Stop worrying about your brand colors
Are brand colors as important as you think they are?
That’s a loaded question, eh?
So, yes, to clarify, brand colors are important. Our brains are wired to interpret colors in certain ways. This goes back to caveman days and using color in nature as a means of survival. Our perception of color is also highly influenced by cultural references.
There’s actually a whole practice called color psychology. It’s a fascinating topic, and you can read more about it here.
So with that out of the way, I’ll also say there’s a pretty good chance you’re wasting too much time worrying about your brand colors at this stage in your business.
If you’re in the building phase of your business, it’s more important to get on with testing ideas, finding the right product/ market fit, and your niche, before worrying about colors.
That’s why I sell templates and stock photos- so you can stop worrying about the aesthetics and just get on with it already.
My advice: don’t invest in professional design until you have a proven business model & product.
I’ve talked to so many health coaches just starting out who are in an absolute twist over their brand colors and logo; Falsely believing that’s the thing that’s holding them back.
So what IS important?
Well, chances are you're building a personal brand in order to sell your services. And while it's hella helpful to have brand assets (ie colors, etc.) that make you feel confident and excited to show up and share your brilliance, (that’s what the template and stock photo shop are there for, cough cough) it's way more important to paint a picture of WHO your brand is in your future client's mind.
Some examples:
When someone thinks of you/your business, do you suppose they'll think "oh yeah the one that uses green & orange"
OR
The give it to me straight, no-nonsense, truth-teller powered by matcha & mid-afternoon pump-up jams.
Do you suppose they'll think "oh yeah the one that uses sky blue"
OR
The hip yoga mama who fosters adorable pups, & doesn't care if your pose "looks right" as long as it's right for your body.
Do you suppose they'll think "oh yeah the one that uses all earth tones"
OR
The east coast transplant, PNW living, gold hoop wearing, sassy nutritionist with easy vegan cooking hacks.
So instead of switching up your color palette again for the umpteenth time, why not instead try this:
1) Show your face
Listen, I get it. It’s not easy putting yourself out there. But trust me, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
And if you want people to work WITH YOU, you have to SHOW YOU.
And it doesn’t have to be much. The beauty of social media these days is that the trend is shifting more towards “real” content. So don’t fret if you don’t have professional brand photos yet. Yes, it’s great having them for sales pages and marketing assets, but in the meantime, give people a taste of who they’re investing in.
Think of it this way: if you went to a party where you didn’t know too many people, would you walk in with a paper bag over your face? No. You’d put your best smile on. Shake hands. Ask questions. Get to know people. And at the end of the night, probably have made a few new friends and connections.
Paper bag face lady? Well, let’s just say she wasn’t exactly a hit at the party.
2) Express your opinions
This goes hand and hand with the previous point. Your clients have google. They can look up anything they want. BUT they’re still looking for more.
The world doesn’t need you to be the google of health coaches- with the perfect, curated, bland answers to your client's problems.
That’s why your unique opinions and perspective are so valuable.
What are you sharing that makes people sit up and think “I’ve never heard it explained like THAT before.” Or “Wow- that’s a completely different- and refreshing- take on this.”
This is what makes people want to pull up a seat at your table and stick around for hours on end.
3) Shake up the status quo
While you’re expressing all those unique opinions, it’s not a bad idea to shake up the status quo too.
If you’re having trouble thinking about HOW you shake up the status quo in your health & wellness business, start with this question:
What are you AGAINST in your industry or niche? This is especially important if you’re against something that most people just assume is true.
For example: maybe you’re a vegan or plant-based nutritionist who works with elite athletes. Common practice would be to make sure you’re eating a lot of lean protein like chicken or salmon after a workout. But is that true?
Your “against” would be that you can perform at just as high of a level (or beyond) without consuming meat.
4) Write copy in your own voice
This is another way to really connect with your audience. Are you writing like a robot, or are you writing like you would to your bestie?
It doesn’t have to be super casual all the time, but it should lean more towards writing to your bestie more often than not.
One way to do that: literally think about having a convo with your bestie- or a client you have an established relationship with. Write your copy directly TO THEM. Not to the masses.
Another way: Talk it out. Literally.
Pull out your phone and just start talking about the topic you want to write about. You can then transcribe that into posts or copy on your website or in marketing materials. You can even use a service like Rev to transcribe the audio for you.
So just pick out your brand colors and get on with it, K?
And to make that even easier, check out this post with 12 modern brand palettes that you can grab and start using today.
Meet Sarah
Sarah is an award-winning Designer, Creative Director & Brand Strategist for billion-dollar companies turned entrepreneur. She’s passionate about empowering online health coaches and wellness experts with tools that help them build businesses that transform people’s lives.