How many websites have you seen lately with beautiful flat-lay images? What about a color palette of white, blush, and gold? Any hand-lettered logos? How many of those brands stand out in your mind? Is your brand unique enough to stand out?
Now, before you get upset with me for calling out the trends above you should know – I think they are beautiful. I’ve even designed sites with those elements.
[bctt tweet=”When there is no differentiating factor in brands they all. look. the. same.” username=”jess_creates”]
You may think you should be doing the same thing as your peers because you have the same dream clients. You may get swept up in the beauty of soft colors and perfectly styled images. I’m here to tell you why being different is so essential.
Increased Engagement
I’m going to assume you want your brand to stand out. You want to draw people in and make them excited about what you do and what you’re selling. You want to build trust and engagement so they keep coming back for more.
How much engagement do you think you’re going to get when your users are bored. As humans (and millennials, probably) we are naturally drawn to new and exciting things – brands included. Draw people into your brand by standing out.
Connections with Dream Clients
We talk a lot about dream clients and obviously our brands should be enticing and welcoming to those that we want to serve. It makes sense for most wedding photographers to have a brand that is light and friendly as that coincides with the wedding trends of today. However, there should also be something that sets you apart from all of the other wedding photographers that can be represented in your branding (with or without including blush and gold).
One of the most talented photographers I know, CaptureMeCandid, uses black and orange in her branding because she is known for creating edgy, unforgettable images. Talk about connecting with her dream clients! I’m going to challenge you to dig deeper into who those people are (and who you are for that matter) and discover ways your brand can be different to help attract your dream clients.
Memorability
You may not know this about me, but I have a really hard time making decisions. I tend to do a lot of research prior to making a purchase. That research usually involves having an excessive number of tabs open at one time and then abandoning the whole process when I feel overwhelmed. But, just because I’m not actively researching I’m still thinking about my purchase. And do you know which options tend to stand out in my head long after I’ve looked at websites? The unique brands.
A unique brand will remain in the minds of your dream clients long after they have seen your website or social media post. This means they have made a connection worth remembering and next time they stumble upon your business there will be an emotional connection and you will have a leg up.
So, please, stop trying to be just like everyone else. Find what makes you unique and let that flow into every aspect of your brand. Having trouble figuring that out? That’s what strategists and designers are for!
Jessica Goddard works with talented web designers from proposal to launch, forming collaborative relationships, solving problems, and delivering high-quality custom WordPress sites. She’s a mom, a wife, a Hokie, a problem solver, a collaborator, user-focused, an error-spotter, an editor, a CSS nerd, a streaming TV addict, creative, a West Virginia native, a South Carolina resident, and a compulsive list maker.