As creatives we tend to be multi-passionate,
and creating a branding strategy that fits all the different hats we wear without being disorganized and unfocused can be tricky.
However, there is one overarching theme that can and should guide every branding decision you make:
YOUR IDEAL CLIENT.
Even though I offer private music lessons, branding and social media consultations, and I release digital products and courses, my ideal client has similarities across all of these areas.
They value personal growth and self-education. They are professional, but not afraid to show their personality. They support the successes of others. They understand that success takes hard work, and they are not afraid of that. They believe deep down that they are meant for much more and long to have a positive impact on this world. And they are willing to chase their dreams until they become reality.
These are my people.
These are the types of clients and students I am inspired and excited to work with, and this is who I want to attract to me.
This ideal client was my guiding light in every single thing I created from the very beginning. It helped me curate my brand colors, logos, and fonts. It determined my photography style and the way I pose in pictures. It shapes the blog posts, captions, and emails I write, and the brand experience that I offer.
I want to guide you through an exercise...
Grab some paper and a pen because we are diving right on in, my friend!
First, I want you to take a moment to think about the services that you currently offer. Do you teach private lessons? Perform for weddings and events? Offer composition lessons? Write them all down.
Now....do you enjoy all of these things? Yes, we are going Marie Kondo up in here, y'all.
If your answer to any of those is no, then cross it on off your list!
Now some of you may be thinking, "Oh my god Nicole, this is the bulk of my income I can't just cross this off...."
Here's the thing, though. Yes you can. It's just a list! I want you to dream and envision for your future. For your dream career! Because if you go through this exercise correctly and let it guide your branding, it will attract those clients, fans, and students you've been dreaming of right to you.
Seriously though...imagine a time in the future where you are doing only what you love every single day. I promise you it is possible, because I did it! And if I can do it, you can, too.
Ok now, I want you to start brainstorming other services you could offer. Or maybe you have an idea in the back of your head that has been hanging out for a while but you've never actually taken any steps to make it happen. I want you to brain dump and get it all on there! If you are having trouble with this step, it can be helpful to think about what other people come to you for. What do your friends ask you for help with? These are likely the things they already view you as an expert in, and I'd be willing to bet they are not the only ones with these questions.
When you finish this up I want you to take a moment to think about all your current or former clients/students. Are there any that stand out as favorites? What was it about them exactly? Start writing these things down. Were there common personality traits, or a certain age range, or values they shared? Try to be as detailed as possible here.
When you complete this exercise I want you to take a few moments to look over your ideas and try to find any commonalities. Spend some time thinking about what traits your ideal client has and how this could fit in with all of your current services as well as your ideas for the future.
As this begins to take shape, I recommend writing down the traits for your ideal client on a post-it note. Keep this on your laptop or desk so as you begin your branding process, that client will guide you through everything.
And that's how you do it!
Once you know your ideal client, the pieces of your brand will begin to take shape almost effortlessly. I hope that this will help you along your journey of turning all those big dreams into your reality - and know that I am over here cheering you on!
If you have any questions, comments, or other topics you would like me to cover, please send me a message here. I would love to hear from you!
If you want to see more articles on how to build your career, subscribe here and follow along on Instagram, @nicolericcardo!
Thank you for reading!
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