10 actionable steps to quickly take your brand from hot mess to hell yes!

Brand Identity

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11

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Are you constantly learning but never putting that knowledge into action? Maybe you've picked up tons of branding tips from this podcast but haven’t actually applied them yet. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. I’m sharing 10 quick tips (each taking just 15-30 minutes!) to help you fall in love with your brand again.

I get it–learning is exciting. One of my core values is never to stop learning, but it’s easy to get stuck in “learning mode” and never actually do anything with all that information.

Yes, branding is really important, and as business owners, we have to learn it, but only if we put that knowledge into action. So, if you're feeling like a hot mess or overwhelmed with where to start, I’ve got you.

1. Design an Email Signature

This might seem basic but designing an email signature can quickly elevate your brand’s professionalism. I assumed everyone had a cool email signature until a creative I emailed said, "I didn’t even know my email signature could look that good!" So here’s a quick and easy way to up your game.

I recommend using a tool like Scribe. It’s free for individuals and helps you create a sleek, professional-looking signature for your brand. Sign up, plug in your info, choose your colours, and pick a template. You can even add a call-to-action button, like promoting your product, creating an email list, or booking a call (I have mine to download my Ultimate Branding Checklist!)

It’ll take about 15-30 minutes to complete, including setup. Once you’re done, your signature will look polished and on-brand. It’s perfect for emailing clients, potential collaborators, or anyone you want to impress.

2. Update Your Bio

I know everyone says to update your bio, but it really is one of the quickest, most powerful ways to level up your brand because it’s how you communicate what your brand is all about.

Whether it’s on Instagram, your website, or elsewhere, your bio needs to do a lot of heavy lifting in a small space.

First, make sure it’s clear and scannable. People should be able to get the gist of who you are and what you do at a glance. Avoid being overly clever—clarity is key here. Highlight what you do, how people can work with you, and what you’re all about.

Next, think about using on-brand emojis that match your brand’s colours or vibe. For example, I use the orange heart emoji consistently across my social media to reinforce my brand colour. You could do the same with any emoji that reflects your brand—whether it’s a lightning bolt, a skull, or something unique to you.

Consistency is crucial here. Try to keep your bio similar across all platforms (within the character limits, of course) so your branding stays cohesive.

This is a 15-minute task that can make your brand feel fresh and aligned. Plus, who doesn’t love a shiny new bio to share? Screenshot it, show it off, and invite people to check it out!

3. Make an Image of Your Colour Palette

One of the simplest ways to make your brand look consistent and professional on social media is by using your brand colours across everything you create. As we know, one of the best ways to communicate your brand and to be memorable is through colour.

Colour boosts brand recognition by 80%, so it’s important to use your exact brand shades whenever possible.

A quick hack is to create a cheat sheet image of your brand colour palette and save it to your phone. Keep it in a favourites folder or a designated "brand" folder. Then, when you’re creating Instagram Stories, Reels, or posts, you can use the colour dropper to match your text, stickers, question boxes, and more to your brand colours. Yes, even those Instagram question boxes can be colour-customised!

For bonus points, you can create custom Instagram Story backgrounds in your brand colours to use whenever you want a clean, professional look without a photo. You can even add your logo, icons, or other brand elements for extra flair if you want to.

4. Create Folders of Reusable Images and Videos on Your Phone

The best part about tip four? You can do this one while Netflix plays in the background.

One of the easiest ways to streamline your content creation is by organising reusable images and videos on your phone. We want to take our brand from hot mess to hell yes, by posting consistently and on-brand, without the stress of scrambling for content at the last minute.

If you’re like me, you probably have thousands of photos and videos sitting on your phone that could be repurposed. Spend 10-30 minutes going through your phone and creating folders for different types of content. For example, you could create a folder of:

B-roll videos (generic clips of you working, walking, etc.)
Work-in-progress sketches
Packaging or product videos
Behind-the-scenes content

Having these folders handy makes it easier to create Instagram Reels, Stories, or posts without starting from scratch every time. Set aside a little time here and there to keep adding to these folders. It will save you so much time in the long run and help you feel more organised and prepared.

5. Set Up an Email List Signup Form

I'm betting that creating an email list or maybe emailing your list more might be on your list of things to do. But I’m not here to overwhelm you by saying you need to do everything right now—like crafting weekly newsletters, building elaborate automation or coming up with a content calendar. Instead, I’m suggesting something simple: set up a way for people to join your list so you can start gathering subscribers. That’s it!

I use ConvertKit (soon to be called Kit), and the good news is that it’s free up to 10,000 subscribers. It takes about 10 minutes to create a simple form or landing page to start gathering subscribers. Pick a template, customise it with your brand colours and fonts, add a brief call-to-action, and you’re done!

Once you have that form, you can put it in your Instagram bio, at the bottom of your website, or even in your website navigation. You don’t need to email them right away if you’re not ready, but at least you’ll be gathering those people.

Start collecting emails now so you have a way to stay in touch—because social media algorithms can change, and followers might miss your updates.

An email list ensures you always have a direct way to connect with your audience when they’re ready to hear from you.

6. Check the Links in Your Bio

One of the biggest mistakes I see creatives make is not thinking about the experience that people have with their brand—especially when it comes to the links in their bio. I actually have a whole article about improving the brand experience, plus a downloadable guide to help you audit it!

Right now, one of the key experiences your audience will have is finding you on social media and wanting to take the next step—whether that’s buying from you, booking a session, emailing you, or something else. How smooth or frustrating that experience is can shape how people perceive your brand moving forward.

So, spend a few minutes putting yourself in your audience’s shoes. Ask yourself:

Who are your clients, customers, your ideal people?
What do they need from you?
What would that next action be?
What is it that they need?

For example, if you want people to buy your work, there should be a clear link to your shop that says something direct like, “Visit My Shop” or “Buy My Work.” If you’re seeking speaking opportunities or want to appear on podcasts, make sure your contact info is front and centre. I can’t tell you how often I search for potential podcast guests and struggle to find contact details. If commissions are what you’re after, make the process for booking one obvious and seamless.

Take a few minutes to review the links in your bio. Make sure they’re up-to-date and relevant, and lead people exactly where you want them to go. Avoid old links (like that outdated webinar you hosted months ago).

You also want to be careful not to overwhelm your audience with too many options. When I see bios with 30 different links, it’s confusing and stops me from taking any action. Your goal is to make it easy for people to take the next step.

So, sit down for 15 minutes, go through the links in your bio, and update anything that feels out of place.

You want it to be a quick and painless experience for your audience, so they can easily connect, buy, or book with you.

7. Create a Template for One Thing in Your Business

Instead of creating things repeatedly, I want you to take 15 minutes to create a template. This will not only save you time going forward but also make things more consistent for your brand. It will make your brand feel professional and thought-through and establish expectations and trust with your audience.

As I said, if you have a sticker club that you promote every month, you could create a template for that graphic. If you run a Patreon, you can create graphics that promote that every time you post on Patreon. Or, if you run a sale every quarter, create one for that so your audience knows what to look for.

When creating a template, you don’t need to start from scratch. You’ve likely already created something for this type of content before, so take an existing design you’ve used, tweak it, and turn it into a template. Make sure it’s set up in your brand colours, and maybe create a few variations so you can switch things up when needed.

8. Repurpose Previous Content & Create That Habit

Instead of stressing and spending hours creating one piece of new content, take just 10 minutes to scroll through your feed and find a previous post that you can tweak and repost. This saves you time while still sharing valuable content.

Chances are, not all of your audience saw the original post, especially if you've gained new followers since then. Even those who did see it will appreciate the reminder.

So, if you’ve poured your heart into creating something in the past, don’t let it be a one-time thing—repurpose it!

As you schedule content, whether you're using tools like Later, Buffer, or Metricool (which I’m currently using), get into the habit of scheduling your repurposed content as drafts for the future. For example, if you post something today that could be relevant again in 3-6 months, schedule a draft now for that time. This way, you’re setting yourself up to repurpose content down the line without extra work automatically. Win!

9. Find Your You-isms

Tip number nine is all about finding your you-isms! If you haven’t heard of this concept before, get ready to add some personality to your brand. You-isms are unique phrases, words, or expressions that reflect your voice—think of them as your personal brand’s fingerprints. For example, mine might be Hollie-isms; yours could be Jess-isms or Ryan-isms.

Take time to scroll through what you've written–social media captions, messages, emails, client communications, voice notes even. Look for patterns in what you say frequently. These could be specific words, quirky phrases, or even memes that resonate with you. You can also ask friends and family for their insights on what you tend to say often.

Once you’ve compiled a list of your “you-isms”, you’ll have a handy cheat sheet to spice up your writing, especially when it feels stale or uninspired. The next time you're crafting a caption that doesn’t feel quite right, refer back to your list. Ask yourself if incorporating a few of your you-isms would help it feel more authentic to your voice.

Set aside about 15 minutes to start this process, and you might discover more about your unique style. If you're feeling adventurous, dig deeper by examining transcriptions of meetings or voice memos to unearth even more of your distinctive expressions!

10. Learn Design Principles

Tip number ten is to spend a little time learning about the eight design principles—they can truly elevate your brand’s professionalism! While I spent four years in design school and a lot of money learning these concepts, you don’t have to go that route. Let's focus on two that can make a significant impact: alignment and white space.

Alignment refers to how elements line up with each other on a page. Proper alignment is intentional; every component should connect with something, whether it’s another element or the page margins. If an item is slightly off, it should still be purposeful—like being aligned to a grid. When elements are haphazardly placed, it creates a messy look that screams “amateur.”

For text, aim for left alignment. It’s scientifically proven that left-aligned text is easier to read than centred or justified text, making your content more accessible and visually appealing.

Next up is white space. Many designs suffer from being overcrowded, which is why giving your elements space to breathe will actually increase your clarity and professionalism.

While not every design needs to be minimalistic, a good rule of thumb is to leave more white space than you think necessary. This helps avoid a cramped feel and ensures that each element has room to stand out.

It will make a world of difference when you understand and start to practice those design principles.