Why branding is BAD for you! (a.k.a. How to have a healthy brand.)

Yeah, I bet you didn’t know that branding could be BAD for you. It’s just like sugar or alcohol that way. A little bit of the right kinds here and there can be totally healthy, but OD or indulge carelessly and your liver and adrenals will be MAD at you, not to mention the weight gain and hangover shame… These are not things we want to invite into our lives!Well, branding the wrong way also has its negative impacts, like missing business opportunities, diminishing the respect and loyalty of your clients, and worst of all: losing money. OUCHIES.Today, I’m telling you what’s BAD about branding so you can do it the better way.Because you you you outta know! (sing it, Alanis Morrisette!)The #1 reason WHY branding is bad for you?When you’re branding, you’re really thinking about YOU. You’re thinking about what makes you different, unique, special, etc. Whether you’re a personal brand, small business, or startup, you’re still consumed with asking yourself this one important question --

What’s going to make ME stand out?

And YES, that is an important question to ask, but here’s the problem with asking yourself that question… your business isn’t actually about YOU. Your business is about your clients and customers. It’s about listening to them, fulfilling their needs, and giving them what THEY want. Period.It’s really easy to get caught up in the fun of branding and forget all about that person that you’re working so hard to help. After all, what’s NOT fun about investigating all of the things that make you special? What’s NOT fun about telling your story, even with the parts that probably don’t matter to your client? What NOT fun about doing all the quizzes and reflective self-work, and asking everyone you know “what’s great about me?” Getting all of that attention is FUN, even if it’s simply attention that you’re paying to yourself because, let’s be real, you DO deserve that. If you’re loving it, it’s a damn good sign that you should paying yourself more attention on the regs.There is an answer to this rhetorical question about what’s NOT fun, by the way, because there ARE things that are unFUN about it -- alienating your audience, booking zero (or less) clients, and not turning a profit in your business. Yep. Ain’t nothin’ fun about that!But you can solve this problem, and easily. The trick is to ask yourself a slightly different question when you’re considering your brand message, writing your About page, or crafting a tagline that’s hip and cool…Instead, ask yourself -

What’s going to make ME stand out to HER?“Her” being your ideal, dream client.

That’s it.Framing your business from the perspective of your client is the key to your success. Otherwise, you’re just feeling around in the dark. And while your intuition might have some great ideas about what your market wants and needs, if you don’t ASK your market, you’re in for a lot of wasted time, money, and energy creating a business with services and products that no one gives a shit about (expect you, of course, because you’re special).

I know that it’s hard to frame your business this way, because you’re so damn close to it.

I get it, lady. That’s why I offer a free workbook that makes writing your About page with this framework in mind EASY. You can grab that up right here.

It’s also why I offer the Brandslam!, an in-depth strategy service where we dig into YOU, your brand, your clients, and what’s different about you so that your messaging, story, and voice is all clear, consistent, and on point - in the right way.

Before investing in having your copy written professionally, I’d highly recommend getting clear on these pieces, because they’re the foundation of everything you create for your business going forward. If you’re interested in checking out the Brandslam! and what it offers, you can review all of the details here.Xo,