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Let’s have a little real talk, fellow creative! In today’s episode, I’m sharing some of the biggest 2023 branding trends I’m seeing within the creative community and online business space.
In this episode, I am diving deep into some of the most impactful strategies that I’ve seen and that I’m confident will continue to be a big part of the way that we build brands this year and beyond. ✨
Whether you’re in the process of rebranding or you’re just interested in staying up to date on the latest branding insights, I’m excited to share today’s episode with you! Together we can break down the tips, tools, and strategies that will help your brand flourish in this season.
Tune into the podcast via the player above and check out the resources and full transcript below!
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Please note this transcript has been auto generated and may contain typos.
Bonnie (00:07):
Hi, friend, and welcome to the Brand Strategy Podcast, a show created to equip you with the inspiration, encouragement, and clarity you need to build a brand of your dreams. I’m your host, Bonnie bti, brand designer, strategist, and founder of the Illume Retreat from sustainable Strategy to heartfelt Encouragement. Each episode is designed to equip you with the tools you need to chase after your dreams, because you deserve a brand that empowers you to do what you love, connects with your dream clients, and offers a deep sense of fulfillment along the way. So grab a cup of coffee and join me on this journey, won’t you?
Bonnie (00:45):
Hey, friends. Welcome back to the Brand Strategy Podcast, where today I am dishing on some of my favorite and most impactful branding trends that I have seen for this year and beyond. Now, I am excited to share this because I feel like, well, first of all, what is the point of having a experienced brand designer and strategist in your back pocket through a podcast like this? If I am just gate keeping all of these trends and these strategies and these insights that I’m seeing, um, but also it is really fun for me to get to kind of break some of these concepts down so that hopefully my intention here is that updating your brand this season and into the future feels more accessible and more sustainable for you. There’s nothing more frustrating, in my opinion than kind of going through the sort of piecemeal strategy of like, oh, okay, I’m gonna do what this person is saying and I’m gonna implement this advice from this like YouTuber that I was tuning into, and I’m gonna do this and that, and this and that, and like, it’s a lot.
Bonnie (01:58):
And so I am intending for this to be content that helps you take action in a way that best aligns with your goals for whatever season of business you are in. This is an episode for my fellow creatives, my service-based businesses and my fellow designers, because we are all in this process of creating and growing and scaling these powerful brands that have so much opportunity to not only help us make a living doing what we love, but also this provides us with the opportunity to make a difference using the work that we do. So regardless of your industry, regardless of your niche, I believe that the work that you do matters. And I believe that it has value and it has so much possibility and potential to be a force for good in the lives of those that you work with, your clients or your customers.
Bonnie (02:52):
So with that in mind, staying relevant, staying accessible, being a resource that they can turn to and someone that they can hire is absolutely a good use of time and energy, in my opinion. Um, and with so many options out there, like I was saying earlier of steps you can take, actions you can implement, et cetera, et cetera, it can feel a little overwhelming. So I’m here today just to kind of introduce some thoughts that hopefully will be something that you can utilize as you are fine tuning the way that you wanna show up in your business and in your brand this month and into the future. So with that being said, um, none of this is groundbreaking. None of this is like, I don’t know, life changing in the sense of you’re, you’ve probably what I’m gonna share today. You’ve probably heard it in some way or shape before.
Bonnie (03:52):
Um, but what I’m sharing is coming from a place of, I’ve seen this show up over and over in our industry. I’ve seen this kind of coming down the pipeline, and I am believing that this information can change the way that we are engaging with our clients for the better, creating a foundation where we can have more impact and where we can potentially generate more revenue as well. So all of that being said, let’s take a look at some of these branding trends that, um, are worth exploring for the future. And hey, you know, as, as literally everything that I share here on this podcast, none of this is canon. None of this is gospel. Um, you take what resonates and you leave the rest for later or maybe never. And that’s the beauty of being the incredible adult that you are, being a human who’s capable of making decisions and choosing what serves you well and your business well versus what doesn’t.
Bonnie (04:50):
So with that being said, looking at the way that our industry is moving in this season and into the future, value-based brands matter more now than ever. Now, this is nothing new. This is literally nothing new. Um, but looking at where we are as a society kind of in this late stage capitalism that we’re existing in value-based branding is so incredibly powerful because it gives us this sense of agency as consumers. It gives us this ability to connect with businesses and brands that align with what matters to us. And we believe that we can have more impact using our dollars in that way, right? Like, I don’t know about you, but when I am, um, you know, spending my money with a brand or a local shop or uh, a fellow service provider, knowing that we share common values makes me feel good about where my money is going because I know that my money is going to help them do more of the work that they’re doing or help them to, you know, provide for their family or grow their business or, you know, restock their inventory or whatever.
Bonnie (06:08):
And that’s the kind of the kind of vibe that a lot of your clients and customers wanna experience when they work with you too. And let’s be honest, there’s something really powerful about being able to say, this is who I am and this is what I stand for. And having your clients and customers say, heck yeah, me too. Let’s, let’s connect, let’s work together. That’s a really great feeling because it gives you the chance to kind of experience this validation of being seen. And when someone says, oh, yeah, I wanna hire you, and you’re using those values as common ground, it can lay the foundation for more, uh, more relational connection. Um, and like I said, this isn’t new. This is the kind of stuff that we saw in Simon Sinek’s book, start with why. It’s one of the foundational components of brands that endure and brands that, that last is values and leveraging values as a way to inspire connection with your clients and customers.
Bonnie (07:11):
But now, more than ever, I just keep seeing us as an industry gravitating towards people and brands and businesses that align with what matters to us. This is, uh, important to keep in mind, especially if you have a value or a set of values that really lights you up and, um, impacts the work that you do, and you wanna be able to share that with your potential clients. So this is a great thing to think about with your brand strategy. This is a great thing to revisit if maybe it’s been a couple years since you’ve actually sat down and defined your brand’s core values, and you wanna take a look at what matters to your brand, what it stands for, and kind of that overall message that it’s sending to others. Um, so when I work with my own clients, this is actually something that I guide them through as part of my brand strategy process.
Bonnie (08:04):
We spend time really digging deep into their core values because I need to know that in order to create a visual brand and an overarching brand strategy that is designed to actually connect with living, breathing people. Um, and that’s a great feeling when we’re able to, to hit that mark and we’re able to inspire consistent connection through those shared values. Speaking of connection, um, I, I’m going to wager that human connection now more than ever, is a massive trend that we’re gonna only continue to see, grow more and more through branding and brand strategy. Um, and what I mean by that is relationships matter. You as an entrepreneur, as a small business owner, a freelancer or service provider, you are a, you’re a living, breathing human and the people that you work with, your clients, your customers, they’re humans as well. And that connection that you have, um, that’s important in this day and age.
Bonnie (09:09):
It’s so easy for things to feel very transactional, for things to feel, um, very impersonal, especially as we start to see the rise of AI technology more and more. Uh, I think that people are experiencing a deeper appreciation for the specialty that humans can provide. The like level of expertise, the level of mastery that true experts in their fields can display and connecting with those kinds of people, hiring them, working with them, learning from them, that can be a really powerful connection point as well. Um, and if we’re being honest, you know, looking at the way that the Covid 19 pandemic changed our landscape and changed the way that we connect with people and the, the rise of virtual events, I’ve seen, and I’ve seen this for a while now, at least, at least the last year, maybe more. Um, people are hungry to go back to in-person experiences.
Bonnie (10:12):
They’re hungry to experience workshops, conferences, events like that. They want to be in community with other people. They want to be in physical spaces with other people who get it. And I’m, I definitely wanna say virtual events are not going anywhere. They are so powerful and so incredibly accessible for people with disability, with illness, with, um, no access to dependable childcare. Uh, it’s, it’s really important. And hey, let’s, like, let’s also just talk about how great the rise of virtual events have been for introverts. Like as an introvert, whoa, it’s been amazing. I can like tune into this virtual summit while wearing my PJs. Heck yes. Where do I sign up? Like, it’s absolutely something that’s still gonna be, um, still gonna be a part of the way that we’re doing business, but I think it’s also important for us to just kind of read the room a little bit of where people are and what they’re wanting to engage with.
Bonnie (11:12):
And people, you know, in the conversations that I’m having, more and more people are ready to get back on those planes and fly out to, you know, that big industry conference and network and connect and laugh and, you know, probably spend too much money at a very mediocre restaurant. But you’re doing it in the company of people that you really enjoy and who understand this, you know, kind of special wildness of running your own business and what that’s like. So connection, such a powerful thing. And we also, here’s the thing, you don’t have to physically go anywhere. You don’t have to leave your home or your coworking space or wherever you are to create that kind of human connection. You can do that through other mediums as well. Video content is a great way to do that, right? We’ve seen the rise of video, um, just wow skyrocketing and it’s more accessible now than ever because our phones are these incredible pieces of technology that can document everything from your day-to-day behind the scenes, you working with clients, like so many incredible things.
Bonnie (12:20):
And it’s a fun way to show up in a strategic way, um, that allows you to utilize the video as part of your content marketing strategy. And, you know, kind of that, that brand presence as a whole. Actually, um, a couple months ago I had the incredible Jordan Guidon on the podcast to talk about just that using video to show up as the expert that you are. And she also shares how live video can be a fantastic way even for us introverts to show up and connect with our audiences. So definitely go back and check out that episode if that’s a topic that you want to learn more about in this season. Um, human connection, it’s always mattered. It’s, I think it’s always going to matter. Um, so thinking about what are the ways in the, in how my business shows up and how I show up in my brand, what are the ways that I’m creating the space for more human connection and interaction?
Bonnie (13:23):
And can I do more of that? Do I want to do more of that? And if so, how can I make that be more impactful? Just some things to think about. So with that being said, um, kind of the final trend that I’ve seen popping up over and over again is this return, actually, I don’t wanna say it’s a return because I don’t actually think it went anywhere, but, um, the way that we have just wild amounts of access to connecting with people, to engaging with people who are, you know, literally on the other side of the globe from us to, you know, hire people who are miles and miles away from us. It’s amazing and there’s so much possibility. Um, but because there’s so much possibility, because the online business space is packed with incredible people who are all vying to do something similar, it can feel noisy, it can feel crowded, it can feel like, well, there’s so many other people already doing this, why does it matter if I do it?
Bonnie (14:36):
And to that, I wanna say that showing up as all of who you are in your business has never been more important. And not only is it important because it gives you an opportunity to connect with people over shared values. Hey Colin, back to that point that I made earlier. But also it gives you this opportunity to connect and be seen for who you are and to be seen authentically. Now, I know that the word authentic really, um, got a bad rap over the last couple of years, but honestly, I’ve always loved it. I’m never gonna stop using it. It, it still always has meaning to me. And when you look at what it means to be genuine, real, relatable, authentic in your brand and in your marketing, it creates this powerful amount of connection where you then give people the space to be authentic as well.
Bonnie (15:34):
And that requires a certain level of vulnerability. Um, and so it’s not for everyone, and it’s important for you to kind of take this inventory and sort of run through your values and say, Hey, this is how I wanna show up and this is what I’m comfortable sharing. But you don’t have to share everything. You don’t have to share all of your life as it unfolds in real time via, you know, Instagram live or on TikTok. Like you totally can if that’s your thing. But that’s, hmm, that’s not what I’m saying. What I am saying is that because there is this level of, I don’t wanna say saturation, that’s not quite the right word, because there’s this volume of other businesses in the online business space, it’s important that we lean into what makes us unique. Your audience does not wanna see the same copy.
Bonnie (16:26):
They don’t wanna see the same cutesie Instagram bio. They don’t wanna see the same things over and over and over again. They want to see something that looks and feels and sounds like you. It’s that genuine quality that people want more of. So this is a time to kind of ditch that cookie cutter copy for intentional honest words that actually look and feel and sound like the incredible human that you are behind this brand that you’ve built, right? Um, it’s not about, you know, oversharing, like I was saying. I don’t want you to feel like a vulnerability hangover every single time you, like, get off a sales call or you like hop off a zoom conversation with someone. No, I just want you to be able to invite your clients into a little glimpse of what you value and, and the person that you are, um, those unique aspects of who you are as the face of your business that you feel comfortable sharing can be a great opportunity to, um, start to be more visible in your business.
Bonnie (17:28):
And you never know by stepping into that vulnerability and sharing more of who you are, you don’t know what you’re gonna open up for someone else. You don’t know what possibility you’re gonna unlock for them simply by watching you model what it means to show up and run a business from a value-based space and be seen for who you are. And that’s beautiful. That’s, that’s really powerful stuff. Um, so in this season, we’re not hyper focusing on fitting into these like really stiff corporate like professional kind of molds of who we think business owners should be, unless that really fits for you. And that’s exactly, that feels genuine for you. Instead, we’re also on the flip side, we’re not all gonna be, you know, like coffee drinking, um, you know, like, gosh, I, there’s so many different directions I could go with that, but you know, we’re not gonna have the same like three hobbies as everyone else did in I’d say circa 2016 on the internet.
Bonnie (18:31):
We are going to own the things that make us different. We’re going to lean into them, we’re gonna stop hiding and we’re going to, um, be seen. And you never know what kind of connection is gonna come from being seen in those ways. I mean, even like, just over the years when I, even, this is not even like vulnerable stuff. This is honestly kind of like dumb, like this is me talking about my dogs on social media or even on the podcast, but like, you would not believe how, um, especially on social media, when I share kind of the reality of what it’s like living with two, um, two massive golden achievers that are the size of, you know, small middle schoolers. It is hilarious to see all of the connection that I get from fellow dog owners or, um, people who maybe grew up with goldens as kids or people who maybe are wanting to adopt a golden in the future.
Bonnie (19:30):
And it’s so fun to kind of have these conversations and connect over something aside from business, right? Um, thinking about other things that are such easy, simple connection points. When I started gardening, when I started creating just the, this little, you know, like very imperfect, uh, garden on my back patio, sharing about that process, the wins, the failures, the constant battle to keep the squirrels away from my strawberries in the spring, like that opened up so much that, um, I could share with people and, um, the, the a nu the number of people that will come out of the woodwork to be like, Ooh, I feel ya, the squirrels. It’s constantly a battle and you can commiserate with each other and talk about that. It’s connection that is paving. It’s the way for us to potentially get to know each other more, potentially work together in some way, potentially become industry friends.
Bonnie (20:26):
You know, the possibilities are endless. And like I said, you don’t have to share all the aspects of your life. You only get to choose what feels fun and what feels on brand for you to talk about. But, um, now more than ever, I think that when you look at the kind of brands that you choose to connect with and the kinds of brands that you feel a kind of connection to or maybe a sense of loyalty to, you probably know them on a slightly more personal level than just who they are and what they do on like a very vague company level. And so, thinking about the way that you like to engage with your favorite brands, maybe are there some things that you could try about the way that you’re showing up in your business, right? It’s something worth exploring. Friend, I hope that today’s episode has given you some good food for thought.
Bonnie (21:20):
It’s kind of sharing some, um, ideas of maybe some actions that you wanna take or some steps that you wanna explore in the coming season. With that being said, I’m excited to hear how you’re taking action. So if today’s episode resonated or if you have some follow up questions or you wanna say, Hey, I’m so excited about, you know, something that you shared and I’m absolutely gonna be implementing that, I would love to hear from you. So you can always find me on Instagram at Bonnie Joy Marie. Um, but I am incredibly grateful that you tuned into today’s episode If it resonated. If you have an industry friend who could use this kind of advice, be sure to send it their way too. And until next time, I’ll be cheering you on from Waco.
Bonnie (22:05):
Thank you so much for joining me today, friend. Before you go, I would be so grateful to receive your feedback on the brand strategy podcast. If you enjoyed this episode or the podcast in general has helped you grow your brand, I’d really appreciate it if you left us a review in iTunes. Your positive reviews enable the brand strategy podcast to continue to grow and reach like-minded creatives just like you. Thank you for all your support and encouragement as together we pursue building brands with purpose and intention. Until next time, I’m cheering you on from Waco.
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