The Visual Brand Starter Kit.

Transcription

1 The Visual Brand Starter Kit

2 Though building your business can seem like a never-ending process, creating an attractive online presence doesn t have to take a long time. In my one-on-one work with dozens and dozens of entrepreneurs, I ve found there are only 5 specific brand materials you need to begin successfully attracting a following online.

3 #1 - Square Social Media Templates Social media templates are critical for quickly spreading your message on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and even Twitter. You ll want eye-catching, well-branded designs that are blank (see leftmost example) so you can add different quotes and text on top of them (middle and right examples). When you re just getting started with your brand, a good quantity to shoot for is 4-8 reusable social media templates. You should preferably have these designed by a talented designer; however, if you re on a budget you can use the techniques taught in this training to create attractive designs yourself.

4 #2 - Facebook Fan Page Cover Facebook is without a doubt the 800-pound gorilla in the social media room. Even if you do the bulk of your engagement on a different social media platform, you ll still want an attractive Facebook fan page, as it helps you look credible to your ideal target market when running Facebook ads. (More on that later ) In order for your fan page to look legit, you ll need attractive social media posts (see #1) and a well design fan page cover (see example above). This cover should feature your brand colors, logo, and a call-to-action encouraging those who like your page to sign up for your list. (More on growing your list in future modules.) While working with a designer is always preferred, fan page covers are relatively easy to design yourself in free design programs like Canva.

5 #3 - Banner Since your list will be such a big part of your online marketing, it s important to have a well designed banner that sets your s apart from all the others they land in your audience s inbox. An banner is something you can easily create yourself in free design programs with Canva.

6 #4 - Logo A logo is a symbol or stylized text that will identify your brand and business. A well done logo is an important piece of your brand, as it helps establish your unique offerings to your target market as they see your work branded with your logo over and over again. A logo is something you definitely want a skilled graphic designer to create for you. While you can use inexpensive freelance services like Fiverr to get this done, I would not recommend that approach. Since your logo needs to encapsulate your brand essence is a single mark, you ll want to work with a professional who can sit with you and truly understand what you and your brand are all about. Do not be squeamish about spending a significant amount of money on a logo if you are working with a highly skilled designer. The Think & Grow Chick logo cost me $500 to get done; I consider it money well spent. If you are on the strictest of budgets and absolutely cannot afford a designer to do your logo for you, you can create an inexpensive starter logo yourself using the service tailorbrands.com.

7 #5 - Professional Photos Professional photos help you stand out and get seen as credible online. They also help attract your ideal client, as people like to work with those who appear professional, confident, and most importantly, inspirational. Nothing screams amature and I m just starting out more than a website plastered with poorly shot, DIY cell phone photos. One quote I learned early on in business that I found to be absolutely true is People don t buy from peers...they buy from professionals. While it s always smart to have a relatable element to your brand, never forget that entrepreneurship is leadership. In your photos, you need to look like a leader. Looking like a leader is NOT to say you need to wear a three-piece suit. Dress in clothes that (1) speak to your brand (go back to your Branded Words worksheet) and (2) make you look like someone your target market would aspire to be like. It should go without saying that whatever you wear in your photos should be of high quality, fit your body type well, and overall make you look great!

8 In addition to attractive clothing, you ll want to spring for professional makeup as well. Unless you are a makeup artist, I wouldn t recommend doing your makeup yourself as makeup often translates differently in photos due to lighting and camera settings. You ll want to work with a professional - even if that means a makeup artist from your local MAC counter - who understands makeup for photography and will make sure you look your best. (Ditto for your hair - if you are not skilled at doing your own hair, find a hairstylist!) To find a skilled but reasonably priced photographer in your area, one of my favorite tricks is to simply search on Instagram. In the search bar in the Instagram app, look up the hashtag #[insert your city here]photographer (i.e. #atlantaphotographer, #ATLphotographer, etc.) You can also use this same technique for finding a makeup artist. (i.e. #DetroitMUA, #DetroitMakeupArtist, etc.) Photographers who hashtag their recent work on Instagram are actively looking for photography work. I find that since Instagram is popular with millennials and young adults, many of the photographers you ll find using the hashtag there are reasonably priced because they are just starting out. Upon searching the hashtag, select a photo that is of the quality you are looking for, then navigate to the photographer s profile. If they have an address or website in their bio, reach out to them there. If they don t have contact information listed in their bio, you can leave a comment expressing interest in working with them on one of their photos.