Brand Camp Blog

Hate that we missed the contest. our brand and logo are fine, we don’t want fine. we want better.

I am well established in the Austin wedding industry and I try to keep very current on all wedding related trends including social media. However, I need a branding expert to help me fine tune my company, put my thoughts into the right format to relate to my future clients and bring it all out of my mind into reality.

Why you? Because I always refer to “One time at band camp…” so Brand Camp has to be the answer I have been looking for. Please pick me…hand up in the air.

I would love your help with branding. I have a new logo coming, I love it. Photography is a side venture for me. I have three kids, and life is so busy. I take limited bookings because I don’t have a lot of free time. My style has evolved over the years, but my branding has not. I lead my photography business with my heart. I want my clients to have dreamy pictures of their family and their children. How do I continue to lead with my heart, but put more value on my time and accurately portray this to my clients?

I would so appreciate and love to win this branding consult. I am just starting my business and realize how important branding is. I also realize that it’s much more than a logo-it’s everything your potential client will see and even extends to your shooting style. Your brand should be totally reflective of you…or should it? I mean, off stage beyonce is beyonce but on stage she is “sasha fierce”…This is my biggest issue and why I would love to win this consult. I’m being drawn in two very (I think) different branding directions and am unsure of what route to go. Consistency is important so I’d love to share my thoughts/ideas with someone who knows about branding to get their, YOUR, opinion. I don’t have a lot of money laying around so I would love to kinda just get it right the first time and invest in proper development of logo etc. Right now-I’ve got nothing because I want to do it right. Ice listened to nearly every TRA interview you’ve done and the advice you gave Alicia Caine about her site/brand not reflecting her is the kinda advice I’m hoping to get. Please excuse any typos-I typed this all on my iPhone!

I have been working with graphic design for years and I still don’t think I can do this for myself. I need seriously help on how to do it. I can help others, but not help myself. I guess it’s a case of “Doctors can’t heal themselves”. *sigh* I can’t make a logo for myself worth crap. I keep it so clean and boring, without any personality, and I’m full of personality. I’m a fun person. I’m a goofy person. But my logo says “Booooooooriiiiiiiiiiing” Help!

My biggest woe is my love of everything beautiful, even things that might not be my “brand”, whatever that is. I love to shoot fashion which is highly posed, but I also love genuine candid shooting where honest emotion is caught, not posed. How does one reconcile this in a brand, as them seem polar opposites.

as a photographer who’s just starting out i feel like i dont even know where to begin in the whole branding scheme things. thanks for the blog!

Our company does TOO many things to be able to effectively communicate all of them to everybody. (We are videographers, filmmakers, photographers, web designers, graphic designers, writers, songwriters, composers, musicians, etc.) I’d like to figure out a way to focus it all together as one brand instead of having separate company names. Is it possible? Would a corporate client use someone named Sweet Spirit Productions?

Put me in the not-sure-even-how-to-begin camp. Not sure where to start. Want to be consistent, but too many ideas. Not sure how to funnel my ideas down to the essential message. Lots of visions swirling in the brain, but no clue about distilling into a visible brand.

My biggest woe is trying to settle on ONE name for my business and coming up with a logo/brand that will connect my business with me and all of my existing networks. Help!

AAAAAGGGHH!!! I don’t even know where to begin to describe the mess that is my brand or lack thereof.. I think i’m not quite sure what I want from my brand.. I have several different styles but it has no focus and doesn’t describe me at all..help help help help…please

I have a problem with being consistent. In general, I am a really *eclectic* person. I like too many things to rely on my personality to lead me to a good, strong consistent looking brand. I’m somewhere between Bust magazine and Anthropologie. Somewhere between New Wave and Hip Hop. Please help me with my personality disorder- er- I mean- branding dilema.

I have a logo that I love, but I just can’t seem to work into the collateral materials of my DREAMS. I have things that I want, ideas in my mind, but they don’t mesh with my logo at all — at least I don’t think they do. And that leaves me sad. Very sad. Auuuuuuuugh!!! HELP! I need your help! Pretty please. Help meeeeeeeeeeeeeee…

(PS – I’ve been reading your posts in my inbox, so I didn’t realize you had brought the “wood” background back on the blog. I love it. I’m glad to see some more of the “camp” feel back.)

Heeeeeeeeeeeelp meeeeeeeeee…

I might just become the first person to drown in a sea of yellow post-it notes without your help. Seriously.

I feel like I’ve found my style, my niche, my je ne sais quois, and even my keys, but I know now I can’t pull it all together on my own, I can’t kick myself in the pants, though I’ve tried.

The yellow post-its have replaced the notebook where I used to try to keep all these good ideas I had about building my brand. I finally hooked up with a graphic designer who “gets me” and is working hard to replace the “it’ll do” logo that replaced my DIY logo(s), and this would be a great time to put it all together… and be able to stop worrying about this and DO something.

I’m striving for consistency now — it was hard but I picked one color of post its to (unknowingly) create my branding hell — but I need your sage advice.

As a complete newbie I’ve got no idea where to start or where to turn when it comes to putting together my brand identity. I know the direction I want to go and the vibe/feel I want to give, however, I have no clue on how to be able to put those into action and build a recognizable brand for myself. Any helpful expertise would be truly appreciate it!! Susana

i just need help all around pulling it all together. cohesion is lacking. getting a free consult would be a LIFESAVER. pick me…pick me (in my most pathetic, pleading voice)

Hope you don’t mind, but your post made me think a lot this weekend so I just wanted to add this if I could — where I think I’m really stuck is how to evaluate how my current branding (or lack thereof) is being perceived; what kind of message(s) and mood it evokes, what I’m saying about myself and my work…so I can then compare that to what I’m actually intending to convey so I can refine my message and identity from there. I just feel like I’m so buried in the day-to-day biz stuff that I can’t see the forest for the trees!

Hello! I frequent the Brand Camp blog and often read its Twitter updates for inspiration. Thank you! My favorite people to photograph are high school seniors. I’ve finally realized this after a long process of photographing children (which I still do occasionally), families, brides, and a few weddings. Needless to say, my branding has evolved and now I’m in a flux: I really want to find a way to target the high school senior who wants to go on an “adventurous” photo shoot, who’s really into fashion, loves urban settings, and likes that funky “Urban Outfitter/Anthropologie/Free People” look. More than that, I want someone to point ME in the right direction when it comes to marketing to this particular senior. What sparks their emotions? What would they love to see in a photograph of themselves? What would make them choose me over many other excellent photographers? And are those even the right questions I should be asking?

We have just re-named the company, we have a new logo, we have some unique and different ideas on how to market it and have it all work together. We just leased studio space but in order to do that we had to sign away all our portraiture side…long story….but it means we really need to make this new concept, brand, marketing etc work.
I was excited, now I feel sick…..I was sure I had done the right thing and it was going to take our area by storm ….now I worry that if I’ve miscalculated, we could be screwed. Okay, I’ll stop now, as it’s obvious I need help…and possibly in many more ways than just photography related. LOL

I studied graphic design in school along with photography so I understand the importance of branding. Properly portraying the brand of my own photography business has been a heck of a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. I feel that because it is my own business and I put my heart and soul into my work I am too attached to the project at hand. I find that I can not view my brand objectively! Yeah sure, I have tons of friends that tell me they love my logo and family members that would probably tell me my blog is beautiful even if I covered the page in cheesy pink hearts and white fluffy clouds, but I need an honest opinion and will not be able to take my business to the next level without some constructive criticism. I know my target market, I am just not sure that I am reaching them to the best of my abilities. I know my competition, but do not know if I stand out from the rest of the crowd like I want. Before starting my business I did a lot of research and wrote a very detailed business plan. I did not walk into this industry with my eyes closed and my head in the clouds. I aim to be the best that I can be and feel lucky to be able to do something that I truly love on a daily basis. I quit my secure full time crappy going through the motions everyday job to pursue opening my own photography business. This is what I do full time and I want to make sure that my brand is the best that it can be. I would be eternally grateful if you help me out! Thank you for offering this amazing opportunity

My problem is being all over the place. I need someone to tell me what i’m doing right, what i’m doing wrong, and help me streamline. Also, i want to bring good U.S. business practices and packaging to my country, offer some really good first world products. But i don’t know which are actually good.

I’m so terrified of branding that I convinced myself that I *chose* to not have a logo, and that I *prefer* a company name that is just my name. [ugh]

Oh, I can’t believe I even came across this opportunity! All thanks to a long trail of tweets!

I am an up and coming (let’s pretend I’m confident – why not?) on location portrait photographer (focus on maternity and newborn…for the moment). I’ve spent the past three months building up a portfolio and trying to get some practice Photo Blogging. As I had NO idea what to even name a future biz (my first name is annoyingly hyphenated, my nickname is that of the overweight alcoholic on “Cheers”, and my last name is already “taken”) I just named it for my dog. It’s a name. She’s a fantastic dog (a Newf!). But, it ain’t no brand.

Please help me to start off on the right paw….uh, I mean foot!
Thanks.

I have reached out to friends and via FB, but I am having a hard time booknig sessions outside of my “friend” loop. How do I brand myself outside of my “loop” efficently and successfully?

I have done everything on my own so far and I have NO IDEA what I am doing when it comes to branding! I would love some help

My biggest woe is that when someone else asks me to do their logo, I have NO problem! But with mine, CLUELESS! Ugh!!!

My mission statement…my vision…I know branding is more than a logo. I am trying to figure out how to sell myself and for that I need brand help.

I’m trying to launch my business, and the whole brand has me stumped.

Thanks! And good luck to any winner.

I don’t think I have a brand quite honestly – so there’s a big freaking problem right there. I look at my site and marketing and I’m not sure I see a consistent look that is drawing anyone in. I’m not into swirls or abstract shapes or any of the baroque type stuff most everyone is doing these days. I just want something fun, modern and me. I mean my logo is very recognizable and I like it but I don’t think it’s getting the message across. I just recently fell in love with a color scheme and am now wanting to figure out how to incorporate it into a brand and I am really at a loss on how to go about this. I can keep stumbling through it but I could sure as heck use some talented help along the way.

My biggest branding woe….well, what ISN’T my biggest branding woe!! I’ve designed my own logo…4 or 5 times, because I’m just not a logo person! I still cannot, for the life of me come up with a tag line! And I have so many color ideas, but don’t know how to put it together for something cohesive that I’ll love. PLEASE help!!

Well, I have gotten as far as getting a logo made that I’m happy with. BUT, I’m not sure how to make my marketing pieces represent who I am and what I can do for my clients. At first I thought I could just see what others had done, take some elements I liked and incorporate them into my theme but that’s easier said than done.

I worry about being all over the place and that’s the last thing I want to do…. confuse my clients. I want my marketing pieces to represent me correctly, be sleek, hip, original and of course give clients the right “feel” before even reading one word. Presentation is everything and that’s what my future clients deserve.

Thanks for the opportunity!

Deb

I am a newbie in this business starting from scratch,a friend helped me with a logo but that’s all I have I don’t know how to brand myself or promotemy business I’m all word of mouth right now and I’d love to have a look and a name people remember Its something I planned on doing eventually have started a little savings for it but to win some help would just be amazing. Thank you for the opportunity !! Ps I can rock the happy dance!!!.

I really don’t know where to start with branding. I am a do-it-yourself kinda guy and I am in over my head with branding. I have done some simple stuff myself but really need to take it to the next level. This would be an awesome opportunity that would help with branding and the overall identity of my photography business. Thanks.

I created my logo for my computer business myself, but I kind of suck at Illustrator. So I gave up and did it mostly in Photoshop I think, which makes it not very scalable and therefore not as useful. People seem to like my logo-brand (builtbymom.com) but I would love to clean up the logo and figure out how to expand on it and use it in other ways.

Also, I have no logo or brand at all for my photography and I would like to change that.

My branding dilema is this: I know what sector of the market that I am after (late 20′s-30′s brides who are willing to pay for quality and shop places like Anthropology and Crate and Barrell. These ladies are savy modern women who unapologetically haven’t given up on the fairy tale).I am trying to build my brand as a signature photographer, so making my personality a strong element of my brand is very important to me. The dilema comes into play because I am a very ecclectic person who likes both very modern and whimsical vintage elements. I want to convey that range of possibilities but don’t know how to make all of those varied elements into a cohesive (not scattered and random) final product. Your help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

First of all I adore your blog Kristen, and the work you do with TRA. I am horrible, I never comment. My problem is my need to condense. I love my logo, my look & my blog. It all works, but I need to do a few condensed printed pieces to leave with other vendors & colleagues in the industry who promote me. I for the life of me can not condense the wedding work I do into a sweet little tri-fold. I would love some help from the branding master!

I think I currently have pretty good, and consistent, branding. But I don’t think it gives the right image of what I want for my studio. I don’t know how to incorporate my “image” into my brand.

In GPS terms, My branding is still searching for signal. I would welcome the opportunity and use it to create my path that I need to move forward. Thank you. – Alex Garza

My biggest branding woe is… well… branding. The whole concept eludes me. Honestly, I want to brand myself, but I can never figure out exactly what I want to be and how I want to be perceived. Pleas help me!!!!

I feel with a graphic design background that I’ve got the logo and all the marketing pieces down, and with a husband who does web – a snazzy new website rolling out later this month. However, my branding woe is – how do I make my clients and those I come in contact with fanatics about my brand? How can I exceed their expectations with each contact, and what does it look like? What things can I do that will turn my clients into fanatics beyond great photos and nice marketing pieces?

Awesome opportunity Kristen! I’m in need of some branding re-eval. I recently put down $250 on a new logo and completely hate it 3 months later. Especially since everywhere i look i see the logo font on a bunch of other photographer’s websites and even the new logo for Michael’s Craft Store. UGH. So, its my fault for not communicating to her what I wanted, since I have no idea. I thought I did, but turns out, no. I was wrong and now I want to create a brand from the ground up. Would love your help!

i’m a photographer, definitely not a marketing/branding/identity guru,not even close. my attempts at branding myself are what i call ‘eh, this’ll work for now’ but i need help!!! thank you!

Okay, so my branding woe isn’t so much w/ the main part of my photography business but with the pet portraiture division I’m planning to launch after the first of the year … I honestly don’t have a clue on where to start other than having already picked out the name and making sure the domain was available. I also want to stick w/ the color scheme I have for w/ the main part of the biz so I don’t have to buy more packaging materials I don’t have the space to store Revamping/overhauling my portraiture side wasn’t this hard!

ps- almost pee peed in my chair last night after i broke down and bought TRA dirty pictures. had so much fun playing with it i held it till it was *almost* too late. dragged my husband over to read the “legal notice” …loved it.

Ok, so {doe•ee•bird} is my daughters nickname which is why i chose it for a children’s photography business. I have a whole explanation of the origin of that nickname on my website.

I like the tagline “photography for little peeps” I think the name and tagline are fun. BUT at the same time I sometimes wonder if instead of being whimsical and something that sets me apart, its maybe just downright silly and hard to remember? My real name is totally boring, so that’s out… I have thought about using my daugter’s name as the name of the business bc it is way more original (Presley Asa)

Also, the logo uses little bullet points, and I like the way that looks. BUT those little bullet points are hard to find on a keyboard (special keystrokes to get there) and I have discovered a ton of fonts wont accept the special keystrokes, and I get something that looks like this: {doeÂ.eeÂ.bird} .

I do get a lot of compliments, people think its a really fun name and appropriate for my style, but then i also get a lot of strange looks and believe it or not , people cant pronouce it. I get calls going “doe-doe-bird” and other calls with people just tripping all over the name. What to do? Change the name?

The most frustrating part is the most fonts not accepting bullet points (for example, I can’t get Finao to print my albums with this:

{doe•ee•bird} photography

because they can’t do the bullet points.

My biggest branding woe has been finding a local logo designer who “gets” my brand! Thanks for the mini-consult drawing… I have my fingers crossed, ha ha!