Let’s talk about branding…
Branding is so much more than the ‘sparkly things’ – ie your logo, colours and fonts. It is the essence of your business and it underpins every single business decision that you make.
Whether you are a private teacher or a studio, it’s important to remember that you are still running a business at the end of the day. Most of us teach because we genuinely love it, but you can still lean into that love while running a great business.
Branding is an important part of running any great business. It ensures you are able to provide a consistent experience for clients, and it also allows you to have a strong identity that differentiates you in the market.
Here are some of the ‘tangible elements’ to consider when you create your branding:
- Business name
- Logo
- Colour palette
- Fonts
- Tagline
- Tone & use of language
- Images
When you look at these elements individually, it’s fairly simple to throw something together… but for your branding to have a genuine impact, these elements must come together intentionally creating a cohesive message.
To confidently develop this message, you will need to tap into your ‘why’ (ie. why you do what you do).
Yes, we are all teachers here, but our ‘why’ is what draws customers to us instead of another teacher or ‘competitor’ (not my favourite word – but more on that at this year’s Piano Teacher Summit 2022). Your ‘why’ should always be at the core of your branding.
So I ask you this:
“Why do you teach/do what you do?”
Once you have that a nswer, you need to ask ‘why?’ again. And again. And again. Until you get down to the core of it all. You will know you have found your ‘why’ when you get a strong or unexpected emotional response.
You can then use your ‘why’ as a starting off point for developing your vision, mission and values – all of which will have a very strong influence on your branding as a whole.
It’s quite a process to develop your branding. Once you have it sorted, you will notice a significant shift, because it will shape how you conduct your business.
Some of the business elements that will be influenced by your branding can include:
- The content you teach
- Your approach to pedagogy
- How you interact and communicate with your customers and students
- How you map out & implement your student’s progress pathway
- The systems and policies you create
- How you uphold and stand by those policies
- Your approach to marketing
- How you identify and lock in your price point for lessons
Remember; branding is the backbone of your business.
I’ve found that by having a strong brand, I uncovered a new level of intention in how I run my business. It gave me the confidence to clearly articulate and implement my decisions. It taught me how to set myself apart in the market, and more importantly, it has helped me attract my ‘ideal customer’ who always aligns with me and what I offer.
Branding is a big deal, so if you are feeling unsure of how to create or tweak your brand – fear not! We will work shop all of this in my session, “Elevate your Business with Bespoke Branding” at the Piano Teachers Summit in Melbourne on July 8th.
