In today’s competitive business landscape, a strong visual brand has become an indispensable asset for business owners who want to develop lasting and impactful connections with their audience. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and in the digital age, this is more true than ever. A well-crafted visual brand not only conveys the essence of a business but also communicates its values, brand personality, and unique selling proposition.

A strong visual brand is also a powerful tool to distinguish your business from your competitors, leaving a memorable impression on your audience. It is how your potential customers will come to understand who you are, what you stand for, and how you can help them.

And, just like you have, your business will evolve over time. Whether it’s updating your values, changing the customers you serve or how you serve them, or moving through a new phase of growth, your business will transform. And this provides the perfect opportunity to realign your visual brand!

When I saw that business coach (and one of my favourite people to photograph) Emma McQueen had rebranded recently, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to find out what was behind that decision, what went into developing the new brand, and how she feels now that it’s live. Here’s what she said.

What was behind your decision to update your website? What goals did you want to achieve?

I partnered last year with a marketing agency and asked them to review all of my existing branding, and shared with them what I wanted to change going forward. Their report captured [my thoughts] perfectly, so we used that as the anchor for building the new site.

Goals? I’m a pink girl through and through, but I wanted make the brand stand out a bit more, be more bold, and show my voice and my personality a lot more. And, now that I have been in business for a while, make what we do as clear as possible.

From a user perspective your new website looks amazing! But as the human behind the brand, how do you feel it aligns with your overall brand vision and objectives?

I love it! I loved the first one, don’t get me wrong, but after five years it was time for a change up. I feel like this one is a bit more evolved because I have grown so much. I am still getting used to it (like a pair of sparkly shoes!)

Customer experience and memorability is so important when it comes to building a powerful personal brand. In what ways do you feel your website update enhances or improves on these? How do you feel it differs from your last website?

Well, firstly the use of video on the home page makes it stand out and be memorable, and of course, your amazing photos really stand out so much more because of the design that was chosen. We have incorporated SEO into the copywriting this time, which differs from last time. It’s a level up for us, and that feels good.

How did the inclusion of new images from our last shoot contribute to the overall aesthetic and message of your website? Was there anything that helped (or hindered) when it came to integrating your new images into the site?

All your images are so good Fi! We had an abundance of photos to choose from because we hadn’t yet used a lot from our last photo shoot, so it still feels really fresh. I think the photos really pop on the new website and you always capture my personality so well.

What key lessons or insights from the rebrand process would you share with others in a similar position?

This one was a while in the making but good things take time, right? This was one of two major projects happening at the same time but luckily for me I only had to make the decisions, and Bel (from Digital Services Lab) knows me and my vibe so well, so it was a smooth process.

One of the things to know going in is what you actually want for the vibe of the site, and then it’s about making lots of decisions and being patient! Allow plenty of time, because as Mike and Bel will tell you, things don’t always go to plan, so it’s almost a case of ‘plan for the unknown’.

And is there any advice would you give to other businesses considering a website upgrade?

Find web developers that listen, take feedback, and take the time to get to know you and your brand. I loved working with Digital Services Lab; Bel and I met to make sure I was happy with everything all the way through, and even when I was annoying and said “I know we signed this off but what about this?”, nothing was too much trouble.

As you can see, refreshing your visual branding can be a transformative process that aligns your business with your brand vision, personality, and target audience as it evolves. And, like most things in business, having the right support in place will make the whole process much smoother! Shout out to digital marketing agency Digital Services Lab who worked closely with Emma throughout this project and have done an incredible job on her new site, and to Nicole Vine (personal stylist), Inez (hair and makeup), and Bec Stenner (social media manager) for their support on my most recent personal branding shoot with Emma, which was shot on location at the Sweet Retreat in Daylesford!

And of course make sure you check out Emma’s new site at www.emmamcqueen.com.au.

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Need some amazing images to elevate your website? Get in touch and let’s chat about how we can create some visuals that are aligned with your brand, and that will engage and inspire your audience.

Or if you’d love to build a powerful brand, show up more consistently online and build a successful business doing what you love, you can also check out my monthly membership for women in business.

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