// brand foundations

WEEK 3

This week we are starting to pull everything together. We are deciding on brand seasons and colours, finalising words, starting your brand story and working out key messaging.

Homework

Brand Bio

This week I would like you to have a go at writing your brand bio. The exercise is simple but powerful. How would you describe what you do, who you do it for and why in one or two sentences?

Think of this as your Uber pitch!

Brand Story

Once you have your brand story written rest assured the heavy lifting is done. Your brand story needs to be compelling and allow your customers and clients to really feel connected with your business. Your brand story really is about them, not you!

Consider some of the brands you love - what is it about what they do that you love so much? It is entwined with their brand story? Does their story give weight to their brand and allow you to understand their reason for being? Often the brand story is to do with how you got to where you are now, what brought you here, to this exact spot. This isn’t a CV though and no-one wants to read reams of your life history, but what are the key moments that got you here?

Are there any things you remember from growing up that played a role - someone who inspired you or influenced you? Perhaps you have been through something significant that has altered your outlook? Perhaps you have made a conscious decision to leave the rat race, change direction and live by your values? What was the catalyst?

Is there something about the way you do business, the customers or clients or products you choose that you feel is a thread that runs through everything you do? What has inspired you? How would you describe your business journey to a friend? Now write that! Please share what you have written with me ahead of our next session. Don’t worry I will help you with the story as I know it can be challenging.

Here is an example to get your creative juices going!

Barriers & Objections

We will have started to look at this already - what are the main reasons someone would decide against working with or buying from you? What are the barriers or objections that come up for them? Once we know what the objections we can start to dismantle them.

For example if you are a service based business or coach it might be ‘it’s too expensive’ or ‘I am worried about the time it will take’ or ‘it’s too risky’. These are what we call the ‘yes….but’

Most objections are based around a fear of some kind, or a belief that they hold, that will stop your client or customer from buying from you. We need to uncover these so we can address them and help to reassure your potential client that you understand their concerns and it’s normal, simply fear keeping them safe (and often stuck!)

Can you identify the 5 main reasons people would be put off, would say ‘yes..but’ about buying from your business? Jot them down and share them with me. The more detailed the better here.

Look & Feel

This is where the fun really starts and we start to get creative, pulling things together into your visual brand. This is often where people start with a business, but we know that this is the bit that comes at the end! We need to consider what impression we want your clients or customers to have on their first encounter with your business. How do we want them to feel?

Try to jot down some key words here - how do you want your clients to feel when they experience your brand for the first time?

Do you want them to feel reassured, welcomed and calm? Perhaps you want them to feel empowered, confident and excited?

What sort of look do you want to go for? Earthy, rustic and warm? Wild, artistic and feminine? Sophisticated, light and clean? You get the idea. See if you can pull together 3 words for the feel and 3 words for the look, I shall do the same!

Colour Psychology

Colour psychology is so very useful here. Colour makes people feel, often at a subconscious level. Colour has the ability to deeply affect the way we think and act, and this is why so many big brands spend lots of time trying to get this bit right.

Think about the fast food brands you know - McDonalds, Burger king, KFC they have something in common - they all use red. This is not a coincidence, red is a colour that is known to trigger hunger, it’s stimulating, and attracts attention. Many use yellow too - a happy uplifting positive colour. The combination has come to represent fast food.

So, assuming your business is not fast food how do you choose the colours that are right for you? Start with your brand words, the attributes you have identified. Perhaps your brand needs to feel calm, traditional and ordered (possibly a Summer brand) then you may look at the blues as a starting point. Perhaps your brand needs to feel uplifting, energetic, optimistic (possibly a Spring brand) then you may start with yellow or orange.

Every colour falls within every season, it’s not orange for Autumn and yellow for Spring for example. With the exception of black (Winter only) you find versions or every colour in every season, but it’s the tone of the colour that will change.

As Spring green is quite different to a Summer one, for example.

The Spring green is light and pops a little, the Summer greens are more subdued, they have an undertone of grey, and could veer towards an olive or sage or even a deep more formal racing green.

I will help you here - I am not expecting you to become an expert in colour psychology overnight, but it’s very helpful to have a basic understanding at this stage.

What are your favourite colours? What is the effect of these colours? Have a read and find out! If you are interested in learning more Karen Haller’s book ‘The little book of colour’ is a great starting point.

Looking for the Brand season Pinterest boards? Here are the links…