Episode #7: Brand or Be Branded: How to align your personal brand with your *vibe* and essence
After this episode, you'll walk away with clarity about how to align what you want your brand to stand for...with what others think it stands for... AKA: intentionally aligning your brand with your *vibe*.
I'll also be digging into juicy topics like...
Why and how I do check-ins with my audience
Whether you are intentional about your brand or not, you will be branded
Your personal brand isn't what YOU think it is... but what THEY think it is
How to find your unique edge, essence, or VIBE
Creating a brand that feels like *YOU*
How to crate a brand that looks, feels, and sounds like you
Not just "talking the talk", but actually LIVING your brand values
And SO much more!!
WANNA CONNECT?
Follow along on IG: @thehollygrassl
Send me an email: hollgrafixdesign@gmail.com
Listen to "That Brand B*tch" Podcast HERE
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WANNA DIVE DEEPER? LET'S CHAT ABOUT IT!!
Last week I asked my audience what the first thing that came to mind was when they thought of my brand.
I got responses with things like…🥺❤️
Bright | Cheerleader | Lit up | High energy | Fun | Femme | Loud | Unapologetic | Authentic | Bold | Courageous | Progress |
I like to do little check-ins with my audience occasionally to see where they’re at. This is SO important because you need to check in to make sure that what YOU think your brand is, is what OTHERS think your brand is…
So, I was happy when I got these results back – cause' it definitely aligns with what I want my brand to stand for. When you do a check-in, its really helpful in identifying how your audience is perceiving you, so you can see where things align with your vision, if anything needs more emphasis or intention from you, or if anything is “off” about your brand and needs to be shifted // tweaked! 👏
This check-in brought up a few reminders that I know you’ll benefit from hearing:
(1) BRAND OR BE BRANDED: if you’re not intentional about how you’re showing up and building the personal brand you want for yourself, you WILL be branded whether you like it or not! Through every post and interaction you make, your brand is being built for you through the perceptions of others… So you may as well be intentional and proactive about what your brand is and how you can align that with what other’s perceive it as.
(2) YOUR BRAND ISN’T WHAT YOU THINK, IT’S WHAT THEY THINK: it doesn’t matter what you think your brand stands for, if your audience perceives you as something completely different. This is why checking in often is key and why aligning what you think you brand is to what they think you brand is, is so important.
(3) YOU GOTTA STAND FOR SOMETHING BEYOND JUST YOURSELF: your brand is about more than just you… it’s about how you make people feel, it’s about what your brand says about the people who interact with it, it’s about how you make your audience the hero in their own story, it’s about how you’re contributing to a greater vision for your audience & the world at large!
With all of this in mind, I want to chat about how you can start taking on the task of aligning what you want your brand to be, with what it actually is! Let’s get into it!
Step 1: finding your VIBE or ESSENCE : all about leveraging your unique essence and digging deep into what makes you YOU!
AND.... this is done by...
Pinpointing your vision, values, & what you’re here to do – finding your “it-factor” // the thing that others cannot replicate – and getting clear on how to communicate that!
Getting clear on who your dream people are – not just demographics, but psychographics too. Clarifying where they’re at, where they want to be, and how you help them get there.
Determining how you want people to feel in your presence // while working with you // while interacting with your brand - what does working with you // being in your presence say about your audience? What do you want the overall experience of your brand feel like?
Step 2: creating & expressing your vibe // essence : all about aligning who you are & what you’re here for, with how you present yourself & how others perceive you!
Your “vibe” is created intentionally through:
How your brand looks aesthetically-- logos, colour palettes, images you use, design style // layout, fonts, how you present yourself physically, style of photography // editing.
Not just the colours, fonts, images, etc.… But HOW you use them! It’s about knowing who your audience is and deciding how you want your audience to FEEL, then infusing that into all your visuals.
How your brand sounds -- brand tone of voice, the language you use, captions // copywriting, messaging, music pairings, the words and emojis you frequently use, content & themes you discuss, slang or sayings you use, etc.
The tone and language you use shapes your brand tremendously! Even the use of certain emojis & sounds shapes how others perceive you! Ground back to what makes you YOU and how what you want your brand to say about your audience, and root back to that when showing up in your business // online.
How your brand feels -- the energy you show up with, how you treat others (in DMs & in person), how you speak about yourself // others, the experience of working with you (from inquiry all the way to delivery // after completion), what the product / service/ brand as a whole says about their consumer, the values you stand by, your authenticity and realness, how you connect to your audience through relatability / humanness, etc.
Your brand is shaped by how you make others feel in its presence… what feelings and emotions it brings up, & what it makes ‘your people’ feel about themselves!
Step 3: walking the walk: being who you say you are.
This means you're not just stating what your brand stands for, your values, your beliefs, and why you’re different… but truly LIVING it!
This is done by infusing your unique approach // “it-factor”, your values, your differentiators, your ‘essence’, how you make your people feel – into all that you do!
This means the way you speak to your clients, how you show up online and in person, the systems & processes you use in your business, the way you treat yourself and others, etc.
The thing that keeps people coming back & feeling connected to you isn’t your processes or software or even being ‘the best’ ... it’s the experience of working with you, it’s how you make them feel in your presence, it’s your integrity and who you are at your core -- And this shines through when your words match who you are and how you lead your business and life!
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS TOPIC?
Did you enjoy this week's podcast episode & blog?
Keep the conversation going and let's chat about it!
Send me a DM on IG: @hollgrafix
Send me an email: hollgrafixdesign@gmail.com
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ILYSM, chat soon bestie!!!
xoxo,
HOLLY GRASSL
Creative Director & Designer
That Brand B*tch Podcast host
Follow along on IG: @thehollygrassl
Send me an email: hollgrafixdesign@gmail.com
Listen to "That Brand B*tch" Podcast HERE
Join Monthly Newsletter Here