Brand Evolution
Brands, branding, look & feel – all that jazz!
? Is it important?
? What does it even mean?
? What do you need to be thinking about?
When you first start out in business you are super fixated on logos. I know that I certainly was. The logo was the important thing. But brands are about much more than logos.
The other thing to know is that brand evolve.
If you are waiting until you have the perfect logo before you get started then stop that search. I promise it’s no-where near as important as you think it is at the very beginning BUT getting your whole brand right really is.
BRAND STAGE 1
So, I wanna introduce you to clenched (& still quite corporate) Emma from her first photoshoot and branding.
The Launch Queen brand was super beautiful. I was designed by Leanne from Jakenna Design It’s elegant and opulent. It’s stunning. I loved the little magical swish underneath it.
BUT the brand kept buffering up against me. It was a brand which was absolutely gorgeous, it simply wasn’t me!
I was stuck in it. I was stuck using blacks and golds/yellows within my imagery. I was stuck with photos that were versatile to add any additional layer of personality on to the brand.
It felt like I’d cornered myself into a black & gold corner and there was no getting out.
I remember scraping the money together to get those photos done. It seems like I got lost in my former corporate days when I look back at them now. They are super staged (yup I look younger and thinner) BUT they don’t show my eclectic personality.
I HAD EVOLVED.
My confidence & trust in myself had evolved.
I didn’t need to hide in black.
AND really – that necklace isn’t me at all!! ??
TIME TO RE-BRAND.
Time to unclench a little (just like I advise my Rockstars to – see I know because I’ve been through the process)
BRAND EVOLUTION STAGE 2
Ah, already a lot more me!!
A photoshoot in the beautiful Newcastle Upon Tyne and a rebrand – there in was born Coaching Rockstars.
The brand is beautiful and was designed by the gorgeous Kat from the Business Beautician
BUT the evolution continued. I think that when you first step into your business properly you have all sorts of ideas about what it needs to look like and how it needs to be. You will be guided on the evolution of your brand by your crowd and by the projects you undertake and how things need to look.
QUEUE FURTHER EVOLUTION INTO EMMA HOLMES – COACHING ROCKSTARS………
I was working with the gorgeous Vicki from Branding Therapy with the design work generally within my business. We needed a more versatile library of images. We needed to show my normality, my fun, my tell it like it is but smothered with compassion, love & light.
We needed imagery to use on my new website, in my books and on Social Media.
THEN CAME A TWEAK…
BRAND EVOLUTION STAGE 3
After a stack of consideration I knew that we were ALMOST there with my brand and branding but there was something that was getting stuck. It was sticking with me. I spent some time considering that stickiness and I worked out that it was the word “coaching.”
I wrote a whole blog about the reasons behind the change…..
What resulted was getting the brand absolutely nailed and being happy with the imagery, fonts, colours and overall look and feel.
WHY HAVE I DONE IT?
Because at each stage it’s felt right. It’s felt like the action that needed to be taken. I have found an amazing photographer and we have committed to regular shoots. Is that because I’m vain? Is it because I can’t settle on pictures? No, it’s because they are super important in my overall brand. They are fun. They give a sense of who I am and what I’m all about. They save money and time wasted searching stock photography. They are different because no-one else can be me and use my images. I have a expression-ful face and we have stacks of fun doing them.
I’m sure you’ll agree that you get much more of a sense of who I am from the later pictures than the earlier ones.
MY ADVICE?
?? Don’t be afraid to change.
?? Don’t be afraid to include lots of personality into your brand as that is what makes you unique – no-one can serve your audience like you do!
?? Get good images as they will set you free >>> Click here to jump in and read my advice about photography<<<
>>>You can watch the visuals on the brand evolution HERE<<<
