The unexpected consequences of going viral

I run a small branding & design agency, and I went viral 2 weeks ago from a single video post, that took my Instagram account from 13K followers to 113K followers, and my TikTok to 208K followers. But it turns out, going viral is not all what it's cracked up to be.

The Feast and Famine Cycle of A Branding?Agency

Before I stumbled upon the magic formula, my design agency, like many others, endured the dreaded feast and famine cycle. When projects came pouring in, we were neck-deep in the creative process, too busy to think about marketing. This was the Feast Phase. However, when the work dried up, we found ourselves in a famine phase, desperate for exposure.

Our services didn’t come cheap, starting at $10,000 and going all the way up to $40,000 for our premium branding package. Some would call us pricey, but I beg to differ. What we offered for $10,000, bigger agencies peddled for $50,000, with subpar results. Our clientele primarily comprised of small B2B firms and luxury hospitality businesses. But attracting the right clients wasn’t always easy.

The Quest for?Exposure

During one of our famine phases, I was scouring LinkedIn when I stumbled upon a carousel post by Frank Mackrill and Phillip Oakley . They were making a compelling argument that a logo didn’t represent an entire brand. They introduced something they called “The Thumb Test,” covering logos on white business cards with a thumb to see if you could still recognize the brand. It turned out, most logos failed this test spectacularly. The same was not true for other brands like McDonalds and Apple that had a fully flushed out brand identity systems, and didn't just rely on it's logo.

Inspired by their concept, I reached out to Reagan and Philip, seeking permission to create a video expanding on their idea for my Instagram and TikTok. They graciously agreed, and I jumped into action. Little did I know that this video would set off a chain reaction.

Here’s the TikTok video (currently sitting at 1.8 million views)

https://www.tiktok.com/@denny.kurien/video/7271252128012782854

Going Viral: The Unexpected Consequences

My video went viral, and suddenly, our inbox was flooded with inquiries. People wanted to know how much we charged for a logo design, how to kickstart their branding journey with us, and even if we could design a logo for their local coffee shop. However, there was a catch?—?most of these inquiries came from countries where our fees were beyond reach.

While these inquiries didn’t directly translate into business, they did drive an impressive number of visitors to our website?—?about 500 a day. People from all corners of the globe became ardent fans of our work, even if they couldn’t afford our services. Out of the 208K TikTok followers, only one business owner from the US reached out, willing to invest $30,000 in a brand refresh for his IT firm.

The Birth of “The Elite Branding Blueprint”

As inquiries continued to pour in, something dawned on me. What if I could share my branding expertise with those who couldn’t afford our premium services? The idea gave birth to the “Elite Branding Blueprint.” For a modest fee ranging from $5 to $10 per month on Patreon - entrepreneurs, students, and agency owners could access a treasure trove of my branding knowledge.

Each week, I would release a video going deep on topics like defining brand personality, crafting customer personas, and designing brand identities. For those seeking a more personal touch, I offered an upsell of $100 to $500 per month for personalized feedback. And for those ready to take their branding to the next level, the high-touch package of $10,000 was on the table.

The Viral Odyssey Continues

Don’t go chasing numbers. Views, followers, and likes are all vanity metrics, and doesn’t always translate to sales. What’s more important is connecting with the right kind of audience who will value what you do, sharing knowledge, and opening new doors of opportunity. As I gear up to launch my “Elite Branding Blueprint” next week, I’m excited about the potential it holds. Going viral may not always lead to immediate riches, but it can certainly open doors you never knew existed.