After being in the wedding world for over 8 years and rebranding 3x to get where I am now, here are three major takeaways that ANY industry focused brand needs to know when going into a major rebrand project.
Let’s talk about rebranding. It can make or break you. Not only is it one of the biggest investments you will put towards your business, if you don’t do it right then it won’t hold the force and power that you need in order to have a profitable or meaningful outcome for your business in the end. I have rebranded three times over these past 8 years and each time has left me with more insight to myself, my art, and how I ultimately want to run my business.
In the beginning of 2024, I reached a crossroads in my career where if I continued to go down the same path I had been taking in my business any longer, I would be headed straight into a brick wall and self destruction was inevitable. OR I could reinvent myself, my goals, my reasons for why I started chasing this dream to begin with and go all in on creating something new for myself. I decided I could serve my clients and photography community better if I rebranded from being just a “WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER” to being an “ARTIST” instead. Best decision I’ve ever made.
I invested the most I've ever spent for my business on my last rebrand project in 2022. It took my online presence up a notch, my professionalism blossomed, but the branding itself actually had an adverse effect on my business because the work I was booking was not aligning with me as an artist or creator. I niched myself into a box by just marketing as a Colorado wedding and couples photographer. Not to mention, I was sick of my branding and website looking IDENTICAL to every single other photographer in the wedding industry. After being in the wedding world for over 8 years and rebranding 3x to get where I am now, here are three major takeaways that ANY industry focused brands need to know when going into a rebrand project.
CREATIVE COLLABORATION over EVERYTHING:
The biggest and most important piece of advice I could give to anyone rebranding is to invest and don’t play small. The most valuable thing you can do for your business is hire a team of individuals who understand your creative vision and expand your mind in every way possible. The first step of this is admitting that you can’t do it all yourself. You can only go so far with your own ideas and inspiration, but it’s only when you get the privilege to tap into the minds of insanely talented people who specialize in bringing out your authentic brand voice that allows you to expand those ideas and inspiration into something real.
When you hire any professional for something so specific that you’re needing, it’s going to be a major investment. You HAVE to pay to play. Top dollar talent requires top dollar investment. But what you gain from this is the same reciprocal effect with your own brand. By hiring out a team that elevates your brand presence, people are going to want to pay top dollar for you too. Not to mention, a creative collaboration of this level only opens so many other doors for opportunity, endless valuable resources, and long lasting relationships with people who want you to grow and want to grow with you.
DO THE HOMEWORK:
A rebrand is a commitment. You have to be dedicated and ready to put in the time, effort, and deep reflection in order to be able to even translate your brand messaging to your team. This means filling out each questionnaire or homework assignment with deep thought, intention, and willingness to learn. It means meeting every deadline and responding promptly to feedback. There’s so much that goes into the behind the scenes of the brand. You are almost forced to learn new skills that help you become a better, more versed business owner. Only a skilled brand designer and copywriter can help you achieve this BUT ONLY IF you do your homework. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it ALL. Some of the most valuable things I learned from doing my brand homework are:
*my target audience
*my elevator pitch
*my brand voice
*my brand mission
*my brand style
*my why/ my core goals for my business
*website design how to's
*SEO and how to optimize my blogs
Learning all of these important pillars of my brand has also given me a newfound confidence in myself and in my business. I love it.
COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES:
I know there’s an expression “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” but don’t play it safe when it comes to your rebrand. Playing it safe with my investment and my branding got me NO WHERE before now. There’s nothing worse then going to another photographers website and feeling like you’re looking into a mirror of your own website. Down to color palettes, taglines and rhetoric, website interaction and movement… IDENTICAL to everyone else out there. Enough is enough. It’s time to color outside of the lines and stick out in a way that helps not only draw in your dream clients, but also sets you apart from all the others. Again, the only way to translate something so differently than anyone else is doing is to find the right team of people who can help you bring it to fruition.
Stay tuned for my next blog where I brag about every member of my creative team and how they made all of my dreams come true. Go follow us all on social to watch us take over the world. Here are the masterminds behind my brand/ the best creative team an artist could ask for:
BRAND DESIGNER + CREATIVE DIRECTION: @saintenoire / COPYWRITER: @jaydehaus / PRODUCTION: @wearevibehaus / VIDEO: @nataliebergfalkvideo + @grumppygg / PHOTO: @sarawelchphoto/ H+MUA: @klonisophia / STYLIST: @iamyoko.j + @sonderzsun
Did this help you shift your mindset on branding? Send this to someone who could use this valuable info as they embark on their rebrand journey.
