23 – Laura Beauparlant – How To Get Your Brand To Connect With Your Clients From The Heart
“I don’t sell logos, I sell confidence and clarity.”
Today we have our first branding expert on the show, Laura Beauparlant. She’s going to teach us how to attract the right clients and have your brand represent you so powerfully, you could cry. (Not entirely joking! She had a client cry when saw her logo at first sight). In my opinion, Laura is a perfect blend of practical, logical left brain and heart intuitive, emotional right brain. She’s also got a new book, Brand Chemistry, where she uncovers the magic formula for creating the right brand!
Since I never took branding too seriously, Laura is going on a mission to change my mind by the end of this conversation.
“We’re too close to our business to look at the brand from an objective perspective.”
If we feel overwhelmed with our business in the moment, she can help find clarity and confidence around who we are, who we serve and connect with clients on the heart to heart level. And that really makes a big difference for a client and us as the servant leader. Which makes a huge difference for both of us! She likes to get to know her clients better and as a result, they get to know themselves.
“Trying to be everything to everybody makes people overwhelm their audience. And if you are not clear, then your audience won’t be clear either.” You have to be yourself, no matter where you’re posting. People want to see the person behind the business, nobody wants to work with a business they can’t connect with.
How much branding do we need, and for what stage of our business? Laura explains that everybody needs a foundation. Because it is essential to have a picture of what it is that you are building – what pieces you need and how to put it all together. It should feel quite natural to represent your brand. “Every interaction that people have with you reflects your brand. It’s a feeling that draws people to hire you.” It’s how we make our clients feel that makes us successful.
But you can have the best idea in the world and if you don’t communicate it, you’ll never get it off the ground. You need to find that way and embrace what makes you different. “There’s a lot of fear around being authentic and standing out. Have a distinct voice and do not plan for everybody.” And that’s okay. Because it will allow the right people to show up for you. And it will bring you joy. “People are craving relationships and human interactions. So the more human you can make your brand, the better.” That is the path Laura leads her clients to the final answer.
And I hope to be mine as well, as I’m definitely going to take time to reflect on my brand with her. So Laura, mission accomplished!
Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts here.
Resources:
• Lab Creative https://www.labcreative.ca
• Branding guide https://www.labcreative.ca/guide/ – the big picture of all the elements needed for your brand
• Brand Chemistry, a book by Laura Beauparlant
• Lab Creative Inc – her handle on most channels other as well
Highlights:
• “I’ve had clients who cried when they have seen their logo.”
• “You don’t want to connect with your clients brain to brain, you want to connect heart to heart.”
• “We’re all too close to our own businesses to be objective.”
• “I’ve actually talked people out of hiring us.”
• “Your brand tells people your value and we put such a huge amount of time and effort and energy into developing the color palette and fonts and styling to really fit the personality of the brand.”
• “I don’t sell logos, I sell confidence and clarity.”