Value of Branding: Making Your Website Look as Valuable as You Are
I've said it often in the past five years of doing this: you're already great at what you do, so it's okay you're not a copywriter, a designer, or another type of marketing creative ON TOP OF IT.
That being said, when you are amazing and you are not also a creative person in the traditional sense, you can end up in a tough situation: a website and a brand that don't show your value. Worse, a website and brand that undermine your value and hurt your ability to help people with what you do.
So that's what today's client story is all about: how elevating your marketing materials can help you capture and own your talent, and make sure no one misses it just because you don't happen to also have all these unrelated creative skillsets!
Meet Sandy Lewis: Business and Executive Coach
Owner of Positive Shift Coaching, Sandy Lewis is a powerhouse of positivity and a leading business and executive coach to leaders at multimillion dollar companies. She's got a master's in positive psychology and she has a gift for helping individuals discover their best direction, within or outside of their careers. Based in the Raleigh-Durham, NC area - Sandy works with clients globally at major firms like VMWare and Logitech.
Now that you know all of this about Sandy, let's take a look at what her website looked like just last year.
Maybe like you, or those you know, Sandy didn't have a site that reflected her or this huge value she provides to clients. This website, while workable, doesn't tell her story, and it undermines her value. There's no logo, no distinct message, and no way to fully visualize what kinds of transformations Sandy really provides to those she works with. It's not working for her 365/34/7 the way it should.
In short, if Sandy was going to continue to attract top clients and scale her business, she needed the branding to tell her story and show her value and a website built on that kind of framework. She needed to look as valuable as she is. And that's exactly why we worked together.
Discovering Sandy's Next Direction
I was fortunate to partner with Sandy to create a brand story foundation and identity that was capable of sharing her message and her gifts. The key to this process was consistency and listening. Every branding project starts with a questionnaire and discovery process, where together - we identify the core foundations of the business that a successful brand needs to reflect. From there - it's like lego bricks! We build in milestones: Logo and Tagline, Brand Story Guide, Brand Photoshoot (with Faith Teasley), and finally - Sandy's new website!
As you can explore at positiveshiftcoaching.com, through this intentional branding process, Sandy finally has a home online and a marketing message that celebrates her value and makes her approachable to and reachable by her most ideal clients. She looks like her rates, and probably even more - with room to grow and scale her business. We accomplished this through an integrated approach that gave her wording, graphics, and even an incredible photoshoot library with which to tell a clear, consistent and inviting story about her business and services.
Beyond a website, through my signature Brand Story process, Sandy is now equipped with a full marketing toolkit that can work for her not just online, but in print, and in action when networking. From stationery, to business cards, to a speaker one-sheet - the spotlight on Sandy is strong, consistent, and powerful no matter how or where you encounter her.
And here's a bit of what Sandy had to say about working on this project together,
"Annie took me from soup to nuts and really helped me appreciate my brand! Prior to working with Annie, I had no connection to my coaching business at all from a marketing standpoint. I had all these things: a website, business cards, a LinkedIn page, but none of it was connected and I didn’t feel like I could own it. Now, everything flows together, it feels like me, and people love it!"
What Can You Apply
What I encourage you to apply from this story is first and foremost, relief. If you're not a creative yourself - realize and embrace the fact that you're already great at your choice of career and that you don't have to also wear all of these creative hats.
Secondly, if you feel that your website is not showcasing your value, consider who you might ask for help to change that? Should you have a consultation with a brand specialist like me to see what's possible? Should you start to save to invest in a rebrand or professional help with the right partner for 2019? These are great questions to consider if you're feeling like there's a lot of possibility you're missing out on.
Because the thing is - when your website and your branding materials don't put your best foot forward, you are actually underselling yourself. Not only does that feel awful, it's also hurting your bottom line. Here to help you make sure that isn't the future of your amazing business!
