A brand identity you are proud of is just like the perfect little black dress (or suit)...it’s always in fashion, looks fabulous on you, and even better, makes you feel like a million bucks (especially when you might need a boost of confidence as a coach).
No matter if you are just starting out or have some experience under your belt, you want to look professional to be taken seriously. But to be taken seriously, your coaching business needs to look like the real-deal (no gmail!). Show your colleagues and clients how serious you are (including your pesky Gremlin) by having a consistent logo & brand identity.
First impressions are everything, especially when you have only about 2.2 seconds to stand out from the crowd and attract your ideal clients. With a cohesive brand, you will also be motivated to show up consistently online — just like your visual identity.
A brand is more than just a logo. Your brand is the first impression you give to potential clients who may be interested in working with you. Your brand is the ultimate expression of your personality, blended with what you do, why and how you do it.
The essence of your coaching business is captured visually in a brand identity, consisting of a logo, colour, fonts, photography, patterns and/or icons. The visual identity will either resonate with your ideal clients or repel those who are not your target audience.
A brand becomes a recognizable brand when it is reinforced consistently over time, over and over again. Your brand identity will be visually reinforced through all levels of communication, so consistency is key. Your identity will be applied to all touch-points, from website to social media.
BRAND IDENTITY
Logo
• Colour
• Black & White
• Format: Horizontal / Vertical
Colour
• Primary
• Secondary
• Tertiary
• Accent
• Neutral
Fonts
• Serif
• San Serif
• Script
Accents
• Pattern
• Texture
• Icon
Photography
• Visual direction established in mood board
DELIVERABLES
• Brand Identity Board (PDF)
• Logos (vector)
• Colour Palette (Hex)
• Fonts (free / purchased)
• Pattern (vector)
• Icons (vector)
PPT PRESENTATION
In addition to the deliverables listed above, you'll also receive a PPT document. All of your answers from your questionnaire and every stage of the brand process is documented here. This PPT becomes a living brand document that evolves with you as your business grows.
BRAND IDENTITY BOARD
Sample
Step one of your brand journey starts with answering questions about yourself and the vision you have for your coaching business. The purpose of the questionnaire is for me to gain insight into your business so that it will inform the visual direction of your brand identity.
This step is about aligning visuals to words. On boards in Pinterest, images of various elements will be pinned to communicate an essence of what you would like your brand identity to look and feel like. These elements are in regard to logo styles, colour palettes, fonts and photography.
The purpose of the mood board is to establish the overall look and feel for the brand. This step curates the visuals into refined mood boards. One mood board will be selected to be used as a guide to inform/inspire the design of the brand identity moving forward.
From the mood board the colour palette has been established, so now its exploring 2 - 3 primary logo options with variations, which may include a submark. Through design exploration of the logo, font choices will emerge, as well as pattern options.
Now the big moment has arrived! Most of the time, there is one clear 'winner' that stands out from the other options. Sometimes though, all options are equally great and a little time to sleep on it is required. This is a BIG step where you will make the final decision.
Upon final approval, all of the deliverables will be packaged up and saved out in their appropriate file formats. Now you'll have all of the elements that make up the visual language for your brand identity. The brand identity board is now a document that you can easily share with other vendors.
I've spent 20+ years working as a graphic designer and never imagined myself doing anything else. But once I experienced the power of coaching, I knew this was my next chapter and have since then become a certified professional coach myself.
I must say I still love designing after all of these years; it truly is in my blood and a big part of who I am. I find it so exciting now to balance both of my worlds together — designing and coaching.
During coach training, a few of my peers expressed the need for logo design and a brand identity for their new coaching businesses. Right out of the gate they wanted to present a professional image to their targeted niche.
If you're a coach starting out, I would be thrilled for the opportunity to design your logo and brand identity, one of the first steps in building your coaching business.
Or, if you're ready to refresh or 'level up' your current branding another notch (from DIY'ing it yourself), I can help with that too.
I wasn’t sure how to convey the vision I had for my business into my brand before working with Paige. She has a simple yet thoughtful and insightful process that helped me dig a little deeper to clarify my vision. Thanks to Paige, I feel confident and proud that my brand truly represents not only my business, but also the clientele I work with.
Erin Harris, Business & Leadership Coach
erinharriscoaching.com
Branding your business is an investment in yourself and the future of your coaching business.
A strong brand grows your brand equity with your target audience and solidifies your authority in your niche market.
You will use your new logo and brand identity on all of your communications — from your website to growing a presence on social media.
The brand identity board will be also be a valuable tool in providing art direction for when you hire a photographer for head and lifestyle shots.
INVESTMENT
paige@paigesmith.ca
I designed this website in LeadPages
© 2023 Paige Smith Designs
