Before we begin, you might be wondering, who the hell is this chic and how what does she know about branding?!? So I’ll get the intro’ out of the way so we can get down to business…

My name is Kelly Servis and I’m the owner of Alchemic Creations, an intuitive brand strategy and soul-infused web design company for heart-centered entrepreneurs. I’ve been in this industry for almost 10 years. I’ve seen, heard, and experienced some of the absolute BEST brands out there, and of course, even more of the most cringe-worthy worst.

One of the biggest mistakes I see new entrepreneurs make as they begin creating their brand is a lack of direction and overall strategy. I can’t tell you how many times I see Facebook posts with new bosses begging for someone to design them a logo on a budget—because they “need a brand!” It takes every fiber in my being to keep from commenting how much precious time they’re wasting. Now, I know you’re probably shaking your head thinking, WTF, isn’t a logo EXACTLY what I need? Let me stop ya right there my friend. The short answer is an obvious yes—But in this post I’m going to share a more detailed answer of why I’m going to say, no you don’t…at least not right away.

Lay the Foundation:

Before I even begin a conversation about brand identity with my clients, I make sure they’re quartz crystal clear on how a brand should be developed correctly and what the difference is between the various pieces of the term “brand.” I make sure they understand the importance of being completely dialed in on their brand message long before they even start thinking about their visuals (i.e. their identity: logos, colors, fonts, etc.).

The first thing you need to know is that you must have a strategy in place before we make a single move. We need to know exactly what the game plan is to get your brand strategically placed in the mind of your soulmate clients. We must be 100% clear on why you’re even creating a brand in the first place.

Next, is to determine exactly how you want your clients to experience your brand—from start to finish. If we’re not clear on the big picture from the beginning, there’s no way to have a defined path of how to get to your destination.

5 Steps to Brand Success:

If you’re just getting started with the branding side of your business, these 5 simple steps will help you determine the best brand message and visuals for you and your soulmate clients:

1. Clarify your message: Get crystal clear on your why. Why are you creating this business? Why are you here? Why are you grinding to make this dream work? What is it that drives you day in and day out?
2. Determine who you’re here to serve. You need to know exactly who your soulmate client is. What are his/her most prominent pain points? And how can you make his/her life easier by solving said pain points?
3. Clarify your voice: Fine tune your brand voice, tone, and language. How does your brand sound? What does your brand talk like? If it was a person, what type of mannerisms would it exhibit? Is it loud, outgoing and fun? Is it soft, feminine and dainty? Listen to how you talk to your friends and family. Pay attention to how you write content. These are the things that will help you develop your brand voice.
4. Create your look: Once you’ve established the core foundation of your brand and 100% dialed in on your messaging, then it’s time to start on the visuals. This is when you’ll start developing the look of your brand. I strongly recommend putting together a mood board to get started. This creates a visual vibe you can use as a focal point as you begin developing your core brand identity items such as logos, your color palette and fonts, etc.
5. Execute your visuals: Finally, it’s time to bring mind to matter and start executing your visuals. Create your logo, choose your brand specific fonts, develop your color palette, select a brand pattern or two you identify with and then put all of your brand imagery together to ensure it flows seamlessly. Make sure to check for consistency across ALL platforms. You want to be showing up consistently in the same manner everywhere your brand is represented. This means every time you make a post, how you write, your imagery, what you wear, how you talk at a speaking engagement—anytime you create content—be consistent. Brand recognition is the biggest piece to becoming a staple in your soulmate clients’ mind and getting you booked every time they need you.

And there you have it! These simple tips are the quickest starting points to guide you toward the enlightened path of creating a brand you’ll not only be proud of, but one that feels true to you from the inside out.

If working through this process feels overwhelming, you’re past the point of DIY’in it, or you just have some questions that are keeping you from executing your intuitive brand and creating your drool-worthy visuals, then let’s setup a quick compatibility chat to see what we can do to start creating that soul-infused brand of yours. Book your spot here.

If you’re currently working with Archangel Ink or you’re an author / entrepreneur interested in using self-publishing to help build your brand, their team has some amazing package options to meet all of your needs—including working with yours truly! So if you’re ready to schedule a free consultation with Rob and the team, reach out to them here for more information.

You know what they say, “time is money” and I appreciate you spending it here with me. Now get those action steps in place and start executing, your intuitive brand is waiting to be unleashed on the world! Comment below and let us know what your first move towards it will be.

Kelly Servis

Alchemic Creations