Have you ever watched the show Curb Appeal on HGTV?

Great Realtors advise their clients to declutter, paint walls, and possibly use a home stager to help sell their homes faster.

Time and money well spent can make the inside look and feel amazing.

However, if the same effort hasn’t been spent on the outside,  the home could be sending all of the wrong messages and causing potential buyers to drive right back and not step one foot inside.

Curb Appeal designers helped homeowners uplevel the outside appeal of their homes to make heads turn, cars stop, and buyers ready to sign on the dotted line.

If you’re attracting the wrong clients or no clients at all, it might be the curb appeal.

Well, not the curb appeal exactly, but you might be sending the wrong visual message with a disconnect with your brand colors, your photography, AND your wardrobe.

For whatever reason, you’re attracting the wrong type of client over and over again.

You have a clear idea in your head of what you do, who you help, and how you help them, but visually it doesn’t align or flow.

You’ve communicated your brand in words. It’s right there on your website. Maybe you’ve even brought in a copy-writer to audit your messaging and make sure you’re on the right track.

But the problem might not be in your words or the service you offer. 

The problem might be that you’re visually communicating the wrong message.

Your photos, videos, wardrobe, and colors are not in alignment with the heart of your business.

Whether you’re working with your clients 1:1, working with them in person or virtually, group coaching, or posting on social media it’s important to visually communicate your brand thoughtfully and intentionally with your clients and brand in mind.

It might take a little bit of work and a lot of strategy, but you’ll soon be attracting the clients you’ve been waiting for all along.

Why your visual representation matters.

Building a consistent brand that stands out online requires a plan.

Think about it. If you’re communicating your brand through the type of pictures you post, the colors you wear, and the way you show up in your videos, you’re going to have a consistent brand and increase your brand awareness much more effectively.

The second your audience sees you (your face), or potentially your brand colors in a live video or a graphic, they’ll stop their scroll and pay attention because of the familiarity.

But be careful about the colors you choose and the images you post; if you aren’t communicating your brand in the right way, you’re definitely communicating another message.

People are drawn to things that are visually pleasing, and they associate certain characteristics with colors, speech, and clothing. This is great news for you if you learn how to leverage it to elevate your brand.

Where to start: Brand words. 

Always start with your few brand words to guide you as you hone in on the emotions you want your brand to elicit for your audience. How do you want your brand to feel and be experienced?

Examples of these words could be classic, timeless, joyful, growth, empowered, feminine, sophisticated.

Your brand words will guide you to communicate the look and feel of your brand visually.

Content strategy should always begin with your ideal clients in mind.

Think about who they are, what type of business they own, or life they live. What are their pain points and what kind of help they are looking to invest in?

4 Ways to Visually Communicate Your Brand

1. Colors

Picking colors is a lot of fun, but don’t let your creativity run away with you. Colors have meaning, so make sure the colors you choose align with your brand words.

*(these color definitions are from a page of Where Women Create Magazine🙂

Red – ambition, determination, assertiveness, confidence, power. Red tells the world you’re courageous, driven and you take action.

Yellow – originality, intellect, happiness, fun  Yellow tells the world you’re wise, confident and optimistic.

Purple – Compassion, wealth, luxury, spirituality. Purple tells the world you’re regal, set apart, and you demand respect.

Blue – trust, perseverance, caring, integrity, responsibility, authority. Blue tells the world you’re idealistic, orderly, and a peacemaker.

Once you choose your colors, there’s no limit to what you can do with them.

You can wear them. Use them in your website design and logo. You can also highlight them in your Pinterest graphics, Instagram highlight story covers, and product packaging.

Some brands are known for their brand color—think Tiffany’s little blue box.

The important thing is not to overthink it.

Do your research; but if you can’t decide, go with a neutral and choose one other color.

Consider working with a graphic designer .

It’s always a good idea to have a second set of eyes when you start to go color-blind in the research process.

2. Photos

The saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” is so true.

Telling your brand story through thoughtful, high-quality, authentic photographs can help you connect with your audience and attract your ideal clients more quickly.

That’s why you should absolutely inject your brand’s story and messaging into your next photo session and hire a brand photographer to capture all the magic.

Brand photos can be an extremely powerful way to elevate and solidify your brand.

The right photos will immediately connect with your ideal client and repel everyone else.

Do you work with high-level executives? Then a high-end, professional photoshoot is in order.

Is your brand polished, sophisticated, and classic? Is it relaxed and chic? Whatever the feel of your brand is, you want photos that represent that so your dream clients are attracted to you.

Take them on a journey. Show them how they’ll feel when they work with you. Use your photos to fully represent your brand message so your ideal clients know you care for them.

Consider how your photos fit into your brand’s big-picture. Just because a picture is flattering or fun, that doesn’t necessarily mean it should be part of your content. Ask yourself whether someone who saw JUST this image would get an accurate idea of the brand you’re creating. If the answer is no, it may be wise to choose a different photo.

Don’t forget about the photos you choose for your website. You want to make sure that your ideal client can see themselves in your photos too.

And then, think about the relationship between your images and your messaging. Make sure they are compatible. Whether you are preparing social media content, updating your website, creating blogs or launching a new course, your brand photos should reflect the precise message you’re trying to communicate.

Ideally, the tone you use in your captions and across your website should work cohesively with your brand photos. Great copy is the icing on the cake for your brand representation.

It’s all about the strategy!

3. Videos

Social media is a fantastic way to connect with your audience on a deeper, more human level—which makes them far more likely to buy from you in the long run. And right now, using video content on social media is the BEST way to nurture your audience.

A few notes for posting videos online…

1. Stay in line with your brand strategy wherever you show up.
2. Make sure you have high-quality videos and reliable internet to remove any distractions from your message.
3. Be on time and try not to cancel when you say you’re going to be there. Being on time goes a long way for proving your trustworthiness.
4. And have fun! If you’re uncomfortable, your audience will be too. But don’t worry. If you keep showing up again and again, it will get easier, and you’ll start to feel more relaxed in front of the camera.

4. Wardrobe

You represent your brand and, yes, your wardrobe matters. Be thoughtful and intentional about how you show up both off and online.

Check out this blog post from my conversation with the Style Sherpa.

Go back to brand words and keep your ideal client in mind.  In my opinion, you should select outfits for both brand photos and your everyday wardrobe that display your brand professionally and casually. Sure, you might be known for wearing JCrew Blazers, but give yourself some space to share a casual, down to earth, relatable side of your brand as well.

Remember to be YOU. Your ideal clients will be drawn to your personality and authenticity.

Whenever I style clients for brand photoshoots, I always say to start in your closet first and choose colors that you love.  If your brand color isn’t the best on you, consider a complementary color. If you need something new, let’s head out to your pillar store(s).  Your pillar store is the one that you can always count on for your perfect fit and style.

What does your visual brand say about your business?

When it comes to standing out, building your brand’s consistency, and increasing your brand’s awareness, the way you visually communicate your brand is essential to attracting your ideal clients.

But we can’t always see the forest for the trees. If you need a fresh, expert perspective to find out what your brand is communicating visually, you can schedule a Brand Audit with me!

A brand audit is a review of your social media platforms, website, visual online presence, messaging and marketing and collateral evaluation—essentially, it’s a complete audit of your brand’s important frameworks.

Click here to schedule your audit today!