How do you want people to see your business: professional expert or DIY hobbyist? Look at your current website and all your social media profiles objectively; what image do those portray? Does that image match across all platforms? Does it match what’s in your head?
It’s time to get consistent and invest some money into your business by upgrading your branding elements across the board. If you want to attract dream clients, you need look like a dream team member.
Here are just a few suggestions to get you started thinking about your brand image:
1. Purchase a premium WordPress theme. WordPress is the easiest platform to use for creating your site and making subsequent changes. While the WordPress theme directory is filled with beautiful, free themes, these are prone to hackers and often have weird links hidden within their sloppy coding. Premium themes are created by respected developers and offer support for any problems or questions you may encounter. I strongly recommend Divi.
2. Invest in a seasoned website designer. Anybody can install and update a WordPress theme but it takes a talented web designer with experience to instill their artistic talent and make your website look professional as opposed to DIY. Web designers or developers are also experts when it comes to writing and fixing code, so they won’t inadvertently delete an important piece of code that will break the whole theme. They also can complete the redesign in far less time than it would take you, thereby allowing you to focus on other money-making tasks.
3. Schedule a professional headshot photo shoot. People buy from other people, so include a recent photo of yourself somewhere on your site; a professional headshot is even better because, again, you’re trying to avoid the DIY mistake. Photographers also have a gift for bringing out your natural personality in a photo, which goes a long way toward building trust and winning new clients. Remember to use updated headshots on all your social media profiles, too.
4. Use properly licensed stock photos. Images are important to add to your blog posts and social media graphics but be sure those images convey the same image as your website. Also check the licenses before making any purchases. If a license says, “For editorial use only,” then don’t use it as part of your company’s logo. You can use that image as part of a blog post but then be careful about your wording and your call-to-action. You’re running a business so invest in stock photos instead of cutting/pasting images from other sites; you’ll run the risk of copyright infringement. A membership based stock library is this one, with really lovely photoes, giving that vibe many of us are looking for. And yes, I’m a member too.
5. Outsource to the experts. Be realistic and know your weaknesses. Hire a writer to assist with website copy, blog posts, and email autoresponders. Hire a graphic designer to create your social media posts and other design elements. Even if these are the skills you have, sometimes being too close to a project makes it more difficult to complete. Outsourcing to experts again uplevels your branding and makes it more professional instead of relying on a DIY solution.
Invest in your business and build up the brand image that best suits you. Now implement your marketing plan to find new clients.
Are you stuck in the business planning stage? Use my newest planner to find some clarity…
When you decide to start a business, you’ve got a lot of moving wheels going at the same time and it’s tough to keep it all organized. If you’re spinning your wheels and getting nowhere, take a look at my newest planner, “Design Your Money Making Income Plan in a Weekend.” I’ll walk you through the steps necessary to start your business, from choosing what kind of services to offer, to identifying your dream client, to putting packages together, to throwing a launch party (and so much more in between). With these exercises and a little quiet time, you’ll have an action plan in place by the end of the weekend!
If this sounds like something you want to do, just push the button/picture below, and you can download the planner instantly.