The first step in the branding process is DISCOVERY and brand development. Identifying the details that make YOU, your company and brand iconic.

• Documenting your origin story and the “calling” that inspired the business in the first place.

• Listening to what makes you different and how you want to position yourself in the market, amongst your competitors, and for your ideal clientele.

• Establishing the 70/30 split I mentioned between your vision and methodology.

• Identifying and outlining your ideal clientele. Who you serve now and who you want to be serving. Weather your refining or expanding into new markets.

• Outlining your process for before working with clients, while working with them, and after. Brainstorming ideas for those “wow-factors” and enhanced experience.

• Documenting the services and capabilities you have.

• Walking you through the persona perspective exercise to give voice to that iconic essence we want to honor and infuse along the way.

Phase 2 of the branding process is SUPPORT. This is where we discuss the experts and specialists needed to bring your brand and vision to life.

No need for F-works like: Free, friend, freelancers and Fiverr… we’re going DESIGNER!

Phase 3 of the branding process is all about being STRATEGIC in designing your brand identity and curating the creative building blocks used to creates its visual representation. From the logo, colors, fonts and textures to the brand photography, website and collateral. Establishing the brand guidelines to keep all parties rowing in the right direction and knowing what’s “on brand” for your company.

The final phase of the branding process is INTEGRATION. A two part plan to infuse and use all the brand assets we’ve curated and designed. This varies across every project but could be as simple or hands on as you like:

• Integrating everything seamlessly to not only stage the brand but live the brand. Everything from refreshing your website and wardrobe to designing a curated backdrop for your office videos.

• Implementing it and using it for the unlimited trifecta of getting the work, doing the work, and growing the business.

This is when branding stops being something to do, and starts being something to be.

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” a brand to an individual or company. The expectation of both clients and service providers are fast turnarounds and cheap deliverables.

Identified Branding: Is a highly customized approach that “identifies” the iconic essence of an individual or company and infuses it into every detail of their life and work. It’s client defined, personified, and strategically designed. The understanding behind this approach is: It takes time, it's an investment, and results in intoxicating clarity and iconic authority.

While I crafted this terminology, I pride myself in taking the identified approach to branding. Designing brands that are legacy worthy, evolve, and grow with you rather than restrict you and require constant rebranding.

I am adamant about this. When strategically designing a brand there is a 70/30 rule I follow. 70% of the branding should represents the BIG vision, goal and/or why behind the company and 30% should represents the current methodology, mission, and “how” the company plans to accomplish this vision.

Following this rule avoids unnecessary rebranding every time you or the company evolves it’s methodology, because the brand is based on the “what/vision” not the “how/mission.”

Case in point, I started my business as an image consultant and wardrobe stylist under the brand Iconic Details. I believed then, as I do now, that it is the details that make you iconic and memorable. Fast forward to my business and methodology today, a fully functioning branding studio, there’s been no need to “rebrand” or change the name. All I’ve had to do was honor its evolution and adjust its expression. That’s what makes iconic branding. That’s what makes a legacy worth brand.

While others use personality tests, archetypes, and templates, I witness and listen!

Through a visualization exercise we introduce you to the soul essence of your company and brand. Allow “it” to tell us what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Honoring your most iconic essence, we give it a voice, name, personality, and most importantly permission to guide us in developing your brand identity, positioning your authority, and build a lasting legacy.

It’s painful how many brands lack depth, symbolism, and meaning. When you ask “tell me about your logo” and the response is “There’s no story, it just looks cool.” or “I don’t know its just what we have.”

I take pride in the symbolism and iconography I create when desiging your brand. I don’t settle for “good,” I work till it’s “Great!” I curate internal (for you and your staff) and external (for your audience and clientele) experiences that are conscious and intentionally memorable. Integrating “wow-factors” that enhance and elevate the day to day for you as a leader, build a strong company culture, and transform clients into raving fans.

There are three things that set “good” and “great” brands apart: Consistency, Cohesion, and Charisma. Online, offline, and in person you want to present your brand as uniformly as possible.

Consistency: When potential clients stalk you online, engage with you offline, and meet you in person, you want to present yourself and your company the same way wherever and however they engage with you. Do you have the same profile picture on all your profiles? Does it match the quality of photography on your website and print materials? Does the messaging on your website sound like your voice, speeches, and social media content?

Cohesion: Does what a potential client sees online, offline and in person all look like it came from the same company or individual? Does your website match the look, feel, and vibe of you in person on in a meeting? or is it disjointed? Does the website look like it was made by one person, the photography by another, the logo by another, the print material by another?

Charisma: I once heard defined as “authentic confidence.” Does the brand highlight the personality inside you and behind your company. If I were to put you both (your company and you) into a blender, and juiced you, what would come out!? Would it be a fruit juice, spirit forward cocktail, straight shot of tequila, or cup of tea!? What would it be? Charisma answers the question: “If you were a _____, what would YOU be!?”