Learn the Top Branding Mistakes You Might Be Making So You Can Grow Your Business and Make a Profit Living in Your Purpose

“If you think good design is expensive, you should look at the cost of bad design.” Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover

I bet there’s been many a time when you’ve looked around and noticed other purpose-driven women entrepreneurs straight killin’ it in their businesses and leading impactful lives they love. And while you truly are so excited for them and cheering them on, it can make you take a step back and question if you’re doing something wrong.

How do I know? Because I’ve been there, sister. We all have!

The doubt and comparison can really make a girl feel like she’s made all the wrong decisions in her business. Especially when you know this business is what you’re meant to be doing but the people and profits just aren’t coming your way.

Sister, I so see you in that. But what if I told you there’s a simple fix? By correcting these easy-to-miss yet vital branding mistakes, you can start confidently, consistently, and intentionally showing up for your business, standing out to the people you are meant to serve, and growing a successful, impactful business for years to come!

STEP ONE: Define your target market and niche and stick to them

I know, I know, you’ve probably heard this SO many times, but it really is worth repeating. As a woman entrepreneur, especially when just starting out, we want to help as many clients or customers as possible. It can feel overwhelming when we place all our focus and energy on a smaller group of people! Like, why would we want to keep anyone out? After all, people equal profits, right? Well, not quite. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. Not being for everyone means you get to speak to, impact, and reach a perfect, specific someone. If you had an issue with your heart and you needed surgery, would you pick a general surgeon or would you pick a cardiovascular surgeon? Obvi the cardiovascular surgeon because he can solve your specific problem in the best way possible! The same is true for you and your business. Defining a niche and target market, not only will it establish you as an authority in a highly specialized area of your industry, but it will also make all of your marketing efforts much easier since you are speaking to a very specific someone with a very specific need.

You’ll know exactly who to address in your copy, the specific problems you can solve for them, and how to communicate and engage with them in all your content and marketing efforts. People are not just eager to pay for specialists; when you can serve as an expert, they trust you more, allowing the experience to be anchored in doing work you love that reaches people you love, and ultimately allows you to live a life you love.

STEP TWO: Stop trying to save money by skipping professional design

Man do I get tryin’ to ball on a budget! Running a business is expensive, and you want to keep as much of your hard-earned dollars as you can. But the truth is, by not investing in professional, strategic design, you’re costing your business so much more money and heartache in the long run. Once you define your offer, your target market, and the niche you’ll be in, the best next step is to seek out a strategic brand designer that helps women-owned businesses on a budget. Whether that’s through VIP days or starter branding packages, there are affordable options that you can’t afford to miss out on! Yes, you can go to Etsy or Creative Market and get a pre-made, overused brand kit for pretty darn cheap that has no meaning behind it. Sure, the colors may be trendy and the font is one you absolutely love, but by going cheap with the very identity and essence of your business, you’re costing yourself more than you probably realize. Professional designers are professionals for a reason. By putting strategy behind your brand, every design decision that’s made will have a purpose behind it. From the colors all the way down to your brand's icon, you’ll know exactly why it connects with your ideal audience. Not only that, but by understanding your heart as the business owner- your values, personality, what matters most to you, etc.- she can build a brand that you absolutely love as well.

STEP THREE: Understand the importance of branding and messaging ASAP

Your brand is the first impression your business has on your clients or customers. Yes, your brand HAS a logo, but it is not JUST a logo. It goes so much deeper than that. By treating your branding like it doesn’t really matter, you’re also treating your business, your messaging, and therefore your audience like they don’t matter. If your branding doesn’t match up with your messaging, and vice versa, the only thing you’re creating for yourself, your business, and your audience is confusion. And if you’re confusing, you’re losing.

STEP FOUR: Focus on your people

I’m sure someone out there has told you that success equals profit. Or maybe, someone didn’t tell you, but you grew up with a money mindset that what you make is what you’re worth. That’s what happened to me, at least.

I grew up in a middle-class family that put a high priority on penny-pinching and money hoarding. This belief spilled over into my adult life because I had been conditioned to believe that what kind of life I lived was based on the money in my bank account. So when I first started my business, I was in a scarcity mindset. I wanted it to work out so badly, so I was putting all my effort into trying to make money. This caused me to lose sight of my purpose, the very reason I started this business in the first place; to love God, love people, live in my purpose, and help others do the same. The minute I stopped focusing on the success of my business and started focusing on the success of the people I had been called to reach, my business started to flourish. True success happens when you remember your purpose and start focusing on making the lives of your people better instead of making a profitable business.

Following these easily overlooked, but easily fixable steps will help you avoid costly branding mistakes so you can bless the people you’ve been called to reach, run a purpose-driven business, and live a purpose-filled life!

True success happens when you remember your purpose and start focusing on making the lives of your people better instead of making a profitable business.

Ready to stop making these branding mistakes?

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