Brandmerry Blog Archives
How to Choose Fonts for Your Personal Brand
HOW TO CHOOSE FONTS FOR YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
Most people don't realize the importance of carefully selecting aesthetics for your brand that reflect your brand story. What is a brand story you ask, great question!
In short your brand story is your past chapters that have contributed to who you are, what you've learned and your purpose. Your brand story is what your brand and business is built on that allows you to stand out online right from the start. To learn more about your brand story, go here.
Today, I want to talk to you about the aesthetics of your brand - I know GASP! I talk all the time about the importance of your story, your purpose and your message, but now it's time to chat about what happens when you have a clear understanding of those elements.
My personal recommendation in choosing fonts for your brand is to choose a basic font that can be used across all platforms, so on your website, Canva or Photoshop. This is the base of your brand. In addition I recommend two complimentary fonts (often one header font and one script-type font).
Essentially, I like to have a header font that draws attention to something you are sharing and stands out, plus a handwritten font, whether script or something more free flowing is your choice and should compliment your brand story.
CHOOSING FONTS based on emotion
Choosing fonts that compliment the emotions of your brand can be a bit scary and slightly overwhelming. The bottom line is that your brand should make people FEEL something, and yes fonts play a part in making people feel. Here are some examples of the emotions evoked by font selections, to make your decision process a bit easier.
Be sure to reference the image below for some examples AND if you’re ready to learn The Build a Better Brand Method then be sure to sign up for my free masterclass.
Selecting your fonts are only a small part of the branding process and it’s not even where I recommend my clients get started. If you want to learn my 3 Must-Know Secrets to Build a Better Brand be sure to sign up for my free masterclass.
Michelle Knight is a Branding and Business coach for female entrepreneurs who are struggling to gain visibility and traction to take their business to the next level. She works with her clients to dive deep into their story so they can create a brand and message that positions them as an expert and allows them to create their desired income to free up time in their schedule for what matters most. Learn more >>
What is Personal Branding and Why is Personal Branding Important?
There's a lot of buzz around personal branding, but what does it really mean and why is personal branding important? Click to learn more about personal branding, plus the 4 pieces needed for a strong personal brand.
What is Branding and
Why is Branding Important
for Female Entrepreneurs?
**The post was updated on October 2019
I absolutely love personal branding, but as much as I LOVE it, it didn't come easy to me early on in my business.
In fact, the very first website I made took almost five months to make and the end result was NOTHING like what I imagined. Sure I had done it myself, but I got so wrapped up in what everyone else was doing and what their brands looked like that I lost myself in the process.
When I became a personal branding coach and consultant female entrepreneurs I knew I wanted to share my discoveries and knowledge around branding with as many women as possible.
Why is Personal Branding Important?
Because when you start thinking about branding as so much more than just aesthetic, you are able to create a truly authentic personal brand that stands out in your industry.
And, yes when I say personal branding, I mean you!
In fact, no matter what you sell online you need to be focused on the person behind the business. It is the personal connection that attracts your dream clients and keeps them engaged.
4 Pieces for your Personal Brand
This 7-minute video will give you a look inside personal branding and the 4 pieces needed for a strong personal brand online.
When you take the time to lay the foundational pieces of your personal brand, you create a brand that is so on-point to who you are and your purpose and clearly connects with your audience.
This is how you create a brand that attracts fans, not just followers.
Leave your biggest takeaway from today’s video below.
P.S. If you’re ready to create a strong personal brand on social media, then be sure to check out my FREE masterclass where I’m sharing my Build a Better Brand Method. You’ll learn the exact framework I teach my clients to create a brand that stands out on social media, attracts their dream clients and creates a revenue-generating business. Sign up here!
The Power of Personal Branding: 7 Tips to Elevate Your Brand with a Professional Photo Shoot
Personal Branding Photography is one of the greatest assets to building an online brand. Learn the 7 tips for a successful photoshoot and my personal branding photography checklist.
**This content was updated in June 2024
I absolutely adore brand photography.
If I were to credit two key pieces to my business growth, it would be:
Quality Content
Personal, Authentic Brand Photos
In today's market, building a strong personal brand is more important than ever. As an entrepreneur, having a professional image can make a huge impact on how your brand is perceived in the world. You've heard it before, but the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" holds true when it comes to personal branding. The images you use to market your brand are key in your non-verbal communication strategy. That's why a professional photo shoot can be a game-changer in elevating your brand.
By investing in a professional photo shoot, you not only get high-quality images but also the opportunity to convey your personality and unique selling points in an effective non-verbal way.
Remember, your photos will be the authentic representation of your brand and are just so fun to have on hand when creating your social media posts, updating your website, running ads, creating YouTube thumbnails and so much more.
On a deeper level, brand photos allow you to capture the attention of your audience through the emotions you evoke in your photos. More on emotional branding here.
To make sure you feel prepared for your brand photoshoot, I’ve included my top seven tips to have a successful personal branding photoshoot and start standing out online:
Your Brand Board
Clear on Your Top Descriptive Words
Inspiration Ready
Choosing Your Photographer
Choosing Your Location
Exude Confidence
Candid, Baby!
Importance of Personal Branding
In the market today, personal branding is what sets you apart from the competition. There are a lot of people doing and offering something similar to what you do, so how does someone know you're the brand to work with? Your personal brand.
It allows you to establish your unique identity, build trust with your audience, lead with authenticity, and create a lasting impression. Personal branding goes beyond your products or services; it is about showcasing who you are as a person and what you stand for. Your personal brand defines your values, expertise, and overall image in the eyes of your target audience.
A well-crafted personal brand can help you attract the right opportunities, build a loyal following, and position yourself as an authority in your industry. It allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level and build meaningful relationships that can lead to long-term success. Want to go deeper into building your personal brand and revenue-generating business? Watch my free, on-demand class here.
7 Tips to Prepare for Your Personal Brand Photo Shoot
Prefer to watch your content?
Check out this recent YouTube video I made talking about my recent professional photo shoot and my top tips.
Alright, sticking around? On to the steps.
1. Have a Completed Brand Board Before Your Photo Shoot
You don't want to go into your photoshoot without having a clear picture of your brand, otherwise, you will just be paying more money for another shoot in a few months.
I ALWAYS have my clients create an inspiration board for their brand. I highly recommend you start with Pinterest or Google to collect photos that mirror your branding and pull from those to create a finalized inspiration board. This isn’t just about your brand colors and fonts, it’s a representation of your overall brand feel. A photographer is going to love to have this on hand when choosing locations, outfits, poses, and more.
2. Be Clear on Your Top Descriptive Words for Your Brand
For me, my top three emotional words for my brand are adventure, freedom, and warmth.
Think of your top three words, which should be evident in your inspiration board. You want those top three words to come through in everything you do during your shoot.
Pick outfits that exude your three words, select a location that matches your three words, outfits that match your three words, a photographer that…well you get the idea.
Here are a few photos from my shoots, over the years, so you can see for yourself how my three words come to life in my personal brand photo shoot.
3. Pull Inspiration Online for Your Photo Shoot
You will tell by the end of this blog that I absolutely love Pinterest, it is such a great resource for business owners. I recommend you turn to Pinterest again for inspiration for your personal branding photography.
Use the search bar to find photos that match your brand and style - choose photos that resonate with you personally and that you think will trigger an emotion in your audience.
Some of my favorite search words are family photos, branded photoshoots, lifestyle sessions, or free people (this is clearly very specific to my brand).
Below is a copy of the board I used before my first shoot. You will send this to your photographer before the shoot so they can get an idea of exactly what you are looking for and can come prepared. Trust me they will love you!
4. Research Your Professional Personal Brand Photographer
It is so important to find a photographer that matches your style. This is why I recommend you find your photographer AFTER becoming clear on the pieces above.
When choosing a photographer, look at their past work and make sure their style of photography, lighting, and editing matches your brand.
Be sure to ask for reviews and perhaps a consultation, if you've never worked with them before. Remember this is an investment so do your homework and make sure you feel they will be able to capture and bring your vision to life.
I like to look for documentary photographers because their style matches my vibe, however, you might choose to search for brand photographers, or family photographers in your area.
5. Pick a Location That Resonates With You and Your Clients
Your inspiration for this will come from your brand board, but be sure to choose a location that is totally in line with your style.
For me, my first location was a no-brainer, as I'm constantly drawn to the woods and nothing says adventure and freedom, like very large trees! Over the years, as my brand has evolved, I’ve chosen various locations, but have always had an outdoor element because it’s a big part of my brand.
I want my photos to match my lifestyle photos on social media, so think about where you enjoy spending your time and where your personal photos might be from. For me, this is outside so it just makes sense.
Research different locations near you, or perhaps you make a small trip to a city nearby - your photographer should also be able to suggest some locations.
A few of my favorites include a coffee shop, home office, garden, high-rise building, Airbnb rental, park, woods, the beach, or your favorite store (if I was a food blogger I would 100% be in Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods).
6. Get In the Zone - Exude Brand Confidence in Photos
Mentally prepare yourself for the photoshoot. You need to be as relaxed as possible, and taking some time leading up to the shoot is so essential.
Have your wardrobe, makeup, and hair details flushed out at least a week before the shoot is scheduled to take place.
Now spend the next week focusing on your inner beauty and brand coming out. You want to seem natural, approachable, confident, and on top of your sh*t with your photos, so spend some time getting into that mindset, so your photos showcase your most authentic self.
One thing I always do is include my family in the experience. We always make it a fun event, kicking it off with music to get in the vibe. My most recent shoot, which took place in our new home, started with coffee, music, and conversations. There’s something really magical about letting your guard down and just being your most authentic self.
7. Brand Photo Shoot Tip: Candid Photos Are the Way to Go
Yes, I encourage you to go into your shoot with poses in mind, but true masterpieces come from candid moments. This is why all of the above is so important.
Having all of your pieces in place before the shoot, allows you to JUST HAVE FUN with it.
I highly recommend bringing a spouse, your kids, or friends to make you laugh and chat with you during the shoot. The results from these moments are priceless. My husband always makes me laugh and some of my favorite photos have been a result of those moments.
CONCLUSION
All in all, you want your brand photo shoot to be an authentic representation of you. All the groundwork you will complete prior to the shoot will allow you to show up and have fun.
After your photo shoot is complete, I recommend updating your photos on your website, adding your photos to Canva so you can easily incorporate them into your weekly graphics, updating promotional materials, and more.
If you want to learn some additional tricks and tips on executing your brand photo shoot, check out this video here.
P.S. In the process of launching or refreshing your brand? My 45-minute on-demand class will take the mystery out of the entire process by giving you my signature Build a Better Brand Method. This class has helped thousands of entrepreneurs gain brand clarity and confidence and you can sign up to watch it here.
- READ THE LATEST POSTS -
Meet Michelle
Hey there, I'm Michelle Knight and I an online branding and marketing consultant for female entrepreneurs.
I believe in the power of storytelling and using that superpower to brand and market yourself online...oh and to set yourself free.
I'm obsessed with living a life of freedom, so much so, that my family and I now travel full-time while running my business from the road.
This blog serves as a home base for all things branding, marketing, content creation and more.
How to Write Effective Email Marketing Content with a Small EMAIL List
So you have a small email list or no list at all? What if I told you that you can absolutely celebrate consistent revenue in your business, even with a list under 1,000. It’s all about building relationships and in this blog post I’m sharing 4 of my favorite ways to do just that.
How to Write Effective Email Marketing Content with a Small EMAIL List
**This content was updated in November 2019
Email marketing is important whether you run an online business or a brick and mortar. The reality is every website today needs a website and an online presence. Yet, so many people are relying solely on social media to run their business.
The truth is you (we) don’t own those platforms, if Facebook or Instagram went away tomorrow could you successfully run your business?
Sure, a new platform will pop up, it always does, but how do you plan on telling you’re followers you’ve moved. Email marketing and email lists specifically are a way to stay in contact with your community, no matter what is happening on social media.
When I started my business I began building my online community via lead generation and hosting my own private Facebook group. I learned pretty quickly that even with a small email list I could make sales.
When I officially launched my business in July 2016, the first thing I did was to nurture my existing list, which wasn’t big at all and started building valuable relationships.
This is what helped me get my first paying clients.
I celebrated $15,000 cash with a list under 100 women and had my first $10k month with under 1,000 subscribers.
I’ve continued to implement the same practices as I’ve scaled my business to multiple 6-figures in three years.
Today, I'm sharing the exact 4 steps I used to let my true voice come through so you can implement them in your own business to build valuable relationships with your email subscribers.
1. Discover Your True Voice
Write how you speak, yes it truly is that simple. So many people overlook this or overcomplicate the sh*t out of it because they feel like they should speak a certain way to be taken seriously, that they should mimic what successful people in their industry are doing.
Listen, if you don’t write like you speak people are going to start connecting the dots and realize that you are not authentic and will not trust you. If you like to give a lot of detail and are a storyteller like me, then write that way.
The reality is there are already going to be people who don’t read your whole email and don’t like your style, so don’t even worry about pleasing them. Be yourself and connect with your ideal client.
By doing this, you’ll build trust faster with your true fans, rather than worrying about pleasing everyone and muddying your message.
Two strategies I use are:
Pretend you are writing a letter to your friend
Utilize a speech to text tool. Google Docs has an option called Voice Typing, simply talk about your subject and Google will turn that into written content. This is a great option if you are just starting out or find yourself freezing every time you open your computer to write.
2. Become Clear On Your BRAND Messaging
You need to be speaking to one person when you write your emails, posts, live streams whatever. This person needs to be so clear in your mind that you can pinpoint their pains and pleasures.
Now, I don’t want you to get wrapped up in exactly what your client needs and try to reformat your life and language to meet them, but I do want you to become clear on those pains and pleasures in their life so you can speak to them using your real-life experiences.
There are three things to keep in mind with your messaging:
Your purpose (why are you doing this?)
What you do, who you serve, what they are struggling with and how they benefit from your expertise
Their 3 major pains and 3 major pleasures
Use your three pieces above as a reference point to check in with yourself to see if you are still on track when it comes to your messaging every time you send an email to your subscribers.
If you’re looking for more support with your messaging, Check out this post.
3. Uncover Your Story
It is important to have your brand story laid out from the very beginning, but also be super aware of micro stories that are happening in your day to day. To start think of three major shifts that have happened in your life. For me, it was the loss of my brother to childhood cancer, the birth of my son and my decision to skip college after high school graduation (not in that order).
As you can see these shifts can be both major or subtle, it doesn’t matter, what matters is the impact it had on you and the lessons you learned (i.e. how you grew). Narrow down your three and write each story out, paying attention to details that you might share with your ideal client.
For instance, if I’m writing to my client, who struggles with time, I give them tips for how I manage time, but I also share my personal story of starting a business, working 9 to 5 and raising my son who ultimately led me on this path to entrepreneurship. Bring it back to your story every single time.
Looking for additional tips on Brand Story? Check out this post here.
4. Pull From Real-Life Experiences
There are a few tools I like to use to plan out my content. I love spreadsheets and I’m sorry if you don’t, but I love them and I use them in every area of my business. I create a spreadsheet with columns for each week of the month and columns for the number of emails I send. I use this to plan out my content because it allows me to see from a month’s view exactly what I’ll be sharing with my community.
You can download my free content calendar and learn my top strategies here.
While I’m mapping out my monthly content, I pull from real-life experiences and encourage you to do so as well. I look at every single opportunity in my life to get inspiration from. I take note! I use a few tools to keep track of all of this:
Notepad in my phone (my favorite by far)
I have a physical notepad reserved for ideas and stories I can share
My journal, these often come to me in morning meditations
At the end of the month, I pull from these various places and develop my content for the month ahead. If something really stood out to me and I feel like my community needs to hear it because it is so in alignment with my purpose, message and characteristics of my ideal client, I will rearrange my schedule to fit it in.
Conclusion
My biggest tip for you as you begin to nurture your small email list is to focus on story. It’s true that in the beginning, you don’t have as much to share and that’s ok. Maybe you’re just getting started and don’t have much content, but you do have your story.
Use your story to connect with your audience in a deeper way.
**If you’re interested in learning more about storytelling and branding specifically then I’d love to invite you to check out my new training where I’m sharing The Build a Better Brand Method.
P.S. Are we connected on Instagram? I spending time in my IG Stories these days, sharing behind the scenes of my life and business.
Head there now.
- FREE GIFTS YOU'LL LOVE -
DISCOVER YOUR BRAND STORY IN
UNDER 5 MINUTES
LEARN HOW TO WRITE AN ‘ABOUT ME’ PAGE THAT CONVERTS
MAP OUT 30 DAYS OF CONTENT IN
UNDER AN HOUR
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meet michelle
Hey there, I'm Michelle Knight and I an online branding and marketing consultant for female entrepreneurs.
I believe in the power of storytelling and using that superpower to brand and market yourself online...oh and to set yourself free.
I'm obsessed with living a life of freedom, so much so, that my family and I now travel full-time while running my business from the road.
This blog serves as a home base for all things branding, marketing, content creation and more.