About (Visual) Brand Story

We were always told that beauty is not important. And that what really counts is the inner content, Until we found out the truth. The beauty and outward appearance are the beginning of the inner story. And in the time, we live in, external beauty matters!

You probably thought I was going to talk about weight, and hair, chest or eye colors, but no! I want to tell you how you can express your inner beauty in your business, so that it creates agreat and unique story outside. A story that will both move people and reflect who you are as accurately as possible.

We live in a visual world

45% of people receive and transmit information through images. They like presentations, and graphs, Icons and characters, cartoons and colors. The remaining 55% of people also need visual stimulation to be interested in our product. And this is the reason to invest in visual branding.

Nice to meet you,

I’m Shirit Ben Israel, a Strategic Storytelling expert. Every day I help people and companies to distill their content and turn it into actionable stories that arouse excitement, interest and impact. Today, I want to share with you the story behind What’s Your Story.

The process

Visual brand means creating a narrative (story) in pictures that reflects the business and its owner. We are not talking about a logo, nor about advertising materials. We are talking about a series of photos that will reflect the business and its owner. And in the case of a business based on a single owner.

Visual Branding – 1st step

I started with a personal interview with myself, after all I am the owner of the business. I asked-

• Who are you Shirit?
• What are your strengths?
• What do you like to do the most?
• What is your “genius” area?
• What reflects you the most?
• What did people like to say about you once? And what about today?

It all starts from the “bottom”

I remembered an annoying sentence that my parents liked to say about me for many years – “Shirit, turns everything to a story”. And this sentence, which for many years was a source of heartache, became in an instant, three critical elements in visual branding:

• The first – the slogan of my promise to customers
• The second – the hero story on the company website
• The third – a new company logo

Photographs: Kfir Ziv

Visual Branding 2nd Step – The concept

Since childhood, I live and breathe one thing – stories. I have everything that revolves around the story. “So let’s go for STORY” is what I said to myself. I started by asking myself important questions, like-

• What is my favorite color?
• Which color connects to the stories? (Shay’s answer was red. Why? Because in order to create a story you need passion and a variety of other feelings and passions, and there is nothing like red to express passion and creation)
• What image do I want to convey?
• Who is the audience I want to attract?
• What energy will be in the air?
• What type of photographs will transmit the message optimally?
• What is required of me to prepare (physically/technically) for the photos?
• And the question of the questions – who can implement my ideas?

Now, Let’s be honest…

In the photos I celebrated 65+. In the close-up photos, it is clear that you can see wrinkles, and lines, and marks that you would not see on a 20-year-old girl. Therefore, even if you are younger, you have orgenize a special team for the photo shoot:

1. Strategic/business consultant for cracking the DNA
2. Storytelling consultant – for building the story (the verbal – for the website, and the visual – for the photographs)
3. A photographer who understands concept, creative, storytelling and everything in between
4. Make-up artist (who will be with you throughout the photo shoot)
5. Stylist (which I forgot to add to the team, which is a mistake!)
6. Graphic designer expert in Photoshop – because no matter how beautiful you are, or how young you are, for sure, you will always want to improve the result.

Remember the message I wanted to convey? – “With Shirit Everything Becomes a Story”

So, when I peered through the hole of the letter O, I wanted them to feel that I see everything, from everywhere, no matter where it is, or how small it is.

And when I sat down on the floor with the laptop on my lap, I basically said that he and I are connected together, anywhere, at any point in time, and I don’t need a shot from him and your content.

Quite a few people who contacted me and became clients, told me during the work process, that the picture of me sitting with the laptop “did it for them”. That’s how it worked out for me that a photo we took in a second and a half, when I actually wanted to rest, was a hit.

The “Contact Us” page previously had a nice picture from a photo site on the web. Beautiful, but not personal, because I wasn’t there. Now, you can see me, when I’m actually broadcasting to you – don’t send an email, don’t send a WhatsApp message, be practical, pick up the phone. Does it help? 

• Are you also interested in improving the visual representation of your business to better convey your inner beauty and expertise? 

Photographs: Kfir Ziv

6 tips that for visual branding: 

1. Professional photography:

Invest in professional photography to take photos that accurately represent your business and personality. High-quality images can have a significant impact on how your brand is perceived.

2. Consistent visual elements:

Create a cohesive visual identity by using consistent colors, fonts, and design elements throughout your branding materials. This helps in building recognition and strengthening your brand message.

3. Showcase your expertise:

Incorporate visuals that highlight your expertise and skills in action. This could include pictures of you working with clients, giving workshops or presenting your products/services.

4. Personal branding:

Don’t avoid including personal touches in your visual branding. Showing your personality and values ​​can help connect with your audience and differentiate you from the competition.

5. Storytelling through images:

Use visuals to tell a story about your business journey, values ​​and mission. People resonate with stories, and visual storytelling can evoke emotions and create an unforgettable impression.

6. Magnetize your audience:

Use visually appealing content on social media platforms to engage with your audience. Visuals such as infographics, videos and illustrations can help convey your message effectively.

Eventually,

Visual branding is not just about aesthetics; It’s about creating a narrative that resonates with your target audience and reflects the essence of your business. By leveraging the power of visuals, you can convey your inner beauty and expertise in a compelling way that leaves a lasting impression and moves people to action.