Good branding is like the sea (and we all know how much I love the sea!). When you, your business and your client are in alignment everything flows effortlessly – the sea is calm and inviting.
When there’s a disconnect between you, your business and your client, the waters are rough, jarring, crashing against each other and ultimately your audience is put off going near you.
When you’re starting your branding process, the usual starting point is thinking about your ideal client. But, here’s the thing – that’s not the best way to go about it and here’s why.
Imagine you think your client as someone who’s all about splashing out on luxury brands because, hey, you want to sell to the big spenders. But then, you sit down and look at your own values – you’re all about sustainability, community, and compassion. Now that seems a bit of a clash with the whole luxury lifestyle your dream client supposedly embodies.
What usually happens in this situation is one of two things. A) You toss your values aside and do some crazy acrobatics to fit into this ideal client mold, basically turning into someone you’re not. Or B) You make up values that seem to match your ideal clients’, again, ending up as a bit of an imposter.
Either way, you’re not being authentic. You’re just putting on a show to make a sale, and guess what? Your audience can sniff that out a mile away. If you’re not walking the talk, why should they buy what you’re selling?
In a lot of branding processes, your values or who you are as a business owner are just not thought about. So, you might be wondering why your awesome offer isn’t flying off the shelves or why your business feels off, but you just can’t put your finger on it.
The fix is crystal clear – get to know yourself before you try to figure out who your ideal client is. Finding clients who align with your values is doable, but trying to contort yourself to fit some ideal client image you cooked up? It’s never going to end well.
To start the process of getting to know yourself and your vision for the future come along to my online Truckel Vision workshop on Tuesday 6th February 2024. Book via Eventbrite here