When Branding Seems Like a Mammoth Task

If you’ve ever thought about branding or re-branding, you might be overwhelmed by the process and not sure where and how to start. If the idea of branding seems like a big job and you keep putting it off, there’s one thing to understand that will help you enjoy creating and delivering a highly successful and rewarding brand—your brand is never done.

A Brand is Never Done

The main problem people have with branding is never being entirely satisfied with what they’ve got, and not being able to live in a constant state of frustration around it not being ‘done’, but still not knowing where to start to ‘fix it’.

[Tweet “A brand is and should be in a constant state of creation and re-creation.”]

It’s not something that gets designed and then sits on a shelf like a trophy. It’s something that needs constant nurturing to grow and develop, just like your business. Your business is your brand and your brand is your business. They are really one and the same.

So if you feel like you’re never really ‘on top of things’ with your branding, you’re likely taking a short-term or ad-hoc approach to brand-building.

A Brand Needs a Big Picture

Maybe you can relate to these…

1. Was your brand built by accident? Did it kind of just evolve over time without any solid thought and strategy injected into it?
2. Did you set it up quickly to get your business moving and then left it for years without being updated?
3. Do you know you need to change it but think that it’s too hard to change it while you’re still running the business?
4. Have you become a brand dabbler? Changed a few elements but not been happy with the outcome?
5. Do you have a brand, that is sort of Okay but feel like there’s more that can be done to more accurately reflect who you are and what you do, and attract the right audience?

The root of these problems comes from not having a big picture vision of where your brand is going and a strategy of how you’re going to get there.

Taking a Big Picture Approach to Branding

It’s like anything. There’s fear in the unknown. Branding is a big subject. To tackle it requires a bit of time and patience to learn the process, but once you get a good picture of what’s involved, it’s really not that hard.

So maybe it’s time to take a step back and fully digest the big picture of what is required to create and deliver a brand. Take the time to put a plan together to gradually address each area in a step-by-step approach that puts you back in control and allows you to feel clear, creative, confident, and calm.

Some Simple Steps to Get You Started

Here are the four steps I use in my brand creator process to give you a quick idea of what’s involved. It should help you break the process up and provide some simple steps to get you started.

The four key steps to creating a brand are

1. Clarity: Get clear on what you do, why you do it, who you do it for, and what they really want
2. Strategy: Have a simple statement that positions you in a clear space and promotes your value in a unique and memorable way
3. Creation: Design a visual brand identity and brand voice that reflects your unique brand attributes and provides clear and consistent messaging
4. Delivery: Put a simple plan in place that allows you to deliver your message effectively and efficiently

Baby Steps to Get Started Creating Your Brand

Stop, review, and take a fresh look at your business and your brand from a holistic perspective.

Everyone needs to reflect on their business and personal paths and take time to re-address where it’s taking them and why they are on it. Instead of blindly chasing your tail or tinkering with your brand aimlessly, ask yourself a few questions around where your business journey is taking you and if you’re still on the right path with what you’re doing.

• What is your big vision for your business, your life?
• Why do you do what you do?
• What do you want to be remembered for?
• What do you want to be known for?
• Who do you want to serve?

I find just by asking these simple but powerful questions, I can re-align my values and activities towards doing what matters most to me and those that value me most.

Sandy Archer

Sandy Archer is a brand consultant and creative director who is passionate about art, design, and personal development. Having operated a successful design agency for over 25 years, building brands for a multitude of businesses and organizations, she now helps passionate professionals and creative entrepreneurs craft compelling visions, create authentic brands, live their purpose, and find balance while doing it. She loves to work with inspired individuals that have a desire to make a difference and create something real and meaningful; those with a big vision who need tangible support to make it happen. Her highly successful BrandCreator system provides her clients with structure and support through creating, designing, and delivering a successful and sustainable brand, without the high ‘consultant’ price tag. And her unique MyTempo lifestyle system offers balance and focus while working towards her clients’ business visions.

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