Feeling disconnected with your brand? here’s why.

Are you a business owner feeling lost in the world of branding, unsure of where your brand is headed or why it feels off?

You’re not alone. So many of my clients come to me with this exact feeling. You might have started with a logo you thought looked cool and threw in some trendy colors, but now, you're sensing a gap between your brand and your business identity. Almost like your brand doesn't quite fit who you are or where you're going (or ideally want to go.) And here's the kicker: that disconnect isn't just a nagging feeling—it's affecting your confidence, and that lack of confidence is seeping into every aspect of your business. Most importantly, affecting your business’s success. Afterall, if you're not sold on your brand, how can you expect your audience to buy into it?

But fear not, because in this blog post, we're delving into where that disconnect might be stemming from and how to avoid it in the future.

Be sure to download our freebie at the bottom to assess your current brand identity!

1. It wasn’t created with your ideal client in mind.

One of the most common pitfalls that business owners fall into is creating a brand solely based on their personal preferences and tastes, rather than considering the needs and desires of their target audience. While it's natural to want to craft a brand that you personally love and identify with, the truth is that your brand's success relies on its ability to connect with your audience on a deep and meaningful level. If your audience can’t connect with your vibe, they’re going to take their business elsewhere!

So the colors, fonts, messaging, and overall style of your brand shouldn’t be an afterthought! Build your brand with intention so you’re not missing opportunities. Build a brand that feels natural to you but put your audience’s needs and objectives at the forefront!

2. It’s based on a design trend that you happened to like at the time.

You know how it goes – one minute, everyone's raving about a certain design trend, and the next, it's as outdated as last year's fashion. It's easy to get caught up in the hype and design your brand with whatever's hot at the moment. But here's a hot take: relying too much on trends can leave your brand feeling like a cheap knock-off, lacking any real substance or personality. Your brand should be a reflection of what makes your business unique – its story, its values, its style – not just a mirror of what everyone else is doing.

Take the time to delve deep into what makes your business special. What sets you apart from your competitors? What values do you you instill? What story do you want your brand to tell? By focusing on these fundamental aspects of your business, you can create a brand identity that is authentic, timeless, and deeply resonant with your audience. And isn't that what branding's all about – creating a meaningful connection with the people who matter most to your business?

3. It’s not attracting the type of clientele you actually want to work with.

Ever feel like the clients you're attracting just aren't on the same wavelength as you? Like, you're putting in all this effort, but the leads coming your way just don't seem to match up with the caliber of service you provide or the prices you're charging? Before you start doubting yourself or your abilities, take a good hard look at your brand.

Ask yourself: does the look and feel of your brand truly reflect the quality of the services you offer? Does it speak to the style and vibe of the clients you actually want to work with? Because here's the thing – if your brand isn't hitting the mark with your ideal clients, you're going to keep attracting the wrong crowd.

Maybe your brand's aesthetic is outdated or doesn't align with the values of your target audience. Maybe you outgrew the look and feel of your brand. Or maybe your messaging isn't speaking directly to the pain points and aspirations of your ideal clients. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to understand WHY your brand isn’t hitting the mark so you can make the necessary changes for a more intentional brand identity.

4. There’s a lack of consistency because you’re constantly tweaking it.

As a business owner, you often fall into the trap of thinking that constantly changing up your look will keep things exciting and “fresh.” But here's the thing: all that chopping and changing might actually be doing more harm than good.

Picture this: you're scrolling through Instagram, and you come across a feed that's all over the place – one post is super colorful, the next is all minimalist and sleek, and the one after that looks like it belongs to a totally different brand. How does that make you feel? Confused, right?

That's because consistency is key when it comes to branding. It's what helps your audience recognize and remember you in a sea of competitors. When your brand has a consistent look and feel across all your platforms, it sends a clear message: "Hey, we know who we are, and we're here to stay."

But when you're constantly tweaking your brand, throwing different colors and fonts into the mix every other day, you're sending mixed signals to your audience. Instead of building trust, you're sowing confusion and doubt. And in today's fast-paced digital world, confusion is the last thing you want your audience to feel.

So the next time you feel the urge to hit that "refresh" button on your brand, stop and ask yourself: is this change really necessary, or am I just chasing after a fleeting trend? Stick to your brand guidelines, stay true to your identity, and watch as your audience's trust – and loyalty – grows.

at this point you might be asking yourself:

So how can I make sure I’m creating an intentional and meaningful brand?

Start at the foundation! What most people don’t realize is that if you want a successful brand identity, you need to start with a solid strategy before even thinking about the aesthetics. Simply recreating something you liked on Pinterest won't cut it.

If you’re wanting to assess and amplify your brand’s impact, download our Brand Experience Workbook below! We’ll ask you all the hard questions you should be thinking about in order to make sure your brand is created with longevity in mind.