A Brand Is Not A Logo
  • HOME
  • WORK WITH ME
  • RESOURCES
    • 90 DAY BRAND PLAN
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
    • FEATURED IN
    • IMPACT
  • CONNECT
Select Page
Make Your Designer Love You By Including These Important Elements In Your Design Brief

Make Your Designer Love You By Including These Important Elements In Your Design Brief

by Melissa | Feb 28, 2018 | Design, Websites

Designers are amazing, clever, creative people, but one thing they’re not are mind readers. One thing I’m unapologetically passionate about is that all brand owners really need to KNOW and OWN their own $h!t. That means, you have got to understand the...
5 Reasons You Need A Website For Your Business, Like, NOW

5 Reasons You Need A Website For Your Business, Like, NOW

by Melissa | Jun 29, 2017 | Websites

Are you a small business? Do you have a website of your very own? If you’re running through the list of excuses like “I don’t have time”, “I don’t know where to start” or “It will cost too much money to get a...

Recent Posts

  • Business For Good Brand Strategy Case Study: Lush
  • Social enterprise isn’t niche – it’s the new norm
  • Women Pivoting: Sienna from Sienna J Brown
  • Women Pivoting: Louise from Attune Wellbeing

Chat With Melissa

THE Gram is my Jam

WTF HAPPENED TO THE LAST FEW MONTHS??? ‍ Yeah, I WTF HAPPENED TO THE LAST FEW MONTHS???
‍
Yeah, I dropped off the face of the social media planet (again. It happens sometimes and I just accept and roll with it now - ebbs and flows). There also didn’t seem to be anything left unsaid as we transitioned into a new year and frankly, I needed to take a step back for my mental health, even if that meant defying the rules about “consistently showing up” 😒
A wonderful way to avoid doom scrolling and despairing the state of the world is to get caught up in a whole bunch of AWESOMESAUCE client work! The mad dash to the “finish line” brought a lot of excited and motivated folks my way, wanting to hit the ground running and make this a year of conscious, strategy-led marketing activity. And I am here for it.
‍
Not to mention being caught up in the INCREDIBLE JOY that is parenting a two year old with sudden onset "terrible twos". I'm not at all surprised she's keen on flipping the rule book and being all sassy and stubborn #genetic but it *did* take us a teeeeensy bit by surprise.
‍
Over the festive “break” I took comfort by reflecting on exactly how much I managed to accomplish in my part time hours from my home office during the year that shall not be named.
‍
And made some BIG decisions about what's to come in the year ahead (the investment in my business and my continued development - and resultant changes and IMPACT - are gonna be EPIC).
‍
Meantime, I’m fortunate to be booked until March for full strategy projects, but do still have limited space available (legit cos I’m a #onewomanshow) for my BRAND DECODER 90min consult and BRAND KICKSTARTER brand foundations 1:1 workshop. Check the link in my bio or DM me for more info if that's something you might be interested in.
‍
Let’s DO this 🙌
‍
[Image Description: A black and white photo of Melissa with raised eyebrows and her mouth to the side in an expression that says "well, what are you gonna do?". She's wearing glasses, a stripy t-shirt under a black blazer and a wooden, handmade brooch of a cassette tape]
‍
‍
#evolve
#brandevolution
#bigthingstocome
#brandswithimpact
#businessasafoeceforgood
#helloimback
▪️ IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER THIS HOLIDAY S ▪️ IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER THIS HOLIDAY SALES SEASON ▪️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
▪️Never Forget Context: 
All those issues that made 2020 a shocking year? Yep. They're still raging on. For some, these issues are amplified. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Context is everything. There is no excuse for brands to have their head in the sand. Think about how your brand fits into the broader scheme of things right now & don't overstep or overstate that role.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
▪️Remember Your Values:
Before getting caught up in the frenzy of discounting and offers & trying to get cut-through messaging & advertising: remember your brand values. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Use them to guide your decision making for every step of the customer journey.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
▪️Create human-first marketing: 
Just hold your horses before you plug and play those same-old, sale time messages & formats. Those same tactics may not be as effective to an audience who are living through what they have/are right now. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Instead, use empathy to create a human-first experience for your audience. Consider how you can leave them with a positive feeling from each touch point. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
▪️ Navigate Sales Season With Care: 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⚡️ How can your product or service really help people right now?
⚡️ How can your marketing be more mindful?
⚡️ How can your message show real empathy?
⚡️ Is your customer service process up to scratch for handling queries & complaints in an empathetic & on-brand way?
⚡️ Are Buy Now-Pay Later options *really* the best thing for your customers right now? Or is that only best for YOU?
⚡️ What’s up?
⚡️ How soon is now? 
⚡️ Are you gonna be my girl?
All the questions. The answers might lead you to 'all signs point to doing a big-arse, loud campaign' - and that's fine. The point is it's helpful to *stop and think* about this stuff as a conscious brand owner.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Tell me - was this helpful to  you?
📖 STORY TIME 📖 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In corporate land, I was a bit of a wallflower. Being introverted didn't really fly in marketing departments and misunderstanding my own introversion - and being misunderstood - likely cost me a few more great opportunities.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Since I starting my own business, being introverted has taken on a new meaning. The dynamics are completely different, because the stakes are different. In some cases, I think I thrive where I wouldn't have, had I stayed in corporate land #corporateescapeesince2016⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'm learning to embrace my introversion for the superpowers it brings me and how it makes me better at what I do.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“That's nice, Melissa. Where is this going exactly?”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🤨⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Well, did you know that it's Global Entrepreneurship Week in November? This year's dates are 16 to 22 November and I'm joining in as a speaker at the Introvert Entrepreneurship Lab.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
WHUUUTTT!? 😯 🤗 🤩⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Featuring a week filled with free virtual workshops, interviews and co-working to help you create and grow your business as an introvert, I am BLOODY DELIGHTED to be appearing alongside some incredible folks, including the most awesomest host and organiser Janice Chaka @thebusinessintrovert ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
and (drum roll)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@susannareay ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@tracy.sherriff⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@TheSolopreneurSurvivalGuide ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@pherneducationstudios ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@greaveswrites ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@matthewpollardspeaker ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@quiet_and_strong ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@strategywithmonisha⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What a great way to focus inward as we do so well, and shut out some of the noise of the world for a bit. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
DM me the word "INTROVERT" and I'll send you the link to check out the website.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
[Image description: Melissa stands against a bright pink wall under a bridge with a neon sign that says "Wallflower" in cursive script above her head]
🎙 ON THE AIR 🚨 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ W 🎙 ON THE AIR 🚨
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What an absolute pleasure to be invited to chat to Steph Trinder on @thedigitalapprenticeship Podcast!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We talked about:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🛠  the 3 key elements to any good strategy
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🛠  the importance of creating a human connection
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🛠  focussing on the *real* benefit your clients/customers are looking for
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🛠 the one thing I would teach tradies* about marketing
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
*or really, any non-marketing person
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And SO MUCH MORE! I could've talked allll day with the very clever Steph. Thankfully I didn't or I would have made up even more odd metaphors than what I did 🤪 #goldensilverbullet (what the actual??)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
👍 DM me and I'll send you the link to listen - or jump into my bio to find it there.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🙌 Thank you so much for having me, Steph! 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you know a tradie who DOESN'T yet know about @thedigitalapprenticeship, go ahead and share it with them. They'll thank you later 🌟
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🔍 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
[Image description (1) A visual of a smartphone against a pink background with the iTunes cover image for the podcast on the screen. Two glittery pens are scattered nearby.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(2) Melissa's headshot (she's wearing a navy blazer and a wooden brooch featuring a bunny in profile (it's one of her handmade favourites) set against the podcast title "The Ultimate Brand Formula With A Brand Is Not A Logo"]

 

  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

I acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the Yuggera people who are the Traditional Custodians of the lands where I live, learn and work.

I choose to donate monthly to Deadly Connections, an Aboriginal-led NFP which seeks to address the disproportionate representation of Indigenous people in the child protection and justice systems.

 

PROUDLY PLEDGING TO

This badge represents my pledge to the ethical move in service of a new marketing standard based on transparency, trust, and honesty. Please connect with me if you see me not honouring my pledge. I'm committed to unlearning and becoming a better marketer / human.

 

  • HOME
  • RESOURCES
  • WORK WITH ME
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
  • CONNECT
  • Website Terms of Use
  • Privacy
This site uses cookies: Find out more.