The road map for defining and simplifying a unique creative brand on a secure, meaningful foundation, so you can stand out and sell well in a crowded market
Let's do this thing!
You see them RAVE about their dream clients, and wonder for the umpteenth time why it feels like everyone but you has their brand figured out?
I mean, your brand is good enough for now... right? 😬
Sure, you’re not *exactly* clear on who your ideal client is, but you’ve got a somewhat steady stream of clientele so you're thinking eventually, the answer has to pop into your head. Is that how these things work?
Gosh, you hope so...
And it’s not like you haven’t tried to define your brand- it’s just that the concept feels... unknowable.
The way people throw phrases like “my brand,” “on-brand” and “off-brand” around, you wonder if you missed an invitation to the cool kids’ table (complete with a local dialect guide to help you converse in the fluent creative tongue.)
So you click on yet another blog post from Pinterest (today’s digest- “10 questions to define your brand!”), and convince yourself that someday, you’ll get there. One day, this whole brand thing will stop being SUCH👏🏼A👏🏼STRUGGLE.
For now, you guess you’ll just resign yourself to the fact that you don’t know what makes your brand different from the masses. 🥺
You’ve been studying your competition’s new website for weeks and watched their rebrand process with more than a tiny bit of envy.
But what if you didn’t have to wait for someday (or a magical brainwave) to start differentiating your brand’s purpose, message, and voice?
You KNOW there’s something you’re meant to do, and people you’re meant to reach… it's just that every time you sit down to figure out WHY and WHO, your brain fogs over 😳and you end up on Reels. Again.
It’s time to stop the seemingly endless process of “figuring out your brand” and get some real answers, so you can start showing up for the dream clients who need your gifts and services most.
You don’t have time to wait for your dream brand
to magically land in your lap.
You could discover what make you unique and claim your corner of the market, generating stronger leads and higher booking rates
You’d stop guessing on what to say to reach your audience- you'd know which messaging speaks to your dream clients. Even better, you know *exactly* who those dream clients are!
That feeling of being a fraud? It disappears because you've ditched the phony online persona you thought you needed to reach the audience you thought you were “supposed” to be aiming for.
You’d finally have a clear vision for where your brand is headed, so you can STOP with the yearly cycle of rebranding (seriously: step away from the website template shop for a sec).
What would it look like for your brand to be the perfect fit right now?
I'm in! Gimme the deets
“I want to build a brand of my own, not one that imitates everyone else in my industry, but.... I don’t *actually* know what makes me different."
“I guess I sort of know who my target audience is?...but I have no idea how to speak to them!” 😖
“I’m fed up with all the ‘quick’ fixes I see online for building a brand… none of them have ever worked for me! Am I doing something wrong?” (you’re not!)
“Don’t judge, but I’ve tried reverse-engineering my favorite creative’s brand and it’s just not working- I’m NEVER going to get this figured out!” (you will!)
Does this sound like you?
The thought of achieving “meh” results with yet another rebrand is enough to make you want to crawl back into bed with a glass of pinot. Something has to change.
There has to be a better way to develop a cohesive brand than duct-taping together a bunch of scattered (and contradicting) advice from free downloads.
And actually, you don’t have TIME to wait for “eventually”- with COVID's effect on small business, you need to cut the frills and figure out your brand NOW so that you can make it through to the other side.
It’s time to get this figured out, once and for all.
What if it were possible for YOU to steer the ship and determine where your brand is headed, instead of ending up wherever the market feels like depositing you?
And I’m sharing my very own framework for building a brand from a place of purpose, a brand that isn’t subject to the whims of the industry (a roadmap I’ve only ever taught privately to coaching students in the past!)
After 11 years of photographing people, I’ve learned that more often than not, simply being talented isn’t enough to grow your business to the heights you’ve dreamed of. In a market full of talented artists, there MUST be something else for your clients to hold onto for you to be remembered!
Hi, I’m Abby Grace! And I believe that strong brands are MADE, and not the result of a magic wand (even though I’m still waiting for my Hogwarts letter, too).
It isn’t enough to present your best portfolio work like Show & Tell and hope that your dream clients click “add to cart!”
So let’s move all those surface-level, free branding downloads to your Trash folder.
I’m going to hold your hand and walk you through what ACTUALLY goes into defining a unique brand that's consistent across ALL platforms.
And once we’ve done that? I’ll spill the secrets on how your brand’s foundations directly dictate your brand's visuals! (Y'know, the sexy stuff- website, logo, colors, and more!)
Lace up your Chuck Taylors- let’s DO this thing!
“This helped me figure out my own brand and what I wanted it to stand for, so that I can help my clients strengthen their own brands (sometimes without them even knowing it!)."
brand photographer
Rachael Leigh
This could be you:
“I know exactly what makes my business different. I know my superpower, and I know exactly why my clients choose to work with me.
"I know exactly who my ideal client is, and I’ve crafted a message that speaks STRAIGHT to them. I never have to wonder what to say anymore.”
“My website, logo, and visuals all speak directly to my dream audience- I don’t have to GUESS what my visual brand should look like!"
There’s a better, more intentional way to build your brand- you can quit the “throwing it at the wall and see if it’ll stick” approach that’s been sapping your joy!
Find your unique position in the market based on your Why, your superpower, and the one-of-a-kind combination of strengths that you bring to the table
Stop looking to your competition for cues on YOUR brand's destination
Identify your ideal clients and learn to speak directly to them using the same methods I use to serve the high-end bridal + branding photography markets!
Craft a custom Brand Manual for your products, messaging, and visuals
Infuse your brand with personality without resorting to an “internet persona,” even if you are not your own target client
Stop 👏🏼feeling 👏🏼icky 👏🏼about 👏🏼selling your products and services, because you've aligned your business with what you ACTUALLY believe in!
Branding Foundations is an online course designed to help you clarify, uplevel, and distinguish your brand from the masses, reach the clients you dream of serving, and find contentment knowing your brand is the perfect fit.
By the end of the program, you’ll be able to …
The road map for building a unique creative brand on a secure, meaningful foundation, so you can stand out and sell well in a crowded market
Branding Foundations
Introducing:
Branding Foundations is an online course formatted to help you FINISH the material, so you can get on your way to defining a memorable, one-of-a-kind brand and book dream clients who can’t wait to work with you!
The course consists of 18 easy-to-finish lessons, with long-form text that doesn’t waste your time with needlessly drawn-out videos.
A simplified format makes referencing back a *cinch*- no more re-watching module after module in search of that one nugget you wanted to re-learn.
No monthly membership fee here—once you’re in, you’re in … it's yours to keep.
Oh... and for all you college alum who miss using highlighters and writing in the margins? You're going to love the printed version. 🤓✏️
What’s Inside?
Part I: Inputs
We must lay the foundational groundwork of determining what sort of INPUTS we’ll base your visual brand off of BEFORE we can even begin to talk about social media, websites, logos and product packaging
How your foundational inputs are the basis for your brand visuals, and why developing your brand [[in order]] is CRUCIAL
How growing slow takes you FURTHER, and rushing the process will backfire
Why you can’t borrow a brand, and the consequences of trying
You'll learn:
Chapter 1: So like, what IS a brand, exactly?
Because unless you can get clear on where you’re starting out, there’s NO way you’ll arrive at the right destination.
How a Why >>> laser focus, so you can bypass all the other small business owners caught up in chasing butterflies + waterfalls
Why your brand ISN’T actually about you, and why that's REALLY good news
You'll learn:
Chapter 2: Purpose = Profit and Joy
Thinking your purpose as a creative is limited to your products and services VASTLY underestimates your potential and undersells your value. Understanding your Why as a business owner is a crucial first step in claiming your territory and putting your stake in the ground.
3 steps to discover your own set of 5-7 values
How to stop simply chasing whatever’s "shiny," and the #1 question to help you avoid years of chasing "wrong fit" goals
You'll learn:
Chapter 3: Values- Not Just a Buzzword
When your business and values are aligned, you stop working against yourself. Everything gets easier- choosing your offerings, determining your schedule, even selling. Yep- SELLING! No more icky feelings around the S-word!
8 questions to uncover those secret strengths you never knew you had
Why + when you should stop trying to force strengths you don’t have
Seven questions to discover your superpower, the secret sauce in your business!
You'll learn:
Chapter 4 & 5: Strengths & Superpower (your secret weapon!)
Knowing your strengths means maximizing your impact with your God-given gifts, and wasting less time forcing the issue with your weaknesses. And discovering your superpower? Well, that might just change EVERYTHING.
38 in-depth questions to discover your ideal client so you can stop shooting in the dark (because “where does your brand shop?” doesn’t actually help unless conversation is limited to “where’d you get that top?”)
3 ways to learn to speak your clients’ language (including the elusive language of luxury!)
How to research your market AND your competition, so you can strike with an offer you're confident will do well
You'll learn:
Here's a secret: THIS is where we see the visual brand begin to take shape! Crafting the perfect website and logo for your brand isn’t about you- it has everything to do with your ideal clients, so you MUST know who they are!
Chapters 6 & 7: Finding YOUR Ideal Clients
7 steps to infuse EVERY offer with purpose and expertise
How specializing strengthens marketability, instead of excluding potential clients
Why being a general practitioner makes it hard to raise your rates (and how to overcome that!)
You'll learn:
Turns out that there’s an easier way to determine which products and services your business offers that doesn’t involve the ambiguous question of “what do I feel like doing for work?” When you take cues from your Why, strengths, values and knowledge of your ideal client, the result is an irresistible offer your audience is EXCITED to buy!
Chapter 8: Choosing Your "Perfect Fit" Offers
How to develop a personal brand voice without sharing every👏🏼single👏🏼detail of your life
3 places to look for clues on HOW to speak the language of your ideal clients
21 prompts to help you clarify exactly what your brand does (and does NOT) sound like!
You'll learn:
Chapter 9: Your Brand's Unique Voice
Because sometimes, your tone matters even more than the content of your message! A cohesive, consistent brand voice is crucial but might not come naturally, especially when trying to reach clients who aren't a direct copy of you.
A three-tiered formula for crafting the 5-10 storylines that will form the backbone of ALL your business-related messaging
When to shout and when to whisper, and how to use each as you pivot your message and uplevel your brand
The 5 Ps of Storyline Dissemination, and why you'll never run out of things to say on social media
You'll learn:
Don’t be overwhelmed by this one! Messaging can feel like such a vague concept, but it’s MUCH simpler than you’re thinking! I'll show you how to PRE-determine a collection of messages that will resonate with your dream clients, so that you’ll never have to scramble for social media, newsletter, or blog material ever again.
Chapter 10: What To Say- Demystifying "Messaging"
Part II: Outputs
NOW you’re ready to start developing those brand visuals! Instead of buying yet ANOTHER new website template and HOPING this’ll finally fix your problems, you'll be creating from a place of utter confidence.
Rather than a step-by-step tutorial for website design, color theory, or the best posting schedule for Instagram (which, let's be honest, seems to change weekly!), consider this your framework for how your core inputs >>> visual outputs, so that when we set out to design, we already have an end destination in mind!
When to start working on your visuals (hint: roots and shoot grow together)
Why rushing is a HUGE, expensive mistake
Why you might not actually need to rebrand
You'll learn:
Chapter 11: Consistency, your MVP
Masterpieces aren’t born as soon as you first hammer a chisel into a block of marble- this. takes. time. Consider this me giving you permission to allow your brand to emerge over time, a little bit at time. After all- it took Michaelangelo two years to finish David.
11 details your website MUST include, tailored to speak to your dream clients
The essential pre-website design checklist for every new business owner
When top opt for a website refresh, vs. full-on rebrand.
You'll learn:
Did you know that your ideal clients (not Pinterest!) should be the ones giving you clues for your online home? Your brand is already starting to take shape, so let’s get it an outfit (your website!) that fits it perfectly, instead of asking our website to dictate the brand
Chapter 12: Website with a Purpose
5 questions to ask when designing a logo with text and/or graphics
6 places to look for color palette inspo tailored to YOU
Do's and don'ts of choosing typefaces
You'll learn:
Chapter 13: Logo + Color Schemes That LAST
Since you’re jonesing for a brand that will last you more than the next 10 minutes, it’s important that you’re intentional about your logo and color choice!
How to attract ideal clients for dream project (EVEN IF you don’t have your dream portfolio yet!)
How to be ruthless with your photo selection when it comes to showing off your best work
How your current head shot might be sending the wrong message
You'll learn:
To curate or not to curate? That is the question. The answer? Your portfolio should be [[highly curated]] to speak directly to your ideal client!
Chapter 14: Portfolio Perfection
How to literally never run out of on-brand content for social media. Like ever.
Maximize your audience's attention by sending them exactly where you need them to go
How to choose the right platforms for YOUR business (instead of downloading every new app that debuts)
You'll learn:
Chapter 15: Subtle Social Media- You Can Stop Yelling Now
Repetition is key- so then why do so many of us feel like we never know what to say on social media? This is where the rubber of messaging meets the road of marketing!
5 *passive* ways you can positively influence experience without increasing your workload
How negativity bias affects the final grade your clients give you
When to outsource for the sake of the client’s overall experience
You'll learn:
More than just a cute gift you drop in the mail for your clients, the overall experience is impacted by every single touchpoint your clients have with your business (even the ones where you’re not talking directly to them!)
Chapter 16: Give Them A Killer Experience
What the quality of your packaging says about your brand (for better or worse)
How to apply your brand voice to every piece of business-related mail you send
When it makes sense to send a gift, and how to avoid contradicting your own brand
You'll learn:
The accessory, physical goods associated with your brand should only ever continue the story of your brand in the way you want it told!
Chapter 17: Make It Pretty (Packaging, Paper, & Gifting)
6 ways to harness email to stand out as an EXPERT
What outfit choice says about your brand (for better or worse)
A comprehensive list of every resource we use for cohesive brand maintenance
You'll learn:
A handful of unrelated, less obvious categories that need a dose of “essence of your brand!”
Chapter 18: Potpourri & Resources
After all the work you've done in the course, you'll finish with a plug-and-play custom guide that acts as a home base for your brand as it grows and matures!
Perfect for handing to a graphic designer when designing your website, or to a new team member during on-boarding, the Brand Manual is the perfect encyclopedia for all things brand-related.
The Brand Manual
Instant access to all 18 long-form text lessons
Audio files of every lesson so you can listen on the go
A 30-page printable workbook
Lifetime access, so you can review and reference any time you need a refresh!
You’ll ALSO get:
You have the option to add a printed + bound copy of the course!
For those of you who liked to highlight, underline, and make notes in your college textbooks?
This is for you.
Bonus: you can skip the whole "searching your inbox for that login link + password" thing.
And also the whole "I just spent six hours working and don't want to stare at my laptop anymore" thing.
And for all you pen + paper people...
Well, you could spend the next couple of years plugging away with freebie downloads that promise to help you piece a brand together... but only if you’re OK with spending hours sorting the meh from the I can’t believe I traded my email address for this, and only if you like seeing your progress bar load 1% at a time.
You could keep reading those unhelpful blog posts that say things like "make sure your brand statement is strong!" and "think about how your values impact your business!" with you on the other side of the screen thinking “wait- that sounds like it’s important! But HOW do I do it?!”
Or you could get yourself on board the Solid Brand Express- with me as your conductor.
Enough chit chat: what’s it cost?
Start right now with lifetime access, for only $197
Here's what my students are saying!
Lifetime access to all 18 long-form text lessons, to cut the fluff and get the work DONE
Audio files of every lesson
30-page workbook
My personal list of resources for designers, templates, apps, packaging, gifting, and further education to make implementation a no-brainer
The Brand Manual to serve as your brand's home base
Optional: a printed copy of the course mailed to you ($50 + S&H)
One payment of $197
Simplify a unique brand that makes a lasting impression on your dream clients
Yes! I’m ready to define my brand, Abby!
I’m an international brand & wedding photographer, speaker, and fierce lover of PEOPLE!
There’s something that *fascinates* me about finding the disconnect between where a brand currently is and where the brand owner is trying to go. It can be maddening when you’re in the midst of it, when you KNOW your work is unique but you just can’t seem to figure out WHAT ELSE sets you apart, other than your craft.
After all- there are a LOT of other people who do what you do, with the exact same tools that you use. And if you can’t even tell yourself what makes you different, how are you supposed to convince your audience you deserve their business?
I’ve had the joy of teaching more than 1,000+ students, and now, for the first time ever, I’m pulling back the curtain on how to build a recognizable, well-loved brand that works in harmony with your purpose, values, and strengths to serve the clients you’ve been DREAMING of since your first days in business!
Let’s stop wasting months chasing dozens of rabbits, only to find you haven’t caught a single one.
and red lipstick makes me feel invincible.
Hi, I'm
ABBY GRACE
Now more than ever, it’s crucial that you know your purpose as a creative, and can enunciate your UNIQUE value in the market. Without knowing your brand’s foundational INPUTS, spending excessive time on a pretty Top 9 or a cute About page? It’s just a Band-Aid on a bullethole.
A new website template won’t change the fact that you still have no idea what makes you different.
But investing in yet another course?
You’re not sure if you can take the disappointment of another hours-long, fluff-filled educational resource that reads more like a personal memoir than a workshop.
Friend, I am RIGHT there with you.
That’s why I made this EASY and FAST to get through, so you can take the shortcut to "OMG I LOVE MY BRAND" land. No video, no superfluous bonuses you and I both know you’ll never use.
We’ve boiled it down to the essentials, giving you branding education GOLD.
This time right now is really scary for so many of us.
"No one is teaching branding like this- this is so, so, so, so, so good."
"I thought I understood branding- then I took this course, and I realized I had NO idea. I didn't know that I didn't know!"
"This really does teach you how to implement, which is something that other branding resources I’ve purchased DON’T teach you."
"These 'ideal client' prompt questions are WAY more helpful than the ones I normally see! I’ve even been confused by people who 'do branding' for a living when they talk about it.
I’m only 20% through and already loving that your guide is more in-depth."
"You compiled it all in one place and made it digestible- the prompts were a game changer because they were questions I could actually answer without getting overwhelmed."
"It wasn’t a carbon copy of what everyone else is shouting out there. It was a breath of fresh air, it wasn’t just what everyone else is preaching."
We had it reviewed by the very students I had in mind while creating this course, and here’s what they’re saying already:
Don’t waste another day.
NOW is the time to define your brand, get clear on your purpose, uncover what truly distinguishes you from your competition, and reach those dream clients with an irresistible message that speaks directly to them.
Your clients are happy with the end result you deliver, but after the transaction is complete… you never hear from them again
.
You know what you WANT your brand to look like… but have no idea how to get it there.
You’re constantly losing out on bookings because (wait for it) “it came down to budget.”
The market you serve is full of ideal clients, but none of them ever seem to find their way to you- you know your work is solid, but that doesn’t seem to be enough.
Your messaging and marketing plan currently consists of the Show & Tell approach: “look at how good my product is! Money please?”
If someone asks what makes your business different, *you honestly have no idea how to answer.*
But I’m definitely an advocate for thoughtful course purchases- if you don’t need this course, I truly don’t want you to waste your resources!
How to know if you’re the right fit for Branding Foundations-
Ya with me?
Let’s go!
You already have the gifts to create a remarkable, one-of-a-kind brand... you just need a bit of help to put it all into words you can actually use to market your business.
Alright, Abby- let’s do this thing!
Follow along
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