branded Images

Once your website and social media profiles are ready to be seen by your future employer, use a graphics tool like Canva, Photoshop, Visme, or Figma to create professional cover photos, headers, slideshows, and infographics.

4. Create a Website / Blog

Creating a blog for your personal brand is a great idea, but keep in mind that it takes a lot of time to establish. Making a website is easy enough, with drag and drop website builders like Wix, Square, or Elementor (for WordPress), but creating great content that your target audience will like and come back for more, takes time and thought.

My advice is to set out on this endeavor as soon as possible because it can take a long time to create enough content for your website to become known to the right people, let alone a central meeting place. That said, the prize of having a known website among your target audience will shoot your status and authority through the roof.

5. Get active on social media

Social media is not one thing. There are different social media platforms for different audiences and you should establish yourself in the social media arena where YOUR audience is.

You may need to open a YouTube channel if you’re audience is centered around a visual common interest like video games or cosmetics. You may want to be in Reddit or in IMDB if your audience is into movies or Anime. And if your audience is fascinated by sports or photography then Instagram is your arena. If your audience is in constant need of information about a certain topic then Facebook is your go-to.

6. Create a Professional Email Signature

If you communicate a lot by email, then you’ll need an efficient way to bring your personal brand to each message you send. An email is considered an interaction with high attention. This means that most people direct their full attention when reading their emails, which in turn means that whatever you include there will be memorable.

That’s why established brands and professionals always have a great-looking email signature with their brand styles and their brand logo.

Making your own email signature is not a problem since you can use an email signature generator to make it in just about 5 minutes.

To

Subject

Make it yours

7.  Network with fellow peers in your industry

If you want to really level up your personal branding, one of the activities that you should concentrate on is networking. If I can be honest here for a second, this is one of the areas that I totally shied away from but one that is already making a huge impact on my new brand because I didn’t fully understand the power of online networking.

The thing is…is that you cannot build a brand or business alone.  You will need to start branching out and networking with others in your industry to really start getting your business and brand out there.

Cheers and Happy Branding!

The post Personal branding fundamentals: branding yourself smarter (2024) appeared first on WiseStamp.