Secret Bloggers Business Nerd Boss Magazine (Issue 10)

NERD BOSS

Internet I t Girl

www.secretbloggersbusiness.com

ISSUE 10

#INSTA

FAMOUS

TIPS FOR BRANDING YOUR GRAM. DAMN.

Why we all want to grow up to be Jenna Kutcher (and you will too!)

WHO GIVES

A CRAP

NOPE!

BRANDS WE LOVE TO LOVE

crafty minx Meet the gal who turned her art into

$$$

Brand Style Quiz!

TAKE OUR

X

Avoid killing your branding with these

ROOKIE MISTAKES

DER!

FOOLPROOF TOOLS FOR BRANDING DUMMIES 1

Editor’s Notes

Kate McKibbin It’s kind of ironic (to me anyway) that our December issue of the Nerd Boss mag should be about all things branding. Because, personally, I usually use the Christmas holiday period to do a bit of a brand refresh anyway (it’s like my Christmas present to myself… I know, I’m weird, just leave it).

So, wanna join me?

Seriously, what better time to get creative and up-level your brand, biz or blog than during your forced family fun times?

I mean think about it, the TV is crap this time of year, Uncle Larry is super boring, the kids are horrendous, you probably have a few extra days off, plus your motivation levels for doing any “real work” are usually pretty low.

And we are about to click over to a whole, brand new, shiny year and I would bet my mum’s roast ham (…OK maybe only one slice of it) that when it does, you’ll be wanting to kick some serious goals for yourself.

So, why not start the year already one step ahead (you’ll find oodles of inspo inside this issue to get you started).

Just an idea.

Here’s another one - have a fun, safe and super-productive (or restful if you must) holiday and we’ll see you for some very exciting new things in the new year.

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Kate xx

Carly Jacobs December is one of those fabulous yet totally scary times of year.

There’s the impending promise of holidays and time spent with family. Possibly a sleep in or two and some fancy Chrissy presents.

It’s also the busiest time of year. Clients freak out and want everything done immediately.

There’s pressure to get that last blog post/ product/shipment done before everyone falls silent between Christmas and New Year.

Your social life will likely double if not triple and most people have to do some kind of Christmas travel which is a massive time suck.

You have 2 options to get through this crazy time...

1. Read through this month’s Nerd Boss Mag and do some planning. It’s full of tips for Christmas content and New Year inspo to get you raring to go for 2018.

2. Drink a lot of wine in the sun/by the fire (depending which hemisphere you live in) and chillax! Just get the urgent stuff done... the rest can be done in the wake of your Christmas hangover.

Have a beautiful holiday season everyone and I’ll see you in 2018.

Also I’m totally going to be that person Drive safe, party sensibly and don’t say mean things to your mother.

Car ly xx

CONTENTS

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#AUTHENTIC We take you on a tour of Emma’s blog She Sows Seeds. It’s very gorgeous.

4 WHAT’S UP? We tell you what to write about. YOU’RE WELCOME!

9 BRAND ON POINT Get yourself some monogrammed swag already!

12 #BFFGOALS Have you met Jenna Kutcher?

She’s the internet’s IT gal right now.

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HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO...

How San Francisco based crocheter Twinkie Chan turned food themed art scarves into a career.

18 SUGAR OR SPICE? What’s your boss personality?

Find out in this month’s quiz…

29 NUDITY! JESUS! PORCUPINES! Small brands using random things to sell their wares.

20 DON’T BE A DOOFUS! Here are a few things you SHOULDN’T do with your branding…

36 BRAND YOUR GRAM Sort out your Insta with these tips.

21 WHAT’S YOUR FLAVOUR?

38 GET THIS STUFF

We asked around and found everyone’s most favourite internet person…

A whole lot of things you need to get your branding sorted.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

Don’t let all that lovely Christmas content window close on you!

There’s so much stuff you can do this time of year and here’s a handy little cheat sheet of things you should be preparing to blog about this month.

THEMES • • • • • • • •

Christmas New Year Hanukkah Flu remedies (US) Summer (AUS) Valentine’s Day Super Bowl St Patrick’s Day

STUFF TO PIN • • • • • • 4

Holidays Christmas Hanukkah Gift ideas Recipes Winter/Summer

GRAM GUIDE Hanukkah - 12th to 20th Dec #happyhanukkah #chanukah #happychanukah #hanukkah #menorah #dreidel #holidays #gifts Christmas - 25th Dec #merrychristmas #christmas #christmastree #christmasgifts #ChristmasTime#Holidays #christmas Boxing Day - 26th Dec #BoxingDay #BoxingDaySale #BoxingDay2017 #BoxingDayShopping #BoxingDayFun December #December #December2017 #PearlHarbor (7th) #HumanRightsDay (10th) #Kwanzaa (starts the 27th) #HappyHolidays #NYE #HappyNewYear #NewYearsEve Northern Hemisphere #Winter #ILoveWinter #Cold #WinterTime #Snow #Snowing #SnowFlake Southern Hemisphere #Summer #Hot #SummerTime #ILoveSummer #SummerBreak

eBook vs. eCourse

more money WHICH WILL MAKE

FOR YOUR BLOG? Kate McKibbin

I am pretty sure that by now you’ve probably started to realise that if you want your blog to be profitable (aka make you enough money that it’s worth your time doing it... or better yet make you more money than your current day job ever could).

Then you need to have something to sell. Period.

Just creating a great blog, with awesome content and lots of loyal readers is not a business on its own.

I don’t care how much traffic you have.

You need to have a way of generating regular and reliable income.

And sadly, neither affiliates or sponsored content really can be described as either regular or reliable (not for 99.9% of bloggers anyway).

In fact, they’d more accurately be described as about as trustworthy as Justin Beiber on a good day, and more like Beibs circa 2013 if you are still building your traffic.

So what are you left with then?

Well usually it’s either one of two things (or a combo if you’re a total over achiever!); an eBook or an eCourse of some kind.

And unlike sponsored content, both of these methods of monetisation can be started (and be very profitable), even if you have minimal traffic.

But the problem is, even the really clever bloggers who get to this point, still end up making one very crucial mistake.

One that is based on totally incorrect assumptions.

And one that I am about to smash to smithereens now.

So if you want to save yourself many years of just blogging your heart out for free, then keep on reading.

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Because with these tips plus the awesome free tools I have for you below, you’ll skip over the trial and error part and be able to create your first profitable eProduct right now instead.

How to find the best way to make money on your blog (now!) eBooks vs eCourses OK, time for some straight talking here. eBooks are NOT the best or the easiest way of making money on your blog.

I think they are great to have as a part of your product offering (especially if you have some great email sales funnels in place), but I don’t think they are by any means the best or easiest way to do it.

Now I think a lot of bloggers decide to try them first, because they think they will be easier, and less time consuming, and are just a bit less scary than an eCourse.

They use them almost as a “test”.

A way of dipping their toes before they jump in.

But here’s the thing.

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Normally these “tests” yield really disappointing results (for reasons I’ll explain below), and depending on how you create them, eBooks and eCourses will probably take about the same amount of time (and money... and skill) to create anyway.

BUT... (and it’s a big, Kardashian styled one), you normally won’t make anywhere near as much money on an eBook as an eCourse.

So really, it’s not an accurate test.

And it’s one that actually a lot of people try, and then get discouraged by.

When really it should be the opposite way around.

“You need to have a way of generating regular and reliable income”

And here are the reasons why:

#1 - Price You see eBooks are usually in the $5-40 range (and it would have to be insanely useful to get the higher end of this scale).

“Most customers perceive an online course as being far more valuable to them than a simple eBook”

Whereas eCourses are normally in the $50-$500+ scale.

So you would have to sell 10 or more eBooks to make the same amount as selling one eCourse.

#2 - Ease of sales And here’s another thing that most bloggers don’t know.

It’s actually not that much more difficult to sell a $5 thing, as it is to sell a $50 thing... or a $200 thing.

As long as it’s something your readers value, and you are able to successfully communicate the benefits your product provides for them, the effort and skills required are pretty much the same to sell both.

As is the amount of traffic you need.

Normally a “good” conversion rate for an online product is about 2% of either your email list OR the people who view the sales page (depending on the types of promotion you are doing).

No matter the price.

So if you have 100 people on your email list, you can expect to sell 1 or 2 of your products. Whether they cost $5, or $200.

And even if you are terrible at maths, I am pretty sure you can see which one is better value.

#3 - Perceived Value & Results And speaking of value.

At this point in time, most customers perceive an online course as being far more valuable to them than a simple eBook.

Even if the content was exactly the same.

They are also far more likely to not just consume the information, but to actually take action and get themselves some results with an online course vs an eBook.

Now some of this again comes down to price (seriously, how much value would you ever assume you’d get out of a $5 thing, it’s too cheap!), and the rest comes down to format.

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eCourses naturally have more of an interactive, and more engaging delivery method.

So more people will actually complete them, and put those learnings into place.

And then more people get results.

And then, therefore, more people are telling all their friends about this awesome eCourse they just took, and this increases your sales as well etc.. etc..

So to recap, eBooks and eCourses take about the same amount of time, skill and money to create, and the same amount of time, skill and money to sell.

BUT eCourses can be sold for 10 times or more what eBooks are sold for, AND they get your customers better results.

It’s not rocket science people!

And if you STILL don’t believe me, check out my simple calculator below to see how they compare, and how many you would really have to sell of any type of eProduct to make the kinds of money you want to make to finally start making a healthy profit from your blog.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FREE

eProduct Profit Calculator 8

n i h s BRAND u r C

YOUR SHIT

Sometimes, when I go to conferences, I get serious swag envy. When other biz owners are swanning around with super cute merch, my green eyed monster gets a little salty. If you want to have the best dressed biz on the block, here are some cute things you can totally customise.

Custom enamel pins from Yellow Daisy Paper Co $13.13, etsy.com You don’t even need to have your logo printed on a pin, design something cute that your customers will love and they’ll wear it with pride.

Branded keychains from 305 Leather Keychains

Custom candles from Lindsay Lucas Candles

Lama Poo Business Cards from Fox Hill Lamas

$13.13, etsy.com

from $8.73, etsy.com

$8.60, etsy.com

Have your logo printed on leather keychains and gift them to long term customers. Having a key chain will be like being a part of your VIP club.

For the VECs (very excellent customers) in your life get some branded candles made and send them to your biggest fans.

If you are going to use business cards at least make them interesting. These recycled lama poo cards are sure to make people remember you!

Wax Stamp from The Stamp Press

Personalised pencils from The Carbon Crusader

from $78.75, etsy.com Ho good sir! I shall send ye a letter pertaining to my splendid sales funnel... wax seals make me write old-timey.

$10.50, etsy.com Forget business cards... why not give out personalised pencils with a cute lil’ slogan on them?

Custom power banks by USB Canada usbcanada.ca Useful branded items are always a winner and power banks are the gift that keeps on giving.

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You could work on your tan this Summer.

Or, you could build an unstoppable business.

Join us LIVE in January 2018

Places are very limited + will sell out GET ON THE WAITLIST NOW

Remember all those things you said you’d do in your business in 2017?

Let’s get them all done, together.

Double your list Turbo-charge your traffic

SBB SUMMER SCHOOL IS A 90-DAY ONLINE BUSINESS ACCELERATOR DESIGNED TO GET AMBITIOUS AND BADASS WOMEN JUST LIKE YOU EPIC RESULTS.

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Create + sell your first online product ... Are you in?

! t u o s s i m t ’ n Do secretbloggersbusiness.com

and you can be anyth ing secretbloggersbusiness.com 11

Boss of Branding Have you met Jenna Kutcher? Follow her on instagram @jennakutcher and you’ll fall in love with her just like we have. She’s a photographer, educator and ruler of all that is authentic. We all have a major brain crush on her.

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1. You’re a wedding photographer, entrepreneur and educator kicking serious butt on the internet right now. Can you tell us how you started on your boss journey and how you ended up here?

I had thought that the corporate life was for me, I dreamt of power suits and high heels.

(Now I dream of yoga pants and sports bras.)

I studied marketing and communication in college and quickly secured a job at one of the nation’s leading retailers, it was what I (at the time) thought was my“dream job.”In everyone else’s eyes I had“made it.”

I was ready to climb the ladder and land that corner office... I worked alongside some amazing people but quickly realised it wasn’t a ladder I wanted to climb and found myself in a windowless office working the craziest hours and feeling absolutely defeated. In all honesty, I wasn’t fulfilled entirely. I worked long hours, nights and weekends, spent holidays away from my family, and knew deep down that there had to be more to life than punching a time clock or spending my days in a red and khaki uniform.

Six years ago,at the age of 23, I left my windowless corporate office to be a full-time entrepreneur in an industry I was entirely self-taught in: photography. My passion drove me to learn, grow, and refine my brand. I knew that I had to do something because it was a now or never situation. I can’t imagine still being in the corporate world, I can’t imagine working for a boss, I can’t imagine doing anything other than what I am doing today (and part of that is teaching and inspiring entrepreneurs!)

2. Your branding is envy inducing - raw, beautiful photography, rosy pinks, natural greens, candid smiles and uplifting words.

Was this the plan all along or is it just naturally who you are?

Definitely not the plan, it took me many, many years to get to this point. For so long I dreamt of blending in, I struggled so deeply with imposter syndrome, I felt like I was just waiting for someone to call me out and tell me they knew I was a fraud. Over time, I realised the things I tried too hard to hide

“For so long I dreamt of blending in, I struggled so deeply with imposter syndrome, I felt like I was just waiting for someone to call me out and tell me they knew I was a fraud.” were the very things that attracted people to me - that made people relate or feel like they “knew” me. It’s taken a lot of time to hone into my voice, to create a brand that feels like home to me. Now I feel like I can be fully myself both online and offline and I feel like I’ve just found my place in my own skin and know how to share it in a way that resonates.

3. You’re a serious Instagram queen - what are your three top tips for getting awesome Instagram engagement?

NEVER POST IN REAL TIME: Seriously?

Yes. I am telling you to wait. When you post on the fly you’re doing a few things that I wouldn’t recommend: you’re likely slapping on a filter and not paying attention to details, you’re rushing to type a caption (or falling back on emojis!) and you’ll miss the ability to be present in the moment you’re in– you know, the one that you were so eager to photograph.

TIP: Take the shot and then put your phone down. When you have a bit of time, edit it, caption it thoughtfully, and hashtag it intentionally. This will give you the ability to be more present in life and more thoughtful with your feed.

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DON’T BE A ONE-HIT WONDER: One of the biggest mistakes I see entrepreneurs make is that their feed is one-note. It’s easy (and comfortable) to hide behind your work, but doing so isn’t helping you create true connections online. It’s important to show more aspects of YOU than just your business, people have to first know, like, and trust you before they will ever consider buying from you!

TIP: Choose 5 facets of your life that make you, YOU. Rotate through those 5 categories each week so that your feed is multidimensional and interesting. Share things like: the city you live in, your pets, your hobbies, travels, children, spouse... keep it as personal as you feel so others feel like they know YOU. USE CALL TO ACTIONS: With the algorithm, engagement is the name of the game!

In order to show up in the feeds of your followers, you have to prove your content is worthy. What does this mean? You must encourage people to“like”and comment on your content. The more engagement you have, the more likely you are to have your posts be seen.

TIP: Be intentional with each post and include some sort of invitation for your followers. Ask a question, tell them to“double tap”if they agree, have them tag a friend below, whatever that looks like for you! Just include an invitation to engage with you in every post to boost your algorithm odds!

4. Can you give some advice to new online business bosses just starting out?

What three things would you get them to concentrate on with their own journey?

START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT: I hired an accountant and filed with the state as an LLC: I wanted to be too legit to quit and make sure that I was starting out on the right financial foot and with some guidance.

They have been instrumental in guiding me through each financial year of business!

It’s tempting to think you need to invest everywhere. Check out episode 55 of my 14

podcast where I break down how to know where to invest in your business. A graphic designer helped design a logo for me: while I couldn’t afford to have a custom website, I ran a blog with this logo on it and knew that I needed to post consistent work! I made business cards, a Facebook page, and this helped establish a brand and reputation.

START GROWING A FOLLOWING: Long before we had even conceptualized an actual business plan, we started two very important things: an Instagram account ( @ kickingitwithkutch ) and an email list. Our first priority was to grow the following on the platforms we know best. Instagram to build the trust and personality of the business and more importantly, an email list where we could serve the clientele and eventually sell to them.

What did we do? We created two freebies for the email list: a free grocery shopping list/food plan and a weeks worth of at home workouts. Both of these were free downloads and grew Drew’s email list quickly. We set goals for subscribers and dreamt up new ways we could foster a true community before the time came to launch and offer services/products. Thinking you might eventually want to start a business?

Start growing your email list and following TODAY. That way, when the time does come to launch, you have people who are already at the edge of their seats ready to cheer you on!

LOOK FEAR IN THE FACE: It’s scary as heck, but when I realised that if I did happen to fail, I would be okay. I didn’t burn bridges, I worked hard through the end, I had experience and a degree to fall back on! I had to just make the leap and know that even if “failure” occurred, I could make it work.

Don’t use my story as a road map – taking that leap will look different for everyone.

For me, I needed to know the net would be there when I jumped. For some, jumping and making it happen works better. I loved the security of knowing I had a full calendar and while that letter was hard to hand in, I never looked back. In my fifth year, I still feel blessed every single morning to wake up and report to the world’s best boss (me!) My best advice is to set yourself up for success and have sound business practices in place so that you can free yourself up creatively. While creative small business owners rock out the creative process, the business side of things is usually where the trouble occurs so make sure that you are legal, you have systems, you aren’t in the red, and you’re ready to hit the ground running and shout from the rooftops that you are a photographer, maker, florist!

5. Have you ever turned down a collaboration or job because it didn’t fit with your message and branding?

“Choose 5 facets of your life that make you, YOU. Rotate through those 5 categories each week so that your feed is multidimensional and interesting.”

Absolutely. I actually do this weekly if not daily. I’m super protective of my audience and respect them so deeply (they aren’t just followers, they are friends!) and will only collaborate with a brand if I would (or already do) use their products in real life. I’m not going to talk about something and share it with my followers unless I really love it or am genuinely using it day to day.

6. Can you give our nerd bosses three pieces of advice on how to define their brand and how to maintain brand consistency the way you have?

1. When people hear “brand” we immediately think of the visual components: logos, colours, fonts, and websites, but when you dig really deep into what a brand truly is, it’s more about the vision, the voice, the personality behind what your offer is. Spend some time digging deep about what those things are for your business.

2. If you’re a business, you’re marketing every single day with ads and marketing messages that will only translate for those who are ready to hit “purchase”but if you’re a brand you’re building a relationship through serving, serving, serving everyday so that when the time comes to SELL, your audience is eager to take part in your offer.

3. Build your brand so you can pivot if you want to in the future. How many of you can without a shadow of a doubt tell me that you’re going to be doing the same exact thing you are a year from now, five years from now, ten years from now? Building a brand allows you to pivot. How else could a wedding photographer from small town Wisconsin teach courses, launch a podcast, sell watercolor prints, partner with brands, and heck, even book out a Hawaiian condo.

People care about ME and not just what I’m selling.

7. What are the top three apps you use on your phone every day?

PLANN - to plan out my Instagram content Tailwind - to automate my Pinterest process Moment - to disconnect more from my phone and be mindful of the time spent on it.

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“I’m super protective of my audience and respect them so deeply (they aren’t just followers, they are friends!) and will only collaborate with a brand if I would (or already do) use their products in real life.”

8. You have a wildly successful podcast, The Goal Digger Podcast. Can you tell us when you started that podcast and how it’s helped with the growth of your business?

The podcast was never something I planned on doing, I’ve never been told that I have a radio voice in my lifetime. The idea came to me when I was in the shower (no really, it did.) I was listening to a podcast episode and feeling like I was hanging out with a friend, talking biz (you know, in the shower) when I realised: I should really do this. So last November just weeks after I had this crazy idea, we launched the Goal Digger Podcast.

I wanted to create space where I believe women need to hear encouragement: specifically, I want to speak to women transitioning out of the stability of a traditional career and into a creative entrepreneurial role, and offer them practical training and action steps to take. I like to think of it as online workshop style content delivered straight to you wherever you are in this dream chasing business building life.

I feel that by hearing real, raw conversations and teachings from women that made a leap 16

to chase their dreams, they’ll be encouraged to step out of fear and into faith — and have the tools to do so.

It has absolutely helped with the growth of my business. We are focused on not just getting more listeners but in serving our audience in as many ways beyond just the podcast so whether that’s through my email list, through my courses, challenges, or freebies!

9. If you could go back and start your blog/business again what would you do differently?

It’s easy to have regrets but it’s even better to look back and see that everything has served a purpose in the bigger goal/ vision of the company. I feel like I would have lost the notion of scarcity. Scarcity is a LIE. Over the last month I have run into so many circumstances where this lie could have ruined things. It could have ruined friendships, it could have derailed dreams, it could have tarnished plans... one little lie that so many people are believing.

We can talk about community over competition all day but how are we living it? We can either compete or we can acknowledge that we are all in this together and if we are truly aligned with our missions, our focus on serving will trump our desire for sales. Stop believing that people are out to get you, stop convincing yourself that everyone is copying you, stop believing there isn’t enough. Together we can all do much bigger and better things! You can stay in your lane while cheering on the people who are on parallel paths, ya hear?

10. What are your brand plans for 2018?

What should our online business owner readers be focusing on?

My big plan: This coming year is all about automation and expansion in the most organic ways. I am growing my team and I want them to feel empowered to make decisions, make mistakes, present ideas, and experiment. I want every person on my team to feel like they are making a difference and I also want to get myself out of as much

of the monotony as possible so I can really work on creative endeavours and strategy.

I am working on planning my own mastermind for the upcoming year! My vision is to bring together 25 women who want to up level their businesses, invest in their futures, and really come together in true community to help each other succeed.

Where I think other online businesses should be focusing? Growing their email lists. Why? You own your email list, you don’t own your social media audience. You can speak directly to people who care about your product or offering and finally, you can serve them in a bigger way through thoughtful communication and show up in a much more intimate way in their inbox!

FIND JENNA HERE Website - jennakutcher.com Instagram - @jennakutcher Facebook facebook.com/jenna.kutcher Pinterest au.pinterest.com/jennakutcher

QUICKIES When I go to a bar I order...

A margarita on the rocks with a salty rim!

I’m currently listening to... Worship tunes, I am a giant Phil Wickham fan, we had his song played at our wedding and his new acoustic album is awesome.

The one thing I will never order at restaurant is... Anything that contains gluten, which is pretty much everything.

The one colour I will never wear is... Red... since my red and khaki uniform, I struggle with loving that colour.

If I was down to my last $5 I would buy... A box of gluten free mac and cheese and share it with a friend!

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Quiz!

WHAT'S YOUR

BRAND PERSONALITY? If you’re not sure what your brand style is, take our quiz and it might get you one step closer to figuring it out.

Are you classic? Alternative? Quirky?

All is about to be revealed...

A = 4 POINTS C = 2 POINTS B = 3 POINTS D = 1 POINT 1. What does your phone case look like?

A) I have several and change them like outfits but they’re mostly fun and bold prints.

B) It’s a custom case with an artist’s print on it.

3. You’re buying a dress for a night out. What colour do you automatically reach for?

A) Whatever bright and poppy colour is trending or an amazing print.

B) Something monochrome and structural.

C) Usually an LBD but anything ladylike and classic.

D) Whatever takes my fancy. It might be a red pleather dress or some flared trousers. Depends what mood I’m in.

4. You’re getting a manicure. What does it look like?

A) Hot pink or bright red.

C) A slim line black or tan leather case.

B) Matte black.

D) A glittery pink and white bunny rabbit case with long ears.

C) French.

2. Who’s your style icon?

A) Reese Witherspoon. She’s fresh, bright and rocks a frock like no one’s business.

B) The Man Repeller. Her style is so unique and perfectly New York.

D) Full on nail art - I let the manicurist go wild.

5. What does your business card look like?

A) Glossy white with my details embossed in gold.

B) Printed on recycled cardboard.

C) Olivia Palermo. She’s so classic she’d look gorgeous in any era.

C) Made from beautiful matte card stock in a minimalist design.

D) Gwen Stefani. Her style has changed over the years but she’s always different and awesome.

D) My business cards are keychains that sing my email address when you press a button.

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RESULTS 16 to 20 points = Bright Betty You love colour, you love prints and you just can’t walk past a fairy floss stand without losing your shit. Balloons, flowers, candy and paint palettes are your branding muses.

11 to 15 points = Urban Ursula You love muted tones, smoggy cities, dark ally ways and graffiti. Your colour palette is white, grey and black but you reserve the right to add a bit of colour here and there. Look for inspiration in New York, 90s films, record album covers and Vivienne Westwood.

6 to 10 points = Classic Cassy You are class all the way. LBDs, pearls, beautiful heels, crisp linen. Your favourite things are Audrey Hepburn, blow drys, white sheets and silk pyjamas. Before you publish anything online ask yourself ‘Would Coco Chanel approve of this?’.

5 and under = Alternative Annie Your style is hard to pin down but that’s just the point. Lady Gaga, Hello Kitty, Cosplay and kids TV shows should give you ample branding inspo.

Andy Warhol and Bjork are your imaginary celebrity BFFs and avant garde is the word most people would use to describe your style.

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PERSONAL BRANDING DOs & DON’Ts

Personal branding is a bit of a tricky thing. It should be a some what organic experience finding your personal branding (I mean it’s just you right?) but it takes a bit more than that to really nail it. The best thing to do is give yourself some time to work on your personal branding. Find your message and make sure that message is woven through everything you do. Still a bit confused? Here are some do’s and don’ts to sort you out.

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DO

DON’T

1. Figure out what you're trying to say

1. Be fake

Whether you’re a business owner, blogger or straight up nerd boss you need to figure out what your message is. For example, say you sell soap. What’s your message behind that soap? Is it a luxury treat for the consumer? Is it a way to unwind at the end of the day? Is it family soap? Fancy posh lady soap? Pour yourself a whiskey and go all Mad Men on that situation and figure out how Don Draper would sell your soap.

Resist the temptation to create a fake persona. You might think that by dying your hair pink and getting a bunch of tattoos will make your branding unique and it probably will but if that’s not who you are, it’s going to be exhausting keeping up the facade. Figure out the things you like and amplify them. If you love wearing floaty white dresses, make that your thing. If you love herbal tea, that could become a branding staple. Don’t force yourself to go running every day or do a full face of make up if that’s not who you are.

2. Research Run surveys with your customers and figure out why they invest in you. The more information you can get out of your customers the better.

Just starting out? Survey your competitors audience. Run some targeted Facebook ads to get eyes on your survey and gather all your data. You might think you’re pitching your skin care product at 35 year old women who are worried about wrinkles but your market may be 20 year olds in the preventative stage of life or 50 year olds who want to maintain their skin.

You’ll only know if you ask. Gather data like a squirrel gathers nuts.

3. Sell the feeling, not the product Alfred Heineken said,“I don’t sell beer, I sell warmth.” What’s your story? Brand loyalty is all about the feeling. Sorbent don’t sell toilet paper, they sell family values. Chicken Tonight sell the same thing. Nike don’t sell athletic gear, they sell kick butt motivation. Know what you’re selling but also know what you’re really selling.

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2. Be a copy of someone else It’s better to be the best version of yourself than a mediocre version of someone else.

It can be really tempting to take another person’s template and tweak it a bit but again, it’s exhausting trying to keep with something that isn't authentic to you. Your own personal brand will have some elements of planning but it should all be organic and based on you, not someone else.

3. Be boring You don’t have to be a full blown comedian or have crazy energy but you do need to be engaging. Fascination is what draws people towards your brand and genuine warmth is what gets them to stay. You can be quiet but still entertaining. You can be serious but still captivating. Before you do anything in your business, ask yourself ‘Is this boring?’ and if it is, think twice about sharing it.

VOX POP

Whose personal branding do you love?

This month we took to the socials to ask people who they love online and why. Get your bookmarking finger ready... these ones are gold!

Alice Katherine Sabbath. Literally nothing not to love.

Katy BabyMac. Bloody tops. Everything she does is instantly recognisable.

Bianca Busy Phillips.

Sonia Jenna Kutcher. I’ve only recently discovered her, but I love her. I’m listening to her podcast and I’ve even signed up for one of her courses.

Amali Emma Kate Co. Her stuff is distinctive, beautiful, unique, authentic, inspiring and creative.

Sarah Zoe Foster-Blake - incredibly unique tone of voice, very much does things her own way.

Tanya The Pioneer Woman. Great look, great marketing, excellent recipes. She manages to wrangle her husband, 5 kids and a large cattle ranch and has the time to be a photographer, home schooler, blogger and TV show host.

Virginia Jillian Harris from the Bachelorette Canada. She’s built an amazing brand on Instagram. I love her stories. Also you (that’s me!) Carly and Kelly. You two have built a fantastic brand with Straight & Curly and it’s chock full of personality. I’ve enjoyed watching you grow the brand over the last two years.

Kirsty Pip Lincolne! Such a super happy rad person. I love that she combines social commentary with creative work. Her sunny perspective on the world and life in general make her posts really interesting.

Kate Scribe and Social. Branding is on point.

Also Kimra Luna and Jasmine Starr.

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I'm going to g n i h t y r e v e e k ma a r ou nd me beautiful that w ill be

my life.

ELSIE DE WOLF

secretbloggersbusiness.com 22

Crochet Queen Twinkie Chan is a crochet designer and artist with one of the most niche branding styles we’ve ever seen. She makes crochet food themed scarves and she’s built a kawaii empire around it.

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1. You’ve been on the internet scene as a pink haired, food loving crochet designer and blogger for ages now. Can you tell us when you started blogging? And why?

I actually began dabbling with blogging long before I had pink hair or crocheted food designs. Anyone out there remember Diaryland.com? I’m an English/Creative Writing major and have always been fascinated by storytelling, how people express themselves, and how they share their lives in words. At some point after college, a lot of my close friends moved away, and I was re-hashing the same story over and over again to different people over the phone or on AIM, so I decided to start a blog, thinking I could direct my friends to it, and I’d only have to tell my story once! Well... none of my IRL friends read my blog ever, but I got sucked into a small group of random, anonymous people blogging together on Diaryland.

This was back in the late 90s/early 2000s, and this started my interest in using the internet to find like-minded people and create communities. Nowadays, we all feel somewhat automatically connected on the internet to friends and strangers, but back in the day, the internet was really new, and we were like, “What do we do here? Who is out here?”

When I started crocheting for my website in 2005, I was blogging my life adventures on Livejournal. When all the crafters started selling on Etsy, the advice at the time was to try to post a new item every day so that your shop stayed fresh in everyone’s feeds.

But all my pieces took so long to make, there was no way I could keep up with daily 24

Etsy posts. So, blogging felt like a way for me to provide more regular content for my followers and stay connected with them, whether I wrote about crocheting, an outfit I wore, or a fun place I went to. Blogging really helped fill out the Twinkie Chan universe and established it as more of a lifestyle rather than just a product.

2. Your aesthetic is instantly recognisable - pop culture style, food themed, crochet creations - did you plan for this to be your main focus of your business branding or did it just happen accidentally?

I used to work in book publishing, and interestingly, it taught me a lot about marketing and the importance of branding.

My boss at the time had always encouraged my creativity and told me I should have some kind of store, but I knew that I wanted

“I have always encouraged people to be unique, to do market research, to try to give the world something it hasn’t seen before.”

to have a focus before trying to sell anything or else feel drowned out by all the other noise. I waited a few years until my little crochet niche emerged organically. Focusing on food scarves was really random and weird, but I was super passionate about it and nobody was doing anything like it at the time. I always planned to have a focus, but I allowed my style to develop naturally and gave it time to happen on its own.

“If you want people to know your name, give them a good reason to know it.”

3. Have you ever had the desire to leave behind your pink hued, kawaii, pizza, taco style and go for a different look?

I can feel this already happening. I don’t know if it’s because I’m in my 40s now (editors note: find out what moisturiser she uses because holy youth Batman), but I’m really kind of toning it down as far as my personal aesthetic. All of a sudden, I’m looking at my closet and feeling like, “What is with all these crazy prints!? Do I really feel like a human cupcake?” I don’t think that our age has to determine our aesthetic at all, but I do think that evolving your style is inevitable for one reason or another.

I’m definitely in somewhat of a transition period right now, and it makes me wonder sometimes if that means my crochet design style will change, too. I still want to make cute things, so for now, I don’t think that what I’m buying for my closet will affect what I design for the world. There’s still a lot of whimsy inside of me!

4. Can you give three pieces of advice to new online business bosses just starting out? What three things would you get them to concentrate on?

I have ALWAYS encouraged people to be unique, to do market research, to try to give the world something it hasn’t seen before.

If you want people to know your name, give them a good reason to know it.

Photography. Take good photos. It’s not hard these days to have the right equipment (hello, iPhone), and it’s not hard to take the time to learn a little about lighting and styling your products. It makes a world of difference, and I’m surprised by how blurry/grainy/dark some people’s product

photos still are! Approach your business in a professional manner.

Be ready to market the heck out of yourself and your brand. I feel like a lot of creative people hate promoting themselves, but get used to it! Nobody will buy your products if they can’t find you or haven’t heard of you.

Get out there! Learn about social media.

Learn about SEO. As a one-woman-show, I know that one person logistically cannot 25

“Be flexible. It’s important for you to maintain the feel of your brand in whatever you do, but also be open to evolving and don’t be afraid that you’ll have to do the same old thing for a million years.” do everything, but make a list of priorities and take the time to market yourself on platforms that you feel are the best fit for you.

5. Have you ever turned down a collaboration or job because it didn’t fit with your message and branding?

Yes. An early example happened when I first started out and was taking a lot of commission work. Someone asked me to crochet a cigarette scarf, and while it would have been an easy job, it really didn’t fit my aesthetic, and I am definitely not into promoting smoking in any way. When I started taking indie advertising on my blog, I also turned away a few collaborations that made no sense to me. In a situation like that, taking the wrong partnerships can affect both parties poorly, and I always try to make sure that when I work with someone, we’ll both see a positive return.

6. Can you give our nerd bosses three pieces of advice on how to define their brand and how to maintain brand consistency the way you have?

Be authentic to yourself. When your brand comes from your heart, it won’t be hard to maintain consistency. You have a unique view of the world that is only yours, so listen to it and follow it. Refine it. Focus it. Are 20 other businesses producing the same content or the same products that you want to? Maybe you need to hone your ideas more and give them time to grow. Don’t be too swayed by the current trends, unless you are putting your unique spin on them.

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Be thorough. Make sure you carry the look of your brand through every piece of your customer’s experience, from your product photography, to the look of your website/ blog, to your email newsletter, to your social media profile pages, to the packaging on your items, to what you wear when you post photos of yourself. Make sure that every step of your customer’s journey feels like it’s coming from you and only you.

Be flexible. It’s important for you to maintain the feel of your brand in whatever you do, but also be open to evolving and don’t be afraid that you’ll have to do the same old thing for a million years. If at some point, you’re feeling tired of what you’re doing, it’s possible your audience might be, too. Make small changes and test them out. Big brands update their logos and slogans all the time.

Always follow your gut!

7. What are the top three apps you use on your phone every day?

Instagram. Line Camera. The weather app.

8. You sell books, physical products and crochet patterns - how helpful is your blog in driving sales and garnering interest in your product?

To be honest, I think the role of my blog has changed quite a bit. Back in the day, it was the primary way I stayed in touch with my fans and customers and the one and only place I talked about new products. But now with social media, the game has changed.

My blog has become more of a placeholder, and it’s also a home for my free content

like free crochet patterns. When people search online for a specific crochet pattern or item, that’s when they end up finding something I may have posted 3 years ago. I think blogging still has an important place, but depending on what kind of blogger you are and what type of product you sell, your blog may or may not be a driving engine for immediate sales. It’s definitely a great place to allow people to learn more about you and your brand, and it’s a place for you to provide free content which could lead to a future sale.

9. If you could go back and start your blog/business again what would you do differently?

This is a tough question! I’m really proud of what I’ve built and what I’ve managed to accomplish. For me, the big question mark has always been how to scale, how to build, how to grow. My crochet work is really time consuming, and quality control is so important to me. I tried my hand at overseas mass production and licensing for a few years, but I’m not so sure it was for me. I’m happy I gave it a try, but if I tried to grow my business in that way again, I would try working with a business partner

who I felt was more involved. I know that I’m a creative person more than a business person, and I would really want to work with a business-minded person who was extremely, personally invested in me and my brand. That can be hard to find!

10. What are your brand plans for 2018?

What should our online business owner readers be focussing on?

In 2018, I’d like to bring my brand down to the basics. I started out selling finished crochet items and discovered that I have a huge audience of people who are waiting for my next crochet pattern rather than the item itself. I have a huge backlog of patterns I need to prep, photograph, and release, so I have currently deactivated most of my custom crochet listings on Etsy so that I have more time to just write patterns. There is a huge audience out there who wants to learn how to do things, and I’m at a point in my life where the idea of teaching and encouraging others makes me feel good, rather than trying to hawk more product. I’m not saying this is a change that every business person will make, but it feels right for me for now. I think it’s extremely important to stay true to your brand and the products that you want

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FIND TWINKIE HERE Website - twinkiechan.com Instagram - @twinkiechan Facebook facebook.com/twinkiechan

QUICKIES My ideal breakfast is...

A warm cinnamon roll, with black tea and vanilla creamer.

Coffee or tea? Oops, see above!

TEA! Black or matcha.

If I could have dinner with one celebrity it would be... Jason Schartzman. I’m waiting for you.

If I could choose the next President I’d choose... (you can pick anyone!)

OOH that’s tough. Do I have to answer this? It would take me forever to make a wise choice!

My favourite band of all time is...

CHICAGO. (I’m really old, guys.)

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5 SMALL COMPANIES WITH

Killer Branding Have you ever worked for a ‘big’ brand? There’s so much red tape involved with every decision it’s impossible to get anything done. That’s why most multi-nationals have such bland branding. Every message gets wringed out and wrangled until it’s almost unrecognisable.

If you’re looking for branding inspo, look no further than the mid-to-small range players.

There are some fantastic brands at this level doing awesome, quirky and brilliant things in their branding and we could all learn a thing or two from them. Here are some of our favourites.

1. GoTo - gotoskincare.com Have you heard of Zoe Foster-Blake?

She’s an ex-magazine beauty editor, fiction writer, wife to comedian Hamish Blake and author of one of the best beauty books on the planet, Amazing Face. A few years ago she developed her own, no bullshit skin care range and it’s brilliant. The products themselves are amazing but her funny words are all over the brand. From her Very Useful Cream to her Exfoliating Swipeys, buying stuff from her is just delightful. Even her order confirmation emails are adorable.

you can have in your home and they’re amazingly environmentally friendly. The company was founded in the early 1900s by Emanuel Bronner and he used the products to spread his religious and moral beliefs.

They’ve kept that message and branding and it just works for them.

3. Nudie - nudie.com.au Nudie have some of the cutest branding I’ve ever seen on a food product. They’re also total pioneers in their field. They launched about a decade ago and back then, having personality on a mainstream product like juice was almost unheard of. Their copywriting on their bottles is adorable with little maths equations that explain what’s in each bottle. The nude cartoon characters are incredibly compelling and the variety of them is genius. Each flavour has it’s own little character on it and I won’t lie, the characters have influenced my decision on more than one occasion.

4. Who Gives A Crap au.whogivesacrap.org ‘Toilet paper so soft it will make your bottom smile.’ Not only is this brand hilarious, they’re also environmentally and socially conscious with 50%of their profits being used to help build toilets in developing countries. In their early days, one of the founders, Simon actually sat on a toilet and refused to move until they had raised enough pre-orders to start production. 50 hours later they raised over $50,000. Toilet humour with social consciousness. What a winning combination.

2. Dr Bronner - drbronner.com.au

5. Frank Body - frankbody.com

This is a weird one and the company isn’t exactly small but the branding is so bizarre it’s worth mentioning. Each bottle is positively crammed with teeny tiny writing and almost none of it makes sense. It flips from usage advice to strange religious ramblings and back again. It’s like a mini novel on a bottle. The products are outstanding though and Dr Bronner’s Castile soap is one of the most versatile things

The product is so simple but Frank Body have managed to make their brand the first thing you think of when someone says coffee scrub. They openly talk about how coffee scrub gets everywhere in the bathroom and you should just embrace it, they’re body positive, they’re empowering and they align with charities. A great example of friendly and approachable branding without being too cheeky.

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! t i g n i l l i K

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH

Maureen Beaucond

Each month we like to showcase one of our very own Boss Squad-ers. Someone who’s been working like a ninja, getting shit done and adds something amazing to our community. Meet Maureen Beaucond. She’s one of the most engaged and engaging members of our community, offering support to her fellow squad crew and generally bringing a lot of sunshine and positivity to the group.

Tell us about your blog...

I am in the process of rebranding my business. I have had doubts about out of area readers’ connection with westFWchatter.com for some time. I wanted something that had a global meaning, easy to brand and that told something about me because I am the image of my brand. So, enter coffee. I was raised in the restaurant business. Coffee was part of that culture and the forerunner of today’s coffee houses and co-working spaces. I love coffee that is strong, dark, heavy bodied and smooth.

I love coffee mugs! And, it is far easier to brand coffee than an intangible. Here are the changes I am making...

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www.westFWchatter.com will remain mostly local, north Central Texas. I have talked with a couple of bloggers who would like to guest post frequently and that is great for me. They are not in my niche but provide good information for their niches. Local will not be my priority other than to“advertise”my business products, challenges and course.

I will monetise Chatter by providing an opportunity for local businesses to be exposed in a non-cluttered environment so they are not lost in the noise or crowd. This is similar to what I did for 15+ years with my now retired web community. www.CoffeeHourBusiness.com will be niched for people wanting to start and grow an online business. I tested last month locally and found 50 to 70 year olds were a great micro-niche. They need or want additional income for retirement to maintain their current lifestyle. Some are looking for a retirement project and the extra benefit can be side income.

What’s your story - what or who inspired you to become a blogger?

My original inspiration came from subscribing to Daily Candy many years ago when it first started. I loved it. A couple of web communities popped up and they also fed my interest in creating my community www.ourfortworth.com in 2000. I came to a point in life of re-inviting myself and my business in approximately 2013. Times had changed and I had too. By the end of 2014 I decided to retire my community, research other options and move my voice to another platform.

Do you remember having a sort of ‘oh damn, I really can do this’ moment? What was it??

I started working on the WordPress platform and began blogging (which I had done forever but called it writing articles for my community.) I was good at SEO for myself and my customers in the past so I thought it would be a piece of cake to just switch platforms. WRONG! In the time lapse between my old world and my new adventure, online business had reached a very sophisticated level. In mid-2015 I ran across Kate’s SBB. I was impressed because she was not boastful and didn’t promise the moon in her promotions. I signed on for the MBA and realized I was getting a more intense education than a friend who was taking an MBA course for business owners at a local University! MBA was way over my head but I knew it was what I needed. I could do it. When I felt I was ready to set my new site live my husband had unexpected major health issues and surgeries. That set me back several months but also proved you can interrupt the business process and then jump back in. Although Kate is my core inspiration, the entire blogging community is a big influence. After hearing the success stories I knew I could do it. I was not sure how the timeline would play out, but I knew that was okay. In late 2016 I committed to a serious timeline to my first launch.

reading and I must share part of my life to be genuine and I must be consistent with all aspects of my business.

What do you find to be your biggest challenge?

My biggest and continuing challenge is putting the blinders on and focusing only on what is moving my main project forward.

What’s something that has really worked for you?

I have had to say “no” to distractions and to my hubby when he wants me to change my routine on the spur of the moment or put my project off till later. Reducing commitments that are not necessary and saying no have worked. This also lets people know I am serious about my business. I sometimes tell people my business is my job. They understand that word.

What is the thing you are most proud of about your blog or something amazing that has happened because of blogging?

I get excited about the friends I meet online and that everyone cares about each other. This is many times missing in normal life. And, I have finally reached a point where I can tell people what I do and they understand it!

What is the best blogging advice you have ever received?

I believe the best advice was that everything I do must ooze with my personality. I must write in a way that people will enjoy 31

Any tips for other bloggers who want to achieve something similar?

I am very opinionated about this. Because I have written sales training programs, taught business face to face and conducted a weekly business group for more years than I care to admit, I am critical of the way people “sell” their training and million-dollar income “opportunities.” I have not found a more comprehensive program than SBB offers, especially MBA, Blog Squad, Boss Squad and the valuable resources made available to me through these programs.

The support is unbeatable! The mentors Kate brings in are so valuable too. I would recommend anyone committed to building an online blogging business to sign on to a progression of SBB programs, put on the blinders and don’t look back or any other direction. Stay focused on these programs.

Don’t dilute your focus. Kate and her programs cover it all.

If you could blog from anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I am totally content right here in Cowtown, Fort Worth Texas! If you have never visited Fort Worth, put it on your bucket list. You may decide this is your choice too!

What was it that made you decide to join the Blog Squad / Boss Squad community?

After SBB MBA, I wanted the intense immersion in Blog Squad and the resources it provided. When Boss Squad was opened it was a given that I would grab it! I learn as much from others during our live events as I do when it’s my turn to be reviewed.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since joining the Blog Squad /Boss Squad community?

My biggest accomplishment is I am finally certain of my business model, my branding and my writing. I know exactly what I must do to reach my targets each quarter and I have a solid plan to get there which includes launching my Master Course.

How would you describe the Blog Squad / Boss Squad community to a friend?

Super and superior to any other training at the elite level! I will be referring graduates 32

of my course to the Blog and Boss Squads.

I decided months ago that I have the knowledge to work with individuals from mindset to getting their business up and running. Beyond that it is necessary they work with SBB programs because I have no desire to attempt to reinvent what Kate creates and provides in MBA, Blog Squad, Boss Squad and so many other resources.

Moving forward, what’s next for you and your blog?

I am focusing ONLY on growing my list to reach a target number of subscribers for a successful launch of my master course.

I have my course outlined and feel it is worth every penny I will be charging. I have a valuable package to entice early bird registration. And I feel very confident I will hit my launch goals. After that I will repeat the entire process over and over and over as I continually increase subscriber numbers.

Once on autopilot, I will tweak and update all my materials as needed but the process will remain the same. I would like to collaborate with other bloggers and increase my blogging circle of friends.

looking for real help with your blog?

Want exclusive access to a panel of full-time blogging experts, monthly blog training plus an amazing community of like-minded blog bosses, events, templates, tools and much more?

WELCOME TO THE BLOG SQUAD

access to your new crew of hard-working, big-dreaming, world-conquering, boss-blogging besties! and…

monthly masterclasses

weekly expert live q&a’s

support & blog besties

resources, templates & tools

try blog squad for 7-days for just $1!

And if you love youwill!) will!)you youdon’t don't have to do a thing, it's just US$47 And if you loveit it(which (whichwe we think think you have to do a thing, it’s just US$47 , you a month not for foryou, you,no noworries worries either cancel at time. any time. a monthafter afterthat. that.Or Or ifif it's it’s not either, you cancan cancel at any

CLICK HERE TO JOIN TODAY

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High Fives!

We watch everything that goes on in our community and when we find people being AMAZING we like to shine our light of love in their direction. These are the people that are totally floating our boat right now.

Susanne Stewart who has been busy working away behind the scenes of her blog Pearl Street Designs.

Susanne is on a mission to help you create a space you will love to be in and will soon be launching her online store! We cannot wait for Susanne to launch her online shop and she definitely deserves a virtual champagne pop for all the hard work she’s been putting in!

Danelle Harvey has had a super busy month getting her biz on point. Not only has she set up her own podcast but she has been busy getting her new course ready to launch! Why not head over the The Female Musicpreneur to check it out?!

Steph Redhead only signed up a few weeks ago and in that time she has 34

already created a product for her site Brave Girl by using the templates in the Blog Squad HQ! This is awesome progress considering she’s only been part of the squad for a few weeks.

We cannot wait to see what you get done over the next few weeks! Well done Steph!

We are raising a virtual glass of bubbly to one of our beautiful Blog Squad babes, Stacey Dadd! Stacey has spent some time not only evaluating her online blog + biz, Champagne & Gumboots, but also evaluating her “in real life” business. She has listened to her local readers and just got her home kitchen certified so that she can start whipping up custom made gluten free cakes at home, as well as sharing her recipes online!

ever yth ing you want is on the other s ide of fea r .

JACK CANFIELD

secretbloggersbusiness.com

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HOW TO BRAND YOUR GRAM I’m not really speaking to Instagram right now. It keeps changing its mind every five minutes and it’s toying with my emotions. That being said I can’t really ignore it as an online internet-type person. How annoying. Anyway, if you’re an online blogger/ boss (which you probably are) here are some tips you need to get your Instagram totes on brand.

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Pick your top five themes If you look at any ‘big’ Instagrammer they usually have several types of photos they share regularly. For example our cover girl Jenna Kutcher (@jennakutcher) shares pictures of herself, beautiful locations for wedding photography, couples she’s photographed, her and the occasional inspirational quote. She doesn’t share food pictures, cafe shots or fancy outfits. She has her themes and they work for her. Scroll back through Instagram and find your most recent top performing posts and try to recreate them. It might be a salad you had a lunch, a picture of your dog or you in workout gear. Whatever works, ear mark it as a category and stick to those high performing categories to really get your gram on brand.

Pick your top five colours Another tip I’ve stolen from the masters. Choose five main colours and stick to it. That doesn’t mean you always have to use those colours but if you have your palette in mind most of the time it gives a very even and on brand look to your Instagram feed.

For example Kelly from @Studiodiy uses lots of saturated brights - pink, yellow, blue, green and purple. @hellomissmay sticks to a muted yet deep pastel palette of soft pinks and cappuccino browns. Pick your five colours, make them into a colour palette and stick it next to your computer so you don’t forget to use them.

Plan ahead Instagram used to be all about spontaneity but now it’s about curating the story. Use apps like Plann

to see what your feed is going to look like before you post. That way you won’t end up with two quotes on top of each other or similar photos right next to each other. It’s also important to think about perspective. Try mixing close up images with far away shots to give your feed more depth. Break up light and dark photos and images with people vs images without people in them. It’s all about variety when it comes to a well branded Instagram feed.

Use your captions Sharing an image without a meaningful caption doesn’t cut it any more. Instagram wants eyes on their platform and meaningful captions keep people on your feed. It also increases the time people spend looking at your photo which Instagram sees as interest and it will then show that image to more people. Take the time to construct your words and hashtag your image thoughtfully.

Every Instagram post should feel like a personal love letter to your audience.

Be strict with yourself Once you’ve chosen your colours and categories of content to share, don’t deviate. For instance, if you sell bed sheets and you’ve gone with a soft, whimsical, Sunday morning sleep in vibe for your Instagram account, avoid sharing photos of your kids on their first day of school unless you can make the photo fit it with your aesthetic. It can be tempting to share a funny off-brand picture every now and then but try not to unless it truly adds something to the user experience of your brand.

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TOOL BOX

9 THINGS YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR BRANDING

SO MUCH EASIER The problem with nailing your branding is trying to be totally consistent through out all aspects of your business. This is why it’s so important to nail your branding early on. You can always tweak it, but the earlier you have an idea locked in, the better.

Here are a few tools that will help you keep your branding consistent across all your social media platforms.

1. Snapseed

3. A Color Story

This is a genius little app that allows you to do high quality photo editing on your phone. You can make your photos light and bright, moody and dark or whimsical and pretty, whatever takes your fancy. You can save the steps you take in Snapseed so you can edit all your photos in a similar way, to get that consistent look Instagram superstars have.

No matter what I do to a photo in Snapseed, I always add 50% of the same filter in A Color Story just to give all my photos the same wash. I use a filter called Sky that makes whites super bright and gives an even look to all my photos. You can choose any filter you like that will suit your branding but adding a wash to all your photos gives a professional look to your feed.

2. A Style Guide This doesn’t have to be a big deal but a cheat sheet with your colours, themes, inspirational words and fonts written on it will keep you on track. Get a designer on Fiverr to make up a pretty version of it and have it stuck to your wall so it’s always there for reference.

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4. WordSwag This app is a life saver. You can create quotes and cute little memes without being a whiz at design. Just pick a font you like, stick with it and make it a part of your branding. HOT TIP: Make a plain white background with your

@handle down the bottom and use it as a template so you don’t have to keep recreating a plain white background with your @handle on it.

5. Pinterest It’s not just a place to plan your fake wedding or dress your imaginary children. Pinterest is an excellent place to create mood boards and style guides. You can do top line mood board designs or niche designs for particular projects. It’s an excellent tool for searching for the exact colors, feel and look you’re after for your personal brand.

6. Netflix I get a lot of inspiration from Netflix.

For example the branding for my business Crochet Coach, was quite heavily inspired by Wes Anderson films. If you find yourself watching a TV show or movie and loving the aesthetic think about what it is that you love. LBD and pearls from Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Pink pastels and pomp from Marie Antoinette? Moody, grungy hues from Reality Bites? Have a flick through the old ‘flix and see if you can find some inspiration there.

7. Canva Color Palette Generator If you’re not very handy with colours or graphics, this tool is amazing. If you’ve seen a photo or image that just epitomises exactly what you want in your branding, just pop the photo in the generator and it will spit out a perfect colour palette for you to use.

Amazing right?

8. iBooks Author Books are the best business cards out there and if you write and self publish a defining book in your industry, you’ll set yourself apart from everyone else in your niche. Plus you’ll always have something to sell. Think about it. Marie Kondo isn’t the tidiest person in the world, she just wrote a book about tidying up and now she’s an expert in it because she made herself the expert.

No one awarded her that, she went out and claimed it for herself. There’s no reason why you can’t do the same thing with your business.

9. Time Time is your best friend when it comes to branding. You don’t need to spend a full year on it but give your branding some space and time. Set aside an afternoon to really lock down your branding. Give it a few days and go back to it again. You can always tweak it slightly but it should be a properly formed general idea before you attach it to your business.

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BLOG REVIEW:

s w o S e h S Seeds

Every now and then a blog comes along and you get totally hooked. I have to admit, it was a few years ago when I first discovered Emma from She Sows Seeds but something just keeps drawing me back in. Her blog is peaceful and calm.

Like visiting a sweet friend at their country house for the weekend. I was going to review a kick butt online business for this issue on branding but I wanted to show case a truly authentic online creative and what branding can look like when you’re working for the love of the game.

Here’s why I love She Sows Seeds...

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EMMA’S CONSISTENCY She’s been beautifully chronicling her life online since 2008 and every time I pop into check out her blog there’s a lovely story about her life on the farm, what she’s been cooking and what her girls have been up to. It’s weird to point it out but Emma is one of those magic bloggers where you feel like you miss her if you’ve been away too long. There’s always something new to see whenever I go there and that’s why I keep going back.

HER BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY Emma is a beautiful, raw, candid photographer and I just can’t get enough of her unique style. Her photography also has a distinctive Australian quality to it which I adore.

Lots of leafy gumtrees, rubber boots, dusty outback paths, washing lines and scrappy bunches of flowers feature in her work. The temptation to ‘clean’ images has eluded her for the better. Her photos have such lovely soul and are really the cornerstone of her subtle branding.

HOW HONESTLY SHE PRESENTS HERSELF I don’t mean she’s an over sharer but she’s the same in real life as she is on her blog, which is always an excellent sign. There’s nothing dodgy or disingenuous about anything she does. There’s also a lovely mix of content from motherhood, to craft and baking. It’s also fascinating getting a glimpse into life as a farmer’s wife.

A good blogger/brand transports their reader/customer which Emma manages to do every time.

HER BEAUTIFUL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT Emma is an amazing photographer so it’s no surprise that her Instagram account is gorgeous. The thing I love the most about her Instagram account is that it’s genuine and fresh - the way Instagram used to be in the old days.

It’s every day snippets. Unedited yet perfectly framed to showcase her beautiful world.

THE INSANE FOOD ENVY Emma makes gorgeous, healthy, simple food and shares the recipes on her blog. Every time I go to her blog, I find a new recipe to try. It might be a hot cross pudding or a simple lunch salad but I always leave with some fancy new food ideas.

FOLLOW EMMA HERE www.shesowsseeds.com @emmasteednam 41

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