Branding is more than a logo—it's a feeling, an experience, and the lasting impression you leave every time someone interacts with your business. This week we're discussing all the little elements that go into building a strong brand.
Below are some branding blogs you may find helpful + don't forget to pick up the Thank You Economy.
A Brand Without an Identity is a Brand Forgotten
4 Ways to Set Yourself Apart as a Solo Esthetician
Building Your Brand Identity: Tips for Creating a Memorable Brand for Estheticians
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My favorite marketing guru is Gary Vaynerchuk, and he once said that companies that know how to brand don't have to sell, and those that have to sell don't know how to brand. And he is so right on that he hit the nail on the head. People buy feelings, they don't buy things. So today we're going to discuss why branding is so important, it's not just about colors and logos, it's about the full experience that you create for your clients. We've all heard the saying that first impressions matter, and that is true in business as well. Clients often decide within seconds whether your brand resonates with them or not. That is why it's so important to create a cohesive brand across all platforms, because you never really know how your potential client is going to first hear about you. I think a lot of estheticians really get hung up on logos and not knowing what to do about a logo, and not to go back to Gary Vaynerchuk, but he once said that companies romanticize their logo and their brand name way too much, because if you think about Nike, like, what is actually Nike, or in his example, like, what is McDonald's, it sounds like a Scottish or English pub. And look at these brands. They're huge, and so don't let coming up with a brand name or a logo stop you from moving forward. But also remember that when coming up with a logo and a name that you want something that is very timeless. I see a lot of estheticians who will kind of pigeon hole themselves into a service. So for example, it might say kinesthetics, brows and lashes. And if you ever wanted to incorporate tanning or facials or any other sort of service, you'd have to change the name of your company. Also think about what type of clientele you want to attract? There is a salon in my city, suds and mop or something. It's a salon of some sort. I would bet money that their clientele are probably those who are expecting to pay $20 for a haircut. So you want to think about what the name evokes, something easy, something memorable. I also don't really recommend creating your own logo, or going on Canva and creating a logo. I am a huge advocate of finding a creative agency that can create all these branding elements for you. So your logo, your color palette, the fonts that are used throughout all of your marketing, these things all matter. And when you work with a branding professional, they know how all of these elements work together, and it really does make the biggest difference. I recommend going on Pinterest, looking up branding, looking to see what other companies have done, who they've used, and go from there. I also think that having professional photos done should be top priority. I hate going on websites and seeing generic photos that I've seen on Canva. I realize that photo shoots cost money, but there's ways to do trades or to save it really does make such a difference, and you're going to use these photos to show your treatments, your products, your space with the best lighting. And it never hurts to have a really great headshot in line with visual branding also is your space, and your space does reflect your brand, so make sure that your treatment room matches your visual identity, and not just your treatment room, but the area before They enter your treatment room, whether that's a lobby or even, you know, my first studio was a storefront, but I made sure every day that I swept out front, I decorated, I made it cute. You really want to make sure that you are creating a space that embodies who you are. Other just visual elements are your client consultation forms, your business cards, product bags, if you know me, you know I love an unboxing experience, like custom tissue paper, stickers, thank you, cards, all of these things will elevate your product packaging, but also. Know your brand. I love Branding. Branding is emotional. People connect with stories, not services, and so let's build out that emotional connection. So many estheticians look at what other estheticians are doing around them. They're so concerned with competition, but if you think about our business like at the core, yes, we sell beauty and skincare services, but we also sell ourselves. Our industry is really unique, and it is built on relationships. So whether you are just starting out or you're thinking of a rebrand, and when do you think about your origin story? Like, how did you start? What inspired you, why it matters to you, because your clients want to feel like they know you. There are a lot of ways to build that client relationship which also strengthens your brand. It can be from highlighting transformation stories, showing before and afters obviously sharing your why, showing behind the scenes. As long as it's professional, you can share videos of preparing for treatments or talking about your favorite products. When you have customers or clients that are invested in you, they want to see this type of content. If there's anything that you truly value, like sustainability or inclusivity, make sure you really touch on that and also share what values drive your business. So in essence, what makes your business different? Write down all of the things that make your business different. What inspired you, why you started, and then weave that into your brand story. There are so many possibilities for me. I was inspired after living in Korea, also from a very young age, my aunt would always take me to spas to get treatments, like we're talking seven years old, and it was something we always did together for you. It might be that you specialize in corneal therapy or oncology esthetics, or maybe you had really horrible acne, and you are motivated and driven to help those around you. There's so many possibilities with all of these design elements and things to consider. We have to talk about consistency, because consistency is trust. Every single touch point should feel like your brand, your emails, your social media, your voice mail, your website, your text messages, your business cards, everything has to feel like your brand. One of the things that helps strengthen our relationship and brand, when we talk about consistency, are things that your clients come to expect from you. It could be creating an aromatherapy experience, a smell that your clients will always associate with your business. It could be the playlists you curate, playlists that match your vibe, whether it's relaxing or energizing, or maybe you let your client pick what type of music they want to listen to. I guess what I'm trying to drive home here is that branding is essential. It is literally the foundation of your business. So it's really important to be intentional, authentic and true to what you believe and feel. And that's not to say that that can't change. You can change name. I've rebranded my business now three times within the span of five years. But even with my rebrand, there's still always been the same element of Korean skincare being intentional. I always went the extra mile for my clients. They came to expect that they would get text messages checking in on them after a new treatment or after buying new products, like there were certain things that never changed, because my values and what's important to me is making my clients feel seen. And I think the element of making somebody feel seen is so empowering, and it helps your business stand out, because there are so many businesses, I hate to say this, but estheticians also running businesses that do the bare minimum. So not often, but I do see in our industry, some businesses and estheticians, rather than coming from a place of gratitude, they come from a place of entitlement. And while I think boundaries are really important, I also think it's equally important to remember that we are in the service industry, and part of our job in the industry is. To be understanding and accepting accidents happen, people run late, unforeseen circumstances. And I can tell you from being an observer, those that run a business from gratitude, by the way, if you haven't read The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk, I feel like you should pay me for this episode if you have not read that book, it's amazing. I feel like estheticians that practice out of a place of gratitude, I see their businesses sore, and those that have a sense of entitlement, who post stories about clients being late or about charging extra if you come in with a full face of makeup or, you know, not tipping those businesses, do not hang around for long. So all of these little elements that we talked about, your language, the energy out there, these all strengthen your brand and are really important to consider. So don't forget, branding is more than a logo. It's a feeling and experience you create for your client. It's going to be from your storytelling, your consistency these little details and the attention you put into these details that are going to help strengthen your brand and will ultimately help your business grow. So I encourage you to take three things that we talked about and start implementing them this week, because small changes always lead to big growth. If there are any branding questions you have, because I really am so passionate about building that strong foundation, feel free to reach out. You can email me, reach out to me on Instagram, which, by the way, is at by kinesthetics on Instagram, and I would be happy to talk about branding all day long. Thank you for tuning in. If you love this episode, please, would you leave a review and share it with a fellow esthetician? It would help so much, and I'll see you next time you.