Branding = Is everything from the visual to the experiential details that represent who you are, what you do and how you do it. It’s the identity that personifies your company.

The “branding process” = is about identifying the details that make you and your business iconic and memorable.

The “design process” = Is intentionally curating the creative building blocks used to design the look and feel of your business (your logo, colors, fonts, photography, website and symbolism). When done correctly, these details should be inspirational for the business they represent and considered the ultimate attraction factor for its target audience.

Personified Branding = Is my customized approach to the branding process. It’s outside the box, uncategorical, self-defined and inspired by the client as my muse.

Marketing = Is strategically sharing the message of your business and brand with your audience and ideal target market.

Specifically, it’s the voice, vocabulary, and language of your company delivered through various mediums. “Mediums” referring to distribution channels like social media, podcasts, newsletters, blogs, sales pages, etc.

The marketing process = Is strategically assessing a company’s goals, core message and audience to best assess which mediums to choose in accomplishing their desired goals.

I find there to be two approaches to the branding process: Applied and Identified.

Applied branding is where professionals work with templates, archetypes and generic personality tests to “apply” generic branding to a person or business. The expectations of both clients and service providers are fast turn arounds and cheap deliverables.

Identified branding is a customized approach that “identifies” the essence of a person or business and infuses it into every detail of their life and work. It’s highly customized, client-defined, personified, and strategically designed. The understanding in this approach is: It takes time, its an investment not an expense, and results in intoxicating clarity and iconic authority.

While I’ve come up with these terms over the years, I pride myself in taking the identified branding approach.

Iconic Details is a branding studio that offers sanctuary, incubation and amplification of your iconic essence. Never to be told who to be or what to do but rather refined, infused and honored your core essence over time.

A strong brand is what sets you apart from the rest of the world and offers you infinite possibilities and advantages. It not only creates differentiation in the marketplace and strategic positioning to attract your ideal clients, but it’s also a visual medium that expresses who you are, what you do, and how you do it. A cohesive brand allows you to control others perception of you, your reputation, and your relatability. A brand is a unifying element to bring consistency, cohesion and charisma to a person or business. It’s the master key to unlocking the know-like-trust factor. The ability to be top of mind and like a photo, worthy of a thousand words.

Branding follows the universal rule of three: Whatever you put out into the world, returns to you three times or three-fold.

• You are at a career milestone:

  • 3 years in business: You have enough experience under your belt that you know the platform and causes you stand for and want to be known and associated with.

  • 5 years in business: You want to replace what you used to launch your business and brand with elevated and enhanced assets.

  • 10 yeas in business: Your brand feels like a stale chip. You want to refresh and revive your business through your brand.

  • Acquisition: You’re considering buying a business, selling yours, or expanding and engulfing another. You want to assess the value of your brand or like staging home to sell present it in a way that adds equity and value to the sale.

• You’ve worked with other creatives who missed the mark. What you got doesn’t match what you envisioned or hired them to create for you.

• You have a solid book of business and a brand you put together years ago because you “needed one” - logo, website, business cards, etc. - You now realize what’s possible and you want to do it right.

• You have a vision for how you want to take your business to the next-level but you’re not sure where or how to start.

Enhancement in all the priceless variables like money, time, and energy.

MONEY: As the saying goes, “if you think good design is expensive, you should see the cost of bad design.” Branding is an investment not an expense. It helps save you marketing dollars, unnecessary ad spend, endless rounds of costly revisions, lost capital in uncertainty and more! You could invest $30-60,000 renovating your master bathroom that might make you an ROI when you sell or be outdated by then. Or, you can invest in your branding which is investing in your business.

TIME: Like a general contractor overseeing a remodel, you have me to oversee all the moving pieces of the branding process, from intention to integration. With my years of expertise to help you avoid putting the cart before the horse and provide instant connection to vetted resources you will need along the way. Most importantly, you will become an expert in efficiently (and effectively) explaining what you do, proving your credibility and establishing your professionalism. Clients and prospects will easily know, recognize and refer you.

ENERGY: Offering support, perspective, organization and a level of detail you can’t get anywhere else will work to relieve feelings of being fragmented, frustrated, and overwhelmed. Confidence in having a curated, cohesive and intentional presentation of yourself and your work.

I find the biggest ROI is the freedom to be you, do business “your way” and become so iconic you need no introduction when stepping into new opportunities.