Have you ever wanted to start your own business, but you don’t know where to start? Trust me, I’ve been there; it all starts with building your brand. As a business owner of five years who built my brand while in college, I know just how hard it is to build your own brand. I am a makeup artist, and my brand is “Najah Slayed That.”
I began building my brand in January 2020. Little did I know that in just a few months, the COVID pandemic would begin, and life as I knew it would change immensely. Although the pandemic started and everyone had to live their lives inside their homes, I didn’t let that stop me. I chose to pivot. I continued practicing my makeup looks on myself, creating my logo, and the digital media for Najah Slayed That’s Instagram. As the year progressed, and face-to-face contact became more controlled and regulated, I welcomed family and close friends to practice more makeup looks on. This allowed me to gain more content to use for digital branding and invite potential clientele. By 2021, I had established myself in my business and prepared a plan for promoting Najah Slayed That as I entered the college fall semester. So, it’s important to note that when faced with an obstacle, you know how to pivot because your reward is always on the other side.
The first thing you must do to build your own brand is to discover your niche. Ask yourself what you’d like to present to the world. Whether it’s a service, an item/object, or yourself, it’s important to hone in on your product. After discovering your niche, you must decide how you want to package it. For example, if you are aiming to be a service provider such as a makeup artist, you must decide the type of makeup you would like to specialize in. From there you will decide on your presentation. Presenting your product with your desired branded backdrop, certain colors, and signatures of your choice encourages individualism. Presentation is key because it is what draws in your consumer. Deciding on branding like your logo, brand fonts, brand colors, slogan, etc., is what will differentiate you from your competitors and entice your consumer.
Once you have developed your brand, you will then have to promote yourself. The easiest way to promote yourself is through social media and word of mouth. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and tell people about your brand. Especially on a college campus, reach out to your peers and student leaders and ask them to look at your work or follow your social media platforms. Ask your roommate if she wouldn’t mind being a model for your brand. Remember, your customers are out there and waiting for you. You may start slow, but you will grow with time. Following these steps will ensure the success of your brand.