The #1 Reason Your Brand Isn’t Resonating with Your Ideal Clients

March 1, 2021

Are you struggling to reach your dreamy ideal clients? Have you been left wondering why your brand isn’t resonating with those you long to serve? I get it, friend.

Over the past nine years, I’ve worked with so many tenacious and talented creatives (just like you!). So many of them struggle to understand why their brand isn’t resonating with their ideal clients. Wanna know a secret? The #1 reason their businesses are struggling might not be what you think.

Do any of these situations ring a bell for you?

  • You post on social media only to hear crickets in response.
  • You have a beautiful website, but it isn’t generating the kinds of inquiries you want from the kinds of clients you dream of working with.
  • Everything on your end is working fine… but your client numbers just aren’t where they need to be.

Friend, if you can connect with any of these pain points, then this post is just for you. Today, I’m going to use my experience to equip you with the confidence and clarity you need to get your brand in front of those dreamy clients you long to serve.

So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

The #1 reason your brand isn’t resonating with your ideal clients

I get this question from my branding clients, my mentees, and even my Brand Strategy School students. Everyone wants to know…

Why isn’t my brand resonating with the people I long to serve?

A little bit of digging reveals the answer clearly: you aren’t speaking to your ideal clients’ pain points.

If we take this idea further, it comes down to a case of misconnections. Let me explain—

The Fatal Mistake: Missing Connections

You think you’re building a brand, sharing a message, and inviting people into a specific set of offerings that will meet them where they are. In reality, though, your ideal client is perceiving your brand in a completely different way; this results in you “missing” each other.

You feel frustrated because you aren’t booking the kinds of projects you long to work on. And your ideal client feels frustrated because they can’t find a reliable expert who truly understands their problems.

Get your brand out of the friend zone

Do you find your brand is constantly being “friend zoned”? Are you struggling to see the kinds of results you dream about in your business?

If you answered yes, then I suggest you conduct a deep analysis of how your brand speaks to prospective clients. Brands that only speak partially to their ideal clients’ pain points are seriously missing the mark.

Now, when I say “pain points”, I’m not talking about something that gives your clients actual, physical pain. Pain points are the things standing in their way of achieving greatness—whatever greatness may look like to them.

You won’t make sales or generate qualified inquiries if you’re only speaking partially to the struggles your ideal clients face.

Instead, you must make it clear to your ideal client that YOU are the go-to solution, that you deeply understand their problems and are able to fully solve them.

Cast Study: a brand that isn’t resonating

Let me give you an example, friend.

Let’s say you’re a wedding photographer with a bright, light, and airy aesthetic who dreams of working with joyful couples-to-be. How do you connect with those dreamy clients?

First, let’s dig deeper into your ideal client’s pain point. Are they really struggling to find a photographer who matches the style of imagery they love? Probably not (let’s be real, there are plenty of talented photographers with a similar artistic style). Really, they’re having a hard time finding a photographer who values the same things they do.

This ideal couple isn’t just looking for a photographer who shoots beautiful, light, bright, and airy images; they’re looking for a photographer to help them capture the start of their marriage. To them, their wedding is more than just a big party; it’s the beginning of a lifelong commitment to one another, witnessed by their closest family and friends. And THAT is what they truly want documented.

Because of this vision, they’re looking for a photographer who values marriage and will invest in them as a couple. They want a photographer who will truly get to know them, one who will foster a genuine relationship and make an effort to fully understand their vision for the big day.

If that’s what your ideal client is dreaming about and searching for, then you need to speak to that specifically. It’s not enough to simply show examples of your work and slap on some prices with a “book me” button.

Instead, you have to guide them through the experience of working with you. What does that look and feel like? Is it what they dream about for their wedding day?

On top of that, you have to make it clear you see their vision. You understand what’s standing in their way of achieving that vision. And YOU can be the solution, giving them the exact experience long for from their photographer.

SELF-AUDIT YOUR TOUCH POINTS

When your ideal client goes to your website, hears about your work on social media, or is referred to you from a friend, can they instantly and clearly understand how your brand fits into their journey? If not, you likely aren’t experiencing a deeper level of traction within your business.

If your ideal client cannot clearly see how your brand provides a solution their struggles, then it’s time for a change.

I recommend going through any touch points you’re sending out to clients; this includes your website, welcome guides, emails to inquiring clients… any place where you communicate with new or prospective clients. Check each of these resources and ask yourself: does this resource make it clear what clients can expect when working with me? Will this help them understand how working with me can impact them in the long run?

Examine whether or not your ideal clients’ pain points are accurately reflected and repeated back to them. It should be clear that you have a deep and intricate understanding of their struggles, giving you credibility as the one who holds the solutions they need in order to move forward.

If this self-audit reveals that your assets are consistently missing the mark, then it’s time to do some intentional work. Spruce up those pieces so you can connect with your ideal clients on a deeper level!

EXAMINE YOUR BRAND VISUALS AND STRATEGY

After auditing your touch points, you might find that your brand messaging, visuals, and even your overarching brand strategy just aren’t pulling their weight.

In that case, I highly encourage you to get in touch with me! I would be delighted to chat with you about ways we could elevate your brand through beautiful visuals and an intentionally crafted strategy.

I am always honored to partner with incredible creatives just like you to build heartfelt brands that are an intentional reflection of your life’s work.

On top of that, I’m committed to building both beautiful visuals AND intentional brand strategies that position my clients as the go-to expert for easing their ideal clients’ pains.

If your brand isn’t resonating with your ideal clients, then friend, let’s chat!

You can head right here to book a complimentary consultation, where we’ll discuss how to elevate your brand so you can resonate with your ideal clients time and time again. It would be such an amazing joy to partner with you to take your brand to heartfelt new heights!

If you’re ready to create an intentional, profitable brand, then I’m here to help you, friend. I’m currently booking clients for 2021 and would love to help you make this coming season your best yet.

*It’s important for me to share, I’m only accepting a handful of custom branding clients for the entire year. So, if you want to partner together to take your brand to the next level, I highly encourage you to get in touch soon!

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My name is Bonnie – I’m a brand designer, strategist, and writer which all adds up to one eclectic conglomeration of qualities that enables me to serve you well! Past clients have dubbed me "the Joanna Gaines of brand design," and I've had more than a few call me a dream maker, a game changer, and a design wizard (my Harry Potter-loving heart didn't hate that one, let me tell you!). At the end of the day, I'm a big-hearted creative who will get teary-eyed as you share the heart behind your business; who will lose sleep over the perfect font pairings and color selections to bring your brand to life visually; and who will work tirelessly to empower, encourage, and equip you to share your work with the world intentionally. 

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