What Is A Personal Brand
What is the difference between a personal brand & branding?
A personal brand is rooted in the minds of people in the market. Personal branding is the effort to communicate and present your value to the world.
A true personal brand revolves around what other people say about you. Personal branding revolves around what you say about yourself.
We live in a time where everyone is overly focused on their branding, and not focused enough on their brand. Branding is surface level, where a brand is an emotional connection.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is famously quoted as saying, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Why should I create a personal brand for my ecommerce store?
There are millions of products, ecommerce stores, and digital marketing strategies on the market today. It seems like everyone is chasing the next big thing. But standing out online takes more than just a unique product or service. If you want to stand out online, you MUST have a personal brand .
Personal branding is one way to separate yourself from the pack. Business owners and entrepreneurs need to differentiate themselves from the competition that’s out there. Personal branding is a way of positioning yourself as an expert, authority or leader in your market segment. And if you create a personal brand, people will remember you.
How to build your personal brand on your ecommerce site?
Let's chat about how you can personalize your brand and your eCommerce store.
1. Be Transparent
Don't be afraid to show how your business works. The more you show, the more people will trust you. If you are scared to be 'open', or available, you don't trust your customer and they won't trust you. No business is perfect, and showing that you have nothing to hide is better than showing nothing.
Here are a few things you can add to your store:
- Business Address
- Telephone number
- Email address - preferably not a personal email.
- Behind the Scenes video & images
- Images and Videos of you and your staff.
2. Add Personality into your brand
A personal brand is more than just colors and a logo.
When a visitor pops onto your site, what is the first impression they get?
Neil Patel's says that "According to one academic study, 94% of the time someone’s first impression is based on design, and it only takes 50 milliseconds for that split-second decision to get made."
Don't just use free stock images and bland descriptions.
Be different and invest in paid images or a good photographer will make a huge difference.
Be human because humans are reading your descriptions, your story, and your reason for being in business.
- Use colors you like and make sure they are in the same tone of color.
- Don't be too bland on your page, add character to your page.
- Use your voice on your page - for instance, personalize your descriptions to your voice. Your descriptions have to speak to your customers.
Try to have a consistent color and voice across your website and social media so your customers will recognize you wherever you pop up.
3. Your Story is Relevant
The real power of brands, though, is in telling a story, and that's what we need to do with our own personal brand. Craft a story that tells people who you are and how you can help them.
Try to be personal and personable on your about page and please talk about your business - why you are doing it and what your passions are e.g. reading, swimming, traveling - anything that your customers will identify with you and relate to your actions and lifestyle.
- Why you are doing it and what your motivation was.
- What your passions are e.g. reading, swimming, traveling....anything that your customers will identify with you.
- Personal information is important because it is again identifying with your customer.
We want to give our customers a nice warm fuzzy feeling of knowing us.
'People buy from people they trust.'
4. Get visible to the right people
In more ways than just images and video, which is important as well.
Remember I mentioned the relating and identifying customer? A photo or even better, a video of you would be an amazing addition to your page and is probably one of the most important things you can add to your page. We are in the social visual age....it is all about images and videos!
Think of your environment - where you work and what it looks like? Videos are excellent options. Show your customers a 'behind the scene' video or images. If you are transparent about what and how you are doing, customers will trust you more.
But to be consistently in front of your audience - GOLDEN.
5. Make a list of your unique selling propositions
You work very hard to get the pat on the back of what we have accomplished. You are allowed to brag a bit. Okay well more than a bit. Shout it out there and add everything to your page. If you are in or contributing to blogs, if you are mentioned in magazines, and all the other bits and pieces like accolades, associations and groups you belong to.
Self-promotion is a very important part of owning your own business. Just see what famous people do!
How do you stand out? Be unique by helping and educating your customers when they land on your website/store. Ask yourself this question - what do you do if you shop online and there is not enough information or the website/store is very impersonal?
That's it for now, stay tuned as we ramp up for the next season!
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Also in eCommerce Success Blog
What is the difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Products import and export?
By Veronica Jeans, Bestselling Author November 16, 2024
Shopify CSV vs Matrixify Excel: A Comprehensive Guide to Product Management
Managing product data in an e-commerce platform can be a complex task, especially when dealing with large inventories. This article compares two prominent methods for handling product data in Shopify: the native CSV system and the Matrixify Excel approach. We'll explore how these tools differ and why choosing the right one can significantly impact your workflow efficiency.
Shopify vs Matrixify Comparison
Detailed Comparison between Shopify & Matrixify Product Management & Uploads
File Format and Basic Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Data Management Capabilities
1. Product Export Features
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
2. Image Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Advanced Features
3. Metafields Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
4. Product Updates and Maintenance
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
5. Inventory Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
6. Template Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Special Features
Matrixify Exclusive Capabilities
1. HTML Code Optimization
2. Variant Management
3. Publishing Control
Best Practices and Recommendations
When to Use Shopify CSV
When to Use Matrixify Excel
While Shopify's native CSV system provides basic functionality for smaller stores, Matrixify Excel offers a more robust, flexible, and efficient solution for managing product data. The choice between the two largely depends on your store's size, complexity, and specific needs. For larger operations or those requiring detailed control over their product data, Matrixify Excel presents clear advantages in terms of functionality, efficiency, and scalability.
Remember that investing time in learning the more powerful tool can save significant time and reduce errors in the long run, especially as your store grows and your product management needs become more complex.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Questions
What's the main difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Excel?
The main difference is that Shopify CSV is a basic file format with limited functionality, while Matrixify Excel offers advanced features like real-time tracking, multiple sheets, and partial updates. Matrixify also allows you to work with pure Excel files instead of CSV format.
Which option is better for my store?
It depends on your store size and needs:
Use Shopify CSV if:
Use Matrixify if:
File Size & Limitations
What are the file size limitations?
Shopify CSV: 15MB maximum
Matrixify: Can handle gigabytes of data (600,000+ products)
How many products can each handle?
Shopify CSV: small catalog
Matrixify: 600,000+ products in one import
Features & Functionality
Can I update specific fields without replacing entire products?
Shopify CSV: No, you must replace the entire product
Matrixify: Yes, you can update individual fields
How do multiple images work in each system?
Shopify CSV: Requires separate rows for each image
Matrixify: All images can be in one row, separated by semicolons
Can I manage metafields?
Shopify CSV: No metafield support
Matrixify: Full metafield support with column-based management
Import/Export Process
How do I track the progress of my import?
Shopify CSV: No tracking wait for email notification
Matrixify: Real-time progress bar with estimated completion time
Can I cancel an import once it's started?
Shopify CSV: No
Matrixify: Yes, at any time during the import
Data Management
What happens to product IDs during import?
Shopify CSV: Creates new IDs, breaking collection references
Matrixify: Maintains existing IDs and references
How are variants handled?
Shopify CSV: Each variant requires a separate row
Matrixify: Can generate variants from combinations using semicolon separation
Technical Questions
How does each handle HTML in descriptions?
Shopify CSV: Leaves escaped HTML code as is
Matrixify: Automatically fixes escaped HTML code to normal HTML
Can I manage inventory across multiple locations?
Shopify CSV: Limited location support
Matrixify: Full multi-location inventory management
Best Practices
What's the recommended way to update product prices?
Shopify CSV: Must upload full product data
Matrixify: Can update prices alone using a simple price column
How should I handle large product catalogs?
Shopify CSV: Split into multiple files under 15MB
Matrixify: Can handle in single file with filtering options
Troubleshooting
What if my import fails?
Shopify CSV: Check email for basic error message
Matrixify: Detailed error reporting with specific row/column information
How do I fix broken product references?
Shopify CSV: Manually rebuild collections and references
Matrixify: No action needed references are maintained
Integration & Compatibility
Do these work with all Shopify plans?
Both work with all Shopify plans, but Matrixify requires a separate subscription.
Can I use these with other e-commerce platforms?
Shopify CSV: Shopify-specific format
Matrixify: Designed for Shopify but Excel format is more universal
Support & Resources
Where can I find documentation?
Shopify CSV: Shopify Help Center
Matrixify: Comprehensive documentation with tutorials and examples
Is there technical support available?
Shopify CSV: General Shopify support
Matrixify: Dedicated support team with Excel/import expertise
Cost & Efficiency
Which option is more time-efficient?
Matrixify is generally more time-efficient due to:
Faster processing of large files
How do they compare in terms of cost?
Shopify CSV: Free with Shopify subscription
Matrixify: Requires separate subscription but offers more features and efficiency
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