Brand Check-In Tool, the Canva Way!

I am guilty of always talking about how "brand" is more than just a slick tag line and a glossy logo, and there is a reason for that. I have learned first hand how important it is to be transparent in who you are through your marketing because THAT is what connects people. Once you have that down, once you learn a little bit of vulnerability in your brand as a solopreneur --well, it goes a long way, and the tie in is a helluva lot easier.

So in the interest of sharing...here is a great, quick hit example of how you can start to do some of this leg work yourself. I was hopping around in Canva just now and saw this awesome little social media template.

I decided it was a perfect way to do a quick check-in with my brand and pull some imagery, along with one selected image of myself, that felt "right" for where I am right now with how I'm representing my business. Some of these photos I took personally, but most were just Canva images that fit my search criteria. You can choose to do either.

Exercises like this are a wonderful way to create a visual representation of what is going on in your head about "who you are as your brand".

Don't have Canva? No worries, you could use the same approach for your own personal use by doing physical collage work, or creating a collage online through any number of apps. It doesn't have to be a social media post share...but I think it is a wonderful way to give your audience insight into what your vibe and energy is as a business owner without digging for just the right words.

Curious about utilizing Canva and learning how to use a template like this? Schedule a one-on-one training with me and let's get you loving Canva as much as I do (if that's possible?). And yep, it is budget-friendly! Have questions first? Let's talk through the support you need.

What's the Story?

Every brand has a story because every brand IS a story, yours included. Whether you are aware of it or not, every interaction, every sale, every exchange with a customer or client online or offline, everything is an extension of your brand's identity and reputation.

You can either sit back and let it evolve on its own, and trust that good experiences are happening and the story of what you've built will land on its feet...or you can take the reigns and OWN your brand story. And owning it, doesn't have to be hard (I promise!).

The below image is an easy way of remembering ways to share different "stories" related to your brand and business. By focusing on these stories a few times a week in your social media or in your blog, it will strengthen the reputation of who you are, what you do and who you serve. The connections to the audience you are working to reach will become more meaningful as you let them IN on the who, what, why, and how of your brand.

Still have branding story questions? Give me a shout and schedule a 20 minute complimentary consultation call!

Losing Voice: When Marketing Becomes a Shouting Match

Sometimes, marketing can feel like you are playing a shouting game where the person that yells the loudest wins. And it can be exhausting.

If you can relate, know that it is perfectly normal, because sometimes I feel that way too. And especially now, with so many businesses fighting their way back from the brink of oblivion, the intensity of saving what may have been lost is high. We ALL are feeling the pressure to bellow “look over here, look at me, see me!” and shout it the loudest.

But what happens after shouting for days on end? You lose your voice. Think about that for a minute. Literally and figuratively. Losing your voice means you've lost your way. The way that is unique to you and what you offer. It is so important to continually realign yourself and your marketing efforts with what works best for YOUR business, YOUR target market, and YOUR brand. We aren’t cookie cutter, we were never meant to be. We are unique in how we do what we do, and how we offer those services. Even if thirty other people are doing a similar business in your hometown…you each are still doing it differently. But yet, when we get tired, when we feel desperate, when we feel pressure to compete, that's when we lose hold of the very things that make us appealing to those that are seeking us out.

And then, the loud “look over here” tactics start to feel wrong because it isn’t organic to how we are and who we are. The past couple weeks after my rebranding I have found renewed energy and passion for what I do, but in the launch it felt loud…"LOOK! I found a way to make this work…look at what I DID!" And even though it is sincere excitement (like…seriously, I love the direction RYB is going!), the drain game has begun.

Shouting from mountain tops just isn’t my style, so when I saw the quote below I thought it was a perfect opportunity to blog a little, in a quieter way, and share that in silence sometimes a greater marketing magic can be born. That's what my next steps are, allowing for the pause in between

Don't fear taking the quiet time to regroup your marketing efforts and rethink what it is you truly want to say, the stories you want to share and the services you offers. There are people still looking for you and what you provide, but the way in which you reach them isn't usually found by walking someone else's.

Here are a few helpful hints as to how you can stay the course and not lose your "voice":

Tip #1: Revisit Who You Are & Who You Serve: This helps you realign yourself with the "why" of what you do and can help firmly plant you back in a place of confidence. Review your mission statement, your values, your branding guidelines (if you don't have those written out, that comes before Tip #1!)

Tip #2: Think of Your Customers First: When creating any kind of marketing piece, be it digital or print, make sure you are keeping your customer in mind. Think about how they have come to know you, and what they would expect from you. Is what you are currently churning out going to seem inline with how they have come to know you, or will they feel estranged? If you want your customers to be loyal, you must be loyal in return by being the brand they have come to know and love.

Tip #3: Be Consistent: Keeping every element of your marketing consistent is an easy win when it comes to holding on to the voice of you and your business. If you are delivering a message on one platform, it should consistently be communicated across other platforms as well. If you are in the habit of staying active and in front of your audiences day to day, week to week with your marketing, it is far less likely that you will deviate from the path and need to start shouting.

And as always, I'm happy to support you in the consistency of owning your voice.