Designing a new logo can be very satisfying because you get to see a visual, tangible representation of your brand that you can share with others. It's something you can check off your list and feel accomplished about.

That said, other things will make a much bigger impact on your brand and business growth.

We were wrapping up this amazing foodie tour in Rome and as we were saying our goodbyes and talking pleasantries about what's next for us (both in travel and in life), our tour guide mentioned she hated branding. 😳

Eeek! This is what I do, so obviously, I had questions.

Today, I wanted to give you some practical ways in which really getting to know your ideal client can help you run your business more smoothly.

I'll start with an example of how having my own ideal client persona – her name is Nicole – has helped me as I crafted my new offer.

I find sometimes it’s easy to “overpack” your brand, and often it happens in sneaky ways. Mostly, it’s due to fear and lack of clarity.

We're so concerned with what we may miss out on if we don't "overpack" that we forget how much lighter our suitcase (brand) would be if we just focus on the essentials.

I'm sure you've heard about a Mood Board. It's a collage that pieces together images that you love to help you communicate what you're trying to create.

Recently, I created a Brand Vision Board, one that represents the feeling of how I see myself running and being in my business. I gotta say, I really enjoyed doing this for myself and thought I'd share what mine looks like.

It's always exciting when a new prospect reaches out to you. But by  contrast, it's a little frustrating when you find out they're not a good  fit. Why are you not resonating with your ideal clients?

Most people at this point immediately want to create new graphics or change their visual brand. And that may be part of the reason depending on how your visuals represents you... but let's take a look at a few  other steps to take before you invest money on design.

You have an idea of what you want your brand and business to look like. But how do you get from where you are now to that vision you want to grow into? That’s where brand strategy comes in. While brand strategy can take various forms depending on who you work with, I wanted to define what it looks like working with me. I have a clear process that I take you through and it looks like this…

Often times what stops us from moving forward is fear of what “they” may think. I had a chat with one of my friends who was feeling stuck. She knew what she had to do, but couldn’t move past doing it. What will “they” think? Am I going to sound stupid? Sound familiar? But who are “they”?

If you’ve been following me for a time, you’ll know that I believe in a holistic brand strategy approach. On my home page, I briefly touch upon three main reasons why I believe strategy is important. And today I wanted to expand a little on each of those.

We all have many values, small and large, that define who we are and what we stand for. Core Values allow us to pave the way as we make decisions for our business. How? Glad you asked!

Up-leveling your business can be really exciting. But here’s a little-known fact about branding and design: A lot of the work is done up-front. Even before you start talking colors and fonts and visuals, you have to get to know your business. Really get to know your business.

Many people have a deep fear of putting a stake in the ground when it comes to their niche. They may have an idea of who they want to work with, but there is a fear around committing to that on their web copy and materials. Today I aim to put that fear to rest and show you why finding (and claiming) your niche is important.