Over the years, I have loved getting to share the amazing wins that my incredible branding clients have experienced as a result of our work together. As a Type 2 on the Enneagram, it’s a true honor to see how my clients flourish after we work together. And as a brand designer and strategist, it’s incredible to see the kind of growth my most successful clients experience when they choose to invest in themselves and their businesses through an intentional brand and a heartfelt strategy.

I’ve received several questions over the years about how my clients—especially the ones with the greatest success stories—have achieved their success. So I recently sat down to do a little digging and really take a look at what makes my most successful branding clients different.

As I started looking into the kind of work we did together, I discovered that my most successful branding clients have four things in common.

These little secrets enable them not only to engage with my branding process differently, but also to continue to maintain their level of growth and transformation long after we wrap up our time together.

And I believe you can do the same, friend.

So join me today as I peel back the curtain on the four secrets that my most successful branding clients have in common!

WHAT SUCCESSFUL CLIENTS DO DIFFERENTLY:
DEFINING WHAT ‘SUCCESS’ MEANS TO YOU

Before I dive too deep into this, I want to let you know how we’re defining success here.

Many of my clients are able to hit big financial sales goals after we launch their new brand and strategy. Some are able to celebrate booking ideal clients just 24 hours after launching, booking ideal projects to the tune of $50k per month, and so much more.

But more than the flashy numbers and the fun stats, they are able to experience a deeper sense of fulfillment in the work they do because they’re able to move forward with a brand that truly reflects the heart of their life’s work.

And, because of that, they’re able to attract the kinds of clients who value their work, clients who are willing to invest in their products, services, and experiences.

And friend, to me, that is what success looks like.

Success is NOT about your figures after a launch or how many Instagram followers you have.

Success is about the way your work makes you feel, the kinds of relationships you’re fostering with your clients, and the kind of business (and legacy) you’re building as a result.

Friends, that is how I’m defining success for my clients.

And here’s how they did it.

SECRET #1: They were not afraid to niche down

When I look back over the years and think about some of my most successful client launches—like Cori Cook Floral Design, Tracey Jazmin Photography, and Amanda from Seasonally Jane—it immediately jumps out at me that these women were not afraid to boldly niche down their services.

They did not try to be everything for everyone.

They did not try to take in all the projects and work with all the clients.

Instead, they identified where they experience the greatest amount of passion and creativity in their work. They identified the kinds of clients who meet them in that passion. And they chose to exclusively offer those kinds of experiences and services to those specific people. Because of that, they were able to gently repel the not-so-ideal clients, all while welcoming the truly ideal clients—those who were tailor-made for them—with open arms.

After rebranding, Tracey was able to raise her rates for her photography services, as well as launch a high-touch group coaching program and fill that program with qualified leads, all due to the credibility her new branding provided.

Amanda was able to launch an elevated seasonal eating blog that enables her to do what she loves without taking her time away from what matters in her life—her husband, their family, and her full-time 9 to 5.

Because these women were not afraid to niche down, they were able to position themselves as the go-to experts in their industries for their ideal experience.

SECRET #2: They are not afraid to turn people away

Like I mentioned in Secret #1, my most successful clients are happy to gently repel people that they know will not be a good fit for their services and approach.

By turning the wrong people away, they understand that they are creating space for more of their ideal clients. They are creating more mental, emotional, and creative energy to pour wholeheartedly into those select few ideal clients.

And they are also doing a service for the people they send away, sending them instead in the direction of a service provider or product that will help them hit their unique goals in a better way. It’s not a decision to wave goodbye to more money, but instead an act of kindness that allows them to move toward working with their ideal service provider.

For my clients, this enables them to pour more wholly into their ideal clients and do the work that they love without compromise.

SECRET #3: They are chasing their own definition of success

Like I mentioned at the very beginning of this post, we aren’t defining success in the traditional terms. We aren’t getting caught up in the launch day numbers or the profit-and-loss statements. While I certainly believe that those numbers matter at some point in your business, I find that my most successful branding clients are choosing to build their brand around a definition of success that is greater than what the industry teaches us.

When I think back to working with one of my sweet clients, Cori, she was very clear with me that she wanted to book more clients at a higher price point because she wanted more space to be there for her growing family. She wanted to be able to stay home and spend more time with her kids. Because of that, we were able to make honest choices that were designed to help her hit those goals on her own terms.

Starting with that intention propelled her towards her definition of success.

Now, coincidentally, Cori is one of my clients who booked a celebrity client within a week of launching her new brand. Together, we celebrated some very dramatic months in which she knocked her sales goal out of the park time and time again. But more than that, we were focused on helping Cori build a brand that empowered her to live a life that she wanted, and to do that on her own terms.

So, friend, if you want to build a brand that is successful, you first need to identify what success looks like to you. And you have to be brave in your decision to honor and stick to that.

SECRET #4: They are captivated with purpose

Oftentimes, I find that my clients are deeply focused on building a brand that operates from a clear place of purpose. This allows us to start from a place of heartfelt intention, before ever even turning our attention to things like color palettes or Pinterest boards.

My signature brand strategy approach centers on designing with purpose, so purpose-focused clients fit perfectly with me.

We start with strategy so that we can design with intention. My sweet clients have been so excited to engage in that journey with me, allowing us to honor their most heartfelt goals and bring their brands to life through truly informed design decisions.

4 Secrets My Most Successful Clients Have In Common

Friend, if you’re now daydreaming about implementing these four “secrets to success” in your own business, then I’d love to chat with you!

It would be such an honor to partner together to craft an elevated, heartfelt, and intentional brand that reflects the core of your life’s work. A brand that allows you to book your ideal clients, to pursue your own definition of success, and to do the work you love, day in and day out.

I’m currently accepting custom branding projects for 2021, and it would be a true joy and honor to have you be one of the creatives that I work with this year.

Click here to learn more about my branding approach, or get in touch to schedule your complimentary consultation.