3 Ways to Strengthen Your Brand's Identity

So, you've decided to walk down Creative Entrepreneur Avenue and take the journey so many of us dread: turning your side hustle into your “main thang.” I mean let's be honest, we love creating but the business part is kind of meh at best. Nevertheless, we put our pride and artistic spirit to the side and pick up the CEO hat – which sometimes leaves a line across the forehead because it can be entirely too restricting. Assuming multiple roles within your start-up is stressful, but it prepares you with invaluable lessons that can’t be learned in a classroom.

First and foremost, I'm glad you're here! Let's grow our brands together!

We’ve all heard the saying, “it’s business, it’s not personal” a million times and truthfully, I’ve always found it to be extremely problematic. Why? Because anything I invest my time, money, and energy into is VERY personal. As creators, we must take our business and brand personal because they both serve as billboards for your enterprise. How your brand is positioned in the marketplace will establish its assumed value. What you share can increase or decrease its perceived value which is directly linked to customer engagement. The more engaged your customers are, the more likely they are to purchase your goods or services.

How do I strengthen my brand's identity and increase customer engagement?

Branding is all about creating a unique identity for yourself and your business. Since most creative start-ups use social media for the majority of their marketing needs, the essence of your brand can only be seen and heard in a two-dimensional space online. You must set yourself apart from the competition by being intentional with your content in alignment with your brand message. This is important because it will make it easier for you to find customers and attract new followers. 

Three tips for strengthening your brand's identity:

• For new brands and/or product lines, choose a name that is different and draws attention. It would help if you also created a tagline or slogan that is catchy and memorable.
• Your brand should also have a visual identity that stands out. Think about colors, lines and its overall composition. 
• Question: If you saw your brand while browsing your social media feed, would it grab your attention? [Note: a great design doesn’t have to be busy. More often than not, less is more.]

• Transparency builds trust and adds value to your brand.
• Be open about your successes and failures. This will make people feel like they know you and can relate to you.
• Vulnerability allows you to connect with your audience on an emotional level. This is important because purchases based on “want” are emotional acquisitions.

• You should notice more comments and direct communication when your community drops their guard.
• It also means being consistent with your branding across all platforms. When you are consistent, people will know what to expect from you and your brand.

In summary, branding is all about creating a unique identity for yourself and your business. Our brand motto is “bridging the gap between art and business.” Thus, our posts are centered around behind-the-scenes of FreeYourLenz from both a business and customer’s perspective and unleashed creativity from an array of artists. Our focus is to not only deliver aesthetically pleasing creations, but we aim to help every customer become the best version of their creative selves in the process. Through consciously crafted pieces complete with meaningful back stories, we hope to inspire and empower each individual who visits our platforms to #CreateFreely, #CreatWithIntention, and #CreateWithPurpose.

Thanks for reading! 😊

Please do us a huge favor and share this blog post! It can save a brand’s life. Stay tuned for Lesson 2 coming later this week. Be sure to follow @FreeYourLenz on all platforms and tell a fellow creator to subscribe!

Free(ing) Your Lenz is the act of viewing obstacles as opportunities for solutions; it is a creative practice of freedom that opens the mind to all things art.

#FreeYourLenz #FYLZ #CreateFreely #CreatWithIntention #CreateWithPurpose