I used to run a brand agency. Here's why I don't think you need a formal "brand" in your first year. (And what you need instead)

The goal is to get clients. Not to be the prettiest.

I used to have the hardest time selling brand design work to small companies.

In part, they didn’t have cash to spend on a logo.

But also: I don’t think I really believed they needed brand work.

I didn’t think a logo was going to be the difference between them getting work and not.

I didn’t think a design system was going to make the difference in sales.

And now when I work with clients who are starting a new business or a new offering, I tell them the same thing:

You don’t need a brand right now.

As a former brand agency owner, I gotta hold my own hand while I say this: you can get by with existing Canva templates and a logotype for the first year. You do not need a bespoke logo, specific fonts, and a color palette.

You need clients.

To get them, you should focus on three things:

1. At least one offer

2. A very basic website

3. A very basic pitch deck

1. At least one offer

Creating an offer is going to be 6,000 times easier if you have positioned business properly. If you haven’t done that, or you don’t know what I’m talking about, head on over HERE first.

Creating an offer does not have to be complicated. You do not need a course or a multi-step program. It could literally just be hourly consulting.

The key here is to make sure you’ve answered these questions:

• What’s the offer?

• Who is it for?**

• What do people get as part of this offer?

• What’s the transformation from before they hire you, to after?**

• How much will you charge?

• Why should they do this with you?**

• If you could name this offer something, what would it be?

** These questions are already answered if you’ve done your positioning homework! This is why I think it’s important to start there. If you ignored me the first time, I understand. But go do it, FR.

I’m doing a live on Offer Creation in two weeks, August 20th from 12:30-1:30 ET, open to everyone - paid and free subscribers. You can register for that HERE.

For my paid peeps, I’m linking a template below to help you with offer creation. Feel free to drop it in the chat or bring it to Office Hours to discuss it with me.

2. A very basic website

Don’t panic. You can do this.

All you need is a basic, one-page website to start. Mine was horrible when I first began - it didn’t matter. What matters is that it has the following things:

• What you do

• Who you do it for

• Information about your initial offer

• Reviews (if you have them)

• Eminence stuff (e.g. logos of people you’ve worked with, where you’ve appeared, if you have these things)

• A way to get in contact with you

You’ll notice that if you’ve done your positioning and worked through an offer, your website almost writes itself.

“But without a brand, what does it look like?” For now, pick a template and go with it. Try and pick one that you think communicates your positioning in the best possible way, or come to Office Hours and I’ll help you narrow one down. You will change it eventually. That is OK.

If I were you, I would make your site a home page, a page about your core offer, and a contact page. There are many outlines and ways to structure each of these pages, but if you want to grab my tried-and-true formula for home pages and landing pages, it’s linked for my paid subscribers below.

3. A very basic pitch deck

This is a little sneaky, because my version of a pitch deck also includes a one-pager. These are important to have when someone asks you to send them an overview of your services, and it also works to have one in your back pocket for when you’re actually pitching.

Here’s the outline for your slides:

1. A TLDR one-pager of everything you do. DO NOT SKIP THIS. Most people won’t click through the whole deck.

2. About: write this with an eye to your edge/what makes you different

3. Services: write this with an eye to the tension you resolve

4. Core Offer

5. Results/Reviews

6. Contact Link (calendar)

Now, this has the same deal as your website. Pick a template that works for the pitch deck, plays well with your website, and call it a day. You will change it eventually. That is OK.

Remember: all of this is living.

What I mean by this is that your website and pitch deck are living documents.

I help my clients make a pitch deck we think is “final,” only to pitch it several times and revise it based on feedback.

Same for your website.

The point is to get it out there, not to have it perfect.

Business [Comma] Woman is for anyone building (or thinking about building) a business around their skills. Whatever you’re good at: accounting, tarot card reading, window washing, marketing, therapy -if it’s legal, I want you to make money at it. I focus on the stuff that gives most solopreneurs hives: getting clients, marketing themselves, pricing, etc. If this article resonated or was helpful, please share it!