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Misconceptions.
Fallacies.
Delusions.
Misunderstandings.
Whatever you want to call it, the meaning is the same - having the wrong idea or impression about something.
And today we're going to tackle three of the most common misconceptions I see, hear and read, about brand and branding.
Misconception #1: I have a logo, color palette, and website, so I have a brand
This is hands down, the number one misunderstanding I hear, see, read, etc. on a regular basis.
To shed some light on why this isn't true, let's bring it back to definitions.
I define your brand as the perception of your business – how people think, feel and act – which makes a brand strategy the plan for communicating that perception.
Branding, then, is the elements that influence how people think, feel and act. Think message, logo, website, fonts, colors, collateral, etc.
So if you have a logo, color palette and website, you have branding elements. But those don’t equal your brand. More so a piece of the pie that makes up your brand.
Misconception #2: A brand and branding is only for the big companies with big budgets and lots of resources
Guess what? You don’t need a million dollars to create a brand. As we’ve already established, your brand consists of a variety of elements that together create a specific perception.
While it’s helpful to have support when creating that perception, the level of support that you get is up to you – perks of being the business owner.
The natural next question – when do you hire help and when can you DIY?
In my experience, clients hire brand support for one of two reasons. They want to A) create a certain perception and want support in getting there, or B) need to change their current perception… and need support in getting there.
Sometimes you just need to work on your internal brand. Sometimes it’s the external elements that need an update. Sometimes, you just need another brain to help you work through your next right step.
Because of the varying levels of brand support, it's extremely helpful to talk with a trusted brand partner to help you determine what’s working well and what can be improved.
All that being said, there are instances when you can get away with DIY’ing your brand building – new solopreneurs, I’m looking at you. There are so many free or inexpensive resources available (think blogs, newsletters, videos, templates) that all it takes is a little (or a lot) of time and brainpower to craft a brand that’ll get you up and running and booking clients.
Because, the best way to understand what’s working and what’s not for your brand is to get out there and put it to use.
Misconception #3: My brand can never change – once it’s created, it stays that way forever
Let’s start with the purpose of having a brand in the first place.
Your brand is the vehicle for building a specific connection, with a specific target audience, through a specific message.
Which means that if the brand’s color palette, website layout, social media graphic, purpose, values, mission, vision, [insert whatever branding element here] isn’t supporting the specific connection, the specific audience or the specific message that you’re after… Well, then change it.
The whole point of having brand standards and guidelines is so that you have a starting point, a foundational system to work from. But if that system isn’t supporting your business and instead is making it more challenging for you or your team to do their work, then it’s really not supportive, amiright?
One of my go-to perspectives is ‘brand clarity comes from action’‘.
What often gets overlooked is what happens after you get more clarity - and that's change.
Unfortunately (?) this is the catch-22 of brand building. You can't think your way to right brand because you don't know what's working until you put it to work.
So let me say it one more time for the people in the back: your brand is not a set-it-and-forget-it part of your business. It is an ever-evolving entity that grows right alongside you.
With that, happy branding 🙂
📹 Watching pick of the week:
Well, I had a little snafu with my newsletter last week, so here’s an ‘in case you Missed it!’ shoutout.
Want to learn how to take your brand strategy and turn it into a content generating machine? I recorded a short 20-minute masterclass, for paid subscribers, walking you through the step-by-step process of content mind-mapping. WATCH IT.
🎙️ Listening pick of the week:
Do You Need a Low, Mid + High Ticket Offer?, Peaceful Service Pro. This quick episode walks through how to structure your offer suite with the focus on simplifying - not making it more complex. Definitely work tuning in! LISTEN TO IT
With that, happy branding :) And we’ll see you back here on May 17!
— Kelly
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