Why would a business owner even care to be branding on a budget in the first place? Being a Creative Entrepreneur and the many hats we hold outside of servicing our clientele… you may actually have to live a sustainable life to hold down the fort. Not only because the economy is basically forcing us to that space… but also because sustainability actually has great effects on the growth of yourself. It’s no different when it comes to your creations (Your Brand).
Before we get into how we create a sustainable brand, let us look at why we even want to dive into Branding ourselves as Creative Entrepreneurs.
Why Branding? | Branding connects you with your ideal client.
Raising your brand’s awareness gets you in front of those ideal clients. Someone who you genuinely connects with you. They value your products and/or services and trust that you will get the job done.
Why Branding? | Branding makes you LOOK like the professional in your field.
We as people love aesthetics. The appeal draws us in. Having a unique look is what gets people looking at what you offer in the first place. So, this is why we even go into getting the logo, the websites, the pictures, commercials, etc. For most clients, it makes us look the part.
Why Branding? | Branding yourself makes your work easier.
When we take the time to discover our purpose, our mission, where we want to go, how to get there it respectively makes the work that you do a lot easier. We start to realize that we need to develop certain skills like organization or getting access to certain resources like formulating systems to make our job easier and align us with serving our purpose or reaching certain goals.
So, now that we know why we possibly seek branding. Let’s discover how we can actually achieve ‘Branding on a Budget.’
Work With What You Have
No need to go out and invest in all the newest gadgets or the latest, breaking the bank to keep up with what it seems like the people around you are doing. This includes websites, logos, trademarking, photos, etc. First of all, we don’t actually know what other people are doing or how they got to that space. So, know what works for you and what does not work. Secondly, to get greater, you have to appreciate what and who you do have. Evaluate the community and resources you do have around you and use it/them.
Do it Yourself
There are a lot of things that we think of or have invested in that we can actually do ourselves. Investments are a convenience because doing it yourself does take time, hard work and research. But if we are being real with ourselves, most Creative Entrepreneurs are not allotted funds to be able to invest into our crafts fully at first. So, completing those tasks on your own is recommended until you get to a certain position to make those investments. From there, you can decide if DIY or outsourcing tasks is best for your brand. Without over exerting yourself, of course.
Do Your Own Research
Any part of growing and investing in your business should include research in your own market. Analyze what your clients like, what others in your industry are doing, and add your own flare to that. It should also be genuine. Especially Personal Branding Photos or videos, where the client is essentially first meeting you. This is particularly why every photoshoot i’ve even had for myself has always had my own flare to it.
Every Strategy Session before a shoot, I recommend each person capture the behind the scenes processes for at least one setup. Even if you do not, I recommend to always do what feels comfortable for you. Consider comfortability when it comes to the overall look, like not forcing yourself to ‘dress up’. Location-wise, like having the Personal Branding Photos occur in your own home/office/place of work for starters. Most importantly though, this is a learning process for us all. So, be patient with yourself. Do not feel that you have to be a certain way or do a certain thing when it comes to your brand. Go with what feels right, always.
*Disclosure- Every piece of information listed in this article is based upon my own experiences. I feel called to share my experiences in hopes of shedding light to others like me who may be experiencing the same. I speak this read ‘Branding on a Budget’ will help someone to develop their own plan from their own understanding and experiences.
Branding on a Budget
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