Tabitha Emma

Get your free invite here- https://www.branddesignschool.com/easy

The 4 Secrets to Making Design Feel Easy

SO YOU CAN SPEND MORE TIME ON
THE THINGS YOU ARE BEST AT

PREMIERS 12TH MARCH

IN THIS FREE WORKSHOP YOU WILL LEARN:
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The 4 steps to elevate your brand from a disorderly DIY design to a visually stunning with professionally crafted identity and graphics.
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What you really need to learn if you want to be your own designer (and what you don’t need to worry about)
The top 3 mistakes business owners make when trying to design for themselves.
Time saving hacks to design faster and get back the things you are best at.

The Cozy Creative Catalogue is here! Full of brand new offers, holiday discounts and cozy fun.

Online Flipbook Created with the Heyzine flipbook maker

You may think the best way to create a brand people love and looks gorgeous is to be on trend, look amazing, stay fresh and appealing.

It's easy to get caught up in the trendy 'what's hot right now' to try and appeal to as many people as possible. But this actually weakens your brand rather than strengthens it.

A strong brand has strategy and strong communication behind it.
It is about communicating a clear consistent message to one particular audience.

It stays true to its identity and isn't chasing the latest things all the time.

This doesn't mean you can't add a little touch of trends or make small pivots or changes to keep up with change.

It just means you need solid foundations to build from that stay strong and consistent.

A strong brand knows who it is.

Do you think you have a strong powerful brand, or do you tend to swept up by shiny things?

🥳I have opened the doors to Define Your Brand's Style for the final time. 🍾

The door are only open for a limited time, so if this is something you need for your brand, now is the time. In fact, this is the last time this course will be open, so don't put it off if it's right for you.

This course is designed to help you gain clarity to create a compelling, unforgettable, stand out brand that attracts, even if you struggle to design for yourself or have no design skills.

It's about creating a brand with meaning and having a deeper connection with your customers.

Learn more at- > https://www.defineyourbrandsstyle.com/dybs-march22

WONDER WHY YOU ARE NEVER HAPPY WITH YOUR BRANDING?

It's often because you based your brand style on the wrong things. Like trends, tastes, and other peoples styles.

When you get clarity around your brand foundations and what you want to communicate you begin to head in a direction of a long lasting unique brand identity that you will love.

Ready to learn more about how to create a compelling long lasting brand? Register now for tomorrows workshop!

https://www.defineyourbrandsstyle.com/join

Does your brand just consider your personal tastes?

Or does it consider some of these things?

There are three key areas a brand should consider:

✅Your identity

✅The business/brand identity

✅Your audiences identity.

To get you thinking, I have broken down things that you should be considering that fall under each of these.

So if you are unclear on any of these, this is an area you might want to do some soul searching and researching on for more brand clarity.

Do you feel like you are trying to put too many things into one brand?

You like a lot of styles, you have a lot of different skills, your an interesting and complex person with a lot of creativity and passion, but it feels impossible to say it all with just one cohesive identity.

It can feel like pulling too many oddly shaped blocks on top of each other, and they are wobbly and don’t fit together.

The key is not to try and say it all, but to focus on the things that matter most and run through everything you do. Such as your values, your story or your audience.

I dove into this more in my latest video, so head to the video tab to learn more if this is something you struggle with.

When you hear people talk about brand positioning, do you just think about where your brand sits in terms of affordable➡️luxury?

In reality positioning can have a number of variables and it all depends on your industry and how you are looking to differentiate your business.

If you sell organic food, you may want to compare taste and cost.

If you sell baby clothes you may want to compare trendiness and fabric quality.

If you offer coaching you may want to compare level of intimacy and amount of time spent with a client.

If you are a photographer it could be style of work (dark moody to light bright) and affordability.

So think about what you offer and what differentiates your brand and then look at how you sit compared to others.

Did this help getting you thinking about your brand positioning?

You may have heard your logo is not your brand. But it's still a notable, often highly memorable part of a brand, particularly big brands.

However while it may be the visible noticeable thing, here are some less obvious but more impactful parts of your brand:

☞ HOW YOU MAKE PEOPLE FEEL- How you make someone feel lasts. People will forget some aspects of your brand with all the other brands they interact with every day, but one thing that will stick with someone is how you made them feel.

☞ YOUR MISSION AND PURPOSE- Know what you are trying to create and the impact you want to make in the world. This clarity will give your brand more drive and energy, that people will feel, than a nice logo.

☞ YOUR VIBE AND PERSONALITY- This is how people connect with you, how you bring your brand to life and allow people to connect with it.

☞ WHAT OTHERS THINK OF YOUR BRAND- You can have the most awesome logo, but if people have had bad experiences or don't trust your brand, no logo can save that reputation.

☞ YOUR VALUES- What you value impacts how you operate and all decisions and behaviours, which will make more impact and be noticed far more then a logo.

Which one do you think is most important?

Going round and around in circles?

Updating, changing, tweaking, adding, looking at everyone else’s branding in envy.

But it never feel quite right. At least not for more then a few months at most.

The clear path to finally nailing your branding requires a detour into diving deep into your brand foundations and getting clear on what your brand is all about, what message it wants to communicate and who it is for.

Ready to learn more? Over the next 2 weeks I will be sharing lots of content on this topic so hit the bell on my profile if you want to be notified as I share more.

Have you used colour and shape in your brand because of what it can say about your brand? Or just because you liked them?

🎨Colour can evoke emotions, create feelings, bring up memories and associations, form impressions, and inspire actions. And often in subtle subconscious ways.

Shapes can communicate energy, direction, personality, feelings, mood and subtlety communicate stories.

Visual communication is very powerful because it can say the things words can’t. It can work in subtle subconscious ways. And it can leave lasting impressions and recognition.

So if you are selecting these elements for your brand based on aesthetic taste rather then communication, you could be sending the wrong messages or failing to get seen the way you want to be.

Did you know this about colour and shape?

Does look a little familiar?

If you keep getting caught in the cycle of re-branding.

It probably goes like this…
- You found a style you love, it seems perfect and your create a brand identity around it.
- The excitement fades, you see other things that inspire you more, it’s starts to just feel ‘ok’
- Finally you get sick of it, it’s not right and you want to change it all over again.

Branding that lasts and is effective for your business (not just temporary aesthetics),helps your business grow and flourish begins with solid foundations.

This is where brand strategy comes into play. Getting clear on your brands message, story, values, audience, focus and more so you can build with intention and make something that lasts.

Are you tired of the endless cycle?

You have probably heard designers say “your logo isn’t your brand”

Your brand is actually what other people say and feel it is. Which can make it feel partly out of your control.

To one person person McDonalds is a cheap gross dirty take away they’d never set foot in, to another it’s a nostalgic place full of family memories and comfort food.

People tie emotions and feeling towards brands, and while you can’t control that, you can get clear on who you want to attract, get to know them deeply and create something that speaks to them and sparks the right emotions in them to build a brand that evokes the emotions you want it to.

The better you get to know your audience the better you can create a memorable brand.

Have you ever considered your brand in this way?

Get your brand in front of more people and share your expertise with strategically designed templates to encourage engagement. 200 Canva templates for Instagram.

Instagram Shareable Canva Templates 200 Feed and Stories | Etsy Australia SHARABLE, VIVAL, ENGAGING STRATEGICALLY DESIGNED INSTAGRAM TEMPLATES FOR CREATIVES, COACHES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS. Get your brand in front of more people and share your expertise. Strategically designed templates that allow you to share what you know, encourage your audience and create connection

Sometimes it catches me by surprise when someone tells me how I inspired them or motivated them or made a difference for them. 🤩

It’s easy to just put things out there and feel like it’s not really making much of an impact because you don’t have a huge following and the DMs aren’t blowing up daily. 💣

Don’t underestimate the impact you can have on others. And how you are quietly making a difference.

Your creativity is a gift. Your work matters and I want you to have a brand and graphics that allow what you do to shine.

There is a lot of sameness out there, and it’s easy to blend in and go unnoticed even if your work is good and your branding beautiful.

You need to find a way to differentiate your brand. It doesn’t have to be highly innovative and out there, it’s just about about finding your own uniqueness, your own little twist on things, and not being afraid to be yourself.
Sometimes we try to fit in and do what others are doing to feel accepted, and while the at can serve us well as people out in real world, it won’t do a lot for you brand.

So don’t be afraid to do things differently and embrace the things that make you different. It’s what will make you stand out.

YOU SCROLL ON PAST “THAT LOOKS TOO BRAND NERDY, HOW CAN THAT EVEN HELP ME?”🙄

While it’s tempting to keep branding simple, just make a pretty logo, pick out some nice fonts and colours are your good to go, it’s like slapping a fresh coat of paint and some pretty furniture in an old run down falling apart house.🏚
It will look nice for a bit, but it won’t last.

There is so much noise and clutter out there, so many brands trying to grab attention. But what can help you cut through and speak to the right people and allow them to find you and feel and attachment to your brand is by including these elements in the essence of your brand.

✨THE VISION- Having a purpose and mission. Knowing the impact you want to make and what you will create to do that. It’s about seeing a future for the brand, and a journey you want to take your people on with you.

❤️Heart- More then ever a brand needs heart. People want to feel connection and meaning. Know your audience, connect with them, use story and have strong values that your audience will align with.

👑Distinguishment- You need to stand out, find your focus and niche, position your brand and find a way to do things a little differently.

With these you will have a strong brand essence that can be translated into all facets of your business including the brand identity.

Start using Pinterest Idea Pins and get more eyes on your business. I did all the experimenting to show you how it works and what you can do with them.

Create Effective Pinterest Idea Pins for Business The ultimate guide to creating idea pins on Pinterest for business owners. Go beyond the DIY and share your knowledge, expertise and your work and products u...

Create Beautiful Pins for Pinterest with these Canva Templates- 40 Designs so you can create plenty of fresh pins and get your content seen.

Pinterest Pin Templates for Canva Pinterest Pin Template | Etsy PINTEREST TEMPLATES OPTIMISED FOR TRAFFIC & GETTING YOUR CONTENT SEEN This Pinterest Template Pack is designed for Creators, Online Businesses and Coaches who want to share their content and increase their traffic. 40 beautiful and strategic Pin Graphic Templates to boost your traffic and

The end of the year is a great time to review your business and reflect and what has been working and what needs working on.

So today I have a prompt for you.. Has your branding been reflecting your brand positioning, or is it sending the wrong message?

Some way you can tell it’s working-
- You are attracting the type of customers and clients you aim for
- People accept your prices and aren’t always trying to get it cheaper
- People talk about your brand the way you hoped.
- When you ask someone there first impression of your brand, the response matches your intentions.

So how’s your branding measure up?

How do you like to tie up your year?

Now that school has finished up for the year I am heading into wind down mode.
This time of year I love to slow down, take time to reflect, celebrate, plan and dream. It feels like a pocket of time where there is less pressure to be doing and more time for rest and reflection.
This can be get for creativity as your mind is more free to dream up ideas, making it a perfect time to ponder the year to come and reflect on what went well and what you learned from the year that’s been.

I am working on a social media template that will help you reflect and share your year, because I think it’s a special way to share your journey with your audience.

I’m just working on the finishing touches, so I will share more soon.

IT'S HERE 🥳✨

The Black friday bundle is now live!

Start feeling Confident about your Brand and Graphics.

Get a Designer's eyes on your Brand and become your own Brand Designer with graphics that attract, connect and convert.

What you will get:
✨ Design Better Graphics- A short course that teaches you the fundamentals of graphic design and creating effective brand graphics, so you can boost your confidence in designing for your brand. (normally $37)

✨ Growth Graphics- A short course plus over 250 Canva Templates. Take your graphics to the next level and create graphics that can help you go viral, sell your offers, connect with your audience and get your content seen, so you can grow with graphics. (normally $47)

✨ Brand Gram E-book (70+ pages)- With the 'Brand Gram' e-book you can create an account that reflects your brand message and style and creates a deeper connection with your audience with ease. A practical guide to tell the story of your brand on Instagram from an empathic branding approach. (normally $21)

✨ A personalised Brand Audit- Want me to take a look at your brand? Get a comprehensive review of your brand with tailored suggestions to improve your brand and know what areas need improvement. (normally $250)

All this would normally cost you $355, if you bought it from my website. But for the black Friday weekend only you can get all this for just $99.
That way you can go into 2022 with brand confidence and a new skill that will transform your brand.

If your ready to dive in, head to https://www.tabithaemma.com/blackfriday2021

The black Friday bundle is now live!

Does Adobe software overwhelm you and leave you thinking that designing your own graphics would be too techy and complex?

It doesn't have to be that complex.

If you are designing for your brand and only your brand, you can keep things simple.
Use user friendly software like Canva, have brand assets ready to use, create on brand templates to speed up your process.

The tech shouldn't be the thing that holds you back. The key is understanding how to design, not how to use complicated software. And that's why I focus on giving you the skills and direction for how to design.

How do you feel about design software?

Which process looks more like the one you followed when working on your current brand identity?

When you base your brand on pretty things you like, you end up trying to pack in everything you like (which is likely too many things) and it ends up either feeling like a jumble sale of alll different style or you want to chop and change the look constantly.

For a long lasting impactful look, you need to base your branding on what your brand should be communicating not just what you think is pretty.

WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DESIGN YOUR OWN BRAND GRAPHICS?

🙅‍♀️Not months or years of design training
🙅‍♀️Not being considered 'artistically creative'
🙅‍♀️ Not advanced Adobe skills

What you actually need is...

💁‍♀️ Your problem-solving thinking cap on- Design is just problem-solving. We need to think of a way to communicate a certain message, and we solve that with design. When you see design as a problem-solving process rather than art, it becomes approachable. Remember also that there isn't one answer, there are many ways we can solve the problem and that's where you can be creative, by choosing the path you want to take.

💁‍♀️Curiosity- Notice what your audience is attracted to and engage the most with, notice what is trending, be curious about design and always interested to learn more and experiement.

💁‍♀️A clear brand identity- Your brand identity will be the starting point to every design you create, so getting clear on that first will make designing for yourself easier

💁‍♀️ Your problem-solving thinking cap on- Design is just problem-solving. We need to think of a way to communicate a certain message, and we solve that with design. When you see design as a problem-solving process rather than art, it becomes approachable. Remember also that there isn't one answer, there are many ways we can solve the problem and thats where you can be creative, by choosing the path you want to take.

💁‍♀️ Basic software skills- You can create your own brand graphics with simple software like Canva. Did you know you can even use keynote/powerpoint to create graphics?

💁‍♀️ An understanding of design principles- Design isn't art, there are rules that make design work, flow and look good. Yes, there are times we can break the rules, but first, you need to understand them. Knowledge of the basic rules of design will instantly put your skills a step ahead.

Having the skill of design makes you nimble.

You can quickly adapt, test, create and react.

Have you seen when something happens in the news, or when there is an industry-related announcement, people are getting graphic content out on the topic THAT DAY.

If you want to be able to respond fast and be on the pulse and the go-to source for your followers, you need to be able to confidently and quickly be able to design.

Is this a skill you want to improve in?

Aesthetics and Graphics DO STILL MATTER.

You'll hear a lot of people say these things don't matter anymore, that you just need to put out content, forget the pretty visuals and aesthetic curation.

I get where they are coming from. Valuable content should matter more then fussing about making things look pretty. BUT it forgets that some industries are aesthetic driven and the audience of those markets are looking for aesthetic appeal.

When you go to buy yourself a nice dress, you don't go for the brand that looked a mess but was selling a super functional practical dress, with pockets and all. You search and search for that 'look' you want, something that draws you in and feels like you, that makes you feel special or expresses part of your identity.

So if you customer's desire and needs focus around something aesthetic and selling a look, a feeling, an identity or a style, then you probably want to focus on aesthetics and treat your social media like a magaizine, selling them their dream.

Aesthetics are emotionally powerful and play into our feelings, identity and aspirations.

It also gives people a first impression, set the tone and establishes trust.

So don't go tossing aesthetics out the window too quickly.

WONDER WHY YOU ARE NEVER HAPPY WITH YOUR BRANDING?

It's often becuase you based your brand style on the wrong things. Like trends, tastes, and other peoples styles.

When you get clear on your brand foundations and what you want to communicate you begin to head in a direction of a long lasting unique brand identity that you will love.