Why You Should Build Your Brand Right Now
The Skinny
Everyone and their dog would like the security and control of a detailed action plan. Unfortunately, change is happening faster than you can create to-do lists. DO NOT discount a well-developed plan, but you must DO SOMETHING in order ensure you and your business are not left behind.
The Fat
My adventure began as a goal to own and operate my own business. It was written in the stars; my 10-year goals as a college student included owning a business. My personal mission was known, but the details? Fuzzy, at best. The more and more I looked around, I realized the only thing that was holding me back was the 10-year gap I set for myself. Gary Vaynerchuk was “going to start taking his health seriously” when he turned 40, and at 38.5 decided he shouldn’t wait any longer. In the same train of thought, I asked, “why would I have to wait ten years to start my business?” Now I am doing something. Here’s why:
1. CHANGE IS HAPPENING FASTER THAN EVER
Low barriers to entry create a competitive environment, and that environment is just getting more crowded. Get into the market NOW, while there is an opportunity. Soon enough, someone else will read what a great time it is to enter the marketplace for your services or products and beat you to the punch. The Kauffman Index shows an increase of nearly 570 thousand new entrepreneurs in 2015. Clearly, there’s never been a better time than now, and never a worse time than tomorrow, to enter the marketplace.
2. THE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE
My partner, Kiran, and I tallied up our starting costs recently. To register a business, buy a domain from Squarespace, and begin soliciting work cost us $195, not including the free trial of Google Apps that will expire in a month. Still, barriers to entry are lower than the cost of a weekend at Lake Shasta (shoutout to the college kid in all of us). Barriers to entry are so low that even someone sweeping floors at a Wal-Mart can save up enough pennies to get going in a business venture. Begin building your brand, or the guy from your entrepreneurial marketing class will.
3. YOU HAVE THE STORY
My story is one of an old-school farm background that taught me relationships are everything. My story is rooted in community-perspective that says people matters. You have a story, as do your customers. Know what stories are being told and you will discover you have a great foundation for your brand, and for content, in order to get going. As the fellas at the Content Marketing Institute say, you have a story to tell, tell it well.
4. YOU ARE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL
As my man Gary Vee says about the big picture, you have got to be a tortoise in a hare’s body. Have a long term vision, and begin building the pathway to the vision now. If you have any long-term goals at all, the first step to reaching them is to take a step forward, not wait for the sound of a starting gun that will never come.
Whether you are feeling out a business proposition, or committed to a business idea to the death, you must be aware that the hustle is real. Sacrifice is real. The stress you will go through on your way to brand success is real. I suggest you take that first step to your goals, or else you’re setting yourself up for the stress of mediocrity. Which would you rather have?
Mountain high, valley low, long-term marketing, here we go!
