Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing entrepreneurs to brand their businesses and get their websites up and running! I absolutely love working with like-minded, passionate business owners and helping them bring their vision to life! As exciting as it can be, I know the fears that can come with those first few months of business and investing in your dreams. It can be scary trying all these things for the first time, all with the fear of the unknown – I get it! That’s why today, I want to help you bust through your branding fears and face them head on!
Lately I’ve been reading a lot about fear, how we have to choose love in these scary situations, and trust the universe. A big inspiration of mine has been Gabrielle Bernstein and her book “May Cause Miracles”, which I just finished reading! I highly recommend it, and I am about to dive into her other book, “The Universe Has Your Back”! I know the sometimes it’s easier said that done to not let your fears take over, but that’s why it’s called a practice. We’ll never be perfect, but it’s about choosing love over and over! ????
So in the spirit of conquering our fears together, I wanted to break through some common branding fears that you may have! And if you’re curious about branding mistakes you may currently be making, I’m sharing the five most common branding mistakes over on another blog post! Alright – time to conquer some fears together!
1. It’s a big investment
A great designer who creates a brand that speaks to your dreams clients will be an investment, no doubt about it. But I believe that it’s one of the most important investments that you will make in your business! Your brand is the face of your business, and it’s what clients, customers, and your audience see first. They’ll make up their mind about you in mere seconds based on your brand. So I would say your brand is pretty important! If your brand or website don’t speak to your ideal audience, you’ll lose that opportunity to convert visitors into customers or clients.
If you don’t have those paying customers or clients, your business is going to go down pretty quick. But if you invest in a great brand that speaks to your ideal audience, you’ll be able to make that oh-so-important connection with them, get them to purchase your product or service, and the return on your investment will be huge!
2. I don’t have time to take on a rebrand
You’ll never “have” the time, you have to make time! You have to make time for the things that are important to you and will help propel your business forward. I know it can be tough, but just start! Send that email to the designer who’s work you’ve been eyeing, get the conversation going. I know you have that gut feeling telling you that you’re ready – that feeling that’s telling you to start already! It’s a lot easier to dedicate time to a project once you get the ball rolling! So put it on the to do list, or better yet, just send the email. Don’t even let it sit on a list!
3. My business isn’t ready yet
It can feel a little intimating to invest in a brand development when you haven’t made a sale yet, or booked that first client. But trust me, this is how you’re going to get that sale or client! I started worked with Vancouver Fashion Truck before Meghan even had her truck or products to sell. Meghan’s business was just barely getting started, but that’s why it was so important for her to establish herself as a brand in Vancouver! So when she did get her truck up and running, it spoke to her ideal audience, and she was able to convert them into customers. Take the leap and trust in the process!
4. It won’t be as good as my competition’s
The comparison game is your worst enemy. If you’re on that train right now, jump on off! Of course you’re going to have competitors in your industry, or peers that you admire, but what you need to focus on is what makes you different! And that’s the angle that your brand and voice should take as well. As Jenna Kutcher puts it, you don’t want to be screaming to the masses, but whispering to your ideal, dream clients. The goal is to make your brand and business stand out, but still speak directly to your audience. Once we do that, your business will be a success! You won’t feel the need to compare, because you’ll be so confident in your own business. And those competitors or peers will end up becoming awesome friends and your support network!
5. I’m scared to commit and take the leap
The scariest part is taking the leap. Trust me, I totally get it! But it’s so important to do it once and do it right. I’ve met with a few clients that sadly didn’t have the greatest prior website design experience, and we had to start back at square one and redo their website. So by all means if you have a close friend who is a great designer, aligns with your style (this is important!), and who is willing to help you – go for it!
But if your cousin’s friend’s brother is going to do your branding on the cheap or for free, trust your gut. Maybe that isn’t the best call. And if you need more convincing, go back and read question 1 about why the investment is worth it! A great brand and website isn’t something you’re going to regret! It’s the platform on which you’re going to build your business on, so let’s knock it out of the park on the first go!
Now go have fun and rock it girl!
Of course as your business grows and evolves, so will your brand, and that’s how it’s supposed to be. But if you’re just starting out, or know that you’re in need of a brand update, go for it! Find that designer that you click with and that you know is going to help you bring your vision to life. You’ll have an amazing experience and be able to take your business to the next level!
And if you’re curious to read about someone who busted through all of these branding fears while starting her own business, check out Meghan’s story! We worked together this past year to brand her Vancouver Fashion Truck – everything from her truck wrap to her truck-shaped business cards – and we had a blast!
I hope these tips have encouraged you to conquer some of those fears you may have in your business! And if while reading this, you felt that we’d be a great fit to bring your brand vision to life, I’d love to hear from you!
How have you faced your fears in your business and overcome them? I would love to hear your story below in the comments! 🙂
XO
Danielle