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The Estherpreneur is a weekly chat about doing business and life God’s way. Join your host, Edna Harding as she offers biblical strategies and practical applications to improve your mind, business, spirit, relationships, and finances. Listen along as she talks with guests on how to thrive in all areas of life. Edna is a Wife, Mother, Growth Strategist, Author, Minister, Certified Maxwell Business Consultant and Executive Coach, an accredited Master Mindset Coach, and Speaker whose message of hope, truth, and wisdom reaches people all around the world. FavorandWealth.com Estherpreneur.com
Edna Harding [00:00:03]:
Welcome to Estrepreneur, a podcast for entrepreneurs and leaders doing business and life God's way. Each week we discuss biblical and practical tips to improve your mind, business, spirit, relationships, and finances. Listen along as I speak with special guests on how to thrive in all aspects of life. Hi, I'm Edna. Like many of you, I wear many hats. I'm a military wife, mother, author, certified John Maxwell business and executive coach, trainer, and founder of Favor and wealth, where we help the good guys win. So tune in as we bring on the light.
Edna Harding [00:00:46]:
Well, hello, everyone. Thank you for tuning in for another episode of the estherpreneur podcast. My name is Ed Hart. Edna Harding. Not Ed. Edna Harding. And I'm so excited that you're joining me in today's episode. We're going to talk about branding, specifically personal branding, but not the kind that the world teaches.
Edna Harding [00:01:08]:
We're going to talk about identity first. Branding identity first. Marketing. Because I want to start off with this comment that a lot of people say is, you know, they're not buying. They're not buying your product, they're not buying your service, they're buying you. They're buying your. Your personal brand. Right? And essentially that is right in one aspect.
Edna Harding [00:01:34]:
But I want to say that this is not actually, this is partially truth, okay? In reality, they're not just buying you. They're buying the God that you serve. Okay? They're buying the God that you serve. And so I wanted to just open up in prayer because I truly believe that this episode is going to just open up your eyes and maybe hopefully awaken your eye gates and ear gates. Okay? And if you don't know what that means, it just means that you're going to see your brand from a different perspective through the leading of the Holy Spirit. So, Father God at Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, we just welcome you, Lord. We welcome your presence, we welcome your truth, we welcome your revelation. Give me the words to speak, God, teach me what you want me to say.
Edna Harding [00:02:25]:
And I pray, oh, God, that you will be glorified. Not Edna, not Estrepreneur. Your word, your truth, your character, your love. In Jesus name, Amen. All right, have you guys ever launched your brand before? And you have, you know the logo, you have your. Your brand kit schemes, you have your. Your tagline, right? You have all of these fancy things. The messaging is good to go.
Edna Harding [00:02:56]:
And then you still feel like it's still not me, like it's okay, but it's still not me, right? You're not proud of it. It's like, okay, you work so hard, and then it kind of falls flat. Does that ring a bell to anyone? Has everyone ever gone that, done that? And I just want to say that you're not alone. You're not alone. You're absolutely not alone. And let me tell you why. It's because we've been taught to brand from the outside in, but in God's ways, in God's Word, he builds us from the inside out. Okay, so today's episode is about something that the marketing world.
Edna Harding [00:03:46]:
And trust me, I've been in that world for a very long time. In fact, that's what I majored in in college. So since 2000, okay, that's what I've been studying, is that your brand is not your business card. Your brand isn't your, your, your look, or is it isn't the, the, the things that people see, but your brand is actually your identity in motion. Okay, I'm gonna, gonna, I'm gonna, I'm going to dig into this even more. So first of all, I want to start off with a verse in Genesis 1:27. And so if you have your Bible, please open up your bible to Genesis 1:27 and I want you to read it yourself. And it says basically that you were made in his image.
Edna Harding [00:04:38]:
So a lot of us, and including myself, we're building brands rooted in what marketing trends, what's algorithm saying, what, you know, what's, what's what. People googling right now like that. We're, we're trying to create something based on what the market needs versus what God is telling you to create. And this is challenging for many because we, Everyone wants to go viral. Everyone wants to attract the right people, right? But at the end of the day, if you truly want to grow God's way, you want to create something based on his instructions, not what the algorithms or what Google's or the digital experts are saying. Okay? Now, mind you, I myself, you know, have. I've been coached and mentored by sales and marketing gurus. I myself, I'm considered a sales and marketing guru.
Edna Harding [00:05:33]:
But one thing for sure is the spirit of God. Whatever he says will always come first. And sometimes he uses the digital marketing gurus, you know, to help me, you know, but a lot of times, in fact, most of the time, this, the, the things that he tells me to do is counterintuitive or meaning counter the strategy of what marketing people say. So, for example, let me give you an example. Newsletters are supposed to be short, right? Newsletters are supposed to be, you know, one major Takeaway, Sure. Not too long. And Holy Spirit is like, no, I want you to pour out your heart. I want you to speak, speak life into people.
Edna Harding [00:06:14]:
I want you to write as if that's the last newsletter they'll ever read. And so essentially my newsletters are long. And you can't read it in like one minute. Right. It's going to take at least like maybe five minutes. Okay? I'm not trying to make it 30 minutes long, but long longer than usual. And the reason why is I'm not creating content just to create content, to check off the box. I'm creating content that's actually going to transform, inform you again from the inside out.
Edna Harding [00:06:45]:
Okay? So I say all this to say, start with that. So you don't need a new logo. You don't need a fancy email marketing software. Heck, you could use Google. Like, you don't have to have a mailchimp or aweber or all these different marketing softwares. Keep it simple. Right now what I want you to focus on is remember who God created you to be and do what he tells you to do. Keep it simple.
Edna Harding [00:07:15]:
So I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you actually three questions. And the first question I want to ask you is, are you building to impress or are you building to express your calling? Impress or express your calling? Right. Do people know who you are called to serve and what you do to serve them? Right. Or are you just saying a bunch of stuff to make you look good and make you feel feel good and people perceive you good? Right. You have to keep it simple and ask the Holy Spirit, what do you want me to share with your people? Number two, does your voice sound like you or does it sound like someone else's highlight reel? You know, let's talk about Chat GPT for a second. A lot of people love Chat GPT and there are times when I'm just lazy and I don't have time to really think about what I'm saying. I just grab something from Chat GPT, take it to my personal tone, and I post it.
Edna Harding [00:08:09]:
But you know where I found the most traction and the most engagement is the one where I actually take the time, sit in front of my computer, look at the content I'm about to post for at least like four or five minutes and really ask myself, what is the point that the Holy Spirit wants me to share in this particular post? And those are the ones specifically that the Holy Spirit, like, shares, if that makes sense. Like, attracts the most people because it's coming from this Spirit realm not coming from the flesh realm. Does that make sense? Number three, are you tolerating clients that misalign with your mission just to pay your bills? And this is so important because a lot of times, especially when you're desperate and mind you, trust me, I know we take everyone and their mamas and because we're so desperate for. For paying your bills and we want to be able to, you know, like, alleviate some stress in our lives. We just take on everyone that might not line up with. Not to say they're bad people, but they're. They're. They're not paying you.
Edna Harding [00:09:11]:
You're supposed to. And then you end up taking this client on that ends up becoming a headache because why? You lowballed yourself because you're out of desperation. You don't want to do that, right? You don't want to take people on just because you're fearful that. That you're not going to. That God is not going to provide for you. Okay, so I want to start off with this. First thing is, remember identity first, branding second, authenticity. Here you go, my friends.
Edna Harding [00:09:36]:
Authenticity to others and authenticity to yourself. Self is the most important brand strategy in the kingdom. Don't settle for less. Don't lower the ball. The. The. The boundary, right? You have to ensure that you create structures in place so that you are able to steward your gifting well. And you're not basically prostituting your gifts to people because of desperation.
Edna Harding [00:10:03]:
Okay? All right, so the second thing I want you guys to talk about. I want you guys to talk about. The second thing I want you guys to think about is your anointing. Okay? First Peter 4:10 says, Use whatever gift you've received to serve others. Okay? Your anointing or your gifting is your offer. Okay? Your anointing or your gifting is your offer. Remember, my friends, that you were never meant to package your business around what sells. Oop.
Edna Harding [00:10:30]:
Truth bomb. I know. Drop the mic. Okay. You were never meant to package your business around what sells, okay? You are meant to build around what heals. Okay? I. When I'm creating my products and services. And for those of you guys who are current clients, you know, can I create something that's going to sell off the.
Edna Harding [00:10:56]:
The. The. What do you call it? The. The shelf? Yeah, absolutely. I know what people want, but that's not gonna give them the result that God wants them to have. So, yes, I sell people what they need, not what they want. Which again, is opposite of what sales and marketing gurus tell you. And the reason why is Because I realize that I don't want to be part of the masses.
Edna Harding [00:11:23]:
I don't want to be part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution. And the reason why people are stuck and the reason why people are in this guinea pig, you know, that hamster wheel. Not guinea pig, the hamster wheel, is because they're doing the wrong things in the wrong season, and they're building things that are not actually going to give them the fruits that they want. They're doing stuff that's going to make, yes, other coaches rich, other mentors rich, our sales gurus rich, but it's not going to help them get rich. They're. They're not giving you what you actually need. They're giving you what they.
Edna Harding [00:11:59]:
What you want. Because it's. It's like a dopamine hit, right? But in reality, if they were really honest with themselves, they probably shouldn't tell you to invest in a $25,000 mastermind when you still don't have a proof of concept. When you still don't have. Hear me, my friends, customers, when you still don't have money, you know, to. To work on your business. Like, you don't get in debt about something that you don't have any tangible proof yet, right? That is not wisdom. That is foolishness.
Edna Harding [00:12:34]:
All right? So, my friend, I want you to think about these things, and I want you to really think about this truthfully. Okay? Remember that. Number one, you want to ask yourself what energizes you when serving clients? Okay, I'm going to give you guys some examples. Okay? I'm going to give you guys some questions to ask. I'm going to give you some example to know what is the gifting or your anointing? Okay, so number one, what energizes you and serving clients? Right? What's. But is there something that you do specifically that you truly enjoy doing? Like, for me, I love idea generation. I love creating systems. I love help teaching people how to build relationships and sell and to market themselves.
Edna Harding [00:13:21]:
Those are things that I love. And guess what? My programs are all based on that. Okay, Number two, what problems do people keep coming to you to solve? Right? What problems do they keep coming to you to solve? I know for me, it's biblical wisdom. It's personal development, business development. They don't really come to me for leadership stuff, even though I'm certified and trained for that. They. They're coming to me for mindset stuff and to help them, you know, overcome challenges. So these are things you have to Pay attention.
Edna Harding [00:13:48]:
What are the problems that you're really good at solving, that it comes easy for you and that people keep coming to you to solve? And number three, are your offers flowing from your gift or is it from, from a template or is it from a book? Right. Don't follow what the gurus are telling you. I want you to follow what the spirit of God is telling you. Because here's my, here's, here's the truth, my friends, and I want you to hear me. When you start building offers around your anointing, you attract the clients who were divinely assigned to you by the Lord Jesus. Remember the boat? You know the boat where Peter, James and John, I think it was Peter Jameson, they were on the boat and there was no fishes. They weren't catching any fishes. And they were trying and striving, going, trying, trying, trying.
Edna Harding [00:14:28]:
They're not catch fishes, but when Jesus gave them instruction, they followed. And then the fishes came to them. They didn't find the fishes. Does that make sense? So this is what God wants to do in your life and in your business, but you have to follow his instruction, not what you think you ought to do. And the third point I want to talk about is your brand. Remember my friend, that your brand is your ministry, okay? Your brand is ministry, not manipulation. Matthew 5, verse 16 says, Let your light shine. Let your light shine.
Edna Harding [00:15:01]:
So what does that mean? You don't need to sell harder. You don't need to manipulate people. You need to serve. Louder. Don't have to do the fear of missing out and, and playing with their emotions and giving them a killer offer that's going to be irresistible. Like I get it, I get it and I do that. But at some point your goal is to serve people and to help heal them and deliver them from the bondage of the enemy. That is the end of the day.
Edna Harding [00:15:28]:
That is in a nutshell is what you need to do. So stop viewing marketing as a grind and think of it as a calling, hear me my friends, to communicate what God has placed inside of you. Remember my friend, okay? Marketing isn't about manipulation or fear based or you know, mind renewal. It's specifically about healing. Okay, when I say mind renewal is like getting, telling people what to think, okay? No, it's about healing them from the problems that they are encountering. And God gets gifted you to solve through your business. Does that make sense? So how do we market as a ministry? Number one, I want you to show up authentically, not just esthetically, right? Don't. Who cares about the fancy branding stuff, okay? Who cares about the, the email campaigns and nurture, all that stuff? Like, just start doing that when you have a proof of concept.
Edna Harding [00:16:24]:
When you first, when you get your first three. When you get your first three clients, right? When you get your first sale, start doing that, okay? But in the meantime, less is more. Keep it simple, Just run with it. Provide a solution, see the feedback of your people and then start working on those things, okay? Don't worry about aesthetic, don't worry about external things. Focus on your customer and focus on your gifting. Number two, you gotta speak from transformation, not just transaction. Don't look at them as money. Look at them specifically about lives and souls that are going to be changed because God sent them you.
Edna Harding [00:17:01]:
And number three, I want you to let people encounter Christ through your content. Okay? You don't have to say Jesus Christ, but your content need to represent the character of Jesus Christ. Does that make sense? Your care, your. Your. Your content needs to represent the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Your content needs to set people free, okay? And, and, and show them the tangible love of Jesus, right? This is what, this is what's going to convert. Because remember, my friends, you're not speaking to a body. You're not speaking to the mind.
Edna Harding [00:17:31]:
You're speaking to the soul. And I can tell you the only thing that's going to complete is what the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit, all three of them, the word of God. That is what's going to complete you. Nothing will satisfy you, my friend. No money, no wealth, no relationships, sex, all these things, those things are not going to satisfy you. The only thing that's going to satisfy you is relationship with the Father. That is what's going to satisfy you. Okay? So make sure that people encounter Jesus.
Edna Harding [00:18:02]:
Because remember, my friends, not everybody goes to church. And you may be the only Jesus Christ that they will encounter. And they're not going to encounter Jesus Christ if you're hiding him, okay? You're hiding him. I remember in business, Unlimited manifest. So one of the things I say, and don't quote me on this is, is I say that Jesus Christ isn't a brand. Add on, he is a foundation. He is the foundation of my business. So I'm not just mentioning Jesus Christ as like a supplement, but he is actually the source of this business.
Edna Harding [00:18:34]:
Does that make sense? All right, my friends, so this week I want you to audit your brand. I want you to ask yourself, is it built around your calling or is it around what's trending. Number two, are you hiding your calling or hiding parts of yourself that carry the most oil? Don't be afraid to truly shine, okay? Don't be afraid to be authentically you. Remember that God created you to be you, okay? Not somebody else. Not to be Edna, not to be a guru, but someone else that you admire, but to be you. And last but not least, I want you to choose to build from identity, not insecurity. Choose to build from identity, not insecurity. Now, if this episode hit home and you're ready to build a brand that aligns with your anointing, not just your ambition, I want to invite you to apply for my Business Unlimited Group Growth Mentoring program.
Edna Harding [00:19:24]:
You can find the details in the description or my website. If you go to my website, favor.com click on group Growth Mentoring and apply. I'd be happy to join us. It is a small group and I'm excited about that because I truly want to get to know you and I want to help, you know, bring forth the assignment of God in your in your vision and your dreams into life, into tangible fruits. Right now, if you guys are new here or if you're existing ones and we haven't connected on LinkedIn, please do so. I would love to hear from you and let me know how you know how it can help you with future episode. If there's any specific topic you want to know, if you need prayer and things like that or if how does this bless you, Please let me know. I love hearing from I truly believe and it motivates me to keep creating content like this.
Edna Harding [00:20:10]:
All right my friends, well I pray that this bless you. I pray that you have a powerful week ahead. Thank you so much for tuning in and until next time, keep shining. Bye bye.
Edna Harding [00:20:24]:
Thanks for joining us this week on Estrepreneur. Make sure to Visit our website favorandwealth.com for more information on our services. While you're at it, if you found.
Edna Harding [00:20:34]:
Value in this show, we'd appreciate a rating on itunes. Or if you simply tell a friend.
Edna Harding [00:20:38]:
About the show, that would help me out too.
Edna Harding [00:20:41]:
Also, check out my book, the Ugly.
Edna Harding [00:20:42]:
Side of Sales, available on Amazon, where I share seven of my secrets on how to win and grow business the right way. Until next time, keep shining.