The Substantial Branding Program
Are you ready for the next chapter in your business story?
… one where you’re no longer “everything to everyone,” but instead the go-to person for your very best customers?
… where your web copy and online presence brilliantly convey the true value you bring to the table?
… where you’ve finally wrapped up what you do and who you are into a beautifully aligned vision and messaging strategy for your brand?
Join me, and we’ll write that chapter together.
You’re already the real deal, and you need a brand that does a better job of representing and amplifying that.
You’re ready to put yourself out there in a bigger, more intentional way; to really put your stake in the ground and step into your own niche and message. You know this means getting crystal clear on whom you will serve, what you will sell, and what you will be known for.
What if you could finally nail this down – and I mean in a comprehensive, soul-aligned, and substantial way – before December?
This isn’t branding for lightweights.
It’s for legacy builders that are serious about blazing their own path and building a business that is worth talking about. Are you in?
"This experience cuts through the surface level and uncovers the true gems in your brand that can lead to the clarity, focus, and business growth you're really craving. You'll walk away with a strategy that feels true and original to you along with the confidence to own it."
- Christy Fuston, Fuston Creative
Substantial BrandingTM: The Foundation Program
In six weeks, I’ll help you nail down the core concepts of your brand story in a way that feels rock-solid.
I’ll guide you through a process that helps you really step into your true advantages in business, get more decisive about what you’re building and where you’re going, and deeply understand the role you wish to play in your business and the lives of your customers.
- Get specific about the people you serve and their actual needs and desires so you can craft targeted, relevant messaging that attracts your best customers.
- Determine what you’re really selling, and how to present it in a way that helps people see its true value.
- Shape your business model around your unique and natural ways of creating value so that you can run your business in a way that feels good and stands out.
- Nail down the direction and big-picture of your business so that you can talk about and lead your business with clarity and intention.
This program will help you find flow, clarity, and cohesion in every single piece of your business and marketing as you move ahead full force.
And you’ll be armed with lots of ready-to-use statements and content for your website, blog, social media, sales pages, etc.
You won’t be doing this alone.
Limited to a maximum of 10 clients, you’ll love how small and intimate this group is. I’ll take the time to get to know you and your business in depth so that I can advise you as I would a one-on-one client. You’ll get tonnes of specific, concrete feedback on the decisions you’re making and the messaging you’re creating for your business.
"
You have such a clear, heart-powered way of describing all of this complex stuff, Lisa. I've been through branding exercises when I worked at a college, and it was never as clear as this. I've wanted to be this clear about what I want to do (and how I do it) for quite a few years now. Thank you so much! "
- Maria Stadtmueller, Meet Your Myth
First, We Set Strategy.
Strategy is simple decision-making… but you already know it’s not easy. That’s why we plateau in our safe zone -- saying yes to everything and sticking to a message that’s generic and vague instead of doubling down on a few right answers.
In the first month of our time together, we’ll get you to those right answers so you can stop spinning your wheels and charge ahead with a distinctive brand that suits your own vision.
Your strategy sheets will sum up your entire business story, ready to be used and referred to over and over again.
You’ll walk away with a set of clear strategies that powerfully boil down:
- Your Key Customer Insights – establishing your ideal customers and the top messages that will connect with them.
- Your Promise of Value – outlining the outcomes, problems, and solutions you’ll be known for, in language that resonates with your ideal people.
- Your Personal Element – identifying the pieces of yourself that will shape your business model and message.
Getting your strategy straight reaps immediate benefits; you will find yourself talking more clearly and passionately about your business and engaging more effectively with your right customers.
Then, We Start Implementing Together.
Strategy is what makes copywriting, marketing, and sales so much easier. It’s the invaluable groundwork that helps you clearly communicate and package up what you do in a way that builds real interest and anticipation in your audience. Our implementation (I call them “Momentum”) weeks are when you’ll get a chance to witness that first hand.
In the final two weeks of the program, I’m going to show you how to put your strategies into use throughout your business. You will choose pieces of your business or presence that need a refresh, and work on updating them with me at your side.
Projects you might tackle during these weeks include:
- Revisiting and designing your offerings to better suit you and your customers.
- Updating your web copy and sales pages (I couldn’t have written this page without mine!)
- Developing brand vocabulary, names, and taglines.
- Brainstorming editorial topics and categories for your blog and social media.
- Choosing the right visual elements for your brand presence
- Identifying and pursuing exciting partnership opportunities for growing your business
- Incorporating more of yourself and your story into your brand expression
"
Lisa, This stuff works! With my new brand messaging and bio, I just got invited to participate in two telesummits and a couple of podcast interviews. I love leaping after I have a good foundation under me - this really helped me craft emails that got my vision across."
- Sue Anne Dunlevie, SuccessfulBlogging.com
Is this for you?
This program is designed for people that are seriously passionate about their craft and the work that they do, and want to design a business and a legacy around that. It’s a good fit for service-based businesses as well as creators, writers, and crafters.
Clients that have gotten the most out of this experience:
- Already have a website, with an early version of a brand that doesn’t feel up to par for where they want to go.
- Are experienced in their craft (though they might struggle to really step up and own being the expert they are.)
- Crave a thorough and deep approach to setting their brand direction. They want to take the time necessary to build something with staying power.
Ready to build the business that you, and only you, were made to create?
What’s Included:
- Personalized Feedback & Guidance: Get my ongoing feedback and guidance for 6 weeks as your brand strategist and coach -- no more second-guessing yourself.
- Substantial Branding Video Workshop: 17 action-oriented video lessons to guide you through each branding concept and activity so you can tackle one brand element at a time. You'll also get regular emails to pace you through the program and keep you on track.
- Deep-Diving Rough Notes Workbooks: Rough note-taking spaces to guide and capture your discovery findings, helping you uncover buried gems and keep your thinking organized as you narrow in on your best brand ideas.
- Beautifully Concise Strategy Sheets: Sum up your final brand concepts and messaging for easy referencing and sharing as you make everyday business decisions.
- Live Coaching Calls: We'll have five group calls over Zoom where I'll provide individual feedback and live examples.
- The Substantial Brand Creators Facebook Community: An active space during the program to ask questions, share ideas, and get feedback from myself and the other participants.
- After the program, an invitation to my client-only Brand Bravery Mastermind group. Keep the momentum going with continued prompts, challenges, and support as you continue to boldly follow your vision and carve out your place in the world.
Enrolment for this program is currently closed, but you can still sign up for a sneak peek of the program below, and get notified the next time it's available.
"If you have the nagging feeling that you have something important to say -- but you're not sure exactly how to say it, then this is perfect for you. If you feel like your business is controlling you, instead of the other way around, this will help"
- Adrianne Munkacsy, Writing Coach & Content Strategist
My Guarantee To You
I care deeply that you get real results and value out of this experience. If, at anytime, you feel you're not getting the clarity or transformation you are hoping for, you simply need to reach out and we will discuss ways to better address your individual needs. Because I keep this program limited to such a small number of committed clients, and I spend the time getting to know each of you individually, refunds are only provided in special situations at my discretion.
Set Up a Coffee Date
I want you to be sure before taking this next big step in your business, so I’m happy to connect for a complimentary 30 minute coffee date so we can make sure it’s a fit.
Some FAQs:
1. I'm afraid to get pulled down rabbit holes of information, when what I really need is to take action!
I can so relate to that! That's why I've built this program to feel like a comprehensive workshop: lots of ideas and inspiration in, but only concrete decisions, messaging, and actions out.
I've tied each aspect of your brand strategy to some ground-level actions that we will undertake together during the final two weeks, when you can start making immediate changes and putting things into practice with me at your side.
2. Will this really be different, beyond what I've already tried before?
Here are a few key things that I feel will make a real difference this time around:
- It’s substantial. Lots of guidance out there comes at you in watered down bits and pieces that leave gaps in your strategy and brand foundation. I hate that (and you probably do, too) so I’ve created what will likely be the most thorough, deep reaching brand planning experience you’ve had to date. There is no fluff, but it goes deep and it covers everything that matters.
- It’s personal. This approach to branding exists at a crossroads between your personal and your business brand, so that the decisions you make will jive with your true nature and set you up for serious success. I see branding as a tool for showing up authentically and boldly as yourself in this world. That takes serious support, which is why I create programs and offerings in the way I do: building in my unique capacity for calling out and nurturing your personal truths.
- It’s specific and hands-on. My clients are often surprised by how specific and concrete I get in my advice and my answers to their questions. I'll even be sharing my own working documents with you throughout the program so that you will have a complete example and nothing remains vague and unclear.
What if I'm not sure that "branding" is what I need? Perhaps I just need accountability?
Branding strategy is the antidote if you're lacking cohesion and clarity in your business, and know that you're holding back from marketing yourself or stepping things up as a result. The work you will do in this program could really be considered brand-centered business strategy; It's going to help you answer the tough questions so you can start giving things a more confident and definitive push in the right direction.
If you do have clarity and a message that resonates, and your business is still stagnating, then I would agree that what you need instead of more clarity and strategy is some good old-fashioned accountability... and possibly some bravery, too. I've realized that these are crucial ingredients to my clients' success, so I've created a client-only Brand Bravery Mastermind group on Facebook for all of the awesome people that work with me, including those that take this program. It will give you the added accountability and support you need to boldly follow through on the decisions and first steps you make in the program.
What kind of time commitment should I expect?
You will not need to put your business on hold for six weeks to complete the activities, but you will need to dedicate a few hours per week in order to get the most out of this experience.
There will be some activities and ideas that you want to give more attention to than others, and that’s absolutely fine! Almost every activity offers up some level of flexibility so that you can determine how deep you want to go, depending on your individual needs and preferences.
I would (very roughly) estimate that a keen participant would be able to do wonders with under an hour a day on the course content and activities.
How much personal guidance will I get?
I've worked purely in a one-on-one capacity for the past four years in my business, so I am very committed to building exceptional client relationships. One of my top priorities with my group program is that it maintains the intimate, personal experience that my one-on-one clients love and appreciate. I've kept this offering small so that I will be able to do that.
You will be able to ask me anything and I will give you my personal thoughts and insights. I will review and give you direct feedback on your brand strategy statements. I will provide feedback on at least one of the projects you tackle during the Momentum weeks (an About page, a bio, a marketing plan, etc.).
I would like most feedback to happen through the Facebook group so that others can benefit as well, but you'll have the option of email support for times that you want to keep things private.
