Blue Sky clouds sun, CLARITY

Setting Intentions

I’ve never been one for New Year’s Resolutions but the beginning of the year, each month, even every Monday, is a good time to set intentions again, start something, stop something else, and get yourself back on track.  

As I go into this new year—still homeschooling my kids, waiting for the green light to make plans, travel again, and simply have a night out with friends—I am really focusing on my business goals. Those have not changed since last year but became more clear and refined. My main objective for LIME&Co (formerly lime1 Design) is to greatly serve my clients in the best way I can and really, really, really help and support them. To spell it out: I am shifting from being a visual designer to a brand consultant focusing on brand clarity and strategy.  

OK, what does that mean? Before, as a visual designer, I would create visual expressions for brands or, more simply put, I designed logos and everything that came with them. Ah, yes, logos. People understand that. 

But still, what is Brand Clarity? I still design logos, or more professionally put “brand identities”, because that’s what I do best and enjoy most. But before I even start doing so, I need to be clear. Crystal clear. About your business, your brand, and your offerings. To create a successful brand, we need to start at the beginning from within. We need to take a good look under the hood to gain a deep understanding of why your business exists and where you want to go. 

With my clients, I dig deep, really deep, surfacing important insights about their business, asking lots of questions and more importantly listening.I find out who they are, their needs, pain points and goals, who their ideal client is, that superfan, and who we are up against. All this is the substance of the brand, the core brand DNA. 

Based on that, we build a solid brand foundation that eliminates all the guesswork, offers clarity for the leadership, team and customers, and determines all communication efforts, now and as the brand grows. Now we know exactly what this logo needs to look like, what voice and tone we use with your tribe, how the website looks and functions, and where we need to go to promote and reach the people that matter most to your brand.

It is nothing new. In fact, most businesses do this (or certainly should) before they start. They have a solid business plan and know their mission, position, values, goals and audience. However, I focus on it through the lens of branding layered with creative thinking and an actionable and measurable marketing road map. I am interested in a true partnership with my clients, help them succeed, do better-than-good, and build a long-lasting relationship of constant improvement.

Looking back at the last 16 years of creative output, I am extremely proud of the business I’ve built, nurtured, and absolutely love. I have overcome recessions and pandemics, folding in family, mentoring, and teaching—and now I am ready to intentionally build and plan out the next 16 years. For now let’s start with this year. 2021. I look forward to helping my clients create brands that embody their purpose and reach their people. And I am starting now. This here is part of it: my intention is to write a post every month. Please bear with me and let me pop into your inbox once in a while for a few thoughts.

How do you approach the new year, and what intentions do you set for your business and yourself personally? Write it down and if you like, share it with me. I am curious. I sure hope you get what you want from 2021 and make this the best year ever. I will make that declaration for myself and set my intentions accordingly!   

Cheers,
determined…
Petra