Have you own a brand or just a business? Let's discuss on how to create a successful brand.

[ajay]

Hi, I'm Ajay the CEO of Fresh Mind Ideas, a strategic and creative branding agency. I help businesses to brand well and achieve their goals. Here are some top questions that I ask my clients, let me ask it to you.

1. What's your business goal?

2. Do you think you are going on the right path?

3. Do you own a brand or just a business?

4. Show me your website:

5. Are you getting enough traffic on your website?

6. Where you want to see your business in next 2, 3, & 5 year time?

I would invite each of you to answer these questions and then I'll spend time for you to position your brand! Let's go...

[ajay]

This wasn't how I have aligned the text! @quickbookcommunity needs a fix!

[MegBarbolini]

Hi Ajay,

I'm really looking forward to reading the answers in this discussion! I edited the spacing in your post - does it look how you intended now?

Thanks for posting. I'm curious about your answers too!

[ajay]

It's perfect! Thanks @MegBarbolini

[AudreyPratt]

Hi @ajay, thanks for sparking this conversation!

1. What's your business goal? - Keep building my business and continue to have the flexibility to work from anywhere.

2. Do you think you are going on the right path? - Yes I do! I can look back on my goals and see this is true :smileyhappy:

3. Do you own a brand or just a business? - A business

4. Show me your website: I currently just use my LinkedIn.

5. Are you getting enough traffic on your website? N/A

6. Where you want to see your business in next 2, 3, & 5 year time? Expanded and more self-sufficient with a few independent contractors or employees to work with clients directly. 

[ajay]

Hi Audrey, 

Thanks for replying, Really great vision I must say. A few things I want to add is, since you don't have a brand-identity why not you create one? Even if it's your personal brand/sole proprietorship an identity will make you stand apart! And then about website, you should have one, it isn't that costly and you can put your works, your profile details, integrate social media timelines to it. Also, you can put blog posts, So you can measure your site traffic and identify what works and what not.

Do you have any questions our doubts? I would be happy to answer.

Best, 

Ajay S Nair

CEO - FreshMindIdeas

[AudreyPratt]

Hi @ajay!

Thank you so much for giving me the encouragement and inspiration to take my business to the next level. I will be sure to follow up and share my website when it's up and running :smileyhappy:

[ajay]

Sure, Go ahead, and keep these points in mind while designing your website.

1. It has to fit with the goal you want to achieve.

2. Should fit with the brand identity design. 

3. The website has to be responsive, else Google won't like you! -- Read about the importance here in our Blog 

Do reach out to me if you need an expert touch in building your brand :) 

All the very best!

Ajay S Nair

CEO - FreshMindIdeas 

[AudreyPratt]

@ajay thank you so much for the wonderful encouragement and recommendations. I am inspired to get the ball rolling now! I will absolutely reach out if I have questions. Cheers! :smileyhappy:

[ajay]

You are most welcome :) 

Cheers!

[ALexRuf]

I have a brand and currently I've been working on creating my own website using these tips 

https://www.templatemonster.com/blog/create-website-2017-ultimate-guide/ . I opted for WordPress. Unlike others, this platform is oriented on the end user, not the developer.

[AudreyPratt]

@ALexRuf thank you for sharing! I am going to use this to help build mine, too. Do you have any website building experience to share thus far? Let us know how it's going. 

[MariebethArca]

Hi @ajay!

Would love to answer this and hear your thoughts!

1. What's your business goal? To expand my brand into clothing and prescription eyewear and embrace positives vibes through this outlet. I'd also like to eventually help support a non-profit organization aligned with my goals and pay it forward

2. Do you think you are going on the right path? I'm in the early stages with developing the clothing aspect and building social media following so I believe I'm on the right path. There is much more work to do more to explore on this path as well

3. Do you own a brand or just a business? I own a brand/business

4. Show me your website: www.BrightFuturesEyewear.com

5. Are you getting enough traffic on your website? Not as much as I'd like

6. Where you want to see your business in next 2, 3, & 5 year time? 2 years: Launch clothing collection, expand wholesale accounts, attend more festivals for brand awareness 3 years: Sponsor a non-profit organization and donate portion of sales for each transaction 5 year: Maintain business full time, hire employees to help expand and launch seasonal collection on a more consistent basis

[AudreyPratt]

Hi @MariebethArca! It's awesome to have you here. :smileyhappy: Thanks for sharing your journey and goals! I love your plan to give back to a non-profit. I have always loved Dress for Success. Do you have a non-profit that you like/plan to give back to when you can? 

[ajay]

Hi @MariebethArca, 

Great to know about your business and business goals.

I have had a quick analysis on 'Bright Future' and here are a few important things you need to do at the earliest. 

1. Update your Brand Story, You need to identify the exact target audience and should update the branding based on their interests and desire. 

2. Re-design your website, your current website is a theme by : Zeon Lite, which isn't suitable for your business, the new design should match with the brand identity and should give the customer the ability to make quick purchase decisions.

3. The website should be responsive, means it should fit well with all devices that the customer use to browze your website.

4. Link your social media pages to your website and also maintain the social media pages based on a better strategy.

5. Every social media pages should be handled in a different way, that you can either manage by yourself or outsource it to an expert. 

There should be an overall powerful strategy to create a brand that people will love. I have been helping entrepreneurs globally with Strategy & Design. But I choose my clients :) If you are truely passionate about your business and really want to take it to level next. Then drop me an email. Here's a small task you need to do to get my attention.  Answer this question at the end of your email : "Who is the founder of Wordpress" :)

email: ajay@freshmindideas.com -- (yourname+yourbusinessname in subject )

Wishing you all the very best,
Ajay S Nair. 

[ajay]

Hi @ALexRuf, 

Wordpress is the prefered platform for my agency too, WP powers ~30% of the internet. The issue you may face while setting up would be the design. How the website looks, feels and works. Wordpress theme customization is a suggested method for the same. Let me know if you are stuck, I can help you. We have a wonderful team who can design and develop wordpress websites, not only sites, we also develop wordpress plugins, (see how experienced we are ;) )

All the very best!

Ajay. S. Nair