When you want to set yourself apart from the competition – one of the ways to do that is by branding. We’re not just talking about your fonts, your colors, and your logo but, how you present yourself as a brand and how you present your business to the world on social media – including things like brand values, who you are, and how you are appealing to your dream bride.

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So, what is branding? It’s not just logos. It’s not just colors. Its not just fonts. It’s what you, as an artist, and as a company stand for. It’s your values, who you serve, and what you bring to the table. Before you can make any of these decisions and start putting together a cohesive brand you need to understand a few things. Who are you trying to reach – who is your dream bride and what kind of brand can you build that speaks to her? Because we are an industry that speaks to beauty and physical transformation, you need to understand what will appeal to that bride visually. 

When you think about that dream bride – what kind of makeup does she like? What kind of hair? What type of dress would she wear? What type of accessories are going to appeal to her? It’s not just whatever is popular and trendy right now. You need to understand who is your target market? And will they be influenced by trends?

One example is in the Northern Virginia/ D.C. area – many women tend to not get married until closer to age thirty. As a first-time bride, many things that appeal to a thirty-year-old bride are not the same as a twenty-three-year-old bride. You need to understand the demographic of who you are trying to speak to in your local area – how to shift your marketing messages to speak to the people in the specific niche you are trying to reach. 

Which brings us back to visuals – you’re going to connect or repel people instantly with your brand visuals. When you think back to your dream bride – is she going to be entranced by a structured updo, or a messy boho look? Will polished, minimalist makeup appeal to her or a more contoured, dramatic look? While either of these could be the current trends, it doesn’t necessarily translate into bookings if that isn’t what your target demographic wants. I would recommend looking at other professionals in the industry – not other bridal hairstylists or make-up artists but, photographers, videographers, and venues – what visuals are they using to appeal to that same dream client? The bottom line – understanding your dream bride is the first step in putting together a successful brand. 

Episode 55: Better Bridal Branding – Stand out from the sea of competition

The second piece of your branding is your values. What values are important to you in your business? Do you use sustainable products with sustainable packaging? Do you use cruelty-free products, or products that are 90% vegan? These are things that consumers are interested in and want to know. They are looking for brands that are in alignment with their values and by already having that information available you save them time and hassle in having to ask. Another value to consider is if you focus on inclusion. Do you have a globally inclusive kit? Are you able to do hair and make up for every ethnicity? Do you know how to work with different textures of hair? If you do, make sure you represent that in your branding.

You must make sure that your branding makes your clients feel like you’re capable, and that’s by visually showcasing and verbalizing it as a brand. Whether it’s through sustainable products, ethnic inclusivity, or even being aware that not all brides or members of a bridal party are at the same stage in their life. Let them know you can work with them at whatever stage they are in whether they be a second-time bride, mother-of-the-bride, or a new mom and be respectful of what they are trying to achieve with their look. 

So visually, if what you’re producing doesn’t line up with what a client wants, they aren’t going to book you, and it’s not because you’re not good at what you do. It’s just not what they want. A lot of people will miss the mark on marketing and then it becomes ineffective.  So, understanding these two key pieces – who are you trying to reach and what values do you want included are vital to your branding and should be included in your visuals. 

In my business building course, Next Level Bridal, I offer what I call “Phase 1” in my Unique as Fuck series that will help you get more in depth with your subconscious and the understanding of you as an artist and as a business. It will help you dive deep into who your dream bride is and how to build a brand that can reach out and attract them. 

What's Next?  

Check out Unique AF- Phase 1 inside of Next Level Bridal Business or as a standalone mini course dedicated to helping you gain clarity on your Dream Bride so you can strategically target her online.  You learn how to build magnetic brand messaging to stand out from your competition and fill your books with brides that align with your long term business goals.